fulfilled that God gaue them in charge to do Christ to his Disciples and in them to all such as should become Preachers gaue this Commission saying Ite praedicate Goe you Preach and what is he that euer saw the bishop of Rome in a Pulpit who hath heard a Cardinal many times preach Iudge you then my brethren when shall the ship come safe to the hauen if the Lodes-man doth not his duetie When shall the Vine bring forth any fruit if the husbandman apply not his diligence to dung to shred to vnderprop the same What shall become of the flocke if the Shéepheard sheweth not his industry and earnest labour amongst them Now let vs consider a little further what they were what should haue bin our Lodes-men what they were that should haue plaied the good husbands in Gods vineyard what they were that should haue looked to the flock of Christ Here will I declare nothing of my selfe I will not here vtter vnto you any thing of mine owne inuention I will onely shew you the minds of the auncient Doctors in the Primitiue Church and the sayings of old holy fathers that haue written of the Church of God Saint Gregory speaking of the Church of God saith Ecclesia Dei si ab vno pendebit corruet If the Church of God shall hang vpon one man if the whole sway thereof shall depend vpon one alone that Church must needs fall saith S. Gregorie Now let vs consider whither in times past it hath bin so in the Church of god whether we haue knowne one man to haue called himselfe the head of the Church and if it so be how can it then be otherwise but that the same Church must néeds perish and fall Saint Barnard an old holy father writing of the Bishops and Prelates of the Church in his time saith Non sunt Pastores sed Impostores non Doctores sed Seductores non Praelati sed Pilati They are not saith S. Barnard good Pastors and feeders of Gods flock but they are impostors such as deceiue Gods sheepe they are not Doctors but they are seductours such as lead men out of the right way They are not Prelates but they are verie Pilates And againe the same Saint Barnard in the Councell holden at Rhemes where he made a Sermon in the presence of the Bishops there assembled said Habemus iam non mercenarios pro Pastoribus neque Lupos pro mercenarijs sed in loco Luporum Daemones habemus Wee haue not now said this holy Father hirelings in steed of Sheepe-heards nor Wolues in steed of hirelings but in place of Wolues wee haue verie Deuils This spake Saint Barnard of the Preachers and Pastors in his time But O miserable is that Church wherein are hirelings in stéed of good Shéepeheards more miserable where are Wolues in place of hirelings and most miserable where Deuils in roome of Wolues For then all goeth to ruine and decay then must néeds all goodnesse in Gods Church bee ouerthrowen And so was it then so was it in his time said this old Father S. Barnard So Platina also an auncient writer Defecit tum maiestas Imperatoris sanctitas Episcopi When the Bishop of Rome said hee tooke so much vpon him when hee would bee called Vniuersall Bishop and head of Gods Church then decayed the Maiestie of the Emperour and the holinesse in the Bishop Saint Hillarie likewise saith The Church wherein Gods word is not preached must needes run against the rocke Tertullian also Miremur si fides deficit cum non sit instructio Doe wee maruaile saith hee if faith faile if faith bée not found amongst men sithence there is no Preaching no teaching no instruction Euen so anotherold writer speaking of his own time saith Calamitosa est desolatio in Domo Dei There is an horrible desolation in the Church of God And therefore also hee saith further Nos sumus in quos feces terrae deuenerunt Wee are they vpon whom all the dregs of the earth are fallen So Chrisostome If you saith hee perceiue it to wax darke in the vale you say it is towards night if you see it begin to be darke on the hils you say it is nigh night but if you see it once darke in the skie you say it is high night So if you sée ignorance in the people you may say it i◠towards night if you sée ignorance in the Priests it is almost night but if you sée ignorance and little learning in the Bishops and Prelates then may you well say it is high night Barnard that holy father in another place speaking of the Priests of his owne time saith Nothing is now safe amongst the Clergie all things are confounded all things out of order and therefore there is now nothing left but that Antechrist be reuealed I recount here nothing vnto you my brethren but onely the sayings of the auncient Doctours and holy Fathers which haue written of Gods Church in times herebefore and therefore I trust you will beleeue them the better The same S. Barnard of whom I spake before saith also It appeareth now that there is no persecution no Martyrs done vnto death Nay not so saith he it is not so for now euen they that sit highest in the Church of God they that beare the greatest stroke therin they begin to persecute and destroy Gods seruants And again speaking of the Priests and Prelates They would seeme to be Gods friends yet they are his enemyes they would be Christs kinsmen yet they are his aduersaries they would be seruants to Christ and yet they serue Antechrist And thus Good Bretheren it hath bin in our time and you your selues haue séene it you your selues haue séene that the whole Church hath hanged on one man alone that such as should haue bin Pastors haue bin deceiuers such as should haue bin teachers of the right way haue bin seducers and guydes into blind wayes such as should haue bin Prelats haue bin Pilates You your selues haue séene in the Church of God hyrelings in stéed of good Shepheards wolfes in place of hyrelings and verie deuils in the roome of wolfes All these things haue bin spoken of afore That the Maiestie in the Emperor and holinesse in the Bishop should decay that where Gods word is not preached there must the Church néeds run against the rocke that it is little marueile if faith faileth where good instruction wanteth that pityfull desolation is come into the house of God that wée are they vpon whom the dregs of the whole Earth are come that it is then high night when ignorance raigneth in the Bishops and lastly that there is nothing now left but that Antechrist be reuealed All these things haue béen spoken of before and are now come to passe and you your selues haue séen them you your selues I say haue séene all these things fulfilled You haue séene such sit highest in Gods Church that haue persecuted God his Church such as haue martyrd
Peter being appointed by God to goe to Cornelius the Captaine so soone as he came in vnto him by and by Cornelius met him fell downe at his féete and worshipped him hee thought him a God and no Man And thus as yée sée sometimes the people offended too much on that hand and gaue more honour and reuerence vnto Gods Ministers than God himselfe required or they looked for Sometimes againe on the other hand they gaue them no reuerence they attributed no honour vnto them they did set too little by the Preachers of Gods word and this was a fault on the other side When Christ in our nature began first to preach and set abroad his fathers will and the glad tydings of the Gospell the people forthwith found fault with him he is said they but a Carpenters son wée know his Father wée know his Mother he was neuer set to Schoole how can this man haue learning Afterward when the Disciples and Apostles of Christ preached and taught the people and beganne to speake with strange tongues in so much that euery man maruailed to heare his owne speach and language both Medes Persians and they of Mesopotamia yet said the people these men are full of new wine And this was too little honour Therefore if the Preacher bée too much honoured then is God dishonoured if hee bee despised and nothing set by then is Christ himselfe despised and not regarded They that said Christ was a Carpenters sonne a man vnlearned and such a one as neuer went to schoole they that said the Apostles of Christ were full of new wine spake not this of any priuate malice or hatered that they bare either vnto Christ or his Apostles but onely to bring Gods word to shame only to bring Christs holy Gospell out of credit with the people this was their entent and purpose and nothing els Therefore Saint Paule in this place sheweth the Corinthians how they should estéem the teachers of gods holy word how they should thinke and iudge of them For the people sometime estéeme most a policicke man such a man as by his great wit is able to conclude Peace and Leagues betwéene Princes they regard him that is of stout courage and learned in the Lawes they set most by him that is eloquent and able to perswade yea and they regard him not that is not excellently learned and séene in all Sciences but heere Saint Paule sheweth them that they should not estéeme the Preachers of Gods Gospell as men politicke as men of great wit as men of stout courage and learned in the Law as men eloquent and excellently well séene in sciences but as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the secrets of God Thus should the Ministers of Christ bee estéemed and thus ought the teachers of Gods word shew themselues as Ministers of Christ and dispensers of Gods secrets And therefore saint Paule in another place saith We come not to preach our selues all our preaching all our teaching all our Doctrine is that you know Iesus Christ as for our selues wée are but your seruants So Christ himselfe Qui de se loquitur gloriam propriam quaerit Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie saith Christ So Paule likewise Quid Petrus quid Paulus quid Apollo nisi Ministri What is Peter what is Paule what is Apollo thinke you them any other than the seruants and ministers of God Paule hath planted Apollo watered but God hath giuen the encrease The encrease came not from Peter not from Paule not from Apollo but from God alone Apollo Paule and Peter are nothing els but the ministers and seruants of God God is he that giueth the encrease God alone is hee that giueth the encrease When the great Citie of Ierusalem vnderstood of Iohn the Baptist and began to séeke vnto him they asked him What art thou Hee answered them Ego vox clamantis in deserto Parate viam Domini I am said hee a man not worthy to be esteemed I am but a messenger sent vnto you I am nothing els but a voice to cry Prepare you the way of the Lord. So Moses and Aaron that had the conducting of the people of God when the whole Campe was in a tumult and vprore and the people ran in rage against them like to haue slaine them they stretched out their hands and said Non contra nos sed contra Dominum nam nos qui sumus This stir this hurly burly this tumult that you make is not said they against vs but against God for alas what are we we are but Gods seruants Gods messengers appointed to lead and guid you Thus therefore ought euery man estéeme the Preachers of Gods gospell as messengers as seruants as Ministers of Christ thus ought euery man thinke and iudge of them But what kind of seruant is this Preacher what manner of Minister is he Saint Paul saith He is the Steward and Dispenser of Gods secrets he setteth foorth and sheweth abroad the mysteries of his holy Gospel And these mysteries that S. Paul here meaneth to conclude in one word are none other than the Articles of our Faith That Christ is the Sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgine Marie that he was crucified dead buried descended into Hell rose againe and sitteth at the right hand of his Father that by his blood our sinnes were washed away that our bodies shall at the last day arise and we possesse eternall life These be the secrets these be the mysteries that the Ministers of Christ the seruants and Stewards of God do vtter and declare to Gods people no wisdome of man is able to compasse this no learning of this world able of it selfe to expound these hidden secrets For saith Saint Paul Animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt ex Deo The naturall man perceiueth nothing of the spirit of God he vnderstandeth not such things as are of God It is foolishnesse vnto him and he can not perceiue it for it must be spiritually discerned Christ himselfe also Non ex hominibus nequè ex voluntate carnis sed ex voluntate Dei they which are Gods children and able to vnderstand his mysteries are such which are not borne of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God When Christ had asked of Peter what he thought of him and Peter had said Tues Christus filius Dei viui Thou art Christ the Sonne of the lyuing God He answered O happie art thou Simon the Sonne of Ionas for flesh and blood hath not opened that vnto thee but my Father that is in Heauen These mysteries therefore are onely opened by the spirit of God by Gods only working not by any wisdome of man not by any cunning and great learning of this world Now therefore saith Saint Paul thinke thus of vs iudge vs to be the Ministers and seruants of God
secrets of God Christ ministred this Communion to his Disciples in both the kinds yet they notwithstanding ministred it vnder one kind alone they robbed the people and took the cup from them And this was contrary to Christ his institution And how then should wée estéeme them as the ministers of Christ stewards of the secrets of God God gaue vs in commaundement to make no grauen Image they taught that we should make ourselues grauen Images that wee should knéele that we should bowe that we should créepe vnto them and that we should offer sticke vp candles before them This they taught to bee necessarie doctrine and that our saluation depended therupon This haue they done you all right well know and this contrarie to the expresse commandement of God And how then should wee esteem them as the ministers of Christ and Stewards of the secrets of God S. Paul willeth our praiers in the congregation to be such to be red and song in so plain a tongue in so distinct and knowne a language that the common people may vnderstand them and so altogether may answere the minister and say Amen And this was vsed in the Patriarches in the Prophets in the Apostles in the old Doctours times in the Primitiue Church and yet there haue beene men and now are that would haue the praiers in Latine in a tongue to vs strange and vnknowne and in a tongue that few or none vnderstand And how then can they say they are the Ministers of Christ Stewards of Gods secrets God in the old Law gaue in charge to his people that they should haue his Law alwaies before their eyes that they should haue his commandements written in their hands on their sleeues on their doore thresholds in the skirts of their garments This God himselfe commanded And Christ in the new Law Scrutamini Scripturas saith he illae enim testimonium perhibent de me Search ye the Scripturs for they do bear witnesse of mee And yet this notwithstanding notwithstanding Christ commaunded vs to searth the Scripturs yet you your selues haue known men and such as were Preachers forbid you to haue Gods Gospell in your hands would not suffer you to haue the holy Testament of Christ in your houses no nor in the Churches for all men to read This was contrarie to Gods commandement and the mind of our sauiour Iesus Christ And how then can they say they are the Ministers of Christ Stewards of Gods secrets Christ said vnto Peter Amas me pasce oues meos pasce agnos meos pasce gregem meum Peter said Christ louest thou me feed my sheepe feed my lambes feed my flock But our great clearkes our Popes our Cardinals our Bishops would seldome or neuer make a Sermon they fed not Gods shéepe they fed not Gods lambs they had no regard to Gods flocke and how then could they say they were the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of Gods secrets I leaue out much of purpose good brethren I wittingly ouerpasse here many things els that I could say herein the time would faile me if I shold reherse vnto you al those things wherin they haue most shamfully abused thēselues But iudge you my brethren by these things only which I haue here shewed vnto you whether they should be estéemed as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the secrets of God Christ willed them not only to be Stewards but faithfull Stewards faithfull ministers faithfull dispensers of his secrets If to do nothing be the faithfulnesse that God requireth in them if this bee the charge that Christ demandeth of them then may wee well call them the seruants of God and ministers of Christ otherwise how can we say that they are the Stewards of Gods secrets and faithfull dispensers of his hidden mysteries Saint Paul goeth forth and saith It is but a small thing that I should be iudged of you Saint Paul notwithstanding he was an elect vessel of God to beare abroad the glorie of his name notwithstanding hee was the greatest of the Apostles and a faithfull dispenser of Gods secrets yet some men said that hée was vnlearned some said hee was no Minister of Christs some said that there were many other Preachers better than hee And this was spoken of him euen by the Christians and such as professed Gods name And thus a great number of the people iudged that S. Paul was not the seruant of God was not the Minister of Christ was not a Steward of Gods secrets But S. Paule appealed from them he appealed from their iudgements and said It is but a smal matter for me to be iudged of you or of mans daie c. Here may wee sée what a bold courage what a stout stomacke was in S. Paul when he durst thus openly and as it were to their faces appeale from the peoples iudgement and so bring them before the dreadfull maiestie of the eternall God This was a great courage of his this was a signe that hee little or nothing feared the force of the people But this he did because he wel knew that what euer befell him in this world what euer punishment hee suffered in this life he could not miscarie before God hée could not doe other than well in the life to come And therefore likewise in another place hee bouldly said vnto the people I am pure from the bloud of all men I haue kept back nothing that was profitable I haue hid nothing from you but haue shewed you all the counsell of God And so where at this day some men there are which say that this Doctrine which is now preached vnto you shall againe haue a change that this Religion shall be taken away and once againe altered that it can not long stand continew to such we boldly answere here as S. Paule to the Corinthians did that it is but a smal matter for vs to be iudged of you that we much force not what you iudge and déeme of vs. For we haue kept nothing backe from you we haue disclosed vnto you al the counsell of God But if such change doth happen if any alteration of our Religion doth chance as possible enough it is so to come to passe yet is it not good brethren a thing to bee reioyced at it is not a thing wherat we should triumph and be glad For oftentimes when God séeth his benefits misused when he perceiueth his Gospell little regarded when hee espieth his holy word neglected and nothing set by then he pulleth from vs againe his benefits earst bestowed then he taketh away his word from out of the congregation then hee will not suffer the light of his holy Gospell any longer to shine vpon them And this when he doth he doth it onely for our sinfulnesse only for our owne sins wretchednesse For so in times past he said by Ose his Prophet For the wickednesse of my people I will get me away they shal not see
Of such force was the presence of Christ vnto Zacheus of such power was the commaundement of Christ with Mathew the Toll-gatherer Saint Augustine a little before he returned vnto Christ embraced his trueth he feared he trembled and alwaies stood in doubt but so soone as Christ had once inspired him with his holie spirit and reuealed his trueth vnto him forthwith without any further doubt or delay he renounced his errors and became a perfect Christian There was once a Christian man whose name was Eusebius and being demaunded what he was answered a Christian being asked what countrey man said a Christian who was his father a Christian where he dwelt a Christian and so to ech other demaund he answered a Christian as who would say what so euer I be I am nothing else but a Christian In the beginning of Gods Church all good men were called Christian men and yet was it not one thing to be a Christian and a good man The Christian men for that they considered they were called to saluation to redemption by the death of Christ to the inheritance of Heauen they had their delight and only felicitie in heauenly things they estéemed not the vaine pleasures of this world and because they thus carried Christ in their Bodies because they had their members crucified vnto Christ therfore were they called Christians And so should we doe good Bretheren so should we consider our redemption so should we mortifie our members and renouncing the vaine delights of this world we should fixe our eyes our minds and all our doings on Heauenly things alone Saint Cyprian saith The people come to learne the Gospell to heare the word of God and wherefore that they might worke according vnto the Gospell that they might bring forth fruits worthie the word of God that they may thus doo therfore they heare Gods word saith S. Cyprian And thus if wée do not what euer we brag of our Redemption what euer we brag of our profession what euer we boast of the knowledge of Gods Gospell it is to no end it is not to effect or purpose And therefore if we haue heretofore time giuen ouer our members vnto vncleannesse from one wickednesse vnto an other now let vs giue ouer the same our members vnto the seruice of righteousnesse For saith S. Paul What profit what fruit had ye at that time in those things whereof you are now ashamed for the end of such things is death It is the part of a wise man and the office of a discréet man in such good order to dispose all his businesse and to bring all his doings to so good end that he take no foile nor haue any shame therefore Ye haue committed sin saith saint Paul yée haue giuen ouer your members from one wickednesse to another and now ye be ashamed now are ye sorie for those your misdoings But what profit then had yee of those things whereof you are now ashamed This is an horrour and the greatest horrour that may be that no man can commit sin without a great burden of conscience without great torment disquietnesse of minde Iudas when he had betraied his master Christ by and by his conscience accused himselfe and was so great a burden vnto him that to deliuered and eased thereof he went imediatly and hanged himselfe When Caine had slaine his owne brother and committed that execrable murther God said vnto him Why dost thou lowre Such a thing is sin that whosoeuer committeth it it will forthwith appeare in his face it will appeare and shew in his countenance But happie is that man that soonest commeth to repentance happie is he that is soonest sorie for his sins and misdoings Adam so soone as hee had eaten of the forbidden fruite so transgressed the commaundement of God God called vnto him and said Adam vbies Where art thou He answered I am fled away Lord I hide my selfe And why fled he away why hid he himselfe from the sight of God because he was ashamed The prodigall Son spoken of in the Gospell after he had riotously consumed his whole substance and so brought to extreame pouertie hee returned againe came home to his father fell downe before his féete and said O father I haue sinned against Heauen and against thee And why said he thus because he was ashamed The people in the time of Daniel the Prophet when they sawe their owne wickednesse and repented them thereof cryed out and said Shame is come vpon vs shame and confusion is this day fallen vpon vs. Dauid the Prophet when hee had by tyranie caused his faithfull and trustie seruant Vrie to be slaine thereby to haue his pleasure of Bersabee his wife and after had séene his owne foly cryed out vnto God saying Miserere mei quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco Haue mercie vpon me O Lord because I know mine iniquities And why said he thus because he was ashamed Ieremie Postquam ostendisti mihi peccata mea erubui After thou hadst O Lord shewed me mine offences I was ashamed said he Thus good brethren a wicked conscience euermore beareth shame about with it euermore carieth a most heauie burden euermore is prickt and tormented and neuer at quiet And though some men there bee so giuen ouer vnto sinne that they féele no shame in this life that are not moued in their conscience in this world yet may they assure themselues they shall féele bitter torments in the world to come and eternall shame that neuer shall haue end And if there bee any that will now say as the people in the time of Daniel did whatsoeuer we doe God will not looke vnto vs hee regardeth not our doings whether wee doe good or euill God hath no respect vnto it and so bee nothing moued in their conscience for their sinful liuing when they shal be cast into vtter darknesse where shall be wéeping and gnashing of téeth then shall their conscience be moued with repentance then shall they bee ashamed but then al too late Remember the glutton the rich glutton that in his life time had nothing but pleasure neuer felt aduersitie nor neuer was prickt in conscience for his mislyuing after hee fell into Hell fire was there tormented and the worme of his conscience began to gnaw him then he cryed out vnto Abraham then hee was ashamed but then was it too late And thus shall the wicked people doe at the last day the wicked people I say that shall then be liuing and sée the great terrour of that day They shal say vnto the Hils fall vpon vs vnto the mountains comecouer vs then shal their owne wicked conscience accuse them then shall they be ashamed but then too late Now good brethren what profit had all these of their owne sinfulnesse what profit and commoditie had they of all their wickednesse What profit had Adam by transgressing the commaundement of God What profit had Cain for
the bad as vnto the good And therefore my Bretheren euen for this cause alone all good and godlie Preachers and such as were sent from God haue euer béen so zealous and so much desired the saluation of Gods people Moyses when he saw the people of Israel after their deliuerance from Captiuitie by the mightie hand of God fall from God forsake him and forget the wonders that he had wrought for them he cried out vnto God and said O domine me potius de leas de libro vitae Sooner then that these perish O Lord wipe me out of the Booke of life let my name be striken out of it So Paule Cupio Anathema esse pro fratribus meis I wish my self to bee accursed from Christ for my brethren I would that I might be cast away so they might be saued O my brethren consider these harts consider I say the zealous hart that Moses the zealous affection that Paule had vnto the saluation of the people What thinke you is it to be striken out of the booke of life What thinke you is it to be a man accursed and haue portion among reprobates Moses was content to be blotted out of the booke of life so that the people of Israell might be saued S. Paule was content to bée accursed and cast from the face of God so that Gods people might not be cast to perdition Thus they of an earnest heart and zealous loue they bare to the congregation of God wished their owne destruction for the safegard of others Therefore also it behooueth you my brethren you that are temporall men it behooueth you on the other part not to despise Gods messengers not to set light by them that preach you the Gospel and glad tydings of your saluation For this is the onely meanes whereby it pleaseth God that we should be saued this onely is it whereby the people is won vnto Christ God might haue sent an Angel vnto the chamberlaine of the Quéene Candace and so haue conuerted him but he sent Philip he sent Philip I say a poore and meane man that thorough his preaching he might bee won to the faith and so brought to saluation God might haue sent an Angell to Cornelius but he sent Peter who instructed him in the faith and wan him to the Gospell of Christ God might haue sent an Angell vnto Paul to haue mollified his heart and so turned him from persecution of Gods Saints but it pleased God to send Ananias that thorough the putting on of his hands the scales should fall from his eyes that by him he should receiue his sight and be baptised and so by meanes of a man hee might be brought home vnto God and made a member of his flocke Therefore whensoeuer we heare the word of God preached notwithstanding the preacher beare no pompe of eloquence or shew of great learning notwithstanding he be a simple and poore man yet if he bring vnto vs the rule of Christs Gospell if hee teach vs the will of GOD and the glorie of his word let vs not despise him let vs consider that hee is Gods messenger and appointed by God to helpe vs to saluation I beseech you saith Saint Paule that yee receiue not the grace of God in vaine This onely Boun I aske of you this is onely the request that I make vnto you that yee take not the grace of God in vaine A great matter it were if any one man would misuse the grace of his Prince a great matter it were for a man to despise the friendship of his friend or the gentlenesse of his enemie but a greater matter it is yea a farre greater matter to take the grace of God in vaine For what auaileth it vs what should it profit vs if GOD once deliuer vs from our sins and we turne againe to our old wickednesse What gained wee if the couenant of God and Testament of our Sauiour Christ be broken vnto vs if we receiue the same in vaine Blessed are they saith Christ which heare the word of God and keepe it The Scribes the Pharisies the Iewes Annas Caiphas and Pilate heard the word of God heard Christ himselfe speak preach amongst them and yet they receiued this word of God in vain they receiued this grace of God in vain Christ likened his word to a sower that went forth and sowed his seed whereof some fell by the way side and so wast troden with mens feet and destroyed some on the stone which tooke roote but yet soone withered away because it lacked moistnesse some fell among thornes and the thornes sprung vp with it and choked it So the poore husbandman lost in maner his whole cost and labour for of all that he sowed little fell into the good ground brought any increase And euen thus standeth it with Gods Gospell now a daies for preach we neuer so oft teach wee neuer so much few yea verie few are found that receiue the same continue therin and so bring forth fruits of saluation When Moses the seruant of God was but a little time departed from the people and gone vp into the mount there to talke with God and aske councell of him the people by and by made themselues a golden Calfe and fell to the worshipping of that Image And this did they because they receiued the grace of God in vaine When Moses was dead and Iosua succéeded into his roome straight-waies the people worshipped Baal and Astaroth they forsooke the liuing Lord who had deliuered them and in stéed of him they worshipped verie Diuels And this did they because they receiued the grace of God in vaine Saul though he once was the seruant of God and inspired with his spirit yet at the length he fell from God and persecuted Dauid the chosen of God and so in the end miserably slew himselfe And this did he because he receiued the grace of God in vaine Iudas being one of the Apostles and the seruant of Iesus Christ yet he not only betraied his master Christ but also became himselfe a verie deuill for so said Christ Vnus vestrum Daemon est One of you is the Deuill And this did he because he receiued the grace of God in vaine And therefore S. Paule in this place willed the Corinthians that they should not receiue the grace of God in vaine as the people did in Moses time that they should not receiue it as they did which liued in the time of Iosuah that they should not in such sort take it as Saule did and lastly that they should not so receiue it in vaine as Iudas did and worke their owne destruction This was his request this thing he onely desired that they wold not receiue the grace of God in vaine For God saith In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee These words are written in the prophesie of Esay and pronounced they were
knocketh let vs open the gates of our hearts vnto him hée calleth let vs heare him hee cryeth and willeth vs to come vnto him O therefore let vs runne let vs make hast let vs flye vnto him I haue euer stretched out my hands to an vnfaithfull people saith God by his Prophet Esay all the day long haue I stretched out mine armes vnto a people that will not heare me all the day long haue I stretched out my hands vnto them and yet they will not know me I haue sent you the acceptable time I haue giuen you the dayes of grace the dayes of mercie the dayes of saluation O then let vs not receiue this acceptable time in vaine let vs not take this grace of God in vaine Let vs remember how many thousands of people perish this day for want of the gospell of God and knowledge of his holy word Wée are they whom God hath called to bee his children whom hée hath appointed to bée saued whom he hath receiued to his grace and mercie If wée haue any great policie if wée haue any great wit if wée haue any learning riches wealth and felicitie in this world let vs consider that we haue them from God alone that God giueth vs our policie that God giueth vs our wit that God giueth vs our learning that hée alone giueth vs our riches our wealth and all other felicitie that wée haue in this life O then let vs not take these great gifts of God in vaine let vs not take these graces of his in vaine Let our liues so shine before men that they may sée our good works and glorifie our father which is in heauen Amen THE SEVENTH Sermon Rom. 12. vers 16. 17. 18. 16. We desire you that ye thinke all one thing that yee haue like affection one to another Be not high minded be not wise in your owne opinion 17. Recompence to no man euill for euill 18. If it bee possible haue peace with all men DEerely beleued in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ This Epistle or letter of Saint Paul written vnto the Romans is diuided into two seuerall parts In the first part Saint Paul instructeth and telleth them of the beginning of their religion of the foundation of their faith of the grace whereunto they are called by the merits and death of Iesus Christ And for because he saw and well perceiued that euen such of the Romans who had receiued the faith to bée farce from the works of the faith and the profession of the gospel of Christ therefore he instructeth them that they know the testament of Christ that they know the couenant of their saluation and that they should remember that where before time they were strangers from God cleane without any promise of grace enemies vnto God and the children of perdition were now called vnto God were become the sons of Abraham Gods deere friends and the children of adoption and this not of any desert of theirs not by any merit of their owne but onely through the great grace and méere mercy of Iesus Christ For the whole world was couered vnder wickednesse the whole world I say the Iewes onely excepted was ouerwhelmed in sinne and had no promise at all of any saluation by God But yet when Christ Iesus the Sauiour of all the world appeared and the Iewes would not acknowledge him their redéemer it pleased God by him to saue the whole world and call vnto his grace aswel the Gentile as the Iew the vncircumcised as the circumcised and this did he onely of his infinit and great goodnesse And therefore Saint Paul in the conclusion hereof crieth out and saith O the deepnesse of the aboundant wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Who knoweth the mind of the Lord who was his Counsellor Who hath giuen vnto him first that hee might bee recompensed againe And therefore hée concludeth thus Quia in illo ex illo per illum omnia illi omnis honor gloria For of him through him and for him are all things to him therefore bee glorie for euer Thus doth Saint Paule conclude the first part to know the couenant of their saluation to know the greatnesse of Gods mercie whereunto they are called and to giue the prayse and thankes therefore to him alone In the second part which I now handle hee instructeth them of a vertuous life of honest conuersation and vpright liuing among all men For it is not enough to change our Religion it is not sufficient to alter our faith but we must also change our old life wee must walke in newnesse of life we must walke in holinesse wee must walke as becommeth the professors of a new Religion as becommeth them that are of a right faith as becometh all such as confesse God and his Gospel And therfore S. Paul writing vnto the Hebrews saith Seeing that we by the means of the bloud of Iesus haue libertie to enter into the holy place let vs draw nigh with a true heart in a sure faith let vs prouoke vnto loue and to good workes So in another place he saith You were sometimes darknesse but now ye are light in the Lord walke therfore as becommeth the children of light So God himselfe when he had chosen the Iewes to be his people and them alone amongst all other Nations to worship him said O Israel what is it that I require or seek for at thy hands but that thou loue mee and keepe my commandements This is the onely thing that I would haue you to doe that you kéepe my Law and walke in my Precepts Therefore Saint Paule himselfe also after hee had declared and set forth at large the great goodnesse and mercie of God he said I beseech you that yee make your bodies a quicke and liuely Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of God Renew your spirits make your selues new harts that it may shew and appeare in you that you are reconciled vnto GOD that you are the children of adoption and professours of Gods holy name Therfore bee not high minded bee not wise in your owne opinions recompence no man euill for euill prouide aforehand things honest in the sight of all men and if it bee possible haue peace with all men Marke well my brethren these words by the way If it be possible haue peace with all men Christ though hee was the author so peace and the true peace it selfe yet could he not haue peace with all men Non veni pacem mittâ—re in terras sed bellum sed discordiam I am not come saith Christ to send peace into the world but war and dissention for from hence forth there shall be fiue in one house diuided three against two and two against three The Father against the Son and the Son against the Father The mother against the daughter and the daughter against the