23 By this inbred corruption our vnderstanding is so darkened that naturally we cannot perceiue the things which are of God no we count them foolishnesse our will is in such thraldome and slauerie vnto sinne that it cannot like of any thing spirituall and heauenly but is wholly caried vnto fleshly desires 24 If therefore we perceiue the things that are of God and doe like of them if our hearts be enclined to doe his will because this cannot come of our selues our nature bending a cleane contrarie way we acknowledge most willingly and vnfeinedly The good we doe is his it is not ours our beginning to doe and our continuance in dooing well proceedeth onely and wholly from him If any man receiue the grace of God offered it is because God hath framed his heart thereto If any man come when God calleth it is because his grace which calleth draweth If being brought vnto Christ we continue in him we haue no other reason to yeeld of our dooing but onely this he hath linked vs and fastened vs vnto himselfe We neither rise when we are fallen nor stand when we are risen by our owne strength When we are in distresse we are of our selues so far from abilitie to helpe our selues that we are not able to craue helpe of him vnlesse his spirite wrest out Abba Father from vs. We cannot mone our owne case vnlesse he doe grone and sigh for vs we are not able to name Iesus vnlesse by the speciall grace of his spirite our mouthes be opened no we cannot of our selues so much as think of naming him if to thinke of naming him be a good thought 25 When against our naturall inclination to euill his spirite which worketh all in all hath so preuailed that wee now beginne to hate the workes of the flesh hauing an earnest desire to abounde in loue ioie peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenesse temperaunce and all other fruites of the spirite yet by reason of the strength of that bodie of sinne which euer fighteth against the spirite our inward man is so weakened that we cannot do the things which we would and the things which we do euen the best of them are so farre beneath that perfection which the Lawe of God requireth that if he should rigorously examine them in iustice no fleshe could euer be accounted righteous in his sight The loathsomest things that can be imagined the cloathes that be most vncleane are not so foule as our very righteousnes is vnrighteous Wherupon we conclude that whatsoeuer wee receiue by way of reward at Gods hand either in this life or in the life to come wee receiue it as a thing freely giuen by him without any merite or desert of ours we doe not say in our hearts The Lord hath giuen vs these good things to possesse for our righteousnesse For seeing it is he which giueth both to will and to doe he crowneth in deede his owne worke when he rewardeth ours and he neuer rewardeth any worke of his owne wherein there is not somwhat of ours which he pardoneth 26 Thus being naked and vtterly destitute in our selues we seeke all things in Christ Iesus Him onely we acknowledge to be our wisedome our iustification our sanctification our redemption our priest our sacrifice our king our head our mediator our phisition our waie our trueth our life In our selues we finde nothing but pouertie and weakenesse praise and honour and glorie wee giue to him The onely marke we ayme at is to set vp his throne to aduaunce his kingdome to make it knowne that in him the Father hath layde vp all the treasures of heauen to the ende that vnto him the thirstie may repaire for water the hungrie for bread the naked for cloathes and wee all for all things needeful to the safetie of our soules and bodies 27 This is not the scope which the Church of Rome proposeth They direct all things to an other end How can ye beleeue saith Christ to the Iewes which receiue honour one of an other and seeke not that honour which commeth of God alone And howe can the faith of the Church of Rome be sound sith they hold such doctrines as tend wholly to their owne glorie their owne gaine and not to the praise and honour of God 28 That they seeke not his glorie but their owne it may appeare vnto any man which throughly considereth of their doctrine First they will not acknowledge that pouertie and nakednesse those filthie garments of corruption and sinne wherein Adam hath wrapped his posteritie But in the pride of their hearts they dissemble it diminish it and make light of it For although they denie not but that mans nature is corrupted yet marke how they paire and lessen this corruption The Prophet Dauid doeth terme it wickednesse and sinne but they make it onely an inclination vnto sinning The Lorde himselfe doeth witnesse that by it all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are only euill they restraine it to the inferior part of the soule and make it onely a mother of some grosser desires The blessed Apostle prayed groned and wept against it as a thing which made him altogeher wearie of his life But after Baptisme they make no more account of those inward rebellious motions against the spirite than they doe of the beating of a mans pulse 29 And as they hide that weakenesse which indeede they haue so they boast of that strength which is not in them For being subiect vnto miserable bondage vnder sinne by reason of that corruption which hath spred it selfe ouer all flesh they bragge notwithstanding of the freedome of their wil as if sinne had not vtterly bereaued vs thereof but stil it were in vs to frame and fashion our owne hearts vnto good things For proofe whereof their maner is to make long discourses teaching that Gods foreknowledge doth not take away free will that men are not violently drawen to good or euill Which things we easily and willingly graunt neither doe we teache or euer did that the freedome of our wil is taken away by the eternall decree of his vnsearchable purpose but this we say and all that haue the trueth doe say the same that the will of man being free vnto naturall and ciuill actions hath of it selfe no freedome to desire things heauenly and spirituall not because the eternall purpose of God but because the corruption of our nature hath addicted vs only vnto euill We doe not teache or euer did that any man is the seruaunt either of sinne or of righteousnesie by constraint For whether we obey the one vnto death and condemnation or vnto life and saluation the other our obedience is alwayes voluntarie it is not wrested from vs against our wils But the question being how we are made willing vnto that which is good this is the difference betweene our aunswere and theirs We say onely by the grace of God
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
they say partly by grace but principally by the power and strength of their owne nature For being ashamed to affirme with Pelagius that a man may doe the workes of righteousnesse by nature without the grace of God they hold his grace to be a thing indeede necessarie But howe As a birde that is tyed or a man that is in fetters needeth onely to haue those incumberances remooued hauing then a naturall abilitie to flie and walke without any further helpe so man as they say hath in himselfe abilitie to doe good if the grace of God doe but remooue lets Is not this to make nature the principal cause of our well dooing whereas in trueth without the speciall motion of Gods spirite and that in euerie particular action wee are no more able to walke in the waies which GOD hath commaunded than a drunken man to goe without leading who staggereth euen in the plainest ground though all stumbling blockes be remooued though his waie lie neuer so smooth before him such is our weakenesse In consideration whereof the blessed Apostle sayth plainely It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie We dragge and are not able of our selues to set one foote before an other Drawe me saith the spouse in the Canticles and then we will runne after thee But these men litle considering of what fraile metall they are made perceiuing not how sinne hath weakened the faculties of the soule vaunt of freedome of strength of inward power and make their owne will the chiefest cause of their wel dooing 30 And when they haue doone any thing which to their seeming is wel doone they prise it so high and esteeme so much of it that God as they thinke should doe them iniurie if in iudgement he did not pronounce them iust and righteous for their workes sake If it were possible that God entering into iudgement should finde any so vpright and perfect that by their workes they might be iustified in his sight doubtlesse he should finde his owne seruaunts to be such or else none if any of his seruaunts surely his Prophets if any Prophet rather Dauid than any other But Dauid crieth out Enter not into iudgement no not with thy Seruaunt O Lord. For in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified For whether we consider workes forbidden or commaunded by the Lawe what man is there liuing which can say in the one My heart is pure in the other I haue doone all that is enioyned me For if it were so that we knewe nothing wherein we had transgressed the lawes and statutes of the almightie yet herein could we in no wise be iustified because of secret sinnes hidden euen from our owne selues For which if God shal call vs to our reckoning and marke straitely what is doone amisse O Lord saith the Prophet who shall stand Againe if we had doone whatsoeuer wee could yet because we cannot doe so much as we should we ought to acknowledge our selues vnprofitable whereas we euen the best of vs are farre from dooing that which if we would we might doe 31 Nowe if God notwithstanding for his sonnes sake doe so allowe and accept the worke of our hands that he bountifully rewardeth our weake seruice with an excellent and an eternall waight of glorie how much are wee bound both to praise his mercie and to hate the insolencie of those men who besides al this swelling in the proude conceit of their workes will haue eternall life which is his gift to be their merite nor onely that but the worthinesse of their deserts to be so great that many of them dooing God more seruice than can bee sufficiently rewarded in their owne persons deserue heauen not onely for themselues but for others too These shipwracks of faith they haue made by reason of their inward pride 32 The excessiue desire of outward pompe hath furthermore caused them to disdaine the basenesse of Christ Iesus and of his Apostles to bee ashamed of the meane and lowe estate wherein they liued to make of their Deacons and Priests Cardinals exceeding the kings of the earth in glorie of their Bishop a Monarke vnder whose foote the Emperour himselfe hath beene a footestoole whose stirrop the greatest Soueraignes haue scarse beene deemed worthie to holde at whose bridle kings haue attended as seruaunts that the wordes of the Preacher might bee iustified Follie is set in great excellencie and the riche set in the lowe place I haue seene seruaunts on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground 33 This pompe cannot bee maintained with nothing it must haue strong sinnewes And therefore whatsoeuer mans wit might possibly deuise for gaine they haue both founde it out and put it in vre setting Offices Masses Prayers Pardons Sacramentes Heauen and Earth all the treasures of the house of GOD to sale if wee may terme it the house of God which they haue made a shoppe of so vile merchaundise It were infinite to recite what huge summes of money they haue heretofore by religious pretenses euerie yeere gathered within the compasse of this one Ilande What heapes then haue they raked out of other partes of Christendome Which offals and profites if once men beginne as here so in other kingdomes also to withholde from them if men leaue off buying their wares any more if things which are fatte and excellent depart doubtlesse that citie which nowe is cloathed in fine linnen and purple and skarlet which nowe is guilded with golde and decked with pretious stones and pearles shall in one houre be made desolate This they know and it maketh them carefull to maintaine whatsoeuer is commodious and gainefull to them As for the glorie of GOD it is the least part of their care nay they care not howe heynous sacrilege they commit in spoyling and robbing him of his honour 34 It is an honour vnto God when all men by faith point their fingers as it were at Christ Iesus naming him the onelie Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde when he is acknowledged the onely mediatour betweene God and vs when wee confesse that hee is that Priest according to the order of Melchisedech which hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes hath therewith because it was a perfect sacrifice consecrated for euer them that are sanctified when our faith is so ascertained and grounded vppon his promises that we can bee bolde as Lyons assuring our selues that the eye of the Lorde is on them which trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death as the Prophet witnesseth But how doe they giue vnto him this honour who haue deuised so many waies to take away sinne besides the bloud of the Lambe of GOD who as though wee might not be bolde to enter into the holie place by the newe and liuely way which hee hath prepared for vs through the vaile which is his fleshe or as
the middest of them and what the Bishoppes in Synode did so conclude to bee godly and behooueful that he did ratifie and confirme 11 The ministers you see should teache the right waie He which beareth that name and performeth not this office is but an Idoll Let another take his Bishopricke Such drones were better smothered than suffered in that hiue where none should liue that wil not labour Such as sowe not why should they reape Neither is it any new thing to cast out vnworthie ministers who cast off care of their duetie Solomon deposed Abiathar the high Priest and Iustinian depriued Syluerius and Vigilius Bishops of Rome These are good presidents for Princes in like case to followe 12 Again such as teach but teach not the good right way such as are open and publike maintainers of errors and heresie such in the iudgement of God are thought vnworthie to liue Falsus Propheta moriatur Elias and Iehu did not thinke themselues imbrued but rather sanctified with such bloud I haue no cruell heart bloud be farre from me I minde nothing lesse Yet needes must it be graunted that the maintainers and teachers of errors heresie are to be repressed in euery Christian common wealth Such troublers of the quiet of the Church such deceiuers of the people are at leastwise according to the auncient commendable custome of the church to be remooued from the ministerie It is no reason that the church enemies should bee fostered in the bosome of the church The histories of things doone by good princes and rulers in these cases are so many and manifest that I neede not trouble you with recitall of them Amphilochius the Bishop sharply reprooued Theodosius the Emperour that he so long winked at Arius and suffered him to spreade his pestilent heresie farre and wide ouer the bodie of the church The Emperour was not angrie at the words of iust reproofe but foorthwith banished Arius and gaue him some part of his iust deserts The ministers what roume soeuer they haue in the church of God ought to pray and teache the good and right way or else to giue place to others that can and will And thus much for the duetie of the ministers 13 It followeth Feare the Lord and serue him in the trueth withall your hearts The Prophet in these words putteth the prince and people in remembrance of their dutie Wherin double seruice is required The seruice due vnto God and the seruice due vnto the common wealth The seruice which we owe vnto God is feare which feare is euer ioyned with loue and for that cause called a sonnelike feare to distinguish it from that seruile feare the ende whereof is desperation as the fruite of the former is loue which maketh not ashamed Feare God for they which feare him shal not feele his power All things bee naked and open before him He doeth see and wil iudge Feare him therefore but loue him too who hath so loued thee that hee hath not spared his onely sonne but giuen him to death for thee 14 God putteth the heads in minde of this duetie knowing that as they goe before so the people wil followe after Ieroboam gaue euil example and he made the people sinne Iosias feared and zealously serued God and the people did the like Quomodo reges Domino seruiunt in timore nisiea quae contra Domini iussa sunt religiosa seueritate prohibendo atque plectendo Aliter rex seruit vt homo aliter vt rex vt homo fideliter timendo vt rex leges iusta praecipientes contraria prohibentes sanciendo How doe Princes serue the Lorde in feare saith S. Augustine vnlesse with religious rigor they forbid and punish things wherein the statutes of the Lorde are broken The king serueth God as a man one way and an other way as a king As a man by leading a faithfull life as a king by making Lawes such as inioyne things that are iust forbid the contrary Ezechias did God the seruice of a king in destroying the groues and temples of Idols which were builded against the commandement of God Iosias did the like in reforming the church in dispatching all Idolatrie and superstition Darius did God royall seruice when he gaue the Idol into Daniels handes and cast his enemies into the denne of Lions Nabuchodonazer did the like when by straite Lawe hee commaunded that none should blaspheme but that all should serue the God of Sydrach My sach and Abednago Herein Princes doe rightly serue God as Princes when to serue him they doe such things as vnlesse they were Princes they could not doe 15 The first point of kinglie seruice vnto God is to purge and cleanse his Church Christ teacheth this by that which he did at his entering into that fowlie defiled temple of Ierusalem It appertaineth to Princes to Magistrates to them which are nowe assembled in this honourable Court of Parliament by all good meanes and Lawes to see Gods house made cleane that it may be the house of prayer and not a denne of theeues 16 First it must be purged from all false doctrine from all Idolatrie and superstition The good kings Ezechias and Iosias were careful in this behalfe They could not abide Idolatrie to be committed or God to be blasphemed within their dominons It had beene hard to haue purchased such a thing as a Masse at Moses hands with a masse of money That zealous Prince king Asa deposed Maacha his grandemother wholly from all gouernment for setting vp a foule Idol in a groue He that dealt so sharply with his grandmother for this surely would in no case or respect haue tolerated a blasphemous masse in his reformed church and kingdome The euill which others doe by our sufferance is ours We doe it when we suffer it to be done Princes to please princes may not displease the prince of all princes Feare the Lord and serue him in zeale and in trueth cast out of the church of England all leuin of blasphemie and Idolatrie So shall you glorifie God and he shal glorifie you Pauls heart was set on fire his spirit was kindled within him when hee sawe the citie of Athens giuen to Idolatrie Ye knowe the Historie of that woorthie man Mattathias We praie daily Hallowed be thy name but with what mindes if wittingly we suffer his name to be prophaned blasphemed 17 Feare the Lord purge his Church remooue all stones of offence out of his vineyard S. Pauls rule is Let all things in the Church be doone seemely What that seemelinesse is he himselfe expoundeth in these words Let all things be doone vnto edification The primatiue Church casting away Iudaicall and Heathenish rites was simple in her ceremonies The pope hath polluted and burthened the Church with both Wee may haue no other than such as are comely and serue for the
For he is our God not whom we professe but in whom we repose our trust and whom we serue and obey When the Lord commaundeth one thing and his monie perswades an other will not his obedience declare whom he maketh his God God saith Lend freely and looke for no gaine But wil the vsurer whose monie is his God remit his interest because of this because the Lord hath so charged him No he will not so let goe his tenne or twentie or thirtie in the hundred To him the glorie of God yea and his owne soule is vile nothing is pretious but onely money What the Prophet speaketh of putting foorth monie to vsurie he full litle regardeth but feedeth still vpon his mast and blesseth himselfe when hee waxeth fat not perceiuing that God hath alreadie plagued him with a plague of all plagues the obduration of his heart And although that God hath giuen him ouer into a dull and senselesse minde his eares beeing so dammed vp that nothing can haue entraunce to mooue or touche his hard heart yet he still blesseth himselfe and his accursed soule Thou vsurer thou idolater that doest glorie in thy shame in thy euill gotten golde doest thou not knowe that thy wealth shall melt like snow before the sunne thinkest thou still to holde it O foole this night shall they tâ—ke away thy soule perhaps this instant and then whose is all this After that Zacheus fell to the seruice of Christ and that Christ entred into his house hee presently forsooke the seruice of Mammon made a large restitution of that which he had gained by such vnlawfull meanes and then began to bee liberall not onely to lend freely but to giue for nothing he gaue the one halfe of all his goods to the poore If God would at this day work thus in the heart of one Zacheus a rich vsurer how many poore might be relieued by such a restitution He might mainteine many a needie man and saue his owne soule Well this one thing we knowe This woord that proceedeth out of Gods mouth against vsurie shall not returne in vaine if it cannot worke reformation it wil worke confusion 11 As these serue their monie so there are some Domino non seruientes sed suo ventri seruaunts to the bellie and not to the Lord. He serueth the bellie who frameth himselfe to be of any religion so that in this world he may liue by it when poperie hath the vpper hand then a papist when the Gospell is in due estimation a protestant all things to all men that somewhat may be gained or saued to himselfe Hee maketh no difference betweene the Masse and the Communion Christ and Beliall but for his bellie sake wil halt on both sides serue all times and turnes Such a one was Leontius Bishop of Antioch who being in heart an Arrian couered his religion and ioined with the counsell of Nice in outward profession of the trueth So his soule was led by the diuel and his bodie by the world 12 Some and those many are seruauntes of men as those which in matters of religion wholly hang their soules vpon humane authorities and iudgements So did the Corinthians I hold of Paul I of Cephas and I of Apollos So doe al the Popes fauorites And so doe those that choose to themselues newe masters newe teachers according to their itching and wandering â—ares esteeming such and despising others So doe they which praise and flatter men in their follie thereby to winne themselues estimation with them which haue mens persons in admiration for gaines sake Finally so doe they which repose their trust in the merits of men that seeke iustification or remission of sinnes eyther by their owne woorkes or by the desertes of others For to knowe that hee is our redemption sanctification and iustice is no small part of Gods seruice to giue this to any other is to take it from him which who so doeth is not woorthie to bee named his seruaunt He that serueth him must serue him alone 13 Not him and the worlde For the worlde is wholly set on vanitie and mischiefe it hateâ—h him and therefore wee must hate it If ye be his seruaunts let not sinne beare rule in your bodies or haue dominion ouer you We must die vnto sinne that we may liue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. He that doth sinne is the seruaunt of the diuell the diuel is but a bad master to serue he is a lier a theefe and a murtherer And hee entertaineth no seruants but such as be like himselfe whose wages are fire cheines brimstone darkenesse wailing howling and gnashing of teeth in a word euerlasting death and damnation Wee are nor ransomed out of the hands of our enemies to serue these masters mammon the bellie men sinne the world or the diuell But wee are redeemed to serue him onely to serue our Christ our redeemer that hath full deerely bought vs. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue 14 Him we must serue without feare In the Psalme it is saide Serue the Lord with feare and reioice vnto him with reuerence And here wee are taught to serue him without feare As there is but one God so the scripture is alwaies one There is a feare which children haue towards their parents and a feare of seruants towards their masters God will be feared of vs as children but not as seruaunts or if as seruaunts not as slaues The beleeuing Christian the regenerate childe of God who through faith in Christ is certaine of his deliuerance from the diuell and from hell assured of remission of sinnes and of life euerlasting in the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ our Sauiour he serueth in the reuerent feare of loue and not in that dreadfull feare of death and euerlasting damnation wherewith the reprobate minde is daunted He feareth not death for hee is sure of life hee feareth not damnation for he is assured of saluation he beleeueth that which Christ hath promised and doubteth nothing of the obteining of that which Christ hath procured for him He is surely perswaded with S. Paul that neither death nor life nor tribulation nor affliction nor any thing present or to come shall separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Hee feareth therefore neither the sting of death nor the power of Satan But this certaintie of Gods loue towards him in Christ and the testimonie of his loue towards God againe casteth out all feare of eternall punishment For ye haue not saith the Apostle receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but ye haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which wee crie Abba father This spirit testifieth with our spirit that God is our gratious father and if he our father wee his children and if his children heires of his glorious kingdome The preaching of the Lawe letteth vs see
Sabaoth Such traficke is as bad in the house as on the daie which God hath sanctified Wherefore in the Lawe these two are iointly coupled together Yee shall keepe my Sabaoths and reuerence my Sanctuarie The prophaning therfore of the temple the house of God the place of praier is an euident token that amongst the Iewes all religion was now trodden vnder feete all reuerence of God abolished This sheweth that there was nowe no difference at all holie and common pure and prophane cleane and vncleane all was one When they which ought not to die but without the citie were suffered to liue within the temple yea of and at the altar when Gods owne house was made a denne of theeues we cannot easily imagine a degree of prophanesse beyond this At this the Lord himselfe doth seeme to woonder Is this house become a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes What reuerence or seruice is it likely that they would shewe other-where vnto the Lorde who liued as theeues in that glorious sanctuarie where all the earth should tremble before him 24 In the house of God they had the Lawe both red and expounded they offered sacrifice and they praied But because the seruice for which the temple was ordeined though not only yet principally is praier therefore he hath saide My house shalbe called the house of praier In Deuteronomie it is called the place which God chose to cause his name to dwel there It is true indeede saith Salomon that God will dwell on the earth No doubt where his truth is syncerely professed where his sacraments are rightly and duely ministred where his name is called vpon by heartie praier where two or three are gathered together in his name that is to say to serue him in these things there the woorking of his spirite is so forcible and effectuall his mercie is so obiect euen vnto sense his grace is in such sort felt seene and tasted that he seemeth as it were to stand before mens eyes to walke to inhabite to dwel amongst them when they are thus occupied The dore of the Church is the gate of the Lorde and the righteous wil surely enter into it They reioice when they heare men say We wil goe into the house of the Lord the house of praier where as many as call vpon the name of the Lord shall vndoubtedly bee saued But because no man can call on him in whom he doeth not beleeue nor beleeue without hearing the word of God requisite therefore it is that the house of publike praier should also be the house of publike preaching For this cause the Iewes heard the Lawe euery Sabaoth day in their Synagogues 25 And as they did not onely heare the word but also offer sacrifice in the house of God so we in our Churches haue both the Gospell preached and the Sacramentes which are seales of the Gospel administred knowing that Christ hath commanded both alike Hee which sent his Disciples to teache sent them also to baptize he which inioined them to preache gaue them also an other charge Hoc facite Doe this in remembrance of me Therefore as often as we speake vnto you out of these places as often as here we minister the Sacrament of baptisme to your children in token of their new spirituall birth as often as we doe here present our selues at the Lords table to eat of his bread and to drinke of the wine which he hath prepared for the comfortable nourishment of our soules wee keepe the Lordes institution and not our owne wee doe as he hath commaunded not as we haue deuised we vse the house of God not as theeues but as Saints 26 For these things the Sanctuarie was erected for these the house of God was sanctified and for praier Therefore the twelue told the rest of the Disciples as it is in the historie of their Acts We will giue our selues continually vnto praier and ministration of the word Aaron was appointed vnder the law as to offer so also to pray for himselfe and for the people Be this sinne against the Lord saith Samuel farre from me that I should cease to praie for you The request which Salomon made vnto GOD in the first dedication of the temple was that if his people Israel should at any time for their sinnes be ouerthrowen before the enemie or heauen bee so shut vp that they should bee in distresse for want of raine or if there should be famine in the land or pestilence or blasting or mildew or grassehopper or caterpiller if the enemie should beseege thē if they should fall into any aduersitie whether it were of bodie or of minde his eares might alwaies bee open to the praiers which they should make before the Lord in the house of praier Heare the supplications of thy people Israel which pray in this place 27 Nor only their supplications but moreouer Salomon addeth As touching the straunger that is not of thy people Israel who shall come out of a farre countrie for thy names sake and shall come and praie in this house heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee that all the people of the earth may knowe thy name and feare thee as thy people Israel doe Agreeable wherevnto are the words of the prophet Esay It shal be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shalbe exalted aboue the hils and all nations shall flowe vnto it And againe The strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord and to be his seruaunts euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenaunt them will I bring also to mine holie mountaine and make them ioyful in mine house of praier their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne alter For myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all nations This prooueth that article of our Christian faith to be most certain wherein we acknowledge the Church of Christ to be Catholike vniuersal For we must vnderstand that there was a time when the Lord gaue expresse charge comandement No vncircumcised in the flesh shall enter into my Sanctuarie The adoption the glory of the sons of God y e couenants the law the seruice of God the promises al the riches wherwith the church of Christ is adorned did belong vnto Israel vnto none else they were the only people that obteined mercie al y e world besides was Loammi amongst them God was knowne but as for the nations they heard not of him Iudea was the onely garden of the Lord the rest of the earth was a meere wildernesse they were the vineyard and we the forrest they within the wals of the citie of God and we
told him that he should not take as polluted that which hee had made cleane All meates are sanctified by the word and praier So are the Gentils as cleane as the Iewes whose hearts God hath purified To forbid meates or mariage as vncleane seeing that the Lorde hath purified them by his woord is the doctrine of diuels For all things are cleane to them that be cleane and the beleeuing Gentile is accepted of God as wel as the beleeuing Iewe. While Peter mused at this vision Cornelius his messengers asked for him at the doore and God spake vnto him and saide Goe with them and doubt nothing for I haue sent them 26 Peter hauing the woord of God for his calling went cherefully forward on his iourney readie to preache to them to whom God did send him He alleaged not howe dangerous it was to preache the Gospel in Cesarea howe long and tedious a way thither howe odious to be conuersant with the Gentiles he indented not what reward he should haue hee asked not who should beare his costs he alleaged not his worne bodie his olde age he was voide of all such put-offs he knewe that Woe be vnto him if he preached not he remembred his lesson giuen to others Feed the flocke of God he forgat not Christs lesson giuen vnto him If thou loue me feede my sheepe he knewe that the minister of the word ought to preache in season and out of season And he tooke the thing in hand the more gladly hauing hope that he should winne vnto Christ by the word a Captaine a man of might and authoritie in getting of whom he should also get a great sort he should get an hundred souldiers who easily would be drawne to bee like affected with their Captaine he should win a great familie with the rest of Cornelius friends kinsemen and euen so it came to passe It is a great gain vnto the Church of Christ when as a man in authoritie is woon by the word Therefore S. Paul vsed all perswasion to drawe king Agrippa to be a Christian knowing what great aduantage would come thereby to Christs Church To winne a prince is to winne a multitude yea a nation The Church of Christ encreaseth and thriueth apace when Kings Queenes become nurces to it 27 Peter being come now to Cornelius and perceiuing how God had touched his heart with the rest of his companie and made them most readie and greedie of the word of God opened his mouth and saide Of a trueth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons and so foorth Now Peter entereth into his sermon seeing so wide a doore opened vnto him so great an occasion offered so large and apt a field to sowe Gods seede in In which Sermon there is ynough for a Christian to learne all matter needful to saluation is comprised in it He that hath taken out this lesson needeth not to learne another And a great occasion of it as of other excellent sermons was in the people For the holie Ghost soweth seede plentifully where he findeth a good ground to cast it in and giueth great vtterance lightly to the minister when he giueth good will to the auditorie to heare If the field be barren the seede is spared least it should be spilt Hee will not haue his seede cast in an vnfruitefull ground Surely when the people are woorthie of the woord God will sende preachers with aboundance of it 28 Of a trueth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons This is S. Peters entrance to his matter wherein he declareth that hee hath nowe learned that the Gospel of Christ the doctrine of saluation doth as well pertaine to the Gentiles as to the Iewes For although there was a partition-wall which diuided them now it is taken away The Gentiles were aliants from the common wealth of Israel strangers from the couenant of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world but now in Christ Iesu they which were farre off are made neere For he is our peace which made of both one and hath broken down the partition-wall to make of twaine one newe man in himselfe so making peace Through him both Iewe and Gentile hath an entrance vnto the father by one spirit And Peter hauing had this reuealed to him before in his vision doth now affirme to the Gentiles in the beginning of his speeche partly to winne fauourable hearing in that he enuied not their saluation as other Iewes did but carefully sought it partly to make them attentiue to heare those things which pertained to their saluation Of a truth I perceiue Peter confesseth his former ignorance touching the calling of the Gentiles and that he hath learned that which he knew not before A token of his great humilitie His successor the pope is led by an other spirite hee cannot abide to graunt ignorance or that he can erre all knowledge is shut vp in scrinio pectoris as they terme it in the hutch of his brest Paul would not arrogate all knowledge though he were taken vp into the third heauen and sawe mysteries not to be reuealed vnto men for he saith We knowe in part These Romish Rabbies will be no Disciples but masters They will aunswere him that shall take in hande to teache them Thou art borne wholly in sinnes and doest thou teache vs 29 But what hath Peter learned That God is no accepter of persons I regard not that which man doth regard saith God to Samuel For man regardeth that which is before his eyes but God regardeth the heart The person heere is taken for the outward apparance and qualities as you would say or circumstances of persons as circumcision vncircumcision man woman magistrate subiect Iewe Gentile English-man French-man master seruaunt riche poore faire euill fauoured a tall man a dwarfe a citizen a countrie man a wise man a foole a learned an vnlearned These such other things are here meant by the persons of men GOD is no accepter of these outward shewes he iudgeth not as man iudgeth There is neither Iewe nor Gretian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus There is no respect of persons with God neither ought we to be caried away with externall shewes of magnifical pompe of glorious titles of great authority much learning nor in matter of religion to respect the messenger but the message Paul reprooueth the Corinthians for respecting of persons in matter of religion some would heare none but Paul some liked none but Apollos others followed after Peter would only be his disciples Is Christ diuided saith S. Paul The preacher is to be heard for the woords sake and not for his owne sake If Scribes and Pharisees teache out of the chaire of Moses if Iudas teache the Gospell of Christ they are to be heard To heare or not to
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 them also the selfesame blessing of increase and fruitfulnesse And as vnto these so likewise vnto man the greatest in honour though in order the last of all his creatures he gaue the same power to spread out himselfe by propagation and to replenish the face of the earth 2 For the seemelier and better ordering whereof to the ende that as God himselfe is most pure and therefore hateth all vncleannesse so the actions of men who in nature resemble him might be framed according to the paterne of his image hee prescribed a way how man as beseemeth the excellencie of his creation nature might not after a brutish beastly maner but in al honestie cleanlines bring forth the honorable fruit of his bodie that so Gods creation and work might be continued his kingdom inlarged his name by reason of the multitude much more praised And this meane or way appointed by God was matrimonie a state whereof the chosen vessel of God writeth this as the iudgement of the holie Ghost Mariage is honourable Wherein for your better instruction and learning my purpose is to shew you the reasons of the honour which it should haue and also of the great disgrace which it hath amongst men 3 Mariage is honourable first in respect of the author by whom it was ordeined Secondly in regard of the causes thereof Thirdly for the dueties which are required of the parties maried Touching the first it appeareth in the beginning of the booke of Genesis howe after that God had perfectly accomplished his creation and had giuen the Lordeship ouer all liuing creatures vnto Adam he saide It is not good that man be alone let vs make him an helper that may be before him let vs make woman Whereupon our Sauiour in the Gospel inferreth That therefore which God hath ioyned together let no man separate approouing mariage to bee the institution of God and a naturall order proceeding I meane from the God of nature to bee obserued and vsed for euer Neither did hee onely confirme this lawe and ordinaunce of God in plaine woords and in his teaching but he also did honest and honour the same with his presence For being called to a mariage he his mother and kinsfolke gladly went there to feast with others where it pleased him miraculously to increase their cheere and withal their honour For it is not nothing which this doth adde to the holy and reuerend estimation thereof that the first miracle which Christ wrought was wrought at a mariage and is so by the holie Ghost recorded Nowe besides this that almightie God himselfe ordeined mariage and that in Paradise a most heauenly habitation and that before the innocencie was stained with sinne besides this that Christ did allow and many waies approoue the same yea and moreouer vouchsafed to resemble his spirituall coniunction with his Church vnto this estate we finde that the Patriarkes the Priests and Prophets the holiest men of God Abraham Moses Aaron and the rest of that blessed companie haue chosen to liue rather in mariage than otherwise acknowledging thereby the state of mariage to be vndoubtedly no lesse allowable if not more honourable than single life 4 Concerning the second point that is to say the honour which riseth from the causes for which GOD did institute the state of wedlocke the scripture noteth especially three The first is mutuall societie helpe and comfort And this were a cause sufficient to esteeme of mariage highly if there were no other For God hath saide It is not good that man be alone Let vs make him an helper and helper and not an hinderer 5 The second cause why matrimonie was ordeined and must be honoured is increase and propagation For although that this may be as we see it it is in lewde and shamelesse persons too often without this estate of mariage yet this is so much against the dignitie of humane nature that such broodes haue beene alwaies basely accounted of by men which haue had but the bare light of naturall vnderstanding Wherefore the blessed Apostle hath saide I will that the younger sort marie and bring foorth children giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that there can be no seemely propagation of mankinde saue onely in mariage Children begotten in the state of matrimonie are the blessing of God and the fruite of the vndefiled wombe is a reward as Salomon wisely acknowledged in the Psalme For a man to be honoured with the name of a father to be renued and continued in his posteritie if it be not a speciall blessing of God a very exceeding great reward why are men women so desirous to see the fruit of their bodies Why was Anna so exceeding in crauing children at the hands of God Why was barrennesse so grieuous vnto Sara Why did it seeme reprocheful vnto Elizabeth Is it a small benefit that God hath raised out of the bodie of Abraham so many Patriarchs Priests Prophets Iudges and Kings such a multitude not onely of men of reputation on earth but also of blessed saints and citizens in heauen If it were an honour vnto Abraham to be a father of many nations surely mariage which made him a lawfull and an honourable father ought very honourably to be esteemed 6 Another cause of honour giuen vnto mariage is for that it is a remedie against vncleannesse Let euerie man haue his wife and euerie woman her husband for the auoiding of fornication Vpon which words of S. Paul Ambrose writeth verie aptly Qui abstinēt a licitis in illicita prolabuntur They which forbeare things lawfull to vse fall many times to vse things which they should forbeare And he bringeth in the Manichees for example as we may bring in the Papistes and namely that ponde of Rome adioyning to a Nunrie wherein were founde the heads of seuen thousand bastards It is true that all haue not neede of this remedie because all are not subiect to the daunger and perill of this disease But if any man be subiect to this disease let him beware howe he despise this remedie There bee no doubt that haue the gift of chastitie by birth and there be that haue made themselues chast by indeuour but of all this men are not capable As it is the gift of God so it seemeth to be a rare and not a common gift Such as haue it and so liue sole they are more fit to labour in Gods Church it must needes be graunted for they are combred with fewer cares But be these cares neuer so many and great better it is to marie than to burne and to be burthened with ordinarie and nest cares than with vnordinarie and dishonest carelesnesse to be destroied There are many that deceiue themselues thinking a single and a chast life to be all one To bee pure in bodie and in spirite this is chastitie Hee that seeth a woman and in his heart hath
and make him their watchman if whē he seeth the sword come vpon the lande he blow the trumpet and warne the people then he that heareth the sounde of the trumpet and wil not be warned if the sword come and take him awaie his bloud shalbe vpon his owne heade For he hearde the sounde of the trumpet woulde not be admonished therefore his bloud shall be vpon him as contrariwise he that receiueth warning shal saue his life But if the watchman see the sworde come blowe not the trumpet and the people be not warned if the sword come and take any man from amongest them he is taken away for his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at the watchmans hande Wherefore there coulde not a greater plague happen to the people of God then that whereof the Prophet Esaie maketh mentiō Their watchmen are all blinde they lie asleepe and delight in sleeping Whilest the husbandmen slept the euill man sowed his darnell and went his waie and was not seene Sleepie folke are the cause why the fielde of the Lord is ouergrowen with weedes his church infected with sinne and errour When the Pastour sleepeth the wolfe deuoureth sinne entereth and maketh hauock 21 But sith he that keepeth Israell will neither slumber nor sleepe it may be marueiled how that thing which he keepeth can be subiect to so many stormes tempestes which might be preuented if hee did not suffer him selfe or vs or them whom he hath set as watchmen ouer vs to fall asleepe Whereunto I aunswere by the same distinction which the spouse hir selfe doth make in the song of Salomon I sleepe but my heart waketh God suffreth vs that is to saie our outwarde man to be molested troubled vexed vpon our flesh he seemeth many times to shut his eyes although in truth the eyes of his fatherly prouidence bee alwayes open euen vpon that not permitting vs therein to bee tried and tempted aboue our strength But ouer our heartes wee knowe by manyfest experience and are sure to finde that he still keepeth a continuall watch The Lorde will keepe thee saith the Prophet from all euill he will keepe thy soule And although it be grieuous yet is it meete expedient yea good profitable for vs that our heartes our soules our spirits being so surely and safely kept God shoulde somtimes winke at the troubles of our flesh as if he saw them not 22 The disciples in their great feare and daunger went vnto Christ and wakened him with their cries Helpe we perish Doest thou see vs cast away and not consider it Of the like complaints of the people of God in the middest of their distresses we reade in sundry places especially of the Psalmes Vp why sleepest thou O Lord Awake be not farre of for euer Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our miserie and our affliction Our soule is beaten downe vnto the dust our bellie cleaueth vnto the grounde rise vp for our succour redeeme vs for thy mercies sake These grones and cries be not powred out in vaine Christ rebuketh the windes and seas his seruauntes haue their wish their requests are no sooner vttered then graunted If wee as good disciples of these disciples doe in our troubles flie vnto Christ for aide in his mercie he shall heare vs and deliuer vs by the strength of his mighty power He cannot suffer vs to be tryed aboue that which wee are able to beare Be our sute neuer so desperate he can helpe it For nothing is impossible with God Would you see some fit examples The Israelites groned vnto him in Aegypt he hearde them and deliuered them from the tyrannie of Pharao The yong men in the furnace called vpon him were preserued The crie of Daniell stopped the mouthes of Lions Paul and Sylas being in bondes praied and their chaines fell loose from them the doores opened and gaue them passage Although wee bee plunged neuer so low although the floudes run cleane ouer vs in so much that wee seeme to our selues as it were past helpe and recouerie yet wee are not past helpe so long as we are not past desire to be holpē The greatnes of our perill can bee no stop to our deliueraunce because the power of our deliuerer is infinite In deed we see that men are altogether amazed and in a manner bereft of wit and vnderstanding when they feele them selues daungerouslie tossed to and fro But do we not also see that when they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble hee bringeth them out of distresse hee turneth the storme to calme so that the waues thereof are still do we not see how they passe throught tribulations to the kingdom of heauen through stormie tempestes are brought to the hauen where they woulde be This the Lord doth that we might confesse his louing kindnes before him and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men To him therefore euen God the father God the sonne and God the holie Ghost be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse. 1. PETER 4. 7 The end of al things is at hād Be ye therfore sober watching in praier 8 But aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes 9 Be ye harborous one towardes another without grudging 10 Let euerie man as he hath receiued the gift minister the same one to an other as good disposers of the manifolde graces of God THE Apostle S. Peter like a perfitte workman and a skilfull builder first layeth a sure foundation and then frameth and erecteth a good building thereupon The foundation is Christ. Another foundation no man can lay He is the rocke the foundation and wee as liuely stones must be framed thereupon hewed squared with the hammer squyre of Gods word that we may grow to bee a spirituall house an holye Priesthoode to offer vp vnto God through Iesus Christ spirituall and acceptable sacrifices of pietie prayer and thankes giuing Through Christ we are brought from darknes vnto light that from henceforth wee shoulde walke as the children of that light wherin he hath placed vs of a peruerse generation wee are through him made an holy people that we should be holy as he is that hath called vs wee are redeemed not by goulde and siluer but by the innocent bloude of the immaculate lambe to serue him that hath deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life wee are called to bee the children of God citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem and to bee fellowe heyres with Christ of that his eternall kingdome that wee shoulde bee obedience and louing Children trustie and duetiefull citizens that we may bee not onely called but chosen accepted and admitted to inherite with Christ the first begotten of God What building we be whether goulde or stubble what life wee leade