but their goods were Guelphes and must pay for it The Gibellines of Papia could not foresee this our Catholikes by them may Let them leaue their brainsicke desires and divelish purposes of bringing a Faciâ—… Canis into their country least by experience they fâ—…le which God forbid that though themselues be Catholikes their goods may be Heretikes perhaps some heretike-Heretike-blood in their bodies also by contagion of ours The Lord take away this stony heart from them and giue them an heart of flesh a new spirit that wee may all iointly praise him for the deliverance of our gracious Queene pray for the continuance of her blessed governement to the honour of his name the furtherance of his gospell the welfare of his Church the peace and prosperity of our English Iuda the griefe disappointment of Popish Assyrians and the confusioÌ„ of Antichrist At Corpus Christi College in Oxford Octob. 24. 1586. PSAL. 18. VER 47 48 49 50 51. 47. The Lord liveth and my blessed strength therefore let the God of my salvation be exalted 48 The mighty God that giveth me revengements and bringeth people vnder me 49. That delivereth me from mine enemies yea thou hast exalted me aboue them that rose vp against me thou hast delivered me from the cruell man 50. Therefore will I confesse thee O Lord among the Gentilâ—… and I will sâ—…g vnto thy name 51. He giveth great deliverances to his king sheweth mercy to his annointed to David and to his seed for ever IT hath beene a godly custome of the faithful although not observed so customably alwaies as by the Rules of faith it ought that when they received any speciall benefit either in attaining to things commodious for them or 〈◊〉 avoiding of discommodities they lifted vp their voices to the authour of it the Father of mercies the God of all comfort and did honour him with giving speciall thankes for it Melchisedek king of Salem a man of power and credit in the land of Canaan had not so great cause to care for the state of Abram Lot two strangers in the land Yet when Abram had rescued Lot being taken and had spoiled the spoilers Melchisedek brake forth into his praise who gaue the victorie Blessed bee the high God which hath delivered thine enimies into thy hand The state of the Israelits touched Moses neerer how much the lesse is it to be marvelled at if he thought it his duty to magnifie the Lord for guiding them out of Egypt through the red Sea and drowning Pharaâ—… with his host Though that the childreÌ„ of Israel themselues an vnthankfull murmuring and stifâ—…ecked nation should ioine therein with Moses all both men and women it is a president worthy to be noted to the shame of ChristiaÌ„s if in greater measure of the grace of God we shew lesse gratitude for his graces The feasting ioy that the Iewes kept for their owne deliverance out of the snares of Haman and for his destruction with the partakers of his conspiracie might seeme to bee only a proâ—…ne reioycing as worldly â—…ded men câ—…monly doe vse at their good successes But that it was holy and seasoned with a sacrifice such a sacrifice as lawfully they might offer there where then they were dispersed the circumstance of sending parts vnto the poore with precepts and examples of daies in like sort kept holy to the Lord doth argue Wee are assembled at this present fathers and brethren beloued in the Lord to giue him most humble most harty thanks for his great and singular goodnesse shewed vnto vs in discovering the traiterous intent of graceles wretches who vilanously conspired to take away the life of our gracious Queene whom God long preserue to kindle flames of vprores through the realme to the vtter wasting of her faithfull subiects O that wee had the hearts to praise him for it with the like religious affection of spirit in zeale and sinceritie as Melchisedek did for Lot recovered by Abram as Moses and the Israelites for the Egyptian yoke broken as the Iewes for their safety and the destruction of their enimies Sure we hâ—…ue greater causes so to doe then any of them had For Lot was but one and that a meane man nor much indangered more then of losse of libertie Here a most excellent Princesse was in hazard not of libertie but of life with God knoweth how many righteous Lots besides And the bodily tâ—…s which the Israelites endured in Egypt vnder the taske-mastâ—…s that Pharaâ—… placed over them were nothing in comparison of the spirituall bondage of Antichristian tyrants to whom might these Egyptian impâ—… hâ—… had their wills we should it is likely hâ—…e beene most lamentably enthralled Neither hath the Lord so mercifully delivered vs out of the Lions mouth at this time onely but at sundry other heretofore often that the Iewes could not be so much beholding to him for that of Haman who did not liue to put them more then once in danger Wherefore that wee may accept the more thankfully and dutifully esteeme of his inestimable goodnesse in saving our gracious Queene and vs her subiects from so great so many so 〈◊〉 Mâ—…iefs I haue thought good to take for the ground of mine advertisement and exhortation these wordes which you haue heard written by the godly Prince and Prophet David in the eighteenth Psalme asoâ—…g of thanksgiving which he made when the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enimies out of the hand of Saul Forso is it noted in the title thereof and manifested farther by the course of the story iâ—… the second of Samuel where the same is wholly registred againe well-nigh word for word as a most worthy and memorable monument to bee thought vpon eftâ—…s of all posteritie that on like favour received of the Lord they might shew themselues alike gratefull to him In these words therefore compreheÌ„ding briefly the purport and 〈◊〉 of the whole Psalme by way of conclusion two things are recommâ—… to our considerations one is the benefite of God in delivering David from his enimies the other the thankfulnes of David vnto God for the deliverance The benefit of God in delivering David is signified by that he faith The Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specâ—… of his being his everlasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whâ—… sense notwithstanding be is said to liue and to â—…ly but in respect of his workes his effects to David ward in whose preservatioÌ„ he sheweth that he 〈◊〉 and saueth his and ruleth all things by his 〈◊〉 providence Which meaning David openeth in that hee adioineth and my blessed strength calling God his strength his fortresse his rocke his blessed strength and fortresse his rocke his blessed strength and fortresse because his life his safety his welfare is maintained by the might and mercy of the living God As in the beginning he testified also The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my
THE PROPHECIE OF OBADIAH OPENED AND APPLYED IN SVNDRY LEARNED AND GRACIOVS SERMONS PREACHED at ALL-HALLOWES and St MARIES in OXFORD BY THAT FAMOVS AND IVDICIous Divine JOHN RAINOLDS D. of Divinity and late President of Corp. Chr. Coll. Published for the honour and vse of that famous Vniversity and for the benefit of the Churches of Christ abroad in the Country BY W. H. AT OXFORD Printed by Joseph Barnes 1613. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL my Reverend and right worthy friend Mr D. AIRAY Provost of the Queenes College in Oxford Grace and Peace RIght Worshipfull whom I reverence and loue in the Lord Iesus The gifts and graces of this humble and holy religious and iudicious man of God were so glorious and resplendent in the eies of al that could discerne the beautie or prize the value of such things that he needs not my candle to light his sunne nor any pen or stile of mine to make new Impressions of honour and loue in the hearts of them that knewe him Only I say the Lord had powred the precious Spicknard of his Spirit vpon his head filling his mind with spirituall vnderstanding in heavenly things and the virtue and vigour thereof had lok'd down into his heart giuing him both seeling and fruit of that hee vnderstood Iacobs body was never embalmed with so sweet 〈◊〉 as this mans name and memory is seasoned with the sauour of his virtues ever shaâ—…l be honoured with variety of fresh praises His breast was as a treasurie for the repaire of the Temple and building vp of Ierusalem It was also as an Armory for the ruine of the Synagogue of â—…athan and rasing of Babel even to the ground And whereas Counsell and strength are for the warre even in fighting the Lords bat tels he Lord by his wisdome taught his hands to fight and his fingers to warre and though his flesh were not of brasse yet did the Lord so strengtheÌ„ his arme that he was able to bend to draw to breake even a bow of steâ—…le He was a chosen shaft of the Lords quiuer yea his little Quiuer was full of chosen shafts and keene arrowes to wound the hearts of the Kings enimies In briefe he was a Iohn and as Iohn was that is a burning and a shining campe wasting his owne oyle lampe and life that his light might be continued for the comfort of others that reioyced in his light To which purpose hee being dead yet speaketh his lanterne being brokeÌ„ his light yet shineth and though his vine be cut downe yet his wine yet smelleth as the wine of Lebanon I cannot deny but hauing some mo numents of his learned and painefâ—…ll 〈◊〉 along time lying by me I haue sometimes lighted my candle at his torch stored my selfe of his treasure refreshed my soule with his sweet wine rcioiced to heare his dead lettâ—…r speake in the power of his owne spirit voice vnto me But after long waiting if by any other means rather then mine own they might be published for a more common good and finding by diligent inquirie no hope no helpe teÌ„ding he evnto I could no longer offer such hard measure to such as hunger and thirst after good things as to eat my morsels alone but to bring forth my provision of another mans cost indeed yet not without some labour anâ—… caâ—…e of mine owne to prepare the table sâ—… things in some order before theÌ„ Herevnto I was the raâ—…her induced and drawne by his owne both opinion and practise and that concerning one of these sermons vpon this Proâ—…het Obadaiah holding it a withholding of goods from the owner thereof if hauing any thing of speciall vse we keepe it backe froÌ„ them that need it such Needers being indeed and in his accompt the true owners of it When the 4 leapers had found in the campe of the Aramites meate and drinke to refresh them gold silver to enrich them and rayment to cloth them they tooke what sufficed for present necessity and hid the rest as provision against further extremity yet remembring at length other mens penuâ—…y in their plentie other mens necessities in their superfluities we doe not wel say they this day is a day of good tydings wee hold our peace if we tarry till day light some mischiefe will come vpon vs now therefore come let vs goe and tell the kings houshold so reckoning that Needers were owners of that which theÌ„selues did possesse Me thought when I considered this story it was marvaiâ—…ous pregnant for my purpose I haue beene refreshed well satisfied my selfe with these Lectures as with spirituall provision repast and a long time I haue hid them and kept theÌ„ from publike view Certainely I doe not well this is a day of good tydings this a message of glad tydings of the gospel by a messenger whose very feet were beautifull in the house of God and yet I hold my peace if I stay any longer I may rather feare some crosse then find any comfort in such stay What then I will forbeare no longer but now at length resolue to make others partners in my gaine and partakers of my ioy And therefore Right Worsh. my worthy and much respected friend I am bold eveÌ„ first of all to present these glad tidings vnto you as a bunch of grapes fallen froÌ„ that vine whose very shadow was a shelter and sweet refreshing vnto many which grew sometimes in that soyl brought forth his sweet fruit in due season where now you are the cheefe husbandman It will doe you good I knowe to commune once againe with your neerest dearest friend Read him obserue him you shall acknowledge his spirit and speech his gracious wisdome his marvailous learning his rare and exquisite gift of interpretation his intire and sound iudgement for observation his faithfulnesse and conscionablenesse in serious discreet sound explication Now for my selfe Right Wor â—…ever acknowledge suâ—…h a debt of duty and loue into whiâ—…h you many great â—…avours haue drawne me a that vnlâ—…sse thankfull acknowledgement may bee taken in part of payment shall yet run vpoÌ„ the skore stâ—…ll My hope is though â—…runne in debt of this naâ—…ure yet shall not come in any gâ—…eat danger seeing your favourable acceptance of this or aâ—…y other the poorest pledge of my loue may forthwiâ—…h seale mean acquittance prevent aâ—…l fâ—…ther greevance in this kind And so reioicing in your welfare praising God for your faithfull wise provident and religious government in thâ—…t College whereof being once a member must ever bee mindfull as a châ—…ld of hâ—…s Nurse or sonne of his Mother I commend you to the provident protection gracious direction of God Almighty Bunbury in Châ—…shire Iuly 19. 1613. Your VVorshâ—…ps ever assured in all Christiâ—…n affection VV. HINDE THE PROPHECIE OF OBADIAH OBADIAH 1. 1 The vision of OBADIAH Thus saith the Lord God against Edom we haue heard a rumor from the Lord an Ambassadour is sent
equally in time and weight as though you should say that tenne thousand poundes were equall in time and weight to his workes that had laboured one houre But I come farre below in this comparison for there is some proportion betweene an houres worke and the greatest summe of mony for they be finite but betweene the everlasting endlesse and infinite ioy of heaven and mans workes that is betweene finite infinite there is no proportion But how could it be that any men should thus speake if the spirit of Antichrist had not thus puft them vp to vtter such blasphemte in the pride of their hearts But what shall I say when the same men in their notes on the 8. Rom. grant that if we looke to the time the ioy of heaven is a great deale more here forsooth flee they to the grace of GOD but they must consider that grace serveth them not that they may claime it by desert for whatsoever good the servants of GOD do it is by grace yet is it said when they haue done all that is commaunded they haue done but their duty and that which they owed to the Lord. So that seeing we do but our duty there is not owing to vs so much as thankes and doth then GOD owe vs the reward of eternal ioie The maÌ„ that payeth no more then that he oweth doth his creditour owe him anything for the payment of it vnlesse he count him indebted to him as he in the poet said for that the world is so nought that a man thinketh himâ—…elfe pleasured that receiveth in debts But seeing we can never pay all for who can say my heart is cleane I haue not sinned And if we haue not fulfilled the whole law done all that it commandeth wâ—… haue not paide our debt how then can wee come hereby to merit it or buy it as it were which yet though wee had most absolutely kept should be ours but by promise But how farre fâ—…om this presumption was Ioh when he said that if GOD would enter into iudgement with him he were not able to answer no not one for a thou sand How farre was David when hee said that in his sight no man living was iustified How farre was Paule when he said that none were righteous therefore con cluding that all both Iew Gentile are iustified freely by grace For to him that worketh the wages is couÌ„ted for debt not of favour But to Abraham was faith imputed for righteousnes And where the Apostle saith slatly that there is no man iust and that no flesh is iustified they say that the Virgin Mary and Apostles must needs be exempted out of this number but if it be not so that it is verified of all then is the Apostles argun eÌ„t to no purpose neither can tâ—…e conclusion which hee lâ—…boureth to proue be so inferred which is that by the workes of the law no flesh can be iustified â—…ut let vs bee assured tâ—…at whatsoever they say though they speake never so proudly yet the time shall come when this doctrine by the breath of the Lord shall bee brought to the ground Neither doe I here enter into the depth of their pride as concerning supererogation For herein haue they set their neasts not among but aboue the starres When they say that men may not only merit for theÌ„selues but the abundance thereof is sufficient for other men also But is not this to build vp to Babel is not this pride like that of Pharaoh who hoped by his owne strength to passe over there where others had passed over by grace and favour Is it not with Iezebel to set a colour and paint on our foule faces But the builders of Babel were confounded Pharaoh drowned Iezebel after shee had painted her face was cast downe from the windowe and had her braines dashed out These men that thinke it a beggarly thing to receaue the kingdome of heauen of almes shall never haue it of debt for those that say in the pride of their heart c. Lastly here we haue to marke that the Lord is said to be the author of this vengeance and yet it was said before that this should be brought to passe by nations stirred vp against Edom and sending messengers from one to another to provoke them to battell against the Idumeans whereas in the 2 and 3 verses he saith I will where we are taught that although it pleased GOD to vse men as instruments to bring his purposes to effect yet would he haue all the glory to bee proper and peculiar to himselfe For though the instrument worke yet sith the whole efficacie commeth from him therefore the whole glory ought to be giuen to him and not to the instrument In the 63 of Isaiah the Prophet demandeth who it is that commeth from Edom and why his garments bee redde Whereby answering to the question hee sheweth that it is Christ and that his garments are red because he alone had tâ—…n the winepresse and of all the nations there was not one with him which is meant of treading the Edomites and enimies of his Church and bringing them to confusion Yet he saith he trode the presse alone not that he vseth not messengers as is meÌ„tioned in this Prophet or other meanes as seemeth best to him but for that the force and efficacie alone proceedeth from him So that for this cause he is said alone to worke For Paul indeed planteth and Apollo watereth but neither he that planteth is any thing neither he that watereth is any thing but God that giueth the increase is he that worketh all in all things In the 5 of Luke the Apostles laboured all night and caught nothing but when at Christ his commandement they had let fall their nets for a draught the net was filled with fiâ—…h The King prepareth an host against the day of battell but the victory is from the LORD No king is saved by the multitude of an host A horse is countâ—… a vaine thing to helpe a man c. Wherefore that was a prophane thing of Nebuchadnezzar who when he had taken the Iewes as fishes in a net hee sacrificed to his net and offered incense vnto his yarne prophane was that opinion of the Gentiles attributing their prosperitie to fortune And that of Varro who attributed the successe of husbandry to water Whereas they might haue learned by that ceremonie which the Romans vsed in their triumph that the successe of things was to be attributed to GOD. For the Lawrell crownes which they carried when they ascended into the Capitoll and sacrificed to Iupiter they laid downe in the lap of Iupiter as 〈◊〉 recorded But let vs remember that the 24. Elders 〈◊〉 wâ—…e their crownes at the feet of the 〈◊〉 Now as all glâ—…ry is due vnto GOD so on the other side we â—…ust remember that hee calleth Ministers to do his work who must not
Esau's ofspring the people of the Idumaeans shall be great and grievous as being wrought by warriours who shall spare nought either of feare as theeues doe or of compassion as grapegatherers If theeues had come vnto thee if robbers by night how art thou destroyed would they not haue stollen that which were enough for them If grapegatherers had come vnto thee would they not haue left some grapes How are the things of Esau sought out his secret things are searched Saint Peter advertising the Iewes and the Proselytes that they should receaue the gift of the holy Ghost if they repented and turned to Christ for to you saith he is the promise made and to your children to all them that shal be long hereafter even to as many as the Lord our God shal call the same in like sort may I say vnto you fathers brethren touching this promise of bringing your enimies to vtter ruine and destruction For God said to Abraham I will blesse them that blesse thee and I wil curse them that curse thee meaning that hee would make a perfect league with him and bee at peace with his friends at warre with his enimies But the league and covenant which God made with Abraham hee made with Abraham and his seed And the seed of Abraham are all faithfull Christians To vs all therefore is the promise made that God will blesse our friends and will curse our enimies Moreover his particular curse and plague ensuing it vpon the Idumeans is a patterne of that which shall fall on such as tread in their steps For the punishment of the Iewes who lusted after evill things is threatned to the Gentiles if they lust as the Iewes did and if yee be partakers of the sinnes of Babylon yee shall receaue of her plagues Now among the eni mies of the faithfull Christians others doe more resemble the Philistines or Ammonites or Moabites or Amalekites or Cananites or Assyrians there are none liker to the Idumeans then are the Papists as it hath beene shewed The Idameans borne according to the flesh of the seed of Abraham the Papists by ofspring come of Christian parents The Idumeans circumcised as children of the covenant the Papists baptised in the same that we be The Idumeans serued not the God of their fathers according to the law neither doe the Pa pists in spirit and truth after the Gospell The Idumeans persecuted the Israelites to death and vexed thē with all crueltie the Papists haue butchered the godly with massacres and made themselues drunken with the blood of Saints Wherefore the spirit of the Lord assureth vs that the Papists shall bee consumed in his wrath when it shall burne suddenly and as they haue followed the facts of the Idumeans so they shall feele their punishments I speake not herein of all that are Papists as neither did the Prophet of all Idumeans For the remnant of Edom shall inherit with Israel Papists with vs as many as shall seeke him whose name is called vpon them Whi◅h God grant they may doe by faith in his mercy that Papists may liue and papistrie may die But I speake of all who stubbornely persist in the Popish heresies In whom shal be fulfilled the Apostles prophecie touching the man of sinne the Lord shall consume them with the breath of his mouth And so that which is written of Edom by the Prophet may be said by vs to the Romish Antichrist If theeues had come vnto thee if robbers by night how art thou destroyed would they not haue stollen that which were enough for them If Grapegatherers had come vnto thee would they not haue left some grapes How are the things of Antichrist sought out his secret things are searched Howbeit as S. Paul though he were assured that al who sailed with him should escape aliue yet said that they could not escape except the marriners abode in the ship so though it bee certaine that Antichrist and his members shall be consumed yet cannot that bee except they be set vpō by warriers For God doth worke by meanes ordinarily And this is the meanes that he hath ordained for the atchieuing of that conquest as we saw before in the Ambassadours message Arise and let vs rise vp against her to battel The warriours whose service the Lord doth vse thereto are all his servants in a sort his people most willing in the day of his armie but specially Preachers and Ministers of his word For his word is the rod of his mouth the breath the sword whereby he doth destroy his enimies Ministers are souldiers by whose hand hee weeldeth it For which cause their function is compared to warfare in that it is written by S. Paul Who goeth to warfare any time at his owne cost And No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier And God saith of thē by the Prophet Esay I haue set watchmen vpon thy walls O Ierusalem which all the day all the night continually shall not cease The watchmen and warriours therefore of the Lord the keepers of his Church the conquerours of his enimies the spoylers of the Idumaeans the consumers of Antichrist Antichristian impes are Ministers of his word Pastors Teachers who to please him by whom they are chosen souldiers should not be entangled with the affaires of this life to discharge their dutie should bee sent forth and kept on publike cost to preserue their flocke should watch day and night continually over it The lesse marvaile is it if in our English Churches Antichrist and Edom be not consumed yet nay if they attempt to consume vs if by Popish policies by superstitious tokens by blasphemous writings by traiterous libels and conspiracies they vndermine our state if they take craftie counsaile against the people of God say Let vs possesse his habitatiōs by inheritance if they look for a day whē they may cry once againe rase it rase it to the foundation thereof in a word if they range through the land like woolues suck the bloud of sheep lambs sith the shepheards faile the watchm◅n are asleepe the warriours doe not fight through want somewhere of will somewhere of abilitie Of wil where they entangle themselues with such affaires as draw them f◅om their warfare and are not content to bee watchmen in Ierusalem but they must haue a watchmanship in Caesarea too or if they haue one stocke alone y◅t doe not feed it but take their ease in Sion Of abilitie where there is not sufficient provisiō for training of men to make them good souldiours nor mainetenance sufficient to finde them being trained that setting all other cares of life apart they may attend their charge wholly To them here amongst vs who through want of will are backeward in this service of the Lord God of Hoasts so much hath
be here present and al that are or shal be Patrones hereafter in a religlous reverence fear of the Lord to keepe themselues pure from this abomination At least to remember the miserable end of Richard the Vsurper who being made Protector of the King and Realme got the realme himselfe and robbed the King of it That if they deeme their patronage to be meerly civill and the goods of Benefices to be as common mens not sacred to the Lord yet being made Protectors thereof and of the Pastors they follow not his fault whose ende they detest Though the very truth is which I wish they weigh too that the Churches goods allotted to the maintenance of Pastors Teachers are not profane but sacred and therefore the sin of them who purloine them is sacrilege not theft wherein God is spoiled as himselfe pronounceth Will a man spoile God that yee do spoile me And yee say wherein do we spoile thee in tithes and offerings Howbeit if church livings were impoverished by none but by Patrones the case were not so evill because it is against the law But they are distressed also beside other pensions and incombrances by Appropriations as the lawyers tearme them or as they are named cōmonly Impropriations Whereof the condition is the more grievous for that in many parishes there is not a Vicar well sufficiently indowed to do Divine Service and instruct the people and keepe hospitality which yet the law cōmandeth if it were obeied Iosias in the eighth yeare of his raigne began to seeke the God of his father David in the twelfth yeere he began to purge Iuda and Ierusalem from the hie places and the groues and the graven images and the molten and in the eighteenth yeere he sent Saphan and others to repaire the house of the Lord his God Refor mations of disorders cānot be made all at once chiefly when the Church hath of long time beene overgrowne with them as then it had vnder Idolatrie and hath with vs vnder Popery King Henry the eight a Prince of noble memory began to set forth the holie word of God And his sonne another Iosias had he lived began to purge England from Images Masses and Massing-altars and superstitions I doubt not but our gracious Queene and soveraigne Lady desireth in the steps of her Father and Brother to adde this vnto them that workemen be mainetained for repairing of the Church But it lyeth not in her Highnesse alone to bring it to effect the Lords and the Commons haue a stroke in it Wherefore seeing now a Parliament is summoned to be held shortly let vs desire God in hūblenes of spirit to encline their hearts that although it be with losse of some part of their owne commodities yet they will follow the zeale of the Israelites for the tabernacle of assembly And as the religious professours of the truth haue shewed that Church-livings appropriated to others should in conscience finde the Pastors of the Church so God graunt that they who haue the authority may see it with a single eie and bring it to passe with an vpright hand Martin Bucer in his godly requests advises presēted to King Edwarde treating of skilfull Pastours to bee ordained throughout the realme saith that their mainetenaunce ought to bee required of them who receiue the profits of the parishes by appropriation or any other way Bishops Pilkinton vpon Aggaeus complaining that the Pope robbed parishes to feed his Monkes wisheth that the Gospell may restore that iustly which he tooke wrongfully awaie and gaue them yet a right name of impropriations because they be taken away improperly and properly belong to the parishes But what should I mention Bishops and Divines of whom there haue many declared the same mind when as Master Lambard a gentlemā Lawyer speaking of a Kentish Benefice converted to an appropriation doth censure it with these words One amōgst many of those monstrous birthes of covetousnes begotten by the man of Rome in the darke night of superstition and yet suffered to liue in this day light of the gospel to the great hinderance of learning the impoverishment of the ministery and the infamy of our profession Hard may this seeme to such as haue the liuings and some peradventure will say of these speeches The land cannot beare them But it is harder to suffer the land to stand in those tearmes in which God saith to Iuda Yee are cursed with a curse for that yee spoile me even the whole nation And if heathē men Philaeni Codrus Curtius haue givē their liues to benefit their coūtry with a temporal blessing and that vncertaine too what should Christians doe to draw that blessing on it which hee who cannot lie doth promise Bring yee all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meate in mine house and proue me nowe herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open the windowes of heaven vnto you powre you out a blessing with out measure and I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes that he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground neither shall your vine be barrē in the field saith the Lord of hosts and all nations shall call you blessed for yee shall be a pleasant land saith the Lord of hostes Wherefore let vs beloved of the Vniversity get our country this blessing as much as lyeth in vs by providing that Pastors where we haue appropriations may bee mainetained with their tithes that there may be meate in the house of God I meane not hereby that wee shoulde giue away that by which our schooles and schollers be maintained For God hath ordained Ecclesiasticall goods to finde not onely Priests and Levites but their ofspring evē them who are brought vp to be Priests Levites and them who bring them vp the children of the Prophets and the Prophets themselues That if there bee enough in our Appropriations for the Pastors maintenance beside that which wee haue for the nurserie of Pastors as commonly there is wee may with good conscience receiue our owne revenue My meaning is therfore that the rents reserved we should allow the rest of the Livings to Pastors which I speake not so much for those that publikely our Vniversity hath to be let by Convocation whereof the greater part hath shewed well already themselues to be of this minde as for those that privately belong to our Colleges to be let by the Heads thereof and the Fellowes It is of an humane and honest affection that wee sometimes would pleasure other men therewith our friend◅ suing for them But if Iob said to Sophar and his partners Should you speak wickedly for Gods defence how much lesse ought we to doe vnrighteously for the favour of men And may we not looke for the plague that fell on Eli if as he did honor his children aboue God so we do our friends Levi is commended by the holy
fall on him Wherefore it proceedeth from the heart as even the outward gesture also which our Saviour declareth when he saith that out of the heart proceed evill thoughts c. and an evill eye meaning the effects of an evill eye and envious For many there are that see well and yet haue evill eies Namely such as delight at the harme of their brother and sorrow at his good Wherefore we must beware of both effects namely that we neither behold the prosperitie of others with griefe nor their adversitie with ioy And for the former we must be so much the more diligent in avoiding it because a good mind is sometimes subiect vnto it When a young man told Ioshuah that Eldad and Modad prophecied in the host hee willed Moses to forbid them But Moses rebuked him enviest thou saith hee for my sake yea would to God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit vpon them But as for the latter which is to reioice at the adversitie of others it is not so incident to the heart which is sprinckled with any drop of grace because that evē naturally we pitie such as be in miserie Howbeit if there be any such among vs let him remember what the wise man saith That he who reioiceth at the harme of another shal not himselfe escape vnpunished The summe is this that we look to our heart the fountaine of these affections and purifie it The heart as the Philosophers saie in naturall generation is first framed and in spiritual regeneration it is first formed Wherefore we are first to looke that it be pure For what the heart conceiveth that the tongue vttereth and what the tongue speaketh the hand practiseth 2 The second thing is that we speak not against our brethren Neither exhorting the enimies scoffing and deriding our brethren as the Idumeans To exhort men to do evill I hope we may learne how deere it will cost vs by the example of the Iewes who exhorting the Romanes to slay our Saviour and being admonished of the great wickednesse answered his bloud be vpon vs on our children so it was indeed But how sore it was vpon them the noble history of Ierusalems destruction which followed within the cōpasse of their childrens life doth sufficiently declare of whom were slaine 1100000. For taunting as not onely doers but abetters are culpable in faults so these scoffers as well as the doers of evill and so much the more because they scoffe the Lord himselfe as when they said The land wherein the Lord is How heavy the hand of the Lord was on Rabsakeh for this blasphemy we haue an evident example I will not go so farre in this assembly as to speake of such grosse blasphemy but if there any among vs which are not afraid to abuse the words of Scripture in scoffe as did those wicked Iewes which had in their mouth The burthen of the Lord c. Let them consider the punishment threatned against such scorners and be afraid thereof A shame it is if the counsell of Trent condemne such wickednesse for vs to vse it Wherefore if any prophane cogitations concerning GODS word rise in our mindes let vs betime quel these Impes of Babylon dishing them against the stones that they go no further 3 The third thing is that we take from them as not their life so neither their living whereby their life is maintained For although wee go not so farre as to come to sacking yet if we lay hands vpon the goods of Iudah whether publique or private we play the part of Edom I am loath to speak that which I should heare touch Doe not they commit this wickednesse which take mony for that which was provided to main taine the poore either in the Vniversity publikely or privately in any colledge which sell the poore for shoes or come not so low as those beggarly iudges but make their owne advantage by what meanes soever ◅ut they will not say that they lay hands on them but that they take that which is offered Alas poore soules do they offer it yea even as men their purses on Salisbury plaine they yeeld their goods to saue their liues This was right Verres answere hee tooke nothing but what was offered him Or they will say that themselues receiue nothing but yet as Maister Latimer said their wiues shall or the steward of the kitchin Now if this be blame worthy being done in privat goods how much more in publique The wise Steward whē he should be put frō his office meaning to pro vide for a deare yeare called togither all his Masters deb ters saying to the first how much owest thou to my Maister and he said an hundred measures of oile and he said take thy writings set down quickly write fifty c. The Steward cācelled not the obligations but made thē a new so made him friends of his masters goods I would to GOD this practise were not too common among vs by pub lique goods to make vs private friends in our owne suits c. The Lord commended the wisedome of this vnthristy Steward he commended his policy not his hone stie And if hee were among vs and were to speake of Stewards he would commende the policie of our Stewards no losse then that of the wise steward The Pharisees gaue 30. pence which were indeede 30. sicles about in value two shillings a piece which they tooke out of the publique treasury vnto Iudas to betray our Saviour when Iudas had returned them they woulde not put them againe into the treasurie because it was the price of bloud but bought therewith a potters field to burie strangers in The Pharisees gaue 30. pieces of siluer if it had beene 30. pieces of gold or thrise 30. it had bin fitter for my purpose For the sinne is such of them that haue given much more out of the publique treasury to compasse such things as when they haue them they may betray the soules of Christians And whether this practise be rise among vs I leaue to their consideration who wiselie consider the dealing of the world But let such men as be faulty herein consider the end of the givers and takers whereof the one strangled himselfe the other were overthrowne in the destruction threatned against them And for the money what end it had we see I speake not because it buried strangers but it served to no purpose but to burie carkases and so shall this mony serue to none other end but to bury not the carkases but the soules of such in hel fire which staine their hands with it 4 The fourth thing is to abstaine from murther I wil not propose vnto you so high a degree of this sin But exhorte such as to whom it appertaineth to beware that they murther not the soules whereof they haue charge The surest death and most pitifull is the famine of the soule
sentence neither of humanitie only but of duty for who caÌ„ lay his hand on the Lords anointed saith he be giltles At least if they would not be still as he was for conscience sake yet for feare they might be seeing that a foule of the aire shal cary the voice a bird shall declare the matter if they but speak euil of the king yea in their thought much more if they intend to doe him any evil And sure if they turne not if they whet their swords bend their bowes and make them ready getting theÌ„selues deadly weapons prepare their arrows for persecutors they haue travelled with lewdnesse and conceiued mischiefe to bring forth a lie into the pit that they haue digged they shall fall their mischiefe shall returne vpon their owne heads and on their â—…wne pates shall their crueltie light For God doth giue revengements vnto his anointed and sheweth mercy to his Queen advancing her aboue them who rise vp against her But whether they doe vse this benefit of God to their good or no let vs my deere brethren let vs our houses as Iosua said serue the Lord. And that not by acknowledging only Gods goodnesse in this and all his benefits the foremost steppe to thankfulnesse but the next also I meane by confessing of him among the Gentiles and singing to his name with yeelding him all glory for it For the Heathens theÌ„selues in that smal knowledge of God which sin left theÌ„ did acknow ledge him to be the worker autor of the coÌ„modities that they had In the Greeke Poets the Gods are surnamed by a coÌ„moÌ„ title the givers of good things The Captaines of the Romanes having conquered their enimies took part of the lawrel which they did beare in signe therof laid it in the lap of Iupiter The CaldaeaÌ„ king subdued divers nations took their holds spoiled their cities seazed on their wealth ascribing that his power force to his God But they did not glorifie God as they ought neither were thankfull They robbed him of his honour and gaue it vnto many Gods their owne Idols Images of mortal creatures Yea part of the lawrel they kept to theÌ„selues sacrificing to their nets burning incense to their yarne because by theÌ„ their portion was fat their meate plenteous The time of this ignorance is overpast brethreÌ„ the daies are come wherof it was prophecied that the earth should be ful of the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea How much the more excuselesse shall our fowle ingratitude vngodlines be if we be no thankfuller to him then the Heathens theÌ„ the Greeks the Romans the Caldaeans were Chiefly sith beside the temporall benefit of the preservation of our Prince and vs wee haue received graces more excellent precious to endure for ever name ly the enioying of his Sonne Christ Iesus our wisdome our righteousnes our sanctificatioÌ„ our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ the Spirit of adoption whereby we haue boldnes to cry Abba father the peace of conscience tranquillity of mind contentednes of heart the inheritaÌ„ce immortal vndefiled that withereth not the coÌ„fort the protectioÌ„ the assuraÌ„ce of his loue in a word so many blessings both of this life of the life to come as never any natioÌ„ vnder heaveÌ„ greater Wherfore I beseech you by the mercies of God who spared not his own Son for our sakes but gaue him to the death the vile death of the crosse that we might liue through him let vs confesse him sincerely faithfully not only in words but in deeds confesse him among the Gentiles eveÌ„ those which are straÌ„gers alieÌ„s froÌ„ the faith that we may win theÌ„ to the Lord. Let our coÌ„versatioÌ„ be honest amoÌ„g theÌ„ that by our good works which they shall see they may glorifie God in the day of the visitatioÌ„ Let vs cast away profane songs of wantonnes of lightnes of vanity sing vnto his name vsing both our voice speech in al respects as it becoÌ„meth Saints To be short let vs shew let vs striue to shew by al parts of duty a thankfull acceptance of the great saluatioÌ„s that he hath wrought for vs zealous remeÌ„brance of the end wherto that we being deliuered out of the hand of our enimies should serue him without feare in holinesse righteousnes before him all the daies of our life The godly Prince Prophet whose vertuous example as in al the rest so in this specially should be a spurre vnto vs calling into mind how God had delivered his soule froÌ„ death his eies froÌ„ teares his feet from falling brake out into these words What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take c. Neither said he more therein theÌ„ he performed For when he had offered sacrifices of thanksgiuing he made a holy banket therewith vnto the people in remeÌ„brance of the manifold safeties deliuerances that hee had received He praised the Lord called vpon his name his Psalmes doe witnesse it to this day He promised that he would iudge righteously he did it He vowed to bring the arke into a place of rest he brought it How great cause we haue fathers brethreÌ„ to say as he said What shal we render so the Lord your selues do wel know How small care wee shew of doing as he did in praising God paying our vowes before his people the world doth see Our slacknes in frequeÌ„ting of sermons of praiers of celebrating the Lord supper taking the cup of the salvatioÌ„ of salvations I wish it were amended rather then reproved We haue made vowes and promises to God al of perpetual holines in baptisme some of special duties in their several callings And is it to be hoped that every one of vs though not with Davids zeale yet with some measure of it will pay them to the Lord Sure the greater hope thereof is to be had if that which hath been moved of order to be takeÌ„ for ordinary sermons preaching of the word on our Sabbath-daies in the afternoone not the forenoone only may be effected by the godly forwardnes of theÌ„ who should say And this will we doe if God permit The father of mercies God of al coÌ„fort who hath raised vnto vs a most glorious light placed a most gracious Princesse in the throne of government among vs sanctifie vs throughout with his holy spirit that we may offer vp the sacrifices of righteousnes the fruits of our lips of our harts of our hands to the glory of his name for all his benefits powred on vs And 〈◊〉 hath hitherto givâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliuerances shewed mercy to his anointed so be 〈◊〉 we him for his Son our Saviors sake to do it stil. Saue her O Lord saue her out of the haÌ„d of al her enimies Let their