people wherein his power was weakened and the strength of hys wyll was discouraged there is it that Christ sayth Ioh. 5. Without me ye can doo nothing Euen so haue we no wyll of our selues that is aualiable to doo any thing vnlesse it be gyuen from aboue Math 16 17. as appeared by Peter when he made his confession of Christe it was told him by Christ that flesh bloode had not reuealed that vnto him but hys heauenly father Likewise in the tenth of Mathew Mat 10 20 our sauiour Christ sayth It is not yee that speake but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you And in a great many more places in the scriptures it appeareth that mann hath no power or will at all of himselfe to doo any thing vnles it be gyuen him from aboue and it standeth in great reason and to the godlye séemeth very comfortable for if we should haue wil A reason why we haue not free wyll we must be free from sin which cannot be whereby our wyll might tend vnto good or els in this state of sin wherein we stand how can wee but yéelde sinne and wickednes according to the originall of nature and then is our wyll polluted and the effect nothing worth therfore wée haue the helpe of Gods spirite which worketh in vs by the vertue of our head Christ who hath sent the same spirit vnto vs by the which spirite we worke goodnes effectually and necessary it were that God shoulde haue hys prerogatiue of working in vs because he knoweth what wee haue néede of before we aske and he giueth better then eyther we can desire or deserue and his grace is not in vaine in vs for his 〈◊〉 neither ought we to vse it in vaine for our parte and therefore we may bee assured of the best neerest and right when we hold of God and not of our selues I◠is sayde that one heare of our heade shall not perysh which vndoubtedly is spoken because God preserueth vs and therefore is God among many of his vertuous names called Adon in the Hebrewe which is custos or seruator a kéeper or preseruer It wee hee that preserued Daniniell from the hungry Lyons Sydra◠Misac and Abednago from the hote Ouen when the Martir Stephen hadde much a do Acts. 6 10 and great disputation with the Libertines and Cirenians and them of Alexandria and Cicilia and Asia These aduersaries were not able to resiste the wisedome and the spyrits by the which he spake and thus to our greate comforte wee sée that the worthiest worketh that is effectuall if we should worke our wyll it woulde he so weake and so wycked as would be accounted nothing worth And therefore is it that to our comfort it is spoken that we are not our owne but his that careth for vs and hath the ability to prouide for vs euen the best Now therefore let vs examine our selues farther Mans merites and sée our merits deserts before God which many haue preached and allowed to the great ouerthrowe of the estimation of Christ his death and passion as though there were an ability in men to deserue any thing at Gods hands which is contrary to the Apostles doctrine who sayeth When we haue doone all that we can doo yet we are vnprofitable seruants But for the better tryall hereof let vs examine all our déedes be they neuer so good as continuall prayer vnfayned loue pitty dayly feeding of the poore the preseruing of our bodies in chastity and honesty forsakyng the world the flesh and the deuill or what els may be commendable in a man is it able to match one of Gods gyfts as our vnderstanding our sight our health our sound lymmes our nourishment our lyfe our children our peace wyth a great many moe blessings can it deserue any of these nay rather doth not one of these blessings deserue and require all those good déedes at mans hands yes no doubt how say ye then to a greater blessing then all this who hath giuen Christe Iesus to shed his precious blood to purchase vnto vs the kingdome of heauen and lyfe euerlasting euen he vndoubtedly that can neuer be iustly recompenced by a sinful mās obseruation and conuersation be it neuer so holy and therefore is it that wee are alwaies in debt vnto the Lord and for that cause is it that our Sauiour Christe hath taught vs to desire God in our prayer that he will forgiue vs our debts as wee forgyue our debters and then howe can we deserue any thing at Gods hands whē we can not make recompence for the smalest things that we haue had already and doo dayly receiue Wherefore it séemeth to be a very comfortable doctrine vnto vs in that wee are not our owne and in that wee are boughte for a price for if wee were our owne we should perish as men that are wicked sinners and as men that can doo no good thing nor deserue any good thing therefore of all creatures wee are happy that wee are bought by his bloode who hath made vs acceptable before hys father and by whom and in whom the father is well pleased and h◠whose onely meanes the kingdome of heauen is purchased for vs. Wherefore this laste parte remayneth for vs Our duety and is required at our hands as duety that wee glorifie God which is as much to be vnderstanded that we attribute not onely the power superiority and excellency vnto God alone but also that we serue him loue him thanke him and obey him according to his worthines and that vndoubtedly is so much as can neuer be fully performed at our handes how be it so farre we must endeuour our selues and so farre stretch our selues as the measure and ability of Gods spirite is giuen vnto vs and because wée should neyther be weakelings in the power of the holy ghost working in vs nor yet dissemblers in outward holines hauing no inward tast we are wylled to be seruaunts both in spirite and in body because they are both Gods that is God hath purchased them both to set forth hys glory in them as in a holy place or Temple and to glorify God is aswell in spyrite as in body to giue the excellence or superiority vnto him and therevppon in the same spirit and body to all things that are required at our hands and are best agréeable for our calling which is far more to be apparant in vs then in any other creatures by how much we are more excellent then they The prophet Dauid sayth Psal 19 The heauens declare the glorye of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke which is asmuch to say as these creatures that is the heauens and firmament doo shew their order course effect as is appointed them by God and they do their obedience according to his wyll and pleasure the sunne moone and starres doo shine and keepe their order and course and haue doone from the
calling it (a) Deu. 4 wisdome some a (b) Psa 119 light some the (c) Rom 1 power of God and some (d) Eph 6 a sword according to the mighty working and power thereof from the which foundation if any man flée following his owne wyll or the inuentions of men let him be perswaded that his workmanship is in vaine for his building will not stande The third and last disposition of these godly men The thyrd disposition of the godlye differed far from the purpose of the vngodly as appereth euen in the plaine words for the aduersaries sayd vnto Zerubbabell and the rest We seeke and doo sacrifice vnto the Lord your God and Zerubbabell the rest sayd Wee will builde vnto the Lorde our God in the which let vs sée euen the confession of the vngodly in that they haue not the power to name the Lord their God and againe the confession of the godly in that they hold a firme faith assurance to cal the Lord their God nowe in that they are directed the one by Ezer Haddon an Idolater and the other by Cirus a worthy and noble King it dooth appeare that the one fauoured Idolatry and the other true religion for in that Zerubbabel with the reste builded together vnto their God which they farder interpreted to bee the God of Israel they shewed a good a deuout and a godly christian profession for as indéede we ought to offer the sacrifice vnto God and put our trust in God as the prophet sayth so ought we to haue a spirituall care to vnderstand what he is Psal 4 5. whether of right all honor appertaineth vnto him which we shall easily perceiue by beholding hys maiesty his power his strength his mercy his loue his omnipotencye in creating vs and all the worlde in gouerning vs ruling all things in defending vs in redéeming vs in sanctifying vs and in calling vs and in giuing all things necessary for vs in lightning our minds with vnderstanding in refreshing our consciences with good things whereas on the other side for the iudgment of Idolatry we finde not the like vertues consolations in the workmanship of mans hands made to be honored worshipped as a god no nor in any the creaturs vnder heauē nor in heauē as the sun moone stars woods stons calfs hylls gold siluer c. Wherfore this name God being an vnspeakable name among the Iewes dooth minister vnto the godly so many powers and operations that when they shal say Our God they haue a heape of comforts and consolations in their hart which doth worke many godly knowledges and exercises and extinguishe many ignoraunt and Idolatrous opinions As for example if we shold reason this wyth our selues who hath made vs and hetherto preserued vs God who sustaineth the heauens to giue light and to powre downe dewes for the comfort of the earth God who giueth encrease on the earth for our sustenaunce God who giueth all things necessary for vs here on earth God who hath redéemed vs from the bondage of sathan God who hath prepared for vs the kingdome of heauen GOD the same God with hys mightye power worke so in the heartes of all good beléeuers that they may so learne him know him follow him in this world the in the world to come euen in the kingdome of heauen they may haue life euerlasting to the which I beséech God the father the son and holy ghost to send vs all Amen A Sermon shewing what the Temple of God is 1 Cor 6 19.20 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you whom yee haue of God and ye are not your owne For ye are bought for a price Glorifie therefore God in your body and in your spirite for they are Gods THe Temple which is consecrated and dedicated to an holy vse for the learning and exercising of holy thinges for the reading of the Lawe couenant and promises of GOD and for the enriching of our selues in the true knowledge of Gods worde and the vse of the Sacraments finally for all godly vses and exercises is the same place where in all the congregation dooth méete together in a deuout minde and pure hart to call vpon God the creator and maker of all things to whom he dooth in the power of hys spirit appeare which place is therefore called the Temple or his house because of the holy exercises and godly seruices which are there doone and for those exercises sake because it is called Gods house it ought to be kept cleane and not defiled neyther ought it to be reserued for any other vse then for the exercise of holy thinges Ioh. 2.15 and for that cause our Sauiour Christ did cast out the buiers and sellers out of the Temple yet buying selling is a lawfull trade among men Howbeit because of the place it was not allowed but shaply and with expulsion reprooued by our sauiour Christ himselfe But now the Apostle speaketh not of a Temple made of stones lyme and sande in this place but of our bodyes which he calleth a Temple because of the vse and exercise which ought to be therein vsed and daily exercised which is godlines therefore it is called the Temple or tabernacle of the holy ghost wherin the holy ghost as a patron president of Gods power dwelleth And as on the one side euery manne and woman should in hys hart reade learne exercise and dayly vse godly meditations godly lawes and godly obseruations and also yéelde the Sacrifice of thanksgiuing and the offering of righteousnes and dayly strengthen the same with a féeling conscience a faithfull hart a charitable mind and an humble deuotion So on the other side hath God gyuen hys holy spirit to be resident therein as a pledge of his loue which dayly worketh in vs knowledge desire chéerefulnes ioyfulnes patience loue al heauenly riches assuring our spirits that we are the children of God to our great and endles comfort for which occasions sake we are wylled by the Apostle not to gréeue the same spirit of God by the which we are sealed vnto the day of redemption for in that hée is dwelling in vs and remayning as in an house among vs wee trouble greeue him when we prophane and abuse his tabernacle or dwelling eyther with pryde whoredome drunkennes enuy theft murther idlenes filthy talke surfeyting or like because they are not exercises agréeable for the Temple of God and then yf buying and selling which is lawfull bee prohibited the Temple in respect of the materiall Temple much more these filthy abuses ought to bee caste out of the Temple in respect that it is our bodyes being of greater price and estimation then the building of stone Herevpon the Apostle spake in this place of the abuse of filthy fornication and incestuous incontinencye that it was such a great spot as greatly defiled and polluted the whole body
beginning the clowdes haue powred out their moysture and yet these are not reasonable creatures but ordeined as seruants vnto man and because God hath appointed them in theyr seuerall offyres they haue performed it according to his wyll Nowe much more shold man setforth the glory of God that is to say to performe that which God willeth to be doone in him namely to shewe the effects of hys creation and the effects of his vocation for he is made a manne hee shoulde not behaue hymselfe as a beast that hath no vnderstanding eyther in filthy lust as the swine or in deuouring one an other as the Wolfe or in subtilty as the Fox or in enuy as the dogge or in flattery as the Scorpion or in hypocrisy as the Crocodile or in slothfulnes as the Asse but to vse himselfe as a man which is a state aboue all these creatures and as we are endued with reason so we shoulde vary from the brute beastes in the difference of things that is to vse the good and refuse the bad and especially because wée are called by God redéemed by hys sonne Iesus Christ and sanctified by hys holye spirite we should therefore shewe our effects of Gods power working in vs that as the Sunne is made to shyne and in shyning doth glorifie God because he performeth the effect and ende of hys creation so should man performe and doo the effect of his creation and vocation the rather because he hath the power of sanctification and is made the vessell of holines and this effect is to liue godly not onely in outward shewe as I sayde least hee might dissemble nor alone in inwarde shewe least he myght be fruitles but as well in body as in spirit that the one might be doone in knowledge vnderstandinge and the other in facto for if the inwarde spirite haue no vnderstanding or knowledge how shall the dum and senceles body which is but a corrupt thing vtter any thing els but corruption wherfore the glorifying of God in man dooth consist in true knowledge in sure fayth in perfitte mortification and in a godly conuersation that so we might behaue our selues in duety to God in loue to our neighbours in honest and godly conuersation amonge our selues that so much we should surpas all other creatures in our duety behauiour and calling By howe much we haue a superiority aboue them Math. 5 16 Our Sauiour Christ sayd Let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen 1 Pet 2 22 And likewise the Apostle Peter sayth Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentils that they which speake euill of you as of euill dooers may by your good works which they shall sée glorifie God in the day of the visitation So that now to acknowledge God as he is and to behaue our selues godly and honestly according to Gods will is to glorify God and to beautify hys temple in which dooing as we shall shewe our selues meete tabernacles and tempels for the holy ghost so I beseech God with the strength of the same his holy spirit to clense and purge our inward man from al corruptible motions and desires and strongly to defende it from all fantasies and illusions of sathan that exercising all godly and honest conuersations and studies we may onely be setled and established to sette foorth the glory and excellency of almighty GOD that in the ende we may be rewarded wyth the crowne of glory in the glorious kingdoms of God vs the which I beseeche God the father sonne and holy Ghost in send vs all Amen FINIS