father that euery one of vs may with a good conscience and truly say with holy Dauid Not vnto vs ô Lorde not vnto vs but vnto thy name giue the glorie c. And with Saint Paul God forbid that I should glory or reioice but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the worlde Thinke not right Christian Ladie that these words are vttered so much to instruct you as to enforme the reader of this letter vnto you For by good experience I haue comfortably found both in the right honorable my very good Lord your wise and louing hous bande and in your good Ladiship his Godly and obedient espouse such care of Gods glorie in aduauncing true religion in demeaning your selues in the educatioÌ„ of your children in gouerning your family in countenauncing of vertue and learning in cherishing the poore and needie as I might deseruedly be deemed vnwise if I had not obserued it carelesse if I did not remember it vnthankefull if vpon offred occasion I would not testifie it But thanked be the king of eternal glorie this your care of GOD his glory is so vniuersally knowne to the whole realme so ioyfully acknowledge of the Godly therein that I neede not produce my self for an experienced witnes of the same Wherfore to conclude this branch I will heartily offer vppe mine incessant prayers to the Lorde God in the name of his sonne our sauiour CHRISTE that both you and all Christians may daily and continually growe not onely into such contempt of vaine glory and al vaine thinges but also into such loue and longing of his true glorie and all heauenly things as in these euill dayes ye may haue the sure testimony of your owne consciences that you haue zealously sought GOD his glory and in the end through Christ be made partakers of his eternall glorie As this care of Gods glorie hath drawen others to desire and me to publish this sermon which I trust will preuent the vncharitable suspicioÌ„s of some and stay the rash tongues of others so me thinketh I am to be blamed neither by you nor of any other for dedicating the same to your Ladishippe For notwithstanding nothing be therin taught which you haue not long ago learned and nothing in such manner deliuered by me but hath ben and may be much bettered by others yet your Ladiship by perusing thinges alreadie learned shall not be altogether vnprofitably occupied and at the least this my fact shall make some outwarde shewe of mine inwarde heartie thanksgiuing for the benefits bestowed vpon and the trust reposed in me your humble and faithfull seruaunt And when I considered that by my Lorde and your La. I was first called from the vniuersitie to teach your two sonnes and those such children as for the true feare of God zealous affection to his word obedience to their parents reuerence to their superiours humility to their inferiours loue to their instructour I neuer knewe any excell them also that by the same meanes I was likewise first called from teaching of children to enstruct men verely I coulde not but dedicate the first fruites of these my so generall labours to some of that house whence I was first sent out to be a poore labourer in the Lords great haruest You shall here find no profounde learning no exquisite art no curious eloqueÌ„ce to delight your learned eares but finde you shal the simple truth now imprinted as it was then vttered to comfort your Christian hearte And I am throughly perswaded that as I haue the sure warrant of Gods expresse worde for confirmation of the trueth herein conteined so the holy spirite of God will in such wise affect you with a like and loue thereof that he will compel your heart to think and your toung to say Amen Yea and to confesse that albeit a sinnefull man was the homely vtterer yet the holy Ghost is the vndoubted authour of the same Nowe least the portall shoulde be as great as the house and the preface as long as the treatise I will conclude and cease from further troubling you But I trust not to surcease from hearty praying the Lord God so to deuor the harts of your good La. of your children and whole family with the holy fire of his heauenly spirite that ye may dwell in his court and be satisfied with the pleasure of his house euen of his holy temple that the zeale of the Lordes house may eate ye vp that with good consciences and ioyfull spirites ye may truely say ô Lord I haue loued the habitacion of thy house and the place wher thine honour dwelleth Finally that ye may be of that bright heauenly wheate whiche shall bee gathered into the celestiall garner by the Lorde Iesus who for euer mightily protect and mercifully preserue you At Easeling by Feuersham in the Countie of Kent Your Lad. heartie Orator and humble seruant Iohn walsall ⧠A SERMON preached at Pauls Crosse by John Walsall one of the preachers of Christs Church in CANTERBVRIE the fifte of October 1578. Actes 3. 22 For Moses sayde vnto the Fathers the Lorde your God shall rayse vp vnto you a Prophet of your brethren like vnto me yee shall heare him in all things whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you 23 For it shall be that euery person which shall not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed out of the people IF right honourable worshipful and welbeloued in our sauiour Iesus Christ either the principall cause author of this scripture or the instrumentes and seconde causes vttering the same or the matters therein comprehended if all or any of these be duely considered of vs we shall finde this present texte to bee of verie great authoritie and fully replenished with heauenly profite and comfort Our custome and manner is carefully to respect the authour both of wordes spoken and déedes done and as he is learned or ignoraunt wise or foolishe well affected or euill disposed so wée commonly receiue or reiect what soeuer procéedeth from him for the most part still measuring in temporall thinges the matter by the man I say in teÌ„poral things bicause in matters spirituall not so much the men that speake as the matters spoken are to be regarded according to that of our Sauiour The Scribes and Pharises sit in Moses châ—â—â— Al therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not for they say and do not But the authour of this scripture is of such learning wisedome holines as we may safely and are commaunded streightly not alone to credite and beleeue his wordes but also to conforme and fashion our selues after his workes For as of all the sacred Canonicall Scriptures so of this nowe in hand the holy Ghost that spirite of truth that comforter of the elect that director of the faithfull iâ— the cause and authour To this â—nd Paul in the laste
as heare with faith to beléeue in Christ and his worde and with obedience to followe Christe and his worde then both idolatrous Papistes and carnall protestantes I will not once name Atheistes are quit clean excluded out of the number of true right Christian hearers That Papists hear not Christ his ministers in this sense of hearing that is that they do not conforme their religion according to the doctrine conteined in and deliuered vnto them out of the worde of God this is a matter so manifest as all the faithfull do lamentablie and with griefe of hearte beholde the same And to giue themselues if any be present some taste thereof I will here ioyne battell and incounter with them vsing that onely sentence vtterred by our sauiour in the sourth of Iohn for the weapon whereby I am sure I truste the greatest number present will confesse that their whole religion or rather superstition is wounded at the hearte and stricken quite dead For Christ in that place talking with the woman of Samaria telleth her the God is a spirit and they that worshippe him must worshippe him in spirit and truth If we either looke on the whole body of their religion in grosse or dismember and rippe the same into péeces and beholde euerie member euerie ioynt euerie sinewe euerie veine euerie arterie euerie muscle thereof we shall be enforced to confesse that among them there is no worshipping of God in spirite and trueth but that all their worshippe and religion is corporall externall and ceremoniall Whosoeuer shall with iudgement indifferētly view their Religion shall in déede perceiue it to be nothing else but an apishe and counterfeite imitation of the ceremoniall law Hence they fetch their alters candlestickes Sensours Perfumes garmentes Oblations festiuall dayes solemne feasts difference of times obseruation of meates purifications sacrifices and a number of the like nature But as in all these and the residue they haue no sauour of spirite and trueth agréeable either to gods nature discribed or to the doctrin of the Gospell deliuered by Christ so in their following of the lawe they doe shamfully halte To giue yee an instance they celebrate their masse at the Altar but Christ ministred his laste supper at a table I cannot denye but the lawe Ceremoniall doeth commaunde Altars howbeit such Altars as shall be neither of hewed stone nor haue any steppes ther vnto belonging But the Romish Altars are of hewen stowne and haue steppes as is apparant in their Sinagogues and as appereth by steppes yet remayning in many of our Temples whereby either longing for that heathenish superstition or at the least colde affection to aduance true religion is vndoubtedly signified But admitte their whole religion were fully in euery pointe correspondent and answerable to the law ceremoniall what else shoulde that bée but a full and flatte deniall of Christes death and passion and of all the merits of the same This is most substancially proued by our sauiour Christ and by his seruaunt Paule Christ in that former scripture before cited saith that God is a spirit and therefore they that worshippe him must worship him in spirit and trueth In that place Spirit truth are opposed and set against the ceremonies of the law and the words of Christ so vttered to the woman of Samaria importe thus much Before the incarnation of me the then promised and nowe perfourmed sauiour ye worshipped God in shadowes in figures in ceremonies in sacrifices but I béeing nowe come who am the body of those shaddowes the trueth of those figures the substāce of those sacrifices the matter of those ceremonies nowe that externall worship ceaseth and ye muste now worship God onely in spirite and trueth Here Paule saith in his Epistle to the Ephesians the second chapter He that is Christ is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall in abrogating through his flesh the hatred that is the law of cōmandementes which standeth in ordinaunces c. Again writing vnto the Collossians he hath the same in effect and meaning By both these places we are taught that Christ by his death and passion hath abrogated taken away the whole law of ceremonies that place also in the last to the Hebrues is verie notable to this end and purpose We haue an Altar wherof they haue no authoritie to eat which serue in the Tabernacle Whereby it is concluded that such as yet dwell in ceremonies of the law much more of mens deuising are strangers frō Iesus Christ who by his one sacrifice of his own body once offered for al hath cancelled the obligation and handwriting of the ceremoniall lawe which was against vs By these the like testimonies of holy scripture we sée that such as worship God either after the ceremoniall law of God or after the ceremoniall deuises of men do therby deny the force of Christs death yea they deny that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh Of such mē S. Ioh. speaketh in his first epistle Euery spirit that cōfesseth not Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh is not of god but this is the spirit of Antichrist c. I referre the néerer application of this sentence to their own consciences praying the lord to giue them grace effectually to sée cōfortably to fele faith fully to acknowledge the Lord Iesus togither with the mightie force of his most effectuall death passion Plinie in the eight booke of his naturall historie reporteth the Swallowes vse to make the blind soare eyes of their yong ones to sée by rubbing the same w an herbe called Celandine so named some say of the swallowes first finders and such vsers therof some say quia confert caelestia dona bicause it hath heauenly vertues The papists eyes are very sore blind they cannot abide to looke vppon Iesus Christ the glorious sonne of God thus brightly shining amōgest vs The Lord in his mercie giue thē his heauenly Celandine I mean his holy spirit that therewith their blind eyes may bee opened their darke vnderstanding lightened their hard harts mollified softened If as in grosse we haue viewed the whole bodie of their religiō so nowe we looke vppon the same by piece meale shal we therein finde any spirite and truth shal we not finde it altogether deuoid of spirite and trueth and wholy corporall carnall and earthly Spirite and truth will haue the Lord God alone worshipped and serued they worship and serue Saintes creatures Reliques bootes buskins nailes c. Spirit trueth will haue God alone to be prayed vnto they pray to Saintes to creatures to Images to stockes and stones Spirite and trueth will haue our praiers procéede from an vnderstanding hart they teach charge the people to pray in a strange and vnknowen language Spirite and trueth will haue
vs fréely iustified by faith in Christ they ioyne mans merits purchasers with the pretious bloude of Christ Spirite and truth wil haue but two Sacramentes to wit Baptisme and the Lords supper they adde to these two fiue moe of their owne coyning so will haue seuen sacraments Spirite and truth willeth vs simplie to administer the Sacramentes according to the Lords holy institutiō they haue added altred deminished augmented as them selues lusted To baptism they haue added oyle creame spittle crossings baptizing by women baptizing before the birth of the childe a tying of saluation vnto baptisme To the Lord his supper they haue added Altars candlestickes Tapers pixe Transubstantiatiō Adoration reseruatiō circumgestation and carrying about of the Sacrament c. Spirite and trueth willeth vs to heare christ In al things whatsoeuer he shal say vnto vs Wherby we are throughly assured that all things necessarily required vnto our saluation are conteined in the sacred scriptures but they ground vpon reuelatiōs apparitions vnwritten verities lying myracles and most absurd fables Thus I might right welbeloued in the Lord examine the huge mōstrous masse of all their religion and nether in it al generally nor in any particular part thereof finde any spirit and trueth but only that which is earthly corporal carnal and fleshlie If it be replied that the papists are learned men antient men wise men of long experience and that therfore it is maruel they shold so grosly be deceiued that wheras god being a spirit therfore wil be worshipped in spirit and truth they haue yet in al their seruice worship no spirit truth The scribes Pharises were as ancient wise learned and expert as the papists yet they persecuted crucified Christe and with all violence opposed set themselues against his gospell In the eleuenth of Matth. Christ breaketh out into these words I giue thee thanks O father Lord of heauē earth bicause thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them to babes It is so O father bicause thy good pleasure was such This our heauenly Scholemaster here teacheth that true religion right knowledge of the worde and a thorough féeling of Christ are not tied to the Vniuersities to great Doctours to gray heads but that the Lord God bestoweth these good giftes fréely in what place soeuer at what time soeuer and vpon whome soeuer he pleaseth And verily as the Scribes and Pharises framed to themselues certeine deuices to kéep them from Christ as that he was but the sonne of a carpenter kept companie with sinners abounded not with worldly iolitie in princely maner so for all the world do our Papists deuise means to hinder them from comming vnto the same Christ We cannot say they away with his newe doctrine for so they sclanderously call the auntient trueth of God his worde all is new plaine Dunstable the seruice is in the vulgare toung euerie bodie may vnderstand it the edifying of the soul is now altogether cared for there is now in our Church no pleasing and delighting of our outward sēces In our masse time the verie name whereof comforteth our hart our seruice was in a learned language it was not vnderstanded of the common sorte wee prayed to the blessed Saintes in heauen we knéeled to trim painted images our churches were gailie decked there was ringing singing sēcing piping glittering copes siluer Censours golden Crosses mitred fathers encloistred brethren religious Sisters Christening of belles hollowing of fontes créeping to the crosse offering of egges sprinkling of holy water dealing of holy bred auriculer confession good sporte on Alhallon night lighting of tapers making merrie going on pilgrimage pardoning of sin for a litle monie we liued as we lusted Priestes were good fellowes adulterie was borne withall bread was bigger ale was stronger béefe more plentifull troutes fatter and better all thinges cheaper xxiiij egges for a penie Nowe all these ar gone euerie childe can now vnderstand the seruice Images are forbidden God is now worshipped in spirite truth euery bodie is now skilfull in the scriptures the knowledge of the Catechisme and abilitie to yelde an account of our faith is looked for and commaunded We were borne and christened in the Masse time our forefathers were of that stamp we wil none of this new doctrine Euen so the Iews when they were deliuered from Idolatrie restored vnto the true knowledge and worship of God many of them misliking that estate as Ieremie witnesseth cried out against him in this manner We will not heare the worde that thou speakest vnto vs in the name of the Lorde but we will doe euery thing that shal proceed from our own mouth as to burne incense to the queene of heauen to offer vp drink offerings vnto her as both we haue done our fathers our kings and princes in the Citie of Iuda and in the streates of Ierusalem For then had wee plentie of victualles and were well and felt none euill c. These deare brethren these are the reasons which stoppe manie Papistes eares from hearkening to this Prophet Iesus Christ Ye heare and sée the vanitie of these reasons and howe farre they are from any reason They néede no cōfutation very children haue them in derision and laugh them to scorne Chrisostom most notably compareth the gentiles or heathen people to children which comparison will serue now verie fitlie if in stéede of his heathen men we vnderstand our heathenish papists Saieth Chrisostom Vt pueri nullius vtilitatis curam suscipiunt c. As children haue no regarde of any profite so the gentiles are desirous to play continually and they lye flatte vppon the ground and are in loue with base things When we often talke of necessarie matters children vnderstand not our talke but fall a laughing Euen so the gentiles when wee speake of the kingdome of heauen they doe nothing but laugh And as out of a childes mouth there issueth much spitle which nowe and then marreth both meate and drinke so the wordes which come out of the gentiles mouthes are vaine and vile and if thou set needfull food before thē they vexe thee with cursed speches wish it to be taken frō thē Childrē moreouer when they see a theefe goe into the house and steale away the furniture thereof they doe not onely not reuenge but they smile look pleasātly on him but if you take awai their suckling box or rattle or any such like childishe bable then they take that heauily they are grieued they teare them selues they stampe vpon the pauement So do the gentils when they see the diuell steale away all they haue both their inheritance or liuelihod what soeuer thinges are necessarie for their soules health they laugh and as if he were their friend they go out to meet him But if any man lay hand vpon their possessions riches
A Sermon PreaCHED AT PAVLS Crosse by Iohn Walsal one of the Preachers of Christ his Church in Canterâ—urie 5. October 1578. And published at the earnest request of certeine godlie Londoners and others Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth increase 1. Cor. 3. 7. AT LONDON Printed for G. Byshop TO THE RIGHT worshipfull vertuous and his verie good Ladie the Ladie ANNE BACON Iohn Walsall hartily wisheth mercy and peace from God our father and from our Lord Iesus Christ THIS my present attempt and enterprise will perhaps minister vnto the reader double cause of admiration the one by reason of the publishing the other in the respect of the dedication of this simple and plaine discourse Touching the first albeit I may iustly depose and call God to witnesse that this sermon is thus imprinted and made common not by any vaine desire of mine or terrene purpose in me but at the importune suite of diuers godly men both of the Citie where it was preached and of the Countrie where I inhabite yet I am enforced openly to acknowledge that it is my bounden dutie of my selfe without request euery way to seeke the glorie of my God by exhorting priuately by preaching publikely by writing generally to the verie vttermoste of my power and abilitie Howbeit I am here constrayned humbly to bewraye myne owne infirmities with heartie prayer for greater strength For mine own simplicitie and want of profounde knowledge the aboundaunce of most learned volumes dayly set out together with coÌ„sideration of many curious heades and carping tongues these so preuailed with my flesh as neither I could of my selfe be moued nor by the importunitie of others for a good space induced to publishe this treatise But at length my weakenesse was somewhat strengthened and I persuaded not onely by the reasons of men whome I haue good cause greatly to reuerence but also by the holy spirite of GOD to collect this Sermon out of my notes send it abroad to the end that as by vttering thereof it pleased the LORD GOD mercifully to touch the heartes of some so by writing and imprinting thereof it may like the same Lord as graciously to touch the heartes of many So that my onely drift and purpose herein is to seeke the glorie of our good God by attempting as he hath inhabled mee to reclaime the wicked to confirme the godlie to conuerte the deceiued to encourage the conuerted that as God hath created all offered saluation to al and nourished vs all so through his sonne our Sauiour CHRIST he may be glorified by vs al. This glorie of our God ought to bee of so precious and deare accounte with vs that we shoulde directe whatsoeuer good thing wee haue to the aduauncement of his glorie This is not the doctrine of carnall man but of that moste excellent doctour IESVS CHRIST and of his holy Apostle S. Paule Christe the maister saith First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse c And Paule the seruant speaking of the Lord God telleth vs that Of him throughe him and for him are all thinges and therefore addeth to him be glorie for euer Amen These and many the like scriptures teach vs that we are created redeemed sanctified and preserued yea that all the Lordes blessinges so without measure dayly powred vpon vs tend to this end that his most glorious name maye bee continually extolled by vs Both Moses and Paul were so zealous for this glory as they preferred the same to their own saluation But alas such is the miserable condition of the world that few are founde willing to take anye little paine or to susteine the short displeasure euen of the vilest men thereby to shewe their longing desire of God his glorie Men of all sortes are made so drunken with their own vaine glorie and in such manner bende them selues to maintaine that ignominious and shamefull glorie as in the meane time the glorie of God is cared for accounted of and longed for but of verie fewe and as it were of an handfull in respecte of the huge multitude of so innumerable people From this most impure and deadly impoysoned fountaine of vaine glorie issueth the Papistes glorious opinion of their meritorious workes their proude conceipt of mans righteousnesse their bloudie argumentes against iustification by faith their obstinate defences of most grosse impieties their daily coyning of newe counterfeit miracles for the vnderpropping of their nowe falling kingdome From this filthie puddle of vaine glorie springeth the contemptuous disdayning of ouermanie to submitte their stiffe necks to the sweet and easie yoke of Christe Hence it is that the verie Angelles of GOD his Church and true ministers of his worde are sternly frowned vppon iniuriously thrust to the walles and handled vnreuerently vnles with Popishe dirige they will sing Placebo and as the Iewes willed Esay speak Placentia and with the Terentian Gnato ait aio negat nego that is to say vnlesse they will with Iudas betray their maister Christe and frame them selues to feede the sinfull humours of carnall men by wilfull neglecting the seuere commaundementes of Almightie god Hence it is that if contempte of true religion lothing of Christs holy Gospel countenauncing of the wicked cormeranting of earthly thinges carnall talke vaine delectations horrible blasphemie pride in apparell epicurisme in diet deceite in bargaining vnchristian conuersation if these and the like enormities be reproued and the terrible iudgementes of God denounced againste them vaine glorie will then be inflamed and set on fire with reuenging anger and at daggers drawing with such preachers Thus I might proceede to prooue that vaine glorie doth euery way so abound as the aduauncement of God his glory is lamentably neglected Oh that man had regenerate eyes to looke throughly vpon and deepely into himself he should then wel perceiue that no glorie but all shame is due to him he shoulde then be compelled to confesse that whatsoeuer good thing he hath of the bodie or minde the Lorde God hath there with adorned him that he the authour therof might be glorified with and for the same Saint Paul to extinguish and quench out mans greedie thirst of vain glory demaundeth of man this question What hast thou that thou hast not receiued To the same ende that vniuersall speach of Saint Iames may be fitly applied Euery good giuing and euery perfect gift is from aboue c. Wherein the holy ghost teacheth that all the good things we enioy either temporall or spirituall they haue streamed from the euerlasting founteine of God his vnspeakable liberalitie that for and with the same we shoulde magnifie and praise his most glorious name The Lord therefore in mercie graunt that euery man in his seuerall vocation may so hartely bend all his affections giftes welth wisedome worship honour or what soeuer the Lorde hath blessed him withal to the magnifying of him our most gratious and louing
of the Actes saith Well spake the holy ghost by Esaias the Prophet vnto our Fathers c. Againe the whole scripture is giuen by inspiratioÌ„ of god c. Peter also in his second epistle first cha vttereth these wordes Prophesie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost In like maner the words spoken at the giuing out of the lawe may truely be vnderstanded of the whole body of all the holy scripture to wit God spake all these wordes Thus it is apparent and manifest of what reuerend and holy account both this and all the sacred scripture ought to be and with what heartie obedience we are to yelde ourselues and stoup downe vnto it sith the holy ghost is authour of the same If we likwise respect the instruments whereby this scripture as by certein second causes and meanes hath bene deliuered to vs the excellencie thereof will also comfortably and plainely apeare For it is vttered by three excellente ministers and seruauntes of the Lord by Moses the gouernour of Israel by Stephan the martyr by the Apostle S. Peter Moses as we reade in the booke called Deuteronomie and as these two Stephan and Peter doe witnesse was the first speaker of this diuine sentice that by the inspiration and direction of the holy Ghost the occasion whereof is also put down in that place of Deuteronomie and consisteth in these two branches First Moses forbiddeth the Israelites to follow the impious maners of the heathen people in vsing witcheraft sorceries charming soothsaying in obseruing times and the fléeing of birdes in making recourse vnto and asking counsell of spirites and the deade pronouncing all these abhominable vnto the Lord the cause why the Lord hath rooted out those nations which were infected and defiled with these superstitious and damnable vanities In the other branch Moses chargeth the Israelites to demeane themselues with all duetifull and true harted obedience towards the Lord their God saying Thou shalt be vpright therefore with the lord thy God thereby signifying that if we wil haue the lord to be our God his mercies continued his vengeaunce deteyned we must then not play the lame â—réeples and hypocriticall halters by making a mingle mangle hodgepoge of true religion vile superstition but we must go vprightly become vnfeigned detestoures of al impietie superstition and hartie zealous worshippers of the Lord according to that religion worship which the Lord him selfe hath prescribed and coÌ„maunded in his word So that the drift of Moses by this scripture is to induce and persuade the children of Israell and all true Christians not to depende vpon the vile and vaine illusions either of sathan or of his wicked instruments but to yelde theÌ„selues to the word of God that with true haâ—â—ie through obodience If the Israelits had obiected to Moses that the word of God was intricat and harde Prophets to interprete the same were fewe and that Moses and all the prophetes should be taken from them by death and so the worde of God coulde bee no suche sure staffe for them to trust and leane vnto Moses in this my text doeth skilfully and to their and our great comfort answeare this obiection saying The lord your God shall rayse vp vnto you a Prophet c meaning that the Lorde will neuer suffer his Church to bée vtterly destitute of true Prophetes and faithful interpreters of his worde The seconde instrument whereby the holy Ghost hath vttered this scripture the seconde by mine order is Stephan the Martyr For Stephan in hys notable Sermon sealed with his bloud death labouring to winne the Iewes vnto Christ and to pul them from their superstitious obseruation of Moses lawe he maketh rehearsall of Moses whole historie as of his byrth of his casting out of his taking vp and nourishing by Pharao his daughter of his care ouer afflicted Israel his killing of the Egyptian his fléeing into the land of Madian of the Angels appearing vnto him in a flame of fire of the Lordes sending him into Egipt of the wonders done by his hand in the lande of Egipt Lest the Iewes should be too superstitiously wedded to Moses and therby hindered from imbracing Christ Stephan procéedeth and substancially proueth that euen this their Moses whom they so loue obey maintaine and cleaue to euen that he in the lawe and by his office endeuoured to conduct and guyde them vnto Christ This saith StephaÌ„ is that Moses which said vnto the children of Israel A prophet shall the Lord your God raise vp vnto you c. By which words it is euident that Moses would not haue the Iews obstinatly tied to him for euer but did prophesie and foretell of Iesus Christ the Prince and head of all the prophets the very mark wherevnto Moses the lawe and all the Prophetes were directed by whom a newe ministerie to wit the Preaching of the Gospell shoulde bee published for the frée remission of sinnes Last of al this scripture is vsed by the Apostle S. Peter in this thirde of the Acts Peter Iohn hauing in the name of Christ that is say by the vertue and power of Christe restoared him that was borne lame vnto his lims the people in woondering wise ran vnto Peter and Iohn accouÌ„ting them the workers of this miraculous eure Herevppon Peter toke direct occasion to make an excellent sermon wherein he openly and with all humilitie acknowledgeth that this lame créeple was healed not by their cunning power and holinesse but by the vertue of Iesus Christ he also vpbraideth them with the villanies done to Christ setting before their eyes their betraying him their denying of him the holy one and the Iust and desire of a murtherer to bee giuen vnto them their killinge of the Lorde of life After hee had thus pearced their heartes with recitall of this barbarons crueltie the rather to reclame bringe them to some déepe swéet féeling both of their owne sinnes and of God his mercies in Christ he sheweth that hee is not persuaded they did these thinges wittingly willingly and of a set malicious purpose but telleth them that after this manner the Lord God perfourmed that whiche was long before spoken by the Prophetes And therefore Peter exhorteth them vnto repentance and to turne vnto the Lord which cannot be done vnlesse they apprehend and catch holde vpon Iesus Christe the promised and perfourmed sauiour that with the stronge hand of a liuely faith This doctrine was straunge and odious to the Iewes who thought Moses and Christ so repugnant and the lawe and the Gospell so contrarie as if they had embraced Christ and his Gospell they would by and by haue reputed and taken themselues for horrible schismatiques and backsliders from Moses and the lawe Peter wisely preuenteth this
worde vnto his people then we shall finde in these dayes of ours and in this our owne Churche many that are no good ministers It were a straunge and lamentable case if in this age of our Church such grosse imperfections should be founde and if suche bee founde verely rather teares are to bée shedde and prayers powred out for spéedy reformation then any long aunswere made in this place to that former obiection But this I must néeds say that as in the beginning when the abolishing of poperie was attempted flesh and bloud might haue pretended some reasons for the placing of vnméete ministers namely that the number of Popish sacrificers to be displaced was great the number of learned ministers to succéede them was small the Vniuersities were infected as man might haue coulorablie pretented these causes of a rawe ministerie in that beginning So I knowe no expresse worde of God no sounde authoritie of any writer no good reasō which can be now yelded for the continuance and encrease of the same especially in this longing of the people to be taught in this staruing of soules with wante of teaching in this comfortable aboundaunce of able ministers whiche both the Vniuersities maye and are willing yearely to sende out into the Lordes great haruest Let vs all therefore as many as wishe for the perfect beautie of Sion heartily pray the Lord so thoroughly to deuour the heartes of all placed in authoritie with his gratious spirite that both in making ministers and in bestowing liuings appointed for ministers the glorie of God the profite of the church the institution and description of ministers conteined in his worde may alwaies be carefully obediently resoected Mée thinkes I sée by his outwarde countenaunce that some Romanistes heart is inwardly cheared with this my speach of our ministers But soft a while looke before ye leape and be not merrie without cause For blessed bee God Englande hath at this time good and great cause spiritually to reioyce and hartily to blesse and praise the Lord for the goodly store of godly learned wise painfull ministers wherewith he in his rich mercie thath so blessed vs as our forefathers albeit no doubt they often wished yet they seldom or neuer enioyed the like And this I may boldly say and proue it substantially that the meanest of all our ministers though vnable to preach are notwithstanding such as for their true religion right worshipping of God zealous affection to the Gospell prayinge for and with their congregations in a knowen language onely to the Lord and their wishing well and séeking as they can to doe good in their charges c. may iustly bee preferred to the learnedst to the wisest and deuoutest of all that Romish rabble of sacrificing priestes As yee haue hearde that the Lorde God beeing authour of the ministerie therefore great care must be had in opening the dores of the ministerie that none vpon any carnal respect be therevnto admitted so this consideration that the Lorde is the raiser vp of Prophetes the ordeiner of ministers the sender foorth of preachers ought so to preuaile in the hearte of euery priuate true Christian man that hee shoulde make choyse rather to begge his bread and abide any hard estate in the world then beeing vnfite for that function to intrude himself into the same either for a last refuge or for ease or for profite or anye other vnchristian considerations It is saide in the Epistle to the Hebrues No man taketh honour to himselfe but hee that is called of GOD c. It is then Gods calling that maketh the office entring into the same lawefull Whosoeuer therefore taketh on him the office of a minister without this inward calling of god cannot haue the sure testimony of a good cōscience y he is a true minister And how shal any mā assure himselfe that the Lorde hath called him to take the charge of his people to guide his flocke to breake vnto their soules the bread of life vnlesse hee finde that the same Lorde hath mercifully adorned and beautified him with such graces as are requisite and necessarie for a minister of the worde to witte sounde knowledge of the worde abilitie sincerelie to teache it strongly to maintaine the trueth valiauntly to conuince errour and to applie thys worde with profite and discretion This consideration of these notes and markes whereby the Lordes calling of any man to the ministerie maye bee discerned will I trust teach men to holde themselues thankefully contented with their owne vocations and not to leape of from their stalles and out of their shoppes and trades into the ministerie to the offence of the godlie the hardening of the wicked the contempt of the worde and displeasure of the LORDE our GOD which is the author of the ministerie Héere according to promisse I woulde speake of the dignitie and excellencie of Christ his true ministers but that the same is so often and so plainely mentioned in the holy worde of God as no diligent reader or hearer of the worde can bee ignorant of the same The names whereby they are called the office to them inioyned the person they represent all these euery one of these diuers other respects to the same end do plainly certifie vs of their high holy and excellent function They are called the salt of the earth the light of the worlde the ministers of Christe disposers of the secretes of God preachers of the worde starres Angels Their office is to season and poulder the heartes of the elect with the swéete sauour of Iesus Christ their sauiour to be meanes to illuminate and lighten our darke vnderstanding by a sincere interpretation of the worde to minister the Gospell and sacramentes of Christ to receiue light frō Iesus Christ the Sunne of righteousnes and to conueigh the same to vs for the guiding of our steppes to carie like trustie Ambassadours and faithfull messengers the Lorde his will and pleasure to his seruaunts They represent the verie person of the Lorde Iesus as is euident by his owne wordes He that receiueth you receiueth me again He that heareth you heareth me he that dispiseth you disspiseth mee c. These fewe but yet greate thinges spoken of the worthynesse of Christe his ministers are I trust sufficient to bringe them out of that contempt wherevnto they are growen by the malice of Sathan by the wicked practises of his instrumentes and by the horrible vnthankefulnesse of the worlde THE SECOND PART AS ye haue heard in the first parte that the Lord shal raise vp this prophete whereby hath béen declared that not carnall man but the immortall and euerliuing God is authour of the ministerie so in the second place we are to consider what manner of Prophete the Lorde shall raise vp our text saith A Prophet of your brethren like to mee Wée reade in the holy
the day then to daunce vpon the Saboth daye If we had grace that one exāple of the murdering of innocent Iohn Baptist by occasion of wanton dauncing might set before our eyes how daungerous a matter it is to frequent the cōmon dancing places And how streightly the holy ghost doth commaund mortification subduing of our wanton affections holinesse in thought wordes workes eyes tongues generally and particularly this ye haue learned by the often hearinge and readinge of the scriptures and therefore ye cannot be ignorant but must néedes knowe and confesse howe vnséemely how vnchristianlike how displeasant to God and offensiue to good men the accustomed dauncing of men women vppon the dayes before named is yea and that their maner of dancing may verie well truely be called as Augustin calleth it a flattering Diuell a sweete poyson a sinfull pleasure or a pleasaunt sinne And so far are thoy from hope to reformo this deformed dancing as we lamentably see many placed in authoritie to like well thereof and rather maintaine irreligious dancers then estéeme and hearken vnto the iust complaint of godlie preachers which openly in sermons priuatly by supplications euery waye haue laboured for the suppressing of this notable cause of many mischeuous inconueniences It is déepely layed to our charge that we speake against al manner of recreations And yet it is well knowen that we like and vse recreations In déed we say this that both wée and all that feare the Lorde muste not alone in earnest and weightie affaires but also in our verie sportes and mirth and pastimes séeke the glorie of god by endeuouring to put of the olde man of sinne and to shewe foorth liuely fruites of true regeneration that whatsoeuer we say or doe it may thereby appeare we haue béene baptised as with water so likwise with the holy ghost and fire that is inwardly and effectually wherof they can neuer truely and comfortably assure themselues which let loose the bridle of their affections and as it were sell their bodies and soules to riotous vnchaste and vngodly dauncing and such other carnall delightes so horribly frequented by the common sort of people in many places of this Realme to the frustrating of oure labours the hinderance of the gospell the increase of wickednesse therfore to the greate ioy of Sathan and all his adherents The Lord in mercie giue suche strength and courage to all magistrats that setting a side frendship respect of gaine care to be popular and all earthly considerations they may throughly friendly ioyne their temporall sworde with the woorde of God whiche is the sworde of the spirite for the cutting downe of what soeuer thinges shall be founde any manner of impediment and let to the inlarging of Christes kingdome And the same Lord turne the froward harts of many people that wheras now they bende themselues to nothing so much as to erect and set vp vanities and to vexe molest and grieue the heartes and discredite slaunder and stain the names euen of their learned godly teachers they may spéedily shew harty repentāce become obediēt hearers followers of God his word And as in the countrie minstrels thus seduce bewitch the people so it hath bene sayd I trust it be reformed that vaine plaiers haue had about this citie of London farre greater audience then true preachers This vniuersal lothing of Christes holy gospell doth prognosticate a famine not of bread and water that is not of corporall foode but as the Prophet sayth a famine of hearing the worde of the Lorde It woulde pearce through our heartes with intollerable griefe to féele our selues and sée our children perish with wāt of bodily sustenance This was the miserable condition and estate of the wicked Iewes at the finall destruction of that moste famous Ierusalem Then the Parentes sawe the pitifull famine and staruing of their children the children of their Parentes one of an other Almost all things they layd hands vppon though most vnnatural thei vsed as meat The tender hearted mother spared not with her own hands to slea her own innocent and natural child and with his vnpleasāt flesh to nourish her famishing body to stay her vnreasonable hungrie appetite Verilie this is a sorrowful narratiō But another maner of griefe shal the famine of God his word bring with it when as by means therof manie fathers and mothers with their children manie maisters with their seruaunts many gouernours with their people shall pine away and perish euerlastingly with the eternal death of body soul This will be a dolefull daunce and to this ende without heartie and present amendement the vsuall contemptuous dauncing the despising of the Gospell the sinnefull delightes the disordred life of the vngodly the profanatiō of holy dayes the loue of playing the lothing and hatred of preaching will bring our happie and golden dayes if God bee not verie mercifull to vs Thus haue ye heard that in these first sort of carnall Protestantes there can be found no obedience and therfore no liuely faith and so consequently they are no fruitfull hearers of the worde Another sort of lippe prefessours are zealous in religion feruentlie bente against poperie great talkers of the scripture pretenders of much honestie but yet among them ye shall finde vnmercifull vsurers couetous oppressours extreame dealers in worldly thinges insatiable cormorantes filthie Epicures these men wil vse faire words but haue foule hearts they will sweare and yet lie they make a shew of simplicitie and for all that are full of deceipt they can talke of mortification yet vse meanes as it were with bellowes to blowe vp and kindle the fire of carnall conuersation The case of these men are most miserable Better they had neuer knowen the worde of god Better they had neuer bene borne Better a milstone had ben hāged about thier neckes then so to haue offended Christs litle ones Their owne knowledge of the word and yet disobedience to the worde pronounceth sentence of iust condemnation against them These are such as Christ speaketh of Not euerie one that saieth vnto mee Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdome c. These are foolish lookers into the glasse of God his worde hearers only deceiuing their owne selues These are cloudes without water carried about of windes corrupt trées and without fruite These are chaffe whiche the winde driueth away Yea that chaffe which Christ will burne with vnquenchable fire These are figge trées which beare leaues only no fruite and therfore vnable to endure the presēce of christ In the seconde booke of Samuell it is written that King Dauid sent some of his seruants to comfort Hanun king of the Ammonites lamenting for his fathers deth But Hanun perswaded by his noble men that Dauids seruantes came rather as espialles then as