life Walke according Mat. 3. 8. to this rule and persenere in it to the end and thou art â—â—dâ— partaker of Christ And it his appearing thou shalt receyue an incorruptible crowne of glory Let vs humble onr selues in prayer The fourth Lecture vpon the 15. verse of the necessitie of hearing the word of God how the hardening of the heart is to be vnderstood and of thâ— errour of praying in the church specially in the time of publâ—ke teaching or of common praiers 15 Solâ—â—g as it is said to day of ye hear his voice barden not your hearts as in the pâ—ovocation OF the word to day I haue aâ—â—eady shewed that it is applied vnto the time of grace that is so long as the word of GOD which is the light of the world is made manifest vnto vs. And here againe we may obserue that when the Apostle saith to day hee giveth vs to vnderstaÌ„d that the spirit of God did speake by the mouth of the holy Prophets not only for the learning instructioÌ„ of the people that liued in the daies of the Prophets but also for the learning of all men in all times and ages to the ende of the world For the Prophet David to instruct the people of his time saith to day Psalm 95. 7. and the Apostle almost eleven hundreth yeares after Dauid teaching the Hebrewes saith to day if yee heare his voice harden not your â—eartes Whereby he would haue them to vnderstand that the same scripture did then call them to the obedience of the Gospell which to the same effect was preached to their father so long ago by the Prophetâ— Dauid so at this present time you are called of God to the spirituall marriage of his sonne that you may receyue forgiuenesse of your sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in him here is no more required of you but obedience and attentiuenesse to heare so long as it is called to day For now we haue the word neere vnto vs even in our mouth and in our heartes as the scripture Rom. 10. 8. saith And no man is commanded to go beyond the sea to heare it For it is not to be heard at the mouth of the Priests of Egipt nor of the Philosophers of Greece nor of the Rabbins of the Iewes to whom men in times past were wont to trauaile for to heare wisdome as the Queene of Sheba came from the furthest partes of the earth to Ierusalem 1. King 10. 1 Mat. 12. 42. To what end to heare the wysdome of Selomon Wee may easilie gather that such a iorney coulde not be perfourmed without great charges and many danger 〈…〉 and therfore as Christ witnesseth shee shall rise in Iudgement and shall condemne those that are carlesse to heare the wysdome of Christ the true Salâ—mon which he hath now blessed be his name for it sent out of Ierusalem And out of the land of Iudea even into this land and hath dispersed it over the same so that wee neede not trauaile farre for to heare it For now it is called to day with vs and now we may heare it if we will and by hearing it we may liue the houre shall come saith Christ and now is when the dead shall heare Io. 5. 2â— the voice of the son of God and they that heare it shall liue Loe heare it appeareth that we are spiritually dead and are estranged from God through sinne and therfore oppressed with eternall destruction without hope of life except we be quickened by hearing of Christes voice The Prophet Dauid had experience of this in himselfe which made him say I will neuer forget thy precepts Psal 119. 93 for by them thou hast quickened mee As if he should say before the time that I heard and obeyed thy voice I was dead but now the Gospell of thy sauing health hath restored mee to life CoÌ„sider therfore the necessitie of hearing and let that mooue you to put away hardnesse of heart It is manifest that without Io. 3. 36. faith none can be saved froÌ„ the secoÌ„d death nor froÌ„ the day of Gods wrath and faith as witnesseth the holy Ghost commeth by hearing Neither hath God appointed any other Rom. 1â— 17. meanes then the hearing of his voâ—ce for the attaining of faith and by faith salvation as it is most evident by that one and notable example of the rich man who because hee had not regarded the day of grace was after his bodily death tormented in hel Luke 16. and desiring to haue Lazarus sent to preach vnto his brethren least they also shoulde come into that place of â—orment receiveth this answere from Abrahaâ—â— they haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare theâ— But â—er 29. when hee was yet more instant to haue one sent vnto them from the dead Abraham replyeth againe If they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neither vvill they bâ—e perswaded ver 31. though one rise from the deade againe This may suâ—â—ice any man that will vnderstande that God will haue no other way nor means for man to come to the knowledge of his wil and to be saved from the wrath to come but by hearing his voice revealed in the scriptures VVherefore so long as the time of grace lasteth let no man harden his hearte from hearing let no man looke the gate of heaven against his owne soule not become the minister of his owne death let no man as the maner of most men is be like the vaine Athenians more desiâ—â—us either to tell Act. 17. 21. or to heare some newes of other men or that coÌ„cerneth some worldly commodities then to heare the wisedome of God which yet cryeth openly vttereth her voice in the streâ—â—â— Pro. 1. 20. For the voice of this wisedome if thee bee heard and receiued vvith meekenesse saith the Iam 1. 21. scripture is able to saue mens soules and is the power of God vnto salvation to every one that beleeveth Rom. 1. 16. Herein the wisedome of God excelleth the wisedome of this world For all the counsell of the wise men and lawyers of the world al the learning of the Philosophers and sâ—â—oolemen and al the cloquence of the readiest oratours advocats though a man heare theÌ„ never so attentiuely cannot make him wise vnto salvation neither is it in them to bring the glad tidings of peace to a troubled soule disquieted with the feare of death the terror of hel for only the voice of Christ hath that pâ—eâ—ogatiue therfore al meÌ„ are coÌ„manded not to harden their hearts if they wil heare it But is it in the power of maÌ„ not to harden his heart sith the scripture saith I will harden Pharachs heart and in an other Exod. 〈◊〉 3. Revel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place hee shutteth and no man openeth Here we must vnderstand that there is two manner of hardening of the heart to wit a divine hardening and
that God beareth with vs the more terrible will be his reuengment if we abuse his benignitie winke at the testimonies of his wrath shewed vpon others for our example Now hauing such euident testimonies of Gods seuere iudgmeÌ„ts in al ages reuealed against the vnrighteousenes and vnbeleefe of men as the Apostle saith here of the vnbeleeuing Israelits we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe so we see declare vnto you by the same word of trueth which we ministerâ— that all obstinate and vnbeleeuing sinners which will not obey the trueth shall not enter in to the rest of life euerlasting or haue any part in the felicitiâ— of the faithfull Do we therfore iudge men no in no wise The word which we minister is the iudge and by it we denounce the iudgments of God against them which obey not this word instructing them with meeknes prouing iâ— God at any time will giue theÌ„ repeÌ„tâ—nce that they may come to the knowledge of his truth for this is the iudgment of the spirite of God hee that obeyeth not the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth â—o 3 36. on him and he that is in this vnbeliefe though he fasi from meaâ—â— though he say many praâ—ers though he giue much to the poore though he build churches and do many gloriouse workes doeth yet nothing acceptable to God while he beleeueth not in the sonne while hiâ— heart cleaveth not to the word of the Lord. For as it is written without faith it is vnpossible to please God and againe Hebâ— 11. 6 Rom. 14 23 what soeuer is not of faith is sinne So far is the carnal maÌ„ which is possessed with vnbeliefe froÌ„ pleasing of God that all his workes euen the best deedes that he doeth are nothing els but sinne Many there be which doe many thinges that haue in deed as the Apostle saith a shew Col. 2. 23. of wisedome in voluntary religion but if you aske these people from what faith their works do proceede and vpon what promises of God coÌ„tained in his word their faith is setled they will commonly say that though they know not these things yet hope they to bee saued as wel as your selfe But be not deceiued for this hope is no hope It is not the auker of the soule both sure and stedfast And your faith is no Heb. 6. 19. faith so long as it be not built vpon the rocke of Gods worde which is the iewell that you should desire more then gold and finde to be sweeter then hony and the hony combe But while Psal 19 19. you builde vpon the devises of your owne heart your adversary when the day of triall coÌ„meth wil overthrow your whole building which is not grounded vpon the rocke but vpon the vnsure sand Wherfore if you wil enter into Gods rest dwel safely froÌ„ the feare of evill your heart must be purified by faith and as you heare dayly faith is by hearing hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. 17 If hitherto you haue beene dul of hearing or slow of heart to beleeue this word giue now the more diligence to heare and to exercise your selues therin least it be taken away from you for your former negligence vnthankfullnes For so the Lord threatneth by his Propher bebould the daies come saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the laÌ„d Amoâ— 8. 11 12. not a famine of bread nor a thrist for water but of the hearing of the word of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea from the North euen vnto the East shall they runne is fro to seeke the word of the Lord shall not finde it This is a famine more to be feared then any famine of materiall bread For this falmine of hearing the word of God is a tokeÌ„ of reprobation a signe that God doth vtterly forsake cast away that people or nation where it is sent For when God taketh away the light of his word what shall we find but hellâ—â—h darkenesse the shadowe of death this is the â—ust iudgment of God for the vnbeliefe of them that shall nos enter into his rest Beholde now therfore the accepted time behold 2. Cor. 6. 1. now the day of saluation For yet it is called to day yet wisedome vttereth her voice in the Heb. 3. 13. Pro. 1. 20. streets open assemblies of our people promiseth that whosoeuer obeyeth her shall ver 33. dwel safely be quiet froÌ„ the fear of euil Be hold now the Lord stadeth at the dâ—â—re knockeeâ—â— saying if any man heare my voice opeÌ„ the Rev. 3 20. doore I will come in vnto him and will suppâ— with him he with me To this Lord that hath made his voice to be heard among vs now aboue fourty yeeres long and yet continueth vnto vs the glorious day of his grace be praise in the church throughout all generations for euer Let vs humble our selues before the throÌ„e of grace and pray FINIS A GODLY AND NECESSARY SERMON against fleshly lustes and against certaine mischievous May-games which are the fruite thereof Preached vpon the first Sabbath day in Maie in the yeere 1598. By H. R. Master of Artes and now Minister of the word Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to the other Printed at Oxford by Joseph Barnes and are to be sold in Paules church yard at the signe of the Bible 1600. To the Reader THis sermon ChristiaÌ„ Reader should haue bene published together with another of the sufferings agonâ—es of our sauiour Christ of his victorie over death but that some which would be counted the soundest clarkes and yet brâ—ach not the soundest doctrine to the world want not their fauourers and meanes to stoppe the way of all such things as do not concord say amen to whatsoeuer they haue sayd fastened vpon the world for truth Omitting therfore things that must be deferred I haue here adioined to these six lectures â—ntitled the day of hearing a sermon vpoÌ„ a text of the Apostle Peter exhorting to abstaine from fleshly lusts For as the sonne of Sâ—rach forbiddeth vs to keepe backe our counsell when Eccl. 4. 23. it may do good so the afore named Apostle of Christ commanudeth vs euerie man as he hath receiued the gift to minister the same one to 1. Pet. 4. 10. another Wherfore as time place required as God â—nabled me to be an instrument of his mercy I haue brâ—fly intreated of the perillous bondage and thraldoâ—e into the which we are brought through the lusts of our owne flesh that seeing our selues to be in a dangerous case we may be the more sâ—irred vp to watch by Gods garâ—â— to haue victoriâ— against such inuincible aduersaries And wheÌ„ I taught these
they lived wee shall finde nothing whereof wee may glorie For indeede it was the Egypte of superstition and spirituall darkenesse and therefore as * Deering vpon the epistle to the Hebr. lect 24. one hath lefte in writing vpon this Epistle to the Hebrewes if wee goe after Baalims vvhich our fathers haue taught vs wee shall bee fedde vvith the wormwoode vvhich our fathers haue leaten Yea let vs assure our selues vvee shall bee beaten vvith more stripes then our fathers if vvee will wittinglie treade in their steppeâ— For as Bulliuger saith if thy forefathers Bulliuget vpon thâ— Apoc. set 35. bad had the like opportunitie vvhich then neglectest vvhat a space vvould they haue runne afore thee And therefore as it shall bee easier for Tyrâ—â— Luke 10. 14. and Sâ—lon at the day of iudgemente then for them that heard Christ and saw his miracles and were not the better therefore so I may say it shall be easier for our forefathers at that day then for them which bring forth no good fruite nor make profession of the trueth beeing preached and made knowne vnto them vvhich hath not beene so revealed to our fathers as it is now to the people of our daies The seconde cause why the Apostle reciteth 2 this scripture of David is that with the example and punishmente of them that tempted and hardened their heartes in the deseâ—te hee mighte terrifie the Hebrevves and make them more carefull to receiue the vvordes of exhortation and to obey the voice of Christ the mediatour of the new testament whose voice as he is greater then Moses so shall they draw vpon them great erpunishment which neglect to heare it The children of Israell of vvhom mention is heere made after they vvere delivered out of Egypt by Moses for al that they had seene the works of God his miracles which he wrought for them in Egypt at the redde sea yet they tempted him in the wildernesse and doubted of his â—goodnesse and providence towardes them and said is the Lord among vs or no because they had not Exod. 17. 7. water at their pleasure This was the provocation which is here mentioned wherewith the Lorde God was tempted in the vvildernes of his own people after that he had delivered theÌ„ out of the hands of their enemies And againe when they should haue gone out of the wildernesse into the land of Canaan to possesse it and to dwell therein where they should haue had rest peace and prosperity yet they beleeved not the worde of God * The chil-dren of Israel are coÌ„manded to goe vp and possesse the land which God had said before them but they say they will sende men to search out the land Deur I. 21. 22. and therefore the Lord sâ—â—ll bearing with them biddeth them len Num. 1â— â—3 how be it the event and issue of their sending declareth that it came from the peopleâ— disobedience to the word of God for the years in which they did bâ—â—râ— their iniquity in the wildernesse are measured with the number or the daies in the which they had searched out the land of Câ—naan Num. 13. 14. 33. 34. but sent twelue men a man out of every tribe of the children of Israell to search the land to know what maner of land it was and whether they might obtaine it or no as if the living God and Lorde of the whole earth which had done so many thinges for them shoulde not nowe bee able to subdue their enemies and to giue them the land according to his promise And when the twelue men returned after fortie daies from searching of the lande and brought with them of the fruite thereof to shewe to all the congregation of the children of Israell tenne of the twelue brought vp an evil report slander vpon the land to these ten men the whole assembly gaue credite and their words to them seemed to bee true And therefore they murmured against Moses and Aaron and would haue made a Num. 14. new captaine to bring them againe vnto Egypt but Ioshua and Caleb two of the twelue that had searched the land al the multitude would haue stoned with stones for the truth sake which these two men reported of the land because they perswaded the people not to rebel against the Lord. Thus the Israelites that came out of Egypt tempted the Lord in the wildernesse and provoked him to anger by following the counsels of their owne harts therefore the Lord saith of theÌ„ as it is in this text they erre â—ver in their hearts and what was then their punishments as I liue saith the Lord I wil surely do vnto you even as ye haue spoken in mine ears Num. 14. 28. 2â— your carkases shall sal in this wildernesse c. And so it came to passe for of the sixe hundreth thousand which came out of Egyptâ— and vvere able to discerne betweene good and evil none but two men Caleb the sonne of Iephiumeth and Ioshua the sonne of Nun which constantly as the scripture saith followed Num. 32. 12 the Lord did enter into the land of Canaan to inhabite it all the rest were consumed in the terrible wildernesse according to the worde of the Lord for Moses saith and the Lord was Num. 32. 13 very angry with Israell and made them wander in the wildernesse fourty yeares vntill all the generation that had done evill in the sighte of the Lorde were consumed And here the text saith therefore I sware in my wrath if they shoulde enter into my rest Where it is said in my wrath we are to vnderstand that God who is a spirite immortal infinite and incomprehensible with whome is 1am 1. 17. no variablenesse neither shadow by turning is not subiect to any of these passions which the scriptures seeme to attribute vnto him as wrath ielousie greefe repentance and the like But these things are figuratiuely applyed to God after the manner of men for our vnderstandinge sake vvhich are not able to conceiue of heavenly things without metaphors allegories â—arables and similitâ—â—es borrowed from earthlie and naturall things which are therefore so much vsed in holy scriptures for ouâ—â— learning And heere by the name of wrath or anger is set foorth the determinate sentence of Gods eternall iustice against sin and disobedience And when it is said that he sware it teacheth vs feare and consirmeth to vs that Gods threatnings fall not to the grounde without Augustine in Psal 95. full effect For as Aurelius Augustine saith vpon this place iurantem hominem debes timere thou oughtest to feare when a man sweareth least for his oths sake he should do that which is * As Herod did Mar. 6. 26. when he caused Iohn Bapsist to be beheaded against his will howe much more saith he oughtest thou to feare when God sweareth who can sware nothing rashlie his oath is a sure confirmation Wheras in deed as another father saith
be preached to al take heede brethren least at any time there bee in anie of you an evil hart and vnfaithful to depart awaie from the living God He is called the living God in two respects the one is for difference sake put betweene him and the Idols of the Gentiles which were the worke of mens handes and had no life and yet were they called Gods But he is more properlie and truely called the liuing God for excellency sake because he ever liveth and is the well spring of life which giveth to all things life and being To fall away therefore through the evill of thine owne heart from him which is to thee all in all thinges is a desperate evill case Here we learne that it profiteth vs nothing to haue beleeued the word of life to haue begunne in the spirite if afterwarde we falle by the way and seeke to be made perâ—ect by the flesh For as the Prophet saith whensoeuer the righteous man turneth away from his Ezech. 18. 〈◊〉 righteousnesse and committeth iniquitie he shall even die for the same Many haue begun wel and haue afterwarde fainted in the midst of their race departed from the living God Ioash king of Iudah began to doe well and did that which was acceptable in the sighte 2 Chro. 24. of the Lord so loÌ„ as Iehoâ—ada the priest lived but afterward he fel to idolarry departed away from the living God So Amaziab his 2. Chio. 25. sonne at the beginning of his taigne did vprightly in the eieâ— of the Lorde but not with a perfect heart For he was weary of wel doing And therefore hee was slame and â—reason was wrought against him when he turned away from the Lord. The Galathians Gal. 3. 3. Gal. 5. 7. began in the spirite did runne well for a time but afterwardes they turned away from the truth to the weake rudiments of the world and would be made perfect by the flesh Gal. 3. 3. And among other examples of this Apostasie or falling away from grace not able is that of Iulian the Emperour who for his revolting is called Apostata In his youth he was brought vp in the colledge of clergy men and profited so well in Christian learning Greg. Naz. in Iusiansi or at 1. that hee became a publique reader of the holy scriptures but afterward he sufrered himselfe to be deceived of heathen Philosophers and then renouncing Christianity he gaue himselfe to Paganisme in the raigne of the Emperour Constantius He vvas taken for a sound Christian and for his sucsesse in warre for his learning his gentlenes and many other laudable giftes that he had he was highlie renouned But when he was promoted to the empire and had full authoritie then hee shewed himselfe an Apostaia Hee was wont contunieliouslye to call Christ our sauiour Galileus the man of Gablee and by all craftie meanes to seeke the dishonour of the Christians aduancing the Paganes and such as woulde forsake Christ and his religion to honour and offices and so in despite of Christianisme he licensed and ayded the lews to build the temple at Ierusalem Greg. Naz. in lusianaÌ„ oral 2. But when they laid the foundations thereof the earth claue asunder with a great earth quake a mightie storme of wind arose that their whole worke was overthrowne many of the lews slain many of theÌ„ burnt maimed in their principal members with lightnings and fire from heauen Other tokens of Gods wrath were seene among them as also in the hoast of luliaÌ„ And so the lewes were made to desist from their wicked enterprise And lulian when he had reigned a yeare and seuen monthes or there abouts hauing receyued his deathes wound in battell against the Persians tooke his hand ful of blood and threw it into the aire saying vicists tandem Galiae thou man of Galilee meaning Christ Iesus when all is done thou hast the victory With this blasphemie vttered in despaire and in a feeling of woe he perished Here is a notable paterne of an evill heart and vnfaithfull Many in al ages haue after this maner fallen away from the liuing God and haue gone from Christ to Antichrist though not so famous as Indian It can not be vnknowne to them which by reading exercise seeke the ground of true religion how many in this land which seemed to be professors of the word of God in the reigne of the last king Edward haue fallen away againe in the dayes of Queene Mary and like the wethercocke haue turnd from the Gospel to the Masse and from the seruants of Christ became the seruaÌ„ts of the Pope rather then they would forsake either wife children lands houses or other earthly commodities for Christ the Gospels sake Againe which is more to bee lamented not fewe within these forty yeares being brought vppe in this their natiue country in schooles and vniversities of learning when they shoulde haue done good in the church of God haue contrariewyse runne beyond the seas to commite fornication with that painted harlot the false church of Rome then haue become rebells agaynst God and his eternal word against their lawful prince and their natural countrey They haue imitated lulian in apostasie And it is come vnto them according to the saying of the holy Ghost the doggees returned to his vomit and the 2. Pet. 2. 22. sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the â—â—re to leaue these men to him to whom they fall there are now abiding in this land too many that are infected with the leauen of them which haue drunke of the poysoned cup of Rome and doe wilfully withdrawe themselues from the true church and refuse â—o heare the doctrine of the Gospell least they should be converted thereby and least the savior of the world should heale them An evil heart therfore hath deceived these people And this is the iust iudgement of God to sende them strong delusion as the scripture 2. Thess 〈◊〉 11. 12. faith that they shoulde beleeuelâ—â—s that all they might bee damned which beleeued not the trueth but bad pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Nowe the remedie which the Apostle prescribeth against the custome of sinne against apostasie and falling away from GOD is exhort one another daily vvhile it is called to day least any of you bee hardened through the deceitnesse of sinne Although this dutie of exhorting doeth chieflie belong to the Ministers and teachere of the worde of GOD as Paule teacheth 2. Tim. 4. 2 preach the vvordo bee instant in season and out of season 〈…〉 prooue rebuke exhorte vvith all long suffering and doctrine yet here the holie GHOST speaking by the Authour of this Epistle wil haue all men which professe true religion to exhort one another and that daylie or every day for asmuch as there is no day nor houre of our life without temptations of infidelitie and without the snares of death laid in our waies And therefore wee are
goddes D 〈…〉 was in hazard to be set at nought and reiected they haue no better weapons to defend her then the shield of custome example of the multitude Aâ— A. Act. 19. 27. â—iâ— say they and the world worshippeth her We can be coÌ„tent wheÌ„ we come to church to here this and the like scriptures but weâ— thinke that the preacher is out of his text if he apply them to vs or to the abuses 〈…〉 ous time for we haue gotten the name of Christians therfore we thinke that whatsoeuer we do is fâ—r enough from idolatry Thus arâ— most men through the blindnes of the 〈…〉 hearts hardened in their sinnes There is no common-wealth so wel reformed but for the mos 〈…〉 in all placeâ— tâ—â— greatest nuÌ„ber of meâ—â—â—e lovers of the woâ—ld more theÌ„ lovers of God every trâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stian hath iust cause to be greued to see that after fourtie yeares preaching of the Gospell in this land men should still cary these and the like idolles in their heartes For whereyee see these may-poles stand there shall you finde that either the word of God is coÌ„tâ—ned or else it hath not as yet been powerfully taught among the people of that place It hath beene seene in some places of this land that men haue beene so desperatly dispose to maintaine their maytriumphes that they haue set vp with theÌ„ the Queeneâ— arms intending by this colour to intrap such men as would speake against them or go about to haue theÌ„ downe as if the Queenes maiesty had allowed her armeâ— to be set on may-pols Lo here the childreÌ„ of this world are in their generation wiser theÌ„ the childreÌ„ of light Oh that magistrates would looke better to these abuses 4 Some meÌ„ that haue â—â—â—s to see do yet winke at this matter and say that the setting vp of a pole is no sinne that it cannot hurt if other abuses did not follow it But they might see that the thing it selfe is an abuse that there is nothing in it which is not sin For it is not of the nature of those things which God alloweth for the mainetaininge of mans life as sleepe meat drinke and appatrell These thinges are necessarie and without the vse of them we cannot liue and yet wheÌ„ we abuse them or exceed in any of them it is sin but the setting vp of a pole after the maner that we speake of addeth one sinne to another contrarie to the counsell of the sonne of Sâ—rach which forbiddeth to bind Eccl. 7. 8. two s 〈…〉 together First it is an abuse of Gods creatures for God created not the trees of the vvoode to be cut downe and set vp againe for gazing stockes to no other vse but to satisfie mens fleshly lustes God crowneth the yeare vvith his blessings and satisfieth every tree with moisture making it to be greene and pleasaunt and to bee fruitfull after his kinde But vaine and gracelesse men destroy the most flourishing trees and sette them vp to bee drye and vnfruitfull like themselues Secondly the deede done is an idle deed and not only so but also a deede of offence and a stumbling blocke to drawe away many that are weake to cause them to speakâ— good of evil and to take pleasure therein But every idle deede is more then an idle word And every idle word is sinne or else Christ would not haue said thaâ— men shal giue Mar. 12. 36. account thereof at the day of iudgement Therefore every idle deed is a greater sin And every offence which hindreth the faith of others is such a sin that he saith it were better for the author therof that a milstone were haâ—god Mat. 18. 6. about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Thirdly the May-polers are caterpillers to the commoÌ„ wealth for they make destruction of the fairest young â—reeâ— which if they were suffred to grow would in time be good timber for necessary vseâ— Thus in the act it selfe not speaking of the mischievous sequels thereof we may see many sins bound togither as the abuse of Gods creature a deed vnprofitable hurtful offensiue to others and finally an hindrance to the coÌ„mon wealth which is a breach of charity 5 Who can tell whether the setting vp of these poles proceedeth not from the leaven of our adversaries the Pope his seminariâ—â—â— for it is not vnknown to them that wheresoeuer such banners do stand there are many wavering ignorant people not yet instructed nor setled in religion which if they might haue their defite woulde quickly bâ—â— perverted to go after Baâ—l and to like better of the Masse then of the Gospell 6 To them that aske what recreation may be lawfull for them and what exercise yong men shall haue we canot appoint any which the word of God doth not allow Christians are commanded to abstaine from al appearance 1. Thess 5. 22. of evill Howbeit according to mans wisdom which saith of evils the lesse is to be chosen of bodily exercises such may be vsed as are profitable to the common wealth not offensiue to religion notwithstaÌ„ding the chiefest exercise of Christian-men whether they be young or old should at all times bee in the law of the Lord. For therein the godly man as David saith doth exercise himselfe day night Psal 1. 2. And that is the exercise wherewith the wisdome of God would haue a young 〈◊〉 to redresse his way like the young men of whom S. Psal 119. 9. Iohn writeth that they were strong and that they had the word of God abiding in them 1. â—o 2. 14. had overcome the wicked But alas the contrary may be saide of most young men in these daies Let them therefore consider what master they serve let them shake of the voke of sinne and abstaine from fleshly lustes redressing their waies according to the word of God that so they may become the servants of Christ to whom they haue made avowe in their baptisme Let vs pray for the assistance of Gods holy spirite that we may subdue all fleshly lustes And pray we that magistratâ— such as â—re in authoritie may haue a greater care to reforme maners to see what ought to be reformed FINIS