Gods grace our saluation This is Pauls counsel or rather the commaundement of the holy Ghost who hauing commended vnto the Ephesians the shielde of faith and the helmet of hope as principall partes of Christian armour adioyneth thereunto this profitable commandement concerning watchfulnes saying Watch thereunto vvith all perseuerance and supplications for all Saintes The same precept of watching is in diuers other places of Paul his epistles namely in the first to the Corinthians 16. where he saith Watch stand fast in the faith c. And in the first to the Thessal 5. chap. Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe other but let vs vvatch and be sober wherein we may obserue by the way that this watchfulnes is onely in the children of light and saluation not in the children of darkenes and destruction whose propertie is carelessely to sleepe when they shoulde be most diligently and watchefullye occupied in bringing foorth the workes of Christian obedience Likewyse our Sauiour Christ beeyng verye well acquaynted with our infirmities and knowing the drousinesse of our nature straightly chargeth his disciples and all other to watche rendring a most effectuall reason thereof in these words Watch therefore for ye know not when the master of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crow or in the dawning lest he comming sodeinly should finde you sleeping and these things vvhich I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. Not only this generall commandement of Christ but also the sharpe reproofe of his disciples for the lacke hereof and the double repeticion of the same precept in the same place proueth the necessitie of this gifte in these wordes Tarrie ye here and watch with me after comming to them againe and finding them a sleepe he said vnto Peter What coulde ye not watch with me one houre watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit in deede is ready but the fleshe is weake Considering then the weaknesse drowsinesse of our nature which appeared in the most excellēt of the Apostles in that most dangerous time and the reproofe of the Apostles we are not onely in iudgement to holde the necessitie of this watchefulnes but in euery thing we take in hand to put it in bre and practise For it is that gift of the holy Ghost which maketh Gods children carefull and studious not onely to do the Fathers will for that may be after some sort in the reprobate and castawayes but to doe it with that assurance of faith with that stedfastnesse of hope with that zeale of his glorie that loue of our brethren that reuerent feare of his Maiestie which is cōmaunded to vs in the word and also which is most conuenient and proportionable to such spirituall graces of knowledge as we haue receiued of which things carnal professors haue litle or no care at al. And therefore although they may do the workes which God hath decreed to be done for good and necessary purposes yet being voyde of this right maner of doing they can neuer doe the will of the Father so as he hath commaunded Thus we see the whole matter wherein this true maner of seruing God consisteth nowe we are to speake briefly of the ende whereunto it is directed This ende is the glorie and honour of God which of al men at all times and in all actions is to be propounded to themselues as the chiefe and principall marke of mans life For albeit we may regarde in many things our owne selues and the commoditie of our brethren yet so farre forth we must doe this as they are referred and applyed to the glory and honour of God which ought to be more deare and precious vnto vs then our owne saluation For so it was vnto Moses who rather then the Lords mercie should not be magnified in pardoning the sinnes of the people which he was perswaded was the onely meanes of glorifying God spake in this maner vnto him saying Therefore nowe if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the Booke which thou hast vvritten So likewise Paule in the nynthe to the Romanes sayth I would wishe my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the fleshe which are the Israelites c. meaning that such was his affection towardes them that if it were the Lords will to glorifie himselfe by their saluation rather then it should not come to passe he wissheth himselfe to be eternally separated from Christ and so consequentlye to receyue his portion with all the damned soules in the dungeon of darckenesse These two examples of the deare seruauntes and beloued children of God declare and teach vs not onely that we must set before our eyes in all our actions the glorie of God but also preferre the same before all the pleasures of sinne yea before our owne life and saluation wisshing rather to die and forsake willingly all the transitorie pleasures of this miserable life yea to be eternally condemned then that the Lord should be dishonoured by our life and saluation For as the glorie of God infinitely surmounteth the body the soule the honour and all that belongeth vnto man so it ought to be in greater price and estimation with vs and must cōtinually be preferred aboue all thinges and neuer be brought into the ballance of comparison with them The want of which zeale towards the glorie of God in all our doings and the preferring of earthly thinges before heauenly temporall before spirituall as it breedeth and nourisheth a corrupte maner of profession so it defileth all our counselles and workes and carrieth vs headlong to the loue of the world which is contrarie to the pure vehement and euerlasting loue of god Wherefore as all the former giftes and graces are necessarie to this right maner of spirituall seruice so also is this end of all things most necessarily to be respected of al true Christians according to the examples of Moses and Paule that whatsoeuer we do we may do it as we are commaunded to the glorie of god These thinges being most truely taught not by the vanitie and weakenes of mans reason neither by the vncertaine and mutable opinions of men but by the most faithfull and sure word of Christ the Prophets and Apostles we are in no wise to wauer or doubt of the trueth hereof but to receiue them as they be in deede the wordes of God with full purpose of heart to liue accordingly So doing we shall not onely knowe what it is to doe the Fathers will but also haue experience thereof in our owne selues a thing of all other as most rare in the world so most chiefly to be desired Let vs then heare in a word or two for our further instruction and for the cleare vnderstanding of this place what it is to doe the fathers
ye me Master Master and doe not the thinges that I speake Wherein as he sheweth that nothing in all the worlde ought to mooue vs to professe our selues to be his seruants except we doe and fulfill the things which he commaundeth so he condemneth euery kinde of profession which is voide of this faithfull obedience Thus we see what the first sort of woorshippers be euen such as in worde confesse and by hearing the Gospell preached receiuing the Sacraments and calling vpon God professe themselues to be his seruants notwithstanding they securely pretermit the dooing of Gods will and therefore shall iustly be secluded from the kingdome of heauen For these men though they crie in the Church neuer so loude Lorde Lorde they shall neuer be heard though they in worde most gloriously doe confesse Christ to bee their Sauiour yet in the daye of iudgement he will not confesse them though they say they knowe him in this life yet then he will professe that he neuer knewe them though they seeme vnto men most diligent woorkers of righteousnes and pietie yet he then iudging not according to the outward appearance but the sincere puritie of the heart will saye vnto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Finally though they seeme to liue and to be the children of light yet they are dead and are the sonnes of darknes and therefore shall not as it is affirmed here in this place enter into the kingdome of heauen which is the second thing whereby they are described Beholde therefore all ye hypocriticall callers vpon the Name of God your ende your porcion and the lot of your inheritance which you haue by the hardnes of your hollowe hearts which can not repent treasured vp vnto your selues against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will rewarde euery man according to his workes For you shall not onely be cast out of the kingdome of heauen from the glorious presence of the king of all glorie but you shall drinke as a iust recompence for your iniquitie the bitter cuppe of Gods eternall wrath and indignation in the kingdome of darknes and in the fearefull presence of Satan and all the cursed enemies of Gods grace Repent therefore and turne vnto the Lorde circumcise the foreskinnes of your heartes and bring foorth fruites woorthie amendment of life and thinke not that because you are by the iudgement of men counted Christians or because you are partakers of the worde and Sacraments of Christ and of Christian prayers thankesgiuing you shall therefore in the generall iudgement of all fleshe stand in the assemblie of the righteous for euen nowe also is the axe put to the roote of the tree so that euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire For there is no respect of persons with God but as many as haue sinned and transgressed the lawe of nature which was by the finger of God written in two Tables committed to Moses shal be iudged by the same But that the knowledge of this first sort of professors of their miserable end may be more effectuall and profitable to worke in vs a perfect hatred of their corrupt life a godly feare of their dreadful death I will briefely set downe some particular notes whereby they may be the better knowen and al other may more truely examin their own hearts so clerely see whether they be of that nomber or no. First he that saieth onely vnto Christ Lord Lord doth not the will of God he hath in his heart if he doe iudge himself aright according to the Apostles precept a far greater care and desire to be accompted a good christian amongst men then in deede and trueth to be so in the sight of God. Therefore our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth vs as in giuing of almes and praying so in all other workes to be like vnto these hypocrites whome he affirmeth to haue this great loue and desire to appeare righteous in the sight of men Secondarily this hypocriticall caller vpon God doeth more busie his head about the outward and generall worke commaunded then about the spirituall maner of doing which he seldome or neuer sincerely obserueth For so Christ teacheth and also denounceth a fearefull woe against them saying Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye are like to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthines so are ye also for outward ye appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Moreouer the hypocrite worketh his saluation securely coldely and carelessely not in feare and trembling as the Spirit of trueth commaundeth in the Epistle to the Philippians the second Chapter and the twelfth verse For he striueth not against his owne corruption to suppresse all rebellious affections lustes which striue against the lawe of God neyther to obtaine those graces and giftes of regeneration which he seeth wanting in himself nor forgetteth with blessed Paule that which is behinde nor yet indeuoureth him selfe to that which is before folowing hard toward the marke for the price of the hye calling of God in Christ Iesus and therefore manifestly bewrayeth his secure carelesse conscience Againe the hypocrite hath no full setled and resolued purpose in life death to professe and obey the trueth and will of God but is mutable wauering and inconstant in all his wayes In consideration whereof Barnabas comming into Antiochia seeing the grace of God most mercifully multyplied vpon many earnestly exhorted al that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the lord A true note to discerne betweene him that feareth God and him that doeth not Agayne the hypocrites care studie is to stay the outward and grosser sinnes of life flowing from the filthy fountayne of his natural corruption is altogether carelesse to stoppe the fountayne it selfe Wherein as he bewrayeth great want of heauenly wisdome great abundance of carnall folly so he can neuer say with inward and sensible feeling of the lawe of the members and of the Spirit as the Apostle Paule sayth O vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer me frō the body of this death I thank God through Iesus Christ our lord Then I my selfe in my mind serue the lavv of God but in my flesh the law of sinne A peculiar worke of Gods Spirit in all his elect which none of the children of this world euer tasted of to their comfort neyther can do Agayne the hypocrite is stirred vp to work wel in the iudgement of men by some worldly reason pleasing his owne fantasie and fleshly appetite not constrayned as Gods children are with the mercy of God and loue of Christ as it is in the 130. Psalme in these words But mercie is vvith thee that thou mayest be feared And also in
To the right worshipfull Master Richard Martin Warden of the Queenes Maiesties Mints and Alderman of the Citie of London Grace and peace from God the Father through Christ Iesus our Lord. I Haue sent vnto you right worshipfull and dearly beloued in the Lord according to your earnest request and my promise the summe and effecte of my Sermon preached at Paules Crosse desiring you to receiue it as a most certaine token of my vnfayned loue towardes you in Christ For although it come from an olde friend and brother in the Lord yet I send it vnto your worship for a Newe yeres gift to testifie a newe increase of my Christian loue towards you so many as shal reade it with purpose to liue according to the rule of sound doctrine and godlines And concerning you of whose integritie I haue good experience I perswade my selfe that our most mercifull Father by this meanes vvill vvorke in your heart the plentifull increase of the giftes and invvard graces of that nevv man vvhich is framed according to the Image of his dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus For as you haue bene most earnest to haue in vvriting this doctrine so I doubt not but you vvill be most diligent in the practise thereof for vvhich cause I commit it into your hands to vse to Gods glorie the profit of his children to your ovvne comfort Grace peace and loue vvith faith from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you novve and euer Amen From Cambridge by your most louing friend and brother in the Lord Laurence Chaderton To the Christian Reader AS much reading is a wearines to the flesh so there is neither end nor profit in making many bookes True wisdome escheweth both but the folie of our time neuer ceaseth to write nether can be satisfied with reading the new and variable inuētions of men A fault amongst wise Philosophers much misliked how much more ought it to be cōdemned eschewed of al learned Christians But vaine glory desire of popular fame in the writers desire of filthy lucre in the Printers haue stuffed our English studies with many superfluous vnnecessary books to the great hurt of many good wits to the hinderance of cōstant iudgemēt in the soūdnes of Christiā doctrine A matter most necessary to be reformed by such as haue receiued authority to this end that neither our Church nor cōmon weale shuld be hurt but rather bettered by the writings of men For my part I wish with all my heart that we had fewer bookes greater skill in the old newe Testament of Christ wherin are bequeathed vnto vs most heauenly precious Iewels legacies of the immortal inheritance to which most sure word Testament if we take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place we shal be directed aright in the strait way that leadeth to immortalitie happines Now touching this my Sermon if I did thinke deare Christian Reader that it would quench in the mind of any the desire of hearing the Gospell preached not rather inflame their heart both to hearing faithful working I would rather haue buried it in perpetuall silence then committed it to writing But being fully perswaded that by this meanes the Lord God in mercye wil bring into the minds of those that heard me a fruitfull remēbrance of his mighty working by the power of his spirit at that present to their singular comfort I haue in some part satisfied the earnest importunat sute of many deare Christians and brethren who did both by letters word of mouth after a sort compel me to write it The summe and effect of al I haue set downe not in the same words I spake for the Lord knoweth I neuer writ it and therfore could not but in other so plainly as I could for the capacity and vnderstāding of al. I haue added those things whereof then I could not partly for lacke of time partly for other necessary occasiōs intreat And albeit mine owne inabilitie in this kinde of writing wherein I am altogether a stranger and the feare of the seuere censure of the learned eloquent diuines did greatly disswade me yet my earnest desire both to leaue behind me some smal testimonie of my saith cōscience religion also to haue my iudgement touching faith workes approued of the English church did as it were violētly carie me to this dutiful worke of loue Now my harty desire is that this my labour may be acceptably receiued louingly expounded of all my prayer vnto God is shal be that euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christ may be inabled by his spirit to hold fast the sound doctrine of pure religion in life and in death with al ioy of the holy Ghost sincerely to practise the same to the glory of Christ the edificatiō of his Church But let no man thinke that the reading of this can be half so effectual and profitable to him as the hearing was or might be For it wāteth the zeale of the speaker the attention of the hearer the promise of God to the ordinary preaching of his word the mighty inward working of his holy spirit many other thīgs which the Lord worketh most mercifully by the preaching of his glorious Gospel which are not to be hoped for by reading the written Sermons of his ministers Neuerthelesse I trust that he will blesse the reading hereof to the praise of his owne name the cōfort of his Church To him therefore by Christ be al praise honour in the Church for euer Amen Matthewe vij 21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers wil which is in heauen 22 Many will say to mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out deuils by thy Name done many great works 23 And then will I professe to them I neuer knewe you depart from me ye that worke iniquitie THese three short verses are a principall part of that heauenly sermon which our sauiour Christ preached in the mount vnto his own disciples and the people The summe and meaning hereof is a dreadful declaration of the final destruction and eternall condemnation of all counterfait and hypocritical professors of Gods true Religion For although in the former verses Christ did particularly describe vnto his auditorie false and dissembling prophets by their fruits to the end they might better know them yet in this 21. verse he ascendeth from that particular to a general description of all false fayned professors of the trueth of what calling and function soeuer they be of in the Church or common wealth as appeareth most plainly both by the similitudes generally vsed in the 17.18 19. verses going before and also by these words Not euerie one that saith vnto
me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Neuerthelesse the principal meaning and drift of Christ is to terrifie the false prophetes and preachers of the word with this feareful threatning of the second death as the wordes of the 22. verse doe necessarilie proue confirme Many vvill say vnto me Lord Lord haue vve not by thy Name prophesied c. which none could truly alledge for themselues but such onely as had bene preachers of the word workers of miracles A gift in that time almost peculiar to the Apostles ministers of Christ for the confirmation of the certeinty truth of their doctrine This dreadful declaration of the iust condemnation of al hypocrites fained professors of the true Gospell conteineth two general principal parts The first is a diuision of all such as professe the trueth into two sortes fully and plainely expressed in the 21. verse the second is a meeting with an obiection conteining both a kinde of defence whereby the preachers of the worde and workers of miracles by reason of their great knowledge and rare giftes myght seeme as to cleere and defend them selues so to auoide and escape the iust sentence of eternall curse and malediction set downe in the 22. verse Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord c. And also a most wise and perfect though very fearefull answere of Christ there unto in the 23. verse And then will I confesse to them c. wherein notwithstanding these glorious works alledged in the former verse for their defence he sheweth that because he neuer acknowledged them by reason of their hyprocrisie and because in doing such works they brought forth iniquitie therefore he must necessarily forbid them his presence wherein onely is all ioye and felicitye as contrarily to be secluded from his presence is all sorowe and extreme miserie Thus we see both the summe and true meaning and also the plaine and naturall disposition of this part of Christes sermon conteined in these three verses Whereof I purpose to speake particularly not in the excellencie of wordes or in the inticing speach of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence and demonstration of the trueth Not euery one c. Here our Sauiour Christ diuideth al the worshippers of God and the professors of his Gospell into two sortes for the first sentence of this verse is equiualent or al one in sense with this particular saying Some men saying vnto Christ Lord Lorde shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen wherein as he noteth the first sort of professors so he describeth them by their external confessing of Christ to be their Lorde and Master and also by their end The second sort he noteth in the latter and also describeth them by their fruites end in these wordes But he that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen shall enter into the kingdome of heauen which ende although it be not expressed yet it is necessarily to be supplied out of the former part Therefore the true meaning of these words is this Of the external professors of Christ some doe onely professe in outward shew and some others doe both outwardly professe and also doe the Fathers wil which is in heauen so that the author of this diuision is our Sauiour himselfe and therefore it is in no wise to be doubted of Yet because the common and vsuall conuersation of Christians is so corrupt that it euidently declareth them to be contented and satisfied with an outward seruing of God void of inwarde synceritie and true beliefe it shal be requisite and needfull in few words to shew out of the word the certaine trueth of these two sortes of men In the first age of the worlde when there were but foure persons which serued the true God the Creator of heauen and earth the holye Ghost teacheth that Habel and Cain albeit they both did externally professe their religion by offering of the first fruites of sheepe and of the grounde yet Cain his profession was onely in outwarde shewe because his outwarde sacrifice being voyde of fayth was not regarded of god But Habels profession was both in outwarde shewe and also in doyng the will of god for the spirit of God commending him testifieth that by faith he offered a sacrifice of greater price then Cain and by that faith obteined witnesse of God that he was righteous for which cause it is said The Lord had respect to him and to his offering In the families of Abraham and Isaac being then onely the visible Church Ismael Isaac Iaakob and Esau receiued Circumcision the externall signe of their profession by reason whereof euery of them were accompted true worshippers of the God of Abraham yet Isaac and Iaakob onely were doers of the will of God as the Spirit of God testifieth in the eleueth 12. to the Hebrewes In the 50 psalme the Lord him selfe expostulateth and with great authoritie reasoneth with the first sort of professors saying What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my wordes behinde thee But vnto the other sort he speaketh thus in the same psalme He that offreth praise shall glorifie me and to him that disposeth his vvay aright I vvill shevv the saluation of God. wherin he forbiddeth and condemneth the outward profession of his worde and ordinances beyng separated from the right disposition of the heart and life but being ioyned together he promiseth thereunto eternal saluatiō A place therfore most fit to warrāt confirme these two sortes of professors of Gods worde The Prophet Esay doeth not onely describe these sortes of professors in playne wordes but also threatneth against the former sort a wonderfull iudgement of God saying Because this people come neere me with their mouth and honour me with their lippes but haue remoued their heart from me and their feare towardes me was taught by the precept of men therefore beholde I will againe doe a marueilous worke in this people euen a marueilous worke and a wonder for the vvisedome of their wise men shall perishe and the vnderstanding of theyr prudent men shall be hid Woe vnto them that seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord for their workes are in darkenesse and they say Who seeth vs and vvho knovveth vs In which wordes it appeareth both that there be in the visible Church of God aswell hypocriticall seruers of God whose wicked woorkes though in respect of God they bee done in the light yet in respect of men they are in darkenesse as also true and syncere worshippers which with mouth lippes and heart doe honour and feare the Lorde according to his precepts It were to long and in deede needelesse in so plaine a matter to cite and alledge the witnesses of all the Prophets who as they had great experience of both these kindes of
gouernment of Israel so also did he in the acknowledging publishing vnto them this doctrine as appeareth in the 22. chap. of his booke saying But take diligent heede to doe the commandement and lawe vvhich Moses the seruant of the Lord commanded you that is that ye loue the Lord your God vvalke in all his waies keepe his cōmandements cleaue vnto him serue him vvith all your heart vvith all your soule Wherein the same doctrine concerning both the worke and the maner of doing almost in the same wordes is plainely confirmed Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ preached the same saying Bring foorth therefore fruits vvorthy the amendment of life Iames the Apostle of Christ vtterly condemneth all profession of faith as vaine vnprofitable if it want workes when as he saieth What auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith vvhen he hath no vvorkes can the fayth saue him as if he shoulde say in plaine words Faith outwardly professed without good works can be no pledge or testimony at all of our saluation Peter in his 1. Epistle teacheth that because Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh therefore we shoulde suffer after a sort in our flesh by dying vnto sinne and liuing to God so long as we remaine in the flesh For he saieth speaking of the regenerate that he henceforvvarde should liue asmuch time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the vvill of God. Iohn also in his first Epistle denieth vs to haue any felowship with God or any benefite of the blood of Christ if we walke in darknes and not in the light of trueth and godlines For he saieth If we saye that we haue felowship with him and walke in darknes we lye and doe not truely But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue mutuall felowship with him and the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Paul in the sixe twentieth of the Actes professeth before king Agrippa that he taught this doctrine touching the necessitie of workes both to Iewe and Gentile saying Wherefore king Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision but shewed first to them of Damascus and at Ierusalem and throughout all the coastes of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and doe workes woorthie amendment of life Moreouer the Spirit of God witnesseth in the twelfth to the Hebrues that without workes no man shall see GOD saying Followe peace vvith all men and holines vvithout the vvhich no man shall see the Lorde an especiall place to prooue the necessitie of workes Lastly our Sauiour Christ in the fiue and twentieth of Matthew teaching that in the day of iudgement all flesh shal be tried and iudged according to the workes of loue and mercie done in this life towardes him in his members confirmeth and establisheth in his owne person and worde the infallible trueth of this doctrine in whom as in all other pointes of religion so especially in this we ought fully and perfectly to rest For there it is briefely concluded that they which gaue vnto his members meate drincke lodging clothing and visited the sicke and imprisoned shal be pronounced righteous and goe into life eternall But the vnmercifull being voyde of these workes shal be pronounced cursed and goe into euerlasting fire and paine Seeing then we haue so many heauenly witnesses of this trueth and that all the Prophetes in their prophecies doe most earnestly and zealously call the people of GOD to the obedience of his lawe and most pitifully complaine of the want thereof threatning both temporall and eternall punishments against disobedient malefactors we may safely conclude and determine that the workes of the first and second table are necessarilie required to the doing of the Fathers will. Nowe then if it be truely preached that without workes there is neither doing of the will of God neither entrance into the kingdome of heauen O Lord what shall we thinke of the licentious life of our English Protestantes or what shall become of this barren and fruitlesse profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ for a man may trauaile almost from the one ende of the land to the other before he can finde one man like vnto iust Iob that feared God and eschewed euill or one woman like vnto Dorcas full of good works and almes As therefore our sauiour Christ the Prophets and the Apostles had most iust cause to complaine in their times of the want of workes and to be grieued with the sinnes of the people so we in this last age haue no lesse cause to complaine neither lesse occasion of sorowe For to come vnto particulars what estate calling or degree is there which doth not content it selfe onely with saying Lorde Lorde being notwithstanding so barren in the bringing foorth of good workes And first concerning the state Ecclesiasticall and vs that be ministers and preachers of the worde whome this place principally doth concerne where are the lippes of those ministers which doe preserue knowledge or those messengers of God at whose mouthes his poore people shoulde seeke his lawe Naye rather where be not whole swarmes of idle ignorant and vngodly Curates and Readers who neither can nor will goe before the deare flocke of Christ in soundnes of doctrine and integritie of life The cause of which enormitie resting principally in the persons them selues and then in those which sent them and nowe suffer them in the Church I charge in the Lord the one that they seriously waying the worthines of the Lordes embassage for the which they are most vnworthie would voluntarily forgoe that calling wherein they can not doe the Fathers will and betake them to some other which they may in a good conscience without offence in some godly and profitable measure discharge The other I counsell and beseeche as a brother in the Lorde that they would more diligently looke vnto their ministerie committed vnto them lest not onely this grieuous offence but also all other their sinnes against God and their brethren be laide vnto their charge when the heartes of all men shal be made open and manifest before the Lorde of life And to proceede to the learned gouernours of the Church is there no tything of Mynt Anyse and Cummin and pretermitting waightier matters of the lawe as Iudgement Mercie and Fidelitie Doe they feede the flocke of God willingly and carefully as being examples vnto it and not for filthie lucresake as being lords ouer Gods heritage yf these things be so howe can they thinke they are doers of the Fathers will What shall I saye of our domme dogges non residents and all those that serue mortall and sinfull men with symonie flattering wordes and seruile obedience not lawfully to obtaine one roome in the vineyard of the Lorde but two three foure or moe places which is
vnlawfull the which though they miscall preferments yet in deede they be so waightie charges that the wysest and strongest of all is altogether insufficient for an acceptable discharge thereof As concerning discipline practized in our Church by Chancelors Cōmissaries and Officials because euery one seeing all things for the most part begunne continued and ended for money in those courts doth iustly complaine as I pray vnto God dayly for the reformation hereof so I doubt not but the Lorde in due and conuenient time for the great loue he beareth towards his Church will stirre vp and arme with power wisdome and zeale as well those Magistrates which he in mercie hath alredie giuen vs as all those also with whome in time to come he shall vouchsafe to blesse vs to refourme these and all other the blemishes of his Church according to his worde These things being thus considered howe iust cause haue we to say with S. Paul whose time in comparison of ours was most free from corruption All men seeke their ovvne and not that vvhich is Iesus Christes The Lorde for his mercie sake graunt vs true repentance Thus much for the Ecclesiasticall estate And as for the conuersation of all other people in the lande of what condicion so euer I knowe not what to saye or howe to speake where to beginne or howe to make an ende I coulde wishe with all my hearte that in steade of reproouing all the sinnes in this lande and Citie my head conteyned a flood of water that I might powre out plentifull riuers of teares for all our damnable iniquities For doubtlesse the saying of the Prophet Oseas is verified in this our age by our vngodly life and conuersation There is saith he no trueth nor mercie nor knovvledge of GOD in the land By svvearing and lying and killing and stealing and vvhoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Our liues doe testifie this to our faces euery man doeth see it and acknowledge it in his heart We and the Catholickes for so they loue to be called doe most iustly complaine of it we with sorowe and griefe of heart desiring the speedie reformation hereof they with gladnesse of minde reioycing to haue so good an occasion to discredit the trueth of our religion And surely to speake the trueth it is our shamelesse conuersation that terrifieth both the ignorant and wauering Catholickes and the simpler sort of the common people beyng ready to imbrace any religion as appeareth by these which haue receyued imbraced the erroneous doctrine of H. N. and his familie falsely termed the familie of loue from the true profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Nay they not onely forsake vs but they reioyce and triumphe ouer vs in the matter of workes For the Papistes they alwayes cast in our teeth the great and famous hospitalitie of their nobilitie and clergie the buylding of Abbies Monasteries and Nunneries Cathedrall churches colledges with many other outward works which in deede are such as do stoppe our mouthes and put vs protestāts to silence But to let them passe with these great and costly workes wherein we must confesse they do exceede vs and to come to our selues and such works as are required of euery one in his seueral calling Where be those parentes and masters which doe teache in their families vnto their children and seruantes the lawe and feare of God walking them selues in the myddest of their houses in vpryghtnesse of heart Where be those gouernours that defende the fatherlesse and widowe that receyue no brybe to corrupt Iustice that prolong not sentence for lucre sake that respect no persons in iudgement that are ready also without regarde of feare or fauour of men to cut of the workers of iniquitie from the Citie of the Lorde and to establyshe the seate of the faithfull And to be shorte where is that Protestant that feedeth the hungrie clotheth the naked visiteth the prysoner and him that is sycke that lodgeth the harbourlesse without ceasing or beyng wearie of well doyng I speake not this to iustifie the Papistes or to condemne all Protestantes but to shewe howe rare the woorkes of mercie are amongest those that seeme to put all their ioye and felicitie in the mercies of God reuealed in Christ For I am not ignorant of diuers who as they haue receyued grace and mercie to beleeue and hope so they are full of the fruites of loue and charitie according to the measure of the Grace receyued The least whereof I dare be bolde to preferre before all the workes that euer haue bene done with an opinion to merite deserue or with desire of prayse of the posteritie As for H. N. and his family because they condemne all workes of men which are not perfect and voyde of sinne which onely are to be founde in Christ our ryghteousnes wisedome and sanctification I leaue them to the iust iudgement of God who shall rewarde them according to their deserts For it grieueth me to cōsider how ignorant they are of this doctrine concerning the goodnesse and necessitie of works Well howsoeuer men do please and flatter themselues with a generall knowledge of the trueth with a light vnsetled opinion of saluation with an external shew of Christian religion as sure as the Lorde lyueth if they can not by their workes iustifie this knowledge faith profession they shal neuer do the Fathers will nor enter into the kingdom of heauen For though they be in the church yet are they not of it though they seeme heires of life yet they are inheriters of death Be not deceiued deere brethren for this is a true saying by al means to be receiued He that soweth to his fleshe shall of the fleshe reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Nowe then seeyng the very floods of hypocrysie haue ouerflowen al estates and degrees are a nomber of Protestantes any better then cloudes without water carryed about with euery blast of errour and vngodlines then corrupt trees without fruite then spots and blots in the Christian assemblies of their brethren yea then raging waues of the sea foming out their owne shame confusion Therfore I beseeche you all in the name of Christ for the mercies of God to cast of these damnable clokes of religion and vanishing shadowes of true beleefe imbracing and practising all the woorkes of sounde doctrine and true godlynesse I haue stoode the longer in this treatie to prooue the necessitie of woorkes because our Gospell which we haue receyued of Christ and his Apostles is falsely charged as you doe see to be a doctrine of libertie and licenciousnesse of lyfe as also for that the most parte of Protestantes are altogether secure and carelesse touching the obedience of faith rather presuming in the pryde of their hearts of the mercies of God for their saluation then by humble and trembling heartes to worke ratifie and confirme vnto their owne consciences
dayes of our life For as that seruice of men which is done by constraint carelessely and negligently is iustly hated and reiected so the Lorde hateth and reiecteth all seruice of man which proceedeth not from this chearefull loue and earnest zeale of his glorye Let vs then adioyne vnto the two former this excellent gift of loue which as it expelleth carelesse securitie colde affection in the seruice of GOD hatred strife contempt in dueties due to men whereof ariseth a fayned corrupt maner of seruice so it causeth and encreaseth the pure and vndefiled maner of doing the Fathers will wherefore it is recorded that they that dwell in loue doe dwell in God and God in them because he is loue The fourth gift is a reuerent feare of God a principall and a singular point of wisedome most fit and conuenient for his children to haue and practise towards their heauenly Father in all their counsels and works For such is the pride of our nature the dulnes of our heartes and the lacke of wisdome that we should behaue our selues presumpteously securely and rashly before the presence of our heauēly Father were it not for this reuerent feare trembling we haue receiued at his hand for the obteining of a more pure syncere maner in his seruice worship Neither must we thinke as some haue falsely imagined to the great hurt of the Church taught that this feare in vs proceedeth frō any diffidence or distrust in the accōplishment of Gods merciful promises towards vs but rather from a most vehement sorow inward feeling bred in our hearts by the earnest cōsideration of the heauie burthen of all our sinnes and the deepe serious waying of the euerlasting wrath of GOD most iustly deserued So the blessed Apostle teacheth in the seconde to the Corinthians saying Beholde this thing that ye haue bene godly sorie what great care it hath vvrought in you yea vvhat clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea vvhat feare yea hovv great desire yea vvhat zeale yea vvhat punishment In which words we see how the spirit of god maketh that godly sorow which the Corinthiās shewed for their great contempt of Christian discipline in the matter of excōmunication to be the mother author of this reuerent feare which we owe vnto God alone in that he is our master for he saith If I be your master where is my feare Neither is this feare giuē vnto vs to be any occasion of distrust or despaire for that is peculiar to the seruile slauish feare of those which are meere seruāts no children But contrarily to make vs wise prouident carefull and circumspect in all the actions of our life lest we either by an euill worke or corrupt maner of doing iustly procure against vs and kindle the wrath of so mercifull a Father Also it stirreth vp our heartes to most zealous and effectuall prayers as we see in the example of Christ himself who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp prayers supplications with strong crying teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared What cryes teares prayers supplications the Apostle meaneth the history of Christ his passion suffrings doth plainly expresse so as it is needlesse to stand thereupon Only this is to be noted that seeyng this feare was in Christ who was free from all sinne it ought not to be thought to be any sinnefull infirmitie but rather a singular meane to helpe and keepe vs within the bonds listes of Christian obedience Therefore we are cōmanded of the Spirit of God after this sort to serue and please our heauenly Father as in very many other places of the scripture so in the 12. to the Hebr. especially in these wordes Wherefore seeing wee receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken let vs haue grace wherby we may so serue God that we may please him with reuerence and feare The reason is added For euen our God is a consuming fire Likewise S. Peter in the first Chapter of his 1. Epistle giueth the same precept of feare to be obserued in the whole course and race of our life saying And if ye call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euerie mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare In which two places not onely feare is commaunded but two most effectual reasons are rendred thereof First we must reuerence tremble and feare God because he is a consuming fyre ready to burne vp and consume all false worshippers and hypocriticall professors of his feare Secondarily because he will iudge euery man without regarde of person according to his workes We must therefore feare him lest our workes be found such as cannot abide the fierie triall of the Spirite of truth and sinceritie and the righteous iudgement of the law of libertie For certainly there shal be iudgement mercilesse to him that in a reuerent feare of God sheweth no mercie And therefore to make an ende of this most necessarie point of doctrine we must with both handes yea with all our heartes embrace the feare of the Lorde without the which no man can please and serue God aright And the rather for that the wisest amongst men Salomon ascribeth vnto those that feare the Lorde blessednes and to them that doe not hardnes of heart his woordes be these Blessed is the man that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euil Yf then we be desirous to worship our God aright according to his will we must haue our heartes kept in awe by this most worthy and excellent gift of feare that we may auoyd hardnesse of heart presumption of minde securitie of conscience and all other negligent carelesnes which as they be cōtrary to this heauenly grace of the holy spirit of God so they breed and cause a most corrupt and abominable maner in seruing of God. The fift last gift is a continual careful watchfulnes against all the enemies of the former graces cōmended vnto vs not only for the retaining keeping of them but for the daily growing increasing in the same vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that at his comming we being founde waking watching with the wise virgins not stumbring and sleeping with the foolish ones may be ioyfully receyued into the bridegromes chāber to reigne with him in glory for euer For seing we haue so many so mighty malicious enemies which most subtilly go about to root out of our hearts al the foresaid graces to fil vs ful of all iniquitie we are necessarily in all sobriety of perseuerāce with al maner of praier and supplication to watch diligently in faith in hope in loue in feare that we may stand fast continue vnto the end in doing accōplishing our Fathers wil in despite of all the aduersaries of
wil. To doe the Fathers will is in faith hope loue and feare with all maner of carefull watching and perseuerance to worke those things which be commaunded in the Lawe and worde that GOD thereby may be glorified for to doe the thing commaunded and faile in the maner of doing is an halfe and maymed yea rather no seruice of God at all to faile in both is Atheisme to fayle in the worke and yet to boast of the affection of the minde and to be perswaded to haue the right maner of doing is carnall libertie and licentious presumption Contrarilie to haue and delight in both is sound godlynesse pure and vndefiled Religion euen before God the Father And therefore our sauiour Christ in the sixte of Matthewe giuing vnto his Disciples a right and a lawful fourme of praying commandeth them and in their persons all the faithfull to desire God to giue them grace not onely to doe the thinges commaunded but also to obserue this right maner of doing in this peticion Thy vvill be done in earth as it is in heauen meaning by doing of the Fathers will the things he hath commanded being agreeable to his will and by saying In earth as it is in heauen the right maner of doing whereby appeareth the necessitie of both these pointes whereof we haue spoken For he saith not Let that be done in earth which is in heauē or let those things be done in earth which God hath decreed but Let them be done so and in such maner as they be in heauen that is to say purely readily willingly zealously reuerently and continually to the glorie of God and the comfort of his people For the will of GOD at all tymes in heauen and in earth yea and in hell also is alwayes done and fully accomplished neyther can there come any thing to passe but that onely which the Lorde hath decreed In consideration whereof our Sauiour chargeth vs in the petition as wee haue heard both to doe the Fathers will which is necessarie and also to doe it so as it is done in heauen the which onely maketh our ministerie and seruice acceptable vnto him Nowe that we see the trueth and necessitie of this doctrine concerning the doing of Gods will let vs more particularly applie it vnto our selues that we maye the better knowe whether we be the doers of the worde and not onely hearers which can haue no hope and assurance of saluation And to let passe all those that swarue from the sounde doctrine of trueth and godlynesse as Atheistes and infidels which haue neither workes nor any grace of regeneration and Iewes which are voyde of true faith in the crucified Messias let vs examine by the rule of this trueth all those that seeme to embrace Christe Iesus and his true Religion as Libertines Catholickes and carnall Protestantes The Libertine and carnall Protestant are by it most iustly condemned because they haue no workes at all neither any soundnesse of faith or Religion but onely a false perswasion and vaine shadowe of both as the Apostle Iames teacheth in the whole treatie of his Epistle The Catholicks though they haue many outwarde and glorious woorkes to alledge for them selues yet they faile altogether in the maner of doing for not onely their iudgement by false doctrine is corrupted in that they teache that workes in parte doe iustifie that they are accepted the better for the vertue and intercession of Sainctes departed that the sacrifice of Christe his oblation onely washeth awaye sinnes committed before Baptisme Lastly that a temporall punishment heere and in Purgatorie can satisfie and sufficiently recompence that transgression whereby the perfecte Lawe and infinite Iustice of God is broken but also they fayle in all those poyntes which we haue taught to appertaine to the right maner of doing the Fathers will. Touching faith they teache and beleeue that it is a poynt of humilitie contrary to presumption to wauer and doubt of our saluation And therefore calling vpon God in this maner they shall neuer receiue any thing at his hand Touching a stedfast hope which onely looketh vnto Iesus Christe the Author and finisher of our saluation and that glorie which he hath purchased for vs in the presence of his Father they can neuer haue it both because their faith is wauering from whence this hope must proceede and also because they holde and teach that there be other places then heauen for the soules of men to rest in after this life Touching loue and charitie which principallye respect the saluation and profite of our brethren doe they not most vncharitably and flatly against the edification of the Church of GOD which in all publike actions vnder paine of damnation must be regarded teach and beleeue that ignoraunce of Gods religion is the mother of deuotion doe they not reade the word pray and giue thankes in a strange language and vnknowen tongue doe they giue which is not theirs to giue absolution from sinnes of meere loue and not for money Finally doe they vexe grieue torment persecute and burne the bodyes of Gods Saintes after two or three light conferences and disordered examinations because they loue their bodyes and the saluation of their soules No verely these thinges rather doe manifestly declare not onely that they are destitute of charitie towards men but also of pure loue towards god For he that sayeth he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a liar for how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue GOD whome hee hath not seene As for the true feare of God howe can it be in them seeyng that they holde that Gods eternall wrath against our sinnes eyther past or to come can iustly and sufficiently be appeased by tryfling pardons and bulles giuen of mortall men and to be short considering that they teach that all sinnes following baptisme must be purged not by the blood of Christ but be counteruailed and so remoued by good workes as they falselye terme them or pardons and absolutions of sinfull men or equall punishment here in earth or in purgatorie the LORD forgiue them they know not where Lastly for carefull watchefulnesse to retaine all the foresayde graces howe can it be in them seeyng they are voyde and destitute of these gracious giftes of GOD If therefore they haue anye as in deede they haue much it is not neither can bee for these thinges but to maintayne and increase their vsurped power and aucthoritie of both the swordes And therefore knowing euerye man to be by the instinct of nature giuen to acknowledge GOD and with some kinde of watchefulnesse to serue him they haue out of the follye and vanitye of their owne braynes drawne out a kinde of seruice which standeth onely in outwarde ceremonies and bodily exercises wherein they haue bene and are very watchefull as in saying certeyne number of masses prayers diriges and such like in doyng of penaunce goyng on pilgrimage vsing of holy water
and holy bread offeringes carnall fastinges crossinges anointinges with infinite moe of the same sorte All which inuentions of men are directly contrary to that worship which our Sauiour Christ witnesseth to consist in Spirit and trueth and therefore iustly condemned For if bodily exercises which may be well vsed are neither profitable of them selues neither anye parte of the worshippe of God doe we not iustlye abhorre and detest the traditions which are after the commaundements and doctrines of men And nowe as it is certaine that they fayle in these thinges so also in the ende whereby all our actions must be measured and esteemed For in that they ascribe righteousnesse in parte to their workes which they haue done they may with as good reason challenge a part of the glory of their redemption whereby the Lord of necessitie must be robbed of his honour to whome belongeth all glory and dominion Thus much I haue spoken only of skilful malicious and obstinate Papists not of the poore ignorant ones which neither haue knowen the trueth neither haue their conscience set fixed in heresie Albeit I dare affirme that neither these neither any other obstinate and wilfull heretike or ignorant person doeth or can doe the Fathers will Because as heresie is strong to coÌ„demne so ignorance is blinde and causeth vs to fall into the pit of condeÌ„nation Seeyng therefore that this doctrine of our Sauiour Christe condemneth Atheists Infidels Iewes Libertines Papists and al other sects of heretikes ignorant persons euery one that is not of the true Church of God we had neede with all care and studye to trie and examine the very bottome of our heartes and rippe vp all the inwarde and secret corners of our consciences least we also be iustly reprooued and condemned by the same For assuredly we must all in the day of iudgement be tried and made knowen to the worlde by the practise of this doctrine to the glory of God the comfort of our owne hearts whether we haue truelye tasted of the gifte of God in Christ or no but if we do content our selues with the shadowes of inwarde godlynesse as with the outwarde vse of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde with lippe seruice and such externall kinde of profession denying the power thereof in our heartes and workes wee deceyue our owne heartes we depriue our soules of the ioyfull fruition of Gods presence and walke as fast as can be towards the place of darkenesse and endelesse destruction For this is the doctrine of the Sonne of God Not euerye one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my heauenly Father which is in heauen Goe to then you carnall and worldely Protestants that saye Lorde Lorde God be praysed and God be thanked for all his giftes c. I demaunde this of you in the person of Christ whose seruant I am though most vnworthie shewe me this your fayth and professed religion by your workes and iustifie it before me the Church of god For was not Abraham our father iustified through woorkes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar Was not Rahab the harlot iustified through woorkes when she had receyued the messengers and sent them out another way Knowe therefore for a certeintie all you that professe the feare of God that fayth professed without woorkes is dead Yea as the bodie without breath so fayth without woorkes is cleane dead and therefore but a shadowe of the true fayth which woorketh by loue But ye wyll say We knowe and beleeue that Christ is the Sonne of god What then the deuils beleeue also tremble yea and confesse IESVS wee knowe and Paul wee knowe but who are yee Yea but wee by Baptisme and the Sacrament of thankesgiuing are become the professours of Christ Was not Iudas a professour also yea a preacher and a worker of miracles But wee are no enemies and persecutors of Christ as he was No more were those dispersed Christians to whome Iames wrytte nay they suffered manye troubles for the outwarde profession of the trueth whome notwithstanding he condemneth for want of workes These thinges therefore are but clokes of hypocrisie and wordes of lyes whereby Satan carryeth away manye from the wayes of godlinesse and life into the paths of wickednesse and destruction It is not then the outwarde shewe of Christianitye in countenaunce worde and worke that auayleth any thing but onely a newe creature in Christ In consideration whereof I heartily desire and beseeche you all from the hyghest vnto the lowest both to flye this damnable corruption of worldly and carnall men and to giue all diligence to keepe and obserue this heauenly maner of doing the Fathers will. Take vnto you aboue all thinges fayth ioyne vnto faith hope vnto hope loue and brotherly kindenesse vnto brotherly kindenesse reuerent feare of the Maiestie of GOD vnto a reuerent feare a continuall and â—â—cefull watchfulnesse in all good workes For if these be amongest you and abound more and more according to the measure of the gift of Christe they will make you that ye neyther shall bee idle nor vnfruitefull in the profession of Christ and his Gospell But he that hath not these thinges what face and countenance so euer he carrieth of religion wisedome learning and vertue he is blinde and can not see farre into the mysterie of godlinesse or els hath through ingratitude altogether forgotten that he was purged from his olde synnes Seeyng then by this meanes not onely an entring shall be ministred vnto you into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour IESVS Christ but also your effectuall calling and eternall election shall be fully ratified vnto your owne heartes and consciences so as you maye knowe perfectly that nothing can separate you from the loue of GOD if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if anye fellowshippe of the Spirit if anye compassion and mercie thinke on those thinges which you haue now heard fulfill these things and you shal neuer fall but the God of peace shal be alwayes with you neither shall the comforter euer depart from you But peraduenture some will say O Lorde who is able for these things In deed in respect of man it is vnpossible but with God as all other things so this is possible and hath bene by his power wrought in man For doeth not the holy Ghost witnes of Dauid that he was a man according to Gods own heart of Hezechia that he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to al that Dauid his father had done of Iosia that he turned to the Lorde with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the lawe of Moses of Zacharie and Elizabeth his wife that they were iust before God and walked in all the ordinances of the Lord without reproofe of Nathanael that he was an Israelite
giue vnto any of the disciples of Christ in his name but a cuppe of colde water to drinke that he shall not lose his rewarde Againe seeing that of all workes of loue and compassion these two in our iudgement are without all comparison the chiefest for what greater loue can any man shewe towardes the soule of his brother then by preaching to deliuer it from the kingdome of darknes and translate it into the kingdome of light or what greater loue can there be shewed towardes his body then to cure it from all infirmities yea and that which is marueylous to deliuer it from the possession of deuils notwithstanding we see by the answere of our Sauiour Christ that these workes and therefore al other which be of lesse value are insufficient defences either to alledge vnto Christ for the auoyding of the sentence of death or to perswade our owne consciences that we are beloued of God according to our former doctrine For albeit they be necessarie for diuers and sundry causes before mencioned yet they containe no part of that pure obedience which by Gods spirit is wrought in all the true members of Christ What then is that which maketh preaching and all other workes acceptable vnto God and profitable for the comfort and saluation of the doer seeyng the workes themselues shal be reiected Surely to answer in one word it is the maner of doing whereof we haue spoken before at large In consideration whereof blessed Paule doeth iustifie his preaching not because he did preach for woe be vnto me sayth he if I preache not the Gospell but because he obserued the ryght maner order of preaching The which maner so farre forth as I can see and gather concerneth either the vtterance of true doctrine or the affection of the minde whence it procedeth For the vtterance he witnesseth that Christ sent him to preache the Gospell not with wisdome of wordes yea that it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Agayne he reioyceth that he came not with excellencie of wordes or of wisedome shewing vnto the Corinthians the testimonie of God and also that his worde and preaching stoode not in the intycing speache of mans wisdome but in playne euidence of the Spirit and power that the faith of the hearers shoulde not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of god And to shewe in what wordes he spake the Gospell of God and who was the author teacher of them he sheweth playnly in an other place saying Which things also vve speake not in the wordes which mans wisdome teacheth but in the words which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things vvith spirituall things For as the doctrine and foundation of our redemptiō is altogether heauenly and spirituall so ought those that be buylders thereupon to buylde after a heauenly and spirituall maner as the Apostle teacheth in another place comparing this heauenly man to golde siluer and precious stones and the contrary to tymber haye and stubble in these wordes If any man buylde vpon this foundation golde siluer precious stones tymber haye or stubble euery mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shal declare it because it shall be reuealed by fire and the fyre shall trye euery mans woorke of vvhat sorte it is Wherein we see howe necessarie a thing it is for vs that be preachers and diuiders of the worde not onely to looke vnto the foundation of our doctrine which is Christ but also to the maner of vtterance because that also must be tryed and examined by the holy Ghost as golde siluer c. are tryed by the fire Therefore Paule in great boldenesse and authoritie speaketh on this maner to the Corinthian preachers But I vvill come to you shortly if the Lorde vvill and vvyll knovve not the speache of them vvhich are puffed vp but the power For the kingdome of God is not in vvorde but in povver Whereby as hee woulde condemne their speache and maner of vtterance which delyghted the eare hauyng no power or strength to weaken and vnloose the holde of sinne and Satan in them so he woulde commend vnto them that maner of vtterance which shoulde least sauour of carnall wisedom and haue greatest power to turne the hearts of the hearers vnto God and as the Apostle doeth saye of himselfe that he vsed no such maner of teaching neyther any flattering wordes as it is in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians So he doeth most carefully commende and bequeath it vnto Timothie and Titus his two sonnes in the fayth and in them to all other ministers as a faithful treasure for the edification of Christes body forbidding them to gyue heede vnto fables genealogies or to profane and old wiues tales vayne babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called and contrarily commanding them to staye such things to speake and exhort with all authoritie to studie to shewe themselues approued to God and workemen that need not be ashamed and finally to deuide the word aright This kinde of preaching touching the vttering of the worde diligently obserued of Paule and faithfully committed to his schollers ought with great care and diligence to be obserued of all the ministers of God that the faith of the hearers may stande in the power of the Spirit and trueth not in the weakenes of the swelling wordes of mans wisedome But alas who preacheth thus nay who doeth not iudge this kinde of preaching to be voyde of learning discretion wisdome Wherefore many doe stuffe their sermons with newe deuised words and affected speaches of vanitie not being cōtent with the words which the holy Ghost teacheth Many with vnnecessary sentences prouerbes similitudes and stories collected out of the wrytings of prophane men many with curious affected figures with Latine Greeke and Hebrewe sentences without any iust occasion offered by their texte with multitudes of humane authorities and diuers opinions of men in whom there can be foūd neither certaine rule of trueth neither constancie in iudgement and therfore very vnfitte to be admitted into that place as speakers wheras the fearefull mighty voyce of God hath straightly charged all people to heare his welbeloued Sonne saying This is my welbeloued Sōne heare him Many with stagelike gestures curious pronunciation and such other actions that are very vnseemely for those men which haue taken vpon them before God and his Angels to preach and publish vnto his people the Gospel of Christ crucified I would to God that all the ministers of this lande in this poynt could put on this affection of S. Paule fully to purpose with thēselues to knowe nothing amongest their hearers saue Iesus Christ and him crucified So we shoulde not onely cast aside this vayne corrupt vnprofitable maner of diuiding the worde of trueth but also banishe out of our heartes the desire of all such popular prayse and
commendation But to let passe the vtterance of speache lette vs come to the affection of the minde the generall disposition whereof I touched briefely before to witte that we shoulde laye aside all desire of shewe of humane knowledge and purpose onely to reioyce in the knowledge of Christ crucified the particular affections required to make our prophecying or preaching acceptable vnto God as they are commaunded in diuers and sundrie places of the worde so the Apostle reioyceth that he obserued in a good conscience this heauenly kinde of preaching In the first chapter of the first Epistle of Peter the holie Ghost commendeth vnto the ministers of Christ an earnest care a willing heart a ready minde a zealous desyre to become ensamples to their flockes saying Feede the flocke of God vvhich dependeth vpon you caryng for it not by constraynt but willingly not for fylthie lucre but of a readie mynde not as though you vvere lordes of Gods heritage but that yee may bee ensamples to the flocke Also our Sauiour Christ the chiefe shephearde of the flocke as appeareth in the tenth of Matth. Gospell sending out his Disciples to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel chargeth them wholly to depende vpon him to gyue freely without respect of filthie lucre to feare nothing in the execution of their office to be fully resolued in their mindes to lose their lyues for his sake finally to keepe them selues in all respects pure and innocent as doues Whereunto agreeth that commandement of Paule to Timothie touching the ordination of Ministers whereby he teacheth that euery minister ought to be watchefull sober modest louers harborous a louer of goodnesse wyse ryghteous holy temperate and vnreprouable So that by these precepts and commaundementes it euidently appeareth with what care of the flocke willingnesse and readines of minde desire by example to edifie boldenes of heart confidence in God loue of Christ and his sheepe with what full purpose with losse of lyfe to perseuer vnto the ende and lastly with what contempte of all worldly prayse and with what zeale of Gods glorie euery minister ought to approue his ministerie vnto Christ the consciences of his flock But if we wyll see these preceptes put in vre and practise let vs diligently marke the lyfe and conuersation of the Prophets and Apostles especially of Saint Paule who as he was the chiefest in worke so the playnest in declaration hereof and compare in euery particular his behauiour in the execution of his ministerie with ours He sayeth Though I preache the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is layde vpon mee and vvoe is vnto me if I preache not the Gospell For if I doe it vvyllingly I haue a revvarde but if I doe it agaynst my vvyll notvvithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto mee But which of vs doeth not reioyce and is glad when he hath preached a fewe sermons with lyking and prayse of mortall men What dumme dogge doeth terrifie his owne heart from sinne with this woe agaynst him selfe for not preaching the Gospell or who doeth not for lucre feare and prayse of men rather then willingly of a ready mind feed the poore flocke of Christ Paul though he was free from all men yet he made him selfe seruāt vnto all that he might winne the more vnto the Iewe he became a Iewe to them that were vnder the lawe as though he were vnder the lawe to the weake he became as weake and in deede he was made all things to all men for the Gospels sake that he might be partaker thereof But where is that Minister amongst vs which through loue humbleth him selfe and beareth with the infirmities of ignorance lacke of knowledge wisdome and discretion in his flocke and felow brethren Nay which of vs with Paul beateth downe his bodie and bringeth it into subiection lest in preaching to others he him self become a castaway the Lord pardon vs this our offence For I feare me the care we haue of our mortall bodies farre surmounteth the care we haue of the saluation of our selues or of our brethren Paul did please all men in all thinges not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued but as for vs though many I graunt doe please all men in all thinges yet they seeke their owne profit and gaine not the profite of any one that he might be saued For in deede they make marchandize of the worde of God they are couered with the clokes of shame and walke in craftinesse they handle the worde of GOD deceytfullye preaching them selues and not Christe Iesus the Lorde nor them selues the seruantes of his people and that which is most lamentable of all they gyue great and iust occasion why the ministerie of reconciliation shoulde bee euill spoken of and despysed Contrarywise Paule he spake of Christe as of synceritie as of God in the sight of God he cast of the clokes of shame and walked in declaration of the trueth he approoued himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of GOD he preached Christ Iesus the Lorde himselfe a seruant for Iesus sake and to conclude he gaue no occasion of offence in any thing but in all things approued himselfe as the minister of God by the worde of Trueth and by the power of god Seeing therefore many of vs be fallen away from our first loue and former zeale and haue imbraced this present worlde which yf the Lorde be not more mercifull will choke in vs all the graces of GOD we had neede to looke vnto our selues betimes and to frame our selues according to the example of this blessed Apostle in the carefull and syncere dispensation of our ministerie least our preaching bee though profitable to others yet damnable to our selues Moreouer Paule was gentle towardes his flocke as a Nurse cherisheth her children exhorting and beseeching them as a father teaching openly and through euery house keeping nothing backe that was profitable but shewing vnto them all the counsell of God and to shutte vp all in one worde he was verie readie and wylling to deale vnto them not the Gospell of God onely but also his owne soule because they were deare vnto him Beholde here in Paule as in a most cleare glasse a perfect paterne of a good and faythfull seruant of God and on the other side our miserable imperfections and sinfull degenerating from the same This kinde of preaching is that onely wherein we may reioyce which is acceptable to God profitable to his Church comfortable to the speaker This is that true and perfect paterne of preaching which Paul committed to Timothie both in respect of the vtterance and of the disposition of the minde which he chargeth to be kept and obserued that he might be an example to them that beleeue in worde in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenes saying Keepe the true paterne of the
wholesome words which thou hast heard of me in fayth and loue which is in Christ Iesus That worthy thing which was cōmitted to thee keepe through the holy Ghost vvhich dvvelleth in vs. And to Titus Aboue all thinges shevve thy selfe an example of good vvorkes vvith vncorrupt doctrine vvith the vvholesome vvoorde vvhich cannot be reproued This is that which though we alledge in the last daye for our selues we shal not be disliked or reiected But alas our kinde and maner of preaching whether we regarde the vtterance of speach or affection of our hearts doth farre differ from this nay it is almost cleane contrary to it for it giueth no life to those which are dead in sinne it hath no power to strike in sunder or to vnloose the holde of sinne no sharpenesse to cutte a sunder the cordes of wickednesse it can not enter to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and spirit the ioyntes and the marowe neither can it discerne betweene the thoughts and intentes of the heart and why our woordes are of our owne making and not such as the Spirit of God teacheth our matter for the most part is the deuises of men the dispositiō of our hearts prophane worldly and carnall our intent and purpose is to get honour and worldly preferments No maruayle therefore though our labours be cursed and not blessed and wee our selues in the day of iudgement be reiected for as I haue taught before it is not the woorke done but the maner of doing that pleaseth our heauenly Father So that those onely which preach the worde in faith hope loue feare and all maner of watchfulnesse in season and out of season being ready as to deale vnto the people the Gospel of God so also if necessitie require their owne liues for the confirmation of their flocke those I say only shall reape the fruite of their labours with great ioye and gladnesse euen eternall lyfe wherein they shall shine as the starres of heauen As for others who haue in preaching the worde sought themselues their owne praise and commoditie hauing litle or no care of Gods heritage that it might be saued of which sort be those whereof I haue already spoken a litle before though they say in the day of iudgement Lorde Lord haue we not prophecied in thy Name yet they shal be sent away to their owne place of punishment as workers of iniquitie If then the outwarde worke of preaching which is so profitable vnto the Church for the saluacion of soules shal be reiected being separated from the pure maner who dare alledge casting out of deuils and the working of great miracles which onely appertaine to the safety of body Let not therfore the Papists reioyce though they were able to confirme euery point of their religion by a great miracle whereas in deede they are not except we will iudge their vaine forged miracles to be done by the finger of God for yf these myracles be separated from the true maner of doing the Fathers will the dooers themselues are but workers of iniquitie as Christ most truely termeth them in the verse following and therefore so farre from being iustified by these or any other workes of charitie being separated from the true maner of doing that thei shal be vnto them sufficient matter of condemnacion Well it is neither preaching nor working of miracles that can deliuer the preacher or any other from the sentence of death in that day neither any other which proceedeth not from the right maner of doing the Fathers will. But in asmuch as the wicked ones which beare the shewe of Christianitie may both in the outwarde worke and in a certaine maner of doing come verie nere vnto the acceptable doing of the Fathers will which in appearance they do verie much resemble it shal be verie profitable to serch a litle deeper if by any meanes we can finde how many and what be those gifts which the wicked ouer and besides these may alledge for themselues because thei are cōmon to them with the godly It is certain by the doctrine of our sauiour Christ in the Gospel of Matthew Mark Luke that the wicked may willingly heare vnderstand ioyfully receyue professe the worde yea indure for a season falsely perswade them selues to beleeue So is it witnessed of Simon Magus that he hearde Philip preaching vnderstood him ioyfully receiued his doctrine and that he beleeued was baptized and continued with Philippe in these wordes Then Simon him selfe beleeued also and vvas baptized and continued vvith Philippe and vvondered vvhen he savve the signes and great miracles that vvere done Notwithstanding Peter affirmed to his face that he had no parte nor fellowshippe in that businesse because his heart was not ryght in the syght of God but full of gall and bitternesse and that he was in the bonde of iniquitie Moreouer they may relieue and succour greatly and highly esteeme of the ministers of Christ thinking nothing to deare for them So Paule witnesseth of the Galatians saying And the triall of me which was in my fleshe ye dispised not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an angel of god yea as Christe Iesus What was then your felicity for I beare you record that if it had bin possible you would haue plucked out your ovvn eyes haue giuen thē vnto me Yet they afterwarde as it followeth in the same place esteemed him as an enemie in somuch as he sayeth he doubted of them Againe they may abstayne from euill and do the outward works of charitie wherby they seeme very ryghteous vnto men as did the Scribes Pharises they may giue their goods and landes vnto the church as did Ananias and Saphira they may bee lightned with the knowledge of the trueth taste of the heauenly gift the good worde of God and the powers of the worlde to come and be made partakers of the holie Ghost and yet fall from the grace receyued as it is in the 6. and 10. chap. to the Hebrewes Finally they may suffer banishmēt and persecution for the outward profession of the trueth yea they may do all the outward workes in seruing of God helping their neyghbour which the godly doe but when the question shall be demaunded of Christ who in deede and in trueth is his brother sister and mother he wil answere Whosoeuer shal do my fathers vvill vvhich is in heauen the same is my brother sister mother Now seeing how farre sinners and vngodly men may resemble the deare children of God yet be voyde of the graces of regeneration let vs looke into our selues into our hearts cōsciences whole maner of our life that we may see know in all our actions wherin we differ frō the wicked how we do our Fathers wil for it behoueth euery true Christian cōstrained with the loue of Christ to do all these works before mencioned in constant faith in sure