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
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
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
men in all estates and degrees of callings as of Princes Priestes and people so they did with great aucthoritie and boldnesse discouer their seuerall and particular sinnes and threaten against them present destruction and the fearefull Iudgements of God as may appeare to euery one that shal reade with diligence iudgement their prophecies Wherefore briefely to conclude this point of doctrine the three parables of our Sauiour Christ in the historie of the Gospell of the fielde floore and nette written for a plaine declaration hereof shall fully satisfie and content euery one that beleeueth him to be the onely teacher of all trueth and righteousnesse For euen as in the fielde there groweth vp not onely sounde corne but also tares cockell and darnell in the floore there is not onely pure wheat but also chaffe in the nette not onely good things but bad as filth and such like so in the militant and visible Church the fielde floore and net of the Lorde there are not onely syncere and faithfull but also hypocritical and faithlesse worshippers of God not onely vpright and constant doers of the worde but also vaine and Idle talkers of the same finally not only such as with good consciences pure heartes and fayth vnfayned doe serue the LORD and his Church but such also as be reprobate to euery good worke whose ende is to be cast eternally from the presence of God and to be burned as chaffe in the fearefull furnace of Gods wrath and euerlasting indignation Seeyng therefore that the example of Habel and Cain in the beginning of the Worlde of Ismael and Isaac Iaakob and Esau in the families of Abraham and of Isaac seeyng God him selfe in the 50 Psalme and in the nyne and twentieth of Esay seeing also all the Prophets in their prophecies and our Sauyour Christ the doctor of all trueth both in the three former parables as also in this present place doeth declare teache and confirme the trueth of these two sortes of professours who is so blinde that he can not see this who so faythlesse that will not beleeue it who so impudent that will not confesse it Finally who can be so iniurious to his owne saluation that hauing so manye witnesses and such dayly and continuall experience of this trueth will not giue his goods body life and all that he may be accompted of the LORD in the dreadfull daye of Iudgement a doer and worker of his will The vse of this certayne doctrine serueth to moue all true Christians to take greater paynes and care to frame their heartes and works according to the will of GOD then onely to haue an outwarde shewe and appearaunce of godlinesse as also to feare and terrifie the heartes of all true professours from forsaking the true Churche of God for the impietie and vngodlines of some knowing that for the triall of Gods electe heresies vices must continue in the Church till Christ at his comming abolish them with the breath of his mouth and crush all the wicked in pieces with the yron rodde and scepter of his kingdome And so deliuer the whole gouernement of all things into the hand of God his father that he may be al in all to the praise of his power and glorie and the euerlasting comfort of all his adopted children Nowe that we may the better see and know of which sort of professors euery one of vs is let vs heare and learne how our Sauiour Christ doth describe the former sort and what is the end of this profession He sayth Not euery one that saieth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter c. in which wordes he teacheth that all the religion of this kind of worshippers and callers vpon God consisteth onely in the outward profession of himselfe and of God his Father for here to call Christe Lord Lord is nothing els but in word and outward shewe to professe Christ the sonne of God to be their Lord and master God himselfe to be their Father the holie Ghost proceeding from them both to be their sanctifier and themselues to be the seruantes of these three diuers and heauenly persons Wherfore this first sort are such professors as haue onely a shewe of true religion and godlines being voide of all faithfull obedience to god The which kind of profession though it seeme good and glorious in the sight of men yet the Lorde which onely looketh into the heartes of all by his Minister and Prophet Ieremie calleth it the wordes of lyes saying Thus sayeth the Lorde of Hostes the God of Israel Amende your wayes and your workes and I will let you dvvell in this place Trust not in lying vvordes saying The Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lorde this is the Temple of the Lord. Wherein the Lorde as wee see opposeth the reformation of their wayes and workes to the outwarde profession of his seruice done in the Temple which being separated from the other he esteemeth no better then the wordes of lyes And in deede it is no better for whereas this outwarde profession sheweth and after a sort speaketh vnto others that we are the true seruantes of God when as we haue but a bare and idoll resemblance of them it maketh and speaketh a manifest and loude lye and therefore is iustly called of GOD the wordes of lyes The blessed Apostle Paul in the seconde Chapter to the Romanes speaketh most plainely against this kinde of profession His wordes be these He is not a Ievve vvhich is one outvvarde neither is that Circumcision vvhich is outvvarde in the fleshe but he is a Ievve vvhich is one vvithin and the Circumcision is of the hearte in the spirite not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God. In which wordes the nature and properties of these woorshippers euidently aypeare for the Apostle affirmeth such kinde of woorship to bee onely outwarde separated from the inwarde Circumcision of the heart and the sinceritie of the worke Likewise the Apostle Iames condemneth the knowledge outward profession of the trueth in the dispersed Iewes to whō he writ because they could not iustifie the sinceritie therof both by Faith and by their works as euery true Christian ought and can doe calling verie aptlie and fitlie this kind of profession void of workes a dead fayth Iohn also in his first Epistle 2. Chap. calleth these seruers of God liers in these wordes He that saieth I knowe him and keepeth not his commaundements is a lyer and the trueth is not in him And our Sauiour Christ himselfe as it is in the Gospel of Luke doth most plainely and briefely set foorth vnto vs the whole nature and qualities of these men which may be a most fitte interpretation of this place For with great aucthoritie and power he asketh a reason why any can be moued to separate the outward worship from the spiritual seruice of the heart and sinceritie in the worke saying Why call
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
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
hope in pure loue in reuerēt feare in great care study to please God with zeale of gods glory tender loue of his brethren with ioye in the holy Ghost with a resolued purpose without wearines fainting to cōtinue vnto the end knowing that those only shal be blessed which shal continue vnto the ende This is our liuing holy acceptable sacrifice vnto God this onely is our reasonable seruing of him wherin whosoeuer continueth shal neuer perish but be trāslated frō death to life If we wāt this though we heare often knowe much speake neuer so wel of the Gospel make neuer so much of preachers reioyce for a time in the trueth yet I say if this faith hope loue feare and watchfulnes be absent we are bastardes no children hypocrites no Christians for whome remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour al the aduersaries of God and his trueth I speake this not to discourage any or to driue the weake consciences into distrust but to awake the slouthfull to terrifie the proude secure presūptuous protestāts also to stir vs al vp to a more vigilāt care in working our saluatiō How necessary this is to be preached vrged the ignorāce error of many the want of loue feare of God in this land citie doth sufficiently witnes I therfore to make an end of this matter cōmende this doctrine from Iesus vnto you all beseeching you for the mercies of God to receyue it into your soules to beleeue it in heart to cōmend it in word diligently to practise it in life with al your strength might to maintaine and defende it against all aduersarie power of Satan and his ministers The answere of Christ in the verse following containeth two points First he denieth these men to be his seruants Secondarily he sendeth them awaye banisheth them for euer out of his presence saying And then I will professe to them I neuer knew you meaning by knowing acknowledging For the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not onely a bare knowledge of a thyng but an acceptation or approouing which we call acknowledging so that it is all one as if he shoulde say Albeit you haue by prophecying working miracles professed your selues to be my seruants called me Lorde and Master yet because you did not those things which I commanded you I did neuer acknowledge you to be my seruāts now I do professe vnto you the same O what a terror and griefe of heart is this to heare the Sauiour of the world in whom onely there is hope of mercie and lyfe to denie and openly professe that hee neuer acknowledged vs to be his seruāts The seruaunt to be forsaken of his louing Master the subiect of his godly Prince the childe of his naturall parents the wyfe of her deare husband is matter of vntolerable griefe and deadly sorow But for a man to be forsaken of the Redeemer of mankinde and that openly in the presence of all creatures without hope of recōciliation whose heart doeth not quite fayle him and melte away euen to thinke therof O then what a hell of tormentes shall it be to the soule eternally to feele it Go to then you yong and desperate ruffians you carnall licentious Protestantes reioyce in your youthfull and wanton pleasures cheare your hearts in the dayes of your vanitie walke in the wayes of your owne lustes enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season despise vnderstanding wisdome deuise your wittie prouerbs against the iust deride and mocke at the wayes of the godly suffer not your consciences to accuse you cast awaye the feare of Gods wrath out of your hearts withdraw no pleasures from your mindes yet know this for a certaintie that God wil bring you and euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill at what time you shal knowe and feele by miserable experience what it is to heare this voyce of Christ Depart from me ye vvorkers of iniquitie As this deniall of Christ shal be most terrible vnto the cursed company of al reprobates so it shal be most ioyful to the litle flocke of Gods heritage For they shall not onely reioyce in that God shall be glorified in the destruction of all their enemies but especially in that they shal be acknowledged of Christ as his faithfull seruants and deare brethren and be aduaunced into the inheritance of his Fathers kyngdome in comparison of which honour all the glory and pompe of the earth is nothing els but lothesome beggery Touching the seconde poynt of this answere we are to note and obserue first the sending of them away the reason therof For the first he sayeth Depart from mee signifying thereby that although they in outwarde shewe and profession seemed to gather with Christ as his seruantes and therefore were accompted amongest the nomber of Gods elect Yet nowe when all mens heartes and secrete thoughtes are opened and reuealed eyther to their endelesse destruction or eternal comfort whereby the godly shall easily be discerned from the vngodly then euen preachers themselues woorkers of miracles and all other dissembling professours of the Gospel shal heare with great sorowe and griefe this finall sentence of death and damnation Depart from mee If any man do aske me whyther they shall goe from Christ or where they shall abyde out of his presence I answere briefely into euerlasting fire as our Sauiour Christ him selfe doeth wytnesse in the 25. of Matthewe saying Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fyre vvhich is prepared for the deuill and his angelles Yf then deere brethren preachers of the Gospell and workers of miracles shall be throwen from the presence of God into vtter darkenes as woorkers of iniquitie for want of the true maner of doyng the Fathers wyll O Lorde what shall become of all those Ministers which receyuing temporall things of the people of God redeemed by the blood of Christ doe in the hardnesse of their heartes refuse to minister vnto them spirituall and to feede them with the heauenly foode of the worde vnto eternall lyfe But because no admonition can moue them to repentance reformation of this haynous offence agaynst God and his people I leaue them to answere for themselues vnto Christ at the dreadfull daye of iudgemēt at what time I feare me that as they haue bene dum in this life concerning the sounding out of the mighty word of god so they wyll be altogether dumme and speachlesse when Christ shal cal for a wise diligent and watchefull discharge of that stewardship which they haue vsurped and horribly abused in the Church of god As for Atheists Idolaters blasphemers sorcerers despisers of magistracie murtherers adulterers fornicators oppressors vsurers and such like abominable sinners how can they escape the vengeance and iust recompence of their rewarde seeyng that preachers of the worde and