OBEDIENCE TO the Gospell TWO SERMONS CONTEINING FRVTEFVL MATTER both of doctrine and exhortation very needefull to be knowne and practised in these our dayes vpon the words of the holy ghost written by the Euangelist S. Luke chapter 2. verses 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20 conteining the effect of the birth of Christ reuealed by the Angell of God in the sheepeherds and others that heard of it GATHERED OVT OF THE SERmons of IOHN VDALL Preacher of the worde of God at Kingston vpon Thames and published at the request of some of them that heard them preached ROM 10. 16. But they haue not all obeyed the Gospell for Esa◅ sayth Lord who hath beleeued our report AT LONDON Imprinted for T. Man W. B. and N.L. 1584. TO THE CONGREGATION OF CHRISTES PEOPLE IMBRACING THE TRVTH OF THE GOspel by a liuely faith and obedience to the same the ordinarie hearers of the worde of God at Kingston vpon Thames IOHN VDALL wisheth increase of knowledge faith reformation of life Zeale all other vertues of true godlines and holines in this world and the rewarde of the same thorough the mercie of God in Iesus Christ in the world to come SEEING it hath pleased the Lord of his great mercie and goodnes to vouchsafe vnto vs that inestimable treasure of his holy word the preciousnes whereof surmounteth all things vnder the sunne wherein he doth offer euen his owne selfe vnto vs and teacheth vs the way whereby we may come vnto him it behoueth vs with all reuerence and feare to imbrace the same preferring it before any thing that we can desire vpon the earth And forasmuch as it hath pleased him to put that precious treasure in these earthly vessells subiect vnto corruption and mortality which by the natural disposition that they are of will striue to infect all the fruite of that precious treasure with the stenche of sinnefull and vngodly desires we are diligently to watch and contend that we see that these fleshly and inordinate motions that seeke so greatly to extinguish euery good thing may be dayly more and more kept vnder that the word of God may by the working of his holy spirit get the victorie in our harts and sit there as a Prince to rule the cogitations therof captiuing them daily vnto the kingdom of Iesus Christ thorough obedience to his most blessed will The which forsomuch as it is done especially by the ministery of the word wherein the Lord hath printed such force that it throweth downe all munitions reared against it and vnto the worke of the same hath appointed me among you of many other most vnable to do that which he commaundeth and my duety requireth at my hands it standeth both me and you in hand to be most heedefull that we be not carelesse in these great and weighty matters which doe concerne the glory of Almightie God and the eternall saluation both of our soules and bodies and so much the rather because Satan fearing the continuance of the world to be short and therefore that which he doeth for the aduancement of his owne kingdome he must doe it quickly laboureth by his instruments with tooth and naile to extinguish the light of the glorious Gospell that it should not shine with open face vnto Gods people for we see daily what mischieuous practises he broacheth what errors he spreadeth what slaunders he inuenteth what lyes he disperseth and all to discredite the course of religion the truth whereof we doe feele and see in our owne experience for you knowe what enimitie the establishment of the Gospell amongst you had by your enuious foes that would haue kept you still in palpable ignorance with themselues howe many pullbacks and hinderances were deuised and be daily inuented to stay the course thereof all which for so much as thorough the mercie of God to vs-ward they haue not had that successe which the authors hoped for they labour now and haue done continually to imagine slaūderous lyes and most wicked forgeries which they doe daily spread abroad to the ende to defame the religion which we professe so that there is not almost any sinne that can be committed but it is fathered vpon some of vs which deuillish dealing albeit we know that it shall turne to their eternall destruction vnlesse the Lorde in mercie giue them grace to repent yet notwithstāding we may learne a very good lesson out of the same and make a profitable vse of it vnto our selues let me therefore intreate you to marke with diligence this which I shall write vnto you as you are wont to doe when I doe speake The greatest accusation you knowe in generall that your foes the aduersaries of the Gospell doe charge you with is that you professe one thing and practise another that you say well and doe naughtily that you reprehēd others you your selues being worse which in deede is a most heinous accusation and such a thing as your owne selues can witnesse I neuer haue winked at but most carefully reproued and such a thing as our religion neither teacheth nor permitteth for it is of that force where it entreth that it will reforme all these things in measure in those that haue it within them This slaunder goeth yet further for our profession is accused to be seditious contentious and troublesome vnto the state and enemie to good order and gouernment we our selues accounted malicious proude finding rather fault with others than amending our selues seeking rather for singularitie than loue and charitie You are not ignorant of the sleights of Satan and therfore knowing that he was from the beginning an accuser and lyar may the better by the mercie of God haue vse of your knowledge to comfort you in these temptations But marke how the Lord maketh Satan his imps to be as spurs and pricks to driue the godly forward though they be very grosse and dull in the beholding of their owne faults for Satan casteth a myste ouer their eyes when they should see them yet they be very quicke eyed to prye into the doings of others especially the godly and are able if our foote doe but slip to find it out and haue it as a reason to discredit our profession which aboue all things we labour to keepe vnspotted Therefore it behooueth you to looke diligently vnto your selues to watch your owne soules to attend and looke vnto euery worde that you speake euery thought that you thinke and euery action that you commit to examine it diligently by the line of Gods word which is the touchstone that wil either approue it or disproue it and if you find by the vndoubted warrant thereof that it is lawfull and that you ought to doe it then let neither slaunder speach of people deuill nor hell staye you from the practise thereof but if thorough the remnants of old Adam you be at any time allured to doe or speake any thing that either is forbidden or hath no warrant from the word of God
taught let vs confer about it that we may not onely call to remembrance those things that euery one of vs haue caried away but also that one may haue y ◠benefit of the labors of others surely it must néedes proue a very profitable way for if one haue missed y ◠obseruation of this or that point an other hath marked it so that among them they may bring away the whole and so be edified one by another And as all are to be careful herein soespecialy it is to be practised by maisters fathers of families that forsomuch as children seruāts be often carelesse in attending vnto the word of God the very feare of rebuke or correction at their faithers or maisters hands wil make them learne somwhat If the benefite of this course were perceiued and the practise of it vsed besids the commodity redoūding to the parties it would be y e meanes to stay manie horrible offences that are committed For what is y e cause of such idle talk that mē haue delight in Euen the lack of better matter wherein they might be occupied What is the cause y ◠Lords saboths be so ill spent yea so horribly prophaned Euen this that so soone as they come from Church if yet they come there at all they thinke their dutie to God fully performed and so go in all haste to dice cardes bowling tipling and euerie other wicked pastime as they call them wherin want neither cursing swearing nor blaspheming to the great dishonour of God and procuring of his heauie wrath to be powred vpon this land and the decay of all religion but marke in this point the height of all iniquitie in these out daies whereas Magistrates should redresse these things and others that take vppon them the correction of vice in the Church do make a shewe of defending religion if there be anie smal number which is rare y ◠woulde gladlie following the example of these shéepheardes confer priuately of those things that they haue hearde and be carefull to grow in the knowledge of religion by and by it shalbe charged to be within the compasse of a conuenticle and their good and godly course shalbe checked and blamed by pretence colour of law but if twenty méete togither in an Alenouse though they most prophanely abuse the creatures of God lewdly mispend their time blasphemously dishonour the Lord and vncharitably reuile euen the very profession of Iesus Christ all this is no harme it is but good neighbourhood it is no conuenticle they haue or will haue no law to punish it from hence do spring all the abominable sinnes that reigne in this land euen that religious exercises by the secret papistes and prophane atheistes that be in authoritie and abuse the law and meaning thereof are discoūtenanced godlesse and irreligious dealinges boalstered whose reckoning for their partes in the day of account wil be most intollerable which they least think of but let vs pray vnto God y ◠he woulde grant vs reformation of these and such thinges when his good will and pleasure is and in the meane while to grant vs the spirit of wisdome and discretion that we may walke warily in these daungerous dayes Moreouer in the consideration of the parties what kinde of people they were we may note that which concerneth our instruction They were as you see shéepheardes men of no greate calling and most like of small learning yet beholde both howe the Lord doth reueale the birth of his Sonne first vnto them and also how carefull they are to search out euery circumstance of y e same There is no doubt but if they had liued in these our dayes they should haue bene charged with great presumption that being men of meane vnderstanding durst meddle with such high matters whereof the very Rabbines could not agrée But we learne by their example 1. to admire the wonderfull wisdome and loue of God wisdome that doth thus reueale his Sonne to these simple ones not to the great clarkes of the Iewes y ◠Scribes and Pharisies his loue that so mercifully maketh him self knowne vnto these that in their own eies no doubt and also in truth were by reason lesse capable of so high mysteries y e vse wherof we must acknowledge to be this which also S. Paul teacheth vs that the Lord thereby stoppeth the way for anie man to reioice or boast in himselfe but that he may learne to ascribe all glorie onelie vnto God Secondly we learne that it is the dutie euen of the simplest to séeke the knowledge of Iesus Christ out of his word and to exercise himselfe continually in the same and not to say as commonly is said I am a Lay man I haue no learning let them that are preachers and haue béene brought vp in Schooles meddle with Scriptures I must attend vpon my worldlie businesse by which and such like spéeches they thinke they haue gotten inuincible shields to defend them from knowledg and shrowd them in their ignorance but they will proue no better than broken réedes and figge-leaues in the daie of iudgement for God hath not placed any man in this earth to the ende that he sléeping in ignoraunce should fatte vp himselfe with the vse of Gods blessings here and seeke no further but that he should aboue al things be carefull to search out of Gods worde how to know his will that knowing it he may obey him and so earnestly set foorth the glorie of his holie name Againe we sée the maner of their procéedings to be this that they say let vs go then vnto Bethlehem and sée this thing that is come to passe which the Lord hath shewed vnto vs as if they should haue said as we are careful to be further certified in this matter so must we both be wary that we go to the place and also search the things that haue been told vs least we doing otherwise reape no benefite by our iorney wherein wée may behold for our example a patterne of right obedience vnto God they are verie forward and yet notwithstanding ty themselues vnto that which they had heard Al men by the verie instinct of nature are desirous to knowe the trueth but yet in the manner all naturally doe erre for they seek it after the course that their owne fancies doe imagin but they that wil séeke the truth truly in truth they that euer shal come to y e knowledge of the same do follow the stricte rule of Gods worde neither swaruing to the right hand nor declining to the left and they be most earnest and diligent in the same Whereby we may make notable triall of our selues both whether we be in the way of truth or no and also how carefull we be to finde it Which triall if it were duely applied vnto our hearts y e greatest number of vs no doubt should find themselues carelesse and so haue iust matter with in themselues either to
other for hast Which teacheth vs what we are to do in matters of religion Forsomuch as in the worde of God we séeke the same Christ yea farre more glorious than he was when they sought him we are to contend with all possible indeuor that we may eueÌ„ go before our teachers that as Dauid did we may excel them in wisedome zeale vnderstanding and godlines But do we so Alas no we are maruellous manerly herein we giue place to euerie one to go before vs and we would be so fine after the fleshly maner that we looke at men and follow them and though we sée manie goe forward before vs if anie in whom wée haue anie confidence procéede not wée tarrie also and this is our excuse loe say we is not such a maÌ„ wise and learuedder is not he of great accoumpt with the best trowe you if it were the right way to heauen that he would so little regard it I know him to haue more skill then I and therefore looke how he doeth so will I doe for he is an honest substantiall man And thus we builde vpon men forgetting the rocke Iesus Christ vpon whom we should settle our ground and of whome we must learne both knowledge and example of life but in our worldlye matters which should be meanes to induce vs to the coÌ„sideration of heauenly thinges we doe not so for if we heare of a benefite or preferment or any other thing whereby we may gaine we say not he is a man more worthy to haue it then I he hath more néede of it then I but we striue by all meanes to preuent our neighbor then happie is he thinke we that can rise eareliest and can spurre his horse to runne the fastest then is our mannerlinesse that we vse in Gods matters clean forgotten the gredy desire of gaine hath so rauished our heartes that we cleane forget nay that we are carelesse whom it is that we goe before father or mother friend or foe Whereby we doe euen condemne our selues to be méere worldlinges wholly addicted to the mucke of this worlde not caring what become of all our dearest friendes yea of our owne soules after this life so that we may haue present gaine O that we were thus minded towards heauenly thinges that we had such a care to get vnto vs true wisdome vertue and holinesse O that we were as vigilant to increase in knowledge faith and righteousnes as we be in dignitie welth and worldly pleasure O that we could consider the excellencie of the soule aboue the body and thereby compare the ornamentes of the one with the other and the necessitie of the one beyond the other then doubtlesse would our righteousnes burst foorth as the starres and our holinesse as the sun at mid-daie then should not wée poore preachers of Gods worde crie out so much as we do for religion and reformation with so small profite then should not Christ be turned behind â—…s and our owne denises be preferred then should not the counsel of God giue place to the decrées of men nor follie beare the sway and wisedome be despised as it is euerie where to the great dishonour of our most louing and bountiful God and griefe of the consciences of all that feare his holie name And found Now foloweth the fruit of this trauaile of the shéepherds in thrée points as you heard in the beginning first they found that they sought for secondly published it abroad and thirdly glorified God for it And found both Marie and Ioseph and the babe laid in the cratch The first fruit which is this that according to their expectation and earnest desire they vsing the meanes and taking the course that was inioyned vnto them obteine their desire find Christ as it was told them wherein we may behold generally the truth of the word of God that euer commeth to passe according as it is foretold to teach vs to repose vnfained confidence in it And perticularly we may sée that veryfied in this place that our Sauiour Christ promised saying aske and it â—…halbe giuen you séek and ye shal find â—…nocke and it shalbe opened vnto you â—…r whosoeuer asketh receyueth and he â—…hat seeketh findeth and to him that â—…nocketh it shalbe opened God is not â—…ke vnto worldly men that are very liâ—…rall in promises and sparing in perâ—…rmaÌ„ce but what soeuer he promiseth we vse those meanes that he prescriâ—…eth for the obtaining of it he perforâ—…eth it yea and that not niggardly so at if at any time thou beest not partaâ—…r of those thinges in particular which God hath generally promised vnto his â—…ure thy selfe that the cause is only in â—…ee and no part in him for the most â—…dlesse that euer were coulde neuer â—…ccuse God of this to be shorte in â—…e performance of his word And â—…herefore let vs make this vse of it vnto â—…ur selues y â— séeing he is so free in word â—…d so bountifull in déed let vs cast all â—…ur care vpon him let vs cleaue withâ—…t doubting vnto his mercy and take â—…at course of life that he inioyneth vsing all the lawful meanes that he hath sanctified in his word then shall we proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect then shall we to the greate comfort of our soules séele that it is no vaine thing to serue God that we haue not washed our handes in innocency for naught But here we are to be very wary that we tempt not God and so accuse him of breach of promise For in truthâ—… there be many that séeke and finde not that aske and haue not that beg and obteine not that would enter in and cannot Whereof S. Iames giueth the reason for that saith he they aske amis that they might consume it vpon their owne lustes which wee doe sée moste euident in our owne experience for euery man wisheth that he were perswaded of the loue of God towards him that he coulde serue God as he commandeth and might come to the kingdome of heauen and yet the most part neuer the nearer For either they dispise and contemne y â— meanes that should bring them to the thing that they desire as he that doth wishe he were religious condemneth word preached he that would be holy refuseth to striue against the lusts of his â—…wne flesh he that would be rich refuseth â—…he paines to trauaile for the same or else â—…edoth it so distrustingly that he reposeth â—…ot y â— confidence in God which he should The world is full of both these sortes of people the former are espied folishe euen by naturall reason the latter séeme to haue greater colour for thinke they I coulde be verye well contented to be religious and so inioye the reward of y â— same But what is now in this world I sée yet what is there I cannot tell I will not therefore be so foolish as vtterly to renounce these present pleasures so farre as
to denie my selfe wholly but this I will doe I will take vpon me the profession of Iesus Christ and giue him some intertainement in my heart but not wholly I will not trust him too farre but take him in the one hand and the world in the other that if at any time I be troubled for the one I may cleaue with honesty to the other and say I neuer meant any lesse Thus doe a number in these dayes as their déeds doe most euidently declare but what get they by it Surely the Lord in his iust iudgement doth so bridle them because they would not trust him wholly to be their gouernour that they doe neuer féele the swéetnesse of Religion in so much that in time of persecution they vanish away and in the dayes of trouble they knowe not which way to turne because they would gladly retaine Christ and yet feeling no comfort by his worde dare not cleaue wholly vnto him But let vs beware of parting stakes betwéene God and the world let vs not come limping vnto the Lord but with our whole wils hearts and minds haue affiance in him that by his mercy we may reape the benefit of Iesus Christs obedience for our full contentment in this world and glorification in the world to come And wheÌ„ they had seen it they published abroade that which was tolde them of the Childe Nowe followeth the second fruit of their trauaile to wit that they séeing the truth of God in his promise and perceiuing that God had some greater work to doe in him they dispersed it abroade and told it to others as they coulde get conuenient occasion so that this being the meaning of the wordes let vs obserue those things that are to be learned out of the same for our instruction first let vs consider the time wheÌ„ they published it euen when they did sée and perceiue plainely that it was so indéed as they were told of the Angell so that there could be no deniall of it any way Which teacheth vs this lesson that religioÌ„ must first be knowen before it be vttered for how can a man reueale a thing vnto an other whereof he is still ignorant himselfe How can a blind man sée to directe an other in the way and therfore the first thing that is required at our handes in the seruice of God is that we seeke thoroughly to knowe his will to the end that we may haue a most certain ground both how to directe our owne wayes and also to make our lightes shine to others which al men do desire to do or at least to be so accounted but because they haue not that care to be directed by certaine knowledge both their own wayes that séeme good in their own eyes yea thoughe they be workes in themselues good are odious in the sight of God as being fruits that procéede not from faith and also their profession or outward shewe is espied faultie euen in the world and they accounted hypocrites so that if we enter duely into the coÌ„sideration of the estate of such persons we shall sée it to be of all others most desperate for in the sight of God their doings are abhominable insomuch as they haue not learned by the knowledge of his word to do them in faith and in the iudgement of men they are also reiected for both the godly to whom the Lord hath giuen the spirit of discretion to discerne those thinges that differre do sée their course to be only in outward appearance and therefore ioyne not with them and also the wicked who cannot discerne otherwise then by the fruites do sée that they make a shewe of one thing and practise an other and therefore doe euen of all other detest them most so that they being neither beloued of God nor man must néedes of all other be in the worst case Therefore they that intend to take a right cause where with they may both please God â—… bring comfort vnto their owne soules and also stoppe the mouthes of their aduersaries as they be desirous to doe those thinges that may be approued before men so let them first beginne with this that they may learne of the worde how they may haue warrant from him and be sure that they doe his will and not to take vpon them for any priuate occasion either of gaine credit or pleasing others to make shewe of that which neither they know nor yet haue any féeling of so shall they in any extremitie haue the testimony of a good conscience the comfort whereof ouercom meth all those euils that the godly are continually thorough the malice of Satan haunted withall Moreouer as wée sée that these shéepheards begunne with knowledge and were first instructed thoroughly in the thing themselues so we see that as soone as they had sure intelligence of the matter they published it and made it knowen to others wherein they make knowen both their thankfull heartes to God and also their louing affections to their bretheren their thankfull heartes that hauing reciued such a benefit from the hand of God thinke it their duetye to make knowen vnto others what a bountifull God he is Their louing affections to their brethren that are desirous to haue them partakers of those notable benefits of God in the birth of his Sonne Iesus Christ whereby we may learne a most notable point of our duety that our thankefulnesse to God and loue to our brethren must moue vs by al lawfull meanes to make that knowen vnto others which we our selues doe learne out of Gods worde the summe whereof standeth in these two pointes to reproue our bretheren offending and to instruct them when we sée them ignorant The carnall man that would not be reproued because he will not amende nor be instructed for that he despiseth knowledge will say that a minister must doe so but priuate persons are not to meddle in any such matter against whom if I shoulde aleadge no more but only the doings of these shéepheardes he were thoroughly answered but to make it more cleare by the Scriptures for reprouing sinne which is the first point The Lord sayth thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sin Whereby we do most euidently sée both that we ought to reproue one another offending and also that if we doe it not we hate him and for instructing the second point Dauid saith restore to me O Lord the ioy of thy saluation and sta blish me with thy frée spirit then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee So that it appeareth plainely hereby what is the duety of euery Christian which indéede causeth them that haue a care to kepe Gods commandementes to take this course where with all the godlesse are moste of all offended and are readye to offer them any violent iniury charging them to doe it not of
generally in thē that haue y e gouernment of thēselues in these things but also to be diligētly considered of by seruants that professe religion for it is a common complaint the trueth whereof I referre vnto euerie mannes conscience that if once they become religions they waxe more carelesse in their Maisters businesse which if they do it is a greeuous sinne in them for religion teacheth them no such matter neither giueth them anie such leaue but rather cleane contrarie for Saint Paul enioineth vnto seruants that they should be obedient vnto them that are their Maisters according to the flesh in all things not with eie seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God and bringeth a reason in an other place to perswade them therevnto to wit that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth that same shal he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or frée and saith further in an other place that else they make the name of God and his doctrine euill spoken of and therefore if anie shall by colour of religion waxe carelesse in his Maisters affaires lette both himselfe and others knowe that he is not religious indéede but abuseth the name of religion to couer his owne sinnes For this is most true that religion is the onelie thing that maketh seruauntes haue a conscience to looke to their Maisters gaines and therfore they that would haue profitable seruants let them not onelie be carefull to retaine such as they know to feare God but also that they instruct them dailie in the feare of the Lord teaching them to do euerie thing by knowledge out of the word and conscience of obedience vnto God The second sort of people that by this doctrine are iustly reprooued be the Anabaptiste and their Cousingermanes the family of Loue of Lust I may terme them better who mistaking that place of Scripture in the Actes of the Apostles where it is said that they that were conuerted vnto Christ had all things common do holde that no man hath anie propertie in any thing that he possesseth but that euerie brother hath as lawfull interest in it and may vse it when he will as the partie him selfe and though the words of the text at the first blush séeme to import so much yet being duely considered they containe no such matter for the verse following doth shewe the meaning of the former where it is saide that they sold their possessions and parted to euerie one as they had need that is they had such a zeale and loue vnto the brethren that they did reléeue and helpe them But if it should be so taken it were manifest contrarie to other places of the Scriptures which were great blasphemie to think that any parte of Gods worde shoulde be contrarie to an other for trueth is one and alwaies like it selfe and nothing commeth from God but it is all truth and nothing but truth Nowe in the Scriptures we reade that God hath set downe lawes to gouerne men buying and selling that euery one shold deale iustly therein and that none shold defraud an other by false waights or measure or counterfaite wares which were a néedelesse doctrine if men had no propertie in things for then why should they sell Or what néeded the other to buy Besides that the Scripture is plentiful in this to exhort rich men vnto liberalitie and pitie in reléeuing their néedie brethren and neuer enioineth vnto anie to accompt nothing his owne Againe we reade of manie godlie men that were rich and had great possession as Abraham Iob Salomon Zacheus Ioseph of Aremathia yea and after the time of those conuerted by pitie as Cornelius Simon the Tanner and Gaius who is saide to be the hoste of the whole Church Lastly which is the most inuincible place of all God hath commaunded that we shoulde not steale which commaundement is neuer broken if no man possesseth of his owne or if one mans goodes were common to an other man therefore let vs imbrace this as an vndoubted truth that God hath giuen vnto euerie man a propertie in that which he lawfully possesseth onelie let him know this that he is to haue care that he be liberall to his power vnto those that néede or else he is no féeling member of Iesus Christ. The third sort is that rout of Friers and Monkes who pretending the more oportunitie to serue God abandoned themselues from all callings both of the Church and common wealth to the ende that they might liue an idle and loytering life who through their hypocrisie robbed the people to enrich themselues and their celles and being carelesse of euerie good exercise whereas by the Apostles rule afore alleadged they should not haue eaten yet notwithstanding they were for the most so stall-fed and were so fatte Abbey lubbers that though they had béen willing they were vnfit and not able to performe anie good thing these be they that would deuoure not onelie widows houses but euen whole Lordships yea and the fat of whole countries vnder the pretence of deuotion and long superstitious praiers and yet notwithstanding the veriest Caterpillers that euer were whereby we may behold discerning the trée by the fruit what gréedie vermine Poperie doth hatch and bring foorth to the greate impouerishing of whole cōmon welths and kingdomes Wée are not Gods name be praised for it much troubled with such people in these our daies yet we are maruelously pestred with a kind of men that be much like them in qualities and those be they that when they could not thriue in their trades or could not liue idly in them being good for nothing though they can neither teach others nor yet haue learned what religion is themselues haue and do dailie thrust them selues into the Ministerie being of qualities much like vnto Ieroboams Priests where vpon aryseth this enormity of all other most to be lamented that poore people notwithstanding thys long libertie of the Gospell remayne stil as ignorant as they were in the time of Poperie and are now more prophane in life and godlesse in conuersation than euer they were because they sée these people that should leade them who haue onelie chaunged their coats liue so wickedly that they neyther care for religion nor yet ciuill honestie who in truth I speake that I knowe by experience are the greatest foes that the true Ministers of Gods worde haue peruerting priuately that whiche they teach publiquely the Lorde putte it in the hearts of gouernours to see it redressed The fourth and the last sort of people is the gréedie couetous worldlings who respecting onely their own gaine haue no regard what course they take be it lawful or vnlawful so that they may haue great aduantage by it which people generally be such as séeke either to féede the veines and itching desires of fantastical heads with gay gorgeous and new deuises whose gaine through the follie and fickle headed alteration of
to thinke a good thought much lesse to yeelde that obedience to thy vvorde that thou requirest nor to make anie fruit of it vnto the comfort of our soules vnlesse thou of thy mercie vvorke it in vs vvee therefore most humbly beseech thee mercifull father to graunt vs thy grace that euerie one of vs may be so truely persvvaded of the trueth of this doctrine novve deliuered vnto vs that thy holie spirite may imprint it in our hearts and vve may feele the comfort of it in our soules and consciences and labour diligently to bring foorth the fruit of it in our liues and conuersations most gratious Father vve pray thee subdue our affections and rule our desire by the gouernmēt of thy grace and holie spirite that the enticements of sinne doe not pull vs avvay from that seruice that vve ovve vnto thee that vvee neuer faint or vvaxe vvearie in the course of godlinesse that our zeale be neuer quenched by anie allurements of Sathan but that vvee may daily grovve and encrease in all the Vertues of Christianitie to the glorie of thy blessed name and consolations of our ovvne conscienences through Iesus Christ our Lord to vvhom vvith thee and the holie Ghost be all praise novve and euer Amen FINIS VVe may not put of from day to day Heb. 3. 7 c. Psal. 95. 8. Prou. 1. 24. Amos. 8. 1◅ Heb. 12. 6. Euery point of gods word is to be knowne of euery man Psal. 19. 7. Prou. 1. 4. Ephes. 4. 12. Acts. 20. 27. 1. Cor. 13. 12. Then we can not be too for ward as some say Esay 2. 3. We ought to stirre vp one another to religion 1 Thes. 5. 11. Heb. 3. 13. 19. VVe must cōferre of the word of God after that we haue heard it The wicked ause mans lawe to depraue the word of God Why God reuealeth oftner his word to the simple 1. Cor. 1. 29. No excuse must keepe the simplest from the knowlege of Gods word VVhere and how the truth is to be sought The cause that so fewe finde Christ Psal. 119. 24. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Psal. 119. 50. 92. We must not onelie professe Gods word but do italso Rom. 8. 9. 10. Galat. 5. 22. It should be so is not sufficiēt Ecclesiast 10. 5 Psal. 119. 98. VVe straine courtesie who should first be religious but who should first gaine riches Math 7. 2. 4. 11. 29. 16. 24. The truth of Gods worde Mat. 7. ◅ Rom. 12. 2. VVhy men do seeke and find not Iames 4. 3. To dispise the meanes in trusting of God is to tempte him Knowledge is the first pointe of gods seruice Hipocrites nether be loued of God or man Profession of religion standeth in reprouing and instruction Leuit 1◅ 17. Psal. 51. 12 13. The world cānot away with priuate rebuking and instruction Iohn 12. 5. Acts. ◅ 18. With what mind we must reproue others The vngodly either detract◅ from or ad to the worde of God Rom. 9. 11. to 24. Ephe. 1. 45. They that doe not knowe the vse of Gods word thinke it vnperfect The bataile of the flesh and the spirit◅ in the entrance to religion The spirit euer getteth victorie in the faithfull at length Iohn 6. 66. Col. 2. 3. Esay 55. 10. 2 Cor. 14. 15. 16 Gods word worketh in all that heare it preached How a man shal know whe ther the gospel do him any good or no. The markes of fruitlesse hearers Hearers for fashions sake Hearers that are mooued for the time present onelie Willing hearing without fruit argueth a guiltie conscience The sayings of the wicked when they heare one doctrine twice Matth. 12. 29. What the godlie thinke whē they heare that which they did heare before VVhat the wicked should thinke when they heare that doctrine which they haue despised before VVe may not boast of know ledge or any other vertue They bragge most that know least The godlier that a man is the humbler he will be 2. Cor. 11. 30. The right vse of knowledge VVe must bestoore vs in knowledge Math 25. 10. The world ought to giue place to religion Prou. 16. 4. Prou. 1. 20. The excuses of worldlings why they be not religious Psalm 10 3. 1 1 Thes. 4. 10. 11 2. Thes. 3. 10. 11 12 c. Luke 3. 10 c. 1. Cor. 7. 31. Foure sorts of people that abuse this world The first sort of people Ephes. 4. 28. Psal. 16. 1. Coll. 3. 22. Ephes. 68. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Gen. 18. 19. Psal. 101. 6. The second sort of people Acts 2. 44. Rom. 6. 23. The third sort of people The fourth sort of people Acts 19. 19. Acts 19. 24. See Doctour Wilson vppon Vsurie Bishop Iewel vpon the 1. Thess. c. Ezech. 18. 13. Psal. 15 5. Religion no enimie to lawfull gaine Matth. 6. 33. Matth. 4. 4. Leuit. 26. 26. Reuel 3. 4. Amos 8. 11. Psalm 12. 12.