Certaine godly and necessarie Sermons preached by M. Thomas Carew of Bilston in the countie of Suffolke The first concernes the misterie of godlinesse and religion it selfe 1. Tim. 3. The second concernes regeneration and the necessitie of hauing our part in that misterie Iohn 3. The third containes the meanes of attaining therevnto together with the small number in comparison of those that are partakers thereof Mark 4. The fourth shewes the remedy against Sathans temptations who seekes continually to keepe and draw vs from it Eph. 6. The fift declares the shortnesse of our life and vncertaine certeintie of our death when we shall receiue the reward of it Psal 90. The sixt comprehends an example and discription of that rewarde together with the punishment of those that want it Luke 16. In the end of follovveth three more perticular Sermons The first concerning Gentlemen specially those that are so by office Deut. 16. The second concerning Gentlewomen 1. Pet. 3. The third and last concerning Yeomen and Tradesmen especially Clothiers AT LONDON Printed for George Potter dwelling in Paules Church-yarde at the signe of the Bible 1603. To the right worshipfull M. Thomas Carew of Crokeham in the countie of Sommerset and M. Clipsbie Gawdie of Gawdie hall in the countie of Norffolke HAuing for some reasons begun and by Gods goodnesse finished this little booke being after the vsuall manner to make choise of some person or persons vnder whose name I might commend it to the world my affection caried me as the first so at the last to resolue generally vpon those who are my kinsmen in the flesh both by consanguinitie or affinitie who although by the prouidence of God they be separated and seated as it were in the East and the West yet I desire and indeauour that they may sit together with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God and particulerly I made choise of you as the chiefe among the rest especially that I am knowne vnto and may be bolde withall to whome for auncient loue and benefits I haue beene most beholding especially because this little booke as a messenger of my thankefulnesse might stand in steed of other duties which the distance of place and other necessities will not suffer me to performe vnto you and yours praying you with all the rest of my friends as if I named them to accept and read it with the same affection that I haue written it which I shall take as a recompence of my trauaile in hope of the fruite thereof that may vnite vs more neerely by a new birth in the spirituall kindred of Christianitie which I beseech Almighty God in Iesus Christ our Lord by his omnipotent and holy spirit to bring to passe in vs all for our mutuall reioysing in this life and eternall saluation in the life to come Amen Your poore kinsman and ready friend to commaund in Christ Tho Carew The Epistle to the Reader ALthough Christian reader that the multitude of Bookes already set forth by worthy men the forbearance of many other to write much more worthy then my selfe and the censures of some that will passe vpon euery thing that is committed to the view of all as their seuerall affections stand either to the man or the matter with some other things might discourage me from this labour yet because I see that ancient bookes though neuer so excellent are laide aside and new bookes are taken into the hands of the common people and that diuers men according as they haue seuerall reasons are of seuerall all dispositions this way and because he that regards the winde shall not sowe I lay aside discouragement and also would haue thee thinke that the reason mentioned in the former Epistle is a sufficient motiue to me though it seeme not so to thee if thou wilt bestowe paines to read this booke bestowe thy charitie to vse it well and pray with me to God that giues increase to the planting of Paul and the watring of Apollo that together with the greater and better labours of other of his seruants it may be blessed at least in some small measure to Gods church especially to those to whom I haue chieflie directed it and so thou shalt further my purpose and binde me to thankfulnesse â— The Summe of Christianitie 1. TIMOTH 3. 16. Without controuersie great is the misterie of godlinesse which is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into glory _â—Hen the Apostle Paul had by the preaching of the Gospell planted a Church at Ephesus and Acts. 20. was for like purposes to depart from thence to other places he left Timothie the Euangelist there aswell to confirme his doctrine and water that he had planted as to ordaine ordinarie ministers and officers who might by continuall teaching gouerning and prouiding for the poore keepe that church in good estate carry the same forward vnto perfection Now because Timothie was a young man the businesse committed vnto him waightie and his enemies and temptations many and mightie he writes this Epistle vnto him as he hath said in the former verse that he might know how to behaue himselfe in the Church which for excellencie he calles the house of God the piller and ground of truth Now hauing in the former part of this chapter shewed what Ministers should be chosen and how they should be qualified in these words he shewes a reason thereof drawne from the matter whereabout they must be occupied which is not in genealogies Iewish fables which he hath forbidden them before as too trifling and vnprofitable Chap. 1. things for Ministers to spende their time in but they must be occupyed about the doctrine of pietie and Christianitie now as they must be speciall men so they must bee occupied about speciall matters that are secret and vnknowne to the world that are of great vse and benefit to the Church and that are amiable and admirable to the Angels Great is the misterie of godlinesse Now the former description of Ministers laide with this doctrine for Ministers doth shew they must be wise religious and sanctified men that shall teach religion to the people otherwise they shall preach at the least in a great part that which themselues doe not vnderstand as our Sauiour Christ said to Nichodemus Art thou a Teacher in Israell and knowes not these things and as the Iesuites Iohn 3. who in the Rhemish Testament prooues themselues to be the teachers of all men yet shew they vnderstand not the mysterie of religion for they haue passed ouer these words with silence and speake not a worde of this text that doth containe so great a matter For without controuersie saith the Apostle great is the mysterie of godlinesse or religion When he saith Without controuersie he meanes it is confessed of all nations and of all sortes of men that religion is a great thing for although
there be diuers opinions in the world which is the true religion the Iewes thinke it is contained in their Talmud the Turkes thinke it is contained in their Alcaron the Papists thinke it is contained in their Masse-booke and we say it is contained in the Scripture yet all doe confesse and it is out of controuersie that religion is a great thing and although many doe not approoue of Christian religion yet it being granted that this is the true religion to looke for saluation in and by Iesus Christ who was God manifested in the flesh all will agree it is a great mistery he hath said in the former verse he write in his Epistle to Timothy that he might know how to behaue himselfe in the Church the piller and ground of truth now he saith immediately Great is the misterie of Godlinesse or Religion teaching vs that is the true and godly religion that is grounded in the trueth or word of God and that hath alwayes beene professed in the Church and that all the religions that are out of the Church and that doe dissent from the word are vntrue and vngodly Misterie He calles true religion a mistery because it is hidden from and refused of the most because it is perceiued and therefore imbraced but of a few and because it is preached but in part of any and well may the Apostle call true religion a Mistery for the Heathens dreame not of it the Iewes deny it Papistes peruert it yea many that are in the visible Church doe not perceiue it at least the trueth and godlinesse of it but doe take superficiall knowledge for sound knowledge a dead faith for a liuely faith and counterfeite godlinesse for true godlinesse and no maruell for religion is contrary to nature and reason the eye of religion Adam hath put out and all men are blinde vntill they be againe enlightned by grace therefore the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiues not the things of God neyther can he because 1. Cor. 2. they are spiritually discerned If religion could haue beene perceiued by naturall reason the wise Philosophers would haue found it out but in all their writings there is a perpetuall silence of it No man can by reason iudge certainely of many naturall things subiect to sence as the exceeding swiftnesse magnitude and altitude of the Sunne Moone and Starres of the causes and effects of the thunder lightnings earthquakes and how much lesse can men pearce into Gods secrets with their owne eyes There be many artes and trades in the world and euery of them is called a mistery because the perceiuerance and practise of them is beyond the reach of common men that haue not beene bound prentise to them how much more must the art of Christianity and religion needes be misticall All other religions are not misteries especially not great misteries but may be perceiued and conceiued by naturall reason but true religion cannot Yea the Apostle calles it a mistery not only in respect of those that be irreligious and haue no perceiuerance of it but as I said in respect of those that be religious who although they know it truly yet they know it not perfectly as Paul saith of himselfe and all other Christians We know in part if we know any thing but in part it is misteries 1. Cor. 5. Nay that which is more religion may be called a misterie in respect of the Angels for they knowe it not fully as Peter 1. Pet. 1. saith for hauing spoken of the Prophets foretelling of Christs suffrings and the glorie of Christians he saith the which things the Angels desire to beholde And that religion is a great mysterie we shall more plainely see by the opening of the Text and handling of the wordes as they follow in order But before we come to the particulers of it let vs marke generally that seeing religion is a great thing we must not account it little nor vnderprise it as many doe but iudge and esteeme highly of it and thinke all things in the world little in respect of it and other persons no body in comparison of those that haue it Furthermore let vs marke that seeing religion is a misterie we must neither be so arrogant as to thinke we can easily conceiue and vnderstand it nor so negligent as not to enquire and search after it but humbly and diligently by hearing of Sermons by reading the Scriptures by conferring with good men who are best acquainted with it and especially by prayer vnto God seeke and labour to be instructed in it Men are inquisitiue after court newes and strange newes that concernes great persons and great matters that euery one knowes not then let vs enquire for this heauenlye mysterie that concernes the highest And lastly seeing he calles religion the misterie of godlinesse let vs note it is a misterie both in the knowledge of it and in the practice of it Therefore as none can tell what true godlinesse meanes but those that be religious so none can tell what true religion meanes but those that be godly there is no religious man but hee that is godly and there is no godly man but he that is religious God manifested c. Now we come to the words of the Text wherein the Apostle sets downe the substance of religion which at the first view seemes a matter not hard to conceiue but by the examination of the circumstances of it we shall by the grace of God see how truely and fitly the Apostle hath called it a misterie And although there be some partes of religion that are not plainly expressed in this Text as that of election and the resurrection c. Yet both those and all the parts of religion are comprehended in these words for it is said God hath elected vs in Christ Iesus Ephe. 1. Ioh. 11. and also that we shall be raised vp againe by him Saint Iohn saith Euery spirite which 1. Ioh. 4. confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit which deemeth that Iesus Christ is not come in the flesh is not of God as there is no heresie or false religion but doth impugne Christ either in whole or in part but doth deny him in his names in his natures or his offices so on the contrarie there is no part of true religion but hath reference vnto Christ therfore when he comes to set downe the misterie of religion he saith it is this God is manifested in the flesh So that religion followes from God to man and againe leades man to God the mistery of it is that God and man the creator and the creature is ioyned togeather which as one saith Is such a thing that to speake of no man is worthy and to vtter no man is able What then shall I doe saith he shall I be silent or shall I speake be silent I dare not least I should conceale so great a benefit speake I cannot least I should
though Verse 5. it be stone in the bottome yet it hath some earth in the top and the seede takes a little roote and springs vp sodainly but the earth is so shallow and the stones so many that it cannot take any deepe roote but when the heate comes it withers away To this ground our Sauiour Christ compares some men that are not so sencelesse as the former but goe a degree further they perceiue some beautie and excellencie in the Gospell feele some sweetnesse in it as the Apostle saith in the Hebrews They haue a Heb. 6. taste of the good worde of God Luke saith These men receiue the seede with ioye they Luk. 8. 13 will commend the Sermon and the Preacher and shewe a greene blade of profession and flourishing shewe of religion and though they haue some ioye in the worde yet it is not in the commandement to knowe and doe their dutie but onely in the promises of the Gospell that sets forth the grace of God and saluation in Christ as if it belonged to them and therefore it is said they beleeue for a time but their Luk. 8. 13 hearts be so hard that they cannot mourne for their sinnes and wants and though the worde be the meanes to soften mens harts yet it cannot mollifie them but they remaine stonie There is nothing so harde but by arte and workemanship may be sofned mettals are melted with the fire Yron is made plyable with the hammer a Dyamond is broken with the bloud of a Goate but some mens hearts are so hard that neither the hammer of the worde the fire of hell nor the bloud of Christ can soften them there is great complainte of the stone in the raines but fewe complaine of the stone in the hearte or of a stonie heart Christ saith these men haue no roote Verse 17 in themselues their religion stands in the Prince in the Minister in their bookes in their wiues in their friends they haue no true vnderstanding nor power of grace in themselues that which is in them it is in their tongues to speake a little their hearts are so harde within that the worde cannot take roote enough to endure the stormes and trials of heate and colde that it might bring forth fruite They continue but a time That is their ioy they tooke in the word continues not their fresh shew of religion continues not as it is necessarie to imbrace the truth so it is necessarie to continue in it if we change it cannot be for the better but for the worse Christ saith If yee continue in my worde yee are verily my disciples if yee continue not ye are Iohn 8. not my aisciples in deed but in shew Some continue too long in error and false religion as the Turkes Papists Anabaptists and others but that is not constancie but obstinacie constancie is in the trueth it is obstinacie that is in error Salomon hath said Buy the truth but sell it not therefore it is pittifull and fearefull that some should let it goe when they haue it Apostacie is the most dangerous and vnrecouerable sinne that may be so terribly described in the Hebrews that it is vnpossible such a man should bee renued by Heb. 6. repentance and Iohn saith The prayers of the Church cannot helpe him Peter saith It 1. Ioh. 5. had beene better for him neuer to haue knowne 2. Per. 2. the truth then after he hath knowne it to turne from it Therefore that hee might make this sinne of Apostacie odious to all men and Apostates odious to other men hee compares them to the Sowe that was washed and returnes to her wallowing in the mire and to the Dogge that returnes and resumes his vomit Those that haue beene Apostates as Iudas and Iulian are neuer named in the Church but with detestation such a one is vnfit for the company of men he must be giuen ouer to sathan Therefore Paul calles the Galathians foolish Galathians because they did not runne out their race These stonie men though they be fresh at the first comming of the Gospell they are no body at the last but are like to Plinies Lion that at the first litter had fiue at a clap after euery litter bated one till at last shee had none at all In worldlye matters mens after-wit is best and shall it in matters of religion be worst at last Therefore let vs heare that waightie exhortation of the Apostle Take heede Heb. 3. least at any time there bee in any of you an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart from the liuing God And so much the rather let vs take heede of it because our Sauiour Christ saith here there bee some men that receiue the worde with ioye and yet continue but a time Luke saith Beleeue for Luk. 8. a time that is professe the faith for a time not that they had iustifying faith at all for that cannot be lost as Iohn saith Whosoeuer beleeue in Christ shall not perish but haue eternal Iohn 3. life And true faith saith the same Apostle in his first Epistle ouercomes the worlde 1. Ioh. 5. but the meaning is these men do professe the faith as Simon Magus did and seeme to themselues and others that they doe beleeue Acts. 8. but it is a fayned faith that is ouercome of the world not a iustifying faith for the gates of hell shall not preuaile against Mat. 16. that much lesse the gates of the prison It is not a true faith for that bings forth ripe fruite as Iames speakes but a counterfeit and dead faith without fruite therefore it is saide they beleeue and continue but a time that is a short time for true faith also ceases in the life to come therefore 2. Cor. 13 Peter saith The godly receiue the ende of their faith euen the saluation of their soules but 2. Pet. 1. these men beleeue but a shorte time they giue ouer in this life neuer come to that excellent end because they neuer had any true beginning When persecution ariseth because of the word Our Sauiour Christ shews the reason why these men continue but a time the chiefe reason is indeede because the word tooke no roote in them they had no sound faith they wanted grace but this is the sencible reason or occasion of their reuolting they are afraide of affliction and loue to sleepe in a whole skinne such were the Israelites that would goe into the wildernesse to worship God but when they were pinched a little they became murmurers such were the professors at Rome that Paul speakes of At my first 1. Cor. 10 answering saith he all men forsooke me such 2. Tim. 4. were many in King Edwards time which then had a blade of religion but when Queene Mary came it withered away and such are all those that be time-seruers of whom we may haue a great gesse now but no certaine triall till persecution
come it is wofull to thinke how many we shall see then of this kinde of ground Some doe continue till the gowte layes holde of them as King Asa some till the worlde layes holde of them as Demas and some doe continue till persecution layes holde of them as Francis Spera some men are like the Snaile that put out a long paire of hornes but if yee doe but touch them in they goe others will stand out some small matters but the threatning of death is the death of their religion but our Sauiour Christ saith to the Church of Smirna continue faithfull to the death and I will giue thee a crowne of life our Sauiour Christ hauing tould his Disciples of warres of enemies and dangers saith he that continues to the end shal be saued and bids them not feare him that killes the body Mat. 24. for the feare of a thing is many times worse then the thing it selfe for though persecutioÌ„ be threatned we know not what the intent of it is We reade of Domicianus the Emperor of Rome who made a proclamation that all those that would not worship an image should be banished wherevpon many of his subiects because they would keepe good consciences fled the rest yeelded became idolaters Then the Emperor called againe those that fled and placed them next vnto him and those that worshipped the image he banished from him saying they that wil not be faithfull to God will not be faithfull to me But if there should be a ful purpose of the maiestrate to shed the bloud of the Saints they cannot doe it except vntil God will suffer them for Christ saith A haire of your head shall not perish without your fathers prouidence he can change the kings hart it may bee we shall suffer but a few lewd words as they caled the christians in queene Maries daies holy knaues holy whores but remember the seruant is not better then his maister it may be a little imprisonment yet he can giue vs fauour in the eyes of the keeper of the prison as he did Ioseph he can open the prison dores and loose our fetters as he did Peter and if God giue liberty to the persecuters Acts. 10. yet they can but kill the body and if Gods will be we should die why should wee haue a will to liue if Philemon did owe to Paul not onelye that which hee had but himselfe how much more doe wee owe our selues to God as one saith If God had but giuen mee my life Iowe it him againe but seeing he hath giuen for mee the life of his sonne what am I to that gift in the 11. to the Heb. we reade of many Martirs that were diuersely persecuted and would not bee deliuered it is reported of a French Martir who beeing offered this fauour to bee spared of his chaines and fetters as hee went to execution aunswered no but the more contemptible his death was the more honourable Remember whatsoeuer we suffer for Christ he suffered more for vs shall a fire of stickes that lastes but an houre daunt a Christian man that so many women yea so many children haue indured cannot he that caused the fire that it should not touch the three children make it burne thee quicklve cannot hee that caused the Lions that they should not touch Daniel cause them to crush thee softely let vs remember that the honour of Martyrs hath alwayes bin great in the Church and their reward is great in heauen therefore saith wise Salomon buy the trueth but sell it not no Mat. 5. not for thy life and on contrarywise let vs consider what an vnwise thing it is to deny the trueth for the company of friendes to loose the familiarity of God and his Angels for hope of preferment to loose the inheritance of heauen for feare of paine to throw our selues into the torments of hell for regarde of the body to cast awaye the soule besides that it may be a man that so saues his life shall loose it within a weeke after by some disease or mischance yet if he should liue twenty yeares he shall finde his life worse then death for better is a happy death then an vnhappy life for the torment of conscience that will follow the denying of the trueth is worse then persecution as yee may see in Dauid who found the torment of his sinne of adultery from which there was no escape a heauier thing to beare then all the persecutions of Saule how much more heauy thinke we will be the occasion of the sinne of Apostacie as yee may see in Francis Spera who beeing a professor of religion for feare of persecution fell to imbrace Popery then he cryed out of himselfe that he was a reprobate and wished that he might be ten thousand yeares in hell fire so that at length hee might be deliuered Seeing it is so let vs pray to God to soften our hartes that the worde may take deepe roote in vs that as we know professe it so we may beleeue and bring forth fruite of it for those that doe not beleeue and practise it will not dye for it those that will doe nothing for it will suffer nothing for it and let vs pray to God that we may cleaue vnto it not for a time but alwayes for our reward shall not be a reward of dayes and yeares but for euer Also they that receiue the seede among thornes Verse 18. There is a third sort of ground that were fitter to beare fruit then the two former but that there are thornes bryers and weedes in it vnpulled vp that springes higher branches further and spreds wider then the Corne and choake the seede that it cannot beare fruite to this kinde of ground our Sauiour Christ compares those men that haue wit reason and capacity enough and might become good men and doe good duties but other things which hee callâ—â— thornes takes vp the roome in their harts that they cannot Our Sauiour Christ shews also what these thornes be that chaoke the word that is to say the cares of the world deceitfulnesse of ritches Luke addeth voluptuousnesse in a word hee meanes by thornes the corrupt lustes of mens nature that doe carry them so egerly after the profits pleasures of the world that they neglect the duties of godlines that are prescribed in the word By cares of the world oâ—â— Sauiour Christ doth not meane moderate care for that the word doth command and may stand well with religion Salomon reprooues carelesnesse and telles vs that the Pro. 6. little Emit that wantes reason dooth prouide in Summer for winter much more should a man that hath reason and most of all a man that hath religion as Paul saith He that prouides not for his house and familye 1. Tim. 5. hath denied the faith and is worse then an infidell But by cares of the worlde heere our Sauiour Christ meaneth immoderate and excessiue cares that the worlde