Iesus Christ how wonderfull are thy workes in all the world For out of the mouthes of Preachers sometimes very babes and suckâ— lings thou hast ordained strength that thereby thou mightst make thy power the more to be knowne in suppressing the rage and fury of Sathan the enemie of all mankind by such weake and feeble instruments And this thou hast done O Lord of thine vnspeakable mercy in Christ considering that we are but dust and cannot endure the presence of an Angel to speak vnto vs much lesse are wee able to behold thee in thy glorious brightnesse Nay O Lord no man can see thee and liue Eternally therefore blessed be thy goodnes O God for ordaining so sacred and so â—afe a meanes for our â—nowledge and acknowledgeâ—ent of thee and of him whome â—hou hast sent Christ Iesus our Lord For it hath pleased thee 〈◊〉 put thy word into the mouthes 〈◊〉 men to publish it vnto vs. Thou hast clothed their hearts â—ith thy righteousnesse to furâ—â—sh them with grace Thou â—ast added the power thereof 〈◊〉 thy sacred spirite to guide vs to all truth thou hast shewâ—â— the effects thereof in the sanâ—â—itie of our liues good works 〈◊〉 thy great glory Thou hast giuen vs the ioye â—ereof in the songs of holy ones 〈◊〉 our solaâ—e and the end thereâ—â— in the saluation of our sinfull â—ules and bodies to our eternall â—â—licitie in heauen O Lord who can sufficiently â—â—â—toll thy Maiesty for this thy â—â—rpassing fauour towards vs â—et vs entreate thy goodnesse for Christ his sake to stirre vp and â—uicken â—our dull hearts to a thankefull acceptance of this thy blessing Make vs to loue the preaching of thy word that sacred Ambassage from heauen that wee may bee throughly reconciled vnto thee Make it the sauour of life vnto vs and let iâ— in no wise bee the sauour of death vnto vs or any of vâ— Make vs to thinke reuerently of these whom thou hast seperated and sent to be the lighteâ— and guide of this world cause vs to esteeme of them preciously to loue them heartily to pray for them effectually and to heare them with all possible respects fulnes as people knowing that 〈◊〉 that hearetâ— them heareth thee hee that receyueth them receyueth thee hee that regardeth them regardeth thee and hee that doth for them doth for thee as people knowing it is thy Word they preach thy holy will they teach thy heauenly worshippe and diuine seruice they entreat â—s to embrace as people knowâ—â—g that the glorie thereof is â—â—ine the good thereof is ours â—â—en to the sauing of our selues â—â—d children in both worlds O King of Heauen giue vs â—â—ermore of this Manna the â—ngels foode of this water of 〈◊〉 of this celestiall treasure of â—is fruite of life of those songs 〈◊〉 Sion of this speech of Canaâ—â—â— of this salt of the earth of â—â—is light of life of this dew of â—ermon of this name of Iesus 〈◊〉 this eternall Gospell by the â—eaching of thy holy will As â—e heare it O Lord let it diâ—ill into our soules as thy holy â—â—â—ction Let it stirre our harts 〈◊〉 thy power Let it bowe our â—ils to thy obedience as thy â—â—unsell Let it sanctifie our 〈◊〉 as thy ordinance let it â—â—epare vs throughout for thee 〈◊〉 Lord and for the glory of thy â—ace for euer Humble our hearts with the remembrance what wretches we were without this reuelation of thy Sonne Say vnto vs you were dogs and might not eaâ—â— the childrens breade you were hogges and might not haue these pretious pearls cast vnto 〈◊〉 you were as vncircumcised Pâ—listines as cursed Canâ—anitâ—â— as diuelish Samaritans as Heâ— theniâ—h Pagans as Turkish Iâ—â—â—â—dels But I haue washed purgâ—â— purified and sanctified you wiâ—â— my grace I haue called you my name and I will blesse yoâ— for euer O Lord God Graunt thâ—â— wee may eate but the crumâ—â— vnder thy table that wee 〈◊〉 touch but the hemme of thy vâ— sture that thou wilt but speaâ— the Word onely and we wretches shall liue shall bee healeâ— shall bee happie to thy prayse 〈◊〉 euer Say Lord vnto our soules am your saluation So shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bee gladde all our 〈◊〉 so shall wee study to set 〈◊〉 thy honour and will vow 〈◊〉 sacrifices of thankefulnesse 〈◊〉 of soule and body in our 〈◊〉 and children for euer O heare vs King of Heaâ—â—â— and grant these blessinges 〈◊〉 thine to be continued vnto vs 〈◊〉 to our seed to al our generatiâ—â— for the merites of thy deare â—â—ne Christ Iesus our most â—â—â—â—acious Redeemer Amen GOD BELEEVED on in the World Explication THat the World should beleeue in God is the mystery of mysteries First that the World should beleeue in GOD in the vnitie of his essence and Trinity of existence Then to beleeue God in the verity of his written word And lastly to relye vpon God in the assurance of his loue for his promise sake this I say to know is eternall life and for the World to know it is a world of wonders For how should the World come by this sauing knowâ—edge 〈◊〉 Take the World as in â—oly writ it sometimes signiâ—ies the reporbate of whome Christ sayth I pray not for the â—orld that is for the reprobate of the world these beleeue not Take it Cosmographically for the frame of heauen and of earth contayning the firmamentary and elementary regions these parts are not â—apable of such mysteries â—ut vnderstand it of the Eâ—ect people of God inhabiâ—ing within the limites of the knowne Christian world and â—else where dispersed and scattered vpon the surface of the whole earth as it is taken in this place and then this mystery will bee reuealed vnto vs. For otherwise as the world 〈◊〉 more generally taken for the people of the world It is altogether set vpon wickednesse The World receyues not the Spirite of truth The Worlde knownes not God The world is at defiance with God as may plainely appeare by the contrariety betwixt God and the woâ—ld The spirit of God being loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnes faith meekenesse and temperance The Spirite of the World being adulterie fornication vncleannes lasciuiousâ—es idolatrie witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions hypocrisies enuyings murthers drunkennesse reuellings How could it euer be thought that these thinges so contrariantly opposit should euer accord Yet behold this great mysterie for this malignant contrariant exorbitant refractory World is conquered by holy saith in the bloud of Christ and multitudes of millions in the World albeit not of the World Liue loue and beâ—eeue in God amidst the furious cruell and deadly rage â—atred and bloudy cruelty of many miscreants and infidell worldlings So that now God hath purchased by faith a world of people to himselfe called out of the vniuersall masse and multitude of people in the World to know and acknowledge him to be their God and Sauiour This is the sence of these words And the sacred
thereof which is maruellous and in respect of the manner which is miraculous The matter maruellous that we for lorne wretches and dust creeping wormes blinded in our own vnderstandings hardned in our hearts and infected in our affections should euer become coheires with Christ the Sonne of God taken out as a remnant from among all other creatures which God seemed to passe ouer and to neglect in respect of vs for God hath not communicated this mysterie in such neernesse no not to the blessed Angels for To which of the Angels sayde God at any time Sit on my right hand vntill I make thine enemies â—hy footestoole The manner miraculous that fleshâ— and bloud should become such holy seruants enlightned in their vnderstandings mollified in their hearts reformed in all their desires yea sanctified throughout both in spirit soule and body and should become such resolute souldiers in Gods battels vpon such hard tearmes of intertainement as were proclaymed by Christ to his followers beeing conditions so offensiue and contrariant to the nice nature of men and women which were That if they followed Christ and would liue godly in this present world they should suffer persecution they should be hated of all men they should be whipped and murthered yea they should fare as Lambes among Wolues In a word their swords of Reuenge must be euer words of Grace and Edification their fightings patience their wealth ofttimes greeuous want their feasting fasting their whole life very miserable in respect of others they being abridged of many outward things and their ende in the sight of men oft-times most lamentable Great therefore doubtlesse is this mystery of godlinesse which for all these hard conditions or whatsoeuer heresie schisme apostasie the world the flesh or the diuell could doe to crosse it discerneth truth from falsehood by Euangelicall reuelation the effect of Preaching and by doctrine the effect of knowledge which Saint Angustine calleth Christian Doctrine by the patient sufferings of Gods Saints in the bloudie butcheries and persecution of the Christian Church Great is the mysterie of godlinesse yea so Great that God became man and man became God that this God-man was manifested in the flesh so great was it that it was iustified by the spirit both of power and puritie so bright that the Angels desire to behold it so great that the Iles a farre off heare it preached the harts of men are subdued there with to beleeue it and the nature of man in the person of the Sonne of God is receiued vp in glory Great is this holy mysterie that mâ—n therby should haue a new birth by Regeneration a new heart by Sanctification new desires by holy Resolution and become good godly and piouâ— men from out all obliquities defects and euills of their sinfull nature which is wholly corrupted as of infidels to become beleeuers of vncleane persons to become chaste of drunkards sober men of lyars truth loueuers and in a word of sinfull and sensuall miscreants to become fast and faithfull Christians Yea it is so Great that it is miraculous for in despight of Sathan and all the powers of darkenesse it worketh miraculous effects in our weake and feeble natures It enlightneth our vnderstandings with the sight of God by faith in the mirrour of Iesus Christ for being puâ—ified in heart wee shall see God It abandoneth all multiplicitie of gods in Paganism for in vntruthes there is no end of lying It detecteth all Turkish impostures and all Mahumetan dreames of their Miscelanian mongrill Alcaron It cleereth the oraâ—cles of Gods will the sacred Scriptures from all the Talmudicall muddie glosses of the Iewish Rabinicall Sanheâ—drim And in a word it refuteth all Popish innouations and misguiding traditions and whatsoeuer else dependeth thereon For the Antiquitie of this godlinesse is the Ancient of dayes and wee may easily answer all our opposits brags of Antiquitie with this It was not so from the beginning The counsels of this Godlinesse are Apostolicall Orthadoxe not Trentall or Lateran for the voyce froÌ„ heauen was Heare him The fathers hereof Saint Paul and Saint Peter and others the fathers of the fathers This is a mysterie indeede and a great mysterie and more then that the mysterie of Godlinesse not the curious querees of mans vain greatnesse to wit the secret mysteries of nature either of the firmamentarie orelementarie world for abstruse knowledge we leaue to Aristotle Lemnius Cardanus Cornelius Agrippa Albert us Auerhoes Trismegistus such like the searchers inquisitors of natures niceties the end whereof for the most part is vaine Phylosophy they that spend their dayes in such triflings eyther fayle of this happy end to bee Godly like those that seeke with the expence of witte and wealth the Elixar of the Philosophers stone the Worlds woodcocke or fal away from God in Astrologicall calculations with the curious Chaldeans and Egyptians But this Godlinesse is the Great Riches for albeit it hath nothing of the World yet it possesseth all the thinges of God That 's a mysterie indeed It dignifieth vs with the grace of Sanctification aboue our wretched nature and diefieth vs with the happinesse of Glorification aboue the visible Heauens That is a great mysterie It is the salt of the earth seasoning vs and all the acts wee doe that we and they may bee rationall sacrifices acceptable to God in Christ yea and it is the fauour of Heauen breathing into vs the breath of eternall life whereby wee are made partakers of the Diuine nature in beleeuing on God in this Worlde and in louing him shall liue for euer in the other world This Godlines must needs be great when the great God by his holy Spirit is the worker thereof for who can repaire the ruines of our rotten and corrupt nature but the God of nature Hee it is who onely can take away the stony heart and giue vs a fleshie plyable and penitent heart that onelie can rid vs out of sathans snares restore vs to a sound mind Great is this Godlinesse seing nothing could moue God to doe this for vs but his owne great loue to mankind and the death and Resurrection of that great Prophet Christ Iesus the Sonne of God Great in respect of the means wherby God conuayed this Godlinesse vnto vs for the faith of this Godlines conuerteth vs by the doctrine of the Law to know our selues our sins by the preaching of the Gospell to know our selues in Christ Iesus to bee saued and oft times by afflictions wee are weaned from the World and are made to take liking of God and godlines So wee see that in the first act of our becomming good wee are meerely passiue for what can a dead man doe to quicken himselfe and wee were all dead in sinnes and trespasses but after wee are thus quickned by Gods acte wee know that we are aliue and reioyce in
great glory to iudge both the quicke and the dead Come Lord Iesus Come quickly O holy spirit of purity and power assist my weake and feeble spirit to bee lift vp vnto thee in prayer Oh righteous God and most merciful Father in Iesus Christ to whome the spirites of the iust are always and euery where lift vp remember mee in thy great goodnes For I acknowledge and confesse vnto thee my many and manifolde infirmities wretchednesses and wickednesses both in the sinnes of my body and also in the sinnes of my soule Now a long time O Lord I haue bin grieuously teÌ„ptead with the spirits not of infirmitie only which dwell in my flesh but with foule filthy spirits of pride ambition enuie worldly pollicie other vile vaine deceitfulnes of mine own heart and oft times with lothsom and vgly spirits of lust adultry gluttony druÌ„kenes wantonesse many other such like euills which haunt me daily eyther in thought word or deed and seeke to harâ—our in my polluted flesh giuing me no rest nor respite but are still seeking and daily assayling to ruinate and run ouer me and are dayly fighting and troubling me I haue sinned O Lord I haue sinned I haue done euil in thy fight and these euills are punishments vnto mee for the same It is I Oh Lord it is I and it seemeth to me that it is none but I that euer sinned so hainously against thee I seeme to my selfe of all others to be the most miserable most distressed and most wretched creature on the earth What shall I doe O Creator of heauen and of earth Thou preseruer of mankinde whether shal I flye from these vgly Monsters that thus pursue my soule and daylie seeke to preuaile against me I know not where to be safe from them but onely to flye vnto thee Oh Lord who onely canst still the raging and the roaring of the great waters when they arise and swell who onely canst chaine the Diuell when hee is â—rampant and ready to deuoure and who onely canst cast out the vncleane spirite with a worde that they neuer enter any more Now therefore come I to thee O King of Saints shewing to thee my malady my misery my moâ—rning how I lye here among the graues of the deade and torment my selfe being possessed with the rage and hell of my misdeedes and crie after thee O sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee and deliuer mee by the power of thy might by thy stretched out arme and by one touch of thy sacred goodnesse that it may dispossesse Sathan the strong man of his hold that it may heale me and cast out the vncleane spirites and may vtterly abandon sinne shame and Sathan farre from me and from my dwellings Take from mee for Christ his sake mine owne wretched spirit of infidelitie pride mallice and vnconstancie and grant vnto me O Lord in steed thereof thy blessed spirit of truth humilitie charitie and perseuering constancy Oh take from me O Lord mine owne spirit of vncleanenesse couetousnesse flouthfulnesse and bestow vpon me in steed thereof thine holy spirit of purenesse liberalitie and of all carefull and Christian circumspection Take from me deare Father mine owne spirit of crookednesse wherwith I haue beene vexed and bowed together for many yeares and grant mee thy Spirit of power to raise me vp and thy strength that I may resist sinne in these dayes of my combating that I may so resolutely deuoute my selfe to theâ— and to thy sacred seruice that I may neuer more hearken to subtill and enticing spirits of pleasure of errors of impietie O sacred spirit that didst moue vpon the waters in the creation of the world now moue the streames and fountains of my life in my regeneration and new birth Shake the very foundations of my soule that the image of Christ Iesus may bee repayred in me which I vile wretch by my sinnes haue miserably deformed and defaced O blessed spirit help mine infirmities heale my imperfections compassionate my miseries and make intercession for me with sighes vnutterable which will haue no nay That I may feele my selfe comforted by thee the spirit of consolation in all the wayes of godlinesse that I may perceiue my selfe to bee led on into all truth and veritie and may at the last assure mine owne spirit by thy blessed testimony that I am a child of thy gratious adoption O blessed Iesus that wast declared mightely to be the son of God by the powerfull spirit of sanctification and by rising from the dead that didst vanquish vtterly abandon all the powers all the houres of darkenesse and spirits of error and misbeleefe remoue farre from mee all heathenish Pagan and Popish idolatrie all confidence in any creature all flattering of mine own-selfe that the pure light of thy reuealed truth may shine into my heart that I may euer worship thee in spirit and truth as thou hast commanded And O God make my life holy innocent modest and honest in thy sight that I may see my heart repayred and renued by thy spirit of grace to walke before thee in godly and sincere integritie of conuersation all the remainder of my wretched dayes So am I assured Sathan shall neuer circumuent me nor the world deceiue me or mine owne flesh intice mee or enforce me from thy holy and sacred directions but if I fall I shall rise againe if I turne away at any time I shall returne againe So shall I euer magnifie thy name and multiplie prayses vnto thy maiestie and ascribe vnto thee honor and praise all my life long Grant these mercies vnto me O father of comfort and power for thy couenants sake made vnto mankinde in the iustification of thy Sonne Christ Iesus both for the sanctitie of his life for the suffering of his death and for the continuall intercession and mediation of his eternall priesthood hee now sitting at thy right hand for vs in Maiâ—stie and great glory and remaining a Priest for euer after the order of Mâ—lchisedech Behold vs wretches O holy Ghost whose soules cleaue vnto the ground quicken vs with thy might and lift vs vp from the grossenesse of our corruption to our spirituall beeing in Iesus Christ that wee may liue in the spirit loue in the spirit pray in the spirit and bee led thereby continually into all good actions being thereby purged and purified both in our spirits soules and bodyes from all dead and damnable workes of the flesh the world and the diuell That so at the last wee may through thy fauour O God bee perfectly vnited vnto thee in the spirit of sanctification in this life and in the euerlasting spirit of thy power be brought to our glorification in the other life through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen GOD SEENE of Angels Explication THis Manifestation of God in the flesh and iustification in the Spirit was so apparant and the glory thereof so great that it filled heauen and earth with the brightnesse of
the Apostle Sapere ad sobrietatem The iolly Counceller that learnedly argues titles of land pleas of debt dammages of clyent cause may hereby bee counselled to call to minde what claime or challenge he hath to heauen what plea hee ought to make for his owne debt which hee oweth to his Creator and if the damnage or wrong of his Clyent were his owne what plea what care what diligence would â—e vse to redres himselfe The disturbed yea oft times the poore miserable distracted Clyent that is delayed crossed encumbred snibbed many times ouerborne may herewithall endeuour to qualifiè and settle his wearyed and perplexed heart and looke vp vnto the master of requests in heauen and to referre his cause vnto the Iudge of the world Christ Iesus who iudgeth righteously And if his cause goe well with him yet hereby hâ—e may bee caused to remember in what passe his case is with God and to know who it is that lets a man see his desire vpon his enemies All what soeuer they be if they will be pleased to be aduised may herein see as in a viewe what Creation is that tendeth to saluation And so to abandon from their holy intentions all needelesse controuersies and fruitlesse contentions according to the reference of the prefixed context For the lamentable Controuersies about Religious Godlinesse are so many in number and so intrâ—cate in nature that the studious labours of any one man were he neuer so well qualified cannot sufficiently no not all the time of his life so much as enter into all the ambiguous laborinths thereof much lesse bee euer able to compose or conclude them For it falleth out in this kind as it doth in the quirks and quiddities of law cases and that 's a thousand pitties for the more lawyers retained oft times the more suites pleas counter pleas demurrers in Law and many other such like quaint deuises so the morewriting of controuersies the more subtilâ—ies euasions distinctions personall aspersions mistakings with all maleuolent stirrings and striuings to make good either part Such also hath beene the rotten condition of mankinde that when one hath once hatched brought foorth neuer so absured an opinion yet he findeth wits in the world ready to deuise trickes and shifts by nice distinctions and doubt full differences to mainetaine withall possible glosses the absurdities and shadowes thereof Besides if we consider the impossibilitie of composing and reconciling the controuersies of the setimes by reason of the auerse and setled resistance of the opponents both foraine and domestick together with the irreconciliable natures of the things controuerted and questioned and the little hope of any meanes to bee expected either from them that striue or from others their well-wishing neighbours or from both to reconcile and pacifie the furiousrage of either partie wee may euen despayre of expecting any certaine and setled ende of these miseries vntill the Lord Iesus come himselfe from heauen in his second and most glorious aduent and Consume with the spirit of his mouth all the gaynesayers and impostors of his sacred truth and abolish with brightnes of his comming all the mistie fogges of misperswasion and mis-beleefe Doubtlesse therefore in the meane while the best and most assured way for vs that loue and looke and long for Christs comming to finde rest to our distressed soules amidst such perplexed distractions and laborinths is to haue recourse to the pillar and foundation of all Christian faith the director to heauen which is the written word of God the one and onely way to the word begotten wherein many places wee shall finde couched in in few words the summe and substance of all our hope and happinesse in Christ both in nature grace and glory and that summe of Christianitie in so compendious an abridgment oft times reported that the shortest memorie may recount it and so playnely set downe that the weakest capacitie may conceiue it Such is this Scripture prefixed in which as in a running stream in some place the Elephant may swim for deepenes and in other the Lambe may wade for shall ownesse Leauing therfore behind vs the hellish afronting of all Godlinesse to the damned Athiest that sayth in his hart There is no God which some Achrists of Spaine I would they were not in England most Lucian-like and Iulian-like haue tearmes to the griefe of many good harts their Peccadillos or little sinne and appropriating the circular Diuinity of Temporizers-who goe in a Maze to painted Hypocrites Who are euer learning and neuer come to the acknowledgement of the Trueth because they feele not the power thereof nor endeauour to practise it together with all neutralizing staggerers and Cassandrian Courtiers who neyther cleaue to God nor to Baal but are like Ephraim a cake on the harth not turned which needes must be dough on the one side and burnt on the other hote in their singed zeale and lue warm in their fringed hypocrisie lastly abandoning from vs all nouell sectaries who eyther with the â—nostiques and Donatists challenge to themselus an impropriation of all reformed doctrine and discipline or with the Cathari boast of a Monopolie of perfect sincerity or with the rare illuminates of the world the Iesuites Iesuini Scofiotti Presbyteri Sanctae Luciae Reformati Sacerdotes or by what other titular denominations soeuer they bee tearmed who vndertake to haue the onely direction for all Christendome in ordine ad Deum or with the Capucini who aspire the onely mortification forsooth in a patched Capouch and with them vtterly forsaking all other rabbles and swarmes of monasticall and secular nominals who neglect the truth and the light thereof Let vs flie homeward with the distressed doue into the Arke which is the holy Scriptures to saue our selues from the general deluge and cataclisme of ambiguities questions and ouerflowings of vngodlinesse which assault vs here in this life the Ocean and sea of sorrow and hide from vs the brightnesse of Iesus Christ with the mists of impietie and fogs of vanity And let vs call to minde that all vnderstanding in Godlinesse is eyther Opnion Faith or perfect Knowledge Opinion beeing like the Twilight neyther certaine nor euident Faith as the dawning certaine but not euident and perfect Knowledge as the Sunne-shine both certaine and euident Opinion beeing the Conduite pipe of all controuersies the mother of heresies the seede of schisme and the heade of a Foxe and perfect knowledge onely proper to our triumphant and glorious estate in Heauen wee must here in this Life walke by faith This faith must haue a foundation to build vpon What 's that must it bee built on the Church that 's to generall so the Sarazens or Hagarens rather as Zozomene obserued a thousand yeares agoe haue their Masters Vppon the Fathers that 's too rusticall so the Iewes haue their Rabbins Vpon the Pope that 's too Phythagorical so the Gentiles had their Philosophers of their seuerall sects Vpon suddaine and fancifull
reuelations that 's meerely Anabaptisticall God in an engine Vpon what then Euangelical Esay the Lordes Prophet tels vs That our faith must bee founded vppon Gods Oracle the Scriptures and Christ the sonne of God biddes vs Search the Scriptures and Saint Peter a chiefe pillar of the Church sayeth Wee shall doe well to heede that certaine end of Prophesie as vnto a light that shineth in a darkplace vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in our hearts But stay who then shal be iudge of the scripture that our faith may bee setled with iudgement for as much as most Heretikes auouch scripture Shall Christians iudge betweene Christians in cases of controuersie no they are too partiall because they are parties Shal Pagans no they are not capable of holy mysteries shall Iewes no they are enemies of Christ. What then Shall wee knocke at heauen gates that Christ Iesus may come downe and decide these doubts What neede that Wee haue him in the Gospell sayth Cyprian wherein if we exercise our selues diligently by conferring scripture with scripture and expounding according to the Analogie and rule of our faith beeing guided by the iudgement of holy reformed Church which acknowledgeth no other guid but onely the Euangelicall and Apostolicall writings nor any other rocke to builde vpon but Iesus Christ nor any other City of refuge to flie vnto then the word of God which as Dauid sayth is a Lampe vnto our pathes for our liues a light as S. Peter sayth in darkenesse for our knowledge a ballance for our decision to weigh the light from the ponderous sayth S. Augustine a touch stone for our tryall as sayth S. Chrysostom to discern the currēt from the counterfeite and in a word as Constantine in the Nicene counsell sayde of all sufficiencie for our ful satisfaction and the onely deuoyment of all controuersies for our resolution wee shall doe well This being added that we pray earnestly with Dauid That God would open our eies that we may see the wōders of his Law Otherwise they that are conceyted in their owne singularity and priuat spirite either for doctrine of faith or direction for manners Sathan stands at their right hand and the thinges that should haue beene for their good are occasion of their falling These thinges beeing so what meanes the cursed malignants of our Church of England to trouble mens mindes with niceties the breeders of controuersies whence many monsters of opinion and thousand of fancies doe dayly arise which entangle the simple in many wofull Laborinthes as to demaund of vnsetled soules where was your Church hid vntill of late some hundred yeares since What Emperor raigned when it came forth or on what day was it hatched What age did the Religion you professe arise in What is become of our Forefathers These and the like interrogatories are as introductions and preambles to insnare and entangle the simple with needlesse questions and quiddities As if Petrus Valdus Lugdunensis Iohn Wicleefe Husse Luther and others such reformers did at any time endeauour to beget or set vppe a new Church whereas the truth is they onely diligently labored by the word of God and by the power thereof to reforme that Church which by mens traditions and deuizes was most miserably deformed and defaced and to reduce it to its former splendor and integrity Alwayes saluting that church though much deformed by the louing Sister And doubtlesse wee know many pious and chaste Matrones who iustly may be ashamed of their owne sisters enormious courses and exorbitant conditions Neyther did they vse any other means in seeking reformation but by yeelding onely and lamenting sayd Oh how is that faithfull City become an harlot It was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therein but now they are murtherers Thy siluer O sister is become drosse thy wine is mixed with water For these and the like important consideratiōs of the great defect miserable reuolt and dāgerous obliquities of those times they had learned Apostolicall counsel To haue no fellowship with such doings but to reproue them rather Were these and their followers then to bee accounted enemies and to be scornefully branded with the names of Waldenses Wicklefiās Hussites Lutherans and other the like disgracefull tearmes as if they had beene Nouelists because they tolde the truth God forbidde George Cassander the choyce diuine of his time said well and iuditiously when he gaue his sentence of the dissentions of the Church both to Ferdinand and Maximilian the Emperours acknowledging that in the beginning many were iustly stirred vp by a godly zeale earnestly to reproue and reforme some apparāt abuses in the church and that the principall cause of the Churches calamity and distraction was not to bee imputed to those who sought reformation but rather to such as ruled the stern who beeing puffed vp with disdaine and scorned to be rebuked proudly and peremptorily despised and disdayned those that modestly meekely and iustly did but admonish and aduertise them And hee thought that there could bee no firme nor constant concord in the Church vnlesse they beeganne to reforme who first gaue the occasion of distraction to witte that those of the Churches Gouernement must abate theyr rough rigor and sternnes yeeld somewhat for the peace of the church and by listening to the petitions and counsels of many godly and well disposed men should reforme the apparent errors and abuses crept into the church and conforme them according to the rule of Gods word and the primitiue integritie from which they were in many things declined If the case were come to this who would not embrace that sacred peace of the church wherewith the angells of heauen congratulated mankinde in the incarnation which Christ left as his legacie to his peculiar people when hee was to forsake the world and the Apostles as their principall doctrine enioyned to the Christian Church Euery one you say is ready for peace but what if we cannot haue it Then must we make peace as Saint Iames speaks by our diligence by our sufferance What if wee make peace once and it depart Then must wee follow peace as Paule commands What if it abandon vs Peter wisheth vs to seeke it and ensue it What if it will not come as Abrahams seruant sayde of Rebecca after wee haue sought it and ensued it Surely then must wee studie to bee quiet For what good Christian is not of worthy Constantines minde who desired of God to passe his dayes free from trouble and vexation And of Iouians who sayd this by chance touching a queroulous libel of the Macedonians I hate contentions and strife and those that are giuen to peace and concord I deerely loue and reuerence Oh what hellish furie hath enraged the malignant Church to stirre vp strife and controuersie against vs not onely all the day long but euen for time and times euen many ages The Arrians and Circumcellians neuer more raged against the Orthodoxe then Rome hath against vs. For
our godly wel doings At the first to worke this great 〈◊〉 the grace of God is in vs but when we once feele this sacred power wee are willingly ledde on to goodnes for the grace of God is with vs yet in all this wee haue here no absolute perfection but expect the consummation thereof in glory Tell mee then Beloued in the Lord is not this a mysterie a gâ—eat mysterie the Great Mysterie of Godlinesse the end whereof tendeth to the glory of God who hereby regenerateth his children prescribeth them Lawes they obey them and promiseth them Heauen and they are sure of it Is not this Mysterie Greaâ— and excellent that assureth them that know it that they are elected is a declaration to our selues and others that wee doe beleeue and is a performance of our dutie in part And lastly is not that Great the end wherof tendeth to the Conuersion of vnbeleeuers who seeing our good workes in this profession of Godlines glorifie our heauenly Father and is the confirmation and setling of our brethren that doe beleeue Oh sacred mysterie of celestiall happines Thrice happy are they therfore who vnderstand this Mysterie of Godlinesse For Without controuersie for that is the preamble of this Scripture Great is the Mysterie of Godlinesse and such as are of the generation of those that seeke the Lord will with all diligence modesty sobriety meekenesse and peace search to know this Mysterie laying aside all contentions quarrels strifes and enuyings which distract and disturbe mens hearts and hinder men from beeing good Let Godlines be our Helena and the truth will assuredly appeare vnto vs as the learned Earle of Mirand wrote to Hermolaus Barbarus in this case For it seuereth from it all the Heâ—trogenean and mongrill boastings of curious speculations the specious glitterings of mans abstruse wisedome as humane traditions fanatical Enthusiasmes and grosse commixtures of Moses rites with Christianisme And they that know this Mysterie of Godlines lay aside all spleanie Controuersies seeke onely to know God whom he hath sent Christ Iesus whereby they shall find themselues by the power thereof changed from the fashions of the World the olde man the first Adam into the blessings of the new man Christ Iesus the second Adam that is clothed with righteousnesse and grace They shall find that Godlinesse is the richest treasure yea to bee more excellent more magnificent then all Maiesty enriching them with those blessings that many Kings and Monarches of the earth could neuer attaine vnto Because Godlinesse shall secure them fâ—om all vexations and incursions of the Diuell whatsoeuer for God will tender them As the apple of his owne eye and commaund his Angels to pitch their tents round about them There is the safety of this Godlinesse euen a wall of fire to keepe out their enemies Godlinesse shal beautifie them for they shall be decked with Grace whereby God shall accept them For his people his sonnes and daughters for his Spouse and fer his exceeding great delight There is the grace of this Godlinesse euen the rayes of Sion Satâ—an and all the powers of darkenesse shall bee subiect vnto them that are godly their memorials shall bee written in Gods Register And all things shall worke together for their good yea euen their sinnes as Saint Augustine noteth There is the victory of this Godlinesse euen a glorious conquest which many Kings and Monarches neuer atchieued Godlinesse shal enlighten their darkenesse as Saint Augustine sayeth For it is the Mirrour of the purified sâ—ule And Dauid testifieth That God is his light and sure saluation There is the light of this Godlinesse in Gods light euen a verie view of Heauen If we be ignorant Wee shall all bee taught of God yea our knowledge in the very seeking of this Mysterie shall surpasse our Tearchers shall surpasse our Ancients There is the true wisedome of this Godlinesse Godlinesse shall comfort vs in despaire O how great is the goodnes he hath layde vp for the that trust in him euen before the sons of men There is the fauour of this Godlinesse The voyce of ioy and gladnes is in the dwellings of the righteous There is the sound solace of this Godlinesse No maruell then if Peter sayd It is good being here maister Indeede there is no good being any where else For holinesse becommeth his house for euer For what euill can come vnto vs when Gods left hand is vnder our head and his right hand doth embrace vs. There is the protection of this Godlinesse This Mysterie of godlinesse quieteth the distresses of conscience The godly man is as confident as a Lion for the name of the Lord is his strong tower he runneth vnto it and is safe There is the securitie of this godlinesse Not carnall securitie such as the custome of the world and the vse of sinne doth oftimes besot aud infatuate the hearts of Worldlings withall For vnlesse I were Cleane either indeede or in desire or indeuour I should suspect the feare of God had neuer once come into my heart how soeuer the subtiltie of Sathan and sinne had secured me for the feare of the Lord is cleane But when a Christian feeles in himselfe first Aversion from euil whereby he hateth sinne and of that hatred a double sorrow to proceede One of the world working death when wee are plunged in deuouring feares and sorrowes through the sight of our sin and an apprehension of Gods iust iudgements for the same by the rigour of the Law the other a godly sorrow working repentance by the spirit of adoption and deliuering vs from the spirit of bondage to feare any more wee are not idle or luld in securitie but straightway wee fall to crie Father and labor after a most godly sort to rest in this so holy a resolution By carefulnesse to looke more warily to our wayes by cleering of our selues to keepe a good conscience in all things by indignation to disdaine euer to bee brought againe vnto the former slauery of Sathan by Feare to dash out all relapses and backslidings lest our ends be worse theÌ„ our beginnings by vehement desire to set our affections aboue by zeale to draw others out of the fire and by reuenge to abâ—idge our selues of many things we impotently and foolishly seeke and search after in this world And hauing thus approued our selues that we are turned from the euill in a true detestation thereof wee go on in our conuersion to the good which is the other part of our Godlines euen the quickning of our spirits by Gods grace by illumination of our minds in the sight of those things which leade vs on to heauen by renouation of our minds in the obedience of our once sullen and froward hearts but now plyable and penitentiall hearts to Gods counsell by reformation of all our disordered affections in setling
reconciled the world vnto himselfe And by taking vnto himself our flesh by Incarnation made it his owne flesh that so of his own albeit from vs hee might haue what to offer to God for vs. And without this our flesh hee could not suffer for the manhood is the proper subiect of passion compassion and feeling pitty which causeth the regiment of Christes Kingdome to bee most amiable exercising dominion ouer all men with a true naturall and sensible touch of mercy The second person therefore of the glorious Trinitie was sent to performe this great worke not the Father who being of none could not be sent Not the holy Ghost who albeit he proceed yet he is not the first that proceedeth And forasmuch as a double Mission was requisite the first person that proceedeth was fittest for the first Mission and the second for the second who also more fitte to make vs the sonnes of God by grace then hee that was the sonne of God by nature And who more fit to repaire the images decayed in vs then he that was the engraueÌ„ form of his Fathers person And this was done that man with more assurance and without danger of euer erring might come neare vnto the presence of sacred truth it selfe and settle therein by this manifestation of the Sonne of God And God became man that he whom man was to follow might shew himselfe vnto man and bee seene of him Besides it was done that the humane nature might be aduanced to such an high dignitie and excellencie that no man should any more so much forget himselfe as to defile the same with sinfull impurities Lastly it was done that man might bee deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne whereinto hee was plunged For man was punished as Iustice vrged That was pâ—rformed which God had threatned as Truth required The offender was pittied as Mercy entreated God and Man reconciled as Peace desired Thus Mercie and Truth met together Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other The manner of this is the astonishment of Heauen and Earth but our holy faith makes it more true then plain vnto vs yet some resemblances may in some part expresse this vnion vnto vs. The vnion of soule and body maketh one man a flaming and fiery sword makes one sword one man may haue two accidentall formes Phisicke and Law and a branch engraffed and a tree is one tree so Christ is one and yet hath two different Natures in them performeth the distinct actions peâ—tayning to eyther of them Condemned then be all hereticall cauils of Arrâ—us Macedonius Apollonarius Panlus Samofatemus Sabellius Photinus Aetius together with the whole swarm of Dimiarrâ—ans and the like damned heretiques who eyther impeach the truth of Christs Incarnation and Natiuity or the vnion of his natures in one person or his line of Dauid according to the flesh that is according to the weake flesh but not corrupted flesh For the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among vs. There is the whole Nature of man And Christ in the dayes of his flesh offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was heard in that he feared There is the true affection of our nature So then He that confesseth that Iesus is come in the flesh is of God and he that confesseth it not is of the Diuell There is the triall of our faith For this manifestation of God in the flesh is to vnbeleeuers as the cloud that stood betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians at the red sea which to the Israelites was a bright shining cloud but to the Egyptians a dark dangerous and portentous Commet And is not this then a Great Mysterie That God who is without beginning and end should haue a beginning with vs by birth and an end by death That God who neither changeth nor altereth should encrease in stature That God who is without commixture or defect should eate and bee an hungry That God who could be no more then he was should take vpoÌ„ him the shape of a seruant be that he was not that could haue no more then hee had should bee lesse then he was and could know no more theÌ„ he knew and yet would feele our infirmities and taste our miseries What tongue what pen can expresse this mysterie that God should bee vnited vnto man not onely in loue grace but in one person for we must obserue that the humane nature of Christ is not a distinct person by it selfe as Peter Iohn and such like but to our vnspeakeable comfort is so vnited to the diuine nature that did assume it as they both make but one person so that all that is in it is truly said to be Gods and al that was don by it to be done by God as Christs bloud was Gods bloud Christs death was Gods death as hath been sayd And the God of glorie may as well be sayd to suffer death as to rayse the dead froÌ„ their graues and the sonne of man as well to haue made as to haue redeemed the world Who would euer haue thought that so great a wouÌ„d as mans sinneful defect from God should euer haue beene thus healed or that God and a wretched sinner should bee thus reconciled or that heaueÌ„ and earth should bee thus incorporated or that the veritie of God and the compleate substance of man should bee vnited in one Christ who is truly God perfectly man God and man indiuisibly and both in that one distinctly But yet behold this Great Mysterie of Godlinesse as it is not to be asceÌ„ded vnto in the exaltation therof for it is God and as it is vnutterable in the humiliation for it is God in the flesh so it is vndoubted infalible in the demonstratiue manifestation thereof for nothing is more euident to the faith of christian beleeueâ—s It being not onely prophesied shadowed and portrayed out vnto vs in the old Testament vnder diuers types and sundry formes but also substantially and really performed fiâ—ished and consummated in the new testament Mark but the diuine paralels of this manifestation in some few particulars and note whether they doe not touch each other and point out to euery beleeuing soule the whole frame and for me thereof from the circumference to the Center Pharaoh kileth the Hebrewe children Herod the true Pharoah killeth the children of Bethelem Both stirred vp by Sathan to murther the Messias if they could and to falsifie the promise of this manifestation purposed before of God from euerlasting Salomon at twelue yeeres decideth the question between the 2. women for the liuing childe Christ the true Solomon at 12. yeares is found admidst the Doctors posing and questioning them doubtlesse of the Iewish Synagogue then dead and of the true Christian Church the liuing child Moses fasted fortie dayes at the giuing of the Law Christ fasted forty dayes at the
our daily thankefulnes for thine vnspeakeable fauours both towardes our bodies and towards our soules sowards our selues and children in this lise and in that to come Cause vs O Lord to tremble at thy fearefull iudgements that didst not spare the Angels that sinned but hast reserued them in chaines of darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day O Lord if thou diddest not spare them for one sin what shall become of vs that haue sinned dayly against thee and do multiplie our iniquities as the haires of our head and as the sands of the sea shores which is innumerable O Father haue pitty vpon vs forgiue vs sweete Father forgiue vs for Christs sake and giue vs thy grace that wee may conâ—ert and turne vnto thee with all our hearts that those blessed spirites the Angels may haue ioy in our conuersion and repentance and we may ioyâ—e with them in the celebration and honour of thy great and glorious name for euermore O let vs bee partakers of that grace with thy blessed Angels which winneth infallibly holdeth inseparably and leadeth indeclinably into the wayes of eternall blessednesse Grant vnto vs these mercies O God of mercies for Christs sake our onely Mediator So shall wee that are thy people of thy pasture sheepe of thy flocke and Church of thy Redeemed as thy holy ones of heauen be euer telling of thy praise and magnifying thy goodnesse in Christ Iesus world without end Amen GOD PREACHED vnto the Gentiles Explication THis Mystery of Godlines you see hath been Manifestedin the flesh Iustified in the Spirit Seene of Angels that is It hath bin manifested vnto vs in the persoÌ„ of Christ in the power of Christ and in the knowledge seruice and ministration of the blessed Angels of Christ. What can we then say for our selues Haue not wee heard of this great mystery of godlines Hath it bin hidde in a corner from vs or whispered in the eare or beene knowne to a few or published to a handful of people in some angle or corner of the world Haue the Iewes onely had this made knowne vnto theÌ„ Assuredly God hath beene Preached There is the promulgation or proclamation of this mysterie God hath beene Preached to the Gentiles There is the large extent of this promulgation God preached vnto the Gentils For it hath pleased God by that which the world calleth the foolishnesse of Preaching to make knowne vnto the world his vnsearchable wisdome and the riches of his glorious grace in Christ. Preaching being the gift of the holy Ghost the spirit of prophesie the glad tydings of peace of good things and of saluation caused Esayas an Eâ—angelicall Prophet of the Lord to say That the very feet of them that brought this newes vnto the world were beautifull Preaching being the embassage of our reconciliationwith God in Christ the holy ordinance of God for the ordinary meanes of our sanctificatioÌ„ by grace in this world and the cleeare publication of our assured glorification in the other world caused Paul to say Woe is me if I preach not the Gospell so necessary it was for him and all beleeuers Preaching to youth is as Ezechiel his cleane water to asswage the heate of their concupiscence and to purge the old leauen of malitiousnesse It is as Solomon his wine to strengthen and glad the harts of the ancient It is as Saint Peter his milke for children to nourish and feede them vp to godlinesse It is as a soueraigne bath to heale all beleeuers with what disease of sinne soeuer they be ill affected and it is an antidoâ—e or counterpoyson against all the venome of our rottennes For Preaching is the celeâ—â—all chariot wherein the graâ—es and gifts of the holy ghost â—â—â—e continually conueyed â—nto vs. So Christ testifieth when â—â—e prayeth thus Sanctifie them O Father â—â—rough thy truth thy Word is â—â—uth And that we may not â—oubt what this Word is Saint Peter preacheth it That we are â—orne againe not of corruptible â—eede but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liueth and â—bideth for euer For all flesh is grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for euer and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached vnto you Moreouer this Mysterie of Godlinesse God preached vnto the Gentiles Saint Peter had shewed vnto him in his practise of preaching For it is sayd While Peter yet preached these words the holy Ghost fell on all them that hard the Word Obserue this saying The gift of the holy Ghost fell on the auditors as Peter was a preaching Out of doubt preaching is the heauenly talent left vnto the ministers of the Gospell by their Maister Christ where withall they must negotiate and wherein they must imploy themselues vntill hee come againe vnto his great audite in the end of the world And the preaching of this mysterie is the power of our God the glory of our Preachers to the saluation both of Preachers and people Preaching hath the power of edification through God in Christ and worketh â—ightily in those that God â—ath set apart and designed â—o that businesse for the builâ—ing vp againe of those ruines which hath beene battered downe by sinne and Saâ—han For the brused reede it must not breake nor the smoking flaxe it must not quench if God in Christ direct it but whereas knowledge puffeth vp this buildeth vp vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Preaching is the voyce of God whereby hee preacheth and publisheth his holy will and last testament by men vn-the sonnes of men In a word Preaching is the Manna from heauen to feede our soules the dewe of Hermon to water our barrennesse the lampe and light of God in the darkenesse of this world for our direction the sword of truth to cut asunder the Gordian knots of heresie schisme and controuersie for our satisfaction the wall of fire by Gods promise to encompas vs from enraged beasts for our protectioÌ„ the reuelatioÌ„ of the rock of our faith to build vpon for thetestification of our ful assurance in Christ the touchstone of our coÌ„uersatioÌ„ for our tryalls in all cases of conscience the key that openeth heauen to the â—eleeuers and shutteth heauen to impenitents by Gods dispensation It is the Dauids harpe the musicke thereof so delighteth the soule that it doth not faint neither is altogether wearyed with the tediousnes of our banishment in this world It is the pricelesse antidote more pretious then Nepente or Molâ—â— so much famoused by the ancient for 〈◊〉 expels by the power of â—â—e spirit which accomâ—nyeth it all euills and 〈◊〉 diuells It followeth next to whom his Mystery was preached â—uen to the very heathen Genâ—les Preached vnto the Genâ—iles Now it comes to be consiâ—ered that the time was when â—he dewe of heauen fell onely â—on the
house To the Phisition heale this man To the Souldiour â—ight for man To the King Gouerne thy subiects To the Maister Defend and â—rouide for thy family But to which of the sonnes of men hath God sayd Deliâ—er thy brother from hell Surely to none but to the Preacher and that this is the Preachers high Commission â—t playnly appeareth For Iob sayth If there bee a messenger with him an inpreter one among thousands to shew vnto man his vprightnesse then hee is gratious vnto him and sayth Deliuer him from going downe to the pit I haue receiued a ransome And Saint Paule sheweth that to Preachers God hath delegated the Mysterie Ministerie of our reconciliation with God in Christ and committed vnto them the word of attonement to be as his Ambassadors to pray and beseech men in Christ steede that they would be reconciled to God whereby they might be saued Well for all this let their Commission be what it will their Ambassage neuer so diuine neuer so Euangelicall neuer so Angelicall I am sure their condition of all other mens is oft times most miserable most lamentable Pitifull experience sheweth it to view of the whole Christian world that none interessed in that businesse bee qualified how they will can please For Esay is too long Obediah is too short Daniel too hard Amos too playne Micheah too milde Hoshea too sharpe and Ieremie too querulous This was the condition of the Prophets Peter is reputed a drunkard Paule a Sectary and a mad man all the residue of the Apostles esteemed the riffe raffe of the world and the ofscowring of all things vnto this day This was the condition of the Apostles Hence the holy ones of God became complaynants Ieremie sayth The word of the Lord was made a reproach and derision vnto him dayly and therefore through the anguish of his soule though vnaduisedly he cursed the day of his birth and the partie that brought his father the tydings where he was borne and bewayleth that his mother bare him a man of strife and contention to the whole world For hauing neither lent nor borrowed vppon vsury yet euery one did curse him Paule also laments the case that God had set foorth the Apostles last as it were appointed to death For we are made saith he a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men Wee are fooles for Christs sake but yee are wise we are weake but yee are strong ye are honourable but we are despised being reuiled we blesse being persecuted wee suffer it being defamed wee entreate wee are made as the filth of the world and are the off cowring of all things vnto this day In all this thinke not much of it blessed Brethren for it is the verie case and condition of them that now liue who are the sincere preachers of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and liue conformable to the Church wherein they were bred For what betweene the common aduersary the Papist the diuels mouth the Atheist and the intestine firebrand the Separist the poore Conformitant doth ofttimes more suffer then euer did any fugitiue Seminarie in Wisbich Castle But Christ was crucified betweene malefactors and orthodoxe Christians haue euer beene tortured betweene the spirits of extremes The Iewes obtruded to the Lord of life when they had nothing else to say his meane parentage Is not this the carpenters son Are not such and such his sisters The obiecting then either of basenesse of birth or pouertie of estate vnto the preachers of the Gospell is the spirit of Iudaisme and let men be ware in this case lest the Iewish plagues befall them And the challenging of singularitie is the spirite of Iesuitisme and let men take heed of the spirites of errors and darknes of diuels for the diuel can transport himselfe into an Angell of light and such men might proue light Angels But the sonnes of true wisdome know that the most abiect and meanest things of the world if God take them into his handes may worke rare and wonderfull effects Salt beeing taken into the hand of God maketh the bitter waters of Iericho to become sweete In humane reason the salt should make the waters more brackish but behold comming through Gods hand as being Gods ordinance it causeth sweetenesse The washing in the ordinary riuer of Iordan at Gods command cureth the Syrian Captaine of Leprosie which the famoused waters of Abanah and Pharphar would not doe What is more vaine then a dreame yet Pharoah Nebuchadnezar and Gideon had great strength and potent directions by dreames presented vnto them by God What is more meane and and more vnlikely then clay especially to cleere ones eyes yet this being taken into the hand of Christ maketh blinde eyes see playnly What more vnlikely to heale then touching yet the beleeuing woman touched but the hemme of Christs garment and was cured What more vnlikely to worke miracles then a voyce yet the vncleane spirits were cast out by the voice of Christ and his Apostles yea with a voyce the very dead were raised to life What more vanishing then a shadow yet the shadow of Peter had effectuall power of doing wonders Let Preachers then bee but Salt yet they are the Salt of the earth but ordinarie water yet as Apostles they may water your drye hearts and make them fruitfull to God but a Dreame yet they may awake you from the slumber of sinne and present vnto you truth and puriâ—ie but dust and clay to bee trodde vnder your feete so that they make you see they care not but a voyce in the wildernesse of this world yet they are the forerunners of the great iudgement but shadowes yet will they haunt your ghosts vntill they haue preuayled with you if you belong vnto God And this is not of their owne worth strength but as I said because God vouchsafeth to take them into his hands whereby hee worketh out this great worke of our saluation as appeareth in the vision to Saint Iohn where it is sayd That God held seuen stars in his right hand and in the last verse of that Chapter these seuen stars are expounded to be seuen Ministers of the Churches of Asia Therefore Preachers God holdeth in his hand and so their labours become powerfull But cursed Cauillers like Iannes and Iambres who withstood Moses stand vp and obiect Wee confesse say they this is most true if God take this businesse into his hand But alas we see this practise of preaching is in the hand handling of many a sinnefull man such as are oft times more enormious and exorbitant in their conuersations then those that are no Preachers Well what then The word preached eyther by a good or bad man remayneth the Word of God still For if the wordes of the scripture reade or Preached bee but a meere and deade letter why is it called the Spirite of God And when wee preach if it bee but the sound of