instrument to receiue it withall is faith He that beleeueth is made partaker of it and not of it onely but of eternall life also For he that beleeueth in me hath life eternall saith our Sauiour Christ. But this faith this iustifying faith doth worke through loue and sheweth it selfe by workes The good tree will be fruitfull The beleeuing iustified childe of God will feare God and worke righteousnesse 46 This doctrine of iustification by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ Iesu is witnessed by all the Prophets It is no newe doctrine but olde not onely proceeding from the Apostles but also from the Prophets For Moses and all the Prophets beare witnesse of him And as they so the Apostles after them Whose steppes we must followe and acknowledge that no doctrine is to be established but that which is testified by the Apostles and Prophets The true Church of Christ doth builde her faith on their foundation God will be worshipped and serued according to his prescript woord and not according to the braine of man The Prophets and Apostles with all such as be ministers of the woord are heere and elsewhere called witnesses Yea Christ himselfe termeth himselfe a witnesse of the truth For this cause am I borne and for this cause came into the worlde that I should beare witnesse to the truth And Christ saith to his Apostles Ye shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in Samaria euen to the vttermost endes of the earth 47 The truth is to bee testified by publike preaching Paul commendeth the Thessalonians for beleeuing his testimonie His testimonie was the Gospel which he did preache and testifie vnto them According to the voice that did speake vnto him when he was cast off his horse I haue appeared to thee for this purpose to appoint thee a minister and witnesse both of things which thou hast seene and of the things in which I will appeare vnto thee The truth is also testified by writing By the writings of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists the truth of God Iesus Christ was most plainely testified As Iohn to name one of them among many This is that Disciple which testifieth of these things The truth is also witnessed when as it is testified in bloud for a martyr is a witnes Christ told Peter that when he was young hee girded himselfe and walked whither he lusted but when he waxed old other should gird him and carie him whither hee would not Nowe this saith Iohn he spake signifying by what death he should glorifie God Many Martyrs haue thus testified the truth with suffering for it But they ouercame by the bloud of the Lambe and by the woord of their testimonie not louing their life no not to the death That minister which will neither testifie it by publike preaching nor by writing will hardly testifie it by suffering but will rather say with Peter I knowe not the man But I must here make an end for the time hath ouertaken me and without repetition as you knowe the maner is To God the father God the son God the holie Ghost three persons one almightie almerciful God be rendred all thanks all glorie giuen for euer and for euer Amen The fifteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at Strausborough in the time of Q. Maries reigne 2. COR. 6. 2 Wee therefore as helpers beseeche you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine 3 For he saith I haue heard thee in a time accepted in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee behold now the accepted time beholde now the day of saluation THE Prophet to abate the hawtie conceit which naturally wee haue of our selues in such sort as euery man were his owne God and had no other whom to praise for the graces and gifts wherewith he is beautified and set forth as a mirror for al other creatures to beholde and woonder at indeuoureth to turn away our eyes frō too much gazing vpon our owne excellencie by pointing as it were his finger at him who is author of euerie good perfect gift saying Hee made vs and not we our selues For what end and purpose Zacharie teacheth namely that we might serue him in holinesse and righteonsnesse before him all the daies of our life For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Ye are not saith S. Paul to the Corinthians your owne Why so For you are bought with a price Glorifie therefore God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods Forsomuch then as we are all of the houshold of God all one in Christ all members of one and the same spirituall bodie woorshipping one Lord receiuing one baptisme professing one faith expecting one glorie to be reuealed vpon vs in that great day it is our duetie in token of our neere coniunction in the spirite with one heart one minde and as it were with one mouth to present our selues before his mercie seate to praise him to heare his word to receiue the seales of his merciful couenaunt in the Gospel and to offer him our needeful supplications together that in all things it may appeare that we are one as hee and the father are one euen one God to be blessed for euer 2 With what zeale desire Gods people of old were woont to do this we may gesse by that which we reade of y ◠Prophet Dauid who being persecuted of his wicked vnnatural son driuen from y e presence of that glorious tabernacle which with great triumph ioye himselfe had placed in the Citie of Dauid where he was woont with the rest of the people to call vpon the name of the Lord to heare the Lawe and to offer sacrifice vpon those beautiful altars conceiued such a deepe impression of griefe by the sorowfull meditation of those sweete and heauenly comforts whereof his soule had tasted in former times that forgetting quite the losse of all other royalties whatsoeuer he maketh mone for nothing but onely this that he might not nowe be partaker of those inestimable benefites and the comforts of minde and conscience which he was woont to receiue at the hand of God at such time as with the rest of the Israelites he resorted to the tabernacle where God promised to be present and fauourably to heare the petitions there made vnto him Of this his great miferie he complaineth him lamentably in diuerse of his Psalmes but especially in the 84 where he breaketh out into these woords of great zeale O Lord of hosts howe amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lorde mine heart and my flesh reioice in the liuing God He goeth on and magnifieth the blessed estates of those sillie birds which might haue their nests and lay their young euen
it more than ordinarie or vsuall blessings As the blessings of that man are by God accursed so where he curseth there the Lord blesseth and to the eternall reproofe of that our enemies vniust and vncharitable execration he hath in these our daies opened his bountifull hand farre wider than in former times when those Antichristian blessings came posting yerely from Rome and embraced our Lande so kindely that they sucked the sappe of wealth both from braunche and roote The Land of Canaan was a pleasaunt and a fruitefull Land flowing with milke and abounding with honie truely it was barren and almost beggerly in respect of our aboundance and store God may iustly say to vs What could I haue doone more vnto my vineyard which I haue not doone vnto it He hath miraculously giuen and continued with vs that grand blessing of his glorious Gospell he hath wonderfully preserued our Soueraigne his seruant he hath kept her safe as Moses and Dauid from Pharao from Dathan and from Amalek from Goliah from Saul from Absolon from the hands of her open enemies and treasons of her deceitfull friends he hath not onely giuen her a circumspect heart to foresee and to preuent and I trust to cut off all intended destruction but also hath more than miraculously abated the pride and confounded the manifold counsels of her and our enemies and contrarie to all expectation kept vs in peace and safetie GOD make vs thankefull and giue vs hearts syncerely bent to seeke him which so mercifully by his benefites and graces hath sought vs. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laide vp in store for them that feare thee For this shall euerie one that is godlie make his praier vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found and call vpon thee while thou art neere 9 If this way will not serue to bring vs vnto God another must be assayed if we wil not be led by faire meanes we shall be drawne by fowle God hath blessings for them which are of a pliable minde but for the froward rods Them he first threateneth as hauing no delight or pleasure to punish hee punisheth as one vnwilling to destroie Gods corrections is for our reformation but if it will not reforme vs for our confusion This selfe loue of ours this senselesse securitie this contempt of Gods woord this want of godlie zeale these contriuings of treason and conspiracie are tokens that God hath bent his dreadfull bowe and is preparing to make his arrowes drunke with our bloud If hee spared neither Israelites nor Angels doubtlesse neither will he spare vs except vnfeinedly we seeke him and seeke him nowe 10 For now is the acceptable time now is grace offered the Lord now stretcheth out his handes of mercie this is the daie wherein the Lorde may be found of them that seeke him But some stop their eares at this and will not heare they are too wise to be enchaunted with these times If ye tell them of seeking the Lord their answere is Who is the Lord They say plainely in their foolish hearts There is no God But the iust God will one day shew himselfe to their confusion Others haue their excuses of worldly hinderaunces and lets Fermes or Oxen or Wiues haue tied them by the legge when they should goe and seeke the Lord. Others haue a minde not vtterly vnwilling to seeke after him but they would faine staie a while seeke him hereafter Youth they say must haue his swinge let olde age waxe holie Such nouices there were of whom Chrysostome writeth that they would not be baptised vntill they were in their death beddes least baptisme should be as a bridle to hold them in They were desirous to haue their foorth in their carnall desires and at the end of their daies by baptisme to wash away all at once But God shall mocke such craft and they who wil not come when he calleth when they call shal not be heard Beware of these delaies Let vs not differre and put off till to morowe but while it is called to day euen whilest this acceptable day is let vs seeke the Lorde that wee may finde him Nowe he is readie to meete vs by the way and louingly to embrace vs with the armes of his eternall mercie 11 The second thing to be cōsidered is how we may seeke the Lord in seking him be sure to find him I wil omit to shew how vainly the Gentiles in their Idols the Iewes in their ceremonies traditions the Papists in their superstitions do seeke the Lord. They seeke him and finde him not because they seeke him where he is not not where he is as themselues haue imagined and not as he hath prescribed The first entrance into the waie where God will be found is faith Fide tangitur Christus fide videtur saith S. Ambrose By faith Christ is handled by faith he is seene By faith he is found All our trauell in seeking without faith is but a fruitlesse wearying of our deceiued soules For he that commeth vnto God must beleeue 12 And the way to beleeue is hearing for by hearing commeth faith The word is that starre which guideth and directeth vs vnto Christ. Search the Scriptures For to this end they are written That ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing ye might haue eternall life They were written to be red and therefore S. Paul chargeth Timothie straitlie Giue attendance to reading They were written to bee red not of him onely but of vs also in what condition or estate soeuer God hath placed vs. Princes are not exempted more than others no they aboue others are especially charged to trauell heerein What charge can be deuised more effectuall than that which is giuen vnto Iosua Let not this booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate thou therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe Good reason it is that as Kings doe raigne and hold their power by him so his will reuealed in his word should be the rule and direction of their gouernement If they thinke to establish their thrones better by their owne wise and politike deuises they are greatly deceiued There is no policie no wisedome like the wisedome of GOD. The common wealths which Aristotle and Plato haue framed in their Bookes otherwise full of wisdome yet compared with diuine policies with that citie for whose sake and benefite the Lord doth watch what are they but fancies of foolish men As for Machiauels inuentions they are but the dreames of a brainesicke person founded vpon the craft of man and not vpon godlie wisedome which onely hath good effect Godlie Princes haue no neede to seeke for counsell at these mens hands the mouth of the Lord
is sufficient for them Thy testimonies saith Dauid are my counsellers Their counsell was to him sufficient Hee red not the scriptures at idle times or at leisure they were his meditation continually Reading was not irkesome and tedious vnto him his eies did preuent the night watches to meditate in the word The time was not lost which was so bestowed For by thy commaundements saith he thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies The diligence of that noble Eunuch chiefe officer to the Queene of Ethiopia is greatly commended as a woorthie president for Christian Courtiers to behold and followe Many cannot reade yet al ought to heare I will hearken saith Dauid what the Lord God will say Who doth not reioyce to heare a prince speake gracious and fauorable wordes But I wil heare the lord speake saith the prophet For he wil speake peace vnto his people A bad seruaunt an euill wife a cursed childe a damnable creature that will not gladly heare the voice of the Lord the husband the father the creator Christ taught dailie in the temple and doubtlesse he was daily heard But hearing of the woord may not daily be attended least it hinder more weightie affaires Is there any thing more weightie than the matter of saluation Is the earth of more account than heauen a short miserable life than a blessed and immortall Philip of Macedonia casting off the suite of a poore woman with a short answere that he had no leisure to heare her cause she aunswered boldly Why then hast thou leisure to be a king I may as boldly aske of them which say they haue no leisure to heare Gods word how they will finde the leisure to be saued This word only saueth Receiue ye therfore the word ingrafted which is able to saue your soules 13 If there bee no saluation but by faith no faith but by hearing the woord of God how should the people be saued without teachers The mother Citie of the Realme is reasonably furnished with faithfull preachers certaine other Cities not many in number are blessed too though not in like sort But the sillie people of the Land otherwhere especially in the North parts pine away way and perish for want of this sauing foode they are much decayed for want of prophecie Many there are that heare not a sermon in seuen yeres I might say safely in seuenteene Their bloud will be required at some bodies hands The Lord deliuer vs from that hard account and graunt redresse with speede 14 But why doth the countrie want preachers The people pay tithes of that they haue therefore there must needes be sufficient to maintaine them If things were well ordered this sequele were good But the chiefest benefices were by the Pope long since impropriated vnto a Monkes which deuoured the fruits and gaue a sillie stipend vnto a poore Sir Iohn to say Masse And as they left it so we finde it still Where liuings were not impropriated by the Pope there they are for the most part so handled that patrons maintaine themselues with those tithes which the people giue and ministers haue that which the patrons leaue The worlde dealeth with Gods Clergie as Dionysius the tyrant with Iupiters Idoll They make themselues as merie with spoyling Christs patrimonie as he with robbing Iupiter of his golden cloake which being too heauie for Sommer and too colde for Winter he tooke away and left in stead of it a cotten coate light for the one time and warme for the other To take from them which liue idly and superstitiously in the Church they pleade it to be lawfull because those vnprofitable members were vnwoorthie to enioie the fat of the earth Abbeies being eaten vp and other profites gone now as greedie cormorants they sease also vpon the Church of Christ. It is not fit forsooth that men sanctified vnto heauenly things should be ouermuch encombred with these earthly commodities and therefore euen of great deuotion and zeale they will ease the Church of these her burthens Thus by men that cannot stand without the fall of the Church of God all meanes are inuented to begger the ministerie A deuise no doubt of Satan and a practise of his impes to cause a famine of the bread of life by staruing the Oxe that should treade out the come and to withdrawe Gods people from seeking the Lord by weakening and discouraging such as should guide them in the waie of life Thus you see how God must be sought in his word which woord because all men must heare and learne therefore many must be sent to teache it 15 But because the seede which is cast into the earth groweth not vp vnlesse it be watered with the dewe of heauen neither doth the sound of the woord bring any man vnto Christ except the grace of the spirite be with it which grace God offereth so freely vnto men that there needeth no more but Aske and Haue for this cause it followeth in the Prophet Call vpon him while he is neere We may reade and heare of God as of one farre off But when we praie vnto God we acknowledge that he is as it were within sight when we cal vpon him we speake to him as vnto one which is present He is neuer so clearely and plainely found his presence is neuer so familiarly enioied as by heartie praier Praier consisterh of two parts Thankesgiuing for that which we haue receiued and requesting of that whereof our soules or bodies haue neede 16 The good king Dauid falling into consideration of the infinite mercies of God bursteth out into these carefull woordes What shall I render to the Lord Finding no way to requite hee resolueth thus I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. Perhaps the Prophet had the more care to shewe himselfe thankefull towards God by reason of the griefe which himselfe sustained through mens ingratitude towards him He maketh pitifull complaint that his familiar friends who ate bread at his table who tooke sweete counsell with him whom hee had many waies benefited were vnthankefull and requited him with trecherous dealing An honest hearted man is neuer so grieued as when his friendlinesse is requited with ingratitude If it be saith S. Ambrose a fault to bee matched euen with murther not to requite man with thankefulnesse what a crime is it to deale vnthankefully with God Dixeris maledicta cuncta cum ingratum hominem dixeris Wee haue named all the naughtinesse that can bee obiected when wee haue termed a man vnthankefull saieth another Lycurgus beeing asked why in his Lawes he had set downe no punishment for ingratitude answered I haue left it to the gods to punish All the punishment which man could deuise he though too easie for a fault so heinous The ingratitude of Ierusalem did more wound the heart of the sonne of God Christ Iesus than the speare that pierced him through the heart vpon the crosse Hee
Sabaoth Such traficke is as bad in the house as on the daie which God hath sanctified Wherefore in the Lawe these two are iointly coupled together Yee shall keepe my Sabaoths and reuerence my Sanctuarie The prophaning therfore of the temple the house of God the place of praier is an euident token that amongst the Iewes all religion was now trodden vnder feete all reuerence of God abolished This sheweth that there was nowe no difference at all holie and common pure and prophane cleane and vncleane all was one When they which ought not to die but without the citie were suffered to liue within the temple yea of and at the altar when Gods owne house was made a denne of theeues we cannot easily imagine a degree of prophanesse beyond this At this the Lord himselfe doth seeme to woonder Is this house become a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes What reuerence or seruice is it likely that they would shewe other-where vnto the Lorde who liued as theeues in that glorious sanctuarie where all the earth should tremble before him 24 In the house of God they had the Lawe both red and expounded they offered sacrifice and they praied But because the seruice for which the temple was ordeined though not only yet principally is praier therefore he hath saide My house shalbe called the house of praier In Deuteronomie it is called the place which God chose to cause his name to dwel there It is true indeede saith Salomon that God will dwell on the earth No doubt where his truth is syncerely professed where his sacraments are rightly and duely ministred where his name is called vpon by heartie praier where two or three are gathered together in his name that is to say to serue him in these things there the woorking of his spirite is so forcible and effectuall his mercie is so obiect euen vnto sense his grace is in such sort felt seene and tasted that he seemeth as it were to stand before mens eyes to walke to inhabite to dwel amongst them when they are thus occupied The dore of the Church is the gate of the Lorde and the righteous wil surely enter into it They reioice when they heare men say We wil goe into the house of the Lord the house of praier where as many as call vpon the name of the Lord shall vndoubtedly bee saued But because no man can call on him in whom he doeth not beleeue nor beleeue without hearing the word of God requisite therefore it is that the house of publike praier should also be the house of publike preaching For this cause the Iewes heard the Lawe euery Sabaoth day in their Synagogues 25 And as they did not onely heare the word but also offer sacrifice in the house of God so we in our Churches haue both the Gospell preached and the Sacramentes which are seales of the Gospel administred knowing that Christ hath commanded both alike Hee which sent his Disciples to teache sent them also to baptize he which inioined them to preache gaue them also an other charge Hoc facite Doe this in remembrance of me Therefore as often as we speake vnto you out of these places as often as here we minister the Sacrament of baptisme to your children in token of their new spirituall birth as often as we doe here present our selues at the Lords table to eat of his bread and to drinke of the wine which he hath prepared for the comfortable nourishment of our soules wee keepe the Lordes institution and not our owne wee doe as he hath commaunded not as we haue deuised we vse the house of God not as theeues but as Saints 26 For these things the Sanctuarie was erected for these the house of God was sanctified and for praier Therefore the twelue told the rest of the Disciples as it is in the historie of their Acts We will giue our selues continually vnto praier and ministration of the word Aaron was appointed vnder the law as to offer so also to pray for himselfe and for the people Be this sinne against the Lord saith Samuel farre from me that I should cease to praie for you The request which Salomon made vnto GOD in the first dedication of the temple was that if his people Israel should at any time for their sinnes be ouerthrowen before the enemie or heauen bee so shut vp that they should bee in distresse for want of raine or if there should be famine in the land or pestilence or blasting or mildew or grassehopper or caterpiller if the enemie should beseege thē if they should fall into any aduersitie whether it were of bodie or of minde his eares might alwaies bee open to the praiers which they should make before the Lord in the house of praier Heare the supplications of thy people Israel which pray in this place 27 Nor only their supplications but moreouer Salomon addeth As touching the straunger that is not of thy people Israel who shall come out of a farre countrie for thy names sake and shall come and praie in this house heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee that all the people of the earth may knowe thy name and feare thee as thy people Israel doe Agreeable wherevnto are the words of the prophet Esay It shal be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shalbe exalted aboue the hils and all nations shall flowe vnto it And againe The strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord and to be his seruaunts euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenaunt them will I bring also to mine holie mountaine and make them ioyful in mine house of praier their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne alter For myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all nations This prooueth that article of our Christian faith to be most certain wherein we acknowledge the Church of Christ to be Catholike vniuersal For we must vnderstand that there was a time when the Lord gaue expresse charge comandement No vncircumcised in the flesh shall enter into my Sanctuarie The adoption the glory of the sons of God y e couenants the law the seruice of God the promises al the riches wherwith the church of Christ is adorned did belong vnto Israel vnto none else they were the only people that obteined mercie al y e world besides was Loammi amongst them God was knowne but as for the nations they heard not of him Iudea was the onely garden of the Lord the rest of the earth was a meere wildernesse they were the vineyard and we the forrest they within the wals of the citie of God and we
5 Cornelius the Ethnike-captaine being placed in Cesarea ouer the Iewes putteth vs in minde howe the kingdome of Israel was taken from the Israelites and giuen to others Israel was the elect and welbeloued people of God the happie seede of Abraham to whom pertained the adoption and the glorie and the couenant and the Lawe that was giuen and the seruices of God and the promises A most free people as themselues boasted We are Abrahams seede and were neuer bound to any man A plentifull land flowing with milke and honie a most flourishing kingdome a mightie and victorious people for the Lord of hosts did fight for them Yet this elect beloued free and mightie people was ouerthrowen wasted translated brought into most miserable bondage and slauerie first by the Caldeis then by the Meedes afterward by the Grecians and last of al by the Romans And this was the Lords dooing I haue made the earth saith he the men and beasts that are vpon the ground by my great power and by my out-stretched arme and haue giuen it vnto whom it pleased me The name of God bee praised for euer and euer for wisedome and strength are his and he changeth the times and seasons hee taketh away kings and setteth vp kings The most high beareth rule ouer the kingdome of men and giueth it to them whomsoeuer he will 6 Iesus the sonne of Syrach shewing the causes why GOD translateth kingdomes A kingdome is translated saith he from one people vnto another because of vnrighteous dealings and wrongs and riches gotten by deceit and couetousnesse and pride The things that destroied Sodome were pride fulnesse of breade aboundance of idlenesse and that she strengthened not the hand of the poore needie The sinnes that consumed Gods people in the wildernesse and of sixe hundred thousand left but two aliue was loathing of the heauenly Manna and lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt worshipping of idols fleshly fornication tempting of God and muttering against magistrates The cause why Iurie was laide wast and Israel caried away captiue was the contempt of Gods woord preached by Ieremie three and twentie yeres and that there was no trueth no mercie no knowledge of GOD amongst them Swearing lying murther theft and adulterie had gotten the vpper hand and one bloud guiltinesse followed an other Therefore did the Land mourne and euery one that dwelt therein was rooted out God is alwaies a iust God one that hateth all iniquitie hauing no respect to countrie or calling If our faults be like we may looke for like punishment Let vs recount with our selues and compare our selues with others Are we not as guiltie of vnrighteous dealing of oppression of extortion are we not as couetous are we not as proude as euer any people was Is there not as much pride belly-cheere idlenesse vnmercifulnesse in the citie of London as was in the citie of Sodome Doe wee not as much loath the true bread of heauen Cleaue we not as fast vnto idolatrie and superstition Commit we not adulterie and filthie fornication Tempt we not God Doe wee not mutter against the magistrates as the Israelites did in the wildernesse Is there more trueth mercie and knowledge of God lesse swearing lying murther theft adulterie and bloudshed in England than was in the Lande of Iurie If kingdomes then be translated for wrongfull dealing for couetousnesse and pride howe can vnrighteous couetous proude England stand long If God spared not the flourishing citie of Sodome can he in his iustice spare the sinnefull citie of London If God ouerthrewe the mightie people of Israel in the wildernesse for their sinnes can he winke at our fowle and manifold offences If the Land of Iurie was laid wast and the elect Israel caried away captiue for their ingratitude will not God punish and plague our shamefull contempt our wilfull disobedience For these examples are written for vs that we should not offend as they did least the like fall vpon vs as fell vpon them knowing that if God spared not the braunches of the true oliue hee wil not spare the twigges of the wilde oliue If hee spared not the transgressing Angels the offending Iewes neither will hee spare vs most vile and sinnefull Gentiles Our sinne no doubt hath iustly prouoked our God to anger Let our sighing and groning our earnest praier and true repentance remooue his wrath least our Niniuie sinke and perish in her sinne Yet remaine there a fewe daies of repentance for the safetie of our citie 7 Nowe to the former circumstances of Cornelius S. Luke addeth also the description of his maners testifying therein that he was deuoute that he feared God with all his familie that hee gaue much almes that he praied God continually Here is he set forth as a perfect paterne of true Christianitie an obseruer keeper of the Lawe of the almightie And because the Lawe is conteined in two tables his pietie towardes God is commended first secondly his loue and duetie towards men So that it is shewed howe he liued towards God how he ordered his familie and howe he behaued himselfe towards his neighbours 8 Towards God he was deuoute he feared God hee praied continually The foundation of deuotion is faith the fruits are the feare of God and praier Faith commeth by hearing of the word he heard by reason that he remained amongst the Iewes that there was one true God who was onely to be honoured He had heard of the promised seede in whom all people should bee blessed of the Messias which should bee the Sauiour of the people He beleeued in this promised Messias and thereupon hee is called deuoute for without this faith there is no deuotion no pietie no religion That feare that praier that commeth not of faith is but vaine it is reiected as sinful in Gods sight Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The tree must be good before it bring foorth good fruite As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me saith Christ. Cornelius brought foorth good fruite and therefore by faith he abode in Christ that is he beleeued The fruites of his faith were the feare of God and praier vnto God for neither can we feare God as we ought nor call vpon him rightly except wee beleeue in him Howe shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued And they beleeue not in God that doe not feare him that doe not call vpon him For true faith will exercise the faithfull herein This feare of God hath euer respect to religion Come ye children and hearken vnto me I will teache you the feare of the Lord saith the Prophet That is I will instruct you in true religion I will teache you the true worshipping of God This is the first lesson that a Christian should learne And as all Christians so especially such
Peter tooke vp Cornelius and would not suffer him to worship him His successor compelleth princes to cast themselues downe before him and to kisse his filthie feete This beastly pride declareth him neither to be Christs vicar nor Peters successor but rather his childe who saide to Christ in the mount All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me If man who is the liuely image of God may not haue this worship how much lesse stockes and stones the dead images of men For is it not more reasonable that the image-maker should be woorshipped than the workes of his hands 21 Finally Cornelius thanked Peter for his comming and declared withall howe readie he was to heare him For in that he saide thou hast doone well to come he shewed a thankefull minde for his paines taken So all should bee thankefull to such as bring them glad tidings the word of saluation He sendeth his woord and healeth them saith the prophet Let them confesse therefore before the Lord his louing kindenesse and his wonderfull woorkes before the sonnes of men The philosophers write euen by the Law and rules of nature that the children can neuer yeeld woorthie thanks vnto their parents for their birth and breeding Such as beget and breede vs spiritually deserue more thankes euen so much more as the soule is better than the bodie spirituall regeneration better than naturall procreation Such as will not be thankefull for the ministers of the trueth shall be requited with deceitful teachers For God will send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies that all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth 22 Nowe howe readie himselfe and his companie were to heare Peter preache it appeareth by the woords following We are all present here before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Wherein both the dueties of the hearer and the preacher are plainely set downe The dutie of the hearer first to be present before God To remember that he standeth in the sight of God the seer and searcher of hearts from whom nothing is hid To stand before the preacher is to stand before God The presence of God requireth feare and reuerence Feare and reuerence should occupie the hearts of them who stand so Secondly to heare and learne There is none so well learned but hee may learne more For while we liue we knowe in part saith S. Paul and therefore we must giue diligent care and applie our mindes to that which is spoken We must not be as a beaten way where the seede can take no roote We must not suffer preiudice to treade downe and destroie the seede nor the birds of the ayre Satan to pull it out at the one eare so fast as it entereth in at the other We may not let our mindes wander but comming of purpose to heare to our profite we must beseeche God to giue vs memorie and vnderstanding to print into our hearts that which wee heare with our eares Thirdly to heare all things euen all the doctrine of God not things that doe please but things that displease our flesh not other mens faults but our owne not onely profession but also conuersation not onely faith but also workes not onely to heare but also to doe Herod heard Iohn gladly while hee carped others but hee could not abide to bee rubbed on the gall himselfe Hee heard Iohn in many things but not in all The Iewes at Rome heard Paul vntill hee applied the woords of Esay vnto them The heart of this people is waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing and with their eyes haue they winked least they should see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and returne that I might heale them Then they shrunke from him and would no more heare him The preacher is gladly heard of the people that can carpe the magistrates cut vp the ministers crie out against all order and set all at libertie But if hee shall reprooue their insolencie pride and vanitie their monstrous apparell their excessiue feasting their greedie couetousnesse their biting vsurie their halting hearts their muttering mindes their friendly words malitious deedes they will fall from him then He is a railer he doteth he wanteth discretion Not so Cornelius and his companie but they were readie to heare all and so fashioned and framed according to all that which God by his word should require at their hands 23 The duetie of the preacher is expressed in these woords That are commaunded thee of God The preacher may teache no other than he hath commission to speake than is commaunded him of God He may not adde to the written word neither take from it Gods Lawe is perfect it doth perfectly instruct and teache all things necessarie to saluation The Disciples must only breake those loaues vnto the people which they haue receiued at Christs hands They may not teache their owne dreames inuentions or doctrines For God will not haue them woorship him so but thou shalt heare the word saith he at my mouth and giue them warning from me And thus much of Cornelius what he was on what occasion he sent for Peter and howe he receiued him at his comming to him 24 Likewise in Peter three things we haue noted Howe he was occupied when the messengers came to him howe readilie he went with them and what the sermon was that hee preached to them The messengers found him at the sixth houre which is twelue as wee count fasting and praying on the house toppe where he sawe a vision in his traunce a sheete let out of heauen knit at foure corners wherein were all fowre footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and fowles of heauen And a voice saide arise Peter kill and eate First wee see that Peter had his appointed houres of praier Praier is an acceptable sacrifice to God and a Christian exercise for the vse wherof the godlie will prescribe themselues certaine times For mans corrupt nature is easily caried away to worldely affaires Hee matcheth fasting with praier as needefull to stirre vp our slothfull drowsie spirits to pray the more feruently For a full bellie maketh a faint praier And he sought also a priuate place to pray in because in priuate places we may powre out our hearts more freely vnto God But of this I haue spoken before 25 The vision that appeared was to teache him that Christ was borne a Sauiour to the whole world that the Gospel was to be preached to all that he would all should be saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth And so was declared the calling of the Gentiles For Peter was commaunded to make no difference betweene Iewe and Gentile although the Gentiles were esteemed as vncleane in the eyes of the Iewes Peter being commaunded to kill and eate abstained in respect of the Lawe God
such as are in authoritie because what way they take in the same others will treade after them The wisdome that should be in teachers to apply rightly the words of doctrine and exhortation In thâ—s exhortation of 〈◊〉 Iames three things contained Heb. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Sinners are exhorted to drawe neere to God Luc. 7. Gen. 18. 1. Sam. 15. All are sinners though not all notorious Rom. 3. Gen. 8. Matth. 23. Dauid an open sinner in committing adulterie 2. Sam. 12. Gen. 6. Gen 19. Ephe. 5. The Iewes in cruell dealing with the Prophets of God Achab in robbing Naboth 1. Reg. 22. Esay 33. Soul in consulting with a witch 1. Sam. 28. Iohn 8. 1. Cor. 26. Leuit. 20. Doeg in accusing Dauid Abimelech vniustly 1 Sam 22. Hest. 3. Matâ—h 11. Eus. lib. 5. ca. 21. Double minded men Gen 34. Such are they of the familie of loue 1. Cor. 6. Such they which terme themselues the onely Catholikes Such a one Herod Caine Ioab Absolon Matth. 2. Matth. 26. Gen. 4. 2. Sam. 2. 2. Sam. 13. Such are all they towards God who professe the truth in word and in life denie the power of it towardes men they which fawne vpon them whom in heart they abhorre Double minded men are also commonly double tongued Psal. 12. Matth 22. Luc. 7. All these are exhorted to drawe neere vnto God Esay 59. Rom. 3. To drawe neere vnto God is not in our power without his grace 2. Cor. 3. Phil. 2. Ang. de can no. cap. 8. Psal. 19. Iohn 6. The way how to draw neere vnto God Esay 55. Tit. 2. Marke 1. Our hands must be cleansed Luc. 18. Matth. 15. Hand taken for counsell 2. Sam. 14. Acts 4. 2. Sam. 17. 1. Reg. 12. Handesfull of bloud Esay 1. All pollutions vnder the name of vncleane hands Slander Oppression Bribes Sâ—monie Vsurie Our hands fowle eueâ— when they are cleanest Esay 64. The heart must be purged Ier. 17. Luc. 11. Prou. 10. It must be purged of pride Esay 3. It must be kept from being ouercharged with surfets Luc. 21. Gen. 9. From chambering and wantonnesse Hieron sup ep ad Tim. From emulation and contention Num. 16. 1. Cor. 14. Gal. 5. Our harts and hands are not purged but by Christ. 1. Iohn 1. Psal. 51. Christ doeth not ease vs of the burthen of sinne vnlesse he see vs mourne vnder it 1. Cor. 5. 2. Sam. 12. Matth. 26. Luc. 7. Luc. 15. Psal 51. Acts 3. We must be humbled and thrown down Esay 66. There is nothing in vs why we shold not cary humble and lowlie mindes Prou 8. Luc. 1. The cause of our loftinesse is the want of looking into our selues Rom. 7. What commeth vnto vs by drawing neere vnto God Matth. 11. Mich. 7. Ezech. 18. 1. Cor. 11. Why howe and with what fruite God is sought Phil. 3. God commaundeth vs to seeke him Luc. 7. Ios. 1. God allureth vs by benefites to seeke him Vs as Israel by three especial blessings Mich. 6. Deliuerance out of thraldome Psal. â—1 The benefite of giuing Moses Aaron and Marie 2. Reg. 12. Moses seuere in punishing publike offenders easie in pardoning injuries doone to himselfe Num. 25. Psal. 45. Mich. 6. Psal. 101. Ier. 9. Aug. ep 54. Exod. 32. Aaron and Marie The enemies curse turned into blessing Num. 23. Apoc. 3. Num. 25. 31. Iosua 5. 1. Sam. 17. Matth. 5. Esay 5. Psal. 31. Psal. 32. Them whom benefites wil not winne plagues must constraine to seeke y â— Lord. Now is the time to seeke the Lord. Luc. 14. The Lord is sought and found by faith Ambr in Luc. Lib. 6. cap. 8. Faith coÌ„meth by hearing the word of God Iohn 5. Iohn 17. 1. Tim. 4. Iosua 1. Psal. 119. Acts 8. Psal. 95. Iac. 1. The want of teachers at whose mouths the woord should be heard The cause why there are so fewe sâ—fficient men to teache the people The Lord must besought by praier also and not by hearing only Thankesgiuing for benefites alreadie receiued Psal. 116. Crauing of helpe in present necessity Matth 8. Matth. 26. Esay 58. Praier is fruitlesse where repentance is not Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Pet. 1. Osce 4. Ezech. 16. The fruit that commeth by seeking the Lord. Ier 3. Iob. 34. Iob. 33. Our thankfulnesse towards God whom we seeke must be shewed by our mercifulnesse to the poore Prou. 21. The custome of funerals ancient and coÌ„mendable Gen. 23. 25. 50. Tob. 2. Iohn 12. Iohn 19. Three causes of solemnizing funerals 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 15. Iob. 19. Aug. de Ciuit. De. lib. 1. cap. 12. Luc. 16. Apoc. 14. Our state is not changed after death but as we fall so we lie Iohn 3. Aug. ad Hesâ—â— The opinion of Purgatorie vaine and dangerous 1. Thess. 4. Luc. 2. Phil. 1. Apoc. 14. Luc. 16. Luc. 23. Matth. 7. 1. Iohn 1. Eccles. 14. Tit. 2. â— Tim. 4. Three things conteined in the words of Iob. Mans life a warfare Kings and Princes Gods generals Psal. 2. Matth. 6. Esay 49. Psal. 138. Rom. 13. Iob. 34. The Nobles Captaines 1. Sam. 12. The ministers trumpetors Esay 58. Ezech. 33. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Cor. 11. The rest common souldiers 2. Tim 2. Matt. 10. They which warre vnder Christ must striue for the truth and not against it 2. Cor. 1. 3. 2. Tim. 4. The enemies against whom wee must striue the diuell y e worlde the flesh 1. Pet. 5. Apoc. 1â— Eccles. 2. Matth 4. Gen. 3. Iud. 16. 2 Râ—g 1â— 1. Cor. 10. Mar. 3. Gal. 5. 1. Pet. 2. Ephes. â— Iac 4. Gal. 6. Heb. 13. 2. Tim. 2. Our warfare shall haue a change Change desired of al men 2. Sam. 15. 1. Reg. 11. Num. 16. 1. Sam. 8. Gen. 34. Exod. 16. The change which Iob looked for Vnto this chaunge all are subiect Hebr. 9. Iob. 13. 1. Reg. 2. Psal. 89. 2. Reg. 20. No man farre from y â— time of his change Gen. 5. Psal. 89. Psal. 39. Esay 40. The mightiest soonest changed Eccles. 10. Psal. 101. 2. Sim. 18. Hest. 7. 2. Reg 23. 2. Reg. 22. Psal. 54. Wee are daily and hourely put in minde of our change by the vsuall accidents of common life Gen. 47. Ephes. 5. Our change certaine the time vncertaine Iac. â— The change of this life coÌ„tinually to be looked for the first change by death Eccles. 7. Mar. 13. Luc. 12. Matth. 25. The second by the second comming of Christ. Abac. 2. 1. Cor 7. â— Iohn 2. Matth. 24. 1. Pet 4. Eccles. 5. The first danger of not expecting continually our change Iohn 12. The second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. Gen. 19. Exod. 14. Num. 21. Num. 16. Acts 12 Luc. 12. Acts 5. Iud. 3. The third Aug de doct Christ. Motiues to wishing and looking for our change 2 Reg. 20. Exod. 12. 1. Pet 4. Heb. 13. 2. Cor. 5. 2. Tim. 4. Apoc. 22. Rom. 7. 1. Reg. 19. Col. 3. Phâ—l 3. A repetition of that which hâ—â—h beene spoken As we haue redemption at the
SERMONS Made by the most reuerende Father in God Edwin Archbishop of Yorke Primate of England and Metropolitane DAN 12. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for euer and euer AT LONDON Printed by Henrie Midleton for Thomas Charde 1585. To the Christian Readers grace and peace through Iesu Christ our Lord. OF other thinges besides these my sonne take thou heede for there is none end of making manie bookes and much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh Let vs heare the ende of all feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole dutie of euerie man By which wordes of weight proceeding from the Oracle not of Apollo but of God himselfe what effect hath beene wrought both in the heartes and in the handes of many great learned Clerkes both heere and elsewhere both heeretofore and at this day to make them withdraw their mindes from writing and to withholde their pens from paper some witnesses worthie credite could testifie but that dayly experience needeth no farther proofe Howbeit when it is well knowen and ought accordingly to be considered that the place alledged shold rather correct the bookish humor of cōmon writers idle discoursers then control the writing of necessarie and needefull workes which to the singular aduancement of kingdomes cōmonweales to the most excellent seruice of almighty God to the inestimable benefit and blessing of his Church many hundred yeeres sithens that saying of Salomon haue beene printed and published notwithstanding as by large volumes innumerable of Scriptures and fathers of histories and artes in all kinds of knowledge may euidently appeare Euery man of abilitie should rather by those examples encourage himself the suffer himselfe by these wordes to be disswaded to imploye the talent as wel of his hand as of his tongue to meete with and ouertake all practises inconueniences and as it were to applie a salue to euerie sore to minister a medicine to euerie maladie that may occurre Againe when we perceiue Sanballat Tobiah Geshem Noadiah the Prophetesse and their accomplices continually to hinder and impeach as much as in them lyeth the worke of Gods Temple that is Papistes Iesuites and Malecontentes with their adherents all aduersaries enimies to the euerlasting truth of the Gospell without intermission to abuse their great leasure and small learning to plant error and heresie in the heartes of our brethren thereby to supplant all religious woorshippe of almightie God all audience of his woorde and reuerence to his Sacramentes all humble obedience to lawefull Magistrates all dutifull regarde of wholesome lawes all carefull obseruation of auncient discipline all sincere and seemely conuersation of Christian life and honest manners howe can the holie Ghost who reprooueth the woorlde of sinne but require vs to bestowe all the forces and habilimentes wee haue not onely as good Zacharias and Aggeus to prophecie but as godly Zorobabell and Salathiell to reedifie that is aswell by writing as by preaching aswell by our bookes as by our sermons and as it were with a trowell in the one hande and a sworde in the other to rayse and erect the newe Ierusalem supplying the decayes repairing the ruines filling vp the breaches building vp the wals and towers of Sion in perfect beauty The consideratiō wherof together with some other earnest and vehement perswasions to the like effect vsed did at the last though long first induce the most reuerend authour of this booke euē another Esdras or Nehemias to suffer these his labours to come to light aswell for that he mought leaue behinde him a witnesse and warrant of his godly zealous affection that the professiō of his faith mought become the sweete sauour of life to life in all rather thē the sauour of death to death in any as also for that words spokē are soone come soone gon but written withall may make a deeper impression so by striking aswell the eye of the reader as the eare of the hearer may perse his heart the better saue his soule the sooner Of the booke it selfe I will saie but this that for myne owne parte I am verilie perswaded there is no worke written in this kinde wherin men of principall estate or particular callings may be either more sufficiently enformed to know or more plainely directed to performe their seueral duties The superiour how to gouerne the inferiour how to obey the Minister what to teach the people what to learne the Parliament what to establish the Realme what to embrace her Maiestie and counsaill what to heare Courte Citie and Countrie what to amend why Patrones especially professing godlines should be vncorrupt why Pastours vndergoing such a charge shoulde keepe the flocke from the foxe and wolfe why Bishops should be more vigilant precise not to admit Ministers hand ouer head why the rich should be open handed and poore Christ in his needie members competenlie relieued how the Church to be disciphered by hir proper marks of the word to be heard with diligēce and the sacramentes with reuerence to be frequented how the Temple to be purged of idolatrie superstition and superfluitie the Church men of ignoraunce negligence and simonie the commonweale of vnmercifulnesse couetousnesse and vsurie the iudgement seates both ciuill and Ecclesiasticall of briberie extortion partiality why the Gospell to be preached with fauour the Law with terrour yet both with a caueat how God to be worshipped our neighbours intreated our children families catechised our selues conformed to Christ his image the simple aduised the subtill preuēted the weake supported the obstinate corrected what patience to be vsed vnder the crosse what thankefulnesse to be shewed for Gods great mercies what prayers in our extremest necessities to be powred out what sorrow must throw downe the sinfull man what faith raise him vp what hope sustaine him what charitie inflame him what worthy fruites commend him to the world finally how the truth may be cōfirmed falshood refelled vice reproued vertue aduaunced and so the child of God made a man wise vnto saluation and perfectly enabled vnto euery good worke Besides many other most profitable obseruations sooner taught then learned yet sooner learned then followed such so many as in so few sermons you shal hardly finde I beleeue but in the same Nor is this my single opinion only but many mens censure of greater learning better iudgment who know what belonges to matter and method to times and persons to place and occasions with other due circumstances of well and wise meaning speaking and writing But as those sermons be best praysed euer that be euer best practised so if these shall be receiued into the good grounde of your heartes with the same affection and spirite they were preached first and nowe be published no doubt but the sower the seede the soile the increase and all will be founde to the glorie of his grace
past al helpe His rotten relikes cannot comfort you His blinde dumbe and wormeaten Idols can doe you no good It is cast awaie which is spent vpon his shamelesse pardons they wil not preuaile God wil not admit them By his Latine seruice ye cannot be edified or made wiser Yet this trumperie they sel for monie and vpon this trash they cause sillie men to wast their substance and to these to commit their soules Thus you see a manifest difference betweene Christ and Antichrist the doctrine of God and the learning of man true teachers and false sounde and counterfaited religion The one offereth true bread freely the other that which is no bread for bread and that not freely neither but for monie The diuersitie of religion professed in these our times is here most plainely and liuely depainted For the better clearing whereof I wil in three notes lay before your eies the whole difference which is betweene them 9 First we disagree in the very foundation They lay one ground and we an other We lay no one stone but onely vpon that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereupon whosoeuer is builded groweth into an holie temple in the Lord a temple which no winde no waues no storme no tempest is able to ouerthrowe The foundation of our religion is the written worde the Scriptures of God the vndoubted records of the holie Ghost We require no credite to be giuen to any part or parcel of our doctrine further than the same may be clearely and manifestly proued by the plaine words of the lawe of God which remaineth in writing to be seene read examined of all men This we doe First because we knowe that God hath caused his whole Lawe to be written Secondly because we see that it hath beene the practise of all the defenders of the truth since the beginning to relie their faith onely vpon the Scripture and written word Thirdly because it is euident and plaine that we cannot receiue any other foundation of heauenly truth without the ouerthrowe of Christian faith 10 There was neuer any Lawemaker so simple as to make statutes for perpetuitie and not to register them in bookes or engraue them in tables When Memucan was desirous to haue a Law made for the bringing of women in subiection vnder their husbands his perswasion was this If it may please the King let a royall decree proceede from him and let it be written The Lawes of the Medes and Persians that might neuer be altered were for euer recorded When God deliuered his first Lawe vnto his people the Lawe which commonly we call morall he gaue it them written in tables of stone Againe when he deliuered them ciuil ordinaunces for the administration of iustice betweene man and man Moses first proclaimed all those Lawes and ordinances amongst the people afterward he tooke and wrote in a booke all the words of the Lord. As for the Lawes of rites and ceremonies they are likewise written in this booke To these we must adde that Lawe which the blessed Apostle doth call the Lawe of faith This Lawe God preached vnto Adam by himselfe The seede of the woman shall breake the serpents head vnto Abraham by his Angel In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed to the children of Abraham by his Prophets Behold a virgin shal conceiue and beare a sonne finally vnto vs by his sonne and by them whom his sonne hath sent into the world to make it knowen that through this man is preached remission of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the Lawe of Moses by him euerie one that beleeueth is iustified And the statutes of this Lawe are also written God being moreouer desirous to haue his seruaunts not only taught by doctrine but prouoked also by examples gaue them a fift sort of Lawes and testimonies called historical not leauing these neither to men to deliuer vnto their children by word of mouth but all by writing If God haue committed his Lawes moral ciuil ceremonial euangelical and historical also vnto writing where should we seeke for the statutes of the almightie but in his written word 11 The auncients of the house of God knewe no fountaine of his truth but this They neuer enquired what had beene whispered in mens eares that which they beleeued and taught they read it out of the booke In the Historie of Iosua it is recorded howe hee did assemble the Tribes Elders Heads Iudges and Officers of Israel together shewing them what God had spoken vnto them by Moses but vttering to them no speech which was not writtē Iosias with all the men of Iuda and all the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Priests Prophets and all the people small and great made a couenaunt before the Lord to keepe his commaundements and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and with all their soule But what statutes what testimonies The words of the couenaunt written in this Booke Christ speaketh many things his Apostles many things concerning the doctrine of the Prophets but no one point of doctrine which is not found in their bookes and writings The prophet Esay crieth Adlegem testimonium To the lawe and to the testimonie If they teache not according to this Lawe it is because there is no light in them Consider the practise of Christ Iesus His proofes are Scriptum est It is written His demaunds are Quomodo legis Howe doest thou reade His Apologies are Scrutamini Scripturas Searche the Scriptures they beare me record His Apostles tread in the same path they goe not the breadth of an haire not a whit from that which is written Thus S. Paul protesteth I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose the third day according to the Scriptures It is not lightly to be marked which is twise repeated He deliuered nothing but according to the Scriptures I would heare the voice of my pastor saith S. Augustine Reade this out of some Prophet reade it out of some Psalme recite it out of the Lawe recite it out of the Gospel recite it out of some Apostle reade it and we will beleeue it These be good presidents for vs to followe til sufficient reason be alleaged why we should lay an other foundation than that which hath beene laide by so many so wise so reuerend builders 12 Especially sith this foundation is so peculiar to the trueth that we cannot rest vpon any other without manifest daunger of the vtter ouerthrowe of Christian faith For first what certainetie or assurance can we haue of any of those things which are beleeued if our faith doe not leane onely vpon the Scriptures If once a religious credite be giuen to vnwritten verities and to mens reports the vndoubted articles of our beleefe cannot choose but at the
though there were some others without whom the father in him is not pleased some others more willing to heare our requestes than hee who gaue himselfe to death for our sakes haue made their intercessors infinite in number and as though his sacrifice were so vnperfect that by beeing once offered it could not perfectly consecrate those which are sanctified renue their oblations day by day finally as though the Prophet were ouer presumptuous which saieth God is our hope and strength and helpe therefore will not we feare goe about by all meanes to strike a seruile terror into the heartes of the faithfull to keepe them alwaies wauering and doubting to take away all assurance of the mercie and fauour of God towards them which when we haue lost what courage can we haue to withstand the fierie assaults of Satan what comfort or consolation in the middest of those sharp and bitter conflicts which we must endure if we will liue godly in Christ Iesus 35 It is an honour vnto God when his name onely is called vpon when we worship and fal downe before none but him This honour he getteth not at their hands which haue gotten to them selues legions of Angels to whom they pray and millions of Idols which they daily adore Their differences betweene an Idoll and an Image are but shifts Call them what yee will They are similitudes of things in heauen or things in earth which is sufficient to condemne them of Idolatrie that worshippe such things Their distinctions betweene the honour which they giue to Images and the worship which they doe to God alone may serue to bleare the eyes of mortall men But the eternall God doth knowe that they honour creatures with that honour which is forbidden them in the Lawe that they bowe downe to them and that they serue them 36 It is an honour vnto God when reuerence and obedience is shewed vnto his Lawe But is this performed in that synagogue where he sitteth which is an aduersarie and exalteth him selfe against all that is called God or that is woorshipped making himselfe supreme Iudge of all nations requiring his owne words to be heard of all men as the words of God bereauing magistrates of their lawfull power exempting his Clergie from the ciuill sword what villanie soeuer they commit chaunging at pleasure the gouernment of Christ established in his Church dispensing with sinne be it neuer so directly against the expresse commaundement of God forbidding his Clergie mariage vnder colour of seuering them from the worlde but in deede to ease them of such cares and troubles as are necessarilie ioyned with that honourable estate which God commendeth and both secretly with concubines and openly in stewes permitting them fornication which God doeth hate Seeing therefore that this their synagogue is nothing but a sinke of all vncleannesse seeing that all their indeuours tend to no other end but onely to the aduauncement of themselues the dishonour of God and the disgrace of Christ doubtlesse they are not they cannot be the men which minister the waters of eternall life vnto thirstie soules 37 Now that we haue seene both the ground and the end as wel of that faith which we professe as of the doctrine which is helde by them who are deadly enemies to vs and our profession it remaineth that a worde bee spoken of the meanes which are vsed on both parts to set forward that for which we striue Touching our selues as the marke which wee shoote at is to set vp the kingdome of Christ Iesus a kingdome which is not of the worlde so the meanes which herein wee vse are not worldlie but altogether heauenly and spirituall What the proceedings of the Gospell haue beene yee are not ignoraunt ye knowe verie wel how without force without crueltie without trecherie and deceit without all wisedome of flesh and bloud in naked simplicitie in trueth vncoloured and as the Apostle speaketh in foolishnesse of preaching we haue laboured to prepare you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ not outwardly arrayed in purple and skarlet guilded with gold pretious stones and pearle like the strumpet that sitteth vpon many waters but like the spouse of Solomon glorious within ful of Christ riche in faith and in good workes fulfilled with knowledge of his wil in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding strengthened mightily in the inward man rooted and grounded in syncere loue inabled to comprehende with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the loue of Christ strengthened with all patience and long suffering blessed with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things 38 Contrariwise they desiring no such thing but seeking to build an earthly kingdome for themselues vse the meanes which are fittest for that purpose They feede mens eies with all glorious and glittering shewes they inuent to themselues instrumentes of Musicke to delight the eare but of the worke of the Lord of preaching the Gospel of instructing the heart of building the faith of exhorting and comforting Gods people who seeth not how litle regard they haue They keepe men occupied alwaies in corporal and bodily exercise which profiteth litle But are they careful to traine men vp in the knowledge of Christ which is eternal life in true godlinesse which is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come No their practise from time to time doth shewe that most prophane and godlesse men onely siding themselues with the Church of Rome and defending by all meanes the Popes honour may both be counted as Catholikes and euen canonised as Saints among them If they passe the daies of their life lewdely after death at a reasonable prise they may purchase rest for their soules If their hearts be set vpon adulterie incest theft murther consider the holie father for his parchement and lead and what more easily graunted in the Court of Rome than full and free libertie to commit sinne Hence it commeth to passe that as euerie man is most licentiously bent so he ioyneth himselfe most willingly to the Church of Rome and warreth most earnestly for that faith which faith if the riche men of this worlde be for the most part readie to embrace what maruel is it For whereas Christ hath saide It is hard for a riche man to enter into heauen their doctrine and practise maketh the way expedite onely for the riche but by the way which they teache for a poore man to enter into the kingdome of heauen it is a hard matter It were too much to recite all the meanes whereby that kingdome of darkenesse hath growen it were a thing too full of horror to discourse of all the trecheries poysonings murtherings massacres which they haue vsed to maintaine their power neuer any tyrant in the world more Did Christ did Peter did the blessed Apostles thus subdue and conquer nations Did they thus inlarge the kingdome of God
wee haue to praise our God that in publike doctrine touching the substance of religion wee all agree in one truth we all builde vpon one foundation Christ Iesus slaine and offered vp for our full redemption according to the doctrine of the scriptures So much the greater pitie it is that there should be such dissent in matters of small importance in rites and circumstances that by contention in such things the course of the Gospel should be hindered Christs aduersaries strengthened and his church offended The ministerie cannot bee well executed without her rites which rites are left indifferent to euerie policie so that they be not disagreeing from the word so that they tend vnto edification so that they be seemely and according to decent order Bee it graunted that some rites vpon some consideration might be bettered or omitted yet can I not say neither any man I suppose can prooue that any thing is set downe to be obserued in the Church wicked or contrarie to the woord And it were scarse wisedome when as in many yeres a beautifull and a costlie house is builded if a windowe be set a litle awrie or some small like eye sore doe appeare in respect thereof to disturbe the whole house to put it downe and laie it flat with the ground For euerie change being so full of perill surely these great alterations vpon so light aduise these newe common wealthes howsoeuer they be shadowed with the plausible name of reformation yet in seeking for vndoubtedly this is sought and that by many to haue the patrimonie of the Church diuided mangled and impaired they threaten the vtter ouerthrowe of learning and religion For take away liuing at which roote this axe especially striketh and ye take away learning take away learning and yee ouerthrowe teaching take away teaching and what shall become of the church of Christ Where there is no vision there the people cannot choose but come to decaie There is no state no not the state of a prince excepted to whom feare honour obedience and tribute is due that may more rightly chalenge a competent and sufficient liuing than the minister of the word of God They seeme to haue put out the verie light of nature in themselues which repine at the reasonable maintenance of them that minister before the Lorde in these sanctified labours For who doeth plant a vineyard and doeth not eate of the fruite thereof or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flock Marke how the scriptures both in the Lawe and in the Gospell doe beate vpon this point In the Lawe it is saide Thou shalt not mussle the mouth of the Oxe Doeth God take care for Oxen No his care is for vs. For our cause it is that he hath saide The labourer is worthie of his hire For our cause he hath ordeined that they which preache the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Hee had a care of his church and therefore gaue charge Let him that is taught in the word make him that taught him partaker of al his goods This is large yet but reasonable For if we haue sowen vnto you spiritual things is it a great matter if wee reape your carnall things is it much to make vs partakers of all your goods The Elders that rule well are worthie of double honour specially they which labour in the woord and doctrine They which labour amongst you and are ouer you in the Lorde and admonish you haue them saith the Apostle we beseeche you in singular loue for their works sake It was foreseene no doubt by the spirite how Gods portion should be pinched howe the ministers of the word should be contemned howe iniuriously men in these last vncharitable daies would seeke for the hauocke and spoile of the Church this mooued him in so large and ample sort to speake of maintenance and honour due to his ministers If any man bee slowe and rechelesse in dooing his office if there bee any Idol-sheepeheard that feedeth himselfe onely and not his flocke let him be reformed or remooued But for the fault of a fewe that the whole state should be subuerted and the patrimonie of the church of Christ spoiled and deuoured it were verie hard No prince nor people Christian or Heathen could euer consent to such a thing without sacrilege Wel as we are at vnitie in substance of religion so God graunt that at length in these things also we may agree and be as one euen as becommeth the congregation of Christ which is a societie linked and knit together not sundered by diuision and rent in peeces by varietie of opinions and iudgements To this vnitie Paul exhorteth Be of one meaning This vnitie Christ commendeth to his Disciples saying Be one 6 Of this vnitie and coniunction of men agreeing in the trueth ariseth that brotherly concord whereof S. Paul in the woordes that followe saith Be like minded hauing the same charitie Where dissent in religion is there can hardly be consent in loue Diuersitie of religion sundered the Iewe and Gentile caused the one to be an abhomination to the other Wherefore hee that came to bring religion into the world came not to bring with it peace but a sword a sworde to diuide asunder not onely kingdomes and cities but euen the man and the wife the father and the childe a sword to cut off one brother from another For there can be no agreement betweene Christ and Beliall the light of the one and the others darkenesse such as are not of one true religion with vs their profession may be friendshippe but their practise is deceit they may with speeche and countenaunce flatter and fawne but they carie for the most part a malitious heart set vpon mischiefe Caine spake Abel faire ynough but for the diuersitie of his sacrifice he hated him and spying opportunitie shed his bloud Herod pretended to worship Christ whose death he fully purposed in his malitious mind There was neuer therfore wise Israelite that would trust an Amorite It is and will bee true for euer that Constantine saide Qui perfidi sunt in Deum in Principem fideles esse non possunt They cannot be sure to their Prince who to God-ward are not syncere They count trueth heresie and No PROMISE TO BE KEPT WITH HERETIKES is their posie Children they are like to their father which is a murtherer and lier from the beginning But when we speake of loue and charitie we speake of the badge of Christianitie of the vertues of true Christians who consenting in faith bring foorth the fruite of faith which is loue without which howe neere soeuer we approche vnto Christ in word and in outward profession we are in deede none of his He cannot agree with Christ that is at discord with a Christian. God is so delighted with this affection that he professeth himselfe to hate them that are enemies of it yea the soule of the Lord abhorreth
may more easily eate vs vp He setteth the generals together by the eares The captaines they enuie one another The souldiers take parties and are diuided The generals captaines souldiers and all contemne the watcheman and will not giue eare or regarde the sound of the trumpe The kingdome the citie the house thus diuided can it thinke you stand long The diuell plaieth his part and plieth it busilie but we like cowards yeeld and doe not resist are at variance amongst our selues and thereby at agreement with that aduersarie whom who so hateth his brother serueth Our second enemie is the world the world which is altogether set on al wickednesse The third our flesh our flesh which rebelleth and lusteth contrarie to the spirite Fleshly lusts fight against the soule And thus we haue enemies on euerie side yea and that which is most dangerous of all within vs which daily giue vs fore assaults For loue of the victorie and shame of this cowardlinesse and feare of that dreadfull and eternall captiuitie let vs put on our armour the girdle of trueth the brest plate of righteousnesse the helmet of saluation and the buckler of faith a sure defence against all the fierie darts of Satan and let vs take in our hand the sword of the spirite the woord of God the dint whereof he dare not abide Resist the diuell and he will flee from you Resist him in faith in prayer and in the word Be crucified vnto the world euen as strangers which are not of the world For we haue here no abiding Citie Chastise the bodie with watchings with labour with fastings It is a great victorie to ouercome the diuell a greater to ouercome the worlde and the greatest of al to ouercome thy selfe euen thine own flesh To him that ouercommeth shal be giuen a crowne But he that is ouercome shall be the continuall bondman of Satan our vile and cruell enemie Let vs so striue that we may ouercome He onely that striueth lawfully shall be crowned 13 This warre at length will haue an end a change Man is mutable subiect to change and desirous of change No man is long contented with his owne estate be it neuer so excellent The Angel would change to be like vnto God Adam would change to be as wise as hee that made him Absolon would change and sit in his Fathers seate Salomon would haue chaunge of wiues The Israelites woulde chaunge Moses and Aaron both magistrate and minister They would needes chaunge their Iudge for a King their Samuel for Saul The Sichemites would change their religion The Israelites would change Manna the foode of Angels for the flesh pots of Egypt The wauering Iewes changed Christ for Barrabas their Sauiour for a murtherer We are like affected to them in liking and louing change change of meate change of apparell change of maners Wee change simple dealing into craftie vndermining faithfulnesse into trecherie truth into falshood liberalitie into couetousnesse humilitie into pride chastitie into lewdenesse mercie into malice light into darkenesse day into night all vertue into all vice And that which is more monstrous sheepe are chaunged into goates sheepeheardes into wolues and as Bernard saith Prelates into Pilates Nurces of the Church into robbers of the Church The hearts and tongues of men are changed and of single both made double Our times breede men of the nature of the fish Polypus which can chaunge it selfe into all colours to deceiue And as he saith in the Comedie There is a change of all things 14 But while wee are thus occupied about these choppings and changings we seeme neuer to remember that great change whereof Iob here speaketh which hee daily looked and longed for And that is the change of this mortall life looking for that great and glorious resurrection Death is here termed a change This change is certaine all fleshe must die The time till this change doth come not long the daies of man are short and miserable The time when this change will come vncertaine 15 We all must die God gaue a Lawe to our father Adam forbidding him to eate of the fruite adding the penaltie of death if he did Adam transgressed the penaltie was inflicted The sentence of death was this Dust thou art and into dust thou shalt In our fathers fall wee fell and of his punishment his children are partakers This is a statute made by the three states It is appointed to all men once to die Thou hast appointed man his bonds which he cannot passe This is the waie of all flesh what man is he that liueth and shal not see death Neither king nor kesar could euer be dispensed withall from this statute The good king Ezechias sought and sued vnto God for a dispensation but it would not be graunted only he obteined the prolonging of his daies for a fewe yeres This Lawe standeth fast this debt is due vnto all flesh And the time that wee haue before the daie of paiment is not long 16 The daies of man are short the number of his moneths is knowen onely to the Lord. All creatures now waxe olde with the aged world This is euen the last houre the worlde cannot continue long Mathusela liued 969. yeres If in our age wee reache to 80. it is with sorowe and labour Thou hast made my daies as it were a spanne long saith Dauid All flesh is grasse saieth the Prophet and all the glorie thereof as the flower of the fielde both the grasse and the flower quickely fade and fall away and the flower sooner than the grasse 17 The people are the grasse and wil abide the withering The flower is the Nobilitie set aloft in great beautie yet euerie frost causeth the flowre to fade and euerie blast of winde ruffleth the leaues and euen shaketh them off This all times doe teache and the action we haue in hand doth presently put vs in mind therof This mightie king this great Prince CHARLES THE FRENCH KING whose funerall we now celebrate in his young yeeres in his flourishing age in the perfect strength of his bodie when he minded weightie matters and great attempts euen then was hee stopped in the midst of his race and the line of his life cut off This glorious flower is faded and falne away How soone how sodainely It falleth out in experience true which is written by Ecclesiasticus The life of Potentates endureth not long Some though fewe are consumed with the cares of the common wealth The good king Dauid complaineth that his bones were euen dried vp with the cares he tooke for his countrie Some are wasted away by wantonnesse as Commodus Claudius Nero Alexander the great Some are shortened by ambition they wil neuer leaue climing till they catche a fall That cut off the daies of Absolon that brought Haman to the tree Some God
Gospell bee hid it is from them that perish whom the God or rather the diuel of this world hath blinded We are in the light the way of truth lyeth plaine and open before our faces Let not vs walke nowe as the children of darkenesse For darkenesse and the night are past 27 The day draweth neere The day of euerie mans particular dissolution and the day of that generall iudgement of all men Although the day of our death be vncertaine yet because all our daies are fewe our first day is no sooner come but we are sure and certaine that the last draweth neere Wherefore it behooueth vs continually to watch to looke for our ende and to put our selues in a readinesse for it For as we are found in that day so shall we finde in the day after that the day of the glorious appearing of Christ when all secrets shall be vnsealed al faults made manifest and euerie man receiue a blessing or a curse as he hath wrought in his bodie good or bad Many daies are past since Christ and his Apostles did count it neere therefore nowe it must needs drawe much neerer and be euen at the doore We may nowe say iustly It is time to rise from sleepe Our saluation is neerer than when wee beleeued The night is past the day draweth on 28 Let vs walke honestly therefore as in the day We are created and redeemed to walke and serue God in whose seruice if we goe not forward we goe backeward we may neither lie down nor stand still but take paines and walke And that honestly hauing our conuersation according to our good profession Wee are set as it were vpon a stage the worlde Angels and men fixe their eies vpon vs. And if the eies of all these were closed yet he to whom the night and the light are all one in clearenesse our eternall God hee seeth our cogitations and searcheth our heart he vnderstandeth all our waies All things lie open and vncouered vnto him hee beholdeth all practises all deuises all trecheries all treasons all sinne Let vs walke vprightly and liue honestly as in his sight 29 This we shall doe if we followe the counsell and exhortation of S. Paul that is if we first cast away the workes of darkenesse Sinnefull actions are called woorkes of darkenesse First because much sinne springeth out of ignorance which is blindenesse and darkenesse wherefore S. Paul alledgeth ignorance to be the cause why hee persecuted the Church of Christ Secondly for that sinners because their workes are euil hate the light which discouereth them and loue darkenesse wherein they may conceale them Thirdly because the workes of sinne are to bee cast into that perpetuall and vtter darkenesse of hell and bound in euerlasting cheines of darkenesse vnto the iudgement of that great day 30 Howbeit for that it sufficeth not to abstaine from euil but it is required that we should doe good therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs not onely to cast away the woorkes of darkenesse but to put vpon vs the armour of light Wherein looke what was saide why sinne should be called by the name of darknesse the like may on the contrarie side be saide why righteousnesse should bee termed by the name of light First for that good woorkes are the fruits of the light of knowledge wherein if we encrease more and more in loue and in all spirituall vnderstanding we shall not onely put a difference betwene those things that are more excellēt but bee pure also and without offence vnto the day of Christ filled with the fruites of righteousnesse which commeth by Iesu Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Secondly because they that walke honestly as in the day time delight in the light For he that doth the trueth commeth to the light that his deedes may be made manifest that they are done in God who is light and in him is no darknesse at all And therefore insomuch as they well vnderstande that the night will come wherein no bodie shall be able to worke while they haue the light they giue themselues to walk in the light that they may be the sonnes of the light And thirdly because as Bernard saith Bona opera non sunt causae regni sed via regnandi Good workes are not the causes of but the way vnto the kingdome so they leade vs the way to the inheritance of Saints in light and to the fruition of that God who as hee is the father of lights in whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowe of change so he dwelleth in a light that cannot as yet be commen vnto we shall come to it heereafter when we shall drinke of the well of life when in his light wee shall see light To the which euerlasting life and light hee bring vs who is not onely the way the trueth and the life but God of God light of light euen Iesus our Sauiour to whom with the Father and the holie Ghost three persons and one God c. The twelfth Sermon A Sermon preached at an Assises MICH. 6. 8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iudgement and to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and to walke carefully with thy God FOR the better vnderstanding of the Prophet in these fewe words recited it shall bee requisite to open vnto you a fewe circumstances concerning them wherein I will be short We learne in the text that goeth before in this chapter that God was displeased with his people the Israelites And that it might appeare how iust cause hee had of offence giuen him hee challengeth them that his gratiousnesse towardes them and their vnthankefulnesse towardes him might be examined and tried in iust iudgement And God appointeth the mountaines to be Iudges heerein that is as Ierome expoundeth it the Angels of heauen whom God often vseth as ministers for his glorie and for the benefite of man God declareth therefore here by his Prophet first that hee neuer wronged them and therfore they had no cause to complaine secondly that he hath bestowed his manifold benefites vpon them that he deliuered them out of the house of bondage from the tyrannicall hands of cruell Pharao whose slaues their fathers were that he had giuen them woorthie magistrates and good Priestes to rule direct and instruct them Moses Aaron Myriam and lastly that hee had turned Balaams cursings against them into blessings towards them Nowe after that God had thus set forth his great goodnesse towardes them hee chargeth them with their great vnkindenesse towards him howe they fell from the seruing of him to the woorshipping of false gods by running a whoring after Idols and sacrificing on their hill altars committing most grosse Idolatrie and foolish superstition howe altogether they contemned the woord of the almightie the preaching of the Prophets were drowned in sinnefull securitie and fed themselues with their owne phantasies the inuentions and vaine
committed Some by killing of Christ the first begotten sonne againe sacrificing him afresh as they thought vpon their hill altars for the dead and the quicke But they were deceiued Some by the mediation of Saints departed robbing Christ of his office who is the onely mediator and intercessor betweene God and man Some haue thought to make amendes for their sinnes by buying popish pardons by taking their walkes in long pilgrimages to dumme and senselesse idols in such like not only vaine but impious deuises of mans foolish braine Thus sundrie haue sought out sundrie ways some blasphemous and some of them ridiculous to appease the wrath of God prouoked by their sinne The Israelites doubted by what meane to satisfie for their sinne what God would accept they could not tell they were altogether vncertaine which way to please him And truely it is lamentable that there bee so many euen nowe in the cleare light of the sauing Gospell which doubt by what meanes they may bee saued and in this doubtfulnesse many still followe their owne fantasies and through ignorance are led into the high way of damnation Wherefore such as are doubtful our Prophet Micheas clearely resolueth such as are out of the way he calleth into the right path such as are ignorant he instructeth and such as will learne hee offereth to teache what the good will and pleasure of the Lord is 6 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and acceptable to him surely not to take vpon thee to satisfie for sin thy selfe for that passeth thy power all thy righteousnesse being but filthinesse in the pure sight of God not to offer vp any sacrifice as being in it selfe propitiatorie for sinne for that Christ onely hath doone on the crosse and that but once and that for all hee is the onely sacrifice the onely priest the onely mediator the only redeemer The price of our saluation is neither golde nor siluer but the pretious bloud of the innocent lambe of God Christ Iesus shed for the sinnes of the worlde there is no other name vnder heauen whereby we can be saued God requireth therefore no satisfaction for sinnes at thy hands but at his he hath required it to the vttermost Christ is thine God hath freely giuen thee both him and with him all things that are his If thou receiue him through a true faith thy saluation is sealed and thou art safe For as many as haue receiued him to them hee hath giuen power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name If thou confesse with thy mouth and beleeue in thy heart that thou art deliuered from thy sinne by that one oblation of Christ offered vpon the crosse that his merite hath made thee the childe of his father and the inheritor of that kingdome which he hath prepared for as many as are his then applie thy selfe to liue after the will and commaundement of him that hath doone so great thinges for thee shew thy faith by thy life let it appeare and be seene in thy works that thou art in deede the louing and the iustified childe of God readie desirous to obeie and doe his will And least in thy working thou shouldest followe thine owne phantasie and doe that which is not acceptable in the sight of God hee hath laide out thy way before thee 7 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to do iudgement and to loue mercie to humble thy selfe to walke carefully with thy God Wherein we first learne this lesson that no seruice wee doe to God can please him but such as himselfe in his woord hath prescribed he will be serued as he hath commanded in his lawe and not as thou hast deuised with thy selfe That seruice which God in his word doth not require at thy hands if thou offer it him it is in vaine thou offerest The Lord hath not asked it and he wil not accept it of thee In vaine they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men It is not for nothing that God was so curious in platting foorth the Tabernacle and so precise in commaunding that all thinges without exception should be doone according to that patterne Was God so careful ouer an earthly a corruptible house think you No His meaning was to teache vs that in the spirituall Tabernacle in matters of religion perteining to the seruice worship of God all things should be doone according to the rule of his owne will which is set downe in his written woord For hath he not saide in the Lawe What I commmaund thee that onely shalt thou doe thou shalt neither adde nor diminish He that addeth God shal adde vnto him all the plagues he that taketh away God shal take from him all the blessings conteined in that booke The doctrine of Christ saith Clemens Alexandrinus is most absolute neither wanteth it any thing God is well pleased when men are so religiously affected that they dare not swarue a haires bredth from his word S. Cyprian saith The foundation of all religion and faith is laide in the woord of God And S. Ierome That which hath not authoritie out of the woord of God is altogether as easilie refused as prooued Which rule of religion if the Latine Church had as wel obserued as it is both in the scriptures often giuen and often commended by the godlie fathers the Church of Christ had neuer beene burthened with so many vnprofitable traditions and newe inuentions of men so many superstitions so great idolatrie so ouglie pollutions had neuer found entrance into the house of God In the scriptures wherein is conteined all that is good and all that which God requireth or accepteth of we finde no mention either of the name or of the thing of the Masse the Pope Purgatorie praying on beades hallowing of bels either any such like popish trashe In summe fewe parts of their religion haue any one stone from thence to be founded or built vpon For where doth God require any one of these or the like at our or their hands That which is required in his name is this To doe iudgement and to loue mercie c. Wherein is fully comprised our whole duetie both to God and man 8 To doe iudgement This sentence receiueth sundrie expositions and each of them yeeldeth vs sundrie good lessons Ierome vnderstandeth by dooing of iudgement dooing all things with reason and ripe consideration God himselfe giueth an example hereof and applieth himselfe to our senses that he may instruct our mindes herein For minding to powre his plagues vpon Sodoma and Gomorra those sinfull cities hee saith first with himselfe I wil goe downe nowe and see whether they haue doone altogether according vnto that crie which is come vnto me or not that I may knowe It was rashnesse in Iephthe to promise without exception whatsoeuer should meete him first and hee
lawfull when maidens are asked to wiues of their parents and are giuen by them openly to their husbandes otherwise they are not mariages but whoredomes The best writers both olde and newe subscribe hereunto Tertullian Ambrose Chrysostome Augustine with all the learnedst of latter times whose particular sentences I omit to recite for breuities sake But if youthfull children haue so litle reuerence both of God and men that such admonition wil not make them leaue such disordered mariages it behooueth magistrates who are the common parentes of the weale publike to bridle their lusts with seuere Lawes for the redresse of this euill and the mischiefes ensuing of it And thus much of S. Peters entraunce into his sermon the sermon doeth followe 33 Ye knowe the word which God hath sent to the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ and so foorth The summe of the sermon is this Iesus Christ which is Lord of all the preacher and author of peace did faithfully performe the office for the which he was sent preaching to the people the glad tidings of the Gospell and healing all their diseases for God was with him and hee was slaine and hanged on tree the thirde day he arose again from death he ascended into heauen from thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead to whom all the prophets beare witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue remission of their sinnes Such as this is were the sermons of the Apostles Here is all things necessarie to saluation expressed This is that which God commanded his great Apostle S. Peter to preache In this doctrine would hee haue his people trained vp The people receiued it as a sufficient doctrine Peter and Paul were directed by one spirite they neither esteemed to knowe any thing but Iesus Christ and him crucified neither could they testifie or preache ought but him This sermon is diuided into three parts the first that Iesus Christ the Lord of all was sent vnto the people of Israel to preache peace the next that he died rose againe from death to procure vs this peace the last that we are made partakers of this peace by faith in his name Iesus Christ the Lord of all was sent vnto the people of Israel to preache peace Let vs weie the words seuerally they are most effectuous fully setting foorth the mysterie of our saluation 34 Iesus by the interpretation of the Angel is a sauiour Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes The Angel appearing to the sheepeheards saide Behold I bring you tidings of great ioie that shall be to al the people that is that vnto you is born this day a Sauiour The Ethnikes doe seeke their safetie in their idols the Iewes in the obseruances of the Lawe and traditions the Papistes in their pardons purgatorie masses merites the true Christians seeke it in Iesus Christ the Sauiour and in none but him He will not be matched therein with any other but he is a full perfect and onely Sauiour He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world There is neither water nor fier buls nor bels masses nor merites pope nor pardon that can saue vs. There is neither diuel or flesh nor world if he saue vs that can condemne vs. For who can condemn whom he doth iustifie And whom he iustifieth not who can saue Christ is annointed And Iesus is called so because hee was annointed of God aboue his fellowes Whereupon Esay the prophet writeth of him The spirit of the Lord is vpon me for he hath annointed me Annointed he was to be a king and priest for they among the Iewes were woont to be annointed Hee is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords The wise men of the East did acknowledge him a king Where is he that is borne king of the Iewes Zacharie sheweth further what maner of king Behold thy king commeth to thee meeke and riding vpon an asse and vpon a colt the foale of an asse This our king doth gouerne vs with a right scepter The scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse He doth defend vs with a mightie and stretched out arme against whose power no power can stand He is that triumphant prince which hath most victoriously vanquished and throwen vnder foote our enemies They labour in vaine that kicke against the prickes that striue against his Gospel For he is a prince of might that doeth defend it and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it The sunne wil runne his course the passage of the Gospel cannot bee stopped The Gospel is not bound While it is persecuted it is inlarged The bloud that is spilt for it is the very seede of it Nowe as he is our king so our priest and prophet too at whose mouth wee should require the Lawe of God That prophet like vnto Moses the searcher of truth That very sonne of God of whom the father hath saide Ipsum audite Heare ye him He is the priest which once for all hath sufficiently sacrificed for our sins by himselfe and by none other once and not often vpon the crosse and not vpon the altar sufficient for all such as shall be saued He is the priest the high bishop that maketh intercession for vs the onely mediator betweene God and man to teach man the wil of God to reconcile God to man to make intercession betweene God and man These are the peculiar duties of Christ as wee are taught in the Epistle to the Hebrues 35 Which is Lord of all Least the Gentiles should conceiue that Iesus Christ was promised and sent to be a Sauiour onely to the Iewes hee answereth that obiection by a preuention so to terme it calling him Lord of all the Lord of the Gentile as wel as of the Iewe. Christ wil that all men shall be saued that is men of all sorts He was sent to preache peace to all both Iewes and Gentiles He is the Lord ouer all euen the Lord of glorie to whō all power is giuen both in heauen and in earth He hath bought vs al with a great price that we should serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Let vs remember therefore that of the prophet If I be a Lord where is my feare saith the Lord of Hosts Feare not them which kil the bodie but be not able to kill the soule but rather feare ye him which is able to destroie both bodie and soule in hell 36 Which God hath sent When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe He was made man for vs that in our nature he might suffer for vs. He was sent of his father being equall
with his father and beeing in the forme of God he made himselfe of no reputation All to lift vs vp that were cast downe to hel and to rid vs from the bondage of Satan and his Angels to whom we were enthralled For that is imported by the peace mentioned in the woords that followe God preached by him He sent me to preache the Gospell to the poore saith Christ himselfe in Esay To preache the Gospel euen the Gospel of peace not to preache warre betweene GOD and man but to preach peace For the word of the Gospel is the word of reconciliation 37 And here by Christ example all messengers of God and ministers of his woord are taught by the way that before they meddle with dooing this office they must be lawfully sent thereto Such as denie their lawfull sending doe also denie their lawfull preaching For howe shall they preache vnlesse they be sent saith S. Paul The prophet complaineth of such runners as bee not sent I haue not sent these prophets saith the Lord yet they run Such are sent as are framed thereunto by the holie Ghost whom the holie Ghost hath furnished with gifts fit for that office which doe not vsurpe it but stay till they be lawfully called as was Aaron 38 Christ was not onely sent to preache peace but also to be our peace-maker for through him we haue peace with God and in him wee should seeke peace with men too as farre as lyeth in vs. For the Gospel is the word of peace not of contention tumult and rebellion as our aduersaries terme it of it owne nature it is the word of peace it commeth otherwhence that cōtention doth followe it for as soone as the Gospel beginneth to be preached Satan maketh a sturre and laboureth to suppresse it As soone as the wise men asked after Christ Herode was troubled As soone as Christ entred into Ierusalem to preache all the citie was mooued The truth hath many enemies The light is hated of euill doers the Gospel wil euer be persecuted And in this sense is that of Christ verified I came not to sende peace but the swoord Christ was sent to preache peace He preached peace and made peace betweene Iewes and Gentiles or rather betweene them both and the Lord. For hee is peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stoppe of the partition-wall Other sheepe I haue saith Christ to the Iewes which are not of this folde Them must I bring also and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one sheepefold and one sheepeheard He preached peace amongst men and brought peace into the world At the time of his natiuitie as appeareth in histories there was peace amongst all nations and people throughout all the whole worlde to shewe vnto the world that the Lord of peace was come into the world Peace is the badge that God giueth to discerne his from others Loue is Christs Liuery-coate By this shall all men knowe that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one another He cannot bee at peace with God that is at warre with his neighbour He cannot haue concord with Christ that nourisheth discord with a Christian. God hath made vs one Let not the diuell sunder vs into many Pride is a peace-breaker humble and milde hearts are not contentious but labour to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace God hath giuen vs Christ the prince of peace he hath giuen vs the gospel the word of peace he hath giuen vs a peacefull Queene the Lord blesse her and common peace in our countrie let vs bee thankefull to the Lord for it and woe to him that shall breake it Be of one minde liue in peace and the Lord of loue and peace shall be with you He preached peace peace betweene God and man Sinne made diuision betweene God and vs as it is written in Esay Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God So that Gods fauour descended not to vs neither could our praiers ascend vnto him But Christ hath remooued this wall of diuision he hath taken away this stoppage hee hath cancelled on the crosse this writing that was against vs hee hath made vs a free accesse vnto God By him we are reconciled vnto God the father Hee hath laide our sinnes vpon his owne shoulders hee hath borne the pese of his fathers heauie wrath and indignation he hath satisfied Gods iustice and pacified his anger and made a perfect peace betweene God and vs. Mans conscience can neuer rest nor be at peace vntil it be setled in the ful perswasion of remission of sinnes in the death and resurrection of Christ Iesus whereby God receiueth vs into his fauour and is at one with vs through him This is that ioiefull tidings of peace with God which Christ was sent to preache vnto the world This is that peace which passeth all vnderstanding He that with patience resteth in this peace doth suffer all things he reioiceth in the midst of troubles and afflictions he is not ouercome with the feare of mans malice but will cheerefully and boldly say with S. Paul If God be with vs who can be against vs And with the prophet I will lay me downe and sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest me dwell in safetie This is that peace which Christ preached and promised to leaue with his elect peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your heart be troubled nor feare This peace is farre from the vngodlie there is no peace saith my God to the wicked They are euer restlesse the biting worme neuer ceaseth to gnawe and grate in their combred consciences 39 Christ preached peace when the Lord sent him Hee was not negligent in his office he aunswered his calling carefully He went about dooing good and healing all that were oppressed of the diuell He was not rechelesse in Gods matters He was no dumbe dogge no idle idol He crept not into a corner he hid not himselfe But he walked he went abroade he saide to his Disciples Goe ye Preacheye he gaue the example himselfe he lay not out of his Diocese he was resident vpon his charge and looked to euery part of it he made not his continual abode at Ierusalem nor at Iericho nor at Capernaum nor in any one citie towne or village but he went through all Iurie and Galilie Not to poll and pill to extort and wring out of the people what he could but it was to doe good and to heale such as were oppressed of the diuell to preache the woord and to worke miracles Hee preached throughout his whole charge For I came out saith he for that purpose Nor onely did he gladly teache such as came vnto him but he inuited also and prouoked al that were
wearie and loaden to come promising them that he would refresh their soules And heerein he did the office of a priest And againe hee healed all that Satan had afflicted and herein he did the office of a king He shall iudge the poore of the people saith the prophet he shall saue the children of the needie and shal subdue the oppressor He threwe out his enemie the oppressor Satan and deliuered his people out of that enemies hands An example for the magistrate to defend the innocent to deliuer the oppressed to punish the transgressor For the swoord is giuen him to this end An example for the minister to teache the word of God and confirme it with doing what good soeuer he may according to the talents that the Lord hath giuen him Finally an example for euerie faithfull Christian to shewe foorth his beleefe by his conuersation his faith by workes to make his vocation and calling sure thereby For God was with him Christ wrought his wonderfull workes by the power of God and not as the Scribes falsely charged him by the power of Beelzebub for God was with him He taught the word that he receiued of his father he cast out diuels by the finger of God He was no chopper or changer of the woord he vsed neither witchcraft sorcerie nor coniuring He wrought not by the diuel but by the power of God 40 The next part was that he died and rose again to procure vs this peace They slewe him hanging him on a tree God raised him vp the third day The death and resurrection of Christ is the onely meane of our reconciliation and peace with God For he died for our sinnes and rose for our iustification By his death and passion he hath cancelled and fastened vpon the crosse the hand-writing that was against vs. Hee hath pacified Gods wrath hee hath procured Gods fauour of enemies made vs friends of strangers citizens of the children of wrath the children of God and fellow-heires of his eternall kingdome 41 Before this crucified Christ that died and rose againe wee shal appeare to giue an account of our whole life of our thoghts our workes and words For as S Peter saith He is ordeined of God a iudge of the quicke and the dead At the latter day hee is appointed to be iudge of all flesh The father hath deliuered all iudgement vnto him And we shall all stand before his iudgement seate that euery one may receiue the things doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euill This iudge is both iudge and witnesse I will come neere vnto you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe back the hyrelings wages and vexe the widowe and the fatherlesse oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of Hosts Nothing is hid from his eyes he seeth the secrets of all hearts he wil not be corrupted but giue vnto euerie one according to his woorkes Christ is iudge Wherefore we are taught to leaue reuenge vnto him Vengeaunce is mine I will repay saith the Lord. For priuate men to reuenge wrongs is to vsurp Christs office to take iudgement out of his handes whom God the father hath appointed iudge of the quicke and the dead You that bee afflicted and oppressed with miserie and wrong lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere You that oppresse and wrong your brethren repent and desire pardon least the sentence of Gods iustice ouertake you His iustice no man can abide For in his sight shall none that liueth be iustified Christ therefore is giuen as S. Peter teacheth to be our Iesus that is our Sauiour our Christ that is annointed a king a priest and prophet the Lord of all whom we ought to serue in holinesse and righteousnesse sent of God and made man he preached peace betweene God and man and betweene men among themselues he died to bee a sacrifice for vs he rose againe to iustifie vs hee is made our iudge and doeth iudge iustly 42 Nowe wee with PETER or rather with the holie Ghost with the Prophets and Apostles giue heerein to Christ that which is his owne And here is the controuersie betweene the aduersaries of the Gospel the papists and vs. We giue vnto Christ that which is his right they rob and take from him that which is his due We spoile our selues of all righteousnesse and seeke to be cloathed with his righteousnesse They cloath themselues with their owne righteousnesse not caring for that righteousnesse which is in him We hope to be saued by him our onely priest our sacrifice our mediator They haue shauen priests and vnbloudie sacrifices and infinite mediators both of Saints and Angels To be short we acknowledge Christ our whole Sauiour and all the glorie thereof we giue vnto God They will be saued by themselues their merits their pardons they impart the glorie of God vnto dead men to images to relikes to dumme creatures 43 The third and last part of S. Petets sermon was that wee are made partakers of peace by faith in Christ name To him all the prophets giue witnesse that through his name al that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sins Wherein three things are remembred vnto vs that remission of sinnes is free that we receiue it by faith and that this doctrine is witnessed by all the prophets 44 All flesh hath sinned and doth neede forgiuenesse God is the onely forgiuer of our sinnes Neither doth he forgiue them in respect of mans merits but of his mercie good will and free mercie The onely meanes that mooued God to bee mercifull freely to sinnefull man was that most acceptable sweete bloudie sacrifice which the innocent sonne of God offred vpon the crosse for our sinnes All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus He tooke our vnrighteousnesse vpon himselfe and cloathed vs with his iustice and He who knewe no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him In Christ and for Christ we receiue free remission of sins There is no other name giuen vs vnder heauen whereby we may be saued I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the father but by me saith Christ. No sinne forgiuen but thorough him and through him all sinnes are forgiuen freely 45 The meane whereby wee are made partakers of this free remission of sinnes in the death and resurrection of Christ is faith in Christ. For all saith Peter that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes through his name God doeth freely offer vnto vs remission of sinne and peace in Christ. The meane and
vexed and tormented with sinne they make light or no account of it These men loue the bodies of their children as it seemeth better than their soules So this fraile carcase this bodie of claie is much made of To procure things good and comfortable for it we can be content to trauel sea and lande to be at any cost to endure any paines If health may be had though it be in a wildernesse it wil be sought 14 The last and best sort of followers were such as followed Christ to heare his word This is that trauell that chiefly is required of a Christian. Seeke first the kingdome of God This declareth vs to be his children to be his flocke He that is of God heareth Gods woord My sheepe heare my voice Thus you see the causes why Christ was followed of the multitude 15 Christ was quietly set with his Disciples in the mount when this people approched The hill as S. Chrysostome noteth may represent the kingdome of God the inheritors whereof are alwaies delighted to clime vpward to seeke those thinges that be aboue to take pleasure in nothing but that which is from heauen Christ and his Disciples being on the top of the mount were quiet And the Church of Christ euen in the wildernesse in the midst of affliction doth in him finde rest In the worlde saith our Sauiour You shall haue distresse but haue confidence I haue ouercome the world these things haue I spoken vnto you that in me you may haue peace Vpon this assurance Peter being in prison and in cheines slept quietly the Prophet Dauid in the midst of persecution tooke sweete and pleasaunt rest I lay mee downe saith he and sleepe in peace for thou Lord onely makest mee dwell in safetie 16 Nowe followeth the miracle which our Sauiour wrought by occasion of the multitude which was there assembled together with him and his Disciples In this there are many things conteined very woorthie of your good and godlie considerations which for orders sake we may reduce to the persons of the people of the Disciples and of Christ. Concerning the people the words of the Euangelist S. Iohn are these Sequebatur eum turba multa A great troupe followed him But S. Marke more liuely expressing the great zeale and desire they had to the Gospel of Christ saith They ran flocking thither on foote out of all Cities In whom we haue first to obserue that they were not of the Princes nor of the priests which came vnto him but turba the common and vulgar sort Num quis ex principihus Doth any of the rulers or of the Pharisees beleeue in him Not many noble not many wise saith the Apostle The noble and mightie loued libertie of life and feared mutations The wise were circumspect and sawe that the Gospel would marre their workes Onely the people they which were basely accounted of in the worlde they which knewe not the Lawe came vnto Christ. 17 The second thing to be obserued in them is their cheerefulnesse their alacritie their zeale and courage They came not dragging their legges after them they ran vnto Christ. Neither care of things at home nor feare of daunger abroade neither the length of the waie thither nor the lacke of lodging and foode there neither the feare of the Priests the Scribes and Pharisees the knowne and professed enemies of Christ nor any other by respect in the worlde was able to staie them Shall not this people rise vp in iudgement thinke you against vs whom God hath by so many blessings allured and as it were entised to come vnto him and notwithstanding findeth vs so farre from this cheerefull and gladsome following of him that when hee doth followe and seeke after vs we turne our backes and flie from him Could wee doe thus if indeede we did beleeue that he hath the woords of eternall life and that as many as continue with him to the end they shall be saued 18 The thirde thing especially to be noted in this people is that their willingnesse to come was not greater then their readynesse to obey him vnto whom they came For when they were willed to sit downe vpon the grasse although they were so many and had so little in sight before them for what were fiue loaues and two fishes to relieue almost fiue thowsand men neuerthelesse they made no aunswere they gainsaide not but without contradiction did that which they were commaunded Elisha prophecied in the name of the Lorde and promised plentie to the people of Samaria being grieuouslie afflicted with extreeme famine But a Prince in great fauour and authoritie with the king replyed against the man of God Though the Lorde woulde make windowes in the heauen could this thing come to passe The same Prophet sent one to Naman the Syrian with this message Goe and washe thee in Iordan seuen times and thy fleshe shall come vnto thee againe and thou shalt bee cleansed But Naman replied Are not Abanah Pharphar riuers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israell may I not wash me in them and be clensed This is the manner of the wise ones in the worlde when they should obey God they reason and dispute the matter with him as if he knewe not what hee did But the faith of this people did subdue their witte and reason to the sacred worde and will of God 19 This may suffice concerning the people Of the Disciples of our Sauiour it is said that They made the people to sit downe Hence Ministers Pastours and Teachers may learne that sith God hath ordained them as the meanes whereby the elect must be brought to the obedience of Christ Iesus they cannot approue their fidelitie vnto him except they bee carefull to fulfill the worke for which he hath appointed them I say vnto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen In this sense that wee might also sit downe Christ hath established those high and holie functions before mentioned Wherefore S. Paule professeth that for this cause he receiued grace and Apostleship that obedience might be yeelded to the faith amongst all nations For this he laboured as in other places so in Corinth also both deliuering them the doctrine which he had receiued and executing amongest them the discipline which their grieuous abuses did deserue 20 The seconde thing to be noted in the Disciples is that they neither purloyned nor chaunged the peoples foode They receiued bread and they deliuered bread But there are deceiptfull workmen which haue entred by a postern gate into the Church which preache and deliuer not what they haue receiued at the handes of Christ but what Antichrist hath deliuered them For sweete breade they giue soure leauen for wheat darnell for wholsome meate venimous poyson for the word of God the doctrines of man for
it will one day appeare Our conuersion will be called vnto an hard account In that day wee must stande before the tribunall seate of God and render a reckoning yea and receiue as we haue wrought in our bodies good or badde The iudge is euen at hande Veniens veniet He will come surely without fayle and without staie He standeth before the doore This is the last houre the trumpe is in a readinesse to bee blowne to iudgement 2 For sayeth Peter the ende of all thinges hangeth ouer vs. In which wordes the Apostle doth both comfort vs and exhort vs. Such as are afflicted oppressed with wrong burdened with pouertie vexed with sickenesse slaundered persecuted or hated of the worlde heere they may receiue comfort Your miserie shall be but momentanie and short your ioy shall be great and endlesse Lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth neare The ende of your affliction together with the end of all thinges is at hande Againe vpon these wordes a most necessarie exhortation is inferred Christ is comming in the cloudes all fleshe shall rise and recken he onely that hath his lampe burning shall enter in with the bridegrome as wee are founde so shall wee be taken and iudged The ende is at hande bee sober therefore and watch vnto prayer 3 Whereas the holy scriptures doe make often mention of a double ende the one wherein wee are to yeelde vp our mortall liues the other wherein Christ at his seconde comming shall finish the course of all this sinnefull worlde the Apostle treating in this place of the later I shall at this present followe his foote-steppes and speake of Christ his seconde comming to put an ende to all thinges For they which say Where is the promise of his comming deceaue themselues Hee hath set a day wherein he will iudge the worlde in iustice hee is appointed iudge of quicke and dead The Angell of God beareth witnesse of his comming This Iesus which is taken vp into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him goe And S. Iohn as if he beheld and sawe him comming sayth Beholde he comâ—eth with cloudes and euerie eye shall see him 4 But as his comming is most certaine so the houre day moneth yeare or time is most vncertaine It is not for you to knowe the seasons and precise pointes of times which the father hath appointed in his owne power Of that day and houre no man knoweth No not the verie Angels of heauen but my father onely The day of the Lorde will come stealing vpon vs as a theefe in the night 5 Nowe as we knowe not the day and time so let vs be assured that this comming of the Lorde is neere He is not slacke as we doe count slackenesse That it is at hande it may be probably gathered out of the Scriptures in diuerse places The signes mentioned by Christ in the Gospel which should be the foreshewers of this terrible day are almost alreadie all fulfilled The prophecies of Daniell of the foure Monarchies of the little horne and of the times weekes and dayes are manifestlie come to passe The defections or fallinges away which are spoken of in holie scriptures are also in great part accomplished The prouinces the tenne kingdomes are fallen from the Romaine Empire and that wicked one hath wrought the misterie of iniquitie Againe there hath beene in a manner a generall falling from the Catholike faith as the Apostle long before foretolde vs some vnto Mahomet some vnto Antichrist his brother Euen about one time Mahomet appeared and the Pope swarued from the true faith of Christ the one renouncing him in name the other in deede the one quite blotting out the mention of Christ and denying at all to professe him in woorde The other keeping his name but robbing him of his office and shutting him out of his right place both falling from the faith That defection also is come vpon vs which Saint Paul did prophecie of In the latter times men shall fall from the faith giuing eare to deceiuing spirites and doctrines of diuelles And Saint Peter There shall come in the last dayes mockers that walke after their owne lustes and say where is the promise of his comming Thus heretiques and Atheistes haue fallen from Christ and Christian faith We that professe Christ and his Gospell are also charged with a defection a schisme and a falling away But in euerie Apostasie two thinges must be considered from whom and to whome this sliding is We gladly graunt that we are fallen away from the Bishoppe of Rome who long agoe fell from Christ wee doe vtterly abandon his vsurped and proude authoritie we haue happely forsaken that Synagogue of Satan that den of theeues that polluted Church that simoniacall temple and we ioyfully confesse that we haue no societie or fellowship with his darknes In our sermons we preach Christ and none els but him we knowe nothing we teach nothing we beleeue nothing but Christ and him crucified In our Sacraments we shewe foorth the Lordes death in no other sort then he himselfe hath done and commaunded vs to doe In our liues we woorship the Lord alone and in yeelding vp our soules we flie for mercie onely to the merites of Christ Iesus our mercifull sauiour This is our Apostasie We haue forsaken him that hath forsaken God and whom God hath forsaken we haue left that man of sinne that rosecolored harlot with whom the kinges of the earth haue committed fornication that triple crowned beast that doublesworded Tyrant that theefe and murderer who hath robbed so many soules of saluation and sucked so much innocent bloud of Christian martyrs that aduersarie vnto Christ that pretensed vicar who hath displaced the person not onely taking vpon him Christes roome and office but also boasting himselfe as if he were a God being content of his parasites so to be called This wicked man of sinne is at length reuealed by the sincere preaching of the Gospell Daniell in his prophesies Paule in his Epistles and Iohn in his Reuelations haue most liuely described pointed him foorth euen as it were with the finger Yea through his pride and ambition his vsurping authoritie and worldly rule his tyrannie and persecuting of Christ in his members hee hath sufficiently reuealed and detected him selfe if none had doone it for him 6 This wicked man the Lorde shall destroye with the breath of his mouth and then shall be the ende The blast of Gods trumpe hath made him alreadie stagger he hath caught such a crampe that hee beginneth nowe to halt his long and farre reaching arme is marueilously shortned his cofers are waxen leaner his falshoode is espied many princes refuse to tast any more of his poysoned cuppe he is fallen from beeing the head and come almost to be the taile he was too cruell and too violent to continue There is no counsell nor power
laboured rather by perswasion to reclaime transgressors then by correction with which kinde of dealing because stubborne mindes will not be bowed my softnesse I graunt hath rather deserued reproofe then praise My life and conuersation amongest you I leaue wholy to your secret iudgementes I cannot not saie for who can that my heart is cleare If in manie thinges we offende all how can any man saie hee is no sinner except hee saie also that God is a lier Howbeit this the God of my righteousnesse knoweth that wittingly and willingly I haue wronged no man if I haue reddam quadruplum I will render foure times so much good If any haue wronged mee I hartelie forgiue and will forget it for euer While I liue I will acknowledge that I haue receiued more good liking fauour and friendship at your handes then I coulde either looke for or deserue God no doubt hath his people hee hath many a deere childe in this citie But nowe that by his prouidence not by my procurement I am called from hence to serue elswhere in the church of Christ I will with S. Paule take my leaue of you and that the more willingly as well because it is Gods good will and appointment as also for that I trust the chaunge shall bee good and profitable vnto you My hope is that the Lord hath prouided one of choice to bee placed ouer you a man to vndertake this great charge so well inabled for strength courage grauitie wisedome skill in gouernement knowledge as in manie other thinges so especiallie in the heauenlie mysteries of God that I doubt not but my departure shall turne verie much to your aduauntage Amongest whom sith a great parte of my life is nowe spent and a fewe euill daies doe remaine otherwhere to bee bestowed I must vse the wordes of the blessed Apostle For that which remaineth my brethren fare ye well my deere and faithfull flocke farewell my crowne and my ioy farewell againe with griefe I speake it farewell I must in bodie goe from you yet in heart and good will I shall euer bee with you you shall euer bee most deere vnto me and I shall not cease God forbid I shoulde to powre out my prayers before the almightie in your behalfe that the greate sheepeherd of the sheepe of the Lorde Iesus Christ may take charge of you and by his holie spirite direct and gouerne you in all your waies In like sorte I most hartelie craue at your handes that yee bee not vnmindefull to praie also for mee thaâ— I may walke worthely in my calling and fulfill the ministerie which I haue receiued that God may open vnto mee the doore of vtteraunce to speake the misteries of Christ as becommeth mee to speake that I maie in faith and boldnesse do his message that hee maie deliuer mee from the disobedient and that my seruice maie bee accepted of the Saintes that the worde of the Lorde may haue his free passage and that I may finishe the residue of my course in the Gospell of Christ to the glorie of God and profit of the Church 3 And nowe brethren for my last and longe farewell I can vse no fitter wordes of exhortation then these are Bee perfect haue consolation bee of one minde liue in peace and the God of charitie and peace shall bee with you Two speciall thinges there are comprised in these wordes an exhortation and a promise Wee are exhorted to bee perfect to bee of good comfort to liue in vnitie and peace and wee are promised that so doing the God of loue and peace shall remaine with vs. The first parte of the exhortation is as it were the roote aâ—d fountayne of the seconde and the seconde likewise of the laste For perfection breedeth comforte and comforte causeth peace But let vs particularlie consider of euerie braunch of the exhortation Bee perfect 4 Integritie or perfection is of two sortes the one is deuine the other humaine That which pertaineth vnto God is absolute that which is of men is not without defect In God there is full and absolute perfection Your heauenlie father is perfect sayth our Sauiour So perfect that there is not so much as anie shadow of imperfection at all in him Hee is light perfect light there is no darkenesse in him Hee is the fountaine from whence all perfection floweth euerie perfect gift is from aboue Hee which planted the eare shall not hee heare hee that formed the eye shal not hee see He that teacheth man knowledge shall not hee vnderstande sayth the Prophet Shall I cause to bring foorth and shall I bee barren sayth the Lorde Hee cannot but be perfect in himselfe which is the cause of all perfection in others 5 And as he is perfect so all thinges are perfect which are his His law is perfect and maketh them perfect which fulfill it O that my waies were directed according to thy statutes then should I not be confounded saith the Prophet His commaundements are holy iust good Scimus quia bona est lex the goodnes and perfection of it is apparant cleare and manifest wee knowe the lawe is good But S. Paule seemeth to charge the lawe with imperfection The lawe saith hee brought nothing vnto perfection It is true that the lawe in it selfe is perfect able to saue and make perfit all such as are able perfitlie to obserue it For what saith the lawe Do this and thou shalt liue Yet no man liueth by the lawe why so Because the lawe in vnperfit God forbid The cause then why being perfit it bringeth nothing to perfection is the weakenesse and infirmitie of our flesh Wherefore that which was impossible to the lawe in as much as it was weake because of the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled Although no man therefore be brought to perfection by the law yet the law remaineth perfit euen as he is perfit which gaue the lawe 6 Euerie worke of the mightie God is perfit When he had made heauen and earth sea and lande fishe foule man beast and whatsoeuer is contained within the compasse of the whole world hauing finished all he behelde the works of his owne handes and saw they were all exceeding good If there bee this perfection in the workes of God then whatsoeuer hee doe in heauen or in earth seeme it vnto vs neuer so much out of order yea although it bee euen against all reason in our eyes yet must wee alwaies set our handes vnto this It is of God therefore perfit For woe bee to him that saith to his father what hast thou begotten or to his mother what hast thou brought forth Shall the claie saie to the workeman what makest thou dust and ashes to the creator of heauen and earth it is not good and perfit which