men in all estates and degrees of callings as of Princes Priestes and people so they did with great aucthoritie and boldnesse discouer their seuerall and particular sinnes and threaten against them present destruction and the fearefull Iudgements of God as may appeare to euery one that shal reade with diligence iudgement their prophecies Wherefore briefely to conclude this point of doctrine the three parables of our Sauiour Christ in the historie of the Gospell of the fielde floore and nette written for a plaine declaration hereof shall fully satisfie and content euery one that beleeueth him to be the onely teacher of all trueth and righteousnesse For euen as in the fielde there groweth vp not onely sounde corne but also tares cockell and darnell in the floore there is not onely pure wheat but also chaffe in the nette not onely good things but bad as filth and such like so in the militant and visible Church the fielde floore and net of the Lorde there are not onely syncere and faithfull but also hypocritical and faithlesse worshippers of God not onely vpright and constant doers of the worde but also vaine and Idle talkers of the same finally not only such as with good consciences pure heartes and fayth vnfayned doe serue the LORD and his Church but such also as be reprobate to euery good worke whose ende is to be cast eternally from the presence of God and to be burned as chaffe in the fearefull furnace of Gods wrath and euerlasting indignation Seeyng therefore that the example of Habel and Cain in the beginning of the Worlde of Ismael and Isaac Iaakob and Esau in the families of Abraham and of Isaac seeyng God him selfe in the 50 Psalme and in the nyne and twentieth of Esay seeing also all the Prophets in their prophecies and our Sauyour Christ the doctor of all trueth both in the three former parables as also in this present place doeth declare teache and confirme the trueth of these two sortes of professours who is so blinde that he can not see this who so faythlesse that will not beleeue it who so impudent that will not confesse it Finally who can be so iniurious to his owne saluation that hauing so manye witnesses and such dayly and continuall experience of this trueth will not giue his goods body life and all that he may be accompted of the LORD in the dreadfull daye of Iudgement a doer and worker of his will The vse of this certayne doctrine serueth to moue all true Christians to take greater paynes and care to frame their heartes and works according to the will of GOD then onely to haue an outwarde shewe and appearaunce of godlinesse as also to feare and terrifie the heartes of all true professours from forsaking the true Churche of God for the impietie and vngodlines of some knowing that for the triall of Gods electe heresies vices must continue in the Church till Christ at his comming abolish them with the breath of his mouth and crush all the wicked in pieces with the yron rodde and scepter of his kingdome And so deliuer the whole gouernement of all things into the hand of God his father that he may be al in all to the praise of his power and glorie and the euerlasting comfort of all his adopted children Nowe that we may the better see and know of which sort of professors euery one of vs is let vs heare and learne how our Sauiour Christ doth describe the former sort and what is the end of this profession He sayth Not euery one that saieth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter c. in which wordes he teacheth that all the religion of this kind of worshippers and callers vpon God consisteth onely in the outward profession of himselfe and of God his Father for here to call Christe Lord Lord is nothing els but in word and outward shewe to professe Christ the sonne of God to be their Lord and master God himselfe to be their Father the holie Ghost proceeding from them both to be their sanctifier and themselues to be the seruantes of these three diuers and heauenly persons Wherfore this first sort are such professors as haue onely a shewe of true religion and godlines being voide of all faithfull obedience to god The which kind of profession though it seeme good and glorious in the sight of men yet the Lorde which onely looketh into the heartes of all by his Minister and Prophet Ieremie calleth it the wordes of lyes saying Thus sayeth the Lorde of Hostes the God of Israel Amende your wayes and your workes and I will let you dvvell in this place Trust not in lying vvordes saying The Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lorde this is the Temple of the Lord. Wherein the Lorde as wee see opposeth the reformation of their wayes and workes to the outwarde profession of his seruice done in the Temple which being separated from the other he esteemeth no better then the wordes of lyes And in deede it is no better for whereas this outwarde profession sheweth and after a sort speaketh vnto others that we are the true seruantes of God when as we haue but a bare and idoll resemblance of them it maketh and speaketh a manifest and loude lye and therefore is iustly called of GOD the wordes of lyes The blessed Apostle Paul in the seconde Chapter to the Romanes speaketh most plainely against this kinde of profession His wordes be these He is not a Ievve vvhich is one outvvarde neither is that Circumcision vvhich is outvvarde in the fleshe but he is a Ievve vvhich is one vvithin and the Circumcision is of the hearte in the spirite not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God. In which wordes the nature and properties of these woorshippers euidently aypeare for the Apostle affirmeth such kinde of woorship to bee onely outwarde separated from the inwarde Circumcision of the heart and the sinceritie of the worke Likewise the Apostle Iames condemneth the knowledge outward profession of the trueth in the dispersed Iewes to whō he writ because they could not iustifie the sinceritie therof both by Faith and by their works as euery true Christian ought and can doe calling verie aptlie and fitlie this kind of profession void of workes a dead fayth Iohn also in his first Epistle 2. Chap. calleth these seruers of God liers in these wordes He that saieth I knowe him and keepeth not his commaundements is a lyer and the trueth is not in him And our Sauiour Christ himselfe as it is in the Gospel of Luke doth most plainely and briefely set foorth vnto vs the whole nature and qualities of these men which may be a most fitte interpretation of this place For with great aucthoritie and power he asketh a reason why any can be moued to separate the outward worship from the spiritual seruice of the heart and sinceritie in the worke saying Why call
To the right worshipfull Master Richard Martin Warden of the Queenes Maiesties Mints and Alderman of the Citie of London Grace and peace from God the Father through Christ Iesus our Lord. I Haue sent vnto you right worshipfull and dearly beloued in the Lord according to your earnest request and my promise the summe and effecte of my Sermon preached at Paules Crosse desiring you to receiue it as a most certaine token of my vnfayned loue towardes you in Christ For although it come from an olde friend and brother in the Lord yet I send it vnto your worship for a Newe yeres gift to testifie a newe increase of my Christian loue towards you so many as shal reade it with purpose to liue according to the rule of sound doctrine and godlines And concerning you of whose integritie I haue good experience I perswade my selfe that our most mercifull Father by this meanes vvill vvorke in your heart the plentifull increase of the giftes and invvard graces of that nevv man vvhich is framed according to the Image of his dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus For as you haue bene most earnest to haue in vvriting this doctrine so I doubt not but you vvill be most diligent in the practise thereof for vvhich cause I commit it into your hands to vse to Gods glorie the profit of his children to your ovvne comfort Grace peace and loue vvith faith from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you novve and euer Amen From Cambridge by your most louing friend and brother in the Lord Laurence Chaderton To the Christian Reader AS much reading is a wearines to the flesh so there is neither end nor profit in making many bookes True wisdome escheweth both but the folie of our time neuer ceaseth to write nether can be satisfied with reading the new and variable inuētions of men A fault amongst wise Philosophers much misliked how much more ought it to be cōdemned eschewed of al learned Christians But vaine glory desire of popular fame in the writers desire of filthy lucre in the Printers haue stuffed our English studies with many superfluous vnnecessary books to the great hurt of many good wits to the hinderance of cōstant iudgemēt in the soūdnes of Christiā doctrine A matter most necessary to be reformed by such as haue receiued authority to this end that neither our Church nor cōmon weale shuld be hurt but rather bettered by the writings of men For my part I wish with all my heart that we had fewer bookes greater skill in the old newe Testament of Christ wherin are bequeathed vnto vs most heauenly precious Iewels legacies of the immortal inheritance to which most sure word Testament if we take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place we shal be directed aright in the strait way that leadeth to immortalitie happines Now touching this my Sermon if I did thinke deare Christian Reader that it would quench in the mind of any the desire of hearing the Gospell preached not rather inflame their heart both to hearing faithful working I would rather haue buried it in perpetuall silence then committed it to writing But being fully perswaded that by this meanes the Lord God in mercye wil bring into the minds of those that heard me a fruitfull remēbrance of his mighty working by the power of his spirit at that present to their singular comfort I haue in some part satisfied the earnest importunat sute of many deare Christians and brethren who did both by letters word of mouth after a sort compel me to write it The summe and effect of al I haue set downe not in the same words I spake for the Lord knoweth I neuer writ it and therfore could not but in other so plainly as I could for the capacity and vnderstāding of al. I haue added those things whereof then I could not partly for lacke of time partly for other necessary occasiōs intreat And albeit mine owne inabilitie in this kinde of writing wherein I am altogether a stranger and the feare of the seuere censure of the learned eloquent diuines did greatly disswade me yet my earnest desire both to leaue behind me some smal testimonie of my saith cōscience religion also to haue my iudgement touching faith workes approued of the English church did as it were violētly carie me to this dutiful worke of loue Now my harty desire is that this my labour may be acceptably receiued louingly expounded of all my prayer vnto God is shal be that euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christ may be inabled by his spirit to hold fast the sound doctrine of pure religion in life and in death with al ioy of the holy Ghost sincerely to practise the same to the glory of Christ the edificatiō of his Church But let no man thinke that the reading of this can be half so effectual and profitable to him as the hearing was or might be For it wāteth the zeale of the speaker the attention of the hearer the promise of God to the ordinary preaching of his word the mighty inward working of his holy spirit many other thīgs which the Lord worketh most mercifully by the preaching of his glorious Gospel which are not to be hoped for by reading the written Sermons of his ministers Neuerthelesse I trust that he will blesse the reading hereof to the praise of his owne name the cōfort of his Church To him therefore by Christ be al praise honour in the Church for euer Amen Matthewe vij 21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers wil which is in heauen 22 Many will say to mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out deuils by thy Name done many great works 23 And then will I professe to them I neuer knewe you depart from me ye that worke iniquitie THese three short verses are a principall part of that heauenly sermon which our sauiour Christ preached in the mount vnto his own disciples and the people The summe and meaning hereof is a dreadful declaration of the final destruction and eternall condemnation of all counterfait and hypocritical professors of Gods true Religion For although in the former verses Christ did particularly describe vnto his auditorie false and dissembling prophets by their fruits to the end they might better know them yet in this 21. verse he ascendeth from that particular to a general description of all false fayned professors of the trueth of what calling and function soeuer they be of in the Church or common wealth as appeareth most plainly both by the similitudes generally vsed in the 17.18 19. verses going before and also by these words Not euerie one that saith vnto
me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Neuerthelesse the principal meaning and drift of Christ is to terrifie the false prophetes and preachers of the word with this feareful threatning of the second death as the wordes of the 22. verse doe necessarilie proue confirme Many vvill say vnto me Lord Lord haue vve not by thy Name prophesied c. which none could truly alledge for themselues but such onely as had bene preachers of the word workers of miracles A gift in that time almost peculiar to the Apostles ministers of Christ for the confirmation of the certeinty truth of their doctrine This dreadful declaration of the iust condemnation of al hypocrites fained professors of the true Gospell conteineth two general principal parts The first is a diuision of all such as professe the trueth into two sortes fully and plainely expressed in the 21. verse the second is a meeting with an obiection conteining both a kinde of defence whereby the preachers of the worde and workers of miracles by reason of their great knowledge and rare giftes myght seeme as to cleere and defend them selues so to auoide and escape the iust sentence of eternall curse and malediction set downe in the 22. verse Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord c. And also a most wise and perfect though very fearefull answere of Christ there unto in the 23. verse And then will I confesse to them c. wherein notwithstanding these glorious works alledged in the former verse for their defence he sheweth that because he neuer acknowledged them by reason of their hyprocrisie and because in doing such works they brought forth iniquitie therefore he must necessarily forbid them his presence wherein onely is all ioye and felicitye as contrarily to be secluded from his presence is all sorowe and extreme miserie Thus we see both the summe and true meaning and also the plaine and naturall disposition of this part of Christes sermon conteined in these three verses Whereof I purpose to speake particularly not in the excellencie of wordes or in the inticing speach of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence and demonstration of the trueth Not euery one c. Here our Sauiour Christ diuideth al the worshippers of God and the professors of his Gospell into two sortes for the first sentence of this verse is equiualent or al one in sense with this particular saying Some men saying vnto Christ Lord Lorde shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen wherein as he noteth the first sort of professors so he describeth them by their external confessing of Christ to be their Lorde and Master and also by their end The second sort he noteth in the latter and also describeth them by their fruites end in these wordes But he that doeth my Fathers will which is in heauen shall enter into the kingdome of heauen which ende although it be not expressed yet it is necessarily to be supplied out of the former part Therefore the true meaning of these words is this Of the external professors of Christ some doe onely professe in outward shew and some others doe both outwardly professe and also doe the Fathers wil which is in heauen so that the author of this diuision is our Sauiour himselfe and therefore it is in no wise to be doubted of Yet because the common and vsuall conuersation of Christians is so corrupt that it euidently declareth them to be contented and satisfied with an outward seruing of God void of inwarde synceritie and true beliefe it shal be requisite and needfull in few words to shew out of the word the certaine trueth of these two sortes of men In the first age of the worlde when there were but foure persons which serued the true God the Creator of heauen and earth the holye Ghost teacheth that Habel and Cain albeit they both did externally professe their religion by offering of the first fruites of sheepe and of the grounde yet Cain his profession was onely in outwarde shewe because his outwarde sacrifice being voyde of fayth was not regarded of god But Habels profession was both in outwarde shewe and also in doyng the will of god for the spirit of God commending him testifieth that by faith he offered a sacrifice of greater price then Cain and by that faith obteined witnesse of God that he was righteous for which cause it is said The Lord had respect to him and to his offering In the families of Abraham and Isaac being then onely the visible Church Ismael Isaac Iaakob and Esau receiued Circumcision the externall signe of their profession by reason whereof euery of them were accompted true worshippers of the God of Abraham yet Isaac and Iaakob onely were doers of the will of God as the Spirit of God testifieth in the eleueth 12. to the Hebrewes In the 50 psalme the Lord him selfe expostulateth and with great authoritie reasoneth with the first sort of professors saying What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my wordes behinde thee But vnto the other sort he speaketh thus in the same psalme He that offreth praise shall glorifie me and to him that disposeth his vvay aright I vvill shevv the saluation of God. wherin he forbiddeth and condemneth the outward profession of his worde and ordinances beyng separated from the right disposition of the heart and life but being ioyned together he promiseth thereunto eternal saluatiō A place therfore most fit to warrāt confirme these two sortes of professors of Gods worde The Prophet Esay doeth not onely describe these sortes of professors in playne wordes but also threatneth against the former sort a wonderfull iudgement of God saying Because this people come neere me with their mouth and honour me with their lippes but haue remoued their heart from me and their feare towardes me was taught by the precept of men therefore beholde I will againe doe a marueilous worke in this people euen a marueilous worke and a wonder for the vvisedome of their wise men shall perishe and the vnderstanding of theyr prudent men shall be hid Woe vnto them that seeke deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord for their workes are in darkenesse and they say Who seeth vs and vvho knovveth vs In which wordes it appeareth both that there be in the visible Church of God aswell hypocriticall seruers of God whose wicked woorkes though in respect of God they bee done in the light yet in respect of men they are in darkenesse as also true and syncere worshippers which with mouth lippes and heart doe honour and feare the Lorde according to his precepts It were to long and in deede needelesse in so plaine a matter to cite and alledge the witnesses of all the Prophets who as they had great experience of both these kindes of
ye me Master Master and doe not the thinges that I speake Wherein as he sheweth that nothing in all the worlde ought to mooue vs to professe our selues to be his seruants except we doe and fulfill the things which he commaundeth so he condemneth euery kinde of profession which is voide of this faithfull obedience Thus we see what the first sort of woorshippers be euen such as in worde confesse and by hearing the Gospell preached receiuing the Sacraments and calling vpon God professe themselues to be his seruants notwithstanding they securely pretermit the dooing of Gods will and therefore shall iustly be secluded from the kingdome of heauen For these men though they crie in the Church neuer so loude Lorde Lorde they shall neuer be heard though they in worde most gloriously doe confesse Christ to bee their Sauiour yet in the daye of iudgement he will not confesse them though they say they knowe him in this life yet then he will professe that he neuer knewe them though they seeme vnto men most diligent woorkers of righteousnes and pietie yet he then iudging not according to the outward appearance but the sincere puritie of the heart will saye vnto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Finally though they seeme to liue and to be the children of light yet they are dead and are the sonnes of darknes and therefore shall not as it is affirmed here in this place enter into the kingdome of heauen which is the second thing whereby they are described Beholde therefore all ye hypocriticall callers vpon the Name of God your ende your porcion and the lot of your inheritance which you haue by the hardnes of your hollowe hearts which can not repent treasured vp vnto your selues against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will rewarde euery man according to his workes For you shall not onely be cast out of the kingdome of heauen from the glorious presence of the king of all glorie but you shall drinke as a iust recompence for your iniquitie the bitter cuppe of Gods eternall wrath and indignation in the kingdome of darknes and in the fearefull presence of Satan and all the cursed enemies of Gods grace Repent therefore and turne vnto the Lorde circumcise the foreskinnes of your heartes and bring foorth fruites woorthie amendment of life and thinke not that because you are by the iudgement of men counted Christians or because you are partakers of the worde and Sacraments of Christ and of Christian prayers thankesgiuing you shall therefore in the generall iudgement of all fleshe stand in the assemblie of the righteous for euen nowe also is the axe put to the roote of the tree so that euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire For there is no respect of persons with God but as many as haue sinned and transgressed the lawe of nature which was by the finger of God written in two Tables committed to Moses shal be iudged by the same But that the knowledge of this first sort of professors of their miserable end may be more effectuall and profitable to worke in vs a perfect hatred of their corrupt life a godly feare of their dreadful death I will briefely set downe some particular notes whereby they may be the better knowen and al other may more truely examin their own hearts so clerely see whether they be of that nomber or no. First he that saieth onely vnto Christ Lord Lord doth not the will of God he hath in his heart if he doe iudge himself aright according to the Apostles precept a far greater care and desire to be accompted a good christian amongst men then in deede and trueth to be so in the sight of God. Therefore our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth vs as in giuing of almes and praying so in all other workes to be like vnto these hypocrites whome he affirmeth to haue this great loue and desire to appeare righteous in the sight of men Secondarily this hypocriticall caller vpon God doeth more busie his head about the outward and generall worke commaunded then about the spirituall maner of doing which he seldome or neuer sincerely obserueth For so Christ teacheth and also denounceth a fearefull woe against them saying Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye are like to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthines so are ye also for outward ye appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Moreouer the hypocrite worketh his saluation securely coldely and carelessely not in feare and trembling as the Spirit of trueth commaundeth in the Epistle to the Philippians the second Chapter and the twelfth verse For he striueth not against his owne corruption to suppresse all rebellious affections lustes which striue against the lawe of God neyther to obtaine those graces and giftes of regeneration which he seeth wanting in himself nor forgetteth with blessed Paule that which is behinde nor yet indeuoureth him selfe to that which is before folowing hard toward the marke for the price of the hye calling of God in Christ Iesus and therefore manifestly bewrayeth his secure carelesse conscience Againe the hypocrite hath no full setled and resolued purpose in life death to professe and obey the trueth and will of God but is mutable wauering and inconstant in all his wayes In consideration whereof Barnabas comming into Antiochia seeing the grace of God most mercifully multyplied vpon many earnestly exhorted al that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the lord A true note to discerne betweene him that feareth God and him that doeth not Agayne the hypocrites care studie is to stay the outward and grosser sinnes of life flowing from the filthy fountayne of his natural corruption is altogether carelesse to stoppe the fountayne it selfe Wherein as he bewrayeth great want of heauenly wisdome great abundance of carnall folly so he can neuer say with inward and sensible feeling of the lawe of the members and of the Spirit as the Apostle Paule sayth O vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer me frō the body of this death I thank God through Iesus Christ our lord Then I my selfe in my mind serue the lavv of God but in my flesh the law of sinne A peculiar worke of Gods Spirit in all his elect which none of the children of this world euer tasted of to their comfort neyther can do Agayne the hypocrite is stirred vp to work wel in the iudgement of men by some worldly reason pleasing his owne fantasie and fleshly appetite not constrayned as Gods children are with the mercy of God and loue of Christ as it is in the 130. Psalme in these words But mercie is vvith thee that thou mayest be feared And also in
the 2. Epistle to the Corinth the 5. chap. the 14. verse For the loue of Christ constrayneth vs because vve thus iudge that if one be dead for all then vvere all deade And he dyed for all that they vvhich liue should not hēceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him which died for them rose againe Wherefore as the doer of Gods wil doth abstayne from euil because it is contrary vnto the wil of God and doeth good because he is constrayned with the loue of him which is onely good so the hypocrite contrarily abstaineth from euyll for feare of punishment and doth the thing which seemeth good not constrained with the loue of God but mooued of his owne will by desire of prayse or hope of reward Finally the hypocrite in all his counsels wordes workes doeth although he sometimes playnly perceyue it not more and oftener regarde the feare fauour and prayse of men and his owne priuat cōmoditie and pleasure then the feare fauour praise of God commoditie of his brethrē Seeyng therfore that the life of these men consisteth in a shewe of godlines not in the power therof in the outward works not in an acceptable maner of doyng in carelesse securitie not in a reuerēt feare to displease God in a wauering mind not in a resolued purpose to perseuer vnto the end in the staying of the riuers of sinne neglecting the fountaine to conclude in seeking themselues rather then the glory of God cōmoditie of their brethren Let vs not onely detest and abhorre it with all our heartes and soules but also examine euery one his own estate and condition that we may see whether we do truely stande in the grace of God or no. For assuredly if the outwarde workes of our Christian calling be done in this sorte and maner they neyther are nor can be vnto vs the pledges and seales of our saluation but rather the subtile sleyghts of Satan and the deceites of sinne whereby these two myghtie enemies of our redemption bewitche vs and depriue our heartes of the sure hope of our promised inheritance and saluation Let him therefore that standeth both take heede least he fall and labour also to become not only a continuall eschewer of these euills but a newe creature framed according to the image of Christ But alas I feare me if all English Protestants woulde confesse freely to Gods glory and their owne shame the whole corruption of al their thoughts in this behalfe we should see such a huge masse and lumpe of hypocrisie as no man is able to cōceiue in heart muche lesse vtter in worde For then no doubt a great nomber would say All my religion is mere dissimulation all my glorious profession of the Gospell is nothing but a vayne shewe of Christianitie yea my whole life tryed and wayed in the balance of Gods law is lighter then vanitie it self And I woulde to God that wee were all come to this humble and godly acknowledging as of all other our sinnes so especially of this secure and carelesse hypocrisie wherein almost all professours are so drowned that except the most mercyfull God by his mighty and strong hande doe rayse them vp by faith and repentance they shall perish euerlastingly without any hope of redemption Nowe therefore deare brethren for the loue of God let vs not put our trust and confidence in these and such lyke lying words as to say The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lorde and to call Christ Lord Lord Master Master or to say I am baptized I knowe the trueth I professe the Gospell and such like because except we can iustifie this outward profession of our faith to be syncere and pure by the integritie of our workes our sauiour Christ telleth vs heere that we shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen Thus much for the former sort of professors their maner of cōuersation their final destruction contained in these wordes Not euery one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shal enter into the kingdome of heauen Nowe followeth the seconde sorte in these wordes But he that doeth the vvyll of my heauenly Father vvhich is in heauen Wherein Christ describeth the lawfull heires of his Fathers kingdome by their fruites all which fruites be comprised in this one sentence Which do my Fathers vvill Wherfore we must learne and know that the doyng of the Fathers wyll is of two sortes First syncere and also perfect which kinde of doyng is to be founde and seene onely in the natural Sonne of God Christ Iesus for his Father gyueth this testimonie of him that in him he is well pleased The second syncere onely and imperfect Nowe as the former is peculiar to the naturall Sonne so this latter is onely proper to the adopted sonnes of god Who therefore are most fitly and wisely by it described in this place of our Sauiour for he meaneth not here the perfect doyng of the Fathers will for then no fleshe shoulde be iustified in the sight of God but the syncere faithful obseruation of those things which are agreeable vnto the will of God the obseruers wherof shall enter into the kingdome of heauen which words though they be not plainly expressed yet they are necessarily to be supplyed as is before declared Nowe considering that the doyng of the Fathers will declareth who shall be saued let vs heare what the doing of the Fathers will is The knowledge hereof ariseth of two things which are necessarily required to the acceptable working of the same that is to say the workes of the lawe or actions thēselues the maner of doyng the whole want of either of which is a manifest token eyther of infidelitie or hypocrisie For the first that works are necessarily required to the accōplishment of the Fathers will the scriptures in many yea almost infinite places do teach a few whereof to auoyd tediousnes in so plaine a matter I haue chosen for the cōfirmation of this doctrine In the 5. of Deut. the meeke faithful seruāt of God Moses cōmandeth all Israel not onely to learne know the ordināces lawes of god but also carefully to obserue them saying Heare O Israel the ordinances and the lawes which I propounde to you this day that ye may learne them and take heede to obserue them Againe in the 10. of Deuter. hee hath written to the same effect these wordes And nowe O Israel vvhat doeth the Lorde thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule c. Wherein by the way is to be noted that the Lord God requireth not only the workes themselues consisting in his wayes feare loue and seruice but also the right maner of doyng in these words with all thy heart and with all thy soule Iosua as he succeeded Moses in the
gouernment of Israel so also did he in the acknowledging publishing vnto them this doctrine as appeareth in the 22. chap. of his booke saying But take diligent heede to doe the commandement and lawe vvhich Moses the seruant of the Lord commanded you that is that ye loue the Lord your God vvalke in all his waies keepe his cōmandements cleaue vnto him serue him vvith all your heart vvith all your soule Wherein the same doctrine concerning both the worke and the maner of doing almost in the same wordes is plainely confirmed Iohn Baptist the forerunner of Christ preached the same saying Bring foorth therefore fruits vvorthy the amendment of life Iames the Apostle of Christ vtterly condemneth all profession of faith as vaine vnprofitable if it want workes when as he saieth What auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith vvhen he hath no vvorkes can the fayth saue him as if he shoulde say in plaine words Faith outwardly professed without good works can be no pledge or testimony at all of our saluation Peter in his 1. Epistle teacheth that because Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh therefore we shoulde suffer after a sort in our flesh by dying vnto sinne and liuing to God so long as we remaine in the flesh For he saieth speaking of the regenerate that he henceforvvarde should liue asmuch time as remaineth in the flesh not after the lustes of men but after the vvill of God. Iohn also in his first Epistle denieth vs to haue any felowship with God or any benefite of the blood of Christ if we walke in darknes and not in the light of trueth and godlines For he saieth If we saye that we haue felowship with him and walke in darknes we lye and doe not truely But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue mutuall felowship with him and the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne Paul in the sixe twentieth of the Actes professeth before king Agrippa that he taught this doctrine touching the necessitie of workes both to Iewe and Gentile saying Wherefore king Agrippa I was not disobedient vnto the heauenly vision but shewed first to them of Damascus and at Ierusalem and throughout all the coastes of Iudea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turne to God and doe workes woorthie amendment of life Moreouer the Spirit of God witnesseth in the twelfth to the Hebrues that without workes no man shall see GOD saying Followe peace vvith all men and holines vvithout the vvhich no man shall see the Lorde an especiall place to prooue the necessitie of workes Lastly our Sauiour Christ in the fiue and twentieth of Matthew teaching that in the day of iudgement all flesh shal be tried and iudged according to the workes of loue and mercie done in this life towardes him in his members confirmeth and establisheth in his owne person and worde the infallible trueth of this doctrine in whom as in all other pointes of religion so especially in this we ought fully and perfectly to rest For there it is briefely concluded that they which gaue vnto his members meate drincke lodging clothing and visited the sicke and imprisoned shal be pronounced righteous and goe into life eternall But the vnmercifull being voyde of these workes shal be pronounced cursed and goe into euerlasting fire and paine Seeing then we haue so many heauenly witnesses of this trueth and that all the Prophetes in their prophecies doe most earnestly and zealously call the people of GOD to the obedience of his lawe and most pitifully complaine of the want thereof threatning both temporall and eternall punishments against disobedient malefactors we may safely conclude and determine that the workes of the first and second table are necessarilie required to the doing of the Fathers will. Nowe then if it be truely preached that without workes there is neither doing of the will of God neither entrance into the kingdome of heauen O Lord what shall we thinke of the licentious life of our English Protestantes or what shall become of this barren and fruitlesse profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ for a man may trauaile almost from the one ende of the land to the other before he can finde one man like vnto iust Iob that feared God and eschewed euill or one woman like vnto Dorcas full of good works and almes As therefore our sauiour Christ the Prophets and the Apostles had most iust cause to complaine in their times of the want of workes and to be grieued with the sinnes of the people so we in this last age haue no lesse cause to complaine neither lesse occasion of sorowe For to come vnto particulars what estate calling or degree is there which doth not content it selfe onely with saying Lorde Lorde being notwithstanding so barren in the bringing foorth of good workes And first concerning the state Ecclesiasticall and vs that be ministers and preachers of the worde whome this place principally doth concerne where are the lippes of those ministers which doe preserue knowledge or those messengers of God at whose mouthes his poore people shoulde seeke his lawe Naye rather where be not whole swarmes of idle ignorant and vngodly Curates and Readers who neither can nor will goe before the deare flocke of Christ in soundnes of doctrine and integritie of life The cause of which enormitie resting principally in the persons them selues and then in those which sent them and nowe suffer them in the Church I charge in the Lord the one that they seriously waying the worthines of the Lordes embassage for the which they are most vnworthie would voluntarily forgoe that calling wherein they can not doe the Fathers will and betake them to some other which they may in a good conscience without offence in some godly and profitable measure discharge The other I counsell and beseeche as a brother in the Lorde that they would more diligently looke vnto their ministerie committed vnto them lest not onely this grieuous offence but also all other their sinnes against God and their brethren be laide vnto their charge when the heartes of all men shal be made open and manifest before the Lorde of life And to proceede to the learned gouernours of the Church is there no tything of Mynt Anyse and Cummin and pretermitting waightier matters of the lawe as Iudgement Mercie and Fidelitie Doe they feede the flocke of God willingly and carefully as being examples vnto it and not for filthie lucresake as being lords ouer Gods heritage yf these things be so howe can they thinke they are doers of the Fathers will What shall I saye of our domme dogges non residents and all those that serue mortall and sinfull men with symonie flattering wordes and seruile obedience not lawfully to obtaine one roome in the vineyard of the Lorde but two three foure or moe places which is
dayes of our life For as that seruice of men which is done by constraint carelessely and negligently is iustly hated and reiected so the Lorde hateth and reiecteth all seruice of man which proceedeth not from this chearefull loue and earnest zeale of his glorye Let vs then adioyne vnto the two former this excellent gift of loue which as it expelleth carelesse securitie colde affection in the seruice of GOD hatred strife contempt in dueties due to men whereof ariseth a fayned corrupt maner of seruice so it causeth and encreaseth the pure and vndefiled maner of doing the Fathers will wherefore it is recorded that they that dwell in loue doe dwell in God and God in them because he is loue The fourth gift is a reuerent feare of God a principall and a singular point of wisedome most fit and conuenient for his children to haue and practise towards their heauenly Father in all their counsels and works For such is the pride of our nature the dulnes of our heartes and the lacke of wisdome that we should behaue our selues presumpteously securely and rashly before the presence of our heauēly Father were it not for this reuerent feare trembling we haue receiued at his hand for the obteining of a more pure syncere maner in his seruice worship Neither must we thinke as some haue falsely imagined to the great hurt of the Church taught that this feare in vs proceedeth frō any diffidence or distrust in the accōplishment of Gods merciful promises towards vs but rather from a most vehement sorow inward feeling bred in our hearts by the earnest cōsideration of the heauie burthen of all our sinnes and the deepe serious waying of the euerlasting wrath of GOD most iustly deserued So the blessed Apostle teacheth in the seconde to the Corinthians saying Beholde this thing that ye haue bene godly sorie what great care it hath vvrought in you yea vvhat clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea vvhat feare yea hovv great desire yea vvhat zeale yea vvhat punishment In which words we see how the spirit of god maketh that godly sorow which the Corinthiās shewed for their great contempt of Christian discipline in the matter of excōmunication to be the mother author of this reuerent feare which we owe vnto God alone in that he is our master for he saith If I be your master where is my feare Neither is this feare giuē vnto vs to be any occasion of distrust or despaire for that is peculiar to the seruile slauish feare of those which are meere seruāts no children But contrarily to make vs wise prouident carefull and circumspect in all the actions of our life lest we either by an euill worke or corrupt maner of doing iustly procure against vs and kindle the wrath of so mercifull a Father Also it stirreth vp our heartes to most zealous and effectuall prayers as we see in the example of Christ himself who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp prayers supplications with strong crying teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared What cryes teares prayers supplications the Apostle meaneth the history of Christ his passion suffrings doth plainly expresse so as it is needlesse to stand thereupon Only this is to be noted that seeyng this feare was in Christ who was free from all sinne it ought not to be thought to be any sinnefull infirmitie but rather a singular meane to helpe and keepe vs within the bonds listes of Christian obedience Therefore we are cōmanded of the Spirit of God after this sort to serue and please our heauenly Father as in very many other places of the scripture so in the 12. to the Hebr. especially in these wordes Wherefore seeing wee receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken let vs haue grace wherby we may so serue God that we may please him with reuerence and feare The reason is added For euen our God is a consuming fire Likewise S. Peter in the first Chapter of his 1. Epistle giueth the same precept of feare to be obserued in the whole course and race of our life saying And if ye call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euerie mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare In which two places not onely feare is commaunded but two most effectual reasons are rendred thereof First we must reuerence tremble and feare God because he is a consuming fyre ready to burne vp and consume all false worshippers and hypocriticall professors of his feare Secondarily because he will iudge euery man without regarde of person according to his workes We must therefore feare him lest our workes be found such as cannot abide the fierie triall of the Spirite of truth and sinceritie and the righteous iudgement of the law of libertie For certainly there shal be iudgement mercilesse to him that in a reuerent feare of God sheweth no mercie And therefore to make an ende of this most necessarie point of doctrine we must with both handes yea with all our heartes embrace the feare of the Lorde without the which no man can please and serue God aright And the rather for that the wisest amongst men Salomon ascribeth vnto those that feare the Lorde blessednes and to them that doe not hardnes of heart his woordes be these Blessed is the man that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euil Yf then we be desirous to worship our God aright according to his will we must haue our heartes kept in awe by this most worthy and excellent gift of feare that we may auoyd hardnesse of heart presumption of minde securitie of conscience and all other negligent carelesnes which as they be cōtrary to this heauenly grace of the holy spirit of God so they breed and cause a most corrupt and abominable maner in seruing of God. The fift last gift is a continual careful watchfulnes against all the enemies of the former graces cōmended vnto vs not only for the retaining keeping of them but for the daily growing increasing in the same vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that at his comming we being founde waking watching with the wise virgins not stumbring and sleeping with the foolish ones may be ioyfully receyued into the bridegromes chāber to reigne with him in glory for euer For seing we haue so many so mighty malicious enemies which most subtilly go about to root out of our hearts al the foresaid graces to fil vs ful of all iniquitie we are necessarily in all sobriety of perseuerāce with al maner of praier and supplication to watch diligently in faith in hope in loue in feare that we may stand fast continue vnto the end in doing accōplishing our Fathers wil in despite of all the aduersaries of
in deede in whom was no guile of the Centurion that there was not the like fayth in Israel of Anna that she liuing a widdowe foure score and foure yeeres went not out of the TeÌ„ple but serued God with fasting and prayers night and day finally of all the primitiue Church both men and women immediatly after the ascension of Christ that they continued with one accord in the Apostles doctrine felowship in breaking of bread in prayers supplications eating their meate together with gladnes singlenes of heart praysing God yea that the multitude of them that beleued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Wherefore seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses of kings of Prophets of Iewes of Gentiles of men of women which haue serued the Lorde in this right maner of doing let vs also cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs runne with ioye pacience in this straight race which is set before vs without wearines and fainting For doubtles the want of those things ioyned with the practise of the contrary vices are the causes of all the punishments of God that are or haue bene in the world For whence commeth warre famine pestilence translation of Monarchies Kingdomes ouerthrowes of families Townes Cities whole Countries but from this that we doe not the will of our heauenly father as it is done in heauen For want whereof we that liue nowe in this peaceable land flowing with milke and hony and in the light of the Gospel shining vnto vs for the space of twentie golden yeeres are of all other most inexcusable For who can tell repeate the warnings whereby God in mercie hath called vs to repentance and reformation of our liues But who hath shed foorth as yet the Christian teares of repentance Not foure yeres agoe the Lord did as it were with his owne hand set a starre in the heauens whereof the wisest Astronomer that liueth can giue no reason Since that we haue bene admonished by a great and strange Comete in the ayre by earthquakes inundations of waters all which signes foreruÌ„ners of Gods wrath are returned to him again as being vnable to mollifie our stony hearts that we might turne vnto the lord Onely his glorious Gospel abideth with vs but alas it grieueth me to consider howe litle place it findeth in our hearts how carelesly receiued and how generally by the life conuersation of Christians it is defamed discredited so that I greatly feare that within short time it also will depart from vs and by the commaundement of God goe vnto a people which shall as the Thessalonians did receiue it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the worde of god Well in the meane time for the better auoyding and turning away the iudgements of God which hang ouer our heads namely this present plague whereby the Lorde in mercie hath visited this Citie I am to request in the Lordes behalfe the right honorable the Lord Maior of this Citie and the reuerend Father the Bishop that they would ioyne together in gathering together the people and calling a solemne assemblie and sanctifiyng a generall and publicke fast according to the commaundement of God and the necessitie of this present time This dutie and christian exercise is the rather to be done least our English Church for want thereof may through ignorance iudge it either altogether vnnecessarie or not much materiall But if this cannot be obtained to be done in a publicke solemne maner with all zeale and feruentnes in prayer and hearing the worde of God which I most heartily wishe and desire then I doe admonishe euery one priuately both to vse this and all other good meanes to turne from vs and this Citie all those punishments which our sinnes haue most righteously deserued For it is not the cleane keeping and sweeping of our houses and streetes that can driue away this fearefull messenger of Gods wrath albeit as I approue these lawfull ordinarie meanes so I mislike the desperate tempting of God which I heare to be in some but the purging sweeping of our consciences from all the stincking filthe and drosse of sinne deliuereth from the feare and perill of all euill and maketh vs pure and holy vessels meete for the holy Spirit of God to dwell in If you will imploy all your labours studies and cares hereunto and offer vp this sacrifice of praying fasting preaching and thankes giuing euen from the morning vnto the euening according to the example godly practises of our fathers which haue gone before vs who knoweth deare brethren yf the Lorde will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behind him euen the precious treasure of his glorious Gospel which now we haue and the benefit of helth which as yet we want But if this exhortation and request shall fall to the ground and bring forth no fruit as commonly the woorde of God doth amongst vs such is the hardnesse of our stonie heartes then your sinne lieth at the doore and abideth but my dutie though in great weakenesse and feare is discharged Nowe therefore I commende vnto you both this speciall and singular woorke of publike and solemne fasting and all other godly woorkes with faith hope loue feare and watchfulnesse wherein consisteth the syncere doing of the Fathers will desiryng and beseeching you all to receiue approue and fulfill them vnto your liues end that you may enter most ioyfully into the kingdome of heauen Thus much by good occasion I haue spoken concerning the two sortes of professors nowe I am to speake by order of the Apologie defence of the former sort for the auoyding of the finall sentence of condemnation conteyned in these wordes Manie will say vnto me in that day Lorde Lorde haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out deuils and by thy Name done manie great workes In these wordes Christ bringeth in not the vnlearned but the learned and those that seemed to be the chiefest and best professors of the Gospell reasoning with him selfe touching the matter of entring into the kingdome of heauen They alledge for themselues two principall and worthie workes not common vnto all but almost proper and peculiar â—iftes to the Ministers and Apostles of Christ that is to saye preaching the word ment here by prophecie and working of myracles vnderstoode by casting out deuils and doing many and great workes It may seeme strange and marueylous in our eyes that those which can in trueth alledge for them selues these two workes shoulde be secluded from the kingdome of heauen seeing that of preachers it is witnessed that because they turne many vnto righteousnesse they shal shine as the starres for euer euer of others that whosoeuer shal
giue vnto any of the disciples of Christ in his name but a cuppe of colde water to drinke that he shall not lose his rewarde Againe seeing that of all workes of loue and compassion these two in our iudgement are without all comparison the chiefest for what greater loue can any man shewe towardes the soule of his brother then by preaching to deliuer it from the kingdome of darknes and translate it into the kingdome of light or what greater loue can there be shewed towardes his body then to cure it from all infirmities yea and that which is marueylous to deliuer it from the possession of deuils notwithstanding we see by the answere of our Sauiour Christ that these workes and therefore al other which be of lesse value are insufficient defences either to alledge vnto Christ for the auoyding of the sentence of death or to perswade our owne consciences that we are beloued of God according to our former doctrine For albeit they be necessarie for diuers and sundry causes before mencioned yet they containe no part of that pure obedience which by Gods spirit is wrought in all the true members of Christ What then is that which maketh preaching and all other workes acceptable vnto God and profitable for the comfort and saluation of the doer seeyng the workes themselues shal be reiected Surely to answer in one word it is the maner of doing whereof we haue spoken before at large In consideration whereof blessed Paule doeth iustifie his preaching not because he did preach for woe be vnto me sayth he if I preache not the Gospell but because he obserued the ryght maner order of preaching The which maner so farre forth as I can see and gather concerneth either the vtterance of true doctrine or the affection of the minde whence it procedeth For the vtterance he witnesseth that Christ sent him to preache the Gospell not with wisdome of wordes yea that it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Agayne he reioyceth that he came not with excellencie of wordes or of wisedome shewing vnto the Corinthians the testimonie of God and also that his worde and preaching stoode not in the intycing speache of mans wisdome but in playne euidence of the Spirit and power that the faith of the hearers shoulde not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of god And to shewe in what wordes he spake the Gospell of God and who was the author teacher of them he sheweth playnly in an other place saying Which things also vve speake not in the wordes which mans wisdome teacheth but in the words which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things vvith spirituall things For as the doctrine and foundation of our redemptiō is altogether heauenly and spirituall so ought those that be buylders thereupon to buylde after a heauenly and spirituall maner as the Apostle teacheth in another place comparing this heauenly man to golde siluer and precious stones and the contrary to tymber haye and stubble in these wordes If any man buylde vpon this foundation golde siluer precious stones tymber haye or stubble euery mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shal declare it because it shall be reuealed by fire and the fyre shall trye euery mans woorke of vvhat sorte it is Wherein we see howe necessarie a thing it is for vs that be preachers and diuiders of the worde not onely to looke vnto the foundation of our doctrine which is Christ but also to the maner of vtterance because that also must be tryed and examined by the holy Ghost as golde siluer c. are tryed by the fire Therefore Paule in great boldenesse and authoritie speaketh on this maner to the Corinthian preachers But I vvill come to you shortly if the Lorde vvill and vvyll knovve not the speache of them vvhich are puffed vp but the power For the kingdome of God is not in vvorde but in povver Whereby as hee woulde condemne their speache and maner of vtterance which delyghted the eare hauyng no power or strength to weaken and vnloose the holde of sinne and Satan in them so he woulde commend vnto them that maner of vtterance which shoulde least sauour of carnall wisedom and haue greatest power to turne the hearts of the hearers vnto God and as the Apostle doeth saye of himselfe that he vsed no such maner of teaching neyther any flattering wordes as it is in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians So he doeth most carefully commende and bequeath it vnto Timothie and Titus his two sonnes in the fayth and in them to all other ministers as a faithful treasure for the edification of Christes body forbidding them to gyue heede vnto fables genealogies or to profane and old wiues tales vayne babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called and contrarily commanding them to staye such things to speake and exhort with all authoritie to studie to shewe themselues approued to God and workemen that need not be ashamed and finally to deuide the word aright This kinde of preaching touching the vttering of the worde diligently obserued of Paule and faithfully committed to his schollers ought with great care and diligence to be obserued of all the ministers of God that the faith of the hearers may stande in the power of the Spirit and trueth not in the weakenes of the swelling wordes of mans wisedome But alas who preacheth thus nay who doeth not iudge this kinde of preaching to be voyde of learning discretion wisdome Wherefore many doe stuffe their sermons with newe deuised words and affected speaches of vanitie not being cōtent with the words which the holy Ghost teacheth Many with vnnecessary sentences prouerbes similitudes and stories collected out of the wrytings of prophane men many with curious affected figures with Latine Greeke and Hebrewe sentences without any iust occasion offered by their texte with multitudes of humane authorities and diuers opinions of men in whom there can be foūd neither certaine rule of trueth neither constancie in iudgement and therfore very vnfitte to be admitted into that place as speakers wheras the fearefull mighty voyce of God hath straightly charged all people to heare his welbeloued Sonne saying This is my welbeloued Sōne heare him Many with stagelike gestures curious pronunciation and such other actions that are very vnseemely for those men which haue taken vpon them before God and his Angels to preach and publish vnto his people the Gospel of Christ crucified I would to God that all the ministers of this lande in this poynt could put on this affection of S. Paule fully to purpose with thēselues to knowe nothing amongest their hearers saue Iesus Christ and him crucified So we shoulde not onely cast aside this vayne corrupt vnprofitable maner of diuiding the worde of trueth but also banishe out of our heartes the desire of all such popular prayse and
commendation But to let passe the vtterance of speache lette vs come to the affection of the minde the generall disposition whereof I touched briefely before to witte that we shoulde laye aside all desire of shewe of humane knowledge and purpose onely to reioyce in the knowledge of Christ crucified the particular affections required to make our prophecying or preaching acceptable vnto God as they are commaunded in diuers and sundrie places of the worde so the Apostle reioyceth that he obserued in a good conscience this heauenly kinde of preaching In the first chapter of the first Epistle of Peter the holie Ghost commendeth vnto the ministers of Christ an earnest care a willing heart a ready minde a zealous desyre to become ensamples to their flockes saying Feede the flocke of God vvhich dependeth vpon you caryng for it not by constraynt but willingly not for fylthie lucre but of a readie mynde not as though you vvere lordes of Gods heritage but that yee may bee ensamples to the flocke Also our Sauiour Christ the chiefe shephearde of the flocke as appeareth in the tenth of Matth. Gospell sending out his Disciples to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel chargeth them wholly to depende vpon him to gyue freely without respect of filthie lucre to feare nothing in the execution of their office to be fully resolued in their mindes to lose their lyues for his sake finally to keepe them selues in all respects pure and innocent as doues Whereunto agreeth that commandement of Paule to Timothie touching the ordination of Ministers whereby he teacheth that euery minister ought to be watchefull sober modest louers harborous a louer of goodnesse wyse ryghteous holy temperate and vnreprouable So that by these precepts and commaundementes it euidently appeareth with what care of the flocke willingnesse and readines of minde desire by example to edifie boldenes of heart confidence in God loue of Christ and his sheepe with what full purpose with losse of lyfe to perseuer vnto the ende and lastly with what contempte of all worldly prayse and with what zeale of Gods glorie euery minister ought to approue his ministerie vnto Christ the consciences of his flock But if we wyll see these preceptes put in vre and practise let vs diligently marke the lyfe and conuersation of the Prophets and Apostles especially of Saint Paule who as he was the chiefest in worke so the playnest in declaration hereof and compare in euery particular his behauiour in the execution of his ministerie with ours He sayeth Though I preache the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is layde vpon mee and vvoe is vnto me if I preache not the Gospell For if I doe it vvyllingly I haue a revvarde but if I doe it agaynst my vvyll notvvithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto mee But which of vs doeth not reioyce and is glad when he hath preached a fewe sermons with lyking and prayse of mortall men What dumme dogge doeth terrifie his owne heart from sinne with this woe agaynst him selfe for not preaching the Gospell or who doeth not for lucre feare and prayse of men rather then willingly of a ready mind feed the poore flocke of Christ Paul though he was free from all men yet he made him selfe seruāt vnto all that he might winne the more vnto the Iewe he became a Iewe to them that were vnder the lawe as though he were vnder the lawe to the weake he became as weake and in deede he was made all things to all men for the Gospels sake that he might be partaker thereof But where is that Minister amongst vs which through loue humbleth him selfe and beareth with the infirmities of ignorance lacke of knowledge wisdome and discretion in his flocke and felow brethren Nay which of vs with Paul beateth downe his bodie and bringeth it into subiection lest in preaching to others he him self become a castaway the Lord pardon vs this our offence For I feare me the care we haue of our mortall bodies farre surmounteth the care we haue of the saluation of our selues or of our brethren Paul did please all men in all thinges not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued but as for vs though many I graunt doe please all men in all thinges yet they seeke their owne profit and gaine not the profite of any one that he might be saued For in deede they make marchandize of the worde of God they are couered with the clokes of shame and walke in craftinesse they handle the worde of GOD deceytfullye preaching them selues and not Christe Iesus the Lorde nor them selues the seruantes of his people and that which is most lamentable of all they gyue great and iust occasion why the ministerie of reconciliation shoulde bee euill spoken of and despysed Contrarywise Paule he spake of Christe as of synceritie as of God in the sight of God he cast of the clokes of shame and walked in declaration of the trueth he approoued himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of GOD he preached Christ Iesus the Lorde himselfe a seruant for Iesus sake and to conclude he gaue no occasion of offence in any thing but in all things approued himselfe as the minister of God by the worde of Trueth and by the power of god Seeing therefore many of vs be fallen away from our first loue and former zeale and haue imbraced this present worlde which yf the Lorde be not more mercifull will choke in vs all the graces of GOD we had neede to looke vnto our selues betimes and to frame our selues according to the example of this blessed Apostle in the carefull and syncere dispensation of our ministerie least our preaching bee though profitable to others yet damnable to our selues Moreouer Paule was gentle towardes his flocke as a Nurse cherisheth her children exhorting and beseeching them as a father teaching openly and through euery house keeping nothing backe that was profitable but shewing vnto them all the counsell of God and to shutte vp all in one worde he was verie readie and wylling to deale vnto them not the Gospell of God onely but also his owne soule because they were deare vnto him Beholde here in Paule as in a most cleare glasse a perfect paterne of a good and faythfull seruant of God and on the other side our miserable imperfections and sinfull degenerating from the same This kinde of preaching is that onely wherein we may reioyce which is acceptable to God profitable to his Church comfortable to the speaker This is that true and perfect paterne of preaching which Paul committed to Timothie both in respect of the vtterance and of the disposition of the minde which he chargeth to be kept and obserued that he might be an example to them that beleeue in worde in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenes saying Keepe the true paterne of the
hope in pure loue in reuerēt feare in great care study to please God with zeale of gods glory tender loue of his brethren with ioye in the holy Ghost with a resolued purpose without wearines fainting to cōtinue vnto the end knowing that those only shal be blessed which shal continue vnto the ende This is our liuing holy acceptable sacrifice vnto God this onely is our reasonable seruing of him wherin whosoeuer continueth shal neuer perish but be trāslated frō death to life If we wāt this though we heare often knowe much speake neuer so wel of the Gospel make neuer so much of preachers reioyce for a time in the trueth yet I say if this faith hope loue feare and watchfulnes be absent we are bastardes no children hypocrites no Christians for whome remaineth nothing but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour al the aduersaries of God and his trueth I speake this not to discourage any or to driue the weake consciences into distrust but to awake the slouthfull to terrifie the proude secure presūptuous protestāts also to stir vs al vp to a more vigilāt care in working our saluatiō How necessary this is to be preached vrged the ignorāce error of many the want of loue feare of God in this land citie doth sufficiently witnes I therfore to make an end of this matter cōmende this doctrine from Iesus vnto you all beseeching you for the mercies of God to receyue it into your soules to beleeue it in heart to cōmend it in word diligently to practise it in life with al your strength might to maintaine and defende it against all aduersarie power of Satan and his ministers The answere of Christ in the verse following containeth two points First he denieth these men to be his seruants Secondarily he sendeth them awaye banisheth them for euer out of his presence saying And then I will professe to them I neuer knew you meaning by knowing acknowledging For the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not onely a bare knowledge of a thyng but an acceptation or approouing which we call acknowledging so that it is all one as if he shoulde say Albeit you haue by prophecying working miracles professed your selues to be my seruants called me Lorde and Master yet because you did not those things which I commanded you I did neuer acknowledge you to be my seruāts now I do professe vnto you the same O what a terror and griefe of heart is this to heare the Sauiour of the world in whom onely there is hope of mercie and lyfe to denie and openly professe that hee neuer acknowledged vs to be his seruāts The seruaunt to be forsaken of his louing Master the subiect of his godly Prince the childe of his naturall parents the wyfe of her deare husband is matter of vntolerable griefe and deadly sorow But for a man to be forsaken of the Redeemer of mankinde and that openly in the presence of all creatures without hope of recōciliation whose heart doeth not quite fayle him and melte away euen to thinke therof O then what a hell of tormentes shall it be to the soule eternally to feele it Go to then you yong and desperate ruffians you carnall licentious Protestantes reioyce in your youthfull and wanton pleasures cheare your hearts in the dayes of your vanitie walke in the wayes of your owne lustes enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season despise vnderstanding wisdome deuise your wittie prouerbs against the iust deride and mocke at the wayes of the godly suffer not your consciences to accuse you cast awaye the feare of Gods wrath out of your hearts withdraw no pleasures from your mindes yet know this for a certaintie that God wil bring you and euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill at what time you shal knowe and feele by miserable experience what it is to heare this voyce of Christ Depart from me ye vvorkers of iniquitie As this deniall of Christ shal be most terrible vnto the cursed company of al reprobates so it shal be most ioyful to the litle flocke of Gods heritage For they shall not onely reioyce in that God shall be glorified in the destruction of all their enemies but especially in that they shal be acknowledged of Christ as his faithfull seruants and deare brethren and be aduaunced into the inheritance of his Fathers kyngdome in comparison of which honour all the glory and pompe of the earth is nothing els but lothesome beggery Touching the seconde poynt of this answere we are to note and obserue first the sending of them away the reason therof For the first he sayeth Depart from mee signifying thereby that although they in outwarde shewe and profession seemed to gather with Christ as his seruantes and therefore were accompted amongest the nomber of Gods elect Yet nowe when all mens heartes and secrete thoughtes are opened and reuealed eyther to their endelesse destruction or eternal comfort whereby the godly shall easily be discerned from the vngodly then euen preachers themselues woorkers of miracles and all other dissembling professours of the Gospel shal heare with great sorowe and griefe this finall sentence of death and damnation Depart from mee If any man do aske me whyther they shall goe from Christ or where they shall abyde out of his presence I answere briefely into euerlasting fire as our Sauiour Christ him selfe doeth wytnesse in the 25. of Matthewe saying Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fyre vvhich is prepared for the deuill and his angelles Yf then deere brethren preachers of the Gospell and workers of miracles shall be throwen from the presence of God into vtter darkenes as woorkers of iniquitie for want of the true maner of doyng the Fathers wyll O Lorde what shall become of all those Ministers which receyuing temporall things of the people of God redeemed by the blood of Christ doe in the hardnesse of their heartes refuse to minister vnto them spirituall and to feede them with the heauenly foode of the worde vnto eternall lyfe But because no admonition can moue them to repentance reformation of this haynous offence agaynst God and his people I leaue them to answere for themselues vnto Christ at the dreadfull daye of iudgemēt at what time I feare me that as they haue bene dum in this life concerning the sounding out of the mighty word of god so they wyll be altogether dumme and speachlesse when Christ shal cal for a wise diligent and watchefull discharge of that stewardship which they haue vsurped and horribly abused in the Church of god As for Atheists Idolaters blasphemers sorcerers despisers of magistracie murtherers adulterers fornicators oppressors vsurers and such like abominable sinners how can they escape the vengeance and iust recompence of their rewarde seeyng that preachers of the worde and