by the Gospell is brought vnto you Verie fitly and apâ—lye is the worde of God resembled to seede aswell of diuers other properties as principally that seede is in appearaunce a small and contemptible thing but very profitable and of great strength and vertue so as without it all kindes of thinges woulde perishe Of a little seede you see a verie faire and beautifull floure of a small karâ—ell a large and a fruitful tree of a meane Acorne a huge and mayne Oke If you make a seede of most precious and riche mettall it can not haue this strength and grace with it Euen so the word of God in estimation of the world is simple base contemptible but in vertue power strength exceeding great maruailous I am not ashamed of the Gospell saith Paul for it is the mightie power of God to saluation of all them that beleeue By secret power y â— the spirit of God giueth it it altereth the mindes of men it lyghteneth their heartes it engendreth a newe wyll it bringeth forth godly holy doings as due fruites thereof it changeth not only particular men but whole Empires kingdomes countries it worketh y â— which in no wise can bee wrought by the counsailes wit wisedome cunning pollicie or strength of man This strength and power of Gods word doth S. Paul speake of We preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling stocke to the Grecians foolishnesse but to them both being called we preache Christ the power and wisedome of God c. God hath choseÌ„ those things which are foolish in the world to coÌ„fouÌ„d the wise God hath chosen the weake things of the world to coÌ„fouÌ„d the mighty The effect of this appeared immediately after the Apostles in themselues contemptible yet vnblemished who with the despised and loathed doctrine of Christ crucified preuailed prospered through out y â— world notw tstanding the wisedome y e learning y e policie the power of the world did set it selfe against it and as a little Muster seede the Churche of God by the power of the Gospell prospered and grewe to great largenesse so that the poore foules of the ayre that were chased out of the woodes by tyrannie and persecution dyd rest in it and with quietnesse of conscience though with trouble of the worlde settled themselues and builded their neastes therein The lyke hath beene euen of late yeeres wherin it hath pleased our mercifull God to renewe his Gospell and to sende it into the worlde so that the godlye with great comfort see and the whole world may perceiue y e myghtie power of God in prospering his Gospel What conspiracies what edicts what cruel Massakers and murders haue bene to suppresse the Gospel all men do knowe and those that feare God with piâ—iefâ—â—â— hartes lament it EueÌ„ now are wrought those things of which Dauid prophecied many hundred yeres before EueÌ„ now the nations fret fume euen now the enimies of God haue their vain wicked and Diuilish deuises euen nowe the Princes of Antechristes band conspyre and laye their heades togeather agaynste Christe and agaynsts his worde Lette vs breake their bandes asunder say they let vs caste of their yoke let vs by all meanes we can seeke the confusyon of those Princes countreys Noble men and other which in any place mayntayne this new preached Gospell Lette it be wrought by policie by periurie by craft and dissimulation by violence by crueltie by mischeefe by murder by any meanes that may be Let vs roote from the face of the earth these Protestantes these Hugonotes these Hererikes which at this day trouble the whole world If wee cannot worke it by force lette vs by policie and vnder colour and pretence of great friendship bring them into oure snare or at the least with making fayre offers let vs dally with theÌ„ vntil we may worke that y â— we would do Sed qui habitat in Coelis deridebit eos dominus subsaÌ„nabit eos i. He sitteth in Heauen that shall deride and frustrate all their counsailes with a Rodde of yron hee shall breake seatter their purposes vnto Godly Princes and Magistrates which hee hath rapsed as Nourses and Fosterers of his Gospell he shall I doubt not as often times he hath done bewray their dissimulation display their policies sparcle their conspiracies and confound their denises in such sorte as his holy word and Gospell shall remayne to the comfort of his Children Though by all crueltie to their further condemnation and to the heaping of greater wrath in the day of Gods wrath they sley kill great numbers of his people yet of the very ashes of the same and of their blood he will rayse vp other to his glory whiche maugre theire malice shall freely teache and preach his word A Tempest of 〈◊〉 maye blowe down a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 but in blowing doâ—ne one Stalke it shall â—ast oute â—n hundered Seedes whiche after shall growe and prosper Euen so by extremitie of tempestuous persecution some Preachers and professoures may be murdered but of their blood other will spring Num Sanguis Martyrum seâ—â—â—â— Euangelij i. For the Blood of Martyrs is the Seede of the Gospell Yet am I not of that minde that the Gospell in the Worlde shall â—â— prosper that it shall haue a setteledde quyetnesse For vndoubtedlye Antichriste shall not bee vtterlye ouerthrowne before the laste daye but continually betweene this tyme and that shall make warre agaynst the Sayntes of God and trauayle to suppresse this happy â—eede of Christe his Gospell wherewith he his so greeuously wounded and his Kingdome shaken But he shal neuer be able vtterly in extinguish it S. Paule sayth that he shall be deadly wounded with the Spirite of Gods mouth that is his holy worde but he shall bee taken away by the brightnesse of his comming The Justice of God for the vnthankfulnesse of people may suffer his Gospell to be oppressed in some one Countrey as Englande or some other place but in other yet it shall prosper and increase norwithstanding all the indeuours of Antichrist to the contrary Nexte is that wee haue to speake of the grounde and the diuersitye thereof And here I maye not lette passâ— a very profitable instruction to be taken out of this parable agaynst y e malicious interpretatioÌ„ of many in these days I doubt not but there was the like in Christs time ministred to him the occasyon to â—â—ter this Parable WheÌ„ many see the Doctrine of the Gospel so much preached beaten into mens â—â—res and consyder howe small fruiâ—e commeth of it being so many that reiect and contemne it and so few that frame themselues according vnto it but y â— â—ice wickednesse rather dayly increaseth by and by with verye corrupt iudgement they eyther 〈…〉 the Doctrine it self or the perfâ—â—s that be the Ministerâ— teachâ—â—s therof Oh say they if this were Gous
words make marchandise of your soules c. The same is noted also by S. Paule in way of Prophecie as S. Peter doth that such should come in the latter dayes in greate number For of this sort sayth he are they which crepe into mens houses and leade captiue simple women laden with sinne and lead with diuerse lustes Who seeth not in these Testimonies of the holy Scripture those religious Wolues described whiche in swarmes haue ouerwhelmed the face of the earth and with great shewe and pretence of holinesse and long prayer haue sought not the glory of God but their owne inestimable wealth of the world For by selling their Merits their Prayers their Masses their Pardons by Pilgrimages by Purgatory by absolutions by dispensations and a number of other deuises they haue not onely deuoured an infinite number of Christian soules but crepte into mens Testamentes and from wife and children and kinsfolk got into their clawes the Wealth and Riches of the world I would to God this were not so notoriouslye knowne that it needed no further declaration or proofe Wherefore when you see this Angelicall or Seraphicall shew of heauenly life in these inclosed Wolues haue not by and by their Doctrine in admiracion but looke carefullye vnto their clawes least they crepe within you ere you be ware The second shepes cloathing vnder which false Prophets do hide themselues is Ordinary power and authoritie Long Succession and lawful calling to the Ministerie And as I said before of honest conuersation and Goly life so I must saye of this that it is and ought to bee one of the bewtifull Ornamentes of Christs true sheepe whiche they oughte not to make light accoumpt of nor wythout it to thruste themselues into the Mynisterye of Gods true Doctrine as the Anabaptistes and other phanatical spirits do For S. Paule faith How shal they preach vnlesse they be sent And agayne No man vsurpeth this honor vnlesse he be called thervnto of God as Aaron was If it should be lawfull for euerye man to come into the office of preaching or ministering without ordinary caling there would be broughte into the Church a marueilous confusion of all thinges together with infinite Sects and Erroures But vnder this fayre Title and bewtifull Garment haue many Wolues and wicked Heretiks crept into the church as after you shall perceiue And Christes warning in this place principallye toutheth suche for hee directeth his speeche agaynste the Scribes Pharisies and high Priestes that then were in ordinary Succession calling and authoritie And lykewise doth the spirite of God in al the course of the scriptures both of the old and new Testamēt Moyses sayth If there shall rise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer In medio tui sayth he euen among you or in the middest of you He sayth not a straunger or Forrener comming frō some other place but among you And Esay His watchmen are blinde and know nothing And a little after Behold their Sheapheards are voyd of vnderstanding They are all gone euery man after his owne way And in Hieremie In the Prophets of Hierusalem I saw abhominacion c. Filthinesse and vncleanes is proceded from the Prophets of Hierusalem ouer the whole earth And agayne My people is become a lost flocke theire Sheapheards haue deceiued thē and made thē to wander in the mountains And Ezec. Her Priestes haue peruerted my law vnaduisedlye and haue prophaned my Sanctuarie You sayth Malachi to the Priests haue gon out of the waye and haue caused manye to fall by the lawe Nothing can bee more playne then that whiche Paule speaketh to the Ministers of Ephesus c. I knowe this sayth he That after my departure shall greeuous Wolues enter in among you not sparing the flock Of your own selues shal men arise speaking peruers things to draw disciples after them And Saint John From among vs they came but they were not of vs. Yea S. Paule sayeth that Antechrist shoulde sitte not among Heathen persons or Infidels but in Templo Dei in the Church of God Wherfore you may not maruell though we say that false prophets greeuous wolues are his vnder this fayre shepes cloathing of ordinary Authority succession and calling for the spirite of God hath told vs that it hath so beene and shoulde so bee to the worldes ende You may not therefore thinke that Ordinarie authoritie and calling is a full and iust proofe of good Doctrine or of true preachers Wolues haue deuoured the Flocke vnder that clothing yea suche they haue beene that haue most cruellye persecuted Gods good prophers and the doctrine that they haue taught Who persecuted Hieremie and the other Prophets were they not those that sayde Templū domini Templū domini i. The Tēple of the Lorde The Tēple of the Lord And Nūquid veritas discedet á Sacerdotibus i. Shal the truth depart frō the Priests Were it not they y t stroke Micheas and caused Hieremie to bee cast into prison Who were they that put Christ to death and persecuted his Apostles Doe not the Euangelistes and Actes of the Apostles euidently declare it Doth not Christe giue his Disciples warning that it should bee so These things saith he haue I spoken vnto you that you may not be offended They shall excommunicate you out of their synagoges al for my names sake Were it not they that had ordinary Calling Succession that hadde Authoritye to excommunicate Seing then by testimonie of the Scriptures we learne y t it hath alway bene so among the people of god and the Scriptures witnes in way of Prophecie that in the latter dayes it shoulde bee so Why may not the faythfull people of God greatelye feare that nowe also in our age the false Prophettes bee hid vnder the cloake of Ordinary calling and Succession For this Cause did God extraordinarily rayse and set vp his true Prophets which might sharpely blame reproue those false Maisters Teachers y t did abuse this countenāce of ordinary Successiō Authority to deceaue Gods people carry thē from the law of god to superstition Idolatry Which prophets of god not w tstanding y t ordinary calling succession of the other in many places do tearme them Dumbe Dogs Idle sheapheards deceauers Lions Wolues Foxes Murderers c. And for so doing they which were in ordinary authority did esteeme thē as factious seditious stubborne obstinate deceauers of y t people It hath pleased the mercifull prouidēce of God likewise in these latter days extraordinarily to raise vp mightily to defend certain learned men and Godly preachers whiche might reueale vnto y e world earnestly reproue cōfound the great horrible corruptiō both of doctrine māners y ◠haue now these many yeares ben brought into y ◠church w t fagot fyre maintained by thē y t chalenge to themselues ordinary power
of stomache to digeste A true and strong Christian fayth is the mouth of the soule and the power wherewith wee doe receiue and digeste Christ Jesus crucified as the foode of our saluation We must looke therefore to our selues first whether we knowe and vnderstande the mistery of our redemptioÌ„ that is that the vnspeakeable mercy of God sent downe the second person in Trinitie to take flesh of the blessed Virgine to lyne in the shape of a most contemptible man in this worlde and in the ende to haue suffered cruell death for the redemption of mankinde Secondlye whether we feele in our harts a strong perswasioÌ„ that we also through the merciful promises of god are partakers of the same worke of our redemption For a true Christian must not only haue a generall knowledge but also by a fyrme faith hee must haue â— particular application of the same to himselfe Furthermore as it is necessarye to haue both a desyre to eate styrred by a sence and feeling of true repentaunce and also an assured fayth to receiue and digest this wholesom and comfortable medicine of oure soule so because God bestoweth not his mercy by his sonne Christ in vayne or to the end we should still continue in sinne we must further try our selues whether we feele an vnfained desire to rise to a newnesse of life and an earnest study hereafter to ameÌ„d our former faults and to strayn our selues to a Godly and honest conuersation that God in vs maye bee glorified and the mouthes of his Ennemies stopped Lastly wee muste examine oure consciences whether we haue a feruente and great desyre to call to oure remembraunce the vnestimable Benefyte of oure Redemption made by the price of his bodye and blood and to acknowledge and confesse the same vnfaignedlye before GOD and the Worlde and to yeeld vnto him moste hartye thankes for the same and the residue of his benefytes not at this present tyme onelye but euer hereafter vntill the time of his comming This is the Godly and Christian tryall of oure selues which if we vse by the grace of Gods Spirite working in vs wee shall becomme eyther worthye Guestes or muche more fytte then other wayes wee shoulde bee c. Happylye some will thinke that this Admonition is a Terroure and tormente to theire consciences to feare men from comming to this blessed Sacramente rather than an Exhortation or Incouragemente vnto it For if the Daunger bee in it selfe so great as the vnworthye Receauer eateth Damnation to himselfe and the preparation and triall so streighte as you haue made it it were better neuer to come to it For what one is there among a thousande that doth in this manner trye his conscience or if he doe hee must needes feele so great want and imperfection either in sorrow for his sinnes or in sence of Gods wrath or in weakenesse of his Fayth or in the studie of newe lyfe or in the Coldenesse of his charitie or in the feeblenesse to giue thinkes and set forth the glory of God or in all these things that he must needes be ouerwhelmed in conscience and feared to make hymselfe partaker of these holy mysteries But deerely beloued let not this feare shake your consciences nor driue you backe from this blessed table This eâ—amination and tryall must be within the boundes of humaine frailtie and God in this as in all other doynges for Christes sake will vse hys mercie and clemencie For he knoweth our corruptions imperfections and will haue regarde of our infirmities Onely let vs not be secure slacke and negligent but feeling by this triall great want in our selues with lowelye humble and confessing hartes let vs acknowledge the same and say vnto God I am sorie O Lorde for my sinnes but not as the greeuousnesse of them requireth Augment O Lord by thy spirit the sense of thy wrath in me I beleeue and know with other christians that thy sonne hath shed his blood for mee but increase my faith O God and helpe my vnbeliefe I desire to liue according to the calling of a christian but the fleshe and the world maketh this studie cold in me therefore doe thou strengthen me with thy blessed spirit I know it is my bounden duetie to yeelde vnto thee immortall thankes as well for all other thy benefites as principally for the whole worke of our redemption by the death of thy deerely beloued sonne but I feele this zeale to be so faint and feeble that it is nothing according to my duetie and for that cause I lyft vp myne eyes to the throne of thy mercy and humbly desire thee to pardon all my imperfections and to heale all my infirmities The sense and knowledge of my weakenesse may not feare me from this holy cable For this heauenly feast is a medicine for them that bee sicke a comfort to them that be penitent sinners a free and liberall gift to such as bee poore and haue nothing of themselues Christ in this feast is giuen as meate without which we know we must of necessitie perish And he is giueÌ„ as lyfe vnto vs and therfore without him we can haue nothing but death The best worthinesse that wee can bring to these reuerend and holy mysteries is that we confesse our owne vnworthinesse to the end thy mercy may make vs worthy that we despaire in ouâ— selues to the end thy grace may comforte vs that we humble our selues to the end thy goodnesse may raise vs vp that wee acâ—use our selues to the end thy sonne by his merite may iustifie vs. For though of our selues wee are able to doe nothing yet by hym wee shall be able to doe all things c. These or lyke cogitations if wee haue in preparing our selues to that blessed nourishment of our â—oules he that breaketh noâ— a brused â—eede nor putteth out smoking flaxe will noâ— cast aside our infirmitie but mercifully receaue vs. The sorrowfull Father which with care for hys sonne â—ryed vnto Christ I beleeue Lorde but helpe thou myne vnbeliefe thoughe his faith as it myght appeare was very weake yet obtained hys purpose at Christes hanâ— to haue his sonne by myracle healed If our fayth hee but as a grayne of Mustarde seede yet it wyll muche preuayle with Gods mercy The Apostles of Christ which were admitted to his last Supper were notwithstanding weake and touched wyth many infirmites althoughe they were not altogether wicked and faythlesse as Iudas was They beleued in Christ they loued Christ and they loued one an other and yet at the verye table of the Lorde they shewed theyr weakenes Peter not without some reproche of the residue preferred himselfe before them all Though all other sayth he bee offended by thee yet will not I bee offended by thee They ambitiously contended amoÌ„g themselues which of them should bee the greater I wyll not mention that immediately after Supper they through timorousâ—esse fledde from Christ and for
the Pigges of Epicures stie Edamus bibamus c. â— Let vs eate let vs drinke and be merie for to morow we shall die and after death is no pleasure nor paine Marke I pray you howe wisedome vttereth their cogitations and maketh them to speake in this wise Our time is as a shadow that passeth away after our end there is no returning come therefore and let vs enioye the pleasures that are present and let vs fill our selues with costly vvine and ointments and let vs cheerefully vse the dâ—eatures as in youthe and let not the flower of life passe by vs. Let vs all be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leane some token of our pleasure in euerie place For that is our portion and this is our lot Let us oppresse the poore that is righteous oh let vs not spare the widowe nor reuerence the white heares of the aged Let our streÌ„gth be the law of vnrighteousnes Let vs defraude the righteous and godly for he is not for our profit he is contrary to our doings he checketh vs for offending against the law blameth vs as transgressors of discipline Out of this schoole they came that iest at Preachers be angrie with them for inueighing against the vanities of this life putting them in minde of God and of heauen for they thinke that to bee a bitter saying to their pleasant life For there is none so heathenish but God sometime sendeth to his minde a gnawing corsie remorse of conscience to trouble him Out of this schole came those scorners which S. Peter prophesied shuld rise in the latter dayes liue after their owne lust when they should be taught by Preachers that y â— worlde shoulde haue an ende they be brought before the iudgement seat of God to aunswere for their wickednes would with derision and mocking say Oh where is the promise of the Lordes comming to iudgement and of the end of the world for since the fathers died all things continue a like froÌ„ the beginning of the creation Of the same sort are they that Esay speaketh of When they be tolde that God will punishe plague them not in the world to come but in this world also with some notable examples of hys iustice as he did to Sodom and Gomorra and others c Oh say they in derision Let God make speede let him hasteÌ„ his worke that we may see it and let the counsell of the holy one of Israel drawe neare and come that wee may knowe it Or at least they speake as they doe in Ieremie that denie the Lorde God and say Tushe it is not hee those plagues of sworde and famine shall not come vppon vs It is vaine that the Preachers teache these myseries and plagues shal fall vpon themselues I would to God there were not too many of this sorte in Englande whose like contempteous voyce did ring in many mennes eares beside the great number of them that secretely saye in their heart There is no God and openly shew the same in the whole course of their life For if they beleeued there were a God they would neuer so reprochfully and so obstinately reiect cast aside the word of the eternall and euer liuing God I aske these godlesse Epicures whether they thinke there is a God or no If they will saye Yea why then the same must be a iust God for without iustice there can be no Godhead and if he be a iust god then he must detest hate sinne and accordingly punishe it For it is the part of iustice to giue to euery one that he deserueth reward to the good punishment to the wicked and by this can they not in iustice escape his punishment due to their lewdnesse If they will say with their Maister Epicure that there is a God but he regardeth not the affaires of the world the doings of meÌ„ that must then be either because he cannot or because he will not By the one he sheweth himselfe an impotent God and therefore no God by the other a negligent or a malicious God and for that also no God For such passions and imperfections can not lyght into the nature of a Deitie or Godhead If they will flatly thinke or saye There is no God I must speake vnto them as S. Paule doth to lyke heathenish harts mindes and I must will them to open their blinde eyes and behold the goodly beautifull and maruailous frame and workemanship of the world the Suâ—â—e the Moone the Starres the Planets the goodly order the constant course y â— wonderfull effectes the notable varietie of times and seasons to the benefite of mans life I must byd them looke into the ayre and consider what it is that holdeth vp that huge heape of Cloudes houering without any proppe or staye and in conuenient time so sweetely sheeding downe themselues to moist season the earth which if they should fall downe at once woulde ouerwhelme and drowne the whole earth I must further wyst theÌ„ to consider y t since the naturall place of water is to be aboue the earth as verye reason and their owne heathenish Philosophers teache who or what it is that holdeth the Sea within a banke of sande that it doth not breake ouer to surrounde the earth and occupie his owne place Or what it is that causeh the dead and dirtie earth to bring for the so beautifull flowers so faire greene grasse so exceedyng varietie of Beastes Hearbes Trees Fruites Metalls and all other things either breeding in the bowells of the earth or shewing themselues vppon the vtter face thereof Who it is that created them or gaue them a beginning that preserueth and continueth them in their kindes that maketh them at some seasons of the yeere to die at another to spring and growe againe Thou wilt say happily all these things be by a certaine course of nature and the ordinarie effectes thereof Why and what is that which thou callest nature Is she a goddesse or is she a Creature Hath she a beginning of hir selfe or hath she hir beginning of an other Seneca an Heathen Philosopher could say Nature is nothing but God working in these thinges that wee call naturall But if thou be worthy the name of a man looke into thine owne body which is called Microcosmos A little world because of marueilous workemanship thereof weigh how it commeth to passe that in thy mothers womb two or three droppes of licour shoulde frame it selfe to skinne to fleshe to bones to sinewes â—o veines to arteties to the principall partes of thy liuing body the braine the harte the stomacke the lyuer the splene the guttes and others howe the spirites bee ingendred in the braine the hart the lyuer which bee the instrumentes whereby thy soule worketh life and mouing â—â—rishing increasing and growing sense will and vnderstanding Consider the other outward partes of thy body and
farm must go se it I praie thee haue me excused The third sayd I haue maried a wife I cannot come By this feast is ment the CoÌ„munion of the gospel benefit of our saluatioÌ„ purchaced by Christ To this feast men are called by Gods messengers y t is his Preachers ministers of his worde The excuses made shewe what causes coÌ„monly they are y t w thold mens minds from obeying the word of God coÌ„ming to the gospell y â— is the cares of the world the study of riches and the pleasure and pompe of this life noted by these iii. kind of things whereof Christ there speaketh I wold to God these impedimeÌ„ts had choked the worde of God and hindered the hearing of the Gospel in Christes time only and were not of greater force in the hartes of men at this daye in Englande If a Preacher come into a Towne vppon a workingdaye it is a rare place wherein hee shall haue a tollerable Auditorye But if there be a fayre or a markeâ— though there be 5000 in the streates ye shal scarcely finde 50 in the church Yea they will murmure that the Preacher hath chosen such a time to trouble them and to hinder their market though it be of a Sabaoth daye or other vsuall daye appoynted for prayer And what can be the cause hereof but the care of the world loue of riches which maketh them to haue no regard of the word of God nor of their own saluation Justly therefore sayâ—h Saint Paule They that wil be rich fal into tentations snares into many folish noisome lustes which drowne men vtterly in perdition and destruction For the desyre of money is the roote of all euill which while men lusted after they haue erred froÌ„ the fayth and perced themselues through with manye sorrowes Seing therefore these bushes and thornes are so dangerous that they vtterly choke vp the Seede of Gods holye worde cast into the grounde of mens hartes it is necessarye that there bee prepared some Tooles and Instrumentes so much as possiblie maye bee to grubbe them out that the ground may be made more commendable and fruitfull Such Instrumentes Christe himselfe hath prepared in S. Mathewes Gospell The fyrste is the earnest consideration of the vanitie and vncertaintie of riches and worldly wealth and pleasure which passe from vs sodainly by many occasions It is vttered in these wordes Lay not vp for your selues treasures vppon the earth where the mothe canker corrupt where Theues dig through and steale but lay vp treasure for your selues in HeaueÌ„ where neither mothe nor canker corrupte nor Theefe breaketh through to steale c. By the corrupting of â—anker and moath and by the stealing of Theeues Christe noteth all those meanes whereby the brickle and frayle wealth and pompe of this world vpon the sodayne passeth from vs so that we can haue no assuraunce of them Therfore Christ iustly in those words admonisheth vs that wee should not set our minds vpon so vayn thinges for them to forsake the eternal riches in heaueÌ„ y t neuer shal faile vs. SalomoÌ„ who aboue all other had good trial of these things euidently declareth what vanitie is in them I haue sayth he builded me houses I haue planted vyneyards I haue gotten seruants maydes haue had children borne in the house also I had great possessions of Beeues and sheepe aboue all that were before mee in Hierusalem I haue gathered vnto me siluer and Gold and the cheefe treasure of Kings Prouinces c. And after it foloweth Then I loked on all my works that my hands had made and on the trauaile that I had laboured in and beholde all is extreme vanitie and vexation of spirit neither is there any profite vnder the Sunne Loe this is Salomons iudgement that vnder the Sunne all thinges are vaine vnprofitable All fleshe saith the Prophete is as grasse and all the glorie thereof like the floure of grasse the grasse is cut downe and withereth and the Houre falleth aud fadeth away Whereby wee are taught that as mans life it selfe is fraile and transitorie so are all those thinges wherin it glorieth and taketh delyght Honour Dignitie Friendship Riches Health Stength Beautie and such like which all may bee had and lost in an houre And therefore a great vanitie it were for these so vayne fraile and brickle things to sorsake the doctrine of eternall saluation and the vnestimable treasures of the kingdome of God An other instrument that Christ in the same place hath framed to grubb vp the cares of the world is confidence and trust in the prouidence of God wherevppon onely we ought to depend for all things pertaining to this lyfe and therfore to bend al our care and studie to seeke the kingdome of God and the glory thereof Be not carefull saith he for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drinke or for your bodies what apparell ye shal vse c. But first of all seeke the kingdome of God all things shall be aboundantly giuen vnto you This instrument is strengthened with sundry reasons as it were bondes to fasten the same in our heartes The first is that he which giueth vs the greater things and of more price will prouide for vs and bestowe vppon vs those things that bee of lesse value God hath giuen a lyfe and a bodye which in deede are precious giftes therefore he will not fayle to prouide meate drinke and cloth sufficient to maintayne the same if wee call vpon him and repose our trust in hym for the same The second reason is the example of most contemptible creatures if they bee compared to the worthynesse of mankinde fouies of the aire Rauens Sparâ—â—â—es flowers of the fielde which God feedeth maintaineth and preserueth without any carke care or labour of theirs for they neyther sowe nor reape nor spinne nor carde And shall not the same good and mercifull Lorde prouide for his most excellent creatures his owne people that depend vpon him put their trust in him The third reason is the vnsufficiencie of our labour carke and care in these things if God giue not good successe therevnto For what man with al his care and diligence can adde one cubite vnto his heigh c. The husbandman wyth great trouble and toyle may till the earth and sowe his seede but he is not able to make faire weather to giue seasonable showres to temper the grounde without which his labour is nothing worthe much lesse is he able to giue that strength and power to the seede to growe in the earth for that is the onely finger and mightie power of God y t worketh in his creatures Those things that we esteeme to be ordinarie workes of nature are in deede wonderfull and myraculous workes of Gods almightie power dayly shewed among vs and because they be dayly done wee
make smalle accompt of them The last reason is that God our heauenly father knoweth that wee haue neede of those things and therefore for the tender and fatherly care that he hath ouer vs his children he will not suffer vs to want so much as shall be necessarie conuenient for vs. Wherefore we ought to bend our whole studie to seeke the kingdome of God and the glory thereof and leaue the cares of this world and the immoderate desire of earthly ryches least the same pull from vs and extinguish in vs the happie desire of hearing the worde and so through the deceiptfulnesse of Riches the word of God bee vtterly choked in vs and we of faire blossomes become vnfruitefull hearers and vnfit members for the kingdome of heauen c. ¶ A Sermon made vpon this text John 8. 46. Quis ex vobis arguit me de peccato Si veritatem dico vobis quare non creditis mihi Which of you can rebuke me of sinne and if I say the truth why doe yee not beleeue mee WHen I was assigned to this place and pervsed the Text of the Gospell for this day seeing the first verse thereof to bee these wordes which nowe I haue recited vnto you I could not but thinke it to bee some part of Gods gracious prouidence there-by to put mee in minde giue mee full occasion to speake of those things which in conscience I thinke most necessarie at this time and in this place to bee vttered These wordes deerely beloued are a parte of that notable conference which was betweene our Sauiour Christ and the Jewes Ioh 8. Wherein both of them are so earnest in defence of their part as hardly the lyke is to be found in the whole historie of the Euangelistes The Jewes in defence of their Synagogue denie Christ to bee the light of the world that shoulde open the true way of saluation to men but affirme that he was an aâ—bitious and vaine glorious man bearing witnesse of himselfe for his owne credites sake yea they say he is a Samaritane a worker with diuells a blasphemer of God and therefore lastly take vp stones and draue him by violence out of the place A verye ryght paterne of the enemyes of Christ and hys Church On the other part Christ in deede mooued wyth the true zeale of Gods house after hee had declared that hee was the lyght of the worlde which hee that followed should not walke in darkenesse but see the truth of euerla sting life he euidently proueth that the Jewes were not as they pretended to bee the right seede of Abraham for then they would doe the workes of Abraham nor the children of God for then they would haue receaued him who was sent vnto them from God but earnestly affirmeth that they are of the seede and ofspring of Sathan the father of lying and vntrothe and therefore euen by very corruption of nature they could not abyde the truth Then Christes knowing that they woulde obiect against him that they denied not his doctrine because it was the truth as he charged them but because he was an euill man and a seducer of the people and not like a person that should deliuer the truth vnto the people of God Therefore Christ to preuent this obiection wherewith they went about to deface and discredite his doctrine speaketh in such sorte as ye haue heard Quis ex vobis c. Which of you can rebuke me of sinne c. In which wordes you see Christ doth two things First he standeth to the integritie of his cause euen as well in the vpright dealing in his office as in Innocencie of lyfe Secondly he iustifieth the truth of his doctrine and therefore requireth them to beleeue it if they will shewe themselues to be of God in deede This dealing of Christ all Christians generally but especially Byshops Preachers and all such as are called to the ministerie of the word ought to set before their eyes as a right paterne of their doyngs if they will be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ And these two things I meane w t Gods assistaunce to speake of at this time and in this order First I will declare what the office of a Preacher or Minister is by his calling and what daunger hangeth ouer them if they doe it not Secondly because men may deale wyth good consciences and yet be subiect to great infamie and sclaunders for euen Christ in this place notwithstanding his integritie heard of hys aduersaryes Nonne bene dicimus quod Samaritanus es daemonium habes c. i. Say we not well that thou arte a Samaritaine and hast the Diuell Therefore I will let you vnderstande what blame they deserue and what daunger they are in that falsely vncharitably defame the Ministers Preachers of Gods worde and truth of purpose to discredite their doctrine Thirdly I will prooue that the doctrine of the Gospell which we haue preached in this land these 20. yeeres and more which vnder hir Maiesties gracious protection authoritie of hir lawes hath bene established is the truth and no truth of doctrine but that and therefore y t it ought to be beleeued receaued and without exception to bee confirmed of all them that be of God As touching the first S. Paul saith Sic nos aestimet homo c. Let a man so esteeme vs as the Ministers of Christ the bestowers of his mysteries The mysteries of God are the true doctrine of saluation in Christ Jesu and al the other benefites and commodities of his holy word mentioned by S. Paule to Timothie A good Bishop therefore and a right Preacher must out of y â— holy scriptures teach true doctrine sincerely he must confute error superstition idolatrie zealously he must exhort to vertue earnestly he must without respect of persons reproue vice and wickednesse boldly and freely he must comfort the afflicted conscience sweetely and gratiously This is the charge that God layeth vpon vs in his word very earnestly with greeuous daunger if we doe it not In Esay God speaketh in thys wyse Get thee vp into the high mountaine thou that teachest in Syon thou that preachest the Gospell in Hierusalem lyfte vp thy voyce with strength lyfte vp thy voyce I saye and feare not tell the Cities that the Lorde their God commeth You heare that wee are commaunded to tell the Cities that is the particular Churches of Christ that the Lord their God commeth to visite them eyther in mercy offering them his worde and callyng them to repentaunce or in iustice to punish them for the contempt of his worde and want of repentaunce And this wee must doe not in secrete corners but in the face of the worlde for wee must stande vppon the toppe of the Mountaine that we may bee seene and shewe our selues not ashamed of the Gospell We must not doe it slackly but zealously lyfting vp our voyce with strength
an vsurper or if any maÌ„ be ignoraunt thereof lette him looke into Saunders Monarchie and there beside shamefull and detestable treason towarde her Maiesties person and state he shall finde good ground of that opinyon layde and yet forsooth Protestants must be the daungerousts Subiects vnto Princes I pray you of what professioÌ„ are they that haue altered the title of al the principalities almoste in Europe of Arragon of Naâ—are of Italy of Naples of Sicyly of Fraunce of Germany of the Empyre both of the Weaste and of the Easte And what the Pope challengeth at this day for the principalitie of England Ireland euer since King Iohn his time euery man that hath read the English Chronicles knoweth Of what professyon are they that say they haue all temporall power immediatelye of God and all Princes to holde the same as feodaryes vnto them And therefore haue they exempted their annoynted Clergye from all secular power and authoritie and haue so tyed Christian Princes that they maye not drawe theire owne Sworde of Justice nor doe anye thing in theire owne Dominions but at the becke and appoyntment of the Sea of Roome and then mighte the Father drawe the Sworde againste the sonne and the sonne agaynste the Father and Brother against brother finally all subiects against their Prince Yea in all Countries they did set shackles and fetters vpon Princes to bridle them that they might do nothing but that was liking to them I meane they sette some of theire owne Court in euery region as it were to keepe vnder the Prince and to see euen into his secrete dealings such as Thomas Becket and Stephen Lancton were in this lande Which I doubt not but godly and wyse Princes and counsellers will consider and specially call to remembrance that the honorable state dignitie and Maiestie of Princes was continually troden vnder foote vntill it was within this 40. or 50. yeeres that it pleased God to restore into the world the light of his Gospel and by the Preachers therof out of his holy word did let the Princes vnderstand the right authoritie of their dignitie which before was kept from them Therefore great iniurie doe they in these dayes whosoeuer they bee that seeke to perswade Princes that the Preachers professors of the Gospell be the most daungerous subiects and the Papistes or at least the good indifferent men which passe not which way religion goeth but keepe themselues safe for all chauÌ„ges to be the best most quiet and assured faithfull subiectes But the euent wyll teach godly Princes and wyse counsellers the contrarie But whatsoeuer others shall doe I doubt not but that mightie and mercifull God that raised our gratious Soueraigne out of the dust of death and pulled hir out of the Lyons deune and out of y â— iawes of hir greedie enimies gaping for hir destruction to our vnestimable comforte and benefite set hir in the Royall throne of this lande to the ende that she might bee a noursing mother vnto the church of God and this land a noursery for the Gospell of Christ and a place of refuge for the afflicted saintes of God in these miserable dayes and for that ende and purpose hath myraculously defended preserued and maintained hir against all the deuises and pollicies of our enimyes and not onely sâ— but hath made hir being but a woman dreadfull to hir mightiest enimies and the especiall worldlye comforte that the Saintes of God and the true professors of his Gospell haue in these dayes against all the daungerous enimyes then which things greater honour could neuer be done vnto Prince And therefore I saye I doubte not but that the same God wyll also at thys time lighten hir mynde and direct and strengthen hir heart that by no colour of cunning or flattering counsell shee shall be caried away eyther to forsake hir gratious Lorde God as Salomon dyd or conceaue heauie displeasure against the Ministers of Gods trueth as vnkinde Joas dyd And that this may bee so wee haue all great cause most earnestly to desire it of God in our continuall prayers A third matter wherwith Preachers be vniustly burdened in these daies is y â— they ar charged not only with their owne sinnes and offences which god knoweth are too many but with the slacknesse wickednesse of al other For vpon vs only they lay al the whole fault of the smal fruite y â— the doctrine of the Gospell hath taken here in this land now for the space of this twentie yeares Oh saye they if we had good and zealous Bishops and godlye Preachers such as the Apostles were vndoubtly this doctrine of the Gospel would haue had better successe and more woulde haue preuayled in mens hartes For they are not zealous nor seeme themselues to be moued with the spirit of God therefore it cannot be that they shoulde moue other O dearely beloued though this reason seemeth plausible to some yet I aduertice all them that haue anye sparke of Gods feare in their hartes that they take heede of it beware that they be not caryed awaye with it For I neuer read that the people of God among whome true doctrine hath â—in preached as the Lord be thanked it hath bin with vs did euer vse such allegation for their owne defence It hath bene alwayes the pretence of the reprobate and wicked to excuse and colour their owne obstinacie and contempt of Gods word when they were offered the light of the Gospell and called to repentance But that these men may not flatter nor deceaue themselues I let them vnderstand that the Scriptures doe in no place teach them that the offences and faultes of the Ministers and Preachers are alwayes the onely cause why the worde of God doth not take place in mens heartes It is more commonly and almost alwayes imputed vnto the waywardnes vnthankfulnesse and obstinacie of the people that heare it Therefore it were good for all sortes of men of what calling soeuer to looke into their owne â—oosomes and carefully to consider whether the fault thereof bee not in themselues for they knowe the Maister may be learned and diligent and yet the scholler not thriue by reason of his owne dulnesse The Phisition may be honest skilfull the obstinate patient make light of hys wholsome Counsell The seede may bee good and the seede sower a painful honest person yet the fruite not to bee aunswerable to hys trauaile because of the naughtines barrennes of y t ground This our sauiour Christ teacheth vs in the parable of the seedesower Matth. 13. The sower saith he went out to sowe the seede and some fell in the high way that is into the harts of them that were continually trampled with wicked and naughtie cogitations so y t the seede could not sinke into their harts but by those birdes of y e Diuell was caried away w tout
from the face of the earth of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome he deuised the sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie should descend from Heauen and take flesh of the blessed virgine that so being in one person both very God very man he might be a most fit Mediator to work recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ betwene God and man The cause therefore why Christe came in flesh was to worke the saluation of mankinde For so saith S. Paule It is a sure saying worthie of all men to be beleeued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners And Christ himselfe sayth that he came to saue that which was lost The generall worke of our redemption hath certayne principall branches whiche are cheefe Articles of oure Fayth and groundes of all Christian religion Firste that he might be the reconciler and attonement maker betweene God and vs as S. Paule witnesseth 2. Cor. 5. All things are of God which reconciled vs vnto himself in Christ Iesus And immediately God was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world to himselfe And to the Colosâ— It pleased him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by Christ appeasing by the blood of his Crosse all thinges whiche are either in heauen or in earth God therefore appoynted him for euer to be our high Bishop our Mediator our Aduocate our Intercessor which should coÌ„tinualy appeare before the face of God for vs and make him fauourable to sinners that we might haue accesse to God by him by his intercession and merite obtayne mercy and grace in oure necessities these be the wordes of the scripture And hee is not onely our Mediatour and Aduocate but Our onelye Mediatour and Aduocate One God and one Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus We haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes It is hee that ascended vp to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Vt interpellat pro nobis That he may bee an Intercessour for vs. The 2. cause of Christs comming into flesh is that he might be our redeemer from the tyrannye of the Deuill and the purchazer of remission of sinnes The Sonne of god appeared to this ende to dissolue the workes of the Deuill And agayne Yee are redeemed not with golde and siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus And agayne Beholde the LaÌ„be of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Paule In whome wee haue redemption and by his blood remission of our sinnes We must not onlye beleeue that he is our Redeemer but our Only Redeemer and the Only Purchazer of the full remission of our sinnes For Non est aliud nomen c. That is There is no other name vnder Heaué wherin we shold be saued but only by the name of Christ Iesus And S. Iohn The blood of christ hath washed vs froÌ„ al sinne And S. Paule He gaue himself for vs. that he might redeme vs froÌ„ all iniquitie The 3. cause of Christes incarnatioÌ„ y â— 2. office of his eternal Priesthood is to offer a ful perfit sacrifice to appease y â— wrath of God to satisfie his iustice y t not according to y â— order of Aaron which by imperfectioÌ„ did nede a Succession but according to y â— order of Melchizedek y â— for euer Thou art a Priest sayth God for euer according to the order of Melchizedek Therefore it cannot bee borne â—â— christian religion that Christ should haue any succession in Priesthood to sacrifyce after him For by one oblation he made perfect all that be sanctified And agayne Christ was once offered for the extinguishing of the sinnes of many And agayne Hauing offered one Sacrifice for sinne he sitteth perpetually at the right hand of God And sundry times else where the Epistle to the Hebrues affirmeth Christ Semel That is to say once to haue sacrificed himselfe The fourth cause of his Incarnation and the thyrde office of his eternall Priesthood is that he might be the only Prophet Maister Teacher and instructer of his people fully to open to them the knowledge of God and the true way of Saluation God sayth Moyses shall raise from among you a Prophet like vnto me him do you heare according to all thinges that he shall say vnto you And God the father himself at the baptizing of Christ did with the visible presence of the holy Ghost consecrate him Maister and teacher of his church which only was to be heard This is my dearely beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased him doe you heare The same Consecration was confyrmed in the Mounte at the transfiguration of Christ And Esay the Prophet in the 55. chapter or rather God by Esay sayth I haue giuen him as a witnesse vnto people preceptorem Gentibus And a Maister and instructour of all nations And therefore Christ himselfe forbiddeth his Apostles to be called Maisters for sayth hee Ye haue but one Maister which is Christ The fyfte cause of Christ his comming in flesh is that he might be the Lorde of Lordes and King of Kinges the onlye head ruler gouernour and defender of his vniuersall Church ouer al the partes of the worlde according to the Prophecie of Dauid Psal 2. Yet haue I annoynted my King vpon my holy hill of Syon to whome for his inheritance he gaue all the Nations of y â— world and for his possession the vttermost bounds of the earth And the Angell at his Conception sayde He shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and there shall be none ende of his kingdome And Ephesians 1. He hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath appointed him aboue al things head of his Church And Coloss 1. He is the head of his body the Church which is the beginning the first of them that rise from death Vt sit in omnibus primas tenens i. That in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence And Ephe. 5. The Husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church But the wife may haue no more heades but her husband vnlesse she will be a wedlock breakeâ— and so the Church can haue no other heade But Christ vnlesse she doe in the face of the whole world forsake hir owne Spouse who hath betrothed her to him alone He is the only Sonne whiche alone gouerneth the house of GOD his father In all these Branches I adde this worde Onely because Christ onelye is alone that that he is oure onely Mediatour our onely redeemer and purchazer of remission of Sinnes our onelye high Prieste to sacrifice for vs oure onlye Maister and Teacher that instrueteth vs our onely head and gouernour that guideth and defendeth vs. And herevnto I am mooued not onelye with expresse wordes of the scriptures but also with consideration