all The bonde of peace the lincke of loue that malitious enemie hath burst a sunder What shall I saye Surely all thinges doe shewe that the ende of all thinges is at hande 25 Nowe what effectes these signes before mentioned shall haue in mens heartes those woordes doe plainely declare which followe There shall bee vppon earth trouble among the nations with perplexitie By the nations sayeth Saint Augustine he meaneth those that shall stande on the left hande and not those that are of the seede of Abraham and shall bee blessed Those dogges goates hypocrites and counterfaite Christians which are without the folde of Christ hauing their owne conscience to accuse and beare witnesse against them that they haue despised the sonne of GOD euen him who shoulde haue beene their sauiour Christ Iesus that they haue reiected his Gospell resisted the trueth weltered in all vncleannesse and sinne like beastes shall at that day fall headlong into deepe desperation knowing that at the handes of that iust and seuere iudge they shall receiue the due rewarde of their frowardnesse and iniquitie These terrible signes shall smite such feare into their heartes and so woonderfully amase them that whatsoeuer they beholde they shall tremble at it whatsoeuer they heare it shall be in their eares as it were the roaring of the seas Mens mindes shall be troubled their faith shall wither and wast away as an vntimely plant they shall vtterly fall from GOD and all hope of saluation Yea the verie elect shall quake and tremble they shall be for the time voyde of counsell and as it were men at their wittes ende For if nowe their mindes be troubled to see the present confusion of thinges in the worlde to see kingdomes and nations in armour one against another to see so much monstrous crueltie shewed so much innocent blood powred vpon the ground to see the wicked so prosper and the godlie so trodden vnder foote like duste to see the matter of saluation euen the woord of God called into question so earnestlie and doubtfullie to be disputed of euen amonges the learned sorte with most hatefull and despitefull contention whereof there is like to the eye of man to bee no ende if this doe so much astonish mens mindes nowe that it maketh them doubtfull what to thinke or what to doe in what great perplexitie shall they bee in that day when false Christes and false prophetes not one nor two but many shall arise so forcible in perswasion that they might deceaue if it were possible euen the elect of God and when the powers of heauen shall be mooued When these thinges are doubtlesse mens hartes must needes faile them for extreame feare and for looking after those thinges which shall come vpon the world Our mercifull Lord comfort vs that we doe not faint and strenghen vs that we may stand in that day After all those signes in the sunne and the moone and the starres in the powers of heauen and in the heartes of men betokening Christes approch Then sayeth the Euangelist they shall see the sonne of man come 26 The manner of his comming is thus described Hee shall come in a cloude with power and great glorie It was tolde the Disciples before whose faces Christ was receaued vp into glorie This Iesus which is taken vppe from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe Hee went in a cloude and shall come in a cloude His first comming into the worlde was contemptible but his seconde comming shall be glorious his first to be iudged of the worlde his seconde to iudge the worlde He shall be accompanied with the Angelles of heauen partly to sette foorth his princely honour and royall Maiestie for so it is written Let all his Angelles worshippe him and partly to be his ministers in thinges apperteyning to this iudgement for so we reade He shall sende his Angels with a great sounde of a trumpet they shal gather together his elect from the foure winds and from the one end of the heauen vnto the other S. Paul ioineth with these Angels flaming fire He shall shew himself frō heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendering vengeance vnto them that do not knowe God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lorde and from the glorie of his power when hee shall come to be glorified in his sainctes and to be made marueilous in all them that beleeue This fire shall whereof the Apostle speaketh dissolue and melt away the heauens and the earth Which burning shall bee as it were the fining of goulde in the fornace not consuming but purging the substaunce of these creatures from the drosse of those alterable qualities whereunto they are nowe subiect So Bede speaketh of them Per imaginem transeunt per essentiam subsistunt praeterit figura huius mundi non substantia Their shape vadeth their substaunce remayneth the figure of this worlde doeth passe awaie but not the nature Wee looke for newe heauens and a newe earth sayeth Saint Peter These heauens shall passe away with a noyse these elementes shall melt with heate this earth with the workes that are there in shall be burnt vp Then shall God be glorified and appeare merueilous Let the mightie remember this which build their nestes aloft the rich which ioyne house to house whose garners sellars and pastures are full of graine wine and cattell whose chestes are stuft with money who wholie applie the worlde as they should liue euer vpon the earth All this geare will be consumed it is but matter for the flame Flee therefore flee from this worlde which will sodenlie melt away looke not backe towarde this pleasant Sodoma which the Lorde will shortlie set on fire For what doeth it profit a man to gaine the worlde which though it be enioied for a while yet at length must needes melt as waxe and to loose his soule which if it were not lost might liue in blisse for euer Loue not seeke not the things of this world looke vnto that by which wee may stande in the day when the Lorde shall shewe himselfe from heauen when he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes and to bee made merueilous in them that beleeue The wicked shall not be able to stande in that iudgement neyther sinners in righteous mens companie At the comming of this power at the presence of this great GOD at the sight of this Tribunall seate so full of glorie and of terrour the deriders of Christ the contemners of his worde the workers of iniquitie shall tremble and quake and desire through despaire that the mountaines may fall on them and couer them from his fearefull presence But the faithfull the elect shall lift vp their heades with ioye and be made partakers of exceeding glorie they shall sit vppon the twelue seates and iudge the twelue
that worketh all in all Wherfore as not onely Paul Apollos Cephas but all are ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods so let vs comfort and strengthen one another in our holy faith holding nothing more deere vnto vs then the saluatiō ech of others and in Gods holy feare commend we one another to that faithful creator who is father of all aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all To him be rendred all thanks and all honour geuen for euer and for euer The order and matter of the Sermons 1 The first Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters c. Esa. 55. 1. 2 Be this sinne against the Lorde far from me that I shoulde cease to pray c. 1. Sam. 12. 23. 3 Take vs the little foxes which destroie the vines for our vine hath florished Cant. 2. 15. 4 I exhorte therefore before all thinges that requestes supplications c. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 5 Be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde c. Phil. 2. 2. 6 Teach mee thy way O Lorde and I will walke in thy truth Psal. 86. 11. 7 Drawe neere to God and he will draw neere to you Iac. 4. 8. 8 Seeke the Lorde while he may bee founde call vpon him while hee is neere c. Esay 55. 6. 9 All the daies of this my warfare do I waite till my changing come Iob. 14. 14. 10 That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we may serue him c. Luc. 1. 74. 11 Owe nothing to any man but this to loue one another for hee that loueth c. Rom. 13. 8. 12 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Mich. 6. 8. 13 And Iesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that soulde and bought c. Matth. 21. 12. 14 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God c. Act. 10. 34. 15 We therfore as helpers beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 2. Cor. 6. 2. 16 Mariage is honorable in all Heb. 13. 1. 17 After these thinges Iesus went his waie ouer the sea of Galile c. Ioh. 6. 1. 18 Then there shalbe signes in the sunne and in the moone c. Luc. 21. 25 19 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him c. Mat. 8. 23. 20 The end of all thinges is at hand Be ye therefore sober c. 1. Pet. 4. 7. 21 Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse Psal. 4. 5. 22 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte c. 2. Cor. 13. 11. A Sermon made in Paules on the day of Christes Natiuitie ESAY 55. 1 Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money 2 Wherefore doe ye lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid OVR Euangelical Prophet Esaias through the spirit of reuelation hath in the former part of this his prophecie 800. yeres before the birth of Christ euen as if the thing had alreadie beene performed such is the certainetie of his prophecie most liuely described and set foorth the natiuitie the preaching the persecution the apprehension the death the resurrection the ascension yea and the latter comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead in such wise that for the substance thereof no Euangelist hath more perfectly or plainly set foorth this great mysterie of our saluation He foretelleth that Christ shall be borne of a virgin that his name shalbe Immanuel that his office shalbe to preache the glad tidings of saluation to the poore in spirit that he shalbe led as a sheepe to the shambles to be slaine that he shall be stricken for our sakes and beare the burthen of al our sinnes vpon his backe 2 His birth foreshewed so long agoe by this heauenly Prophet was in fulnesse of time accomplished as this day in Bethlem a citie of Dauid according to the testimonie of that Angel sent from heauen to proclaime the birth of the sonne of God at the same time saying Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shalbe vnto all the people because this day is borne vnto you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lorde in the Citie of Dauid This is that seede of the woman which breaketh the serpents head that meeke Abel murthered by his brethren for our sinne that true Isaack whom his father hath offered vp to be a sacrifice of pacification and attonement betweene him and vs. This is that Melchisedeck both a king and a priest that liueth for euer without father or mother beginning or ending This is Ioseph that was solde for thirtie pieces of monie This is that Sampson full of strength and courage who to saue his people and destroy his enemies hath willingly brought death vpon his owne head This is that Lorde and sonne of Dauid to whom the Lord sayde Sit thou on my right hand This is that bridegroome in the Canticle whose heart is so inflamed with heauenly loue towards his deare spouse which is his Church This is he whom holy Simeon imbrasing prophesied that he should be a light to the Gentiles and a glorie to his people Israel he vpon whom the holy Ghost descended and of whom the father testified from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne This is that lambe of God pointed at by Iohn and sent to take away the sinnes of the world to redeeme vs from thraldome not with golde nor siluer but with the inestimable price of his pretious bloud to be made our wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption This is the childe that is borne for vs the sonne that is giuen for our cause the king whose rule is vpon his shoulders whose name is maruellous the giuer of counsell the mightie GOD the euerlasting father the prince of peace the same Messias which was shadowed in the ceremonies and sacrifices of olde which was prefigured in the Lawe and is presented in the Gospel and hath beene approoued to the worlde by signes and wonders by so cleare euidence as cannot bee either dissembled or denyed Let vs therefore embrace this babe with ioie let vs kisse the sonne let vs with the Angels of heauen praise the Lord let vs sing their Psalme to the honour of his name Glorie be to God on high and on earth peace 3 The Prophet Esaias hauing in spirite espied Christ and seene the day though farre off wherein the Sauiour of the world should be borne
our sinne but no remedie against the sting therof so that it maketh vs feare and with trembling looke for the reward of sinne which is euerlasting death But the spirite of adoption by the preaching of the Gospel telleth vs that in Christ we haue remission of sinnes we are reconciled vnto God and adopted by him we are his chosen children and may boldly and ioyfully call him father And this certainetie of our saluation the spirit of God testifieth to our spirit whereby we put away all seruile feare of punishment beeing assured of Gods constant fauour and eternall loue towardes vs who neuer leaueth vnfinished that which he hath begun nor forsaketh him whom he hath chosen 15 Therefore daungerous and desperate is that doctrine of the Papists which doth teache vs euer to be doubtfull and in suspence of our saluation A lamentable discomfortable and miserable estate Here it is in one woord confounded For Zacharie saith we are redeemed to serue him without feare or doubtfulnesse For where doubt is there is feare and what greater feare than of a thing so fearefull Hee that will serue God must serue him in a quiet and ioiefull conscience with a sure and vndoubted confidence of mercie and saluation in Christ the Lord of mercy With thee is mercie saith the Prophet that thou maist be feared As if hee should say Thou art full of clemencie and compassion and therfore we serue thee with a reuerent and without a seruile feare being perswaded of thy great mercie 16 Feare is euer of the inferior to the superior It is not required in the prince to feare the subiect the master the seruaunt the father the childe or the husband the wife but contrarie in all God feareth not man his creature man ought to feare God who hath created him to feare him as a louing father and not as men doe feare a fierce tyrant 17 The true feare which is required of vs is euer ioined with loue The good childe feareth to offende his father for that loue and reuerence he beareth to him and not in respect or for feare of punishment The honest and well natured wife that truely loueth her husband for the same cause feareth and taketh great heede least in any thing she should offend him Euen with such feare ought we to serue our God who is our father our Christ who is our spouse Of this godlie feare the Prophet Dauid saith Serue the Lord in feare And againe Feare the Lorde all yee his Saints Of this Christ speaketh Feare him which can destroie both bodie and soule This feare great goodnesse and happinesse doe accompany It is the beginning of true wisedome For all wisedome without the feare of God is but earthly fleshly and diuelish They that haue it shall be satisfied with all good things There is no want to them that feare him It causeth men to decline from euill it banisheth sinne woorketh repentance in mans heart and happie are all they that feare the Lorde as they cursed which feare him not If the Angell had feared the Lord he had still kept his place and glorious estate and not beene made of an Angell a diuel cast out of heauen into hell If Adam had loued and feared God hee had not beene banished out of paradise and throwne vpon the face of this cursed earth If the feare of God had not of old wanted the whole world had not beene drowned If the citie of Sodoma had feared God they might haue remained in prosperitie vntill this day If Cain had feared God he had not so trecherously murthered his brother If Cham he had not so shamefully discouered his father If Laban he had not so deceitfully dealt with Iacob If Pharao he would haue let Israel depart when GOD commaunded If Israell had loued and truely feared God they would not haue loathed Manna despised magistrates followed fleshly lusts murthered the Prophets crucified Christ and persecuted his Apostles If the Corinthians had feared God they would not haue beene so contentious so proude so adulterous neither would they so vncharitably haue iudged their brethren in things indifferent they would not haue condemned mariage the institutiō of God neither in such sort prophaned the holy Sacramēts of Christ. The feare of God wold haue brought forth better fruit in all these and the want therof brought forth this bad fruit 18 If the feare of God dwelt in our hearts the Gospel so truly and plentifully preached among vs would no doubt bring forth far more fruite after so many monitions perswasions and entreaties we would leade a better life When there are amongst vs many that breede contention and make diuision that lend out their monie vpon vsurie that pollute their neighbours bed with adulterie that shut vp the bowels of mercie and compassion and suffer Christ to begge crie and starue in the streetes that neither regard the heauenly message of their saluation nor esteeme the messenger by whom it is brought that shewe no reuerence to the woord of God but manifestly hate loath and despise it is it not too cleare and manifest that we feare not the Lord 19 If the feare of God were in vs would wee deale with the seruaunts of God as wee nowe doe The dealing of Hanun the sonne of Nahash towards Dauids seruaunts was not more villanous than the dealings of the world are with the honorable Embassadors of the most high God at this day Dauid sent his seruauntes to the king of the children of Ammon to comfort him straight vpon the death of his father The malitious Ammonites misconstruing their intent whispered in the eare of their Lord Thinkest thou that Dauid doth honour thy father or that he hath sent comforters vnto thee Are they not rather sent as spies to searche the citie and so to ouerthrowe it He had no sooner heard the name of a spie but hands were laide vpon Dauids seruants they were sent away with their beards halfe shauen and their coates cut off in the vnseemeliest place to his owne euerlasting ignominie and shame which so despitefully vsed men sent vnto him of meere loue and heartie meaning For the good king had no other drift or purpose in his heart but this I will shewe kindenesse to Hanun as his father shewed kindnesse vnto me The true Dauid the most mightie Prince the king of all kings hath in fauour mercie and reconciled loue sent his embassadors his ministers vnto you to comfort you in your griefes and to bring you ioiefull tidings of a kingdome which it hath pleased his father to bestowe vpon you These messengers ought of right to be honourably receiued Entreate such with honour saith the Apostle Nay such messengers are woorthie of double honour But behold they are taken as if they were spies they are accounted as the offscourings refuse baggage of the world not as the embassadors of the great
and resoluing of the moone into bloude Heereby it commeth to passe that shee which looketh as the morning and is faire like the moone chaungeth hir outwarde shape and figure and appeareth in the eyes of them that beholde hir like a garment dyed in bloud By this wee see what the spouse of Christ is to looke for in this worlde Wilt thou be of the number of them that liue godlie prepare thy selfe to suffer All that will liue godlie in Christ must doe it it is their portion If he were persecuted why should we be spared if he despised why wee well reputed of Let vs not therefore be dismayed though we see the Church of God in heauie case Let hir fooes debace and oppresse hir for a while hir king shall at length deliuer hir and crowne hir with eternall glorie Shee was neuer I thinke in greater distresse the enemie neuer more cruellie bent Christ in his members neuer more bloudilie crucified then euen in these our dayes as well by enemies as by false and bastarde brethren who pretending the ayde and succour of the Church practise nothing but theft and robberie Shee is both wounded by hir aduersaries and spoyled euen by hir owne children the one haue made hir bloudie and the other beggerly Howebeit as the Arke of Noe was tossed vppon the waters but could not be drowned the Lorde susteyning it with his mightie hande so the Church in the ende shall haue a glorious triumph ouer all the enemies of GOD hell gates may striue they can not preuaile in suffering shee shall conquere and when by persecution she is made most blacke then is shee in trueth most beautifull I am blacke O daughters of Ierusalem sayeth the spouse blacke but comely Through ignominie shee commeth vnto glorie by tribulation to a kingdome by the crosse to ioye and by death to immortall and euerlasting life The death of the saintes of God is precious their sufferingeâ—â—re honorable in his sight for whom they suffer nay they are profitable euen vnto them it behooueth the moone to be turned into bloud Hir restauration shalbe much more glorious 23 It followeth that the starres also shall fall from heauen Vnto starres wee may verie well compare teachers pastours and guides the brightnesse of whose doctrine and conuersation shoulde giue light to such as liue in this worldes mistie darkenesse Iohn Baptist was called Lucerna lucens ardens a candle which doeth both shine and burne They which are as starres vnto others heere shall heereafter shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and as the starres of heauen for euermore But these daungerous dayes haue made manie of these starres to fall from the firmament of heauenlie doctrine to the dregges and dreames of mans learning And one starre falleth not commonly alone Lucifer drewe a traine of others after him The starre which falleth to the earth becommeth earthly looseth the light which it had and like a brande which is smoothered spendeth and wasteth it selfe to nothing He that hath beene once illuminated like a starre and receiued the heauenly gift and beene partaker of Gods holie spirite and hath tasted of the good woorde of GOD and of the powers of the worlde to come if hee fall at anie time away hardely or neuer doeth hee rise againe Dreadfull examples heereof there are both auncient and late as Iudas Iulian Arius Franciscus Spira Staphilus Baldwin and such like Whose fearefull endes it were to be wished that they which followe their declining steppes did well consider For touching our owne countreymen and brethren according to the fleshe the greatest withstanders of the trueth at this day are such as haue beene eyther preachers or earnest professors of that which nowe they hate so deadlie and by impugning so fiercely persecute They are fallen from heauen to earth Christ they haue forsaken and betaken them selues to the man of sinne Christes aduersarie they embrace darkenesse in steede of light errour in place of sounde doctrine damnable heresie for the pure and sauing trueth Had it not beene better that these Apostataes had neuer knowen this blessed way than knowing it so traiterouslie and so damnablie to shrinke from it But to leaue them to their desperate resolution others there are that stande in doctrine but fall in life and manners whose conuersation is not in heauen but altogether vppon the earth beeing worldly minded not like starres of light but like cloudes of darkenesse teaching others and not themselues that say and doe not They are wholie bewitcht with loue of this present base worlde themselues they seeke and would to God they sought themselues aright but they seeke not Christ without whom themselues are lost This is the great scandall of the worlde at this day woe vnto them by whom it commeth Well by that which hitherto hath beene spoken we see how Christ the sonne of righteousnesse the brightnesse of his father is obscured as well by false doctrine as by wicked conuersation howe the moone the Church is made blacke and bloudie by cruell persecution howe the starres the teachers and doctors of the Church are fallen both by heresie from heauenlie doctrine and by dissolute behauiour from the shining brightnesse of a sanctified and celestiall life 24 The same wordes might giue me occasion to touch sondrie other kindes both of persons and thinges I might shewe how the spirituall dignitie of the pastor who should bee as the sunne in the eyes of men is darkned and obscured by contempt how the ciuill authoritie of the magistrate which ought to shew it selfe in exercising iust and lawfull power vpon the woorkes of darknes and so to beare rule as it were in the night being in this age in manie places vsed as a sword to slay the innocent and well meaning man and as a sheild to defend and strenthen sinne hath so cleane lost that glorious light of iustice that it seemeth euen chaunged into blood thirdlie howe the people which are in number as the starres be in nature and disposition so farre remooued from heauen that the verie naming of thinges aboue as of thinges which doe not concerne them is become euen tedious and odious vnto them Againe I mightshewe you howe faith which as the sunne giueth light to other vertues is it selfe dimmed howe the auncient vertues which haue beene in high and honourable callinges haue left their place and are not founde they are fallen like starres from heauen Charitie beeing vnto other vertues as the moone in comparison of the rest of the starres is also chaunged hir sweete and amiable nature is conuerted into more than sauage barbaritie tender hearted men are become bloudie minded euerie man hunteth after his brother as after a pray each degree is maliced and hated of other the Cleargie of the laytie the sheaphearde of the sheepe the rich of the poore yea the man of the wife the parentes of the children the maister of the seruauntes all men of some and some almost of
laboured rather by perswasion to reclaime transgressors then by correction with which kinde of dealing because stubborne mindes will not be bowed my softnesse I graunt hath rather deserued reproofe then praise My life and conuersation amongest you I leaue wholy to your secret iudgementes I cannot not saie for who can that my heart is cleare If in manie thinges we offende all how can any man saie hee is no sinner except hee saie also that God is a lier Howbeit this the God of my righteousnesse knoweth that wittingly and willingly I haue wronged no man if I haue reddam quadruplum I will render foure times so much good If any haue wronged mee I hartelie forgiue and will forget it for euer While I liue I will acknowledge that I haue receiued more good liking fauour and friendship at your handes then I coulde either looke for or deserue God no doubt hath his people hee hath many a deere childe in this citie But nowe that by his prouidence not by my procurement I am called from hence to serue elswhere in the church of Christ I will with S. Paule take my leaue of you and that the more willingly as well because it is Gods good will and appointment as also for that I trust the chaunge shall bee good and profitable vnto you My hope is that the Lord hath prouided one of choice to bee placed ouer you a man to vndertake this great charge so well inabled for strength courage grauitie wisedome skill in gouernement knowledge as in manie other thinges so especiallie in the heauenlie mysteries of God that I doubt not but my departure shall turne verie much to your aduauntage Amongest whom sith a great parte of my life is nowe spent and a fewe euill daies doe remaine otherwhere to bee bestowed I must vse the wordes of the blessed Apostle For that which remaineth my brethren fare ye well my deere and faithfull flocke farewell my crowne and my ioy farewell againe with griefe I speake it farewell I must in bodie goe from you yet in heart and good will I shall euer bee with you you shall euer bee most deere vnto me and I shall not cease God forbid I shoulde to powre out my prayers before the almightie in your behalfe that the greate sheepeherd of the sheepe of the Lorde Iesus Christ may take charge of you and by his holie spirite direct and gouerne you in all your waies In like sorte I most hartelie craue at your handes that yee bee not vnmindefull to praie also for mee thaâ— I may walke worthely in my calling and fulfill the ministerie which I haue receiued that God may open vnto mee the doore of vtteraunce to speake the misteries of Christ as becommeth mee to speake that I maie in faith and boldnesse do his message that hee maie deliuer mee from the disobedient and that my seruice maie bee accepted of the Saintes that the worde of the Lorde may haue his free passage and that I may finishe the residue of my course in the Gospell of Christ to the glorie of God and profit of the Church 3 And nowe brethren for my last and longe farewell I can vse no fitter wordes of exhortation then these are Bee perfect haue consolation bee of one minde liue in peace and the God of charitie and peace shall bee with you Two speciall thinges there are comprised in these wordes an exhortation and a promise Wee are exhorted to bee perfect to bee of good comfort to liue in vnitie and peace and wee are promised that so doing the God of loue and peace shall remaine with vs. The first parte of the exhortation is as it were the roote aâ—d fountayne of the seconde and the seconde likewise of the laste For perfection breedeth comforte and comforte causeth peace But let vs particularlie consider of euerie braunch of the exhortation Bee perfect 4 Integritie or perfection is of two sortes the one is deuine the other humaine That which pertaineth vnto God is absolute that which is of men is not without defect In God there is full and absolute perfection Your heauenlie father is perfect sayth our Sauiour So perfect that there is not so much as anie shadow of imperfection at all in him Hee is light perfect light there is no darkenesse in him Hee is the fountaine from whence all perfection floweth euerie perfect gift is from aboue Hee which planted the eare shall not hee heare hee that formed the eye shal not hee see He that teacheth man knowledge shall not hee vnderstande sayth the Prophet Shall I cause to bring foorth and shall I bee barren sayth the Lorde Hee cannot but be perfect in himselfe which is the cause of all perfection in others 5 And as he is perfect so all thinges are perfect which are his His law is perfect and maketh them perfect which fulfill it O that my waies were directed according to thy statutes then should I not be confounded saith the Prophet His commaundements are holy iust good Scimus quia bona est lex the goodnes and perfection of it is apparant cleare and manifest wee knowe the lawe is good But S. Paule seemeth to charge the lawe with imperfection The lawe saith hee brought nothing vnto perfection It is true that the lawe in it selfe is perfect able to saue and make perfit all such as are able perfitlie to obserue it For what saith the lawe Do this and thou shalt liue Yet no man liueth by the lawe why so Because the lawe in vnperfit God forbid The cause then why being perfit it bringeth nothing to perfection is the weakenesse and infirmitie of our flesh Wherefore that which was impossible to the lawe in as much as it was weake because of the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled Although no man therefore be brought to perfection by the law yet the law remaineth perfit euen as he is perfit which gaue the lawe 6 Euerie worke of the mightie God is perfit When he had made heauen and earth sea and lande fishe foule man beast and whatsoeuer is contained within the compasse of the whole world hauing finished all he behelde the works of his owne handes and saw they were all exceeding good If there bee this perfection in the workes of God then whatsoeuer hee doe in heauen or in earth seeme it vnto vs neuer so much out of order yea although it bee euen against all reason in our eyes yet must wee alwaies set our handes vnto this It is of God therefore perfit For woe bee to him that saith to his father what hast thou begotten or to his mother what hast thou brought forth Shall the claie saie to the workeman what makest thou dust and ashes to the creator of heauen and earth it is not good and perfit which
past al helpe His rotten relikes cannot comfort you His blinde dumbe and wormeaten Idols can doe you no good It is cast awaie which is spent vpon his shamelesse pardons they wil not preuaile God wil not admit them By his Latine seruice ye cannot be edified or made wiser Yet this trumperie they sel for monie and vpon this trash they cause sillie men to wast their substance and to these to commit their soules Thus you see a manifest difference betweene Christ and Antichrist the doctrine of God and the learning of man true teachers and false sounde and counterfaited religion The one offereth true bread freely the other that which is no bread for bread and that not freely neither but for monie The diuersitie of religion professed in these our times is here most plainely and liuely depainted For the better clearing whereof I wil in three notes lay before your eies the whole difference which is betweene them 9 First we disagree in the very foundation They lay one ground and we an other We lay no one stone but onely vpon that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles whereupon whosoeuer is builded groweth into an holie temple in the Lord a temple which no winde no waues no storme no tempest is able to ouerthrowe The foundation of our religion is the written worde the Scriptures of God the vndoubted records of the holie Ghost We require no credite to be giuen to any part or parcel of our doctrine further than the same may be clearely and manifestly proued by the plaine words of the lawe of God which remaineth in writing to be seene read examined of all men This we doe First because we knowe that God hath caused his whole Lawe to be written Secondly because we see that it hath beene the practise of all the defenders of the truth since the beginning to relie their faith onely vpon the Scripture and written word Thirdly because it is euident and plaine that we cannot receiue any other foundation of heauenly truth without the ouerthrowe of Christian faith 10 There was neuer any Lawemaker so simple as to make statutes for perpetuitie and not to register them in bookes or engraue them in tables When Memucan was desirous to haue a Law made for the bringing of women in subiection vnder their husbands his perswasion was this If it may please the King let a royall decree proceede from him and let it be written The Lawes of the Medes and Persians that might neuer be altered were for euer recorded When God deliuered his first Lawe vnto his people the Lawe which commonly we call morall he gaue it them written in tables of stone Againe when he deliuered them ciuil ordinaunces for the administration of iustice betweene man and man Moses first proclaimed all those Lawes and ordinances amongst the people afterward he tooke and wrote in a booke all the words of the Lord. As for the Lawes of rites and ceremonies they are likewise written in this booke To these we must adde that Lawe which the blessed Apostle doth call the Lawe of faith This Lawe God preached vnto Adam by himselfe The seede of the woman shall breake the serpents head vnto Abraham by his Angel In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed to the children of Abraham by his Prophets Behold a virgin shal conceiue and beare a sonne finally vnto vs by his sonne and by them whom his sonne hath sent into the world to make it knowen that through this man is preached remission of sinnes and from all things from which ye could not be iustified by the Lawe of Moses by him euerie one that beleeueth is iustified And the statutes of this Lawe are also written God being moreouer desirous to haue his seruaunts not only taught by doctrine but prouoked also by examples gaue them a fift sort of Lawes and testimonies called historical not leauing these neither to men to deliuer vnto their children by word of mouth but all by writing If God haue committed his Lawes moral ciuil ceremonial euangelical and historical also vnto writing where should we seeke for the statutes of the almightie but in his written word 11 The auncients of the house of God knewe no fountaine of his truth but this They neuer enquired what had beene whispered in mens eares that which they beleeued and taught they read it out of the booke In the Historie of Iosua it is recorded howe hee did assemble the Tribes Elders Heads Iudges and Officers of Israel together shewing them what God had spoken vnto them by Moses but vttering to them no speech which was not writtē Iosias with all the men of Iuda and all the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Priests Prophets and all the people small and great made a couenaunt before the Lord to keepe his commaundements and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and with all their soule But what statutes what testimonies The words of the couenaunt written in this Booke Christ speaketh many things his Apostles many things concerning the doctrine of the Prophets but no one point of doctrine which is not found in their bookes and writings The prophet Esay crieth Adlegem testimonium To the lawe and to the testimonie If they teache not according to this Lawe it is because there is no light in them Consider the practise of Christ Iesus His proofes are Scriptum est It is written His demaunds are Quomodo legis Howe doest thou reade His Apologies are Scrutamini Scripturas Searche the Scriptures they beare me record His Apostles tread in the same path they goe not the breadth of an haire not a whit from that which is written Thus S. Paul protesteth I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose the third day according to the Scriptures It is not lightly to be marked which is twise repeated He deliuered nothing but according to the Scriptures I would heare the voice of my pastor saith S. Augustine Reade this out of some Prophet reade it out of some Psalme recite it out of the Lawe recite it out of the Gospel recite it out of some Apostle reade it and we will beleeue it These be good presidents for vs to followe til sufficient reason be alleaged why we should lay an other foundation than that which hath beene laide by so many so wise so reuerend builders 12 Especially sith this foundation is so peculiar to the trueth that we cannot rest vpon any other without manifest daunger of the vtter ouerthrowe of Christian faith For first what certainetie or assurance can we haue of any of those things which are beleeued if our faith doe not leane onely vpon the Scriptures If once a religious credite be giuen to vnwritten verities and to mens reports the vndoubted articles of our beleefe cannot choose but at the
they say partly by grace but principally by the power and strength of their owne nature For being ashamed to affirme with Pelagius that a man may doe the workes of righteousnesse by nature without the grace of God they hold his grace to be a thing indeede necessarie But howe As a birde that is tyed or a man that is in fetters needeth onely to haue those incumberances remooued hauing then a naturall abilitie to flie and walke without any further helpe so man as they say hath in himselfe abilitie to doe good if the grace of God doe but remooue lets Is not this to make nature the principal cause of our well dooing whereas in trueth without the speciall motion of Gods spirite and that in euerie particular action wee are no more able to walke in the waies which GOD hath commaunded than a drunken man to goe without leading who staggereth euen in the plainest ground though all stumbling blockes be remooued though his waie lie neuer so smooth before him such is our weakenesse In consideration whereof the blessed Apostle sayth plainely It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie We dragge and are not able of our selues to set one foote before an other Drawe me saith the spouse in the Canticles and then we will runne after thee But these men litle considering of what fraile metall they are made perceiuing not how sinne hath weakened the faculties of the soule vaunt of freedome of strength of inward power and make their owne will the chiefest cause of their wel dooing 30 And when they haue doone any thing which to their seeming is wel doone they prise it so high and esteeme so much of it that God as they thinke should doe them iniurie if in iudgement he did not pronounce them iust and righteous for their workes sake If it were possible that God entering into iudgement should finde any so vpright and perfect that by their workes they might be iustified in his sight doubtlesse he should finde his owne seruaunts to be such or else none if any of his seruaunts surely his Prophets if any Prophet rather Dauid than any other But Dauid crieth out Enter not into iudgement no not with thy Seruaunt O Lord. For in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified For whether we consider workes forbidden or commaunded by the Lawe what man is there liuing which can say in the one My heart is pure in the other I haue doone all that is enioyned me For if it were so that we knewe nothing wherein we had transgressed the lawes and statutes of the almightie yet herein could we in no wise be iustified because of secret sinnes hidden euen from our owne selues For which if God shal call vs to our reckoning and marke straitely what is doone amisse O Lord saith the Prophet who shall stand Againe if we had doone whatsoeuer wee could yet because we cannot doe so much as we should we ought to acknowledge our selues vnprofitable whereas we euen the best of vs are farre from dooing that which if we would we might doe 31 Nowe if God notwithstanding for his sonnes sake doe so allowe and accept the worke of our hands that he bountifully rewardeth our weake seruice with an excellent and an eternall waight of glorie how much are wee bound both to praise his mercie and to hate the insolencie of those men who besides al this swelling in the proude conceit of their workes will haue eternall life which is his gift to be their merite nor onely that but the worthinesse of their deserts to be so great that many of them dooing God more seruice than can bee sufficiently rewarded in their owne persons deserue heauen not onely for themselues but for others too These shipwracks of faith they haue made by reason of their inward pride 32 The excessiue desire of outward pompe hath furthermore caused them to disdaine the basenesse of Christ Iesus and of his Apostles to bee ashamed of the meane and lowe estate wherein they liued to make of their Deacons and Priests Cardinals exceeding the kings of the earth in glorie of their Bishop a Monarke vnder whose foote the Emperour himselfe hath beene a footestoole whose stirrop the greatest Soueraignes haue scarse beene deemed worthie to holde at whose bridle kings haue attended as seruaunts that the wordes of the Preacher might bee iustified Follie is set in great excellencie and the riche set in the lowe place I haue seene seruaunts on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground 33 This pompe cannot bee maintained with nothing it must haue strong sinnewes And therefore whatsoeuer mans wit might possibly deuise for gaine they haue both founde it out and put it in vre setting Offices Masses Prayers Pardons Sacramentes Heauen and Earth all the treasures of the house of GOD to sale if wee may terme it the house of God which they haue made a shoppe of so vile merchaundise It were infinite to recite what huge summes of money they haue heretofore by religious pretenses euerie yeere gathered within the compasse of this one Ilande What heapes then haue they raked out of other partes of Christendome Which offals and profites if once men beginne as here so in other kingdomes also to withholde from them if men leaue off buying their wares any more if things which are fatte and excellent depart doubtlesse that citie which nowe is cloathed in fine linnen and purple and skarlet which nowe is guilded with golde and decked with pretious stones and pearles shall in one houre be made desolate This they know and it maketh them carefull to maintaine whatsoeuer is commodious and gainefull to them As for the glorie of GOD it is the least part of their care nay they care not howe heynous sacrilege they commit in spoyling and robbing him of his honour 34 It is an honour vnto God when all men by faith point their fingers as it were at Christ Iesus naming him the onelie Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde when he is acknowledged the onely mediatour betweene God and vs when wee confesse that hee is that Priest according to the order of Melchisedech which hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes hath therewith because it was a perfect sacrifice consecrated for euer them that are sanctified when our faith is so ascertained and grounded vppon his promises that we can bee bolde as Lyons assuring our selues that the eye of the Lorde is on them which trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death as the Prophet witnesseth But how doe they giue vnto him this honour who haue deuised so many waies to take away sinne besides the bloud of the Lambe of GOD who as though wee might not be bolde to enter into the holie place by the newe and liuely way which hee hath prepared for vs through the vaile which is his fleshe or as
though there were some others without whom the father in him is not pleased some others more willing to heare our requestes than hee who gaue himselfe to death for our sakes haue made their intercessors infinite in number and as though his sacrifice were so vnperfect that by beeing once offered it could not perfectly consecrate those which are sanctified renue their oblations day by day finally as though the Prophet were ouer presumptuous which saieth God is our hope and strength and helpe therefore will not we feare goe about by all meanes to strike a seruile terror into the heartes of the faithfull to keepe them alwaies wauering and doubting to take away all assurance of the mercie and fauour of God towards them which when we haue lost what courage can we haue to withstand the fierie assaults of Satan what comfort or consolation in the middest of those sharp and bitter conflicts which we must endure if we will liue godly in Christ Iesus 35 It is an honour vnto God when his name onely is called vpon when we worship and fal downe before none but him This honour he getteth not at their hands which haue gotten to them selues legions of Angels to whom they pray and millions of Idols which they daily adore Their differences betweene an Idoll and an Image are but shifts Call them what yee will They are similitudes of things in heauen or things in earth which is sufficient to condemne them of Idolatrie that worshippe such things Their distinctions betweene the honour which they giue to Images and the worship which they doe to God alone may serue to bleare the eyes of mortall men But the eternall God doth knowe that they honour creatures with that honour which is forbidden them in the Lawe that they bowe downe to them and that they serue them 36 It is an honour vnto God when reuerence and obedience is shewed vnto his Lawe But is this performed in that synagogue where he sitteth which is an aduersarie and exalteth him selfe against all that is called God or that is woorshipped making himselfe supreme Iudge of all nations requiring his owne words to be heard of all men as the words of God bereauing magistrates of their lawfull power exempting his Clergie from the ciuill sword what villanie soeuer they commit chaunging at pleasure the gouernment of Christ established in his Church dispensing with sinne be it neuer so directly against the expresse commaundement of God forbidding his Clergie mariage vnder colour of seuering them from the worlde but in deede to ease them of such cares and troubles as are necessarilie ioyned with that honourable estate which God commendeth and both secretly with concubines and openly in stewes permitting them fornication which God doeth hate Seeing therefore that this their synagogue is nothing but a sinke of all vncleannesse seeing that all their indeuours tend to no other end but onely to the aduauncement of themselues the dishonour of God and the disgrace of Christ doubtlesse they are not they cannot be the men which minister the waters of eternall life vnto thirstie soules 37 Now that we haue seene both the ground and the end as wel of that faith which we professe as of the doctrine which is helde by them who are deadly enemies to vs and our profession it remaineth that a worde bee spoken of the meanes which are vsed on both parts to set forward that for which we striue Touching our selues as the marke which wee shoote at is to set vp the kingdome of Christ Iesus a kingdome which is not of the worlde so the meanes which herein wee vse are not worldlie but altogether heauenly and spirituall What the proceedings of the Gospell haue beene yee are not ignoraunt ye knowe verie wel how without force without crueltie without trecherie and deceit without all wisedome of flesh and bloud in naked simplicitie in trueth vncoloured and as the Apostle speaketh in foolishnesse of preaching we haue laboured to prepare you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin to Christ not outwardly arrayed in purple and skarlet guilded with gold pretious stones and pearle like the strumpet that sitteth vpon many waters but like the spouse of Solomon glorious within ful of Christ riche in faith and in good workes fulfilled with knowledge of his wil in all wisedome and spiritual vnderstanding strengthened mightily in the inward man rooted and grounded in syncere loue inabled to comprehende with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the loue of Christ strengthened with all patience and long suffering blessed with all spirituall blessings in heauenly things 38 Contrariwise they desiring no such thing but seeking to build an earthly kingdome for themselues vse the meanes which are fittest for that purpose They feede mens eies with all glorious and glittering shewes they inuent to themselues instrumentes of Musicke to delight the eare but of the worke of the Lord of preaching the Gospel of instructing the heart of building the faith of exhorting and comforting Gods people who seeth not how litle regard they haue They keepe men occupied alwaies in corporal and bodily exercise which profiteth litle But are they careful to traine men vp in the knowledge of Christ which is eternal life in true godlinesse which is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that which is to come No their practise from time to time doth shewe that most prophane and godlesse men onely siding themselues with the Church of Rome and defending by all meanes the Popes honour may both be counted as Catholikes and euen canonised as Saints among them If they passe the daies of their life lewdely after death at a reasonable prise they may purchase rest for their soules If their hearts be set vpon adulterie incest theft murther consider the holie father for his parchement and lead and what more easily graunted in the Court of Rome than full and free libertie to commit sinne Hence it commeth to passe that as euerie man is most licentiously bent so he ioyneth himselfe most willingly to the Church of Rome and warreth most earnestly for that faith which faith if the riche men of this worlde be for the most part readie to embrace what maruel is it For whereas Christ hath saide It is hard for a riche man to enter into heauen their doctrine and practise maketh the way expedite onely for the riche but by the way which they teache for a poore man to enter into the kingdome of heauen it is a hard matter It were too much to recite all the meanes whereby that kingdome of darkenesse hath growen it were a thing too full of horror to discourse of all the trecheries poysonings murtherings massacres which they haue vsed to maintaine their power neuer any tyrant in the world more Did Christ did Peter did the blessed Apostles thus subdue and conquer nations Did they thus inlarge the kingdome of God
good And as it is profitable for them to be constrained so is it a thing verie reasonable to constraine them For why should not the Church enforce her lost children to returne to saluation if lost children enforce others to turne to destruction Seeing that the whole seruice in our Church is no other than Gods written worde as there can be alleaged no iust cause why any man should withdrawe himselfe from this word so appertaineth it vnto princes that feare God within their dominions to compel euery subiect to come and heare this worde least the church by this euill example should be greatly offended Gods causes are zealously to be seene vnto and the winning of mens soules is religiously to be sought And thus much briefly touching the seruice of God To see the Gospel eueriewhere preached the ministers prouided for and the people compelled to come heare the worde This is the feare of God which Samuel requireth 22 Whereunto must bee added a speciall regard to the common wealth It is commonly saide that the common wealth is sore diseased and that euerie member of that bodie seemeth to be grieued Remedie would bee sought in time least remedie come too late But I am no Phisition for that bodie and therefore is it not fit for me to minister any medicine to it But I shall pray for the health thereof and set it ouer to such as haue skill and can helpe The care of the common wealth chiefly appertaineth to the head of the common wealth who is Parens Patriae the mother of this sicke childe It is required at our handes to feare and serue the Lorde in trueth That prince doth serue God in trueth and in deede which is careful that the euill may be punished and repressed and that the good may bee defended and aduaunced When generally all men are seene vnto that euerie man doe his duetie then God is in trueth and synceritie serued 23 The prince is set as the head ouer the bodie as the chiefe shepeheard ouer the flocke These titles are giuen to Princes and gouernours to put them in minde not onely of their honour and preeminence but of their charge and office also But the prince cannot doe this alone it is a burthen too heauie for one to weeld And therefore hee must according to the counsel which Iethro gaue vnto Moses choose out of all the people men wise and fearing God louers of the trueth such as hate couetousnesse and out of them make rulers ouer thousands hundreds fifties and tennes that they may sit and iudge the people at all seasons Magistrates should bee chosen out of all the people for their woorthinesse It is vnmeete that such things as should followe deserts bee procured by other sinister meanes Magistrates should be wise men furnished with learning vnderstanding good skil and long experience men that feare God religious louers of his trueth fauourers of the Gospell and of all such as liue in the feare of God True and vpright dealers such as will stedfastly fasten their eies vpon the causes brought before them and not regard the face of any man lastly haters of couetousnesse bribes and rewardes Good officers should thus be qualified And to the end that magistrates may be such it must be prouided that there may be choise of officers without sale of offices It is not probable that he which obtaineth such a roume for a price wil leaue it freely or deale iustly in it A greater corruption than this cannot enter into a common wealth For by this meane both the prince and people are deceiued To punish the euil to maintaine the good to ouerlooke the whole and to choose appoint forth worthie officers for the gouernment of the common wealth this is the duetie of a prince that feareth God That prince which doth this serueth God in trueth 24 Homer bringeth in Iupiter sitting in the middest of the assemblie of gods whom he menaceth and threateneth on this wise Let not any god or goddesse attempt the breache of my mandate If I vnderstand that any doe I wil giue him small ioie of this place or prouide him another farre ynough hence a dwelling place the gates whereof are yron and the ground brasse I will plunge him as deepe vnder hel as heauen is ouer earth He shall well knowe his might to be somewhat beneath mine For if ye thinke your selues to be stronger than I am make triall of your strength fasten a chaine in heauen and ioyne all your force at the end thereof But yee shall neuer be able to pull Iupiter out of heauen no though ye sweate much about it whereas if I list to put but my finger to the haling of you I wil pluck vp sea and lande with you So much am I superior vnto gods and men Kings and princes in their seuerall dominions haue such power through the prouidēce of almightie God by whose appointment they weare their crownes that their ordinaunces bee not lightly broken vnlesse themselues be carelesse to haue them kept For by reason of the Maiestie that God hath giuen them they are feared of all estates and conditions of men They can throwe downe whom they wil and whom they wil they can aduaunce They haue the chaine and the reine in their hands they can draw others whither they wil but others are not able to drawe them vnlesse they list This power and strength and glorie which GOD hath giuen vnto kings and whereby they are able to leade the worlde as it were in a string leaueth them vtterly without excuse if they vse it not to the benefite of the common wealth They cannot serue God in trueth and giue the bridle to their subiects to sinne without restraint These times of greatest and grauest consultation are fit occasions wherein Princes may most effectually shewe howe heartily and truely they feare the Lord. These are the times to prouide chaines that is to say good statutes and lawes to holde all men within compasse and to binde together the skattered parts of the common wealth When the great counsel of Rome entered into the Senate to consult for the good gouernment and defence of the Empire first they went sacrificed to Iupiter and there euerie man offered vp and left behinde him his priuate affections promising that their consultation should onely tend to the common benefite Leaue you all priuate affections likewise cast them behinde you seeke not your owne commoditie Let it appeare that you loue your Countrie God the Prince and the common wealth require a faithfull performance of this seruice at your hands Seeke by Lawe the syncere setting foorth the maintenance and continuance of Gods true religion Let this be your first and principal care and so shal ye serue the Lorde in trueth 25 Seeke by Lawe to represse the gainesayers and the enemies of this trueth This libertie that men may openly professe diuersitie of religion must needs be dangerous to the
might bee shewed in Dauid Ezechias Nehemias Mattathias But one example may serue for all being of our Sauiour who is aboue all and Lord of all Christ at his first entrie into the temple purged it by casting out buyers and sellers Our gratious Gouernor following Christs example hath laboured most earnestly first to cleanse this ground and to purge this church of England hath caused the stones to bee picked out brambles and breers to be pulled vp all rubbidge and whatsoeuer was hurtfull to be remooued the denne of theeues to be dispersed buyers and sellers of popish trash Monkes Fryers Massemongers with like miscreants to bee hurled and whipped out the stumbling stones of superstition the baggage of mans traditions with all monuments of Idolatrie vanitie and poperie to be cast out of the house of God and vineyard of the Lord So that the field of God is cleared the vineyard cleansed the church purged readie for the seede to be sowen and the vine to be planted And all this without resistance or tumult It was the worke of God it is maruellous to as many as duely consider it 7 Nowe it behooueth the vinitor to take great heede what vine he planteth in this vineyard Thornes will not bring foorth grapes nor thistles figges If thou sowe the giddie darnell of humane traditions looke for like fruite for he that conceiueth vanitie shall bring foorth winde But our skilfull housholder our wise gouernor hath planted in this our vineyard neither thornes nor thistles but the true vine Christ growing in the heartes of his elect This vine hath beene diligently watered with the dewe of Gods trueth syncerely preached it hath beene cherished with his sacraments reuerently administred according to his will it hath beene vnderpropped with the continuaunce of authoritie and defence of zealous Christian magistrates pruned with the two edged sword of Gods spirit working by the ministerie of his seruaunts who with the sweete promises of the gospel haue reared vp the drooping braunches ouerburthened with sinne and with the sharpe threatenings of the Lawe haue cut off the lasciuious wilde boughes of wickednesse No flocke better fed no people more instructed no vineyard in the world more beautiful or goodly to behold 8 This vineyard so prepared this vine so planted watered and vnderset hath also beene strongly hedged and fensed with godlie Lawes of good discipline to put backe all enemies to punish all transgresiors to bridle the vnrulie and to keepe men in order that the church of God may liue in all peace and tranquillitie with all pietie and honestie This is the flourishing vineyard of the Lord the beautifull arke of couenaunt wherein are reposed the treasures of God the golden pot with Manna the rod of Aaron and the tables of Moses No church vnder heauen more inriched with treasures and gifts of God so that wee may truely say We are inriched by him in all knowledge and in all speeche in so much that we are not destitute of any gift The Lorde may iustly say to vs as to his people of olde What might I doe for my vine which I haue not doone and wee may well sing the song which the spirite hath indited euen of purpose as it seemeth for vs Vinea nostra floruit Our vine hath flourished 9 And although the ground where this vine is planted hath beene very barren yet hath it brought foorth many goodly and pleasaunt grapes The gospel hath chased away walking spirites it hath cast out diuels banished much ignorance and blindnesse put horrible blasphemie in maner to flight vtterly cleansed that sinke the stewes made vaine and filthie songs lesse currant than they haue beene in former times and caused sinne to bee more shunned although it be God knoweth too much stil frequented But one pleasaunt grape especially the gospel the worde of reconciliation hath brought foorth and that is the sweete fruite of peace peace towards God and peace amongest our selues The gospel preacheth Christ. Christ is our peace and peacemaker He that hath Christ hath peace with God and hee that beleeueth in him hath him By this meanes we haue peace of conscience peace with God The other peace is ciuill peace among men This is a pleasaunt fruite and a great blessing Hee that knoweth the hurt of warre can best iudge of the worth of this benefite The God of peace hath doone this for vs to our singular commoditie and comfort he hath giuen peace in our daies England neuer so long tasted the like Warre heretofore hath torne this Realme in peeces all Nations round about vs starue in the field tumble in warre wallow in bloud expecting no end of their troubles but vtter ruine and desolation In the meane while we sit safe vnder our vine euerie man in peace may quietly followe his vocation God hath not dealt thus with all nations as hee hath dealt with vs the least nation of all It must be graunted some stormes haue beene stirred vp to disturbe this our happie rest But the prince of peace and Lorde of our tranquillitie hath ceased the waues of the sea stilled the rage of the people maruellously preuented their wicked deuises and confounded the deuisers of them There is neither power nor counsell against the Lord. God taketh away the hearts of the enemies and then as fearefull Hares they flee at the wagging of euerie leafe yea they feare where there is nothing to be feared For this great calme for this miraculous peace we haue to praise our God 10 This peace hath fructified and brought foorth his natural fruite which is plentie Warre is a locust deuouring all fruites peace as a sweete and pleasaunt dewe maketh all things fruitfull Peace hath made this Land flow like Canaan with milke and honie God hath opened his mercifull hande and replenished vs with all his blessings the Lord hath shewed vs his louing kindenesse and our Land hath brought foorth her encrease 11 These earthly blessings God hath giuen to trie vs whether prouoked by his gratious benignitie we will walke in his Lawe or no. I will raine downe bread out of heauen that I may trie you whether ye wil walk in my Law or no. After this sort he proued Adam giuing him all dominion ouer his creatures with all the fruite and plentie of the earth So prooued he the Sodomites with a Countrie for pleasure and plentie termed The Lords Garden So prooued he Israel when he gaue them Canaan but they were forgetfull of the giuer and abused his gifts both their peace and plentie they prouoked GOD vnto wrath and they felt his heauie hande their peace was turned into warre their plentie into distresse their pleasure into paine their ioie into sorowe 12 These things are written to warne vs that we should beware of the like sinnes least we feele the like plagues For if wee regard not the fauour of God if wee contemne his woorde the worde of saluation if we
conceits of man These and such like were their faults as may appeare in the life of king Achas in whose time and raigne the prophecie was written The people vnable to gainesay so manifest a truth were forced to pleade guiltie and to acknowledge their offences and therefore went about to seeke out meanes howe to pacifie Gods wrath and to satisfie for their sinnes and being doubtful by what meanes or with what sacrifice to please God and appease his anger enquireth Wherewith shall I come before the Lord The Prophet Micheas directeth the doubtfull minds of the people in this behalfe and saith He hath shewed thee O man what is good what the Lord requireth of thee Thus in fewe ye see the occasion of these wordes which I haue taken in hand to expound vnto you 2 And it shall not be vnprofitable with like breuitie to applie the circumstances to vs and to our times If God should in like case contend in iudgement with vs the Lawe would accuse vs heauen and earth would beare witnesse against vs and our owne consciences would condemne vs. For great and manifolde are Gods mercies towardes vs and wee render nothing againe but meere and extreme ingratitude What haue I doone to thee or wherein haue I greeued thee saith the Lord 3 God hath not enuied vs he oweth vs nothing but hee giueth vs much he hath not beene greeuous vnto vs but mercifully considered of vs. He hath kept promise with vs and performed his woord though wee haue neglected our faith towardes him We haue often tasted of his bountifull goodnesse of vs altogether vndeserued Policarpus beeing required by an Infidell Iudge to blaspheme Christ made this answere Fourescore and sixe yeres haue I serued him neither did he once harme mee in any thing howe then can I blaspheme my king that hath saued me We cannot charge our iust God with any wrong our gratious Lorde with any vnkindenesse towardes vs but must with Policarpus euer acknowledge his vnspeakeable mercie and exceeding goodnesse For as he bestowed vpon his people the Israelites sundrie great benefites so hath he blessed vs with the like or greater God with a mightie arme hath deliuered vs out of Egypt from the tyrannie of Pharao not onely out of the cheines and deadly thraldome of Satan and sinne by the death and bloud of Iesus Christ our redeemer but also out of the seruile bondage of the great Pharao though lesser than the former the Romish Antichrist who villanously bereaued vs of our spirituall libertie robbed vs of that inestimable treasure the woorde of God and oppressed vs with the intollerable burthen of vnprofitable labours trained vs vp in ignorance forced vs in Idolatrie and superstition the waies to hel to seeke our safetie and euerlasting life But God in his mercie hath remembred vs to doe vs good and to worke our deliuerance of bondslaues to make vs freemen of the children of darkenesse to make vs the sonnes of light in him and to restore vs to the comfortable freedome of conscience by the gratious libertie of the Gospell God hath also blessed vs with good magistrates hee hath not onely giuen vs his sonne Christ the Prince of his people who by offering vp himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes procured vnto vs free remission of them but hath also blessed vs with worthie rulers vnder him which gouerne in equitie and syncerely seeke the glorie of God He hath giuen vs Moses our Soueraigne a prudent and a gentle magistrate who seeketh not reuenge but beareth with the muttering of the people yea with the rebellious Dathan and Abiron choosing rather to put vp any tollerable wrong than to see the ruine and subuersion of men though they seeke it themselues He hath also giuen vs Aaron and Miriam Priests and Prophets to minister vnto vs the heauenly bread the foode of our soules the woord of God the Sacraments of Christ and that most faithfully and syncerely without changing or mingling And as I said of late in this place so I say againe England hath at no time heretofore beene blessed with so many and so faithfull preachers of Gods woord Surely God mindeth your saluation in that he so plentifully offereth vnto you the woord of saluation Nor that onely but therewithall peace plentie and rest such as our fathers neuer tasted of in their ages 4 Which mercies and blessinges powred vpon vs in so great measure should in reason enforce vs to praise him our God and to serue him in true holinesse all the daies of our life from the fountaine of whose vnspeakeable goodnesse we haue receiued them The Israelites their strange deliuerance out of Egypt their good Magistrates their manifold blessings benefites and graces notwithstanding were found vnthankefull And if God shall enter into iudgement with vs and throughly examine vs as one day he will may we not be accused and shall wee not bee found guiltie of the like ingratefull crime Haue wee not a longing as they had vnto that from which the Lorde hath deliuered vs in great mercie God hath blessed vs with both magistrates and ministers of great valewe but so thankefull are we to him and to them his seruauntes that wee can easilie abuse both mutter against the one and despise the other neither is obeyed neither reuerenced according to the woorde and will of GOD. But such as cannot away with Samuell God in his wrath shall giue them a Saul and such as mislike of the true preacher shalbe rewarded with a false Prophet The word is loathed men are full of the Gospell and of many it is professed without all fruite wee shall therefore hunger for this bread seeke it and not finde it in the stead heereof wee shall surfet vpon the fruite of our owne desires yea God in his iustice shall take his word from vs and giue it to a people that will bring foorth better fruites and more woorthie of so pretious a blessing Thus truely considering our case entring into iudgement with God we must with the Israelites pleade guiltie and as professe his mercies so confesse our faults 5 The guiltie Israelites sought meanes howe to satisfie for their sinnes Their meanes were to sacrifice to God and to offer vp calues rammes and goates yea some haue not shrunke to powre the bloud of their owne children vpon the altar as Moab who offered vp his eldest sonne to pacifie the wrath of God when in battell he was beseeged and brought into straights Euen by like meanes when our conscience hath accused vs of sin many haue sought to make satisfaction to God for it some haue sought remission of sinnes in a great number of praiers vttered in a strange tongue without either sense or zeale neither made in faith nor charitie procuring hatred in Gods sight while they looked to be heard by their much babling Some haue sought to pacifie God by hearing and buying of many Masses wherin God was blasphemed and fowle Idolatrie
Sabaoth Such traficke is as bad in the house as on the daie which God hath sanctified Wherefore in the Lawe these two are iointly coupled together Yee shall keepe my Sabaoths and reuerence my Sanctuarie The prophaning therfore of the temple the house of God the place of praier is an euident token that amongst the Iewes all religion was now trodden vnder feete all reuerence of God abolished This sheweth that there was nowe no difference at all holie and common pure and prophane cleane and vncleane all was one When they which ought not to die but without the citie were suffered to liue within the temple yea of and at the altar when Gods owne house was made a denne of theeues we cannot easily imagine a degree of prophanesse beyond this At this the Lord himselfe doth seeme to woonder Is this house become a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes What reuerence or seruice is it likely that they would shewe other-where vnto the Lorde who liued as theeues in that glorious sanctuarie where all the earth should tremble before him 24 In the house of God they had the Lawe both red and expounded they offered sacrifice and they praied But because the seruice for which the temple was ordeined though not only yet principally is praier therefore he hath saide My house shalbe called the house of praier In Deuteronomie it is called the place which God chose to cause his name to dwel there It is true indeede saith Salomon that God will dwell on the earth No doubt where his truth is syncerely professed where his sacraments are rightly and duely ministred where his name is called vpon by heartie praier where two or three are gathered together in his name that is to say to serue him in these things there the woorking of his spirite is so forcible and effectuall his mercie is so obiect euen vnto sense his grace is in such sort felt seene and tasted that he seemeth as it were to stand before mens eyes to walke to inhabite to dwel amongst them when they are thus occupied The dore of the Church is the gate of the Lorde and the righteous wil surely enter into it They reioice when they heare men say We wil goe into the house of the Lord the house of praier where as many as call vpon the name of the Lord shall vndoubtedly bee saued But because no man can call on him in whom he doeth not beleeue nor beleeue without hearing the word of God requisite therefore it is that the house of publike praier should also be the house of publike preaching For this cause the Iewes heard the Lawe euery Sabaoth day in their Synagogues 25 And as they did not onely heare the word but also offer sacrifice in the house of God so we in our Churches haue both the Gospell preached and the Sacramentes which are seales of the Gospel administred knowing that Christ hath commanded both alike Hee which sent his Disciples to teache sent them also to baptize he which inioined them to preache gaue them also an other charge Hoc facite Doe this in remembrance of me Therefore as often as we speake vnto you out of these places as often as here we minister the Sacrament of baptisme to your children in token of their new spirituall birth as often as we doe here present our selues at the Lords table to eat of his bread and to drinke of the wine which he hath prepared for the comfortable nourishment of our soules wee keepe the Lordes institution and not our owne wee doe as he hath commaunded not as we haue deuised we vse the house of God not as theeues but as Saints 26 For these things the Sanctuarie was erected for these the house of God was sanctified and for praier Therefore the twelue told the rest of the Disciples as it is in the historie of their Acts We will giue our selues continually vnto praier and ministration of the word Aaron was appointed vnder the law as to offer so also to pray for himselfe and for the people Be this sinne against the Lord saith Samuel farre from me that I should cease to praie for you The request which Salomon made vnto GOD in the first dedication of the temple was that if his people Israel should at any time for their sinnes be ouerthrowen before the enemie or heauen bee so shut vp that they should bee in distresse for want of raine or if there should be famine in the land or pestilence or blasting or mildew or grassehopper or caterpiller if the enemie should beseege thē if they should fall into any aduersitie whether it were of bodie or of minde his eares might alwaies bee open to the praiers which they should make before the Lord in the house of praier Heare the supplications of thy people Israel which pray in this place 27 Nor only their supplications but moreouer Salomon addeth As touching the straunger that is not of thy people Israel who shall come out of a farre countrie for thy names sake and shall come and praie in this house heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee that all the people of the earth may knowe thy name and feare thee as thy people Israel doe Agreeable wherevnto are the words of the prophet Esay It shal be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shalbe exalted aboue the hils and all nations shall flowe vnto it And againe The strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord and to be his seruaunts euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenaunt them will I bring also to mine holie mountaine and make them ioyful in mine house of praier their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne alter For myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all nations This prooueth that article of our Christian faith to be most certain wherein we acknowledge the Church of Christ to be Catholike vniuersal For we must vnderstand that there was a time when the Lord gaue expresse charge comandement No vncircumcised in the flesh shall enter into my Sanctuarie The adoption the glory of the sons of God y e couenants the law the seruice of God the promises al the riches wherwith the church of Christ is adorned did belong vnto Israel vnto none else they were the only people that obteined mercie al y e world besides was Loammi amongst them God was knowne but as for the nations they heard not of him Iudea was the onely garden of the Lord the rest of the earth was a meere wildernesse they were the vineyard and we the forrest they within the wals of the citie of God and we
without they citizens and we strangers But nowe the bounds of the Church are inlarged her elders as it is in the booke of reuelation do now sing a new song Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie kindred tongue people and nation Wherfore remember saith the Apostle that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with hands were at that time without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenaunts of promise and had no hope and were without God in the worlde But nowe in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neere by the bloud of Christ. For he is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stoppe of the partition wall This wee are willed to remember For is it not a thing verie memorable that in vs GOD should nowe accomplish the promise which hee made to his sonne so long before Aske of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the vttermost coasts of the earth for thy possessions Is it not memorable that the furious rage of the whole world mightily opposing it selfe against the kingdome of Iesus Christ it should notwithstanding growe so soone to this so exceeding greatnesse and that by so weake meanes from so small beginnings Nowe sith God hath brought this so strangely to passe for our sakes sith the Lord hath doone it for no other cause but onely to open the doore of saluation vnto vs with how great ioie of heart ought wee to heare his voice when hee saith of the Gentiles Let them ascend to mount Sion when hee saith of his house It shall be called the house of praier for all Nations Hee that will not shrowde himselfe vnder this vine hee that entreth not into this arke hee that will not be partaker of these celestiall treasures these heauenly mysteries this true bread of life so largely offered vnto all nations if his soule die the death who wil haue pitie or compassion of him Wherefore to conclude let vs bee followers of Christ as becommeth his deare children let vs learne by his example to be carefull and zealous for the house of God to purge and cleanse it as much as in vs lyeth from al defilements that as oft as we doe reuerently religiously frequent it to heare the word of saluation to receiue the blessed Sacraments of the Lord to powre out our praiers and supplications before him his spirite groaning with our spirits and our requests ascending thorough the forcible intercession of that only mediator which is to bee heard for his reuerence sake wee may reioice in our saluation and he be glorified by our reioysing Which GOD the Father graunt for his Sonnes sake To whom c. The fourteenth Sermon A Sermon made at the Spittle in London ACTES 10. 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons c. THE doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles doth wholly tend to this ende to declare vnto vs that Iesus Christ crucified is the promised Messias the redeemer and Sauiour of all that doe beleeue in him Neither is this matter cleared more perfectly by any Prophet or Apostle than by the Apostle S. Peter in this Sermon which nowe we haue in hand For therein is comprised briefly but most effectually the fulnesse of the gospell the perfect doctrine of saluation Nowe because the occasion of hauing it preached was Cornelius the captaine and the preacher of it was Peter the Apostle I will note somewhat in either of them seuerally for the better vnderstanding of that which the Sermon it selfe shall laie before vs. In Cornelius therefore first what maner of man he was on what occasion he sent for Peter in what sort he receiued him at his comming 2 The curious description which S. Luke maketh of Cornelius here declareth him to haue beene a notable and rare man both by other circumstances of his person and by his manners The other circumstances which I meane are his countrie his calling and the place of his abode Touching his countrie he was an Italian an Ethnike bred of Ethnike parents trained vp amongst a people drowned in idolatrie and superstition worshipping false gods being ignorant of the true God By calling hee was a souldier a captaine of the Italian band a captaine ouer one hundred souldiers The Romans had soldiers out of al prouinces but their chiefe force was of the Italians whom they trusted best as naturall subiects This Italian captaine made his abode in Cesarea a famous citie inhabited by the Iewes The whole lande of Iurie was brought in subiection to the Romane Empire and least the inhabitants thereof should reuolt certaine garrisons of souldiers were placed in sundrie of the greater cities to see them kept in obedience and to represse tumults Cornelius the captaine with the souldiers of his retinue were bestowed in Cesarea If we looke on this mans countrie if we consider his calling and vocation if we call to remembrance in what place he liued and with whom he was conuersant we shall finde nothing but idolatrie superstition wee shall behold nothing but rape robberie murther mischiefe spoile bloud-spilling we shall see nothing but lewdenesse prophanenesse wicked maners and cursed companie 3 All the which occasions of corruption notwithstanding he was deuoute he feared God with his whole familie hee gaue much almes to the people and praied God continually The mightie and merciful God did gather pearles out of this dunghil God can raise vp children vnto Abraham out of stones Faith pietie holinesse and religion come not by nature but of grace of Gods free gift not of our deseruing of mercie not of merite Faith is the gift of God He worketh all in all He giueth to will and to doe Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had wrought but according to his mercie hath hee saued vs that we may acknowledge our wretchednesse and vnworthinesse and giue all glorie vnto him 4 Here we learne that neither parentage nor vocation nor corruption of place doeth shut vs out of the kingdome of God Ethnikes euen wilde oliues by nature are graffed by grace in the true oliue Souldiers that liue in order are allowed of by Iohn Baptist. Neither filthie Sodome nor superstitious Egypt nor idolatrous Babylon nor corrupt Cesarea was able to infect Lot or Ioseph or Daniel or Cornelius whom the Lorde had chosen according to his good pleasure and of his mercie had preserued The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his I will haue mercie on whom I wil haue mercie It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie
Peter tooke vp Cornelius and would not suffer him to worship him His successor compelleth princes to cast themselues downe before him and to kisse his filthie feete This beastly pride declareth him neither to be Christs vicar nor Peters successor but rather his childe who saide to Christ in the mount All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me If man who is the liuely image of God may not haue this worship how much lesse stockes and stones the dead images of men For is it not more reasonable that the image-maker should be woorshipped than the workes of his hands 21 Finally Cornelius thanked Peter for his comming and declared withall howe readie he was to heare him For in that he saide thou hast doone well to come he shewed a thankefull minde for his paines taken So all should bee thankefull to such as bring them glad tidings the word of saluation He sendeth his woord and healeth them saith the prophet Let them confesse therefore before the Lord his louing kindenesse and his wonderfull woorkes before the sonnes of men The philosophers write euen by the Law and rules of nature that the children can neuer yeeld woorthie thanks vnto their parents for their birth and breeding Such as beget and breede vs spiritually deserue more thankes euen so much more as the soule is better than the bodie spirituall regeneration better than naturall procreation Such as will not be thankefull for the ministers of the trueth shall be requited with deceitful teachers For God will send them strong delusion that they should beleeue lies that all they may be damned that beleeue not the truth 22 Nowe howe readie himselfe and his companie were to heare Peter preache it appeareth by the woords following We are all present here before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God Wherein both the dueties of the hearer and the preacher are plainely set downe The dutie of the hearer first to be present before God To remember that he standeth in the sight of God the seer and searcher of hearts from whom nothing is hid To stand before the preacher is to stand before God The presence of God requireth feare and reuerence Feare and reuerence should occupie the hearts of them who stand so Secondly to heare and learne There is none so well learned but hee may learne more For while we liue we knowe in part saith S. Paul and therefore we must giue diligent care and applie our mindes to that which is spoken We must not be as a beaten way where the seede can take no roote We must not suffer preiudice to treade downe and destroie the seede nor the birds of the ayre Satan to pull it out at the one eare so fast as it entereth in at the other We may not let our mindes wander but comming of purpose to heare to our profite we must beseeche God to giue vs memorie and vnderstanding to print into our hearts that which wee heare with our eares Thirdly to heare all things euen all the doctrine of God not things that doe please but things that displease our flesh not other mens faults but our owne not onely profession but also conuersation not onely faith but also workes not onely to heare but also to doe Herod heard Iohn gladly while hee carped others but hee could not abide to bee rubbed on the gall himselfe Hee heard Iohn in many things but not in all The Iewes at Rome heard Paul vntill hee applied the woords of Esay vnto them The heart of this people is waxed fat and their eares are dull of hearing and with their eyes haue they winked least they should see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and returne that I might heale them Then they shrunke from him and would no more heare him The preacher is gladly heard of the people that can carpe the magistrates cut vp the ministers crie out against all order and set all at libertie But if hee shall reprooue their insolencie pride and vanitie their monstrous apparell their excessiue feasting their greedie couetousnesse their biting vsurie their halting hearts their muttering mindes their friendly words malitious deedes they will fall from him then He is a railer he doteth he wanteth discretion Not so Cornelius and his companie but they were readie to heare all and so fashioned and framed according to all that which God by his word should require at their hands 23 The duetie of the preacher is expressed in these woords That are commaunded thee of God The preacher may teache no other than he hath commission to speake than is commaunded him of God He may not adde to the written word neither take from it Gods Lawe is perfect it doth perfectly instruct and teache all things necessarie to saluation The Disciples must only breake those loaues vnto the people which they haue receiued at Christs hands They may not teache their owne dreames inuentions or doctrines For God will not haue them woorship him so but thou shalt heare the word saith he at my mouth and giue them warning from me And thus much of Cornelius what he was on what occasion he sent for Peter and howe he receiued him at his comming to him 24 Likewise in Peter three things we haue noted Howe he was occupied when the messengers came to him howe readilie he went with them and what the sermon was that hee preached to them The messengers found him at the sixth houre which is twelue as wee count fasting and praying on the house toppe where he sawe a vision in his traunce a sheete let out of heauen knit at foure corners wherein were all fowre footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and fowles of heauen And a voice saide arise Peter kill and eate First wee see that Peter had his appointed houres of praier Praier is an acceptable sacrifice to God and a Christian exercise for the vse wherof the godlie will prescribe themselues certaine times For mans corrupt nature is easily caried away to worldely affaires Hee matcheth fasting with praier as needefull to stirre vp our slothfull drowsie spirits to pray the more feruently For a full bellie maketh a faint praier And he sought also a priuate place to pray in because in priuate places we may powre out our hearts more freely vnto God But of this I haue spoken before 25 The vision that appeared was to teache him that Christ was borne a Sauiour to the whole world that the Gospel was to be preached to all that he would all should be saued and come to the knowledge of the trueth And so was declared the calling of the Gentiles For Peter was commaunded to make no difference betweene Iewe and Gentile although the Gentiles were esteemed as vncleane in the eyes of the Iewes Peter being commaunded to kill and eate abstained in respect of the Lawe God
lawfull when maidens are asked to wiues of their parents and are giuen by them openly to their husbandes otherwise they are not mariages but whoredomes The best writers both olde and newe subscribe hereunto Tertullian Ambrose Chrysostome Augustine with all the learnedst of latter times whose particular sentences I omit to recite for breuities sake But if youthfull children haue so litle reuerence both of God and men that such admonition wil not make them leaue such disordered mariages it behooueth magistrates who are the common parentes of the weale publike to bridle their lusts with seuere Lawes for the redresse of this euill and the mischiefes ensuing of it And thus much of S. Peters entraunce into his sermon the sermon doeth followe 33 Ye knowe the word which God hath sent to the children of Israel preaching peace by Iesus Christ and so foorth The summe of the sermon is this Iesus Christ which is Lord of all the preacher and author of peace did faithfully performe the office for the which he was sent preaching to the people the glad tidings of the Gospell and healing all their diseases for God was with him and hee was slaine and hanged on tree the thirde day he arose again from death he ascended into heauen from thence shall he come to iudge the quicke and the dead to whom all the prophets beare witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall haue remission of their sinnes Such as this is were the sermons of the Apostles Here is all things necessarie to saluation expressed This is that which God commanded his great Apostle S. Peter to preache In this doctrine would hee haue his people trained vp The people receiued it as a sufficient doctrine Peter and Paul were directed by one spirite they neither esteemed to knowe any thing but Iesus Christ and him crucified neither could they testifie or preache ought but him This sermon is diuided into three parts the first that Iesus Christ the Lord of all was sent vnto the people of Israel to preache peace the next that he died rose againe from death to procure vs this peace the last that we are made partakers of this peace by faith in his name Iesus Christ the Lord of all was sent vnto the people of Israel to preache peace Let vs weie the words seuerally they are most effectuous fully setting foorth the mysterie of our saluation 34 Iesus by the interpretation of the Angel is a sauiour Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes The Angel appearing to the sheepeheards saide Behold I bring you tidings of great ioie that shall be to al the people that is that vnto you is born this day a Sauiour The Ethnikes doe seeke their safetie in their idols the Iewes in the obseruances of the Lawe and traditions the Papistes in their pardons purgatorie masses merites the true Christians seeke it in Iesus Christ the Sauiour and in none but him He will not be matched therein with any other but he is a full perfect and onely Sauiour He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world There is neither water nor fier buls nor bels masses nor merites pope nor pardon that can saue vs. There is neither diuel or flesh nor world if he saue vs that can condemne vs. For who can condemn whom he doth iustifie And whom he iustifieth not who can saue Christ is annointed And Iesus is called so because hee was annointed of God aboue his fellowes Whereupon Esay the prophet writeth of him The spirit of the Lord is vpon me for he hath annointed me Annointed he was to be a king and priest for they among the Iewes were woont to be annointed Hee is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords The wise men of the East did acknowledge him a king Where is he that is borne king of the Iewes Zacharie sheweth further what maner of king Behold thy king commeth to thee meeke and riding vpon an asse and vpon a colt the foale of an asse This our king doth gouerne vs with a right scepter The scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse He doth defend vs with a mightie and stretched out arme against whose power no power can stand He is that triumphant prince which hath most victoriously vanquished and throwen vnder foote our enemies They labour in vaine that kicke against the prickes that striue against his Gospel For he is a prince of might that doeth defend it and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it The sunne wil runne his course the passage of the Gospel cannot bee stopped The Gospel is not bound While it is persecuted it is inlarged The bloud that is spilt for it is the very seede of it Nowe as he is our king so our priest and prophet too at whose mouth wee should require the Lawe of God That prophet like vnto Moses the searcher of truth That very sonne of God of whom the father hath saide Ipsum audite Heare ye him He is the priest which once for all hath sufficiently sacrificed for our sins by himselfe and by none other once and not often vpon the crosse and not vpon the altar sufficient for all such as shall be saued He is the priest the high bishop that maketh intercession for vs the onely mediator betweene God and man to teach man the wil of God to reconcile God to man to make intercession betweene God and man These are the peculiar duties of Christ as wee are taught in the Epistle to the Hebrues 35 Which is Lord of all Least the Gentiles should conceiue that Iesus Christ was promised and sent to be a Sauiour onely to the Iewes hee answereth that obiection by a preuention so to terme it calling him Lord of all the Lord of the Gentile as wel as of the Iewe. Christ wil that all men shall be saued that is men of all sorts He was sent to preache peace to all both Iewes and Gentiles He is the Lord ouer all euen the Lord of glorie to whō all power is giuen both in heauen and in earth He hath bought vs al with a great price that we should serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Let vs remember therefore that of the prophet If I be a Lord where is my feare saith the Lord of Hosts Feare not them which kil the bodie but be not able to kill the soule but rather feare ye him which is able to destroie both bodie and soule in hell 36 Which God hath sent When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe He was made man for vs that in our nature he might suffer for vs. He was sent of his father being equall
e law hath plainly said None shall come neere to any of the kindred of his flesh The vnrulie desires of men which presume to go further in these cases than the shamefastnes of natural honestie doth permit must be restrained repressed For this cause Iohn the Baptist tolde Herode It is not lawfull that thou shouldst haue thy brothers wife For this cause S. Paul dealt so sharpely and seuerely in the cause of that lewde Corinthian with whose foule and vnnaturall fault the whole Church of Corinth was much disgraced 13 In mariage therefore there ought to bee a reuerend regard of nature that this state be not dishonoured by vnseemely copulation as in like sort it is by the vngodlie ioyning of the faithfull with vnbeleeuers Of this thing holie Abraham in prouiding a wife for his son had as we see an especiall care For the eldest therefore by likelyhoode the discreetest seruaunt of his house yea and the trustiest as it seemeth for he had rule ouer al which Abraham did possesse was not permitted to deale in this matter without taking a corporal oath before hand I wil make thee sweare saith Abraham by the Lord God of heauen and God of the earth that thou shalt not take a wife vnto my sonne of the daughters of the Cananites amōgst whom I dwell Abraham would not linke his sonne with the wicked Hee remembred what had come of such mariages in the age before him when the sonnes of God tooke them wiues of the daughters of men onely for their beautie without regard of religion or honestie Their destruction was a lesson vnto him he auoided their sinne by fearing their punishment GOD gaue his people expresse charge concerning this that they should beware in ioyning mariage with Amorites and Cananites the indwellers of that prophane Countrie not onely forbidding this kinde of mariage but also shewing the reason why his people should forbeare it least idolatrous wiues should make their husbands also to become idolators least they make thy sonnes goe a whoring after their gods Whereof wee haue a notable example in Salomon whose pitifull fall being so wise a prince to so horrible impietie ought to be admonition sufficient vnto vs to submit our wisedome to the wisedome of the almightie and our desires to his commaundement But had Salomon neuer beene or had his fall beene vnrecorded our owne times may teache vs what fruites haue come of such vngodlie coniunctions Mans nature is corrupt and fraile he runneth headlong into wickednesse but to righteousnesse must be drawen by God and sooner can the euill peruert the good than the good persuade the euill This kinde of mariage therefore seemed so wicked vnto Esdras that hee caused the Israelites after their returne out of captiuitie to put away their strange not women only but wiues which they had taken to themselues in Babylon And shall Christians doe wel in receiuing such into mariage as Iewes being maried vnto did wel to put from them 14 But the common sort of men in making their matches this way haue chiefly two outward vntoward respects regarding nothing in their choise except it be either beautie or monie The sonnes of God of olde bewitched with the beautie of the daughters of men procured the general flood to ouerflowe them all to wash the defiled world Samson tooke one of the daughters of the Philistims to wife because shee pleased his eye but what came of it It cost him a polling wherein stoode his strength and it lost him both his eyes which before were rauished in the beautie of that deceitful woman Others there are yet of a baser note whose only care is to match themselues wealthily Their question is with what monie not with what honestie the parties whom they seeke are endowed whether they bee riche not whether they be godlie what lands they haue on earth not what possessions are laide vp in heauen for them Such as marie for monie as the monie wasteth so their loue weareth neither is there any loue or friendship constant saue onely that which is grounded on constant causes as vertue and godlinesse whereof onely neither time nor man can spoile vs. There was a riche man in Athens which had a daughter to marie and he asked counsell of Themistocles howe to bestowe her shewing him that there was a verie honest man that would gladly haue her but he was poore and there was a riche man which had also desired her but he was not honest Themistocles aunswered that if he were to choose he would preferre monilesse men before masterlesse monie It is true that S. Paul saith Godlinesse is great gaine Whether it bee man or woman that is godlie they be rich and as Salomon saith He that findeth a good wife findeth a good and a pretious thing the value of golde is not to be matched with her In mariage therefore it behooueth vs to be carefull that they whom we choose bee of the houshold of God professing one true religion with vs the disparagement wherein is the cause of all dissension true friendeship being a louing consent as in all things so chiefly in Gods true seruice 15 But this is not ynough For although the parties maried be such as the lawe of the Lorde alloweth to come together yet can it not be saide that they marie in the Lord except they also marie in such sort as the lawe prescribeth For mariage may be as much dishonoured by the one as by the other For orderly entring into the state of matrimonie it is required that they which be vnder the tuition and gouernement of others haue the ful consent of their parents tutors or such as haue rule ouer them to direct and guide them Abraham prouided a wife for his sonne Isaak Isaak sent Iacob into Mesopotamia to his vncle Laban and there commaunded him to take a wife and he did so In the law of Moses children are commanded to honour their parents And what honour is giuen vnto parents if in this chiefe case beeing the weightiest one of them that can happen in all their life their aduise wisedome authoritie and commaundement be contemned The lawe saith If a man finde a maide that is not betrothed and take her and knowe her then the man that knewe her shall giue vnto the father of the virgin fiftie shekels of siluer and she shall be his wife What Although the parents be against it No. For If her father refuse to giue her to him he shall pay the monie and not marie her Againe the lawe saith Whosoeuer voweth a vowe vnto the Lorde or sweareth an oath to binde himselfe by a bond hee shall not breake his promise but shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth Neuerthelesse if a woman vowe a vowe vnto the Lord and binde her selfe by a bond beeing in her fathers house in the time of her youth and her
truth fables and vaine fancies for the holie communion popish priuate blasphemous Masses for the seruing of God the worshipping of Images for fishe and loaues stones and serpentes 21 The next thing to bee noted in the Disciples is that when the people had eaten sufficiente they gathered vppe the broaken meate which remained By which frugalitie of theirs we are admonished to vse the creatures of God in such sort as they may be most beneficiall vnto manie after wee haue taken for our owne contentment then to reserue for the vse of others that nothing be wasted which may profitablie be saued God loueth a bountifull but not a wastfull hande For although it be true which the Prophet saith that God hath giuen the earth to the sonnes of men although it be graunted that we may rule ouer the fishe of the sea and ouer the foule of heauen and ouer euerie beast that moueth vpon the earth vsing them not onely for our necessitie but also for our honest delight and conuenient pleasure yet we must remember that this power is rather a stewardship than a Lordship ouer the creatures of God in earth We stand accountable for them we may not lauish them out as we list 22 That which hitherto we haue obserued in these Disciples is both allowed of God and written that it might be followed of vs. Another thing there is which we may not let passe although it be a blemish and a staine in them For when Christ spake vnto them of feeding the multitude one aunswered two hundred peniworth of breade is not sufficient for them that euerie man may take a morsell Another said here is a boy that hath fiue loaues and two fishes but what are they among so many The like we reade of the seruaunt of Elisha in the seconde of Kinges There came a man from Baalshalisha which brought the Prophet twentie barely loaues and certaine corne The Prophet willed it to be giuen to the people that they might eate But his seruaunte answered how should I set this before a hundred men Wel giue it saith the Prophet that they may eate For thus saith the Lord They shall eate and there shall remaine Then he set it before them they did eate left ouer This mistrust of the power and wonderfull prouidence of Almightie God is the very roote of all euill It cause◠the rich man spoken of in the Gospell to hoorde vp corne for many yeares it caused Ananias to withdraw a portion of the price of his fearme it caused Vespasian to lay an vnsauory imposition vppon the people to paie monie be it spoken with good manner for their very vrine it caused Iudas to betraie his Maister it caused the Israelites when their citie was besieged to make ther bellies their cofers to eate their goulde 23. But let vs now come from the people and disciples to the person of Christ himselfe In whom the first thing which we haue to obserue is his diligence in his office He preached in the cities in the temple in the villages in the ships on the shoares in the wildernes he neither spared any labour nor omitted any occasion to doe good 24 The next thing is his pitifull affection towardes the people vpon whom when he looked his hart was touched with compassion First because they were as sheepe without a Pastor The high priestes the learned Scribes the holie Pharisies were their appointed Pastors to gouerne them to teach them and to lead them by example of honest life Neuerthelesse Christ saith they were sine pastore without a sheepehard The glorious couetous deceiptfull ceremoniall and superstitious rable of popish guides God doth not account amongst the guides of his people neither are they to be called Pastours but deuourers of the flock Pastors which cannot or will not teach are no pastours Because thou hast refused knowledge saith God by his Prophet Ose I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no priest to me Vndoubtedly their heartes are not touched with any pitie or compassion at all ouer Gods people who for their owne priuate gaine and commoditie thrust such pastours vpon the Church that when the Church hath them it may iustly be saide it hath no pastours This is the plague the poison the bane of al religiō it threatneth ruine to christianity 25 The other cause that moued Christ to compassion was that the people which had taried long with him were hungrie in the wildernes coulde get no meate By this we learne of our maister Christ to beare pytifull heartes towardes our needie naked and hungrie breathren For whosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion towardes him how dwelleth the loue of God in such a man In former times here hath beene prouision for the poore some as yet remaineth but it is for the most part much abused I shall therefore exhorte you the citizens of London in Christ Iesus require it at your handes that such order may be taken that the poore may bee prouided for and not suffred to crie in your streetes If you that be magistrates will take the thing in hande you shall finde I doubt not a great sorte of liberall heartes and helping handes hereunto The suffring of the people to begge breadeth great inconuenience both in the Church and common wealth I do therefore in Christ againe require you to take due cōsideration hereof that this thing may bee reformed So shall you well please God ease and profit your selues and giue a good example to the rest of the realme God cannot bee vnmindfull of so good a worke It wilbe an hundred times requited both in this life and in the world to come 26 The last thing which I purpose to note in the person of our Sauiour is that he did not onely conceiue an inwarde pitie and therewith content him selfe but his compassion brake out and declared it selfe in workes of mercie He sent them not awaie as the maner is loaden with wordes and emptie of almes he fed them largelie and gaue them till euerie man had enough But first he gaue thanks to his heauenly father leauing vs an example thankfully to acknowledge that whatsoeuer wee receiue it commeth from him as from the principall authour whatsoeuer we bestow he is the Lord owner of it In deuiding the bread hee vse the ministerie of his disciples as the stewardes and disposers of his riches Be it therefore corporall or spirituall sustenaunce which we receiue although it bee at the handes of men yet is it vnto vs as if Christ him selfe in his owne person did reach out his hand from heauen to feede vs. They are therefore too nice which refuse their meate because they like not the man by whom it is brought and set before them They by whose meanes wee are made partakers of good thinges are vnto vs the Angels of God and ought accordinglie
into the hands of their enimies and they that hated them were Lordes ouer them he cast them into exile and miserable bondage he burnt vp their holie citie he destroied their glorious temple he left them to be deuoured with pestilence with hunger and with the sworde the accustomed instrumentes of his wrath Insomuch that euen to this day the remnant of that elect and chosen people is scattered farre and wide and doth liue in all contempt hatred and slauerie marked like Cain to be knowne as a murdering vagabond vpon the earth to be a byword an example of Gods Iustice to all the worlde throughout all succeeding ages 6 Now all these thinges came vnto them not onely for their punishment but also for examples vnto others were written to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come They are patterns for vs to looke vpon that seeing their sinne and the punishment thereof we may eschew the one if we desire to escape the other And they crie dayly in our eares Let not your faults be like their faultes least your destruction also be like to their destruction for God is the same yesterday to day for euer he hateth sinne no lesse now then before no lesse in vs than in them 7 He hath visited vs in mercie as he visited them yea we haue tasted perhaps more aboundantly of his goodnes than euer they did And as the benefittes we haue receiued doe at the least equall theirs so their vnthankfulnesse is much behinde ours if it be rightly and duelie considered God hauing so straungly so farre beyond all hope so much beside our expectation and more besides our desert so many times and so many wayes deliuered vs not out of one Aegypt from vnder one Pharao through the middest of one sea but out of sundrie places of most grieuous irkesome and tedious captiuitie from vnder the heauie yooke of sundrie cruell tyrants through the middest of sundrie maine seas of troubles and afflictions Yet haue we for all this buried the memorie of our deliuerance in forgetfulnesse yet doe wee for all this sinne dayly and that with greedinesse yea and spiritually as farre as in vs lyeth crucifie Christ a freshe and sheede his most precious bloud againe We are wearie of the Gospell the foode of life is reiected as a thing vnsauorie we haue no liking to feede as the Lordes table our desire is rather to franke vp our selues with that which we shoulde abhorre and loath Euerie house and corner is full of idolatrie and superstition of sinne and filthinesse full of murmuring against God full of grudging and repyning against the Lords annointed For of his Prophetes what shoulde I say was there euer any time any age any nation countrie or kingdome when and where the Lordes messengers were worsse entreated more abused despysed and slaundered than they are here at home in the time of the Gospell in these our dayes wee are become in your sight and vsed as if wee were the refuse and paringes of the worlde Euerie mouth is spitefully opened euerie tooth is sharpened and whetted against vs. Harde it is to finde one foorth that will loue and reuerence vs as fathers obey vs as gouernours honour vs as Gods embassadours learne of vs as of schoolemaisters here and follow vs as sheepeheardes giue vs worthie wages as workemen that take paines for your saluation But our exspectation is not deceiued Christ our Sauiour hath told vs long ago that the world should hate vs our case is no worse herein thē the blessed Apostles was our reward is great in heauen And it were well if this vnkinde affection did reach no further than vnto vs only But it spreadeth wider regardeth as little the throne of Dauid as the chaire of Moses the sworde as the booke the Prince as the Prophet the ciuill as the ecclesiasticall state Some desire a chaunge Others not onely desire it but conspire for it too and contriue treacherie greedelie expecting their looked for time the daie of their felicitie and of their great ioy But if God in his wrath graunt such a time which for his mercie sake I trust he will neuer do it wilbe euen to them who now so earnestlie desire it a day of death and not of life of lamentation and not of ioy What gayned they who desired the chaunge of Samuell for Saull of Christ for Barrabas they procured Gods wrath their owne confusion perpetuall slauerie So it fareth with miscontented mindes Their own desires plague them 8 Thus we cannot but see Gods godnesse and our vnthankefulnesse his giftes and our abusing of them his patience and our continuall frowardnesse Our sinnes are come to the fulnesse with the Ammorites iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand and crusheth downe all pietie Can our God thinke you winke at so manifest or holde his hande at so grieuous sinne If he spared not the braunches of the true oliue not his first borne Israell not his elect people but often punished and at length gaue them quite ouer for that they neglected his worde and despysed the Preachers of it if he spared not his owne onely citie not the holie temple wherein he woulde be worshipped but for that they were both polluted and prophaned destroyed both for euer whar can wee which are but as wilde twigges whose father was an Ammorite and whose mother an Hittite who haue not harkned to his worde sent from heauen who haue defiled his sacred temple and euen crucified his Christ looke for any other but Gods great plagues and dreadfull vengeance to be powred vpon vs to our eternall miserie doubtlesse we haue deepely prouoked him vnto anger The onely way to pacifie and appease his wrath to mitigate his indignation and to remoue his plagues from vs which euen now hange ouer vs is our earnest repentāce to turne vnto our God with our whole harte that he may turne to vs to lament and forsake our wickednesse to trust in mercie and to craue pardon to promise performe amendment of this sinnefull life Thus we must doe and that speedelie or else without doubt and without delay we perish 9 The threatned destruction of the temple hath occasioned me thus much to say Now when Christ had vttered the sentence of ruine desolation against that holy place the Disciples as Mathew reporteth cam secretly vnto him asked not only of the time when the Tēple should be destroied but also of the second comming of Christ and of the end of the worlde They enquired as men desirous to learne that whereof they were ignoraunt And they asked of Christ the wisedome of God the appointed schoolemaister of whome we should seeke for knowledge They asked as I sayde three seuerall thinges of the destruction of Ierusalem of the seconde comming of Christ of the ende of the worlde which two later are indeede but one To whom Christ maketh answere not assigning any certainetie of the times when
these thinges should be accomplished but shewing signes that should goe before as well the destruction of Ierusalem as also his seconde comming It is not for you to knowe the times and seasons sayth he which the father hath put in his owne power No not the sonne of man as man knewe them 10 This knowledge is kept from men for two causes as Saint Augustine well noteth The one least it should hinder and withdrawe vs from perfourming our necessarie duties least it should terrifie and amase vs and make vs carelesse to prouide for our selues and others An other reason why the time both of our owne particular ende and of the generall consummation of all thinges is left vncertaine is that we might at all times make readie and prepare for it seeing it might happen at any time euen at any instant Watch and pray because ye know not what hower God hath therefore kept the time it selfe secrete but hath reuealed certaine tokens and signes going before it that when we see the messengers and forerunners of him which commeth swyftly to iudge quicke and dead wee may lift vp our heades knowing that our redeemer and redemption is neere at hande Christ foresheweth as I saide the signes that should happen as well before the ruine of Ierusalem as also before his second comming in the ende of the worlde The Euangelistes haue mixed and folded them one within another so that which do serue for the one and which for the other it cannot precisely be discerned S. Chrysostome thinketh that all the signes simply and literally vnderstoode haue relation to the destruction of Ierusalem but mystically or spiritually considered of they may be applyed to the end of the worlde Others whom in this I do rather followe referre the former signes as false prophets warre sedition earthquakes famine pestilence persecution hatred of the Disciples of Christ and beseeging to the destruction of Ierusalem And these latter signes in the sunne moone starres c. to the latter comming of Christ to iudgement 11 In this comming of Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead we may for our better instruction consider these thinges First that there shall be a Iudgement and who shalbe that iudge Secondly the time when this iudgmēt shalbe Thirdly the signes which shall goe before it Fourthly the manner of it Lastly how we ought to be in perpetuall preparation and readines therunto 12 A day the Lorde hath set in the which he will iudge the worlde in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath giuen an assuraunce to all men in that he hath raysed him from the deade Heere we see plainely that there is a day appointed for righteous iudgement of the whole worlde that there is a man appointed to giue sentence in that day that there is an assuraunce alreadie giuen to all men of all thinges that are written concerning both the day the iudgement and the iudge With God sayeth the Apostle speaking to the faithfull which suffred tribulation for the name of Christ with God it is a righteous thing to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you to thē which are troubled rest This righteous thing with God is not perfourmed heere as yet For this worlde is as an hel vnto the godly an heauen vnto them which despise righteousnesse Therfore it cannot be but that God hath appointed a day heereafter to iudge the worlde with that iustice which shall giue vnto euerie man according to that he hath done be it good or euil which shall render vengaunce vnto them that know not God but rest vnto such as now are trobled for his sake Our Lord knoweth to deliuer the godlie from temptation but to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be tormented Wherefore S. Peter threatning false prophetes and lying maisters which bring in sectes of perdition and denie him that bought them euen the Lord sayeth that their iudgement long agoe was not farre off and their perdition sleepeth not The day of their eternall condemnation is appointed the man that shall condemne them is alreadie assigned and well knowne We must all appeare before the iudgment seate of Christ. The father hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne He is constituted iudge of quicke and deade 13 This iudge hath three properties First he is more priuie to our thoughtes wordes and deedes then we our selues are he seeth in darkenesse as well as in light at midnight as at noone day no secrete is hidde from him neyther can any man conuey himselfe out of his eyesight He sawe Adam when he ate of the fruite which was forbidden him he looked vpon Cain when he slewe his onely brother he behelde Cham when he discouered his fathers nakednesse he tooke a viewe of Sara when she laught behinde the doore of the sonnes of Iacob when they solde their brother Ioseph into Egypt His eye was open vppon Dauids filthie and bloudie actes vpon Absolons treason vpon Achitophels wicked counsell The oppression of Achab the crueltie of Iesabell the pride of Haman the couetous heart of Balaam and of Geze the pride and hypocrisie of the Pharisee could not be kept from him Hee seeth all sleightes in merchaundise all shiftes in vsurie all malitious mindes all flattering tongues all lying lippes He looketh downe from heauen and beholdeth all the children of men from the habitation of his dwelling place he beholdeth all them that dwell on the earth he fashioneth their heartes euerie one and vnderstandeth all their workes Hee shall be both a iudge and a witnesse in that day of all the wicked deedes which the vngodly haue committed and of all the cruell speakinges which wicked sinners haue vttered against him and his who as nowe they cannot auoyde his sight so neither shall they then be able any way to escape his hande O consider this you that forgette God He that made the eye shall not he see Can your deedes be concealed from him that seeth all the children of men and can call them euerie one by his name 14 Another propertie of this heauenly iudge is the infinite greatnesse of his power He doth what pleaseth him all thinges are subiect vnto his will vnto him euerie knee boweth of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth He hath power to saue and to kill to lift into heauen and to cast into hell heauen is his seate earth is his footestoole What he willeth is as sure as it were alreadie done We should feare therefore this mightie iudge who hath such power to doe his will and who will doe that only which is iust 15 For his third propertie is his iustice Hee taketh no rewards his scepter is streight his iudgement righteous his eye simple he will not be intreated of the wicked neither shew them any mercie In that day euerie one of them shall receiue iustice
and iust punishment These are his properties and hee chaungeth them not He seeth all he hath all power hee is a righteous iudge of all ouer all for euer By this which hath beene spoken we see that we haue to looke for a day wherein the worlde shall be iudged and we see who it is that in that day shall iudge the world 16 Of this the Lorde hath sufficiently assured vs. For when diuerse thinges are spoken of before they come to passe the perfourmaunce of the first is the assurance of the rest He which promised to raise vp Iesus from the dead hath also promised to iudge quicke and dead by the same Iesus so raised Sith the one is perfourmed how can we stande in doubt of the other We may assure our selues that there is a day of iudgement to come because the resurrection of the iudge is alreadie accomplished past and gone So then euerie one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe to God There is no prince no potentate no prophet no Apostle no man no woman neither rich nor poore high nor lowe that can escape this iudgement We must aunswere for our facts euen as euery man hath wrought We must aunswere for euerie idle worde for euerie corrupt and wicked thought What can the vncleane fornicator the couetous vsurer the mightie oppressor the proude contemner the ambitious climer the enuious hypocrite the bloudie murderer the false deceauer the cruell prince the vnfeeding pastor the vniust iudge the deceitfull merchaunt what may they aunswere in that day but pleade guiltie and what can they looke for but Ite maledicti Go ye cursed Once againe I say O consider this ye that forget God 17 But when shall this iudgement be As this question is mooued by two sortes of men so there are in scripture two kinds of answeres made vnto it There are mockers which walke after their owne lustes and these aske Where is the promise of his comming Since the fathers died which were ouerwhelmed by the floude of Noah all thinges continue as they were from their first creation To whom Saint Peter maketh answere that they erre of set purpose Otherwise they that are so wittie in reasoning against the truth of Gods promises might knowe this that the power of the worde which created the worlde and kept it till the day appointed for the punishment of the wicked by water doth also nowe keepe the heauens and the earth in store and reserue them to fire against the day of iudgement and of the destruction of vngodly men Hauing stopped their mouthes with this aunswere he leaueth them without any further instruction because they were but swine and the doctrine of the iudgement to come is precious But the Disciples of Christ with an other minde making this demaunde Tell vs when these thinges shalbe and what signe of thy comming and of the ende of the worlde are abundantly instructed by their Lorde and maister which knoweth all thinges and withholdeth nothing from his which is any way needefull to be knowne Touching the time they are forbidden to enquire about it For as in the dayes before the floude they did eate and drinke marrie and giue in marriage and knewe nothing till the floude came and tooke them all away so shall also the comming of the sonne of man bee In the howre that ye thinke not will the sonne of man come in a day and in an howre which no man knoweth no not the Angels of heauen but the father onely It is therefore both vaine and daungerous which some haue attempted in setting this and that yeere beyond which the world cannot endure But such is the crookednes of our nature In watching which is commaunded howe carelesse are wee And howe curious in seeking out the time and season which to do we are so oft and so expressely forbidden 18 Touching the signes and tokens going before the comming of Christ to iudgement they are set downe for our benefit and instruction And therefore let vs make some stay in the due consideration of them There shall be sayeth the Euangelist signes in the sunne and in the moone and in the starres c. These signes shall appeare before the comming of Christ partly that the worlde may be admonished of the fearefull iudgement that is at hande and thereby prouoked to repentance partly that the wicked may in this life be punished by the creatures of GOD whom they haue abused partly that it may appeare that the creatures which haue serued sinnefull man against their will will nowe no longer serue the enemies of their creatour and partly to declare that the worlde is come to his iust olde age and shall haue an ende There shall be signes in the sunne What signes these shall be it is elsewhere in the scriptures declared The heauens shall shake the sunne and moone shall be darke and the starres shall withdrawe their shining Againe the sunne shall be turned into darkenes and the moone into bloud before the great and terrible day of the Lord come The like we reade in the booke of Reuelation I behelde and loe the sunne was blacke as sackecloth of heare and the moone was like bloud and the starres of heauen fell vnto the earth as a figge tree casteth hir greene figges when it is shaken of a mightie winde Whereunto the wordes of S. Matthew also do agree The sunne shall be obscured and the moone shall not yeelde hir light the stars shall fall from heauen and the powers of heauen shall be shaken The simple literall vnderstanding is that there shalbe wonderfull and terrible Eclipses in the sunne and in the moone which things in this last age in this last houre of the worlde since the ascension of Christ haue sundrie times and in most strange sort beene seene Or else euen as when Christ was crucified the sunne lost his light and darkenes for a time was vpon the face of the whole earth so shall it be at his seconde comming to iudge the children of darkenesse with eternal death Others expound it that whē Christ shal come in his glorie the beames of his brightnesse shall so farre surmount the shining of the sunne moone or starres that in comparison thereof they shall seeme darke giue no light Of this his brightnes he gaue a glimse when he was transfigured in the mount Tabor To seeke out many expositions of these woordes it shall not neede This wee may obserue in the writinges of the prophetes that with them it is vsuall when they foreshewe great plagues to vse these and the like spheeches So doth Esayas in his prophecie concerning the plagues of Babylon The starres of heauen the planets thereof shall not giue their light the sunne shalbe darkened in his going foorth and the moone shall not cause her light to shine Againe The earth is vtterly broken downe the earth is cleane dissolued the earth is moued exceedingly
Tribes of Israell Where the faith of the Apostles shall condemne the vnbeleeuing Iewes the pietie of the Centurion all vngodly magistrates preaching Paul all vnpreaching prelates Zacheus al vsurars and Lazarus al repining impatient and wicked beggers The bookes shall be layd wide open in the sight of all fleshe The booke of God and the booke of mans conscience the booke of his lawe and the booke of our life It shall be examined in the one what GOD hath commaunded in the other it shall be testified howe man hath obeyed in the one what workes of mercie hee hath required at our handes in the other what fruites of mercilesse affection the grounde of our stonie heartes hath yeelded And according to the euidence both of the one and of the other the eternall and irreuocable sentence shall passe from the mouth of God The periured the vsurer the adulterer the lyer the idolater shall be cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone into that vtter darkenesse where shall be wayling weeping gnashing of teeth endlesse horror and euerlasting woe But the elect which haue liued a sober a iust and a godly life which haue loued the comming of Christ Iesus more than this worlde or their present liues they shall enter into the kingdome of their Lorde they shall be glorified with Christ and possesse with him that euerlasting enheritaunce hauing hearde that most ioyfull sentence Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the first foundations of the worlde 27 Heereuppon Saint Peter inferreth this conclusion seeing all these thinges must be dissolued what manner persons ought yee to be in holie conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God And Saint Luke this threefolde exhortation Take heede to your selues watch pray continually Take heede of surfetting and dronkennesse least your heartes bee opprest least that day come vppon you at vnawares and vnlooked for least it happen to you as it happened to the fathers in the dayes of Noa they ate and dranke and sodenly the water ouerwhelmed them or as to the Sodomites they burned in lust and sodenly fire consumed them from heauen or as to the Israelites they fedde themselues greedilie surfeted and died with the meate in their mouthes Let their dreadfull endes make vs eschewe their sinnes Beware also of the cares of this life They be perillous thornes and pricke thy heart to death Iudas was carefull by any meanes to gather money and to what it brought him yee all knowe Ananias and Saphira caring howe to liue made no conscience to lye to the holie Ghost their destruction was most sodaine When the riche man was in the middest of his care howe to enlarge his barnes that verie night his soule was taken from him Beware therefore and take heede specially of these two things Let not your hearts be ouerwhelmed with excesse of meates and drinkes nor choaked with the cares of this present life 28 Besides this warinesse and heedetaking it is further required that we bee also watchfull For sith wee knowe not what time the Lorde will come expedient it is that wee shoulde bee in continuall expectation of him that wensoeuer hee come wee may bee readie with ioye to meete him Happie is he that watchfully looketh for the comming of Christ Iesus and hee miserable whom the Lorde shall ouertake vnlooked for S. Ierome did so liue in continuall watching and waiting for this daie of redemption that the sounde of that voyce was still in his eares Arise yee deade and come to iudgement I doe waite sayth Iob all the dayes of my warfare till my chaunge come The like wee reade of the Prophet Dauid whose watchfulnesse was such that the watchman standing vppon his warde being wearie of the discomfortablenesse of the night doth not so eye the rising of the morning as hee did the glorious appearing of the Lorde I haue wayted saith hee vpon the Lorde my soule hath wayted and I haue trusted in his worde My soule waiteth on the Lorde more than the morning watch watcheth for the morning How happy is their estate whom the Lorde in that day shall finde thus readie for him 29 But because we can of our selues neither rightly beware nor diligently watch without the speciall assistance of his spirite therefore as wee are exhorted to watch so are we likewise admonished to pray The Lorde of his infinite mercie graunt that being thus prepared to meete the Lorde in the day when he commeth to iudge the quicke and the deade we may be founde worthy to enter with him into that rest which hee by the shedding of his most precious bloude hath purchased for all the blessed of his father to whome c. A Sermon preached at Pauls crosse MATTH 8. 23 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him 24 And beholde there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe THIS short historie doth by way of a type or figure set forth the state of the Church putting vs in minde that the waie to the kingdom of God is rough that wee must enter into ioy through much sorrowe that here wee must be alwayes on the suffring side that the whole life of a Christian man vpō earth is a warfare that such as will be disciples of Christ must beare the crosse that as many as will bee in the same ship with him must prepare them selues vnto daungerous stormes The sea of this wicked worlde is troublesome the Church of God is beaten and tossed like a boate it is disfigured with sharpe and stormie weather Feeble is all flesh manifoulde are our infirmities faint is our faith and seeing our sinne with the remembraunce of the stipende due for the same wee are readie to sinke into the bottomlesse gulfe of desperation In this daungerous estate wee finde no helpe in our selues But beholde the disciples of Christ haue taught vs by their example where helpe is to be sought in the middest of these manifolde and great distresses And that is onely in Christ who is alwayes a present helper of them which seeke him in time of neede who hath ouercome and victoriously triumphed on the crosse against Satan sinne the worlde hell death and condemnation To him all power giueth place against him no force is able to stand vnto him all things are made subiect He is that Samson which by his owne death hath slaine his foes that Dauid which hath dasht out the braines of Goliah the grād enemy of Gods people that seede which hath brused the serpents head that almighty which rebuketh windes ceaseth stormes easeth the burthens of them that mourne washeth awaie iniquitie freelie forgiueth sinne heareth and deliuereth out of trouble If we crie with the disciples in our distresse Helpe Lord he will in mercie awake and heare vs through his mighty power
he wil both cause the raging of the sea to cease and staie the madnesse of the people 2 But to the ende wee may more particularly gather such lessons out of this parcell of Scripture as may most tende to Gods glorie and our edifying I meane to stande while this time will permit vppon these pointes shewing first that wee must followe Christ into the ship secondly that as many as will saile with him shall be in daunger thirdly that in their daunger they shall not be destitute of helpe if they seeke it at his hands It is not my peculiar cōceit but Tertullian Chrysostom do note that this ship representeth the church of Christ tossed with the surges of temptatiō with the stormy waues of calamity trouble in this presēt world 3 Christ hath alwaies had a Church here on earth it was begun in Paradise sithens it hath remained and continewed euen vnto this daie And as Christ hath his boate so hath Antichrist also his Wherefore it behoueth vs to knowe and discerne the one from the other The arke of the tabernacle of the Lord hath her true ornamentes whereby to be knowne Therein are layde vp the treasures of God most precious iewels S. Paul telleth vs what they are In the arke of the testament was a goulden pot hauing manna and the rod of Aaron that had blossomed and the tables of the testament In the tables was the written word of God Manna was a figure of that mysticall foode wherewith we are nourished to eternall life the rod of Aaron resembled the scepter of discipline So that where nothing is taught but according to the written worde where the sacramentes are sincerely ministred where the rod and scepter of gouerment is vsed there is Christ there is the Church And wee may thanke our God for euer that in his meruelous great mercie hee hath made vs pertakers of these so rich and precious blessings whereby we knowe assuredly that God is amongst vs that he sitteth in the midst of our assemblies that this church is vnto vs as the arke of Noah as the glorius sanctuarie of the Lord as the ship into which Christ Iesus is entred 4 When the Romaines minded to leaue the citie Scipio tooke an ensigne in his hād set forwardes towards the capitol saying Quicunque vult remp saluā me sequatur whosoeuer wisheth wel to the common state let him follow me But most truely it may be saide Whosoeuer wisheth well to his owne soule let him follow Christ. Hee is no seruaunt that refuseth to follow his maisterr he that followeth him not is not worthie of him The sheepe when they heare the voice of their sheepehearde they go after him He is no member of Christ that sundreth him selfe from the heade of that bodie whereof he professeth himselfe a member That braunch that is cut off from the vine withereth and is fit for nothing but for the fire After that Iudas left Christ gaue himselfe to be a sectarie of the high priestes his case was lamentable No man commeth to the hauen but hee which followeth Christ to the ship If wee leaue him whither shoulde wee go There is no other that hath the words of eternall life Let vs therefore doe as his Disciples did forsake all and follow Followe him not onely to the ship but in the ship 5 The follow Christ to the ship which by faith in the gospell are gathered and vnited to his Church the doore and entraunce whereunto is narrow For so Christ describeth it If any man will come after me let him denie him selfe This lesson is generall For S. Luke sayth dixit omnibus he spake vnto all and S. Marke Et turbae discipulis dixit he spake it both to the multitude and to his disciples No man therefore can looke to come vnto Christ by any other way We must beginne with the plaine denying of our selues that is to say the forsaking of our impietie and fleshlie lustes 6 To denie impietie is to forsake false doctrine false worshipping of God and whatsoeuer is against the first parte or table of the law The house of God saith Tobias shall be built for euer with a glorious building as the Prophetes haue spoken of it And all nations shall turne and feare the Lord God truely and shall burie their idols that is to saie they shall forsake their impietie and so be numbred with the Saintes of God When the Ephesians which had vsed curious Artes were conuerted to the faith of Christ they brought their bookes and burned them as many as were worth by estimation fiftie thowsand peeces of siluer By the writinges of Athenagoras Clemens Iustine martyr Arnobius Minutius Lactantius and many other of the Auncientes it appeareth that the verie first thing which those men of famous memorie did in their conuersion from Gentilitie to the truth was openly to proclaime defiance to that impietie wherein they had bene nuzled and trayned vp Constantine considering with him selfe the liues and doinges of former Emperours and finding that their estate had bene alwaies worse which had worshipped the gods of the nations that they which gaue greatest credit to Idolatrous spirites of diuinatiō were but deluded that none had fairer promises of prosperous euentes then they whose endes were most infortunate that his father onely amongest the rest putting his trust in the God which created heauen and earth had by experience all the time of his life founde him a mightie protectour and a bountifull rewarder of them that feare him when it pleased God by this meane to bring him to a loue and liking of the truth he began forthwith to shew great tokens of fauour vnto Christians to haue conference with their Bishops and chiefe professours to restore them whom crueltie had cast out of their lawfull possessions for beeleuing in the name of Christ to erect houses of great charge for prayer and holie exercises of the Church to doe whatsoeuer might any way be deuised not onely for the succour and needeful reliefe but also for the honour and dignitie of Christians Nowe by this that Tobias foresheweth how the Gentiles being conuerted to the truth shall burie their Idols that S. Luke recordeth howe the Ephesians burned all their impious bookes that the fathers in their first conuersion wrote so vehemently against paganisme that Constantine gaue so many and so great tokens of a minde detesting all impietie and burning with the loue of Christ Iesus by this I say we may perceiue how impossible it is to steale a true denial of impietie how impossible for a man which in deede hath denied it not to shewe his deniall in his deedes 7 To denie impietie it is not enough except wee also denie our fleshlie lustes If we looke into our euill and corrupt nature wee shall finde nothing but that which leadeth vs cleane from Christ nothing but rebellion against the spirite distrust in the
against the Lorde And that as all men so especially he hath felt It is too hard for him to kicke against the spurre to fight against the Lord of hosts Seeing therfore that this man of sin is not only reuealed but in a maner ouerthrowne too doubtles the Lord is comming and the ende of all thinges draweth neere Iniquitie sayth our sauiour shall abounde and charitie shall waxe colde the Gospell shalbe preached in the whole worlde and then an ende Iniquitie doeth abounde for as the prophet sayth There is no truth there is no pitie there is no knowledge of God in the earth Slaundering lying murdering stealing and whoring haue ouerflowed the worlde Charitie is frosen vp and become colde as ise These latter dayes haue bredde and brought out swarmes of such as loue them selues but neither God nor their neighbours Gods woorde neuer sounded more shrill neuer was preached more sincerely than at this day It is not bound or shut vp in straightes it hath free and large passage Iniquitie thus flowing charitie thus ebbing and Gods Gospell thus sounding throughout the worlde I may conclude with S. Peter The ende is neere at hande 7 This comming of Christ will be a ioyfull day for Gods children they shall lift vp their heades but to Antichrist to the enemies of Gods Gospell to the workers of iniquitie it will be a day of wrath indignation and all affliction But they put farre from them the remembraunce thereof they set it aloofe and goe still forwarde heaping vp riches though they knowe not howe soone they shall depart from them building though they knowe not for what inhabitant purchasing though they knowe not who shall inherite decking feeding pampering themselues though they knowe not whether the next or this night the next or this moment their soule shall be taken from them The worlde is towardes an ende Loue not the worlde therefore neither the thinges that are in the worlde but be ye sober and watching in prayer and aboue all things haue feruent loue amongest you This is S. Peters exhortation in this place wherein we learne our duetie towardes God and our dutie towardes our neighbour Towardes God be sober watch and pray towardes our neighbour haue feruent charitie 8 There is an inwarde and an outwarde sobrietie Inward sobrietie as Origen defineth is that whereby we keepe our affections and desires within listes that no man take more vppon him then is meete but euerie one according to the measure of his degree Which definition that father seemeth to haue drawen out of the wordes of S. Paul Let no man be more wise then behooueth him but let euery man be soberly minded Angels hauing too loftie a conceite of themselues were not able to keepe their first estate Our first parentes for passing the limites of sobrietie lost the godlie possession which God had giuen into their handes Through an vnsober desire of knowing all thinges they knewe too soone their owne miserie This hawtinesse of heart set Absolon so farre besides himselfe that neyther force of nature feare of God nor shame of men and the worlde could withholde him from trayterous attempting to teare the crowne from his fathers head It is strange to see howe Herode was swollen with the arrogant ouerweening and proude conceite of his owne eloquence His strange blasphemous pride had a strange and fearefull punishment Nabuchodonozor through his affection being not content to be the highest amongest men was made the vilest among beastes Those are ougly paternes of monstrous mindes voide of that sobrietie which was in Paule who although God had exalted him to the thirde heauen and there shewed him more than a man might conceiue thought neuerthelesse modestlie and meekely of himselfe I am the least of the Apostles not woorthie to be called an Apostle The like affection was in Saint Peter it caused him to loath himselfe at the sight of the Maiestie of the sonne of God Depart from me sayeth he I am a sinnefull man It was in that Centurion which thought himselfe vnwoorthie to open a doore vnto Christ Iesus It was in the Publican that durst not cast so much as an eye vp to heauen Such againe passe the boundes of this sobrietie as seeke after needelesse thinges neglecting necessarie The Philosopher that gazed vppon the skyes heeding not the pit that was vnder his feete was deseruedly laughed to scorne by a girle We are all tainted with this fault whereby it commeth to passe that we wast sayeth Seneca a great part of our life in dooing nothing a greater in doing euill the greatest of all in medling with those thinges which are not for vs. They that in matters of religion will knowe more than God hath reuealed thinke not soberlie but arrogantly of themselues Woe be to them which are wise in their owne eyes they are foolish in the sight of God The roote of this vice is a false perswasion which we haue taken that we can stand of our selues Wherefore the Apostle putteth vs in minde of our daunger vnlesse wee be supported by other manner strength than by our owne feeble faith I would not brethren that yee should be ignoraunt of this secrete least you should be arrogant in your selues We beare not vp our selues God doth beare vp all and ech man is or should be a stay to beare vp others We are all members of one bodie and we knowe wee haue neede one of another The hande cannot want the helpe of the toe though the least and lowest member Man alone were a miserable creature hee could neyther cloath nor feede nor defend himself frō violence The wisest man oftentimes needeth counsel Who was more wise than Moses yet Moses knew he needed the aduise of others and therfore occasion seruing disdained it not Rebecca saw more thā Isaak in things neerely concerning their children Esau and Iacob Sara more than Abraham in the mother of Ismaell Naaman followed the counsell euen of his seruaunts and it did not repent him so to haue done 9 Nowe as this inwarde sobrietie of minde and iudgement is required so are we exhorted likewise to an outwarde sobrietie which consisteth in diet in apparell in gesture and in speech Be sober in diet Nature is contented with a little but where sobrietie wanteth nothing is ynough The bodie must haue sufficient least it faint in the middest of necessarie duties but beware of gluttonie and drunkennesse And Christ sayth take ye heede ouerloade not your heartes with these burthens of excesse Be not drunken with wine These lessons are fit for Englande where auncient sobrietie hath giuen place to superfluitie where manie such rich men are as fare daintely day by day God graunt their ende be not like his who riotouslie wasting beere the creatures of God wanted afterwarde a droppe of water when hee would gladly haue had it Iohn Baptist was content with a simple diet Christ with verie slender fare But there are of vs I