to be offred and the time of my departing is at hand Euery true Christian offers vp himselfe an holie sacrifice to the Lord the which is begun in our baptisme continued in our life finished at our death And surely beloued if all be blessed who dye in the Lord much more they who dye for the Lord right deare in the sight of the Lord is the death of such his Saints The glorious Martyr Polycarpus like a notable Ramme picked out of a great flocke fit for an acceptable burnt sacrifice to God vsed this prayer when he was offered vp O father of thy well beloued and blessed sonne Iesus Christ thorough whom we haue knowen thee O God of the Angels and powers and of all sortes of iust men that liue in thy presence I thanke thee that thou hast gratiously vouch safed this day and this houre to allot me aportion among the number of Martyrs among the people of Christ vnto there surrection of euerlasting life both of body and soule in the incorruption of the bo◅y Ghost among whom I shall be receiued in thy sight this day as a fruitfull and a well pleasing sacrifice c. How death is called a departing see Nunc dimittis in the Liturgie how our life is a fight Epist. 1. Sun after Easter and Epist. 21. Sun after Trinity how a course or race Epist. on Sept◅agesima Sunday There is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnes Almighty God rendreth heauen as a iust iudge not to the worthines of our workes but to the merits of Christ and as due to vs by his promise freely made in Christ in respect of vs it is a garland of fauour only but in respect of Christ who meritoriously purchased it for vs it is a crowne of iustice So S. Augustine construeth our text cui redderet coronam iustus iudex sinon donasset gratiam misericors pater quomodo esset ista corona iustitiae nisi praecessisset gratia quae iustificat impium quomodo ista debita redderetur nisi prius illa gratuita donaretur How should he repay as a iust Iudge vnlesse he had first giuen as a mercifull father and how should this be a crowne of iustice if grace had not gone before which iustifieth the vngodly man dona sua coronat Deus non merita tua siergo dei dona sunt bona merita tua non Deus coronat merita tua tanquam merita tua sed tanquam dona sua See Gospell on Septuagesima Sunday The Gospell LVKE 10. 1. The Lord appointed other seuenty c. IN this Scripture two points are to be considered especially Vox domini Christs word and ordination of his Disciples the Lord appointed other seuenty c. To whom hee said goe your wayes behold I send you forth c. Via discipuli the Disciples worke and condition as labourers in an haruest as lambes among wolues Of all which I haue treated often elsewhere but of the most obseruable notes hereof especially Gosp. 1. Sun after Easter and Gosp. on S. Andrewes and Ascension day The reason why the Church allotted this Epistle for this festiuall is because S. Luke was as some thinke one of the seauenty Disciples and the reason in appointing our Gospell is for that S. Luke was an Euangelist The Epistle IVDE 1. Iudas the seruant of Iesus Christ c. THis Epistle may be diuided in two parts a Salutatiō in which obserue the Saluter described by his Name Iudas Office seruant of Iesus Christ. Kindred brother of Iames. Saluted commended by 3. graces Called Sanctified Preserued Salutation it selfe mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Salue consisting of an Exhortation to continue stedfast in the faith once giuen vnto the Saints c. Reason because certaine vngodly men are craftily crept in c. Iudas Iudas signifieth a Confessor of which name there was another Apostle called Iudas Iscariot who betrayed Christ in these two Iudasses is shadowed this mysterie that in the visible Church there will alway bee some bad as well as good professors Iudas a Deuill as well as Iudas a Saint See Gospell Sunday next before Easter The seruant of Iesus Christ Among all his titles hee reputed this most honorable for it is an excellent freedome to serue the Lord 1. Cor. 7. 22. Paul and Peter name themselues first seruants of Iesus Christ and then Apostles and S. Iames which is called the Lords brother Galat. 1. 19. Leauing that name stileth himselfe the seruant of Iesus Christ Iames 1. 1. If it were such a noble priuiledge to be subiect vnto Caesar how much more to be seruant vnto Christ which is the King of all Kings And that in regard of his protection and prouision as for his protection he saith I the Lord thy God will bee with thee whether soeuer thou goest I will not faile thee nor for sake thee and then if God be for vs who can bee against vs Rom. 8. 31. As for prouision all his seruants in this world haue bread enough Luke 15. 17. And in the world to come they shall bee no lesse then Kings sitting vpon thrones hauing palmes in their handes and on their heads crownes of gold Apocalyp 4. 4. See Nunc dimittis and Epist. on S. Iames day The brother of Iames He remembreth his kindred and alliance partly to distinguish himselfe from Iudas the traytor and partly to gaine credite to his writing For albeit the word of God depend not vpon the worth of men yet it is certainly true that his doctrine is best accepted whose person is most honoured If a preacher then be borne of nobles or allyed to men of great name and quality let him not in any sort neglect this outward blessing of God but vse it as S. Iude here to the furtherance of the Gospell and setting forth of Gods glory Iames and Iude were brethren in blood and brethren in good as Aquin and the glosse fratres natura fide doctrina vita How Iudas is distinguished from Simon and why both are ioyned together in one festiuall I referre thee to Baronius annal Eccles. not at in Rom. martyrolog Octob. 28. To them which are called and sanctified To be called into the Church and vnto the hearing of Christs Gospell is vocation externall to be sanctified is vocation internall to be preserued in Christ is vocation eternall Here then are set three partes of our iustification and incorporation into Iesus Christ vocation by God the father sanctification by the holy Ghost preseruation by Christ. Vocation is an effect of election and so happily S. Iude cals them called whom God hath elected as Rom. 1. 7. Beloued of God called to be Saints he doth insinuate that we come not vnto God except he call vs if we loue him it is because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. As he speakes by the
c. And not the names of Idols as Venus Mercurie Bacchus or the strange names of Saxon and Romane infidels and therefore the Popes and Cardinals are worthily censured by reuerend Fulke for that hauing most antichristianly renounced their names giuen in baptisme by which they were first dedicated vnto Christ they chuse many times vnto themselues prophane names as Sergius Leo Iulius Caesar Sixtus c. 3. We may learne from hence that imposition of names is a duty belonging properly to parents especially to the father and therefore Gabriel said vnto Zachary thou shalt call his name Iohn And in our present text the determination of the question about the childes name was wholy referred vnto the father they made signes to his father how he would haue him called and he asked for writing tables and wrote saying his name is Iohn Not so but his name shall be called Iohn It may be Zachary being now dumbe and not able to speake that the neighbours asked Elizabeth his wife how the childe should be named or happily hearing their consultation about this businesse she might as knowing the Lords pleasure herein answere them vnasked his name shall be called Iohn Here then a question is moued by what meanes Elizabeth vnderstood Gods expresse commandement in appointing his name seeing her husband to whom only Gabriel had made this knowen was mute to this obiection answere is made that she knewe the name by reuelation as a prophetisse per prophetiam didicit quod non didicerat à marito saith Ambrose or as other assoyle the doubt it may be Zachary signified so much vnto her in writing heretofore as now to his neighbours and kinsmen for he asked for writing tables and wrote saying his name is Iohn Here then obserue that the parents of Iohn obeyed the commandement of God before the counsell of their friends and kinsemen albeit they were neuer so deare to them Agamus quae Christus iussit vt adipiscamur quae Christus spopondit verit as illius nobis adsit illi fides nostra non desit c. If the Lord say follow me then instantly we must forsake all and leaue the dead to bury the dead Matth. 8. 22. His name is Iohn As if Zacharie should haue sayd I gaue not this name but God himselfe hath appointed it The words of his Angel thou shalt call his name Iohn are non solum praedictio sed etiam praeceptio nominis imponendi Now the word signifies fauoured of God or the grace of God a name fit for the Baptist in many respects as first for that he was the fore-runner first preacher of Christ of whose fullnesse we receiue grace vpon grace for the law was giuen by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. The bunch of grapes that the spies of the children of Israel caryed from the land of promise was borne by two strong men vpon a staffe or pole he that went before could not see the grape but he that was behind might both see eate of it So the Fathers of the old testament did not in like manner see the bunch of grapes that was the son of God made man as they that went behind vnder the new testament saw and tasted it after Iohn had openly shewed this grape behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sin of the world 2 The Baptist is so called as being filled with the holy ghost abounding with a great many prerogatiues of grace both in his conception birth and conuersation 3 So called as being borne not by natures ordinarie power but bestowed vpon his parents by Gods extraordinarie grace 4 So called as being gratious among men for many reioyced at his birth and moe at his doctrine Hierusalem and all Iudea went out vnto him in the wildernes and were baptized of him in the riuer Iordan To compendiat all these notes in a few words Iohn was gratious In the sight of God the Father as being vpon the point his Godfather imposing his name by the mouth of his Angell Sonne for Christ highly commended him in respect of his calling and carriage Holy Ghost as being strong in spirit and going before Christ in the power of Elias Luk. 1. 17. 18. Men Kindred The blessed virgine Mary visited his Mother afore his birth Luke 1. 40. Other Cousins reioyced at his birth acknowledging it for a great mercy Straungers Good who were both aduised by him and Baptized of him he spake comfortably to Ierusalems heart and therefore gracious in the eyes of all good people Bad for they thought his life too strict Matthew 11. 18. and his greatest enemy cruell Herod who bound him and put him in prison and in fine beheaded him also for Herodias sake his brother Philips wife did notwithstanding reuerence him and in many things heard him gladly knowing that he was a iust man and an holy We may pronounce then in some sort of Iohn as the Psalmist of God according to thy name so is thy praise vnto the worlds end Iohn is thy name and gratious was thy person O blessed Saint if thou wert now liuing thou wouldest goe to the courtes of Princes and tell Herode to his face whilest other Prophets happily sowe pillowes vnder his elbowes that it is not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife if he were now liuing hee would call our Pharisees a generation of vipers if hee were now liuing he would not stand vpon by-questions and idle disputations which are fruitlesse but the summe of all his sermons should be repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand If he were now liuing and preaching in the wildernes he would teach vs all to be more modest in our apparell and moderate in our diet This gratious Saint hath a surname added to his name called Mat. 3. 1. Iohn the Baptist either for that he baptized Christ or else for that he was the first Minister of holy baptisme And his mouth was opened immediately The dumbnes of Zachary saith Eusebius Emisenus Et fidem reipraesentis expressit mysterium figurauit it was a seale of Gods present promise for when olde Zachary doubted and said vnto Gabriel at the 18 verse whereby shall I know that I shall haue a sonne the Lords Angel answered behold thou shalt be dumbe and not able to speake vntill the day that these things be done because thou beleeuest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season His punishment is answerable to his fault he was stricken deafe for that he would not hearken vnto the word of God and dumbe for that he contradicted it hee was made mute through vnbeleife but as soone as he beleeued his mouth was opened quam vinxerat incredulitas fides soluit so that Zacharie might apply that of the Psalmist vnto himselfe I beleeued
their tentes about vs and keepe vs in all our wayes Indeed God is able to defend vs himselfe by himselfe thorough his immediate concourse which he hath in all things but to manifest his abundant loue to men which are wormes and rottennes and mere vanity he doth inioyne the pages of his honour princes of his court euen his glorious Angels to become messengers and Ministers for their sakes who shal be heires of saluation that all the time of this life in the houre of death and in the day of iudgement The good which Angels procure to the Saints in this life concerneth either the body or the soule as for the body these ministring spirits attend vs euen from the beginning of our dayes vnto the end most carefully performing all manner of offices appertaining necessarilie to the preseruation of our temporall life When Agar cast out of Abrahams family wandered in the wildernes an Angel appeared vnto her and aduised her to returne to her mistresse and to humble her selfe vnder her hands the reuenging Angels caught and carried Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrha before they did burne those Cities with fire and brimstone Abraham as being assured of the protection of Gods Angels in all his wayes said vnto his seruant the Lord God of heauen who tooke me from my fathers house c. will send his Angel before thee when Iacob feared his brother Esau hee met Angels comming vnto him and thereupon he did acknowledge that they should be his guard in his iourney saying this is Gods host an Angel appeared vnto Duke Iosua when he was about to sacke Iericho with a drawen sword in his hand as a captaine to fight for Israel an Angel comforted and fed Elias when he fled from Iezebel an Angel deliuered the three children out of the fierie furnace Dan. 3. An Angel assisted Daniel in the Lyons denne and kept him also from all manner of hurt Dan. 6. An Angel directed Ioseph to flie into Egypt An Angel ministred vnto Christ in his heauines and in our present text the Lords Angel brought Peter out of prison and deliuered him out of the hands of Herod and from all the waiting of the people of the Iewes Angels procure good vnto the soules of the faithfull illuminando confortando saith Aquine because they be maintainers and furtherers of the true worship of God and of all good meanes whereby saluation is attained The law was deliuered in mount Sina by the hands of Angels an Angel expounded vnto Daniel the 70. weekes an Angel forbids Iohn to worship him and inioyneth him to worship God the creatour of heauen and earth an Angel declared the will of God vnto father Abraham that he should not kill his sonne Isaac an Angel reuealed the mystery of Christs conception vnto the Virgin his mother of Christs birth vnto certaine shepheards in the field attending their flockes by night Luke 2. 10. Of Christs resurrection vnto Mary Magdalen and other deuout women Mat. 28. 5. In a word Angels are pursiuants harbingers and Heralds betwixt heauen and earth alwayes in a readines to make knowne the will of God vnto men In the houre of death Angels conuey the soules of the faithfull as they did the soule of Lazarus into blessed Abrahams bosome And in the day of iudgement they shall gather together all Gods elect from the foure windes and from the one end of heauen vnto the other that they may come before Christ and enter into the fruition of eternall glory both in body and soule The vse of this doctrine is manifold 1. It serues to terrifie the wicked who despise Gods children for so Christ himselfe reasoneth Mat. 18. 10. Despise not one of these little ones because I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my father It behoues reuiling scoffers therfore to take heed whoÌ„ they mocke for though happily good men called little ones in respect of their innocency and humility for their parts are content to put vp abuses and iniuries yet their Angels may take iust reuenge by smiting them as they did Herod in this Chapter with heauy punishments for their offences 2. This may teach vs humility for if Angels high and holy serue vs let vs not thinke it any bad or base dutie to serue one another in loue 3. Wee may learne from hence to behaue our selues in open and in secret places after a reuerent and seemely manner as being spectacles vnto glorious Angels which are witnesses and obseruers of all our words and deeds To this purpose Paul saith that the woman ought to haue power on her head because of the Angels That is not onely the Ministers of the Church but Gods heauenly Angels which daily wait vpon his children and guard them in all their waies 4. This ought to stirre vs vp vnto the Lords praise saying with Dauid Lord what is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest so regard and guard him Alas all flesh is grasse and man is like a thing of nought yet behold if hee truely loue God all things are for his good for God is his father the Church his mother Christ his brother the holy Ghost his comforter Angels his attendants all other creatures his subiects the whole world his Inne and heauen his home I will end this obseruation with a meditation of S. Augustine O Lord thou makest thy spirits messengers for my sake to whom thou hast giuen charge ouer me to keepe me in all my waies that I hurt not my foote against a stone For these are the watchmen ouer the walles of the new Hierusalem and of the mountaines about the same which attend and keepe watch ouer the flocke lest he as a Lion make a prey of our soules while there is none to deliuer he I meane that old serpent our aduersary the diuell who walketh about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure These Citizens of Hierusalem aboue walke with vs in all our wayes they goe in and out with vs diligently considering how godly and how honestly we doe walke in the midst of a naughty and crooked generation how earnestly wee seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of with what feare and trembling we doe serue â—…hee and how our hearts reioyce in thee O Lord those which labour they strengthen those which rest they protect such as fight they encourage they crowne such as ouercome they reioyce with such as reioyce such I meane as reioyce in thee and they suffer with such as suffer I say with such as suffer for thy names sake great is the care which they haue of vs and great is the affection of their loue toward vs and all this for the honour of thine inestimable good will
mouth of his holy Prophets I haue beene sought of them that asked not I was found of them that sought me not he calleth vs before we call on him The 2. grace is sanctification and sanctified such as are called are by nature the children of wrath as well as other it is in vaine therefore to be called that is stirred and moued to receiue the faith vnlesse we be sanctified Iames 2. 14. What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes Herod seemed to be called and somewhat inwardly touched but he would not forsake his secret sinne of incest in keeping his brothers wife Simon Magus was baptized and so called but hee was not sanctified to leaue his gainefull sinne of couetousnes Iudas as being an Apostle was called and yet hee was a diuell and many deceiue themselues who thinke hearing of the word to be sufficient without doing Iames 1. 22. A sheepe resembleth a true Christian euery thing in a sheepe is good and vsefull his fleece is good his fell is good his flesh is good his entrals yea his excrements are good and so the sanctified Christian is a seruant vnto all the seruants of God euery good gift in him is profitable to some he lendeth his fleece cloathing the naked to some his bread in feeding the hungrie to some he lendeth his eyes and so becommeth a guide to the blinde to some he lendeth his strength and so becommeth feete to the lame to some he lendeth his vnderstanding and so becommeth an instructor of the simple he becommeth as Paul speakes all things vnto all men that hee may winne some vnto Chtist In this point of doctrine the Papists haue slandered vs exceedingly saying that our diuines in preaching of faith haue destroyed good workes whereas we professe that our calling is fruitles without holines of life See Epistle 2. Sun in Lent Preserued in Iesus Christ As it is in vaine to be called first vnlesse we be sanctified so likewise to be sanctified vnlesse we may be kept and preserued in Iesu Christ not to lose our sanctification Our life is a continuall warre-fare vpon earth and therefore though we be called outwardly and sanctified in some part inwardly yet the Dragon and his Angels fight against vs daily that we may fall from faith and hope receiued that wee may turne the grace of God into want onnesse like the dogge returned to his owne vomit and the sow that was washed to the wallowing in the mire and so end in the flesh howsoeuer we began in the spirit Demas fell away from the Gospell embracing the present world many are called but few chosen Mat. 20. 16. It behoueth vs therefore continually to pray that Christ Iesus the great shepheard of our soules may hold vs in his hands from the griping pawes and grinding Iawes of the roaring Lyon who goeth about daily seeking whom he may deuoure And surely such as are giuen vnto Christ effectually called and truly sanctified shall bee preserued to the end Zerubbabel did both lay the foundation of the temple and finish it so God will establish and make perfect his worke begun in vs Psalm 68. 28. Hee that hath begun this worke of our saluation will also performe it Philip. 1. 6. I know Gods elect may for a time lose some good meanes and some great measure of grace too Dauid and Aaron and Peter and other haue fallen foully yea fully but none finally God is more watchfull in helping vs then Satan is or can bee wrathfull in hurting vs. He which is the father of mercies giueth vs preuenient grace subsequent grace cooperant grace grace before grace and grace after grace keeping vs by his power thorough faith and preseruing vs to his heauenly kingdome It is not of our selues that we perseuere thus vnto the end and in the end it is the power of God who giueth as our Apostle sheweth here grace first to be called secondly to be sanctified thirdly to be reserued or preserued in Iesu Christ. Mercy vnto you and peace and loue be multiplied Mercy from God the father in the forgiuenes of your sinnes Peace in Christ in feeling this forgiuenes Loue in the holy Ghost in being assured of Gods grace toward vs euery day more and more Mercie from God the father of Mercie Peace from God the sonne the Prince of peace Loue from God the holy Ghost the loue of the father and the sonne Mercy in pardoning your sinnes Peace in quieting your conscience Loue ioyning you to God and one to another or hee wiâ—…eth encrease of Gods mercy toward them and a multiplication of their peace and loue toward one another That their sinnes may be forgiuen he prayes for Gods mercy that they may forgiue other men their trespasses he prayes for peace that both these may be multiplied in them he prayes for loue First he begins with Gods mercy which is the fountaine of euery good and perfect gift if wee taste of his mercy we shall soone be filled with his other graces he that hath enough mercy can want nothing For as Samsons chiefe strength was in his haire so Gods chiefe vertue in his mercy Mercy good Lord is the total summe in the humble suite of a sinner O Lord haue mercy vpon vs miserable sinners is the first petition and the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ is the last in our Liturgie When I gaue all diligence Here S. Iude begins to prescribe his Salue which is an exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith and the causes mouing him to write this vnto the Saints are two 1. His duty when I gaue all diligence to write vnto you of the common saluation c. 2. Their danger because they nourished certaine seducers as serpents in their owne breasts whom hee describes by their sinne in generall verse 4. shewing their hypocriticall entring into the Church craftily crept in vngodly carriage being entred In their life turning the grace of God into wantonnesse In their doctrine denying God which is the only Lord and our Lord Iesus Christ. In particular from the 4. verse to the 17. Punishment of olde ordained to this condemnation and so S. Iude describes these wicked impostors and false brethren as Pope Celestine did his successor Bonifacius the 8. Ascendisti vt vulpes craftily crept in regnabis vt leo denying God and turning his grace into wantonnesse morieris vt canis of old ordained to this condemnation The Gospell IOHN 15. 17. This command I you that ye loue together c. CHrist in this Gospell is said to doe three things especially 1. He doth exhort his followers vnto mutuall loue 2. He comforts them against the worlds hatred 3. He promises to send vnto them the holy Ghost who being the comforter and the spirit of loue may both instruct them how to loue together and how to suffer affliction in the world Of
recouering of sight to the blind that I should set at liberty them that are bruised And I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance And I giue thee thankes O Father Lord of Heauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes The carnal wise Credentes oculo magis quâ—…m oraculo rely more vpon their fiue senses then the foure Euangelists and therfore because they can not find a reason of naturall things they make to themselues false gods and because they can not find a reason of supernaturall things they denie the true God The curious while they desire to know what they should not are not able to coÌ„ceiue what they should by dyuing too much into the subtleties of reason they forget often the principles of Religion As wholsome Lawes are lost many times in the cases of the law so Religion it selfe is lost among Sophisters in the questions of Religion It was the Serpent that first opened Adams eyes and enticed him to prie into the secrets of God Our care therefore said Luther must be to shut vp our eyes againe that we seeke not ambitiously to see more then almighty God would haue vs to know Christ would haue vs to bring Faith and humilitie to his schoole leauing our arguments at home Non vult nos esse curistas quaristas He resisteth the proud and giues grace to the humble The poore receiue the Gospell as it is in our text Theirs is the kingdome of Heauen But other expositors vnderstand this of that incorruptible crowne of glorie for as this world seemes to be made for the presumptuous and proud so that other only for the humble and meeke It is Theirs and that in present Is and it is a kingdome and that a kingdome of Heauen According to the tearmes of our common Law there be two sorts of Freeholds A Freehold in deed when a man hath entred into lands or tenements and is seised thereof actually and really A Freehold in law when a man hath right to lands or tenements but hath not yet made his actuall entrie Now the kingdome of Heauen is our Freehold in law though as yet while we liue we can not actually be seised thereof It is ours as being prepared for vs by God the Father It is ours as being purchased in our behalfe by God the Sonne It is ours as being assured to our spirit by God the holie Ghost Rom. 8. 16. 17. We haue now right to this inheritance Habemus ius adrem as Melancthon acutely nondum in re Or as Augustine and other of the fathers vsually the kingdome of Heauen is ours alreadie Non in re sed in spe The Scripture saith as much in plaine tearmes We are saued by blessed hope which is immoueable without wauering Fides intâ—…etur verbum rei spes verò rem verbi Rom. 5. 2. Thorough our Lord Iesus Christ we haue accesse by Faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioice vnder the hope of the glorie of God And we may well vnder hope reioice seeing our reward when our fight is finished is no lesse then a kingdome The citizens of Tyrus are described by the Prophet Esay to haue been companions vnto Nobles and Princes but in that heauenly Hierusalem euery burgesse by his second birth is the brother of a king the sonne of a king and himselfe a king hauing in token hereof a triumphant palme in his hand and a golden crowne on his head And this kingdome is not a fading inheritance but a kingdome of Heauen an immortall and euerlasting life Men on earth haue Life but it is full of trouble and of small continuance not euerlasting The damned in Hell haue an eternall being but because they can not moue but are perpetually tyed vnto their torments it is not a Life but a death Only the rich in grace the poore in spirit shall haue when this world hath his end an euerlasting Life without end Tell O man what thou most earnestly desirest Is there any thing thou louest bettter then life Is there any life better then a blessed life Is there any blessed life without hope here and hold hereafter of euerlasting life Yet all these things and more then I can vtter or you conceiue are prepared and reserued for such as are poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen Preached at Maydston Assises Iuly 28. 1614. vpon the request of my much honoured and worthily beloued friend and kinsman Sir Anthonie Aucher Knight high Sherife of Kent Almightie God which hast knit together thy elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall bodie of thy Sonne Christ our Lord Graunt vs grace so to follow thine holie Saints in all vertuous and godly liuing that we may come to those vnspeakable Ioyes which thou hast prepared for them that vnfaynedly loue thee thorough Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen a Proaem com in Esa. epist. Paulin. tom 3. fol. 9. Non prophetiam videtur texere sed Euangelium b Cap. 7. 14. c Cap. 9. 6. d Cap. 53. vers 3. 4. 5. 6. e Cap. 53. vers 8 f Musculus Hyperius Caluin in loc g Luke 2. 25. h 2. Cor. 1. 3. i Tertullian cont Marcian lib. 4. cap. 33. Cyril cat 3. August de Io. Baptist ser. 1. k Psal. 74. 1. 10. l Caluin m Psalm 68. 11. n Musculus Caluin o Geneuaglosse p 1. Pet. 54. q Rom. 4. 18. r Hyperius Musculus s Ecclesiast 3. 1. t Esay 58. 1. u Esay 5. x Amos 6. 1. y Philip. 3. 19. z Ezech. 33. 11. a Luke 3. 9. b Ionas 3. c Psalm 42. 9. d Esay 61. e Caluin f Musculus g Hyperius Dan. Arcularius h Ecclesiastes 12. 11. i Ieremy 23. 29. k Hierom Vatablus Caluin l Psalm 32. 1. m Esay 57. 21. n Socrates o Cap. 4. vers 18. See Ribera in loc p Musculus q Vatablus Arcularius r Hierom Hyperius Castalion s Caluin t Musculus in loc Idem Caluin Iâ—…stit lib. 3 cap. 4 §. 33. u Esay 27. 8. x Psalm 103. 13 y Abacuc 3. 2. z Cap. 10. ver 24 a Caluin in Esai 27. 8. b 1. Cor. 10. 13. c Psalm 103. 14. d Matth. 3. 3. Mark 1. 3. Luk. 3. 4. Ioan. 1. 23. e Melanc in Ioan. 1. See D. Abbots sermon at the funerall of Thomas Earle of Dorset pag. 2. f Psalm 146. 2. g 1. Epist. 1. 24. h Caluin i Arcularius in loc k Matth. 6. 29. l Plin. nat hist. lib. 7. cap. 7. m Idem n Ibid. Matth. Paris in Ric. 1. o Sr. Ric. Barckley discourse of felicity lib. 5. pag. 450. p Philip. Com mi. hist. lib. 8. cap. 18. q Eox Mart. fol. 1731. r Walsingham in Hen. 5. pag. 444 Idem Paradinus in sym bol pag.
the fetters from Saint Peters feete and the chaines from his hands it brake thorough the first and second watch and opened an iron gate and so deliuered the seruant of God from the waiting of the Iewes What should I say more prayer is so potent that it raiseth the dead it ouercommeth Angels it casteth out Deuils and that which is yet more wonderfull it mastereth euen God himselfe for when Iacob wrestled with God he said I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me when the Lord said let me goe becommeth it Iacob to say I will not let thee goe yea beloued there be some things wherein the Lord is very well content that his seruants striue with him as namely when they haue his word for their warrant it is a commendable strife to take no refusall at his hand and in effect it is nothing else but a constant affirmation that his truth is inuiolable So the woman of Canaan stroue with Christ shee would take no denyall of that which he had promised and blinde Bartimeus made Christ as he passed in his way to stand still hee could not for the multitude lay hands on him and yet his prayers reached vnto him and held him fast vntill he receiued a comfortable answere receiue thy sight thy faith hath saued thee So when almighty God would haue destroyed his people because they worshipped the golden calse saying these be thy Gods O Israel which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt Moses fell downe on his face before the Lord and prayed vnto his God he stood saith the Psalmist in the gap as a mediatour betweene God and his people to turne away his wrathfull indignation and this prayer was so powerfull as that it constrained the Lord in the midst of his anger to say vnto Moses let me alone that my wrath may waxe hot against them all the powers of heauen and the crying of all men on earth are not able to hold the Lord from doing any worke he is about to doe for he can measure the waters in his fist and mete heauen with his spanne and weigh the mountaines in scales and the hils in a ballance what soeuer pleaseth him he doth in heauen and in earth and in the sea yet the prayers of his children are able to binde him hand and foot and to compell him as it were to powre downe an vndeserued blessing and to turne away a iust deserued punishment the very crying of an infant that vtters no distinct voyce moues a mother vnto compassion and so the Lord pitying vs as a father and comforting vs as a mother heareth our very groanes and so fulfilleth our desires if we call vpon him in faith and feare Now the reason why the prayers of the faithfull are so powerfull is because they be not ours but the intercession of Gods owne spirit in vs powred out in the name of Christ his owne sonne in whom he is euer well pleased For as for vs we know not what to pray as wee ought but the spirit it selfe makes request for vs with sighes which can not be expressed it is the spirit whereby we cry abba father as in vs the spirit makes request for vs so with the father he grantes our suites and forgiues our sinnes that for which we pray euen he giueth vnto vs who giueth vs this grace to pray God inuiteth vs to come vnto him and to call vpon him in all our troubles and his holy spirit when as we present our selues before the throne of grace helpeth our infirmities and maketh intercession for vs and therefore no maruell if the Lord be bound by deuoute men with his owne promises as Sampson was by Dalila with his owne haire Let these godly meditations strengthen our feeble hearts and weake handes that they faint not in deuotion but according to the paterne of the Saintes here and the precept of Paul elsewhere we may without ceasing alwayes pray that is vpon all occasions offred as well for our selues as other Omne quod agis â—…ratione obsignato id verò maximè de quo mentem vides dubitantem Behold the Angel of the Lord was there present I am occasioned here to treat of two questions especially The first concerning Angelical protection in generall as namely whether Angels helpe and keepe men from euill or noe The second whether beside the generall protection of many or all Angels in common euery man hath one peculiar Angel as his peculiar guard and guide The doctrine concerning Angelicall protection in generall at the first appearance may seeme strange because the Scripture teacheth vs expresly that the pathes of man are directed by the Lord and Psalm 34. 18. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of all and for this so particular care and prouidence God is often compared vnto a father mother pastour bridegroome buckler Eagle c. To shew that he only is to vs all in all Esay 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lord art our father and our redeemer As who would say those that are fathers according to the flesh are not worthy of that name if they be compared with thee can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though she should forget saith the Lord Esay 49. 15. Yet I will not forget thee behold I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of my hands and thy walkes are euer in my sight If thou beest burdened with vnrighteousnes Christ is thy righteousnes if thou need helpe he is thy strength if thou feare death he is life if thou desire heaueÌ„ he is the way if thou hate darknes he is light if thou seeke for meate he is food for although he be but one in himselfe yet he is all things vnto vs for the relieuing of our necessities which are without number and therefore if the rule be true non sunt multiplicanda entia sine necessitate what need any man expect other side from other powers though Angelicall and neuer so great seeing almighty God himselfe is the keeper of Israel our immediat protectour strength hope and helpe in trouble Answere is made that Angelical custody doth not extenuate but rather extoll the greatnes and goodnes of God toward mankind for as much as it is an execution of his high and holy prouidence For as by the wisedome of an excellent Emperour all the Towers all the Cities all the Castles are fortified with men and munition against the common enemies assault lest by barbarous inuasion they should be destroyed euen so because the deuils are in euery corner raging and ranging for our ouerthrow God hath ordained for our guard that an host of Angels should pitch
wherewith thou hast loued vs for they loue those whom thou doest loue they keep those whom thou doest keep they forsake those whom thou doest forsake neither can they abide such as worke iniquity because thou also hatest all them that worke iniquity When we doe well the Angels reioyce but the deuils are sad when we doe ill the deuils reioyce but the Angels are sad grant therefore good Lord that they may alwayes reioyce ouer vs that both thou alwayes mayest be glorified in vs and we may be brought with them into thy fold that together we may praise thy name O creator both of men and Angels To the second quaere whether beside the generall protection of all Angels in common euery particular man hath one peculiar Angel for his guard I finde that many learned and ancient doctours hold the affirmatiue part So S. Basile categorically to euery one that beleeueth in Christ an assistant Angell is appointed vnlesse we driue him away from vs by our wicked actions for as smoake driueth away bees and stinch doues so filthy sinne the Angel the keeper of our life The which assertion he confirmes elsewhere more at large by diuers testimonies of holy writ so S. Hierome that euery one of vs hath his Angel many places of Scripture teach as namely that of Christ Mat. 18. 10. See that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen their Angels alway behold the face of my father c. As also that which is recorded Acts 12. 15. It is Peters Angel So Chrysostome euery faithfull one hath his Angel in deede at the first holy Angels were according to the number of the nations but now not so but according to the number of the faithfull So Theophylact all men especially the faithfull haue their Angels So Gregory Nyssen speaking of this argument insinuates that it was ordinarily holden of the fathers a true speech hath descended vnto vs by which we beleeue that our nature since our fall into sinne is not altogether forlorne of the diuine clemencie neither left without his succour but that then also there is giuen to euery man one of the Angels as an helper and protector So Primasius vnto euery man as the Doctours say there is generally giuen an Angel for his custody and this either from his birth or rather from his baptisme Vnto these fathers I might adde Origine Iustine Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine Eusebius c. As also most of the schoolemen and many protestant diuines Yet for mine owne part I say saluo semper meliore iudicio with Caluin institut lib. 1. cap. 14. § 7. An singulis sidelibus singuli angeli sint ad eorum defensionem attributi pro certo asserere non ausim and my reason is for that I see not any cleare ground in holy Bible for such an assertion The two chiefe places in the iudgement of all diuines aswell ancient as moderne are Mat. 18. 10. and Acts 12. 15. The first whereof as Caietan and other popish expositours obserue proues not euidently that euery little one hath one peculiar Angel for his guardian in particular but only that all are appointed ouer all in generall as the Scripture construeth it selfe Luke 15 10. Saying of euery one of those little ones which turne from their sinnes that all Gods holy Angels reioyce at it and as for the wordes of the disciples astonished at the sudden newes of Peters comming it is not he but his Angel answere is made that this allegation is a very slender proofe because the disciples in Maries house being amazed vpon the strange report of Rhode spake they knew not what so we might proue that the Saints departed may dwell in tabernacles because Peter said Lord let vs make tabernacles one for Moses another for Elias and whereas it is further obiected that they spake after the common opinion of men in that age we reply that in those dayes it was a receiued opinion that dead men did walke as it appeares by Herod who thought our Sauiour was Iohn Baptist risen againe from the dead Vox populi is not alway vox dei common errours are no certaine rules of truth and what if that place were so manifest as they could wish it why might it not be construed thus it is his Angel that is some Angel which almighty God hath sent for his deliuerance this being according to the Scripture more then that to haue it his particular Angel so the present text here behold the Angel of the Lord was their present and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and stirred him vp saying arise vp quickly and his chaines fell from his hands c. The Gospell MAT. 16. 13. When Iesus came into the coasts of the city which is called Caesarea Philippi c. THis Scripture being a dialogue betweene Christ and his Apostles of it owne accord falleth into two questions and two answeres vnto those questions 1. Quest. Whom do men say that I the sonne of man am answere some say thou art Iohn Baptist c. 2. Quest. Whom say ye that I am answere thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God the which answere is commended blessed art thou Simon c. rewarded vpon this rocke I wil c. Caesarea Philippi there were two Caesareaes one called Stratonis vpon the mediterrane sea which Herod sumptuously built in the honour of Augustus Caesar another called Caesarea Philippi founded by Philip brother of Herod the tetrarch who beheaded Iohn the Baptist in honour of Tiberius Caesar at the foote of Libanon Philip built or rather repaired and enlarged this towne out of his seruiceable loue to Caesar but yet for his owne glory he did adde a Philippi to Caesarea The Papists in mingling the blood of their Saints with the pretious blood of our Sauiour and in making themselues also by relying too much vpon their owne merits halfe mediatours and ioint purchasers of saluation with Christ haue set vp in the Synagogue of Antichrist as it were a Caesarea Philippi The Iesuited Papists especially swearing to the Kings Supremacie with a Romish equiuocation or Spanish reseruation adde a Philippi to Caesarea This as some thinke was the City where the Kings in old time receiued their tribute and therefore the King of heauen aptly required of his disciples in the very same place tributum confessionis or it may be that Christ exacted this cōfession of faith in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi to signifie that his Apostles should not only preach the Gospell among the Iewes but also that their sound should goe through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world or he made this demaund farre from Hierusalem out of the Scribes and Pharisees hearing that they might the more fully and
solicitudine me parturiebat spiritu quà m carne and in another place ita pro nobis omnibus curam gâ—…ssit quasi omnes genuisset ita seruiuit quasi ab omnibus genita fuisset Ye wot not what ye aske for either ye erre very much in the matter or else in the manner in the matter if ye thinke that my kingdome is of this world in the manner if ye desire to sit in my kingdome before ye haue drunken of my cup I must as ye shall one day further vnderstand first suffer and then enter into glory If any man will be my Disciple let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me you must enter into my kingdome thorough many tribulations Acts 14. 22. They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Psal. 126. 6. He that will haue wages at night must labour first about the Lords vineyard in the day Mat. 20. 8. None receiue the price before they runne 1. Cor. 9. 24. And if any man also striue for a mastery yet is he not crowned except he striue as he ought to doe 2. Tim. 2. 5. Well then I tell you the truth if ye seeke to sit on my right hand and on my left in my kingdome ye must first drinke of the cup that I shall drinke of and bee baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with that is ye must of necessity beare the crosse before ye can weare the crowne To him that ouercommeth wil I grant to sit with me in my throne euen as I ouer came and sit with my father in his throne when holy Moses Exod. 33. said vnto the Lord I beseech thee shew me thy glory the Lord answered thou canst not see my face but thou shalt see my backe parts Insinuating hereby that we can not enter into Christs glory vnlesse we follow him and see his hinder parts in this world why Christ called his sufferings a cup and baptisme see Iansen concord cap. 104. Theophylact Aretius Marlorat Maldonat in loc Ye shall drinke indeed of my cup he said not ye can as being able by their owne vertue but ye shall as being made able by grace but how did they drinke both of Christs cup seeing Iohn is said in Ecclesiasticall history to haue dyed in his bed peaceably Remigius answereth in one word bibit Iacobus in passione Ioannes in persecutione Iames dranke of Christs cup in his martyrdome being slaine with the sword by cruell Herod as our Epistle this day witnesseth and Iohn tasted of Christs cup as being banished into the Isle Pathmos for the word of God and for the witnes of Iesus Christ. Iohn dranke of the cup of confession as the three children in the fiery furnace though he were not actually martyred actually I say for in his readines to suffer he was a very martyr yea the Proto-martyr suffring for Christ vnder the crosse when he saw Christ suffer on the crosse But to sit on my right hand or on my left is not mine to giue Christ saith in this Gospell Chap. 11. verse 27. All things are giuen vnto me of my father and chap. 28. 18. All power is giuen vnto me both inheauen and in earth and Iohn 14. 2. In my fathers house are many mansions and I goe to prepare a place for you and Luke 22. 29. I appoint vnto you a kingdome c. How then is it true to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to giue S. Augustine Basile Remigius and other answere thus it is not mine to giue as I am a man and allyed vnto you but as I am God equall to my father and heire of all things Or as Ardens it is not mine to giue you now namely before ye haue drunke of my cup. Or it is not in my power to giue as you conceiue to wit in respect of kindred alliance By which example Bishops may learne not to prefer their nephewes on their right hand on their left hand in their diocesse except they be men of merit For God saith expresly non afcendes per gradus ad altare meum Exod. 20. 26. And Melchisedeck the first Priest is said Heb. 7. 3. To haue hin without father without mother without kindred hereby signifying that we must ascend to dignities in the Church of God not by degrees of Consanguinitie but by steps of vertue or it is not mine to giue to such as you are now namely to proude ambitious men according to that in the 101. Psalme verse 7. Who so hath a proude looke and an hie stomacke I will not suffer him in mine house so that as Ambrose notes Asserit non sibi potestatem deesse sed meritum Creaturis or as Christ here construeth himselfe it is not mine to giue but it shall be giuen vnto those for whom it is prepared of my father I and my father are one and therefore most vnfit either for you to request or for me to grant any thing contrarie to the determination of my father His kingdome is an inheritance prepared before the foundations of the world Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified Concerning Christs direction here following addressed vnto all his Apostles and in them vnto all Christians see Gospell on S. Bartholomewes day The Epistle ACTS 5. 12. By the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed among the people c. SOme thing in this Epistle concernes more specially the Pastors by the hands of the Apostles were many signes and wonders shewed some thing more specially the people the people magnified them and the number of them that beleeued in the Lord both of men and women grew more and more some thing generally both Pastors and people they were all together with one accord in Solomons porch insinuating that it was their ordinarie custome to meete in that holy place not onely to preach and pray but also to consult about the proceedings of the Gospell and busines of the Church From which assembly no conuert absented himselfe either vpon any proud opinion of his owne priuat conceits or vnder pretence that the Temple was now superstitiously prophaned or for feare of the common enemie the Pharisies especially but all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according concording ioyned together for the good of the publike weale Wherein obserue not onely their vnanimitie but also their magnanimitie not onely their louing carriage one toward another but also their resolution and zeale for the Gospell exposing themselues vnto very much danger in a place of such sort and resort The chiefe poynt is the working of miracles by the hands of the Apostles and that is nothing else but an execution of Christs promise Mark 16. 17. 18. In my name they shall cast out
diuels and they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recouer c. of which I haue sufficiently spoken in my notes vpon the Gospell on Ascension day The Gospell LVKE 22. 24. There was a strife among them which of them should seeme to be the greatest c. CHrist in this Scripture teacheth his Apostles ambitiouslie contending for rule 1. By precept The kings of the nations c. but yee shall not so be c. 2. By paterne I am among you as one that ministreth c. But yee shall not so be Or as S. Matthew it shall not be so among you Now this kinde of speech is vsed in holy Scriptures and in our english tongue two manner of waies either forbidding a thing to be done or else foretelling a thing not to be done as a master in saying to his seruant this shall not be done to day forbids a thing to be done but when an Astronomer saith of the weather it shall not be cold or hot vpon such a moneth or day he doth not forbid but onely foretell a thing that shall not be so the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are vsed Apocalip 10. 6. and 22. 5. According to this twofold acception I finde a twofold construction of this clause but yee not so first by way of prophecie secondly by way of proposition or prohibition if it be taken Prophetically then it is a prophecie concerning the disciples estate either in this or in the world to come If in this life the meaning is briefly this the kings of the Gentiles doe raigne and they that are in authoritie are called benefactors but ye not so that is I doe foreshew vnto you that ye shall not be so as if he should say they in their gouernement are called benefactors but you exercising authoritie shall be called malefactors they ruling ill are called good men ye ruling well shall be reputed euill men in the world ye shall haue affliction and ye must of necessitie drinke of my cup and be baptized with the baptisme that I am baptized with and so Christ is made to speake that in this place which he saith elsewhere The disciple is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord if they haue called the master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his household If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you me who came to minister vnto them and to giue my life for them euen so you which in your authoritie shall intend the good of all and spend your liues in seruing them all This sense doubtles is true for by wofull experience we finde it to be so when as among vs some for their superioritie are called Antichrists other for their authoritie tyrants other for restraining the licentiousnesse of certaine factious people persecutors If we take but yee not so for a Prophecie touching the life to come the meaning is the kings of the Gentiles haue lordship ouer them c. but ye not so that is in my kingdome which you falsely conceiue to bee vpon earth I doe foretell vnto you that it shall not bee so For though I appoint vnto you a kingdome and yee shall eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and sit on seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel in my kingdome yet my kingdome is not of this world yee shall not I assure you tyrannise in heauen as the kings of the nations vpon earth This sense likewise is good and fitting other places of Scripture but it doth not fit our present text for it will appeare by comparing one Euangelist with another that Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall not be is nothing else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let in not be for whereas Saint Marke saith chapter 10. 43. shall bee your seruant and verse 44. shall be seruant of all S. Matthew chap. 20. 26. hath it in tearmes imperatiue let him be your seruant and S. Luke here he that is greatest among you let him be as the least and he that is chiefe as he that doth serue These termes of command insinuate that our blessed Sauiour spake vos autem non sic imperatiuely forbidding a thing to be done Wherefore let vs examine two poynts especially first what is said secondly whom it concernes Some referre so to the word benefactors here translated gracious Lords making the sense to be they that are in authoritie are called gracious Lords but ye not so that is ye shall not be called gracious Lords Other referre so to the verbes reigne and rule making the sense thus the kings reigne and great men rule but you not so that is ye shall not rule other attribute so to the same verbes yet make the construction otherwise the kings of the Gentiles doe rule but ye not so that is ye shall not so rule to wit as the kings of the nations rule So that either titles of honour are forbidden as gracious Lords or ruling or else so ruling The Nouelists in the first exposition haue condemned the titles of our Archbishops in the second the iurisdiction of our Bishops our Diuines therefore like best of the third affirming that Christ here prohibited neither titles of honour nor ruling but onely so ruling Not titles of honour as Lord ruler benefactor for as Christ in saying elsewhere be not ye called Rabbi for one is your master and call no man father vpon 〈◊〉 for one is your father which is in heauen and be not called Doctors c. Forbids not simply the names of Rabbi father and Doctor for a childe may call his parent father and a scholler may call his teacher Doctor and a seruant may call him vnder whose gouernment he liues master and so Paul called himselfe the Doctor of the Gentiles and the Corinthians father As I say Christ there forbids not absolutely the names of father and master much lesse the functions but only the pharisaicall affection and arrogant affectation of superiority so Christ here likewise forbids not his Apostles to be called Lords or rulers or benefactors but condemnes only the carnall ambition of these titles and insolent vsing of the same For we reade in holy Scripture that these titles were giuen to Christ and his Disciples as Iohn 13. 13. Ye call me master and Lord saith he and ye say well for so am I. Yea his Apostles are stiled by that title which is rendred elsewhere Lords Acts 16. 30. Lords what must I doe to be saued said the Iaylor to Paul and Silas and yet they reprehended not this title which they would haue done had it beene vnlawfull as Paul and Barnabas rebuked the men of Lystra when they would haue sacrificed vnto them as vnto Gods O men why doe ye these things so likewise Preachers of the word are stiled rulers Heb. 13. 7. Remember those which haue the rule ouer you who haue preached vnto you
Marke 16. 15. Preach the Gospell vnto euery creature teach all men and that by all meanes doe the worke of an Euangelist thoroughly that is as he speakes elsewhere be to them an ensample both in word and in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith in purenes Many which are called lights of the world are fumantes magis quà m flammantes affording more smoake then flame but let your light shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen instruct thy flocke by good deedes as well as holy doctrine Thoroughly to do the worke of an Euangelist is to preach well and to liue well hee that doth both executes his office vnto the vttermost The perillous times instant in the dayes of Paul are become extant in our age This prophesie beloued is fulfilled among vs in the Church of England for albeit I confesse to Gods glorie that there may be found a righteous Abraham in Caldea a iust Lot in Sodom a godly Daniel in Babylon a patient Iob in the land of Husse a deuout Tobias in Nineuâ—…e a zealous Ananias in Damasco Though I say there be found wheat among tares and corne among chaffe and a pearle in a dunghill and a lilie among thornes Albeit there be manie good professors and true Christians among vs abundant alwaies in the work of the Lord yet I feare that there be moe which either reuolt to poperie Turning away their eare from the Truth vnto fables attending the spirits of errour and doctrines of Deuils or else start aside to schisme hauing itching eares and getting vnto themselues after their owne lusts an heap of such irregular and hypocriticall instructors as shall doe nothing else but increase their itch by clawing or else falling into foul Epicurisme will not endure the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godlinesse 1. Tim. 6. 3. Our Bishops and pastors therefore need to be watchfull in all things doing thoroughly the works of Euangelists and executing their office to the full The patriarke Iacob commending his pastorall care to Laban said I was in the day consumed with heat and with frost in the night and my sleep departed from mine eyes In which obserue with Aquine three remarkable vertues in a good Pastor Assiduitie Patience Solicitousnesse Assiduitie looking to his flock night and day without intermission He that is a watchman ought continually to stand vpon his watch-tower in the day time and to set in his watch euery night Esay 21. 8. feeding his sheep in the day praying for his sheep in the night Patience both enduring the heat of present persecution and the frost of future seare Solicitousnesse in that his sleep departed from his eyes Now seeing our calling is so good and our charge so great it behoueth all people to remember and obey those which haue the ouersight of them and submit themselues because they watch for their soules as they that must giue accompt that they may giue it with ioy and not with griefe Suffer afflictions All that will according to the rules of Christianitie liue godly shall suffer persecution especially the preachers of righteousnesse to whom it belongeth ex officiâ—… to reproue to rebuke to exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2. Tim. 4. 2. to pluck vp and to root out and to throw downe Ieremy 1. 10. in a word to lift vp their voice like a trumpet shewing Gods people their transgressions and to the house of Iacob their sinnes Esay 58. 1. When our blessed Lord sent foorth his Apostles to preach he said Behold I send you foorth as sheep in the midst of wolues and when he sent his Disciples to preach as it is in the Gospell appointed to be read this day he said Goe your waies I send you foorth as lambes among wolues Bishops succeeding th' apostles are like sheep among wolues inferiour Ministers succeeding the Disciples are like lambs among wolues not as wolues among wolues or sheepheards among wolues or sheep about wolues but as sheep among wolues harmlesse and innocent lambes in the midst of hurtfull and hungrie wolues And Matth. 23. 34. Behold I send vnto you Prophets and wisemen and Scribes and of them yee shall kill and crucifie and of them yee shall scourge in your Synagogues and persecute from citie to citie So that as Chrysostome said a man should not enter into this high and holie calling except he be willing to suffer a thousand deathes as Paul 1. Cor. 15. 31. I dye daily Iohn Baptist came neither eating nor drinking and yet the people said he had a deuill Christ himselfe came both eating and drinking and they said he was a glutton and a wine-bibber The seruant is not greater then his master neither is an Embassador greater then he that sent him If they haue called the master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of the houshold That Timothie therefore may fulfill his office doing thoroughly the work of an Euangelist he must suffer afflictions as a good souldior of Christ euer readie to beare bloudie blowes of open enemies and drie bobs of false friends The resolute doctor Martine Luther opposing the Deuill and the Pope who doth exalt himselfe against all that is called God in the midst of his trouble for the Gospell vsed merily this by-word Mitte mundum vadere sicut vadit nam vult vadere sicut vadit Art thou called to preach execute the work of an Euangelist vnto the full and leaue the successe to God If the world doe not beleeue What is that to thee said Christ vnto Peter in the like cause follow thou me Tu me me me sequere non tuas quaestiones aut cogitationes And a reuerend Bishop in our age who hath had his part in afflictions often repeates this distiâ—…hon Spernere mundum spernere nullum spernere sese Spernere se sperni quatuor ista beant O economical labour is great Politicall greater Ecclesiasticall greatest of all as Luther speakes to preach the Gospell as we should is to stir vp all the furies of Hell against vs. And yet let not any Timothie be discouraged in his office seeing after his fight is ended and his course finished a crowne of righteousnesse is layed vp for him and shall be giuen vnto him at the comming of our Lord Iesus vnto iudgement Fulfill thine office vnto the vttermost As if he should haue said thou canst not execute thine office to the full vnlesse thou be watchfull and suffer afflictions Or by these things thou shalt make proofe of thy ministrie to the whole world when as they shall see thy doings and suffrings answerable to thy doctrine and sayings Painfully to preach and patiently to perseuere doing the workes of an Euangelist and suffring affliction for the Gospell are true notes of a true pastor I am readie