To the right worshipfull Master Richard Martin Warden of the Queenes Maiesties Mints and Alderman of the Citie of London Grace and peace from God the Father through Christ Iesus our Lord. I Haue sent vnto you right worshipfull and dearly beloued in the Lord according to your earnest request and my promise the summe and effecte of my Sermon preached at Paules Crosse desiring you to receiue it as a most certaine token of my vnfayned loue towardes you in Christ For although it come from an olde friend and brother in the Lord yet I send it vnto your worship for a Newe yeres gift to testifie a newe increase of my Christian loue towards you so many as shal reade it with purpose to liue according to the rule of sound doctrine and godlines And concerning you of whose integritie I haue good experience I perswade my selfe that our most mercifull Father by this meanes vvill vvorke in your heart the plentifull increase of the giftes and invvard graces of that nevv man vvhich is framed according to the Image of his dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus For as you haue bene most earnest to haue in vvriting this doctrine so I doubt not but you vvill be most diligent in the practise thereof for vvhich cause I commit it into your hands to vse to Gods glorie the profit of his children to your ovvne comfort Grace peace and loue vvith faith from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ be vvith you novve and euer Amen From Cambridge by your most louing friend and brother in the Lord Laurence Chaderton To the Christian Reader AS much reading is a wearines to the flesh so there is neither end nor profit in making many bookes True wisdome escheweth both but the folie of our time neuer ceaseth to write nether can be satisfied with reading the new and variable inuētions of men A fault amongst wise Philosophers much misliked how much more ought it to be cōdemned eschewed of al learned Christians But vaine glory desire of popular fame in the writers desire of filthy lucre in the Printers haue stuffed our English studies with many superfluous vnnecessary books to the great hurt of many good wits to the hinderance of cōstant iudgemēt in the soūdnes of Christiā doctrine A matter most necessary to be reformed by such as haue receiued authority to this end that neither our Church nor cōmon weale shuld be hurt but rather bettered by the writings of men For my part I wish with all my heart that we had fewer bookes greater skill in the old newe Testament of Christ wherin are bequeathed vnto vs most heauenly precious Iewels legacies of the immortal inheritance to which most sure word Testament if we take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place we shal be directed aright in the strait way that leadeth to immortalitie happines Now touching this my Sermon if I did thinke deare Christian Reader that it would quench in the mind of any the desire of hearing the Gospell preached not rather inflame their heart both to hearing faithful working I would rather haue buried it in perpetuall silence then committed it to writing But being fully perswaded that by this meanes the Lord God in mercye wil bring into the minds of those that heard me a fruitfull remēbrance of his mighty working by the power of his spirit at that present to their singular comfort I haue in some part satisfied the earnest importunat sute of many deare Christians and brethren who did both by letters word of mouth after a sort compel me to write it The summe and effect of al I haue set downe not in the same words I spake for the Lord knoweth I neuer writ it and therfore could not but in other so plainly as I could for the capacity and vnderstāding of al. I haue added those things whereof then I could not partly for lacke of time partly for other necessary occasiōs intreat And albeit mine owne inabilitie in this kinde of writing wherein I am altogether a stranger and the feare of the seuere censure of the learned eloquent diuines did greatly disswade me yet my earnest desire both to leaue behind me some smal testimonie of my saith cōscience religion also to haue my iudgement touching faith workes approued of the English church did as it were violētly carie me to this dutiful worke of loue Now my harty desire is that this my labour may be acceptably receiued louingly expounded of all my prayer vnto God is shal be that euery one of vs according to the measure of the gift of Christ may be inabled by his spirit to hold fast the sound doctrine of pure religion in life and in death with al ioy of the holy Ghost sincerely to practise the same to the glory of Christ the edificatiō of his Church But let no man thinke that the reading of this can be half so effectual and profitable to him as the hearing was or might be For it wāteth the zeale of the speaker the attention of the hearer the promise of God to the ordinary preaching of his word the mighty inward working of his holy spirit many other thīgs which the Lord worketh most mercifully by the preaching of his glorious Gospel which are not to be hoped for by reading the written Sermons of his ministers Neuerthelesse I trust that he will blesse the reading hereof to the praise of his owne name the cōfort of his Church To him therefore by Christ be al praise honour in the Church for euer Amen Matthewe vij 21 Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers wil which is in heauen 22 Many will say to mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out deuils by thy Name done many great works 23 And then will I professe to them I neuer knewe you depart from me ye that worke iniquitie THese three short verses are a principall part of that heauenly sermon which our sauiour Christ preached in the mount vnto his own disciples and the people The summe and meaning hereof is a dreadful declaration of the final destruction and eternall condemnation of all counterfait and hypocritical professors of Gods true Religion For although in the former verses Christ did particularly describe vnto his auditorie false and dissembling prophets by their fruits to the end they might better know them yet in this 21. verse he ascendeth from that particular to a general description of all false fayned professors of the trueth of what calling and function soeuer they be of in the Church or common wealth as appeareth most plainly both by the similitudes generally vsed in the 17.18 19. verses going before and also by these words Not euerie one that saith vnto
woorkers of miracles shall be throwen into the chaynes of euerlasting darkenes O that men woulde seriously consider this and turne vnto the Lorde with all their hearts and soules in this acceptable time of grace for euen now wisdome cryeth without the sounde of the Gospell is heard in our temples nowe is the time of peace nowe is the day of repentance To day if you will heare the ioyfull voyce of Christ harden not your heartes with the wicked of this worlde but cease from your owne workes and doe the Fathers will which is in heauen So doyng the God of peace shal sanctifie you through out and keepe your whole spirit soule and bodie blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ The reason of this sorowfull departure is for that in preaching casting out deuils and working miracles they wrought and committed iniquitie for so it is sayd Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Not that they did vnlawfull workes but because they did lawful things vnlawfully for albeit they preached and wrought miracles both which did auaile much to the edification of the Church yet in regard of the corrupt maner of doing Christ calleth them Workers of iniquitie This doctrine condemneth all men which do lawfull thinges vnlawfully how much more those which doe vnlawfull thinges though they haue neuer so great a shewe of godlynesse Good workes I confesse must be done but such onely are good which God hath commaunded in his word not such as men by worldly wisdome haue deuised of which sort are running on pilgrimage to the dumme and senselesse images doing of penance at the priestes appointment and an infinite nomber of the same not onely in that Popish religion but also in all humaine and voluntarie seruice For they haue not so much as a shewe of commaundement out of the word and Scriptures of God as maye easily appeare to him that hath but once in all his life read ouer the Bible Here then we see how euery man maye please and displease God please if he doe that which is commaunded of God after that maner he hath commanded it displease if he doe any thing either not commanded but deuised of man or do the thing commaunded after an vnlawfull maner In consideration whereof all those that be out of the Church are iustly termed workers of iniquitie for the which at the day of Iudgement they shal be eternallye condemned Contrarily those which are in and of the Church which is the mystical bodie of Christ because they doe workes commaunded after an vpright and sincere maner Christ doth iustly call them Doers of his Fathers will to whom by promise not by desert belongeth the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting happinesse Nowe therefore to make an ende I beseeche you for the loue that you beare to your owne saluation as though Christe should beseeche you by me to abhorre and eschewe the cursed behauiour of all dissembling professours to embrace and practize the vpright and syncere maner of doing the Fathers will to contend and striue to enter in at the narrow gate of the kingdome of heauen to flie al apparance of euil to abound plentifully in all good workes keeping faith hope loue feare and watchfulnesse without wearynesse and faynting euen vntill the last moment of lyfe that Christe which is our lyfe may receyue vs into eternall lyfe and immortall glorie This is my humble petition vnto you and my daylie prayer for all the Saintes and electe of GOD that we being all most perfectly by the holie Ghost and fayth vnited and incorporated into Christe as the members of the body into the head might be partakers of the felowshippe of his glorie together with his and our Father and al the holy companie of Angels in the heauenly kingdome of all happynesse and felicitie Nowe I for my part assuredly hope and perswade my selfe that all those that loue the comming of Iesus Christ will louingly receiue this my petitioÌ„ to doe thereafter And I constantly beleeue that our most mercifull Father wil heare my prayers and grauÌ„t this my request to the euerlasting prayse of his mercie and the continuall comfort of his Churche To him therefore with his Sonne the holy Spirit three persons and one immortall and euerliuing GOD be all praise power glorie and thankesgiuing for euer euer Amen The suÌ„me and meaning of this text Luke 13.25 26 27. The order or disposition of the iii. verses There are two sortes of professors of true religion Gen. 4.5 Heb. 11.4 Gen. 4.4 Heb. 11.20 21. 12.16.17 Psal. 50.16 17 23 Esa. 29.13 14 15 Field Matth. 13.24 25. c. Floore Mat. 3.12 Luke 3.17 Nette Mat. 13.47 Who be the false professors of true religion what is their end Ierem. 7.3 4 Rom. 2.28 29 Iam. 2 17.24.26 1. Iohn 2 4 Luke 6.46 The end of false worshippers Notes to discerne betweene the false true woorshippers 2. Cor. 13.5 Matth. 6.1.2.3.4 5. Matth. 23.27 28. Philip. 2 1â— Philip. 3.13.14 Acts 11.23 Rom. 7.24 25. Psal. 130.4 2. Co. 5.14 15. Who be true professors of Christian religion Gods will is done after two sortes Mark. 1.11 Two things required to the doyng of Gods will. Deute 5.1 Deu. 10.12 Ioshu 22.5 Matth. 3.8 Iam. â— 14 1. Pet. 4.2 1. Iohn 1.6 7 Acts. 26.19 20. Heb. 12.14 Matth. 25. from the verse 34. to 46. Iob. 1.1 Acts. 9.36 Phil. 2.21 Oseas 4.1 2. Works are necessarie for many causes What is the ryght maner of doing the Fathers will. Iohn 1.13 Phil. 2.12 13. Rom. 8.26.27 1. Ioh. 3.18 19 1 Fayth Act. 15.8 9. 2 Hope Heb. 6.19 20 Heb. 12.1.2 Gen. 5.22 3 Loue. 1. Cor. 13.13 1. Cor. 16.14 Tit. 2.14 1. Ioh. 4.16 4 Feare 2. Cor. 7.11 Heb. 5.7 Heb. 12.28 29 1. Pet. 1.17 Prou. 28.14 5 Watchfulnes Eph. 6.18 1. Cor. 16.13 1. thess. 5.6 Mar. 13.35 36 37 Ma. 26.38 40 41 The end Gods glorie Exo. 32.32 Rom. 9.3 4. 1. Cor. 10.51 What it is to doe the Fathers will. Matt. 6.10 The last Tridentine Councell the sixt Session and 14. Canon Trid. the last the 25. Session and first decree Trid. the last Session 14. Cap. â— Triden the last Session 6. Canon 15. and 16. Trident. the last Session 25. in the decree concerning purgatory Rom. 3.27 Eph. 2.8.9 Acts. 19.15 2. Cor. 5.17 1. Sam. 13.14 2. King. 18.3 2. King. 23.25 Luke 1.6 Iohn 1.47 Mat. 8.10 Luke 2.37 Act. 2.46 Ioel. 2.16.17 The second part of the text The defeÌ„ce of the best sort of fayâ—ed profeâ—â—ors Dan. 12 3. Mat 9.42 Mar. 9.41 1. Cor. 9.16 The right maner of preaching respecteth vtterance the inward affection Act. 20.24 1. Cor. 1.17 21. 1. Cor. 2.1.4 5. vers 1. Co. 2.13 1. Co. 3.12 13. 1. Co. 4.19 20. 1. Thes 2.5 2. Tim. 1.13 1. Tim. 4.7 1. Cor. 2.2 1. Pet. 5.2 3. Matth. 10. 1. Co. 9.16 17. 1. Cor. 9 19. â— 1. Cor. 9.27 1. Cor. 9.10 33. 2. Cor. 4.1.2 2. Cor. 6.7 1. Thes 2.7 11. Act. 20.20 1. Thes 2.8 2. Timo. 1.13 14 Tit. 2.7 8 How nere the wicked may come to the waies of the godly Mat. 13.20 Mar. 4.15 Luk. 8.11 Act. 8.13 Gala. 4.14.15.16.20 Matth. 23. 1. Co. 13.3 Acts. 5.1.2 Heb. 6.4 Mat. 12.50 The answere of Christ Mat. 25.41 ¶ Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes Maiestie
and holy bread offeringes carnall fastinges crossinges anointinges with infinite moe of the same sorte All which inuentions of men are directly contrary to that worship which our Sauiour Christ witnesseth to consist in Spirit and trueth and therefore iustly condemned For if bodily exercises which may be well vsed are neither profitable of them selues neither anye parte of the worshippe of God doe we not iustlye abhorre and detest the traditions which are after the commaundements and doctrines of men And nowe as it is certaine that they fayle in these thinges so also in the ende whereby all our actions must be measured and esteemed For in that they ascribe righteousnesse in parte to their workes which they haue done they may with as good reason challenge a part of the glory of their redemption whereby the Lord of necessitie must be robbed of his honour to whome belongeth all glory and dominion Thus much I haue spoken only of skilful malicious and obstinate Papists not of the poore ignorant ones which neither haue knowen the trueth neither haue their conscience set fixed in heresie Albeit I dare affirme that neither these neither any other obstinate and wilfull heretike or ignorant person doeth or can doe the Fathers will Because as heresie is strong to coÌ„demne so ignorance is blinde and causeth vs to fall into the pit of condeÌ„nation Seeyng therefore that this doctrine of our Sauiour Christe condemneth Atheists Infidels Iewes Libertines Papists and al other sects of heretikes ignorant persons euery one that is not of the true Church of God we had neede with all care and studye to trie and examine the very bottome of our heartes and rippe vp all the inwarde and secret corners of our consciences least we also be iustly reprooued and condemned by the same For assuredly we must all in the day of iudgement be tried and made knowen to the worlde by the practise of this doctrine to the glory of God the comfort of our owne hearts whether we haue truelye tasted of the gifte of God in Christ or no but if we do content our selues with the shadowes of inwarde godlynesse as with the outwarde vse of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lorde with lippe seruice and such externall kinde of profession denying the power thereof in our heartes and workes wee deceyue our owne heartes we depriue our soules of the ioyfull fruition of Gods presence and walke as fast as can be towards the place of darkenesse and endelesse destruction For this is the doctrine of the Sonne of God Not euerye one that sayeth vnto me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my heauenly Father which is in heauen Goe to then you carnall and worldely Protestants that saye Lorde Lorde God be praysed and God be thanked for all his giftes c. I demaunde this of you in the person of Christ whose seruant I am though most vnworthie shewe me this your fayth and professed religion by your workes and iustifie it before me the Church of god For was not Abraham our father iustified through woorkes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the altar Was not Rahab the harlot iustified through woorkes when she had receyued the messengers and sent them out another way Knowe therefore for a certeintie all you that professe the feare of God that fayth professed without woorkes is dead Yea as the bodie without breath so fayth without woorkes is cleane dead and therefore but a shadowe of the true fayth which woorketh by loue But ye wyll say We knowe and beleeue that Christ is the Sonne of god What then the deuils beleeue also tremble yea and confesse IESVS wee knowe and Paul wee knowe but who are yee Yea but wee by Baptisme and the Sacrament of thankesgiuing are become the professours of Christ Was not Iudas a professour also yea a preacher and a worker of miracles But wee are no enemies and persecutors of Christ as he was No more were those dispersed Christians to whome Iames wrytte nay they suffered manye troubles for the outwarde profession of the trueth whome notwithstanding he condemneth for want of workes These thinges therefore are but clokes of hypocrisie and wordes of lyes whereby Satan carryeth away manye from the wayes of godlinesse and life into the paths of wickednesse and destruction It is not then the outwarde shewe of Christianitye in countenaunce worde and worke that auayleth any thing but onely a newe creature in Christ In consideration whereof I heartily desire and beseeche you all from the hyghest vnto the lowest both to flye this damnable corruption of worldly and carnall men and to giue all diligence to keepe and obserue this heauenly maner of doing the Fathers will. Take vnto you aboue all thinges fayth ioyne vnto faith hope vnto hope loue and brotherly kindenesse vnto brotherly kindenesse reuerent feare of the Maiestie of GOD vnto a reuerent feare a continuall and â—â—cefull watchfulnesse in all good workes For if these be amongest you and abound more and more according to the measure of the gift of Christe they will make you that ye neyther shall bee idle nor vnfruitefull in the profession of Christ and his Gospell But he that hath not these thinges what face and countenance so euer he carrieth of religion wisedome learning and vertue he is blinde and can not see farre into the mysterie of godlinesse or els hath through ingratitude altogether forgotten that he was purged from his olde synnes Seeyng then by this meanes not onely an entring shall be ministred vnto you into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lorde and Sauiour IESVS Christ but also your effectuall calling and eternall election shall be fully ratified vnto your owne heartes and consciences so as you maye knowe perfectly that nothing can separate you from the loue of GOD if there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if anye fellowshippe of the Spirit if anye compassion and mercie thinke on those thinges which you haue now heard fulfill these things and you shal neuer fall but the God of peace shal be alwayes with you neither shall the comforter euer depart from you But peraduenture some will say O Lorde who is able for these things In deed in respect of man it is vnpossible but with God as all other things so this is possible and hath bene by his power wrought in man For doeth not the holy Ghost witnes of Dauid that he was a man according to Gods own heart of Hezechia that he did vprightly in the sight of the Lord according to al that Dauid his father had done of Iosia that he turned to the Lorde with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might according to all the lawe of Moses of Zacharie and Elizabeth his wife that they were iust before God and walked in all the ordinances of the Lord without reproofe of Nathanael that he was an Israelite
ye me Master Master and doe not the thinges that I speake Wherein as he sheweth that nothing in all the worlde ought to mooue vs to professe our selues to be his seruants except we doe and fulfill the things which he commaundeth so he condemneth euery kinde of profession which is voide of this faithfull obedience Thus we see what the first sort of woorshippers be euen such as in worde confesse and by hearing the Gospell preached receiuing the Sacraments and calling vpon God professe themselues to be his seruants notwithstanding they securely pretermit the dooing of Gods will and therefore shall iustly be secluded from the kingdome of heauen For these men though they crie in the Church neuer so loude Lorde Lorde they shall neuer be heard though they in worde most gloriously doe confesse Christ to bee their Sauiour yet in the daye of iudgement he will not confesse them though they say they knowe him in this life yet then he will professe that he neuer knewe them though they seeme vnto men most diligent woorkers of righteousnes and pietie yet he then iudging not according to the outward appearance but the sincere puritie of the heart will saye vnto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Finally though they seeme to liue and to be the children of light yet they are dead and are the sonnes of darknes and therefore shall not as it is affirmed here in this place enter into the kingdome of heauen which is the second thing whereby they are described Beholde therefore all ye hypocriticall callers vpon the Name of God your ende your porcion and the lot of your inheritance which you haue by the hardnes of your hollowe hearts which can not repent treasured vp vnto your selues against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will rewarde euery man according to his workes For you shall not onely be cast out of the kingdome of heauen from the glorious presence of the king of all glorie but you shall drinke as a iust recompence for your iniquitie the bitter cuppe of Gods eternall wrath and indignation in the kingdome of darknes and in the fearefull presence of Satan and all the cursed enemies of Gods grace Repent therefore and turne vnto the Lorde circumcise the foreskinnes of your heartes and bring foorth fruites woorthie amendment of life and thinke not that because you are by the iudgement of men counted Christians or because you are partakers of the worde and Sacraments of Christ and of Christian prayers thankesgiuing you shall therefore in the generall iudgement of all fleshe stand in the assemblie of the righteous for euen nowe also is the axe put to the roote of the tree so that euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire For there is no respect of persons with God but as many as haue sinned and transgressed the lawe of nature which was by the finger of God written in two Tables committed to Moses shal be iudged by the same But that the knowledge of this first sort of professors of their miserable end may be more effectuall and profitable to worke in vs a perfect hatred of their corrupt life a godly feare of their dreadful death I will briefely set downe some particular notes whereby they may be the better knowen and al other may more truely examin their own hearts so clerely see whether they be of that nomber or no. First he that saieth onely vnto Christ Lord Lord doth not the will of God he hath in his heart if he doe iudge himself aright according to the Apostles precept a far greater care and desire to be accompted a good christian amongst men then in deede and trueth to be so in the sight of God. Therefore our Sauiour Christ forbiddeth vs as in giuing of almes and praying so in all other workes to be like vnto these hypocrites whome he affirmeth to haue this great loue and desire to appeare righteous in the sight of men Secondarily this hypocriticall caller vpon God doeth more busie his head about the outward and generall worke commaunded then about the spirituall maner of doing which he seldome or neuer sincerely obserueth For so Christ teacheth and also denounceth a fearefull woe against them saying Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye are like to whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead mens bones and of all filthines so are ye also for outward ye appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie Moreouer the hypocrite worketh his saluation securely coldely and carelessely not in feare and trembling as the Spirit of trueth commaundeth in the Epistle to the Philippians the second Chapter and the twelfth verse For he striueth not against his owne corruption to suppresse all rebellious affections lustes which striue against the lawe of God neyther to obtaine those graces and giftes of regeneration which he seeth wanting in himself nor forgetteth with blessed Paule that which is behinde nor yet indeuoureth him selfe to that which is before folowing hard toward the marke for the price of the hye calling of God in Christ Iesus and therefore manifestly bewrayeth his secure carelesse conscience Againe the hypocrite hath no full setled and resolued purpose in life death to professe and obey the trueth and will of God but is mutable wauering and inconstant in all his wayes In consideration whereof Barnabas comming into Antiochia seeing the grace of God most mercifully multyplied vpon many earnestly exhorted al that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the lord A true note to discerne betweene him that feareth God and him that doeth not Agayne the hypocrites care studie is to stay the outward and grosser sinnes of life flowing from the filthy fountayne of his natural corruption is altogether carelesse to stoppe the fountayne it selfe Wherein as he bewrayeth great want of heauenly wisdome great abundance of carnall folly so he can neuer say with inward and sensible feeling of the lawe of the members and of the Spirit as the Apostle Paule sayth O vvretched man that I am vvho shall deliuer me frō the body of this death I thank God through Iesus Christ our lord Then I my selfe in my mind serue the lavv of God but in my flesh the law of sinne A peculiar worke of Gods Spirit in all his elect which none of the children of this world euer tasted of to their comfort neyther can do Agayne the hypocrite is stirred vp to work wel in the iudgement of men by some worldly reason pleasing his owne fantasie and fleshly appetite not constrayned as Gods children are with the mercy of God and loue of Christ as it is in the 130. Psalme in these words But mercie is vvith thee that thou mayest be feared And also in
in deede in whom was no guile of the Centurion that there was not the like fayth in Israel of Anna that she liuing a widdowe foure score and foure yeeres went not out of the TeÌ„ple but serued God with fasting and prayers night and day finally of all the primitiue Church both men and women immediatly after the ascension of Christ that they continued with one accord in the Apostles doctrine felowship in breaking of bread in prayers supplications eating their meate together with gladnes singlenes of heart praysing God yea that the multitude of them that beleued were of one heart and of one soule neither any of them said that any of that which he possessed was his owne but they had all things common Wherefore seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses of kings of Prophets of Iewes of Gentiles of men of women which haue serued the Lorde in this right maner of doing let vs also cast away euery thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs runne with ioye pacience in this straight race which is set before vs without wearines and fainting For doubtles the want of those things ioyned with the practise of the contrary vices are the causes of all the punishments of God that are or haue bene in the world For whence commeth warre famine pestilence translation of Monarchies Kingdomes ouerthrowes of families Townes Cities whole Countries but from this that we doe not the will of our heauenly father as it is done in heauen For want whereof we that liue nowe in this peaceable land flowing with milke and hony and in the light of the Gospel shining vnto vs for the space of twentie golden yeeres are of all other most inexcusable For who can tell repeate the warnings whereby God in mercie hath called vs to repentance and reformation of our liues But who hath shed foorth as yet the Christian teares of repentance Not foure yeres agoe the Lord did as it were with his owne hand set a starre in the heauens whereof the wisest Astronomer that liueth can giue no reason Since that we haue bene admonished by a great and strange Comete in the ayre by earthquakes inundations of waters all which signes foreruÌ„ners of Gods wrath are returned to him again as being vnable to mollifie our stony hearts that we might turne vnto the lord Onely his glorious Gospel abideth with vs but alas it grieueth me to consider howe litle place it findeth in our hearts how carelesly receiued and how generally by the life conuersation of Christians it is defamed discredited so that I greatly feare that within short time it also will depart from vs and by the commaundement of God goe vnto a people which shall as the Thessalonians did receiue it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the worde of god Well in the meane time for the better auoyding and turning away the iudgements of God which hang ouer our heads namely this present plague whereby the Lorde in mercie hath visited this Citie I am to request in the Lordes behalfe the right honorable the Lord Maior of this Citie and the reuerend Father the Bishop that they would ioyne together in gathering together the people and calling a solemne assemblie and sanctifiyng a generall and publicke fast according to the commaundement of God and the necessitie of this present time This dutie and christian exercise is the rather to be done least our English Church for want thereof may through ignorance iudge it either altogether vnnecessarie or not much materiall But if this cannot be obtained to be done in a publicke solemne maner with all zeale and feruentnes in prayer and hearing the worde of God which I most heartily wishe and desire then I doe admonishe euery one priuately both to vse this and all other good meanes to turne from vs and this Citie all those punishments which our sinnes haue most righteously deserued For it is not the cleane keeping and sweeping of our houses and streetes that can driue away this fearefull messenger of Gods wrath albeit as I approue these lawfull ordinarie meanes so I mislike the desperate tempting of God which I heare to be in some but the purging sweeping of our consciences from all the stincking filthe and drosse of sinne deliuereth from the feare and perill of all euill and maketh vs pure and holy vessels meete for the holy Spirit of God to dwell in If you will imploy all your labours studies and cares hereunto and offer vp this sacrifice of praying fasting preaching and thankes giuing euen from the morning vnto the euening according to the example godly practises of our fathers which haue gone before vs who knoweth deare brethren yf the Lorde will returne and repent and leaue a blessing behind him euen the precious treasure of his glorious Gospel which now we haue and the benefit of helth which as yet we want But if this exhortation and request shall fall to the ground and bring forth no fruit as commonly the woorde of God doth amongst vs such is the hardnesse of our stonie heartes then your sinne lieth at the doore and abideth but my dutie though in great weakenesse and feare is discharged Nowe therefore I commende vnto you both this speciall and singular woorke of publike and solemne fasting and all other godly woorkes with faith hope loue feare and watchfulnesse wherein consisteth the syncere doing of the Fathers will desiryng and beseeching you all to receiue approue and fulfill them vnto your liues end that you may enter most ioyfully into the kingdome of heauen Thus much by good occasion I haue spoken concerning the two sortes of professors nowe I am to speake by order of the Apologie defence of the former sort for the auoyding of the finall sentence of condemnation conteyned in these wordes Manie will say vnto me in that day Lorde Lorde haue we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out deuils and by thy Name done manie great workes In these wordes Christ bringeth in not the vnlearned but the learned and those that seemed to be the chiefest and best professors of the Gospell reasoning with him selfe touching the matter of entring into the kingdome of heauen They alledge for themselues two principall and worthie workes not common vnto all but almost proper and peculiar â—iftes to the Ministers and Apostles of Christ that is to saye preaching the word ment here by prophecie and working of myracles vnderstoode by casting out deuils and doing many and great workes It may seeme strange and marueylous in our eyes that those which can in trueth alledge for them selues these two workes shoulde be secluded from the kingdome of heauen seeing that of preachers it is witnessed that because they turne many vnto righteousnesse they shal shine as the starres for euer euer of others that whosoeuer shal