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
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
giue vnto any of the disciples of Christ in his name but a cuppe of colde water to drinke that he shall not lose his rewarde Againe seeing that of all workes of loue and compassion these two in our iudgement are without all comparison the chiefest for what greater loue can any man shewe towardes the soule of his brother then by preaching to deliuer it from the kingdome of darknes and translate it into the kingdome of light or what greater loue can there be shewed towardes his body then to cure it from all infirmities yea and that which is marueylous to deliuer it from the possession of deuils notwithstanding we see by the answere of our Sauiour Christ that these workes and therefore al other which be of lesse value are insufficient defences either to alledge vnto Christ for the auoyding of the sentence of death or to perswade our owne consciences that we are beloued of God according to our former doctrine For albeit they be necessarie for diuers and sundry causes before mencioned yet they containe no part of that pure obedience which by Gods spirit is wrought in all the true members of Christ What then is that which maketh preaching and all other workes acceptable vnto God and profitable for the comfort and saluation of the doer seeyng the workes themselues shal be reiected Surely to answer in one word it is the maner of doing whereof we haue spoken before at large In consideration whereof blessed Paule doeth iustifie his preaching not because he did preach for woe be vnto me sayth he if I preache not the Gospell but because he obserued the ryght maner order of preaching The which maner so farre forth as I can see and gather concerneth either the vtterance of true doctrine or the affection of the minde whence it procedeth For the vtterance he witnesseth that Christ sent him to preache the Gospell not with wisdome of wordes yea that it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Agayne he reioyceth that he came not with excellencie of wordes or of wisedome shewing vnto the Corinthians the testimonie of God and also that his worde and preaching stoode not in the intycing speache of mans wisdome but in playne euidence of the Spirit and power that the faith of the hearers shoulde not be in the wisdome of men but in the power of god And to shewe in what wordes he spake the Gospell of God and who was the author teacher of them he sheweth playnly in an other place saying Which things also vve speake not in the wordes which mans wisdome teacheth but in the words which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things vvith spirituall things For as the doctrine and foundation of our redemptiō is altogether heauenly and spirituall so ought those that be buylders thereupon to buylde after a heauenly and spirituall maner as the Apostle teacheth in another place comparing this heauenly man to golde siluer and precious stones and the contrary to tymber haye and stubble in these wordes If any man buylde vpon this foundation golde siluer precious stones tymber haye or stubble euery mans worke shal be made manifest for the day shal declare it because it shall be reuealed by fire and the fyre shall trye euery mans woorke of vvhat sorte it is Wherein we see howe necessarie a thing it is for vs that be preachers and diuiders of the worde not onely to looke vnto the foundation of our doctrine which is Christ but also to the maner of vtterance because that also must be tryed and examined by the holy Ghost as golde siluer c. are tryed by the fire Therefore Paule in great boldenesse and authoritie speaketh on this maner to the Corinthian preachers But I vvill come to you shortly if the Lorde vvill and vvyll knovve not the speache of them vvhich are puffed vp but the power For the kingdome of God is not in vvorde but in povver Whereby as hee woulde condemne their speache and maner of vtterance which delyghted the eare hauyng no power or strength to weaken and vnloose the holde of sinne and Satan in them so he woulde commend vnto them that maner of vtterance which shoulde least sauour of carnall wisedom and haue greatest power to turne the hearts of the hearers vnto God and as the Apostle doeth saye of himselfe that he vsed no such maner of teaching neyther any flattering wordes as it is in the fyrst Epistle to the Thessalonians So he doeth most carefully commende and bequeath it vnto Timothie and Titus his two sonnes in the fayth and in them to all other ministers as a faithful treasure for the edification of Christes body forbidding them to gyue heede vnto fables genealogies or to profane and old wiues tales vayne babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called and contrarily commanding them to staye such things to speake and exhort with all authoritie to studie to shewe themselues approued to God and workemen that need not be ashamed and finally to deuide the word aright This kinde of preaching touching the vttering of the worde diligently obserued of Paule and faithfully committed to his schollers ought with great care and diligence to be obserued of all the ministers of God that the faith of the hearers may stande in the power of the Spirit and trueth not in the weakenes of the swelling wordes of mans wisedome But alas who preacheth thus nay who doeth not iudge this kinde of preaching to be voyde of learning discretion wisdome Wherefore many doe stuffe their sermons with newe deuised words and affected speaches of vanitie not being cōtent with the words which the holy Ghost teacheth Many with vnnecessary sentences prouerbes similitudes and stories collected out of the wrytings of prophane men many with curious affected figures with Latine Greeke and Hebrewe sentences without any iust occasion offered by their texte with multitudes of humane authorities and diuers opinions of men in whom there can be foūd neither certaine rule of trueth neither constancie in iudgement and therfore very vnfitte to be admitted into that place as speakers wheras the fearefull mighty voyce of God hath straightly charged all people to heare his welbeloued Sonne saying This is my welbeloued Sōne heare him Many with stagelike gestures curious pronunciation and such other actions that are very vnseemely for those men which haue taken vpon them before God and his Angels to preach and publish vnto his people the Gospel of Christ crucified I would to God that all the ministers of this lande in this poynt could put on this affection of S. Paule fully to purpose with thēselues to knowe nothing amongest their hearers saue Iesus Christ and him crucified So we shoulde not onely cast aside this vayne corrupt vnprofitable maner of diuiding the worde of trueth but also banishe out of our heartes the desire of all such popular prayse and