hart as with their mouth they doo confesse that after death their bodies shall rise again Therefore though this Lawier were to bee blamed because hee came with so bad a minde yet is he to be commended because he mooued so good a question Many nowe a daies are very curious in idle and vnprofitable questions As what God did before he made the worlde How long Adam stood in the state of innocencie Whether Salomon were saued or no with many such vaine and vnnecessary questions but fewe there are which will aske as this Lawier did what they must doo to inherit eternall life You shall see many very carefull and inquisitiue howe they may get riches where they may purchase lands and Lordshippes howe they may come to aduauncement and honour and by what meanes they may procure the Princes fauour But you shall see few or none inquisitiue concerning the meanes of their saluation you shall seldome heare any aske their Pastor what they must doo to bee saued or which way they may come to heauen It is not now as it was in Iohn Baptists time when the Publicans the souldiers and all sortes of people came vnto him with Master what shall we doo Luke 3.10 c. Nor it is not nowe as it was in the time of Christ when the people came and asked him what shall we do that we may worke the works of God Iohn 6.28 Nor it is not now as it was in Peters time when vpon the hearing of Peters Sermon the people came to Peter and to the other Apostles crying and saying Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2.37 But now euery mans minde is of his worldly profit or pleasure or preferment This is the drift of all their deuises this is the ende of all their practises how they may liue here in delight and ease and leaue behind them a rich posteritie As for that heauenly country whereunto they were borne that newe Ierusalem wherein they should dwell it is the furthest end of their thought and the least part of all their care how to inherit it how to inhabite it The Question is how hee may inherite eternall life wherein hee seemeth to confesse that there is an eternall life for thereof he makes no doubt only the question is howe hee may attaine vnto it Heere therefore it appeareth that this Lawier was not a Saducee which denied the resurrection of the dead Mathe. 22. Nor hee was not an Epicure which are of this opinion that after death there is neither ioy to bee looked for nor paine to be feared and therefore are woont to say Ede bibe lude c. or as it is 1. Cor. 15. Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die But this man was a Pharisee such a one as Paul was before his conuersion one that expounded the law of God vnto the people and liued after the straitest lawe of their religion Acts 26.5 in a word he was such a one as both for his life and learning was admired and honoured of the Iewes Though this Lawier were learned yet it was boldly done of him to tempt the Lorde But what is it which learning dare not attempt if it bee not tempered with the feare of God Christ Iesus found no greater aduersaries than the high Priests the Scribes Pharisees which were all learned men and the Church of Christ at this day is by none so much afflicted as by those that carrie the opinion of singuler learning For looke how many heresies are extant in the Church or howe many controuersies in religion they haue bin deuisd are maintaind by learned men Let learned men therefore learne to feare the Lord yea let them learne to know nothing so much as Christ Iesus and him crucified 1. Cor. 2.2 without the which knowledge all knowledge is ignorance all wisedome is foolishnes all learning is madnes and all religion is error or hipocrisie or superstition God hath not chosen many wise men nor many nightie men nor many noble men but God hath chosen the foolish thinges of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the thinges that are mightie and vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and thinges which are not to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 3.19 Our Sauior Christ in the choice of his Apostles called not one that was learned yet hath he not reiected all that are learned for from heauen hee called his Apostle Paul a learned Lawier Acts 22.3 to be the Apostle and Preacher of the Gentiles Rom. 11.13 And there is no doubt but that in all ages and euen at this day hee calleth some in euery place and endueth them with excellent learning that they may serue to the gathering together of the Saints and to the exercising of the ministrie and to the edifying of the Church of God Ephe. 4.12 The Lorde Iesus so moderate our learning with his holy feare that wee may direct al our studies to the enlarging of his glorie and kingdome here on earth that when the chiefe shepheard shall appeare 1. Pet. 5.4 we that haue instructed other and turned many to righteousnes may shine as the brightnes of the firmament and as the staerres of heauen for euer Dan 12.3 Good Master what shall I doo to inherite eternall life Marke heere the discretion of the Lawier in asking this question As the man was a Lawier so there is no doubt but that hee had read the Lawe and the Prophets If you looke into the Law you shall not finde Cursed is hee that continueth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the Law to know them If you peruse the Prophets you shall not finde Cease from doing of euill and learne to speake well But the Law saith Cursed is he that continueth not in all thinges that are written in the book of the law to do them Deu 27.26 Gal. 3.10 And the Prophets say Cease from doing of euill and learne to doe well Esay 1.16 Psal. 24.14 And therefore the Lawier saith not How much must I knowe nor what shall I beleeue but what shall I doo to inherite eternall life Wee haue beene taught too long that wee are saued by faith without the workes of the Law Which Doctrine though it bee most true and both soundly proued and flatly concluded Rom. 3.28 Yet being vnderstood amisse as Paules writings sometimes are 2. Pet. 3.16 it hath beene the decay of all good deedes and brought in Epicurisme and all vngodlines T is true indeede that eternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ Rom. 6.23 But yet this gift is bestowed onely vppon those for whom it is prepared Math. 20.23 which haue exercised themselues in the workes of mercie Math. 25.35 In respect of God our election standeth certaine from all eternitie For it hath this seale The Lord knoweth them that are his 2. Tim. 2.19
eternixed But howsoeuer men by such meanes may bee remembred after death yet this is not the way to get eternall life For this is life eternall to know the onelie true God the seauenteenth Chapter of Iohn and third verse And to beleeue in the sonne of God the third Chapter of Iohn and sixteenth verse But these knowers must be dooers for he that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a liar and the truth is not in him the first of Iohn the third Chapter and fourth verse And these beleeuers must be good liuers for this is a true saying and these things I will thou shouldst affirme that they that haue beleeued God should be carefull to shew forth good workes Titus third eight Therefore to the obtaining of eternall life two things are necessarie The first is to beleeue well the second is to liue well By the first we are iustified in the fight of God for hee respecteth our faith By the second wee are iustified in the sight of men for they regard our workes And thus are the Apostles Paul and Iames reconciled for when Paul maketh faith the cause of iustification Romanes third Chapter and twenty eight verse he meaneth such a saith as worketh by loue Galathians the fifth Chapter sixth verse whereby wee are iustified in the sight of God And when Iames maketh workes the cause of iustification Iames the second Chapter and twenty foure verse hee meaneth such workes as proceede from faith Iames the second Chapter the eighteenth verse whereby we are declared to be righteous before men The Scripture describeth this eternall life by diuers excellent names to shew the worthines and excellencie thereof it is called a Kingdome Luke the twelfth Chapter and thirty two verse but yet such a Kingdome as cannot bee shaken like the Kingdomes of this worlde Hebrewes the twelfth Chapter and twenty eight Verse for it is a heauenlie Kingdome Matthew the eighth Chapter and eleuenth verse It is called Paradise Luke the three twenty Chap. and forty three verse for it is more pleasant than the garden of Eden And Abrahams bosome Luke the sixteenth Chapter for it is a place of rest and comfort It is called the house of the father wherein there be many Mansions Iohn the fourteenth Chapter The ioy of the Lord whereinto euery faithfull seruant must enter in Matthew 22. Chapter and all to expresse and declare vnto vs the beauty excellencie and glorie of that life which is eternall And yet as glorious excellent as it is such is the loue and fauour of God vnto vs that he hath appointed it to be our inheritance as here the Lawyer termeth it Inheritance is a kinde of tenure whereby a man in his own right holdeth or possesseth any thing as his own as when a lawfull heyre doth inherite his Fathers landes Euen so the kingdome of God belongeth vnto vs as our lawfull inheritance because we are the Sonnes of God It is a great prerogatiue to bee the Sonnes of God Iohn the first Chapter and third verse But to bee Heyres and Heyres with Christ Rom. the eight Chapt of that heauenly inheritance is a wonderfull priuiledge How are wee bound vnto Almightie God that where as hee might haue made vs stones or trees or beasts or such insensible and vnreasonable creatures it pleased his diuine Maiestie to make vs men the vndoubted heyres of eternall happines Behold deare brother and consider that heauen is thine inheritance eternall glorie is thy patrimony thou art borne to a kingdome thou hast a title to it when thou doest depart this life thou shalt bee sure to finde it If before thou departe this life thou doe not loose thy right and title by thy sinfull life Let euerie one therefore as hee tendereth the saluation of his owne soule forsake his wicked waies and nowe begin to walke in the waies of the Lorde If heretofore thou hast prophaned the Lords Saboath remember that henceforth thou sanctifie it If thou hast beene a Blasphemer of the name of God see that henceforth thou vse it with al reuereÌ„ce If thou hast beene malicious from henceforth be charitable If thou hast beene contentious now learne to bee peaceable If thou hast beene incontinent now begin to be chast If thou hast beene a drunkard from henceforth be sober in a worde If thou hast beene inclined to any sin bee sorrie for it and forsake it If thou hast neglected anye good worke now begin to doe it that in so dooing thou maiest inherite that eternall life which is promised and prepared for them that knowe the will of God and doo it as it is written in Luke the eighth Chapter and twentie one verse The Lord in mercie graunt that you bee not forgetfull hearers but dooers of the word Here endeth the first Sermon Printed at London for Thomas Gosson and are to bee solde at his Shop by London Bridge Gate 1595. THE LAVVGIVERS Answere to the Lawiers Question By HENRY SMITH LONDON Printed for Thomas Gosson and are to be sold at his shop by London Bridge Gate THE LAVVGIVERS Ansvvere to the Lavvyers Question Luke 10. And he saide vnto him what is written in the law how readest thou c. YOV haue heard the Question propounded Now you shall heare the Question answered And he saide vnto him what is written in the law how readest thou As if hee should haue saide I marueile that thou beeing a Doctor of the Lawe which should bee able to instruct others in matters of Religion art ignorant of that vvhich it behooueth euery man to knowe by what meanes hee may inherite eternall life Wherein hast thou bestowed thy study wherein hast thou imployed thy wâ—â— and howe hast thou spent thy time Thou seemest to bee a Lawyer Tell me what doth the Law require of thee Thou seemest to haue read the Scriptures let me see how thou hast profited by thy reading Thus doth our Sauiour send this Lawier to the Lawe to learne his dutie and setteth him to schoole that thought himselfe too good to learne Hee came to tempt Christ by asking the question but nowe himselfe must make the answere vnlesse he will bewray his owne ignorance If hee be a Lawier let him looke what the lawe saith concerning this question because the lawe is able to resolue euery doubt second Timothie the third Chapter sixteene and seauenteene verses Therefore the Prophet Esay sendeth vs to the lawe and to the testimonie Esay the eighth Chapter and twenty verse And our Sauiour Christ biddeth vs search the scriptures Iohn 5. And telleth vs that the ignorance of them is the cause of all errour Matthew twelue Chapter If then thou wouldest know the will of God studie the scriptures there hee hath reuealed his will vnto thee If thou desire to please the Lord looke into his worde there hee hath shewed thee what his pleasure is Finally if thou wouldest haue thy works to prosper consider what is written in the lawe aske
And I know whom I haue chosen Iohn 13.18 But in respect of our selues it is vncertaine and therefore wee must striue to make the same sure by good workes 2. Pet. 1.10 These are the wayes to come to heauen though they bee not the cause why wee shall come to heauen therefore we must keepe the way if euer wee meane to come to heauen For as wee are ordained to the ende so are wee ordained to the meanes which bring vs to that end If God haue predestinate any to eternall life hee hath also predestinate them to the meanes whereby they must attain eternal life that is faith a good cōscience 1. Tim. 5.19 therefore it is certaine that whoso euer is to be saued shall at one time or other before they departe out of this life bee called truely to beleeue and shall endeuour by all meanes as Paul did to keepe a good conscience both toward God toward men Act. 14.16 For that which is spoken of Christ in speciall Psal. 45. Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquitie must bee verified and in some measure accomplished in all the members of Christ they must loue righteousnes and hate iniquity And this is the difference that the Apostle putteth betweene the Children of God and the Children of the Diuel that the Children of God both loue and doe righteousnes and the Chil-of the Diuel loue sinne and doe it 1. Iohn 3.7 Let no man therefore thinke that he is predestinate to saluation vnlesse hee finde and seele in himselfe the effects fruits of predestination For those whom God hath predestinate them also in his good time hee calleth Rom. 8.29.30 not to vncleannes but vnto holines 1. Thes. 4.7 and whome he calleth them also he iustifieth and endueth with the grace of sanctification Rom. 6.2 c. and whome hee iustifieth them also he glorifieth Rom. 8. If any bee ingrafted into Christ by a liuely faith hee cannot but bring forth the fruit of good life Iohn 15. and whosoeuer doth not bring forth such fruit it is certaine that he is not yet ingrafted into Iesus Christ. Let vs not therefore I say flatter nor deceiue our selues as though we had true faith when we haue not the true fruits of faith For as the Sunne cannot be without light nor the fire without heat no more can a sauing faith be without good workes which are the fruits and effects thereof The penitent thiefe had but a short time of repentance yet in that short time he wanted not good works to declare his faith Luke 23.40 41.42 For no sooner was it giuen him to beleeue in Christ but that presently he maketh answere on the behalfe of Christ and cleareth him of all amisse hee rebuketh his fellow for his incredulitie he confesseth the greatnes of their sinne and their iust punishment for the same hee acknowledgeth Christ to bee the Lord and calleth vpon him Therefore it is not enough for vs to saie wee haue faith for the Diuells haue a kinde of faith Iames. 2.19 nor it is not enough for you to come to Church to call vpon the Lorde for Lorde Lorde will not serue the turne Math. 7.21 nor it is not enough for vs to preach vnto you for vnto some that haue preached in the name of Christ it shal bee saide at the last day depart I know you not Math. 7.22 nor it is not enough for you to be only hearers of the worde for then you deceiue your selues Iames. 1.22 But you that say you haue faith must shew it by your deedes Iames. 2.18 And you that come to call vpon the Lord must depart from iniquitie 2. Tim. 2.19 And we that preach vnto you must practise that our selues which we preach vnto you and bee an example of holie life for you to follow 1. Pet. 5.3 And you that are hearers of the word must be doers of the word and then you shall be iustified Rom. 2.13 VVhat shall I doo The Papistes will haue other men doo good works for them For some of the holier sort forsooth haue workes of supererrogation that is more good works than they neede themselues which they can spare and bestow vppon those that pay best for them And wee that are Protestants because wee will not disable Christ nor derogate from his merits will haue Christ doo all for vs and we will doo nothing for our selues But this Lawier was of another minde Hee asketh what hee shall doo to gaine eternall life because hee knewe that another man could not deserue it for him The soule that sinneth that same shall die and the soule that dooth righteousnes shall surelie liue saith the Lord Ezec. 18.4.5 And though Moses and Samuell stoode before the Lorde to make intercession for the wicked it shall not helpe them Ier. 15.1 Yea though Noah Daniel and Iob were in the Land when the Lord bringeth his plagues vppon it for sinne they shall saue neither sonnes nor daughters but onelie deliuer their owne soules by their righteousnes Ezech. 14.20 Therefore it behooueth euery man to know what he must doo to inherit eternall life and not onely to know for hee that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall bee beaten with manie stripes Luke 12.48 but hee must doo it and so shall hee haue cause of reioysing in himselfe and not in another For as another mans sinne shall not bee laid to my charge so another mans righteousnes shall not bee reckoned to be mine but euerie man shall beare his owne burthen Gal. 6.4.5 VVhat shall I do to inherit eternall life There is a life which is short and temporall which Iob compareth to a winde that soone bloweth ouer Iob 7.7 Iames to a vapour that soone vanisheth away Iames 4.14 This Lawier asketh not after this temporall life for this is common to beasts with men But here he inquireth concerning that life which is eternall and shall neuer haue an end T is strange to see how euery man almost desireth to be eternall and yet how fewe do vse the meanes to be eternall As the fowles by a naturall inclination delight to flie the fish to swimme and the beastes to goe so men are naturally carried with an earnest desire to liue for euer And albeit men know themselues to be mortall yet euery man according to his seuerall disposition deuiseth some meanes to be immortall Some like Lycurgus doo publish wholsome lawes Some Plato like pen learned bookes And some like Salomon build goodly houses and call the landes after their owne names thinking by this meanes that their names at least shall continue for euer Psal. 49. Thus euery man almost either for some valiant enterprise like Dauids worthies that killed the Giants 2. Sam 21. or for some desperate attempt like Saul that killed himselfe the first of Samuel and thirty one Chapter or for their famous and stately buildinges as the builders of both the Babels in the eleuenth Chapter of Genesis and fourth Chapter of Daniel will bee
so almighty God hath furnished vs with iudgement and reason as it were with certaine artillery whereby we are able to distinguish betweene good and euill and sent vs into this world as it were into the open fields and sets his lawe before vs as a marke as Dauid speaketh promising to giue vs the kingdome of heauen if we hit the same and albeit hee knoweth that wee cannot hit this marke that is keepe the lawe which he hath set before vs yet for the exercise of our faith and for the testifying of our duety and obedience towards him hee will alwayes haue vs bee ayming at it and though we come shorte of that dutie and obedience which he requireth at our handes yet dooth hee accept and rewarde our good endeuour but if we stubbornely refuse to frame our selues after his will then may hee iustly bee angry and displeased with vs. Therefore though thou must not perfectly keepe the law of God yet if thou endeuour thy selfe to the vtmost of thy power to obserue the same the Lorde that worketh in vs both the will and the worke will accept the will for the worke and that which is wanting in vs he will supply with his owne righteousnesse It followeth And thou shalt liue Heere is the promise euen life eternall Among all earthly things we count none so deere and precious as our life insomuch as we can be content to forgoe any thing before our life our bloud and our limmes we lose sometimes for the sauing of this temporall life which is no life indeed but rather a shadow and the image of death Now if we make so much and suffer so many things for the life of the body which is so shorte and momentany how farre greater things should we suffer for the saluation of our soule and for the gayning of that glorious and happy life which shall neuer end Heere Christ speaketh not of any common life but of life eternall which is the inheritance and seate of the blessed For seeing Christ must answer to the Lawiers Question and his Question was how he might inherit eternall life when the Lawier had saide what was written in the Law Christ answereth Hoc fac viues as if hee should say Loue God and thy neighbour and so thou shalt inherit eternall life this is the assoiling of thy Question Go to therefore deare brethren and consider at how small a rate or price of loue eternall life is to be purchased If we take so great paines vndergoe so many difficulties to pursue this mortall life what paines should we vndertake to enioy that immortall life If God should bid vs goe into a hote fierie Furnace and cast our selues into the burning flames we ought to doo it that wee might raigne with Christ But our gratious louing Lorde commaundeth no such thing but onely commendeth vnto vs loue that wee may liue Our God is not as the gods of the Gentiles which will haue the Parents slay their children and offer them vp in fire for a burnt sacrifice No our God will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee conuert and liue Ezech. 8. O how gratious is the Lord vnto vs which requireth no more of vs but loue and yet requireth vs with no lesse than life and that a glorious and eternall life Thus I haue at length explained The Lawiers Question and the Answere of Christ vnto the Question wherin I haue shewed you one way to come to heauen which is to keepe the Lawe of God and this way we finde most hard and difficult Another way there is by the death of Christ and this euery man thinks most easie to finde But this I assure you that who so euer doth not indeuour to walke in that old way that is to walke in the wayes of the Lord shall neuer come to heauen by that new and liuing way Christ Iesus because as Iohn saith cap. 3.3 who so euer hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe That is who so euer hopeth to be saued by the death of Christ hath a care to keepe himself from sinne and to walke in the commandements of the Lord. FINIS
hearts with all our soule that is with a sound perfect loue As we loue a ring or a iewell for his sake that gaue it so we must loue althings of this life for his sake that gaue them for his own sake aboue all the rest This perfect loue we can bestow but once and but one can haue it and who so hath it must be our God if we set our hart vpō riches we make riches our God therfore Dauid saith Psal. 62 If riches increase set not your heart vpon them if our whole delight be in eating drinking then we make a god of our belly and the Apostle tels vs Phil. 3. that our end is damnation if we be giuen to wantonnesse and fleshly pleasure then Venus is our goddesse and Salomon tels vs Prou. 6. cha 26. ver that our end will be beggerie But if we haue set our loue on God the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that loue him 1. Cor. 2.9 Nowe if you woulde know how you must loue God with all your hart thus you must doo it When the diuell or the world or the flesh shal set any thing before thee to loue wherewith thou shalt offend thy God thou must bee content to loose and forgoe the same be it neuer so precious be it neuer so louely He loueth God aboue all which not for the loue of any thing that is created can be brought to sinne against his Creator So Ioseph loued God aboue all who though hee might haue had the loue of his Ladie and Mistresse without suspition of man yet he would not consent and so to loose the loue of God Gen. 39. Such was Dauids loue to God 1. Kings 24. who when hee had gotten Saul his greatest enemy that sought his life into a Caue where hee might at once haue beene reuenged on him for all his iniuries was content onely to cut off the lap of his garment and so to let him goe vnhurt rather than hee woulde sinne against the Lord in laying his handes vppon the Lords annointed Such also was the loue of chast Susanna Dan. 13. who when shee might haue gained the loue and fauour of the Elders without any note of infamie chose rather to vndergoe the danger of hir life than to sinne in the sight of the Lorde Therefore thou mayest loue the things of this life thy parents thy wife thy children and the rest the Lorde giues thee good leaue to loue them so long as thou maiest loue them without offence to God But if once they be vnto thee an occasion to sinne thou must leaue to loue them and rather choose to susteine any losse though it bee to the cutting off thy hande or thy foote or to the plucking out of thine eye Math. 5.29 or to the hazard of thy life than thou wouldst offend so diuine a Maiestie Now thou seest if thou be not wilfully blind how farre thou art from this perfect loue which God requireth of thee Thou hast not alwaies preferred God before all thy worldly profit thou hast not alwaies preferred God before all thy fleshly pleasure when thou hast gotten oportunity to be reuenged of thine enemie thou hast not spared him when thou hast gotten oportunitie to commit wickednes thy loue to God hath not restrained thee where God required all thy heart thou hast giuen him no part of thy heart Somtime all thy heart runneth after thy couetousnesse Ezech. 33.31 Sometime thy soule is wholly set vpon-delight and ease sometime thy minde is all vppon thy corne Luke 12. or thy cattle or thy pasture and sometime thy thoughts are all vpon thy merchandise seldome thou thinkest vppon God but when thou commest into the Church of God and then thy minde is so distracted with diuers thoughts and eares and affaires of this life that thou canst not thinke vpon God one houre together Therefore what remaineth in this case for thee to doo but confesse thine owne imperfection and flie to Christ to supplie thy wants and earnestly to desire the Lorde to change thy heart to take from thee thy old heart thy vaine thy wandring heart which hath loued other things more than God and in stead therof to giue thee a new heart and to create a right spirite within thee Psal. 51. wherwith thou maist loue God aboue all things in this life that in the life to come thou maiest finde the rewarde of thy loue such ioyes and comforts as cannot be expressed Thus we haue heard what duety wee owe vnto God himselfe Now wee shall heare what duety we owe vnto our neighbour That which we owe vnto them both is loue but yet the loue which we owe vnto them is not alike For albeit the second commaundement bee like vnto the first Matthew 22. for the necessitie thereof and in respect of the subiect or qualitie which is required namely loue yet in respect of the obiect which is God and the measure of our loue which must bee perfect there is great odds betweene them In that they both require but loue they are both alike but in that the first requireth loue to God the second loue to men the first requireth a greater loue than the second there is the difference But here a doubt ariseth seeing God requireth the loue of all the heart soule c. what loue remaineth for our neighbour If God must haue all our loue what loue is left for any other Whereunto I answere that the loue of our neighbour doth not derogate nor detract from the loue of God As the light of a candle doth not dazel but rather commend the light of the sunne so our loue to our neighbour doth not diminish but rather accomplish our loue to God He that loueth the frute will loue the tree whereon it groweth and hee that loueth the streame will loue the fountaine from whence it floweth euen so he that loueth man which is a creature will much more loue God that hath created him But let vs examine the words Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Heere are foure thinges to bee obserued First what is required namely loue Secondly who must loue thou that is euery man Thirdly whome wee must loue namely our neighbour And lastly howe and in what manner wee must loue him as we loue our selues Concerning the first as in the former precept so in this also the Lord requireth loue wherein hee dealeth as a kinde father with his children who desirous to haue them so to resemble him as by their conditions euery man may knowe whose they are Therefore our louing father desirous to haue vs like himselfe requireth vs to be kinde and louing one to another as he is kind to the vnkind to the euill to the iust and to the vniust Matt. 5. He will haue vs perfect as he is perfect he will haue vs holy as he is holy he will haue vs
people thinke that the doctrine is true when they that preach it liue not thereafter Will not the people reason thus If his doctrine were good surely hee would follow it If his life be good surely he would teach vs to liue as he dooth Therefore whatsoeuer he saith wee will not beleeue him but as hee dooth so will we do and we hope to scape aswell as he Thus with the one hand they builde vp the Church of God and with the other hand they pull it downe because they doo more hurt by their bad example than they can doo good with all their preaching These are the vngodly that the Lorde by his Prophet reprooueth Psalme 50. VVhy dooest thou preach my lawes and take my wordes c. So long as Esay was a man of polluted lippes the office of preaching was not committed vnto him but when his lippes were cleansed Esay 6. then was he fitte for that office and function Euen so as long as we delight in sinne as much as any wee are not meete to reprooue the sinnes of other but when wee behaue our selues as it becommeth the ministers of the Gospell then haue wee commission to preach the Gospell and to reprooue the sinnes of the people Therefore to a good Churchman as you vse to call vs two things are necessary the first is to teach well the second is to liue well for as wee are resembled to Salte because wee must season the people with sound and wholesome doctrine so are wee resembled to the Sunne because wee must shine as lightes in the worlde by our holy life As Iohn Baptist was the voice of a cryer so he was a burning Lampe as the Apostles were willed to teache and baptise so their lights were commaunded to shine that men seeing their good workes might glorifie God Thirdly we here may see that truth is truth and to bee commended from whomsoeuer it cōmeth for though this Lawier came to tempt Christ yet because he told the trueth Christ admitteth his answere and commends him for it Whereby we haue to learne to embrace and receiue the trueth by whomsoeuer it is brought for as a iewell is to bee esteemed though it be found in a stinking dunghill so the trueth is to be regarded though it bee found in a wicked man And last of all we heere may see that to be verified which was spoken of Christ Esa. 42. Mat. 12 A brused reed shall he not breake c. that is he shall not discourage any in the way of godlinesse Though this Lawyer were Christs enemie yet when he aunswered discreetly and directly out of the word of God Christ approoueth his aunswere and exhorteth him to the practise of the same wherby we haue to learne to commend and encourage euery man in his well dooing and by all meanes to further them in their good beginnings Praise and honor are spurres to vertue therefore if a man haue done well commend him and he will do better but alas with vs it is farre otherwise for if a man haue done amisse it shall bee often cast in his teeth but if he haue done well he shall neuer heare of it But let vs go forward in the aunswer of Christ It followeth do this Hauing approoued his saying now hee exhorteth him vnto dooing for it is not enough to say well or to knowe much or to beleeue aright but wee must doo this that is we must loue God and our neighbour if we desire to liue Heauen is not gotten with faire wordes nor amorous lookes nor golde nor siluer nor gorgeous aray but with the fruites of a liuely saith or that I may vse the words of the Apostle Gal. 5.6 By faith working through loue God will not come to iudge vs at the last day whether we were learned or wise or eloquent or wealthy or honourable but whether we haue done those deeds of mercy to his needy members What shall it profit a man in the last houre of his death to haue beene eloquent and excellent in all kinde of learning that he hath preached many notable and worthy sermons if he haue liued a lewde and wicked life and caried a corrupt conscience to his graue In that terrible day when the bookes of all mens consciences shall be opened Apocal. 20. and euerie mans life shall be strictly examined it shall goe better with vs if wee haue serued God with a good conscience then if we haue beene able to dispute subtile questions for at that day it shall be said to some that haue preached in the name of Christ Depart from me I know yee not Mat. 7. Now as we shall not be saued for our preaching no more shall you be saued for your hearing for God will haue you to do as you heare aswell as he will haue vs to do as we teach if you looke into all the scriptures you shall finde no promise made to hearers nor to speakers nor to readers but to beleeuers or to dooers If yee aske God who shall dwell in his holy mountaine he saith Psal. 15. The man that walketh vprightly If you aske Christ who shall enter into the kingdome of heauen he saith Matth. 7. Not they that cry Lord Lord but they which doo the will of my father If you aske him how you may come to heauen he saith Mat. 19. Keepe the commandements If you aske him who are blessed he saith Luc. 11. Blessed are they that heare the word of God and doo it If you aske an Angell who is blessed he saith Reu. 22. Blessed are they which keepe the words of this booke If you aske Dauid he saith Psalm 106. The man is blessed which keepeth iudgement and dooth righteousnesse If you aske Salomon he saith Prou. 29. The man is blessed which keepeth the Lawe If you aske Esay he saith Esay 50. He which doth this is blessed If you aske Iames he saith Iam. 1. The dooer of the word shall be blessed in his deed And heere Doo this and thou shalt liue Heere is nothing but dooing to make vs blessed for as the workes that Christ did bare witnesse that hee was Christ Iohn 10. so the workes that we doo must beare witnesse that we are Christians But heere some man may obiect and say Is any man able to doo this that God requireth and if he be not why then dooth God commaund vs that which wee cannot performe Heerein almighty God dealeth with vs as a father dealeth with his children If a man haue a sonne of seauen yeares of age he will furnish him with bow and arrowes and leade him into the fields sets him to shoote at a marke that is twelue score off promising to giue him some goodly thing if hee hit the marke and though the father know that the childe cannot shoote so farre yet will hee haue him aime at a marke beyond his reache thereby to trie the strength and forwardnesse of his childe and though he shoote shorte yet the father will incourage him Euen