wil. To doe the Fathers will is in faith hope loue and feare with all maner of carefull watching and perseuerance to worke those things which be commaunded in the Lawe and worde that GOD thereby may be glorified for to doe the thing commaunded and faile in the maner of doing is an halfe and maymed yea rather no seruice of God at all to faile in both is Atheisme to fayle in the worke and yet to boast of the affection of the minde and to be perswaded to haue the right maner of doing is carnall libertie and licentious presumption Contrarilie to haue and delight in both is sound godlynesse pure and vndefiled Religion euen before God the Father And therefore our sauiour Christ in the sixte of Matthewe giuing vnto his Disciples a right and a lawful fourme of praying commandeth them and in their persons all the faithfull to desire God to giue them grace not onely to doe the thinges commaunded but also to obserue this right maner of doing in this peticion Thy vvill be done in earth as it is in heauen meaning by doing of the Fathers will the things he hath commanded being agreeable to his will and by saying In earth as it is in heauen the right maner of doing whereby appeareth the necessitie of both these pointes whereof we haue spoken For he saith not Let that be done in earth which is in heauē or let those things be done in earth which God hath decreed but Let them be done so and in such maner as they be in heauen that is to say purely readily willingly zealously reuerently and continually to the glorie of God and the comfort of his people For the will of GOD at all tymes in heauen and in earth yea and in hell also is alwayes done and fully accomplished neyther can there come any thing to passe but that onely which the Lorde hath decreed In consideration whereof our Sauiour chargeth vs in the petition as wee haue heard both to doe the Fathers will which is necessarie and also to doe it so as it is done in heauen the which onely maketh our ministerie and seruice acceptable vnto him Nowe that we see the trueth and necessitie of this doctrine concerning the doing of Gods will let vs more particularly applie it vnto our selues that we maye the better knowe whether we be the doers of the worde and not onely hearers which can haue no hope and assurance of saluation And to let passe all those that swarue from the sounde doctrine of trueth and godlynesse as Atheistes and infidels which haue neither workes nor any grace of regeneration and Iewes which are voyde of true faith in the crucified Messias let vs examine by the rule of this trueth all those that seeme to embrace Christe Iesus and his true Religion as Libertines Catholickes and carnall Protestantes The Libertine and carnall Protestant are by it most iustly condemned because they haue no workes at all neither any soundnesse of faith or Religion but onely a false perswasion and vaine shadowe of both as the Apostle Iames teacheth in the whole treatie of his Epistle The Catholicks though they haue many outwarde and glorious woorkes to alledge for them selues yet they faile altogether in the maner of doing for not onely their iudgement by false doctrine is corrupted in that they teache that workes in parte doe iustifie that they are accepted the better for the vertue and intercession of Sainctes departed that the sacrifice of Christe his oblation onely washeth awaye sinnes committed before Baptisme Lastly that a temporall punishment heere and in Purgatorie can satisfie and sufficiently recompence that transgression whereby the perfecte Lawe and infinite Iustice of God is broken but also they fayle in all those poyntes which we haue taught to appertaine to the right maner of doing the Fathers will. Touching faith they teache and beleeue that it is a poynt of humilitie contrary to presumption to wauer and doubt of our saluation And therefore calling vpon God in this maner they shall neuer receiue any thing at his hand Touching a stedfast hope which onely looketh vnto Iesus Christe the Author and finisher of our saluation and that glorie which he hath purchased for vs in the presence of his Father they can neuer haue it both because their faith is wauering from whence this hope must proceede and also because they holde and teach that there be other places then heauen for the soules of men to rest in after this life Touching loue and charitie which principallye respect the saluation and profite of our brethren doe they not most vncharitably and flatly against the edification of the Church of GOD which in all publike actions vnder paine of damnation must be regarded teach and beleeue that ignoraunce of Gods religion is the mother of deuotion doe they not reade the word pray and giue thankes in a strange language and vnknowen tongue doe they giue which is not theirs to giue absolution from sinnes of meere loue and not for money Finally doe they vexe grieue torment persecute and burne the bodyes of Gods Saintes after two or three light conferences and disordered examinations because they loue their bodyes and the saluation of their soules No verely these thinges rather doe manifestly declare not onely that they are destitute of charitie towards men but also of pure loue towards god For he that sayeth he loueth God and hateth his brother he is a liar for how can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue GOD whome hee hath not seene As for the true feare of God howe can it be in them seeyng that they holde that Gods eternall wrath against our sinnes eyther past or to come can iustly and sufficiently be appeased by tryfling pardons and bulles giuen of mortall men and to be short considering that they teach that all sinnes following baptisme must be purged not by the blood of Christ but be counteruailed and so remoued by good workes as they falselye terme them or pardons and absolutions of sinfull men or equall punishment here in earth or in purgatorie the LORD forgiue them they know not where Lastly for carefull watchefulnesse to retaine all the foresayde graces howe can it be in them seeyng they are voyde and destitute of these gracious giftes of GOD If therefore they haue anye as in deede they haue much it is not neither can bee for these thinges but to maintayne and increase their vsurped power and aucthoritie of both the swordes And therefore knowing euerye man to be by the instinct of nature giuen to acknowledge GOD and with some kinde of watchefulnesse to serue him they haue out of the follye and vanitye of their owne braynes drawne out a kinde of seruice which standeth onely in outwarde ceremonies and bodily exercises wherein they haue bene and are very watchefull as in saying certeyne number of masses prayers diriges and such like in doyng of penaunce goyng on pilgrimage vsing of holy water
vnlawfull the which though they miscall preferments yet in deede they be so waightie charges that the wysest and strongest of all is altogether insufficient for an acceptable discharge thereof As concerning discipline practized in our Church by Chancelors Cōmissaries and Officials because euery one seeing all things for the most part begunne continued and ended for money in those courts doth iustly complaine as I pray vnto God dayly for the reformation hereof so I doubt not but the Lorde in due and conuenient time for the great loue he beareth towards his Church will stirre vp and arme with power wisdome and zeale as well those Magistrates which he in mercie hath alredie giuen vs as all those also with whome in time to come he shall vouchsafe to blesse vs to refourme these and all other the blemishes of his Church according to his worde These things being thus considered howe iust cause haue we to say with S. Paul whose time in comparison of ours was most free from corruption All men seeke their ovvne and not that vvhich is Iesus Christes The Lorde for his mercie sake graunt vs true repentance Thus much for the Ecclesiasticall estate And as for the conuersation of all other people in the lande of what condicion so euer I knowe not what to saye or howe to speake where to beginne or howe to make an ende I coulde wishe with all my hearte that in steade of reproouing all the sinnes in this lande and Citie my head conteyned a flood of water that I might powre out plentifull riuers of teares for all our damnable iniquities For doubtlesse the saying of the Prophet Oseas is verified in this our age by our vngodly life and conuersation There is saith he no trueth nor mercie nor knovvledge of GOD in the land By svvearing and lying and killing and stealing and vvhoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Our liues doe testifie this to our faces euery man doeth see it and acknowledge it in his heart We and the Catholickes for so they loue to be called doe most iustly complaine of it we with sorowe and griefe of heart desiring the speedie reformation hereof they with gladnesse of minde reioycing to haue so good an occasion to discredit the trueth of our religion And surely to speake the trueth it is our shamelesse conuersation that terrifieth both the ignorant and wauering Catholickes and the simpler sort of the common people beyng ready to imbrace any religion as appeareth by these which haue receyued imbraced the erroneous doctrine of H. N. and his familie falsely termed the familie of loue from the true profession of the Gospell of Iesus Christ Nay they not onely forsake vs but they reioyce and triumphe ouer vs in the matter of workes For the Papistes they alwayes cast in our teeth the great and famous hospitalitie of their nobilitie and clergie the buylding of Abbies Monasteries and Nunneries Cathedrall churches colledges with many other outward works which in deede are such as do stoppe our mouthes and put vs protestāts to silence But to let them passe with these great and costly workes wherein we must confesse they do exceede vs and to come to our selues and such works as are required of euery one in his seueral calling Where be those parentes and masters which doe teache in their families vnto their children and seruantes the lawe and feare of God walking them selues in the myddest of their houses in vpryghtnesse of heart Where be those gouernours that defende the fatherlesse and widowe that receyue no brybe to corrupt Iustice that prolong not sentence for lucre sake that respect no persons in iudgement that are ready also without regarde of feare or fauour of men to cut of the workers of iniquitie from the Citie of the Lorde and to establyshe the seate of the faithfull And to be shorte where is that Protestant that feedeth the hungrie clotheth the naked visiteth the prysoner and him that is sycke that lodgeth the harbourlesse without ceasing or beyng wearie of well doyng I speake not this to iustifie the Papistes or to condemne all Protestantes but to shewe howe rare the woorkes of mercie are amongest those that seeme to put all their ioye and felicitie in the mercies of God reuealed in Christ For I am not ignorant of diuers who as they haue receyued grace and mercie to beleeue and hope so they are full of the fruites of loue and charitie according to the measure of the Grace receyued The least whereof I dare be bolde to preferre before all the workes that euer haue bene done with an opinion to merite deserue or with desire of prayse of the posteritie As for H. N. and his family because they condemne all workes of men which are not perfect and voyde of sinne which onely are to be founde in Christ our ryghteousnes wisedome and sanctification I leaue them to the iust iudgement of God who shall rewarde them according to their deserts For it grieueth me to cōsider how ignorant they are of this doctrine concerning the goodnesse and necessitie of works Well howsoeuer men do please and flatter themselues with a generall knowledge of the trueth with a light vnsetled opinion of saluation with an external shew of Christian religion as sure as the Lorde lyueth if they can not by their workes iustifie this knowledge faith profession they shal neuer do the Fathers will nor enter into the kingdom of heauen For though they be in the church yet are they not of it though they seeme heires of life yet they are inheriters of death Be not deceiued deere brethren for this is a true saying by al means to be receiued He that soweth to his fleshe shall of the fleshe reape corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Nowe then seeyng the very floods of hypocrysie haue ouerflowen al estates and degrees are a nomber of Protestantes any better then cloudes without water carryed about with euery blast of errour and vngodlines then corrupt trees without fruite then spots and blots in the Christian assemblies of their brethren yea then raging waues of the sea foming out their owne shame confusion Therfore I beseeche you all in the name of Christ for the mercies of God to cast of these damnable clokes of religion and vanishing shadowes of true beleefe imbracing and practising all the woorkes of sounde doctrine and true godlynesse I haue stoode the longer in this treatie to prooue the necessitie of woorkes because our Gospell which we haue receyued of Christ and his Apostles is falsely charged as you doe see to be a doctrine of libertie and licenciousnesse of lyfe as also for that the most parte of Protestantes are altogether secure and carelesse touching the obedience of faith rather presuming in the pryde of their hearts of the mercies of God for their saluation then by humble and trembling heartes to worke ratifie and confirme vnto their owne consciences
hearts that is a constant trust in God whereby as he hath promised vnto vs in Christ all good thinges is able and faithfull to performe so we are assuredly perswaded that he will in due and conuenient time accomplishe his promise particularly vnto euery one of vs to his glory and our saluation For Peter teaching as it is in the 15. of the Actes how the vncleane Gentiles became cleane and what was the first gift whereby the holy Ghost purified their filthy heartes to make them all one body with the Iewes without difference nameth expresly this gift of faith in these wordes And GOD vvhich knovveth the hearts bare them vvitnesse in giuing vnto thē the holy Ghost euē as he did vnto vs he put no difference betweene vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts For the spirit of God by faith as by a most fit instrument doth clense and purge away all filthy and corrupt maner of seruing of God and worketh sanctification of life so that the increase of faith is the increase of holynes For til we be fully perswaded that God by his holy spirit and faith hath vnited and incorporated vs into the body of Christ to liue and be conformed according to his Image and that wee and all our workes are accepted through him we can neuer thinke will speake or doe any good thing with pure heartes Therefore this faith without which it is impossible to please God sealed in our heartes by the finger of God and offering vp all our works not in our personnes but in the person of Christ in whom they must needes be acceptably receiued is the first and chiefest gifte of regeneration out of the which ariseth though not a perfecte kinde of obedience and seruice of God for we beleeue but in part yet such a kinde as pleaseth God in Christ profiteth his Church and causeth vs to feele that peace and quietnes of conscience which passeth all wisdome and vnderstanding And therefore this faith aboue all things chiefly is to be begged at the hands of our merciful father that we may attaine vnto this right maner of doing his will and also the voyce of Christes Gospell sounding by his ministers in the Church by which meanes onely ordinarily it is obtayned is most diligently to be receiued and heard The second gracious gifte of the holy Spirit though it be a fruite of the former as the other which followe are yet it hath a seuerall vse I meane a stedfast and ioyfull hope for the full and perfect fruition of eternall life For as faith doth apprehend applie and as it were by a hand reache vnto euery man particularly the promises of God concerning eternall life in Christ and also Christ himselfe in whom all those promises are Yea and Amen fully and perfectly accomplished so hope vseth enioyeth and after a sort euen in this life possesseth all those thinges which are promised of God and apprehended by faith yea euen eternall life it selfe In consideration whereof the Apostle affirmeth that we are saued by hope that is to saye by the benefite of hope we enioye and possesse alreadie our saluation though as yet absent So that he which looketh vpon present things that are seene to haue saluation in them he renounceth hope which gift only in the elect is the faithfull keeper and possessor of our saluation purchased by Christ For it is called by the Spirit of God in the 6. to the Heb. the ancre of the soule in these wordes Which we haue meaning hope as an ancre of the soule both sure and stedfast and it entreth into that vvhich is vvithin the vaile whither the forerunner is for vs entred in euen Iesus that is made an hye Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech For as the whole vse of the Ancre is to holde fast the shippe in one sure and certaine place notwithstanding all tempests and waues beating against it because it entereth into the very depth and bottome of the sea there taking fast hold euen so the principall vse of hope is to enter into the heauen of heauens where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God and to hold fast our soules there with him notwithstanding all the waues tempestes of Satan sinne and condemnation do beate daily continually against them As therfore faith is necessary to leade vnto Christ so hope is also necessary to keepe vs alwayes with him In regard whereof we are by the holy Ghost earnestly exhorted in the Christian race which is set before vs as to run with patience so especially to looke to Iesus the author finisher of our faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despised the shame is set at the right hand of the throne of god Whereby it appeareth that this hope doth most liuely set before our consciences the presence of God Christ with the fruition of the kingdome of glorie so worketh in vs an vnspeakeable ioye and patience in all aduersities Whereof none of the reprobate or malignant church hath euer tasted to their saluation nether shall do but the children of God do not only tast hereof but also leade the whole course of their life in this hope as in the presence of Christ God for which cause they are said to walke with God. The third gift is a sincere loue of God man a most certaine and infallible note of a true Christian and more profitable to our brethren the Church of God then either of the former as the Apostle teacheth in the first to the Corinthians 13. saying And nowe abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue The reason is because faith doeth apprehende those things we haue not hope doth retaine and enioye them but loue doth drawe out of vs the daily exercise and wise employing of the talents receiued to the benefite of the Church So that for apprehending benefits that are absent faith is the chiefest for the ioyfull retayning of them hope is the chiefest but for the vse and employing of them to the edification of others loue is the chiefest and therfore in this respect iustly and truely preferred of the Apostle if we attribute to euery one their proper vses and effectes If then we purpose to obserue a right maner of fulfilling the Fathers wil we must imbrace this grace also and gift of the holy Ghost that al our workes maye sauour and be done in loue Vnder loue I comprehend zeale a most excellent gift giuen vnto the Saints of God for to this end Christ hath giuen himselfe that he might redeeme vs from all iniquities and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes So we see that the Lord hath giuen vs his Sonne that we shoulde loue him which loued vs first that we should serue him diligently zealously all the
Gods grace our saluation This is Pauls counsel or rather the commaundement of the holy Ghost who hauing commended vnto the Ephesians the shielde of faith and the helmet of hope as principall partes of Christian armour adioyneth thereunto this profitable commandement concerning watchfulnes saying Watch thereunto vvith all perseuerance and supplications for all Saintes The same precept of watching is in diuers other places of Paul his epistles namely in the first to the Corinthians 16. where he saith Watch stand fast in the faith c. And in the first to the Thessal 5. chap. Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe other but let vs vvatch and be sober wherein we may obserue by the way that this watchfulnes is onely in the children of light and saluation not in the children of darkenes and destruction whose propertie is carelessely to sleepe when they shoulde be most diligently and watchefullye occupied in bringing foorth the workes of Christian obedience Likewyse our Sauiour Christ beeyng verye well acquaynted with our infirmities and knowing the drousinesse of our nature straightly chargeth his disciples and all other to watche rendring a most effectuall reason thereof in these words Watch therefore for ye know not when the master of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crow or in the dawning lest he comming sodeinly should finde you sleeping and these things vvhich I say vnto you I say vnto all men Watch. Not only this generall commandement of Christ but also the sharpe reproofe of his disciples for the lacke hereof and the double repeticion of the same precept in the same place proueth the necessitie of this gifte in these wordes Tarrie ye here and watch with me after comming to them againe and finding them a sleepe he said vnto Peter What coulde ye not watch with me one houre watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit in deede is ready but the fleshe is weake Considering then the weaknesse drowsinesse of our nature which appeared in the most excellēt of the Apostles in that most dangerous time and the reproofe of the Apostles we are not onely in iudgement to holde the necessitie of this watchefulnes but in euery thing we take in hand to put it in bre and practise For it is that gift of the holy Ghost which maketh Gods children carefull and studious not onely to do the Fathers will for that may be after some sort in the reprobate and castawayes but to doe it with that assurance of faith with that stedfastnesse of hope with that zeale of his glorie that loue of our brethren that reuerent feare of his Maiestie which is cōmaunded to vs in the word and also which is most conuenient and proportionable to such spirituall graces of knowledge as we haue receiued of which things carnal professors haue litle or no care at al. And therefore although they may do the workes which God hath decreed to be done for good and necessary purposes yet being voyde of this right maner of doing they can neuer doe the will of the Father so as he hath commaunded Thus we see the whole matter wherein this true maner of seruing God consisteth nowe we are to speake briefly of the ende whereunto it is directed This ende is the glorie and honour of God which of al men at all times and in all actions is to be propounded to themselues as the chiefe and principall marke of mans life For albeit we may regarde in many things our owne selues and the commoditie of our brethren yet so farre forth we must doe this as they are referred and applyed to the glory and honour of God which ought to be more deare and precious vnto vs then our owne saluation For so it was vnto Moses who rather then the Lords mercie should not be magnified in pardoning the sinnes of the people which he was perswaded was the onely meanes of glorifying God spake in this maner vnto him saying Therefore nowe if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the Booke which thou hast vvritten So likewise Paule in the nynthe to the Romanes sayth I would wishe my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kinsemen according to the fleshe which are the Israelites c. meaning that such was his affection towardes them that if it were the Lords will to glorifie himselfe by their saluation rather then it should not come to passe he wissheth himselfe to be eternally separated from Christ and so consequentlye to receyue his portion with all the damned soules in the dungeon of darckenesse These two examples of the deare seruauntes and beloued children of God declare and teach vs not onely that we must set before our eyes in all our actions the glorie of God but also preferre the same before all the pleasures of sinne yea before our owne life and saluation wisshing rather to die and forsake willingly all the transitorie pleasures of this miserable life yea to be eternally condemned then that the Lord should be dishonoured by our life and saluation For as the glorie of God infinitely surmounteth the body the soule the honour and all that belongeth vnto man so it ought to be in greater price and estimation with vs and must cōtinually be preferred aboue all thinges and neuer be brought into the ballance of comparison with them The want of which zeale towards the glorie of God in all our doings and the preferring of earthly thinges before heauenly temporall before spirituall as it breedeth and nourisheth a corrupte maner of profession so it defileth all our counselles and workes and carrieth vs headlong to the loue of the world which is contrarie to the pure vehement and euerlasting loue of god Wherefore as all the former giftes and graces are necessarie to this right maner of spirituall seruice so also is this end of all things most necessarily to be respected of al true Christians according to the examples of Moses and Paule that whatsoeuer we do we may do it as we are commaunded to the glorie of god These thinges being most truely taught not by the vanitie and weakenes of mans reason neither by the vncertaine and mutable opinions of men but by the most faithfull and sure word of Christ the Prophets and Apostles we are in no wise to wauer or doubt of the trueth hereof but to receiue them as they be in deede the wordes of God with full purpose of heart to liue accordingly So doing we shall not onely knowe what it is to doe the Fathers will but also haue experience thereof in our owne selues a thing of all other as most rare in the world so most chiefly to be desired Let vs then heare in a word or two for our further instruction and for the cleare vnderstanding of this place what it is to doe the fathers
commendation But to let passe the vtterance of speache lette vs come to the affection of the minde the generall disposition whereof I touched briefely before to witte that we shoulde laye aside all desire of shewe of humane knowledge and purpose onely to reioyce in the knowledge of Christ crucified the particular affections required to make our prophecying or preaching acceptable vnto God as they are commaunded in diuers and sundrie places of the worde so the Apostle reioyceth that he obserued in a good conscience this heauenly kinde of preaching In the first chapter of the first Epistle of Peter the holie Ghost commendeth vnto the ministers of Christ an earnest care a willing heart a ready minde a zealous desyre to become ensamples to their flockes saying Feede the flocke of God vvhich dependeth vpon you caryng for it not by constraynt but willingly not for fylthie lucre but of a readie mynde not as though you vvere lordes of Gods heritage but that yee may bee ensamples to the flocke Also our Sauiour Christ the chiefe shephearde of the flocke as appeareth in the tenth of Matth. Gospell sending out his Disciples to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel chargeth them wholly to depende vpon him to gyue freely without respect of filthie lucre to feare nothing in the execution of their office to be fully resolued in their mindes to lose their lyues for his sake finally to keepe them selues in all respects pure and innocent as doues Whereunto agreeth that commandement of Paule to Timothie touching the ordination of Ministers whereby he teacheth that euery minister ought to be watchefull sober modest louers harborous a louer of goodnesse wyse ryghteous holy temperate and vnreprouable So that by these precepts and commaundementes it euidently appeareth with what care of the flocke willingnesse and readines of minde desire by example to edifie boldenes of heart confidence in God loue of Christ and his sheepe with what full purpose with losse of lyfe to perseuer vnto the ende and lastly with what contempte of all worldly prayse and with what zeale of Gods glorie euery minister ought to approue his ministerie vnto Christ the consciences of his flock But if we wyll see these preceptes put in vre and practise let vs diligently marke the lyfe and conuersation of the Prophets and Apostles especially of Saint Paule who as he was the chiefest in worke so the playnest in declaration hereof and compare in euery particular his behauiour in the execution of his ministerie with ours He sayeth Though I preache the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is layde vpon mee and vvoe is vnto me if I preache not the Gospell For if I doe it vvyllingly I haue a revvarde but if I doe it agaynst my vvyll notvvithstanding the dispensation is committed vnto mee But which of vs doeth not reioyce and is glad when he hath preached a fewe sermons with lyking and prayse of mortall men What dumme dogge doeth terrifie his owne heart from sinne with this woe agaynst him selfe for not preaching the Gospell or who doeth not for lucre feare and prayse of men rather then willingly of a ready mind feed the poore flocke of Christ Paul though he was free from all men yet he made him selfe seruāt vnto all that he might winne the more vnto the Iewe he became a Iewe to them that were vnder the lawe as though he were vnder the lawe to the weake he became as weake and in deede he was made all things to all men for the Gospels sake that he might be partaker thereof But where is that Minister amongst vs which through loue humbleth him selfe and beareth with the infirmities of ignorance lacke of knowledge wisdome and discretion in his flocke and felow brethren Nay which of vs with Paul beateth downe his bodie and bringeth it into subiection lest in preaching to others he him self become a castaway the Lord pardon vs this our offence For I feare me the care we haue of our mortall bodies farre surmounteth the care we haue of the saluation of our selues or of our brethren Paul did please all men in all thinges not seeking his owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued but as for vs though many I graunt doe please all men in all thinges yet they seeke their owne profit and gaine not the profite of any one that he might be saued For in deede they make marchandize of the worde of God they are couered with the clokes of shame and walke in craftinesse they handle the worde of GOD deceytfullye preaching them selues and not Christe Iesus the Lorde nor them selues the seruantes of his people and that which is most lamentable of all they gyue great and iust occasion why the ministerie of reconciliation shoulde bee euill spoken of and despysed Contrarywise Paule he spake of Christe as of synceritie as of God in the sight of God he cast of the clokes of shame and walked in declaration of the trueth he approoued himselfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of GOD he preached Christ Iesus the Lorde himselfe a seruant for Iesus sake and to conclude he gaue no occasion of offence in any thing but in all things approued himselfe as the minister of God by the worde of Trueth and by the power of god Seeing therefore many of vs be fallen away from our first loue and former zeale and haue imbraced this present worlde which yf the Lorde be not more mercifull will choke in vs all the graces of GOD we had neede to looke vnto our selues betimes and to frame our selues according to the example of this blessed Apostle in the carefull and syncere dispensation of our ministerie least our preaching bee though profitable to others yet damnable to our selues Moreouer Paule was gentle towardes his flocke as a Nurse cherisheth her children exhorting and beseeching them as a father teaching openly and through euery house keeping nothing backe that was profitable but shewing vnto them all the counsell of God and to shutte vp all in one worde he was verie readie and wylling to deale vnto them not the Gospell of God onely but also his owne soule because they were deare vnto him Beholde here in Paule as in a most cleare glasse a perfect paterne of a good and faythfull seruant of God and on the other side our miserable imperfections and sinfull degenerating from the same This kinde of preaching is that onely wherein we may reioyce which is acceptable to God profitable to his Church comfortable to the speaker This is that true and perfect paterne of preaching which Paul committed to Timothie both in respect of the vtterance and of the disposition of the minde which he chargeth to be kept and obserued that he might be an example to them that beleeue in worde in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenes saying Keepe the true paterne of the
wholesome words which thou hast heard of me in fayth and loue which is in Christ Iesus That worthy thing which was cōmitted to thee keepe through the holy Ghost vvhich dvvelleth in vs. And to Titus Aboue all thinges shevve thy selfe an example of good vvorkes vvith vncorrupt doctrine vvith the vvholesome vvoorde vvhich cannot be reproued This is that which though we alledge in the last daye for our selues we shal not be disliked or reiected But alas our kinde and maner of preaching whether we regarde the vtterance of speach or affection of our hearts doth farre differ from this nay it is almost cleane contrary to it for it giueth no life to those which are dead in sinne it hath no power to strike in sunder or to vnloose the holde of sinne no sharpenesse to cutte a sunder the cordes of wickednesse it can not enter to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and spirit the ioyntes and the marowe neither can it discerne betweene the thoughts and intentes of the heart and why our woordes are of our owne making and not such as the Spirit of God teacheth our matter for the most part is the deuises of men the dispositiō of our hearts prophane worldly and carnall our intent and purpose is to get honour and worldly preferments No maruayle therefore though our labours be cursed and not blessed and wee our selues in the day of iudgement be reiected for as I haue taught before it is not the woorke done but the maner of doing that pleaseth our heauenly Father So that those onely which preach the worde in faith hope loue feare and all maner of watchfulnesse in season and out of season being ready as to deale vnto the people the Gospel of God so also if necessitie require their owne liues for the confirmation of their flocke those I say only shall reape the fruite of their labours with great ioye and gladnesse euen eternall lyfe wherein they shall shine as the starres of heauen As for others who haue in preaching the worde sought themselues their owne praise and commoditie hauing litle or no care of Gods heritage that it might be saued of which sort be those whereof I haue already spoken a litle before though they say in the day of iudgement Lorde Lord haue we not prophecied in thy Name yet they shal be sent away to their owne place of punishment as workers of iniquitie If then the outwarde worke of preaching which is so profitable vnto the Church for the saluacion of soules shal be reiected being separated from the pure maner who dare alledge casting out of deuils and the working of great miracles which onely appertaine to the safety of body Let not therfore the Papists reioyce though they were able to confirme euery point of their religion by a great miracle whereas in deede they are not except we will iudge their vaine forged miracles to be done by the finger of God for yf these myracles be separated from the true maner of doing the Fathers will the dooers themselues are but workers of iniquitie as Christ most truely termeth them in the verse following and therefore so farre from being iustified by these or any other workes of charitie being separated from the true maner of doing that thei shal be vnto them sufficient matter of condemnacion Well it is neither preaching nor working of miracles that can deliuer the preacher or any other from the sentence of death in that day neither any other which proceedeth not from the right maner of doing the Fathers will. But in asmuch as the wicked ones which beare the shewe of Christianitie may both in the outwarde worke and in a certaine maner of doing come verie nere vnto the acceptable doing of the Fathers will which in appearance they do verie much resemble it shal be verie profitable to serch a litle deeper if by any meanes we can finde how many and what be those gifts which the wicked ouer and besides these may alledge for themselues because thei are cōmon to them with the godly It is certain by the doctrine of our sauiour Christ in the Gospel of Matthew Mark Luke that the wicked may willingly heare vnderstand ioyfully receyue professe the worde yea indure for a season falsely perswade them selues to beleeue So is it witnessed of Simon Magus that he hearde Philip preaching vnderstood him ioyfully receiued his doctrine and that he beleeued was baptized and continued with Philippe in these wordes Then Simon him selfe beleeued also and vvas baptized and continued vvith Philippe and vvondered vvhen he savve the signes and great miracles that vvere done Notwithstanding Peter affirmed to his face that he had no parte nor fellowshippe in that businesse because his heart was not ryght in the syght of God but full of gall and bitternesse and that he was in the bonde of iniquitie Moreouer they may relieue and succour greatly and highly esteeme of the ministers of Christ thinking nothing to deare for them So Paule witnesseth of the Galatians saying And the triall of me which was in my fleshe ye dispised not neither abhorred but ye receiued me as an angel of god yea as Christe Iesus What was then your felicity for I beare you record that if it had bin possible you would haue plucked out your ovvn eyes haue giuen thē vnto me Yet they afterwarde as it followeth in the same place esteemed him as an enemie in somuch as he sayeth he doubted of them Againe they may abstayne from euill and do the outward works of charitie wherby they seeme very ryghteous vnto men as did the Scribes Pharises they may giue their goods and landes vnto the church as did Ananias and Saphira they may bee lightned with the knowledge of the trueth taste of the heauenly gift the good worde of God and the powers of the worlde to come and be made partakers of the holie Ghost and yet fall from the grace receyued as it is in the 6. and 10. chap. to the Hebrewes Finally they may suffer banishmēt and persecution for the outward profession of the trueth yea they may do all the outward workes in seruing of God helping their neyghbour which the godly doe but when the question shall be demaunded of Christ who in deede and in trueth is his brother sister and mother he wil answere Whosoeuer shal do my fathers vvill vvhich is in heauen the same is my brother sister mother Now seeing how farre sinners and vngodly men may resemble the deare children of God yet be voyde of the graces of regeneration let vs looke into our selues into our hearts cōsciences whole maner of our life that we may see know in all our actions wherin we differ frō the wicked how we do our Fathers wil for it behoueth euery true Christian cōstrained with the loue of Christ to do all these works before mencioned in constant faith in sure