the safetie thereof for in the peace thereof your peace doeth stand In this sort God is to be feared in this sort of all sorts he is to be serued and by this meane the common wealth is to bee maintained and preserued If we linked together in the feare of God and in true concord and amitie among our selues put to our helping handes euerie one duetifully in his calling to the supporting of this state and defending thereof doubtlesse no enemie no forren power can hurt vs no Bull of Basan shall preuaile against vs but wee and our common wealth in despite of all both corporal and spiritual enemies shall be strengthened and stablished for euer So true is it that kingdome which is grounded vpon good wil standeth fast and sure for euer 36 But as the naturall bodie without sinewes can not growe waxe strong or continue no more can a ciuil bodie without his sinewes The sinewes of the common wealth are the treasures Tributes therefore and subsidies are due to the Prince Giue vnto Caesar those things that are Caesars tribute vnto whom tribute belongeth It is not giuen to the Prince but to the common wealth it is in trueth bestowed vpon our selues The prince in respect of priuate vse neither needeth neither requireth our money It is the common wealth whereunto we owe not our goods onely but our liues also it requireth this at our handes for our owne safetie The prince will be but a steward hereof seasonably to lay it out for publike vse Good common wealthsmen haue not spared to giue their very liues for their countrie as Themistocles Curtius Codrus and others And who can so litle regard the common wealth as by pinching at a peece of monie to pinche it He that seeth his house ruinous and for sparing will not repaire it if it fall vpon his head let him fall himselfe Moses found his subiects maruellous readie in this behalfe when a voluntarie contribution was required towardes the building of the tabernacle they brought in so much that he was forced to crie Sufficit Nowe ynough Cyrus was a gentle and a good prince and he had thankefull subiects their voluntarie gift at one subsidie surmounted all the long heaped treasure of riche Craesus The Princes treasure is wasted in our defence our duetie is to repaire it againe for our safetie This duetie God and our common wealth require at our handes Let vs paie franklie this debt so shall we worke our owne safetie strengthen the common wealth and serue God and our countrie in trueth 37 And thus we learne that if the ministers earnestly praie for and faithfully teache the prince and the people if the prince and the people syncerely feare and serue God feare him as an omnipotent Lord and iust Iudge and withall loue him as a most louing father serue him in cleansing and feeding his Church cleansing it from false doctrine Idolatrie superstition and symonie feeding it with the word by causing it eueriewhere to be preached which will be by prouiding maintenance for the preachers thereof and compelling all subiects to heare Gods word and receiue his sacraments Further if the Prince carefully consider of the common wealth to represse the euil encourage and strengthen the good and ouerlooke the whole and doe choose wise religious louers of the trueth and haters of couetousnesse vnder him to gouerne it If in this great and stately counsell of the kingdome banishing priuate affections it syncerely be sought by Lawe to set foorth and preferre true religion and withall to bridle the desperate tongues of gainesayers If by strength of good Lawes they represse monstrous apparell and excessiue dyet deceitful bargaining vsurie adulterie vnlawfully stolen contracts and so prouide for the poore that Christ in his members may be relieued If the officers of the common wealth keepe good Lawes themselues and faithfully without foolish pitie which is crueltie see them executed vpon others If the people like good subiectes feare God honour the Prince liue peaceably and seeke the safetie of their countrie Lastly if we all linked together in loue liberally relieue the common wealth and frankly supplie the want therof for our owne safetie then doubtlesse the Lord wil blesse and preserue our Prince and vs and stablish this kingdome in peace and prosperitie to flourish and to continue But if we be cold and negligent in Gods cause if we be vnthankefull and disobedient to our good Samuel to our gratious Soueraigne then let vs looke for that which God threateneth here by his prophet Both you and your king shall perish God graunt in his mercie that assisted with his grace we may syncerely seeke and serue him to his great glorie and our great safetie in this life and eternal saluation in the world to come To that immortall onely wise and most gratious God c. A Sermon preached in Yorke at the celebration of the day of the Queenes entraunce into her Raigne CANTIC 2. 15 Take vs the litle foxes which destroy the vines for our vine hath flourished SVch solemne assemblies in so sacred a place to giue God thankes for great benefites receiued are no rare things among Gods people but are confirmed by sundrie examples in the scriptures Nehemias after that the house of God was reedified assembled the people caused the Lawe of the Lord to be openly read gaue thankes vnto the Lord for their deliuerance from Babylon and for restitution of religion and with great reioising and feasting kept that day holie vnto the Lord. When by the meanes of Queene Hester the Iewes had gotten rest and giuen a great ouerthrow to their enemies she likewise with the aduise of hir godly vncle Mardocheus commanded the people to keepe that day the fourteenth of the moneth Adar holie vnto the Lord yerely to feast and giue thanks for Gods great mercies and their maruellous deliuerance When God had deliuered his people Israel from the tyrannie of Triphon by the meanes of Simon the high priest a gouernour and prince of the Iewes Simon ordained that the same day of their deliueraunce should yerely bee kept holie vnto the Lorde with gladnesse feasting and thankesgiuing The feasts of Passeouer Pentecost Tabernacles and such other were commaunded to be kept holie in remembraunce of great benefites receiued at the Lords hands The people of Israel with thankefull hearts remembring what a great benefite they had receiued when hee chose and annointed Dauid to be their king gathered together in a solemne assemblie to celebrate that happie daie and to giue God thankes sang with ioyfull acclamation vnto the Lord This is the daie which the Lord hath made let vs reioice and be glad in it 2 Greater cause to assemble together and to giue God thankes for blessings and benefites receiued had neuer nation or people than we presently haue For as this day now twentie yeres fully finished the Lorde in his mercie
are in authoritie that wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie MOSES speaking to the people of God concerning the institutiō of the Passeouer to be kept at the appointed season from yere to yere saith When thy Sonne shall aske thee What is this thou shalt say vnto him With a mightie hand the Lord brought vs out of Egypt out of the house of bondage and in remembraunce hereof wee celebrate this feast In like sort when your children shall aske you what this our assemblie meaneth you shall aunswere that it is to giue God thankes for that great benefite which we receiued at his hands as this day when in his mercie he gaue vs our gratious elect Elizabeth whom hee hath vsed as his mightie arme to worke our deliuerance to bring vs out of Egypt the house of Romish seruitude This is the day which the Lord hath made this is that our happie day the Lorde in his mercie hath made it let vs be thankefull for it let vs reioice and be glad in it This is the acceptable time the day of saluation the happie time of our deliuerance This day God shewed vs the light of his gratious countenance and had mercie on vs in bestowing vpon vs so great a treasure so good a gouernour so worthie a Prince The Lord graunt vs many of these daies and long continuance of these happie yeres And as our Apostle doeth exhort vs let vs both praise the Lorde and praie vnto him that vnder so good a gouernement we may liue a quiet a godlie and an honest life as the Lords goodnesse towards vs and our duetie towardes him and profession of his name require I exhort you therefore before all things c. Here are two things offered to our consideration first an exhortation Pray for all men especially for princes and rulers secondly a reason of this exhortation that by their good gouernement we may liue a quiet a godly and an honest life 2 In exhorting vs to praie he sheweth the benefite and fruit of our praier We must praie to God to giue vs good Princes and rulers vnder a good prince we ought to leade a good life a good prince should procure peace pietie and honestie to the people a good people should liue peaceably godlily and honestly vnder their prince The exhortation is Pray for all men especially Princes and rulers In this part we haue to consider what praier is To whom we should pray What be the parts of praier When where and how we should pray For whom we should pray 3 Praier is a lifting vp of the minde vnto God or a friendely talking with the Lord from an high and a kindled affection of the heart In the word God speaketh vnto vs in praier we speake vnto him Praier is the powring out of a contrite heart with a sure perswasion that God wil graunt our requests and giue eare to the suites which we make vnto him This praier must be onely vnto God It is praier vnto God that onely hath promise that onely hath example in the scriptures Call vpon me saith God Aske the father in my name saith our Sauiour Aske and ye shall haue When yee shall pray saith Christ pray thus Our Father which art in heauen So and none otherwise praied all the Patriarches Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe and all true Christians in all ages In praier no creature may be ioyned with God God and our Ladie help vs is no allowable praier 4 This praier which must be made onely to God our Apostle diuideth into his partes Requests Supplications Intercessions Thankesgiuings Requests or petitions are when wee praie for the increase of Gods good gifts in vs and that of his mercie and fauour he would giue vs whatsoeuer is necessarie for bodie or soule and for as much as we cannot obteine any thing for our owne merites that he would graunt vs all things for his sonne our Sauiours sake 5 Supplications when we praie to be deliuered from euill as when we pray that the wrath of God which we haue deserued may through his mercie be remooued from vs as farre as the East is from the West that our sinne may be remitted and blotted out of Gods bookes 6 Intercessions are when we praie for such as doe afflict and wrong vs for our enemies which persecute vs that God would forgiue them turne their hearts and better them Or when wee praie for others either for remoouing of euill from them or for Gods fauour and blessing towards them 7 Thankesgiuings are when we praise and thanke God for the great mercies graces and gifts which wee haue receiued at his hands For we must acknowledge that euery good and perfect gift commeth downe from aboue from the father of lights and is by his mercie freely giuen Praier generally may be diuided into two parts Petition and Thankesgiuing in the one we aske of God in the other wee offer vnto God both are accepted as sweete smelling sacrifices pure and through the merite of his sonne pleasaunt in his sight I shall not neede to put you in remembrance that we must praie both for our selues and others that there is a priuate and a publike praier that we must pray for things perteining to saluation absolutely and for things that pertaine to this life conditionally These are matters wherewith yee are throughly acquainted 8 The next thing to be considered in praier is when where and how to praie When Alwaies without ceasing Where In all places especially that place which being sanctified to this vse is therefore called the house of praier How from the heart lifting vp pure and cleane hands that is to say in faith and in loue Our praier fethered with these two wings flyeth straight into heauen 9 Thus we are by the Apostle willed to pray before all things according to the commaundement of our Sauiour Seeke first the kingdome of God Let vs begin all our workes our enterprises our actions our iourneies our lying downe our rising vp our eating our drinking and all our studies with praier So our bread shalbe multiplyed our oyle encreased our meate sanctified all our endeuours and actions blessed If the very Ethnicks in the beginning of their bookes first prayed vnto their gods to prosper and giue good successe to their labours it were a shame for vs not to praie to our God before all things knowing that the praier of the iust is greatly auaileable before him Praier is a succour vnto vs a sacrifice to God and a scourge to Satan Examples are infinite Israel in praier groned vnto God and was deliuered out of Egypt Moses by praier so held God that he could not destroie his idolatrous people The blast of praier ouerthrew the walles of Ierico At the praier of Iosua the Sunne stoode stil. The young men prayed in the burning fornace
hath the greatest skil the prince because he hath the highest roume the people because they are most in number If the pastor goe before the sheepe will be the readier to followe after if the fountaines bee sweete the riuers that flowe from them will not be sowre if there be darkenesse in the hils there will bee more in the valleies if those that should giue light vnto others be turned into darkenesse how great shall the darkenesse of others be Examples haue a meruelous force to leade men The whole world is led as they haue others especially their superiors for examples And therefore you that be chiefest in authoritie should by reason be foremost in the waie of trueth Walke in what way you wil you are sure to haue followers Iosias walked in the straite waie to heauen and the people followed Ieroboam in the broade waie and the people were caried after in heapes If you liue in securitie carelesse for Gods matters carelesse for the causes of the common wealth carefull to feede vpon pleasures and fancies carefull to passe ouer your owne times in ease and quietnesse the people will easily take after your your townes and cities will soone be made like to that secure and carelesse citie of Lais. If ye will haue the people of the Land watchfull you your selues must not slumber If you make light of the word of God the people will learne by your example to despise it if you embrace the truth they also wil loue it You my Lords you whom God hath placed before you must goe before for Gods loue striue no longer take your places and goe on that the people of God being guided by you as by lights may follow after in the way of trueth It is a monstrous thing to see the basest liues in the highest roumes Your conuersation must be a glasse for others to looke into Others shall aunswere for their owne faults but you for your owne faults and for others who through your example are faultie To conclude let vs all so walke as becommeth the children of the light let it suffice that in times past wee haue walked according to the vanitie of the Gentiles let vs now returne vnto the Lord let vs cast away impietie and worldly concupiscence and liue a sober a righteous and a godlie life let vs with true repentance craue pardon and mercie at the handes of God and hereafter walke humbly before him not for a day or for a moneth or a Lent season but continually all the daies of our pilgrimage vpon earth He onely shall be saued that continueth walking in trueth to the ende God for his mercie sake let fall plentifully the drops and dewe of his heauenly grace vpon the hil of Hermon and the mountaines of Sion to the fruitefull watering of the whole Land of Israel Teach vs O Lorde euen our princes our prophets and our people thy waies direct all our goings that we may walke for euer in thy trueth This that wee may doe all and euerie of vs in our seuerall callings God the father graunt for his Sonne Christs sake to whom c. The seuenth Sermon A Sermon preached before the Queene IAC 4. 8 Drawe neere to God and he will drawe neere to you Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye double minded 9 Suffer affliction and be sorie Weepe Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your iote into heauinesse 10 Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp GOD requireth in his houshold steward the minister of his blessed word fidelitie and discretion fidelitie to deliuer to Gods familie such meat without mingling as he hath receiued at his Lords hands discretion to giue it fitly in due season by respecting the time place auditorie like circumstances Al men are not of one kind of constitution Some are able to receiue and digest strong meate high mysteries deepe secrets of God Others must be fed with milke simple and plaine lessons yet auaileable to their saluation These differences are in the foode it selfe The maner of diuiding it standeth in doctrine and exhortation Doctrine is for the ignoraunt to instruct them exhortation for the learned to monishe and strengthen them both may most profitably be ioined together Paul hauing to doe with the ignorant Gentiles learned in profane arts but barbarous in true religion is ful of doctrine Iames dealing with the learned Iewes traueileth more in exhortation Our times are learned times God hath blessed our daies with vnderstanding Wee are inriched by him in all speeche and in all knowledge But we knowe and doe not and that deserueth stripes Miserable is it to be ignorant of Christ not to knowe the path which leadeth to heauen Yet better it were not to knowe the way of truth than not to walke in it being knowne I will therefore followe the wisedome of S. Iames and with his owne woordes exhort you Drawe neere to God and he will drawe neere to you c. In which woords first hee exhorteth vs to drawe neere vnto God secondly he sheweth vs the meanes how we may so doe lastly hee telleth what commoditie we shall reape thereby 2 He exhorteth sinners double hearted men to draw neere vnto God Sinners are such as be notable open offenders who make all the world witnesses of their wickednesse Marie Magdalene is called a sinner because she was knowne to be a great offender Behold a woman that was in the Citie a sinner The Sodomites and the Amalechites are likewise termed sinners for the excessiuenesse of their sinne because their sinnes were notorious and manifest Double hearted men are hypocrites resembling painted sepulchers beautifull without and within full of rottennesse such as say and doe not pretending holinesse for aduantage and working mischiefe in their hearts 3 This exhortation is generall it reacheth to all for wee are al offenders euen against the maiestie of almighty God although not all in the same degree All haue sinned and do need the glorie of God Euerie mans waies are corrupt The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth What man liuing can say My heart is pure Betweene an open sinner and an hypocrite there is a difference in their sight which take them as they seeme there is no difference before God who beholdeth them as they are As God wil not heare the praier of the open obstinate sinner so doeth hee powre his grieuous curse vpon all hypocrites and counterfeite Christians Woe be to you ye hypocrites 4 Dauid when hee committed that great follie was an open sinner and gaue great offence It was told him by Nathan Thou hast made the Lords enemies to blaspheme Mariage is honourable in the sight of all men but fornication and adulterie the Lord doth abhorre and the offenders therein the Lorde shall iudge This one sinne drowned the whole world it called fire out
idle vaine wanton and prophane life with sober righteous and godlie behauiour Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioie into heauinesse For our God seeth all our thoughts he heareth all our words he beholdeth all our workes There is no wantonnesse nor wickednesse but our God who doth hate it seeth it the Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs yea our iust God who will iudge vs according vnto our deedes seeth it O Lord be mercifull vnto vs. O Lorde who shall stand in that most dreadful daie Lord graunt vs true repentance that forsaking our selues and detesting our sinnes we may flie so vnto thy mercie that we may tast of thy tender compassions and not receiue according to thy iustice and our most sinnefull deserts Enter not Lord into iudgement with thy seruants O let vs at the length wash our hands and purge our hearts Let vs mourne and bewaile our sins that so being cleane we may approch and come neere vnto our God 35 The onely thing which hindereth and keepeth vs backe from this is that ouerweening which wee haue of our selues Whereby it commeth to passe that when we should be sorowful we are puft vp The Apostle therefore to meete with this fault and remooue this let addeth Cast downe your selues Humble your selues in the sight of God The countrie which we seeke for is on high but the way is belowe that leadeth vnto it He that seeketh the one must not refuse the other The Publicane humbling himselfe before GOD drewe neere vnto him and was receiued To whom hath God regard on whom doth he looke to whom is he neere Euen vnto him that is poore and of a contrite spirit add that trembleth at my woordes saith the Lord. Manasses notwithstanding his idolatrous sinnefulnesse yet by humilitie drewe neere vnto God and found his sauing mercie And all that are or shall be his must learne of him to be milde as he is milde to humble themselues vnto Christes mercie who humbled himselfe vnto mans crueltie 36 What hath man wherein of right he can boast himselfe or whereof he may be prowde It is God who hath giuen vs those good gifts which we haue wee haue them not of our selues and he hath giuen them vs not to pride our selues in them and so to make them ill but humbly to be thankefull for them and to dispose of them well to his glorie knowing and remembring that we must straitely reckon for them Render an account will one daie be a fearefull speeche For why doth thy nobilitie power and authoritie lift vp thy minde These are giuen thee from aboue By me kings raigne by me Princes beare rule There is no power but of God He that setteth vp can likewise cast downe Nay Hee hath cast downe the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke And what he hath doone once he can doe againe The highest place is not the sweetest nor the safest place much authoritie is cōbred with many cares Such as haue entred into a great charge must enter into a great account And greater cause haue they to feare their reckoning than to bee prowde of their ruling The more that God hath lift thee vp the more thou oughtest to humble thy selfe before him least hee eternally cast thee downe 37 A Christian heart must be an humble heart and the way to humble our selues is to knowe our selues For if wee did looke vpon our blacke feete our faire Peacocke fethers no doubt would soone fall downe If we did cast our eyes vpon our fowle handes and polluted hearts if we did sift our selues and search our soules and see how ouglie we had made our selues in the sight of God hauing blotted out his gratious image in vs and cloathed our selues with the maculate coate of sinne the rewarde whereof is that eternall death of hell this sight would terrifie vs this consideration would pull downe our hawtinesse and cause vs to mislike and vtterly denie our selues and flie onely vnto Gods mercie Our cheerefull countenance would be changed into an heauie our mirth into sighing our pastime into praier It would make our sorowfull heartes to water our wanton eies with bitter teares It would cast downe our bigge and high lookes flat vpon the earth and turne our curled frisled writhen haire into a baser vse euen into a towell to wipe the feete of Christ withall In the steade of monstrous apparell we would put on sackecloth and ashes and crie with S. Paul Miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me This sight of our selues would humble vs in the sight of God This humilitie would cause vs to drawe neere vnto him If wee drewe neere vnto him he would drawe neere vnto vs If wee did cast our selues downe he would mercifully lift vs vp 38 For so it followeth in the last part This commoditie remaineth to such as in such humble sort drawe neere vnto him He will drawe neere vnto you he will lift you vp If we sinners and double hearted men wash and purge our hands and hearts if by faith and vnfeined repentance we drawe neere vnto him hee will meete vs in the way embrace vs with his armes of mercie kisse vs with the kisse of peace and reconciliation put on our spowsall ring vpon our finger as fully restored vnto our gratious and blessed spowse in that perfect spirituall mariage Hee is as readie to forgiue our sinnes as we are to aske forgiuenesse If we turne vnto him by repentance he doubtlesse wil turne vnto vs in mercie He will refresh vs and we shall finde eternall rest for our wearied soules Be our sinnes as bloudie as skarlet is red hee will make them as white as snowe Though they now presse sore vpon vs yet he will remooue them as farre from vs as the East is from the West yea he will drowne them in the verie bottome of the sea he wil wholy blot them out of his booke forgiue them and forget them for euer This our gratious God hath promised this our true God who cannot deceiue will performe Lastly if with penitent and humbled hearts for our sinnes wee cast our selues downe before God our God will lift vs vp If we condemne our selues with trust in his mercie our God will iustifie vs. If we die vnto sinne wee shall bee raised vp vnto happie righteousnesse The more we humble our selues the more he wil exalt vs not for our owne deserts but for his promise sake of free mercie and his sons complete merites To conclude if here we be humbled with Christ hereafter wee shall bee exalted with Christ euen into the high heauens and there bee placed in the ioyfull presence of God our father to whom with his Sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour and the holie Ghost our Sanctifier and Comforter be all honour and praise nowe and for euer Amen The eighth Sermon A Sermon preached before the Queene ESAY 55. 6 Seeke ye the
it more than ordinarie or vsuall blessings As the blessings of that man are by God accursed so where he curseth there the Lord blesseth and to the eternall reproofe of that our enemies vniust and vncharitable execration he hath in these our daies opened his bountifull hand farre wider than in former times when those Antichristian blessings came posting yerely from Rome and embraced our Lande so kindely that they sucked the sappe of wealth both from braunche and roote The Land of Canaan was a pleasaunt and a fruitefull Land flowing with milke and abounding with honie truely it was barren and almost beggerly in respect of our aboundance and store God may iustly say to vs What could I haue doone more vnto my vineyard which I haue not doone vnto it He hath miraculously giuen and continued with vs that grand blessing of his glorious Gospell he hath wonderfully preserued our Soueraigne his seruant he hath kept her safe as Moses and Dauid from Pharao from Dathan and from Amalek from Goliah from Saul from Absolon from the hands of her open enemies and treasons of her deceitfull friends he hath not onely giuen her a circumspect heart to foresee and to preuent and I trust to cut off all intended destruction but also hath more than miraculously abated the pride and confounded the manifold counsels of her and our enemies and contrarie to all expectation kept vs in peace and safetie GOD make vs thankefull and giue vs hearts syncerely bent to seeke him which so mercifully by his benefites and graces hath sought vs. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laide vp in store for them that feare thee For this shall euerie one that is godlie make his praier vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found and call vpon thee while thou art neere 9 If this way will not serue to bring vs vnto God another must be assayed if we wil not be led by faire meanes we shall be drawne by fowle God hath blessings for them which are of a pliable minde but for the froward rods Them he first threateneth as hauing no delight or pleasure to punish hee punisheth as one vnwilling to destroie Gods corrections is for our reformation but if it will not reforme vs for our confusion This selfe loue of ours this senselesse securitie this contempt of Gods woord this want of godlie zeale these contriuings of treason and conspiracie are tokens that God hath bent his dreadfull bowe and is preparing to make his arrowes drunke with our bloud If hee spared neither Israelites nor Angels doubtlesse neither will he spare vs except vnfeinedly we seeke him and seeke him nowe 10 For now is the acceptable time now is grace offered the Lord now stretcheth out his handes of mercie this is the daie wherein the Lorde may be found of them that seeke him But some stop their eares at this and will not heare they are too wise to be enchaunted with these times If ye tell them of seeking the Lord their answere is Who is the Lord They say plainely in their foolish hearts There is no God But the iust God will one day shew himselfe to their confusion Others haue their excuses of worldly hinderaunces and lets Fermes or Oxen or Wiues haue tied them by the legge when they should goe and seeke the Lord. Others haue a minde not vtterly vnwilling to seeke after him but they would faine staie a while seeke him hereafter Youth they say must haue his swinge let olde age waxe holie Such nouices there were of whom Chrysostome writeth that they would not be baptised vntill they were in their death beddes least baptisme should be as a bridle to hold them in They were desirous to haue their foorth in their carnall desires and at the end of their daies by baptisme to wash away all at once But God shall mocke such craft and they who wil not come when he calleth when they call shal not be heard Beware of these delaies Let vs not differre and put off till to morowe but while it is called to day euen whilest this acceptable day is let vs seeke the Lorde that wee may finde him Nowe he is readie to meete vs by the way and louingly to embrace vs with the armes of his eternall mercie 11 The second thing to be cōsidered is how we may seeke the Lord in seking him be sure to find him I wil omit to shew how vainly the Gentiles in their Idols the Iewes in their ceremonies traditions the Papists in their superstitions do seeke the Lord. They seeke him and finde him not because they seeke him where he is not not where he is as themselues haue imagined and not as he hath prescribed The first entrance into the waie where God will be found is faith Fide tangitur Christus fide videtur saith S. Ambrose By faith Christ is handled by faith he is seene By faith he is found All our trauell in seeking without faith is but a fruitlesse wearying of our deceiued soules For he that commeth vnto God must beleeue 12 And the way to beleeue is hearing for by hearing commeth faith The word is that starre which guideth and directeth vs vnto Christ. Search the Scriptures For to this end they are written That ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that beleeuing ye might haue eternall life They were written to be red and therefore S. Paul chargeth Timothie straitlie Giue attendance to reading They were written to bee red not of him onely but of vs also in what condition or estate soeuer God hath placed vs. Princes are not exempted more than others no they aboue others are especially charged to trauell heerein What charge can be deuised more effectuall than that which is giuen vnto Iosua Let not this booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth but meditate thou therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe Good reason it is that as Kings doe raigne and hold their power by him so his will reuealed in his word should be the rule and direction of their gouernement If they thinke to establish their thrones better by their owne wise and politike deuises they are greatly deceiued There is no policie no wisedome like the wisedome of GOD. The common wealths which Aristotle and Plato haue framed in their Bookes otherwise full of wisdome yet compared with diuine policies with that citie for whose sake and benefite the Lord doth watch what are they but fancies of foolish men As for Machiauels inuentions they are but the dreames of a brainesicke person founded vpon the craft of man and not vpon godlie wisedome which onely hath good effect Godlie Princes haue no neede to seeke for counsell at these mens hands the mouth of the Lord
conceits of man These and such like were their faults as may appeare in the life of king Achas in whose time and raigne the prophecie was written The people vnable to gainesay so manifest a truth were forced to pleade guiltie and to acknowledge their offences and therefore went about to seeke out meanes howe to pacifie Gods wrath and to satisfie for their sinnes and being doubtful by what meanes or with what sacrifice to please God and appease his anger enquireth Wherewith shall I come before the Lord The Prophet Micheas directeth the doubtfull minds of the people in this behalfe and saith He hath shewed thee O man what is good what the Lord requireth of thee Thus in fewe ye see the occasion of these wordes which I haue taken in hand to expound vnto you 2 And it shall not be vnprofitable with like breuitie to applie the circumstances to vs and to our times If God should in like case contend in iudgement with vs the Lawe would accuse vs heauen and earth would beare witnesse against vs and our owne consciences would condemne vs. For great and manifolde are Gods mercies towardes vs and wee render nothing againe but meere and extreme ingratitude What haue I doone to thee or wherein haue I greeued thee saith the Lord 3 God hath not enuied vs he oweth vs nothing but hee giueth vs much he hath not beene greeuous vnto vs but mercifully considered of vs. He hath kept promise with vs and performed his woord though wee haue neglected our faith towardes him We haue often tasted of his bountifull goodnesse of vs altogether vndeserued Policarpus beeing required by an Infidell Iudge to blaspheme Christ made this answere Fourescore and sixe yeres haue I serued him neither did he once harme mee in any thing howe then can I blaspheme my king that hath saued me We cannot charge our iust God with any wrong our gratious Lorde with any vnkindenesse towardes vs but must with Policarpus euer acknowledge his vnspeakeable mercie and exceeding goodnesse For as he bestowed vpon his people the Israelites sundrie great benefites so hath he blessed vs with the like or greater God with a mightie arme hath deliuered vs out of Egypt from the tyrannie of Pharao not onely out of the cheines and deadly thraldome of Satan and sinne by the death and bloud of Iesus Christ our redeemer but also out of the seruile bondage of the great Pharao though lesser than the former the Romish Antichrist who villanously bereaued vs of our spirituall libertie robbed vs of that inestimable treasure the woorde of God and oppressed vs with the intollerable burthen of vnprofitable labours trained vs vp in ignorance forced vs in Idolatrie and superstition the waies to hel to seeke our safetie and euerlasting life But God in his mercie hath remembred vs to doe vs good and to worke our deliuerance of bondslaues to make vs freemen of the children of darkenesse to make vs the sonnes of light in him and to restore vs to the comfortable freedome of conscience by the gratious libertie of the Gospell God hath also blessed vs with good magistrates hee hath not onely giuen vs his sonne Christ the Prince of his people who by offering vp himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes procured vnto vs free remission of them but hath also blessed vs with worthie rulers vnder him which gouerne in equitie and syncerely seeke the glorie of God He hath giuen vs Moses our Soueraigne a prudent and a gentle magistrate who seeketh not reuenge but beareth with the muttering of the people yea with the rebellious Dathan and Abiron choosing rather to put vp any tollerable wrong than to see the ruine and subuersion of men though they seeke it themselues He hath also giuen vs Aaron and Miriam Priests and Prophets to minister vnto vs the heauenly bread the foode of our soules the woord of God the Sacraments of Christ and that most faithfully and syncerely without changing or mingling And as I said of late in this place so I say againe England hath at no time heretofore beene blessed with so many and so faithfull preachers of Gods woord Surely God mindeth your saluation in that he so plentifully offereth vnto you the woord of saluation Nor that onely but therewithall peace plentie and rest such as our fathers neuer tasted of in their ages 4 Which mercies and blessinges powred vpon vs in so great measure should in reason enforce vs to praise him our God and to serue him in true holinesse all the daies of our life from the fountaine of whose vnspeakeable goodnesse we haue receiued them The Israelites their strange deliuerance out of Egypt their good Magistrates their manifold blessings benefites and graces notwithstanding were found vnthankefull And if God shall enter into iudgement with vs and throughly examine vs as one day he will may we not be accused and shall wee not bee found guiltie of the like ingratefull crime Haue wee not a longing as they had vnto that from which the Lorde hath deliuered vs in great mercie God hath blessed vs with both magistrates and ministers of great valewe but so thankefull are we to him and to them his seruauntes that wee can easilie abuse both mutter against the one and despise the other neither is obeyed neither reuerenced according to the woorde and will of GOD. But such as cannot away with Samuell God in his wrath shall giue them a Saul and such as mislike of the true preacher shalbe rewarded with a false Prophet The word is loathed men are full of the Gospell and of many it is professed without all fruite wee shall therefore hunger for this bread seeke it and not finde it in the stead heereof wee shall surfet vpon the fruite of our owne desires yea God in his iustice shall take his word from vs and giue it to a people that will bring foorth better fruites and more woorthie of so pretious a blessing Thus truely considering our case entring into iudgement with God we must with the Israelites pleade guiltie and as professe his mercies so confesse our faults 5 The guiltie Israelites sought meanes howe to satisfie for their sinnes Their meanes were to sacrifice to God and to offer vp calues rammes and goates yea some haue not shrunke to powre the bloud of their owne children vpon the altar as Moab who offered vp his eldest sonne to pacifie the wrath of God when in battell he was beseeged and brought into straights Euen by like meanes when our conscience hath accused vs of sin many haue sought to make satisfaction to God for it some haue sought remission of sinnes in a great number of praiers vttered in a strange tongue without either sense or zeale neither made in faith nor charitie procuring hatred in Gods sight while they looked to be heard by their much babling Some haue sought to pacifie God by hearing and buying of many Masses wherin God was blasphemed and fowle Idolatrie
Tribes of Israell Where the faith of the Apostles shall condemne the vnbeleeuing Iewes the pietie of the Centurion all vngodly magistrates preaching Paul all vnpreaching prelates Zacheus al vsurars and Lazarus al repining impatient and wicked beggers The bookes shall be layd wide open in the sight of all fleshe The booke of God and the booke of mans conscience the booke of his lawe and the booke of our life It shall be examined in the one what GOD hath commaunded in the other it shall be testified howe man hath obeyed in the one what workes of mercie hee hath required at our handes in the other what fruites of mercilesse affection the grounde of our stonie heartes hath yeelded And according to the euidence both of the one and of the other the eternall and irreuocable sentence shall passe from the mouth of God The periured the vsurer the adulterer the lyer the idolater shall be cast into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone into that vtter darkenesse where shall be wayling weeping gnashing of teeth endlesse horror and euerlasting woe But the elect which haue liued a sober a iust and a godly life which haue loued the comming of Christ Iesus more than this worlde or their present liues they shall enter into the kingdome of their Lorde they shall be glorified with Christ and possesse with him that euerlasting enheritaunce hauing hearde that most ioyfull sentence Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the first foundations of the worlde 27 Heereuppon Saint Peter inferreth this conclusion seeing all these thinges must be dissolued what manner persons ought yee to be in holie conuersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God And Saint Luke this threefolde exhortation Take heede to your selues watch pray continually Take heede of surfetting and dronkennesse least your heartes bee opprest least that day come vppon you at vnawares and vnlooked for least it happen to you as it happened to the fathers in the dayes of Noa they ate and dranke and sodenly the water ouerwhelmed them or as to the Sodomites they burned in lust and sodenly fire consumed them from heauen or as to the Israelites they fedde themselues greedilie surfeted and died with the meate in their mouthes Let their dreadfull endes make vs eschewe their sinnes Beware also of the cares of this life They be perillous thornes and pricke thy heart to death Iudas was carefull by any meanes to gather money and to what it brought him yee all knowe Ananias and Saphira caring howe to liue made no conscience to lye to the holie Ghost their destruction was most sodaine When the riche man was in the middest of his care howe to enlarge his barnes that verie night his soule was taken from him Beware therefore and take heede specially of these two things Let not your hearts be ouerwhelmed with excesse of meates and drinkes nor choaked with the cares of this present life 28 Besides this warinesse and heedetaking it is further required that we bee also watchfull For sith wee knowe not what time the Lorde will come expedient it is that wee shoulde bee in continuall expectation of him that wensoeuer hee come wee may bee readie with ioye to meete him Happie is he that watchfully looketh for the comming of Christ Iesus and hee miserable whom the Lorde shall ouertake vnlooked for S. Ierome did so liue in continuall watching and waiting for this daie of redemption that the sounde of that voyce was still in his eares Arise yee deade and come to iudgement I doe waite sayth Iob all the dayes of my warfare till my chaunge come The like wee reade of the Prophet Dauid whose watchfulnesse was such that the watchman standing vppon his warde being wearie of the discomfortablenesse of the night doth not so eye the rising of the morning as hee did the glorious appearing of the Lorde I haue wayted saith hee vpon the Lorde my soule hath wayted and I haue trusted in his worde My soule waiteth on the Lorde more than the morning watch watcheth for the morning How happy is their estate whom the Lorde in that day shall finde thus readie for him 29 But because we can of our selues neither rightly beware nor diligently watch without the speciall assistance of his spirite therefore as wee are exhorted to watch so are we likewise admonished to pray The Lorde of his infinite mercie graunt that being thus prepared to meete the Lorde in the day when he commeth to iudge the quicke and the deade we may be founde worthy to enter with him into that rest which hee by the shedding of his most precious bloude hath purchased for all the blessed of his father to whome c. A Sermon preached at Pauls crosse MATTH 8. 23 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him 24 And beholde there arose a great tempest in the sea so that the ship was couered with waues but he was asleepe THIS short historie doth by way of a type or figure set forth the state of the Church putting vs in minde that the waie to the kingdom of God is rough that wee must enter into ioy through much sorrowe that here wee must be alwayes on the suffring side that the whole life of a Christian man vpō earth is a warfare that such as will be disciples of Christ must beare the crosse that as many as will bee in the same ship with him must prepare them selues vnto daungerous stormes The sea of this wicked worlde is troublesome the Church of God is beaten and tossed like a boate it is disfigured with sharpe and stormie weather Feeble is all flesh manifoulde are our infirmities faint is our faith and seeing our sinne with the remembraunce of the stipende due for the same wee are readie to sinke into the bottomlesse gulfe of desperation In this daungerous estate wee finde no helpe in our selues But beholde the disciples of Christ haue taught vs by their example where helpe is to be sought in the middest of these manifolde and great distresses And that is onely in Christ who is alwayes a present helper of them which seeke him in time of neede who hath ouercome and victoriously triumphed on the crosse against Satan sinne the worlde hell death and condemnation To him all power giueth place against him no force is able to stand vnto him all things are made subiect He is that Samson which by his owne death hath slaine his foes that Dauid which hath dasht out the braines of Goliah the grād enemy of Gods people that seede which hath brused the serpents head that almighty which rebuketh windes ceaseth stormes easeth the burthens of them that mourne washeth awaie iniquitie freelie forgiueth sinne heareth and deliuereth out of trouble If we crie with the disciples in our distresse Helpe Lord he will in mercie awake and heare vs through his mighty power
wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not but are renewed euerie morning great is his faithfulnesse Being mindfull therefore of these his mercies let vs as thankfull seruauntes offer vnto this our mercifull God this sacrifice of righteousnesse neuer ceasing to magnifie and praise his name O Lorde we acknowledge this to be thy worke without any merite or deserte of ours Wee blesse thee wee praise thee we thanke thee for it accept O Lorde this our seruice and sacrifice in thy great mercie 22 The seconde part of this our sacrifice of praise is to poure out requestes and supplications Let vs herein with humble and penitent heartes with sure trust that God will heare vs out of heauen craue at his mercifull handes the deliueraunce of his annointed our Soueraigne Ladie out of all distresse from the rebellion of Absolon from the counsell of Achitophell from the rage and furie of all that conspire to do hir harme Thou knowest O Lorde that shee hath not deserued this treacherie at their handes being most milde and mercifull doing good vnto all hurting none Therefore O Lorde according to thy mercifull woont as thou hast done hitherto so deliuer protect and defend hir still finish that which thou hast most graciouslie begune bridle O Lorde hir enemies and ours let them knowe their madnes open their eies and cause them plainely to see that they cannot preuaile against thy chosen seruaunt that they cannot cast downe or bring into ignominy hir whom thou hast set vp and placed in honour Giue grace O Lorde if it bee thy good pleasure that they may enter into themselues examine their own heartes see their sinne repent them of their wickednesse abstaine from farther proceeding that thou in thie mercy maiest shew them grace and fauour in the ende And graunt O Lorde that we which professe thy holie name may still offer vnto thee the sacrifice which thou requirest euen the sacrifice of righteousnesse that the minister of thy worde may sincerely and diligently preach thy Gospell that being a good example to the flocke and leading a godlie an vpright life he maie bring thee the offrings of many soules vnto the stretching out of thy glorious kingdome amongst men Grant that princes Magistrats whom thou hast set in authority may without feare or fauor offer also this sacrifice in vpright deciding of controuersed causes and seuere punishing of malefactours Finallie giue this grace O Lorde wee beseech thee to thy whole flocke for wee are thy flocke the sheepe of thy pasture that wee all may offer vnto thee our goodes our bodyes and our soules for they are thyne Graunte that we maie liberallie bestowe our goodes to the needefull reliefe of thy poore Sainctes that wee may mortefie our bodyes and cheerefullie offer them if neede so require to anye kynde of tormente for thie sake that in soule wee maye offer thee the sacrifice of true repentance for our sinnes of hartie thankes for thy great grace of earnest sute for continuance of thy mercie and fauour towardes vs. We humblie beseech thee O father for the merites of thy deere sonne vpon whom as vpon our aultar we offer vp all our sacrifice bowe downe thy mercifull eare to our petitions extend thy mercies to thy litle flocke preserue our gracious Queene and so direct the heartes of all which beare authority vnder hir that by their good gouernment wee may leade a peaceable and a quiet life in all godlynesse and honestie To thee O mercifull father with thy Sonne Christ Iesus our onely redeemer and that blessed spirit our sweete comforter three persons one God be all honour and praise both now and euer The two and twentieth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse at his remouing to Yorke 1. COR. 13. 11 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte be of one minde liue in peace And the God of loue peace shalbe with you AFTER that our Apostle S. Paul as a faithfull teacher a wise stewarde a louing father a vigilant watchman a diligent labourer a seuere punisher of all sinne had with a good conscience painefully trauailed a long time with the famous citie of Corinth omitting no part of Apostolicall dutie opening vnto them all the mysteries of Christ the whole counsell of God all the secretes of his truth at the length by the goodwill and calling of God being else where appointed to preach the Gospell hee forgetteth them not in the time of his absence but as by word afore so stil by writing endeuoureth to leade them on Wherfore being now to make an ende both of speaking and writing vnto them hee most louinglie taketh his leaue and with his farewel giueth them this sweete exhortation Be perâ—it be of good comfort be of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall be with you 2 My present case is not much vnlike although I my selfe bee most vnlike for happie were hee that might followe so blessed a guide though it were with far vnequall paces The citie is like the people are like my departure from you is like but the performing of my office amongest you I must confesse hath ben much vnlike And good cause why for God alike hath not bestowed his gracious giftes Yet my conscience beareth me record I haue endeuored to treade in the same steps And in doctrine which is the chiefest point I dare affirme euen the same which the holy Apostle doth I haue deliuered no other vnto you then that which I haue receiued of the Lord yea safely in the sight of the most high God I may saie with him you haue receiued of vs not the word of men but as it was in deede the worde of God In distribution whereof neither haue I vsed flatterie as you know neither coloured couetousnesse the Lorde will testifie neither haue I sought mine owne praise my heart is witnesse And this testimonie of conscience that I haue dealt sincerely in the house of God as touching doctrine hath bene my great reliefe and comfort in all the stormy troubles which by the mighty assistance of almighty God I haue waded throwe Concerning diligence in the execution of mine office although I haue had a ready will yet my weake body being not answerable to my desire as all flesh herein is faultie so for my part I must pleade guiltie One debt and duety with S. Paule I protest I haue truelie paide you for with a tender affection I haue loued you The nurce was neuer more willing to giue the breast vnto hir childe then I haue beene that you shoulde sucke not onely milke but also bloude from mee if it might stande you in steede or serue to your safetie God hee knoweth that with this loue I haue loued you In vsing correction I haue sought reformation and not reuenge to punish hath bene a punishment to my selfe I neuer did it but with great griefe I haue alwaies
As verily as he doth liue it is not the goodnesse of their religion but the strength of their faction and the wilinesse of flesh by which they stand 39 Wherefore briefly to conclude this matter and in fewe words to knit vp that which remaineth I haue as you see set before you life and death truth and error wholesome foode and noysome poison If ye tender the safetie of your owne soules be not as children readie to take whatsoeuer is offered you learne to iudge betweene good and euill lay not out monie for that which is no bread spend not your labour in that which cannot satisfie come to the waters whereunto God calleth you 40 The maner of comming is set downe by the Prophet in many words the summe of all is this Wee must not giue eare vnto lying spirits Heare not the wordes of the Prophets that prophecie vnto you and teache you vanitie they speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord turne away your eares from such and hearken vnto me saith the Lorde Hearken diligently carefully attentiuely The word of life is of power and strength to saue your soules But if ye be as vessels that leake and runne out how should the doctrine of saluation profite you This food refusing all other we are exhorted both to take and to eate If sinners heretikes enemies of the truth say Come with vs shunne them turne away your feete from their pathes offer not you their offerings of bloud present not your selues in their temples tast not things sacrificed vnto their Idols Eate that which is good Labour not for the meate which perisheth much lesse for that whereby men perish but labour for the meate that endureth to euerlasting life which meate the sonne of man shall giue you For him hath God the father sealed He is the bread of life his flesh is meate indeede and his bloud is drinke in deede his word is the power of God vnto saluation his sacraments are seales of righteousnesse by faith in him are all the treasures of peace ioie rest comfort no eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath conceiued the things which are hidden and laide vp in him Whereupon if we feede in such sort that our soules take ioie pleasure and delight in fatnesse then the fruite which hereby we shall reape is this 41 Your soule saith God shall liue and I wil make an euerlasting couenaunt with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid What Shall they then which hearken vnto him and put their trust in his mercie deliuer their liues for euer from the hand of the graue Shal they liue and not see death There is a first and a second death the one onely seuereth the soule from the bodie for a time the other tormenteth first the soule seuered and afterward both bodie and soule for euer The second death shal not touche them of whom the Prophet here speaketh But of the first Iob hath saide Death is the house appointed for all the liuing Wherefore God doeth not promise to prolong the daies of his children continually heere on earth but his promise is that their soules shal liue For touching outward things we cannot certainely iudge the hatred or loue of God by them In these externall euents The same condition is to the iust and to the wicked to the good and pure and to them that are polluted to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not As is the good so is the sinner he that sweareth as he that feareth an oath Howe dieth the wise man Euen as the foole saith the Preacher Nay one is wicked and liueth in ease and prosperitie another feareth God and dieth in the bitternesse of his soule they sleepe both in the dust together the wormes couer them both alike This onely is the difference The wicked is kept to the day of destruction and shall bee brought foorth to the day of wrath But the iust shall liue by faith his soule shall liue The foundation from whence this life floweth is that couenaunt which was made with Dauid I wil set vp thy seede after thee which shall proceede out of the bodie and I will stablish his kingdome hee shal build an house for my name and I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer Now as Dauid so the children of Dauid after him fulfilled their daies and fel asleepe the throne of Dauid was not established in them for euer But of Christ the Angel of the Lorde hath saide The Lord shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shall be no ende Wherefore in Christ this couenaunt with Dauid is fulfilled The mercies which were promised vnto Dauid are the benefites and as the Apostle termeth them the holie things which we receiue by Christ Iesus This couenant is euerlasting If saith God by the Prophet Ieremie you can breake my couenaunt of the day and my couenaunt of the night that there should not be day and night in their season then may my couenaunt be broken with Dauid As the couenaunt made with Dauid is euerlasting so the mercies therein contained are sure Of the sure mercies of Dauid thus he speaketh in the booke of Psalmes Mine hande shall be established with him and mine arme shal strengthen him the enemie shall not oppresse him neither shall the wicked doe him hurt but I will destroy his foes before his face and plague them that hate him my mercie will I keepe for him for euermore and my couenaunt shall stand fast with him The couenaunt made with Dauid is made with vs his mercies are our mercies if so be we performe that which here is required at our hands If we hearken diligently vnto him that cryeth Come to the waters if we cleaue fast vnto his trueth if we embrace his promises with ioie eating that which is good shunning and loathing that which is euil surely his hande shall be established with vs as with Dauid his arme shall bee our strength the enemie shal not oppresse vs neither shal the wicked doe vs harme but God shall destroy all our enemies before vs and plague them that hate vs his mercies he shal keepe towards vs for euer his couenaunt shall stand fast with vs our soules shal liue he shal make an euerlasting couenaunt with vs euen the sure mercies of Dauid Which mercies the God of all mercie graunt vs vnto whom with the Sonne by whose blood they are purchased together with that glorious Spirite which hath sealed in our heartes ful assurance that they cannot faile be honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen A Sermon made before the Parliament at Westminster 1. SAMVEL 12. 23 Be this sinne against the Lord farre from me that I should cease to pray for you But I will shewe you the good and the right waie 24
remembring vs when wee litle hoped and lesse deserued deliuered vs from the state of miserable seruitude and gaue vs our gratious Soueraigne his owne elect Elizabeth by his grace our prince and gouernour the restorer of our religion and libertie Lorde shewe vs the light of thy fauourable countenance multiplie these good daies graunt vs many of these happie yeres O Lord I praie thee saue nowe O Lord I pray thee now giue prosperitie Lord preserue whō thou hast giuen giue her O Lord good successe and prosperitie Eusebius the Bishop of Cesarea thought himselfe much honoured that he was appointed to celebrate with a Sermon the Inauguration of Constantinus the Emperour Euen so I take it for my great good happe that it falleth to my lot at this present to put you in remembraunce of the great happinesse which hath befallen vs as on this day that we may reioice and be thankefull for it 3 And for the better performance hereof as the publike minister of the Church I bring vnto you the voice of the Church a part of the most excellent song of Solomon Which at the first sight although it may seeme a strange peece of scripture and skantly fit for this time yet when it shall be throughly considered of it wil appeare very pertinent to our time and purpose For herein is contained a doctrine touching the mercies of God towards vs the malitious frowardnesse of his and our enemies and our duetie towards him concerning them Our vineyard hath flourished behold the meere grace and fauour of God towardes his Church Litle foxes deuoure it behold the ingratitude of the people resisting the grace of God and abusing his mercie Take vs these litle foxes behold the commaundement of God and the duetie of his seruaunts Of these three things in order as they lie my purpose is by Gods assistance to speake 4 The Church of God by a metaphor is many times in the scriptures termed a vineyard neither can there bee a better resemblance in any thing and that in diuerse respects But because it were more curious than profitable particularly to follow the comparison I wil onely remember vnto you the chiefe parts The vineyard that shall fructifie must fall into the hands of a skilful and laboursome husbandman who first must weede it stone it and prepare it then he must in season and with cunning plant a good vine that will beare a pleasaunt grape in it water vnderprop and prune it and lastly compasse it about with a ditche a strong wall or a sure hedge for defence Such a vineyard must needes bring foorth good fruite God of his goodnesse hath prouided for this vineyard his church of England all these helpes aboundantly he hath beautified it and furnished it most plentifully with rare and woonderfull blessings 5 He hath giuen it a skilfull ouerseer one indued with al gifts and qualities fit for gouernement An vnwise King destroyeth his people but where they that be in authoritie are men of vnderstanding there the Citie prospereth Be wise therefore O ye Kings be learned ye Iudges of the earth saith the Prophet It pleased the Lord greatlie that Solomon asked rather wisedome than riches knowledge than honour Giue vnto thy seruaunt O Lord an vnderstanding heart to iudge thy people that I may discerne betweene good and bad If learning and wisedome be so necessarily required in a gouernor how great is the goodnesse of almightie God to vs ward which hath so plentifully bestowed this gift of knowledge and wisdome vpon our Soueraigne not farre inferior to Mithridates for diuersitie of languages but farre surmounting al former English princes in learning knowledge and vnderstanding which rare and excellent gift dwelleth not in her royall brest alone but is beautified and accompanyed with sundrie other most singuler graces She is the verie patronesse of true religion rightly termed The defender of the Faith one that before all other things seeketh the kingdome of God If the threatenings of men could haue terrified her or their allurements entised her or any craftie perswasions haue preuailed she had reuolted long ere this so fiercely by great Potentates her constancie hath beene assaulted But God hath strengthened his royall handmaide the feare of God hath put to flight the feare of men her religious heart is accepted of the Lord and glorious it is also in the eyes of the worlde A Prince so zealous for Gods house so firmely setled in his trueth that she hath constantly determined and oftentimes vowed rather to suffer all torments than one iot to relent in matter of religion She is not fraudulent and treacherous but dealeth iustly and truely in woord and deede with all men promiseth and performeth Herein her Maiestie passeth all princes and therefore in credite she is farre before others And her great desire is that all men placed in authoritie vnder her should deale truely iudge rightly and giue to euery man his owne according to iustice matching alwaies with iustice mercie which two are so linked and coupled together that they may not be seuered Iustice without mercie is too sharpe and rigorous and mercie without iustice is not mercie but follie That no Prince of this Realme inclining so much to mercie did euer lesse hinder the course of Iustice than her Highnesse hath doone such as are placed in Iudiciall roumes must needes confesse So truely it may be saide The scepter of thy kingdome is a righteous scepter thou louest iustice and hatest sinne Of nature a prince most mercifull in iudgement vpright and iust A prince voide of all corruption an hater of bribes free in bestowing in taking close handed one that hath learned and doeth practise our Sauiours lesson It is a more blessed thing to giue than to receiue A right Samuel that cannot bee charged with indirect dealing A prince milde as Moses iust as Samuel peacefull as Solomon zealous as Dauid Neither speake I this in flatterie which thing be farre from me but in an vpright conscience not of gesse but of knowledge not seeking my selfe but the glorie of God that being put in minde of your happinesse yee may praise God for his mercie and glorifie him in his gratious gifts Thus hath God blessed this vineyard his Church with a learned wise religious iust vncorrupt milde mercifull peacefull and zealous Prince to gouerne it A great blessing the Lord continue it and make vs thankefull for it 6 This skilfull manurer of the vineyard must first ridde the ground purge the Church The barnefloore must be cleansed before the haruest be brought in Ieremie commaundeth the thornes first to be rooted out and then the seede to bee cast into the ground Moses gaue charge to cast out all leauen before the people might celebrate the passeouer Iosua willed the Cananites to be expelled ere he would establish his common wealth of Israel Iacob would not sacrifice vnto God till he had purged his house of Idols The like
Ed. the sixt more syncerely affected towardes the Gospel of Christ. Looke vpon other princes at this day some are drunken with the poisoned cup of that harlot whose venome her Highnesse doeth abhorre some haue imbrued themselues in bloud wherewith her Maiestie did neuer yet staine the tip of her finger when they tumble in warre shee sitteth in peace when they breake othes and couenaunts she keepeth promise therefore God hath blessed the worke of her handes shee found this Realme in warre she hath established it in peace she found it in debt which she hath discharged she hath chaunged drosse into siluer and golde she hath by liuing within compasse and sparing wastfull expences without pressing the people or seeking more than ordinarie and vsuall tribute furnished this Lande with so great a Nauie with such store of armour and warlike munition both for defence and offence as Englande neuer had in former times This I speake not of flatterie it was neuer my fault but rather in synceritie testifying the trueth that seeing your happinesse you may be thankefull and considering the wonderful mercies of God ye may fall into that meditation of the Prophet What shall I render vnto the Lord All his benefites are vpon me I will receiue the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the presence of all his people God hath loden vs with all his benefites Farre be it from vs that our vnthankefulnesse should bereaue vs of this felicitie That we heare the sound of bels and not the thundering of gunnes that our goods are not spoiled our houses rased our landes extended our bodies imprisoned our wiues and children murthered before our eies that mercie and trueth are met together that righteousnesse and peace haue kissed eche other that in libertie of bodie and freedome of conscience we may assemble thus together in the house of God to make our praiers to heare his word to receiue these holie and heauenlie mysteries doe we thinke it a small or a light or a common benefite How should we requite the Lord We haue nothing in vs woorthie the name of recompence All that we can render or repaie for that which we haue receiued is before we craue more to be mindefull and thankeful of that we haue obteined alreadie to take vp the cuppe of saluation call vpon the name of the Lord in the presence of all the people let supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thankes bee made for Kings this one paiment doeth aboundantly satisfie God for all graces benefites and blessings which by the meanes of good Kings haue beene powred vpon vs. 13 Neither let vs praie for our prince only but also for al such as God hath placed in authoritie vnder her For euerie power is of God whether it be Ecclesiastical or Ciuil power We must praie for all those that be in authoritie be they good or bad for the continuance of the one and the amendement of the other Our praier for Ecclesiasticall powers must bee that GOD would place ouer his people good guides louing and wise sheepheards such as may carefully gouerne the flocke ouer which the holie Ghost doeth make them ouerseers such as Peter that will feede as much as in them lyeth such as Paul that will preache in season and out of season that wil soundly instruct sharpely improoue seuerely correct and diligently guide such as Iohn that feare not to reprooue kings to their faces as Elias which wil not spare to punish transgressors that the Church may bee deliuered from such as Iudas and Magus buyers and sellers from false prophets from sacrificing Balamites from deuouring wolues wilie foxes insatiable dogges dumme curres deceitfull workemen makers of diuision Idol pastors vnsauourie salt such as make their bellie their God their preferrement their religion lewdely and worldly minded men Our praier for them in whose handes Ciuil gouernement lyeth must be that for as much as one is vnable to beare the burthen of a commonwealth alone such according to the counsel of Iethro may be chosen as be Salomons not Nabals men of wisedome and not dotterels men of experience that can and of courage that wil both wisely and boldly discharge their duetie men like to Gedeon and not to Pilate such as wil not feare the face of Caesar when they should doe right men able mightily to put downe sinne men that feare God syncerely being louers of the trueth not secret fosterers of superstition men that hate couetousnesse and are not takers of bribes to peruert iudgement men like to Samuel not the sonnes of Samuel Woe be to that people which is led with blinde guides and woe be to that common wealth which is ruled with base bad and euil gouernours 14 Let vs therefore blesse God if we haue good rulers and praie that we may reape the good fruite of them that is to say that we may leade a peaceable and quiet life vnder them with all godlinesse and honestie Herein we haue two things to be considered the duetie of rulers and the duetie of them which liue vnder rulers Kings and such as are in authoritie must seeke the peace pietie and honestie of the people the people thus gouerned must leade a peaceable a godlie and honest life vnder them It was saide to the Iewes which liued in captiuitie but may serue as a profitable lesson for all that haue soueraigntie ouer others Seeke the prosperitie of the Citie In the peace thereof you shall haue peace Salomon hath this commendation especially giuen him in scripture as a notable effect of his wonderfull wisedome He had peace on all sides Iuda and Israel dwelt without feare euerie man sate quiet vnder his vine and vnder his figgetree all the daies of Salomon Our Sauiour Christ is called the Prince of Peace hee brought peace into the world at his Natiuitie the Angels sung Peace on earth at what time he was borne there was peace amongst all people Ezechias likewise sought the peace of his Countrie by earnest and heartie praier Let there be peace and trueth in my daies 15 The long and honourable peace which wee haue enioied and doe enioie is in the eies of all that doe beholde it woonderful the more because the procurer of our peace hath beene carefull therewithal to haue pietie and true religion planted and continued amongest vs. Doubtlesse they that so watche ouer the people committed vnto their charge shewe that they are neither coldly affected towards God nor vncharitably towards their people Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Asa Ezechias Iosias are commended of God for good rulers because they were religious feared God These louing the Lawe of the Lord themselues laboured by all meanes to make the people partakers also of the like loue These were in deede the Nurces of the Church hauing the same affection and kindehearted inclination which the blessed Apostle had towardes them of
brethren Loue seeketh not her owne But in these euill daies charitie is growen so colde that euerie mans song is I am neerest to my selfe Men scrape and scratch they heape together and laie vp for them and theirs but the bowels of tender mercie towardes others are withered and dryed vp Of these selfeseekers wee haue too many examples Of this crue were the Sichemites for to obtaine substance wealth and cattel and friendes they sticked not to alter their religiō But whilest they thus sought themselues they lost themselues Nabal was one of the same note and the riche man whose heart was set onely vpon the enlarging of his barnes was another 16 There bee that seeme to bee farre from this fault and are not that seeme to looke vpon others but doe it not with a single eye And of this kinde I note foure sorts There bee that giue to others for a Ne noceat which although it be not simple yet is it more sufferable than the rest Achaz spoiled the temple of God to giue rewards to the king of Assyria and so bought his owne quietnesse with a stolen price Yea Iacob is faine and glad to send his brother Esau great gifts that hee may passe quietly by him without hurt The needier sort are forced to consider of the richer for their better safetie The poore seruaunt in the Comedie complaineth of it It is a hard case saith he that the poore must still offer to the rich mans boxe There be others that sometime looke vpon others with some part of liberalitie But either they doe it to auoide an euill name and least they should bee noted for niggards or else they doe it when it is wrung out from them by clamor and importunitie The poore widowe by weerying the wicked Iudge brought him at length to shewe her Iustice. The Disciples may seeme to haue had a spice of this fault by that speeche of theirs concerning the Cananite Send her away she crieth after vs. Another sort giue not because they are but because they would seeme to be bountifull and liberall as the Pharisees which made a trumpet to be blowne that men might knowe when they gaue almes The last and woorst sort giue but they giue to gaine Iason gaue Antiochus the king a graund summe of money But he knewe the office of the high Priest to be well woorth it 17 Our Apostles meaning is not that we should in this wise consider one another but he exhorteth vs syncerely hartily in deede to seeke the commoditie and safetie of others euen as Christ hath sought ours He sought not himselfe but beeing equall with God became man for vs and being Lord of all for vs became a seruaunt to exalt vs hee humbled himselfe hee made himselfe a curse to take away the curse which was due vnto vs. Let that affection therefore be in vs which was in him He is our example Him we must followe in the path of his vertues if wee wil followe him in at the gate of his kingdome Euerie Christian ought so to be affected towards others that hee may say with S. Paul in synceritie and trueth I seeke you not yours 18 Princes are not exempted from this rule of Christian dutie Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe is spoken vnto them All Christians are our neighbours which doe neede our helpe To suffer such to perish for want of helpe is to bee guiltie of their bloud Moses in consideration hereof when he sawe an Israelite in danger to be murthered of an Egyptian in defence of his brother slewe the enemie of God Abraham sate not still when Lot was in daunger When the Christians were persecuted by the Persian Constantinus wrote letters in their behalfe that they might peaceably enioie the freedome of their conscience and the libertie of the Gospel The same Emperor waged warre against Licinius his owne sisters husband in the quarell of the poore afflicted Christians Constans likewise wrote a menacing letter to Constantius his brother wherein hee proclaimed open warre against him vnlesse he did presētly surcease his enterprises against the Christians These zealous and woorthie Princes being neerely touched with those afflictions which others suffered for Gods cause studied for their safetie as for their owne This they did for strangers what would they haue doone if their subiects had claimed succour at their handes would they haue put their owne sheepe in the mouthes of bloudie and rauening woolues which were so careful to deliuer a strange flock from the butchers knife As it is treason for the subiects to forsake their Prince so for the Prince to forsake his subiects it is a fault not sufferable If Christ made himselfe poore to inriche vs if he humbled himselfe to the death of the crosse for our deliuerance when wee were his enemies held in captiuitie vnder sinne and death shall wee spare our paines our purses or our liues for the releeuing of our brethren the afflicted members of Christ Iesus It was a plaine lesson which Mardocheus gaue Queene Hester If she neglected the people of God God would finde a way to deliuer his people but shee and her fathers house should perish Kings and Princes should consider that they are Gods ministers furnished with power and might from aboue to stand with him against his enemies to serue him both with scepter and with sword to bee patrones and defenders of all his seruaunts It is a glorious thing for a prince to fight as Dauid did the Lords warres against the Philistims to be in the fielde vnder Christs banner But to drawe in one yoke with Infidels to bee in league with Antichrist it is both an impious and a base thing By ioining with Achaz Iehosaphat gained nothing and Ochozias as litle by ioyning with Ioram Ioas and Iehu woorthy princes regarded Gods cause and had singular care of the safetie of their people the one tooke away that cruel murtherer of the kings bloud the conspiring and traiterous Queene Athalia the other brake the necke of that idolatrous proude and lasciuious Queene Iesabel Moses and Dauid most woorthie princes looked not onely on themselues but prouided for their posteritie when the one appointed Iosua and the other Salomon to raigne after them The prince that hath not a speciall and singular care ouer his people hath denied the faith and is woorse than an Infidell 19 Neither doeth this concerne the duetie of Princes onely but of Counsellers also Their care should bee greater for the Prince and common wealth than for their owne commoditie I wil not remember vnto you Codrus and Decius Curtius Brutus with such like who loued their countrie more than themselues I wil not put you in minde of those two precepts set down by Tullie out of Plato the one of not seeking for priuate cōmoditie the other of not leaning to one part and neglecting another of the common wealth I like
Lord while he may be founde call vpon him while he is neere 7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is verie readie to forgiue HERE we learne by the Prophet that saluation is not sold but freely giuen of God to as many as hunger and thirst after it that they which seeke the Lorde shall finde him so that they seeke him in due and seasonable time and that the time of seeking the Lord is nowe Seeke the Lord c. In this exhortation of the Prophet let vs first consider why secondly how God is to be sought and thirdly what gaine doth growe to the seeker If I should particularly prosecute this distribution and followe it at large as euerie part shall minister occasion of speeche I should bee too long for this place But I minde breuitie because I knowe before whom I speake Fewe woords will be sufficient for the wise and to a minde well instructed alreadie a short putting in minde will serue If I chaunce to say what other men haue saide before me for what can bee saide which hath not beene saide before I must beseeche you to remember the words of the blessed Apostle S. Paul which was not ashamed to tell euen his owne tale twise To write vnto you the same things to me it is not tedious and to you it is necessarie 2 God preferreth obedience before sacrifice He accounteth it better to obey than to offer For as all vice is contaiued in the name of disobedience because that onely is naught which God misliketh and that which he misliketh hee hath forbidden So I may be bold to say with S. Augustine that There is no vertue but obedience onely If therefore the Centurions souldiers obediently went came and did what he commaunded if the Israelites were so duetiful vnto Iosua that they saide All things which thou hast commaunded vs we will doe he that shall not obey let him die the death if mortall men for conscience sake must be obeyed shall we despise the voice of him that saith from heauen Seeke ye the Lord When God doth bid vs goe we may not stand still And that which his Prophets in his name commaund vs hee commaundeth himselfe 3 But least that the maiestie of him which commaundeth should rather astonish men than set them forwarde to seeke the Lord with rough commandements he ioineth oftentimes sweete allurements Come vnto me Come and ye shall finde rest for your soules Not entising men with faire and sweete words only but powring his benefites also plentifully vpon them So he dealt with his old and auncient people whom by his Prophet Micheas hee putteth in remembraunce of three especiall blessings whereby they were prouoked to serue the Lord Surely I haue brought thee vp out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of bondage and I haue sent before thee Moses Aaron and Myriam O my people remember nowe what Balak king of Moab had deuised and what Balam the sonne of Peor aunswered him from Shittim vnto Gilgal that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lord. 4 The chiefest benefite which the Lorde powred vpon his people and the first whereby hee allured them to seeke him was this With an outstretched arme hee brought them foorth from the Land of Egypt the house of bondage where their dwelling place was a prison and a long life long miserie No doubt a mightie and a mercifull worke of God to deliuer his people out of such thraldome and to set them at such libertie as they afterwards enioyed Bondage is an heauie yoke an exceeding plague freedome and libertie a great benefite a sweete blessing The like benefite in as great a measure of loue fauour and power we haue receiued at the hands of our mercifull God Hee hath doone that for vs a reiected nation which hee did for his owne inheritaunce Hee hath deliuered vs from the tyrannie and thraldome of that great Pharao from Satan sinne hell death and condemnation by the mightie hand of our Moses our graund captaine Christ Iesus who on the crosse gate the victorie spoiled our enemie cancelled the writing of our bondage and seruitude brought vs through the red sea and by his bloudshed wrought our perfect and full deliuerance Againe when we groaned vnder the heauy burthens of a second the childe of the former Pharao when the tyrannie of Antichrist lay grieuous vpon our soules constraining vs by force vnto those things in comparison whereof the gathering of stubble or making of bricke the sustaining of burthens farre heauier than the Egyptian laid any vpon Israel would haue seemed tollerable light and easie in the midst of these insufferable griefes euen then when these Egyptians were most fiercely and eagerly bent when they thought their kingdome most strongly established and vs past looking for any deliuerance and what else could the reason of man suppose euen then our mightie and mercifull God to whose workes mans thoughts aspire not by the hand of his milde and faithfull seruaunt deliuered his people out of that thraldome of bond made vs free discharged vs from the intollerable tyrannie of Antichrist deliuered vs from the vsurped power of poperie from the Romish yoke of seruile superstition that we might serue no longer that man of sinne but our God not with a slauish minde but in perfect freedome of conscience according to his most holie woorde and not mans blasphemous doctrine If wee did not passe ouer this blessing of God with blinde or closed eyes surely the consideration thereof would mooue vs it would force vs to breake into woordes of wonderment and to crie out with the Prophet How great is thy goodnesse It would stirre vp in vs an earnest desire to seeke our gratious Lord and when hee is found for euer to cleaue fast vnto him 5 God further prouoking his people Israel to seeke him putteth them in mind of a second benefite of sending Moses Aaron and Marie before them Moses to be their Magistrate and Aaron to be their Priest the one to iudge and the other to teache the one to punish sinners the other to praie and to offer for them These two were brethren that the bond of nature might vnite their mindes in gouernement and that their vnitie might more aduaunce Gods glorie and procure the tranquillitie and safetie of their countrie So Ioas the king and Iehoiada the Bishop ioining hands and drawing in one line mans policie giuing place to the word of God the onely fountaine of true honourable policie Israel had a prosperous and happie state 6 Moses was a woorthie magistrate And his greatest commendation is that he was no lesse sharp and seuere in Gods cause than milde and gentle in his owne His mildenesse caused him many times to put vp other priuate iniuries it neuer caused him
to spare such as attempted the ouerthrowe of true religion or made the people to bowe themselues vnto strange gods In such cases the verie heads and princes of the people escaped not his iust hands Hee did wisely consider that as it is a point of mercie to pardon priuate wrongs so not to punish publike transgressors against God and the state were great iniustice it beeing in doubt whether their deedes were more pestilent or their example if it were strengthened by impunitie would be more pernicious The scepter of thy kingdome saith the Prophet is a scepter of righteousnesse And he prooueth it thus For thou louest righteousnesse and hatest iniquitie Wilt thou knowe what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely saith the Prophet to doe iustice and to loue mercie The song of Dauid had these two parts Mercie and Iudgement Princes are Gods lieuetenants his person they beare and his image they must resemble In him both these are ioined together I am the Lord which shewe mercie iudgement and righteousnesse on earth Mercie without iustice is not mercie but follie saith S. Chrysostome And againe Mercie is then rightly termed mercie if it be shewed so that iustice be not thereby brought into contempt And S. Augustine saith that As it is mercie sometimes to punish so sometimes to spare is crueltie Concerning our selues thus much I can say that if care bee not had thereof in time to keepe backe the rage of sinne by repressing sinners it wil be too late when the Land doth flowe with bloud to thinke vpon it Moses so loued the safetie of his people that hee cried Lord spare them or wipe me out of the booke of life To haue a gouernour like to Moses milde and mercifull yet not carelesse to be zealous in Gods cause nor vnmindefull in iustice to punish great transgressors is a great a rare blessing Which if our God haue bestowed vpon vs for vnto him wee must acknowledge it although in this place I passe it ouer because my desire is not to please but to teache neither did I euer vse flattering woords as ye know but if God haue beene mercifull to vs heerein the Lorde make vs thankefull for it 7 Together with Moses God gaue his people Aaron the Priest which gift he accounteth also as a great blessing Yet Aaron was a man though of great vertue not altogether without blemish We see how for feare of the people more than of God in the absence of Moses he plaied the milkesop erected an Idol and with his bodie wheresoeuer his heart was become either committed Idolatrie or at least permitted it perswaded hereunto as some suppose by Marie the sister of Moses We haue too many followers of the steps of Aaron in this weakenesse Howbeit vnto some God hath giuen a greater measure of strength courage some there are more bold and constant in Gods cause and their duetie some that will not bowe their knees to Baal that wil not displease God for the pleasuring of man some whose libertie and liues are not so deere vnto them but that they can be contented not onely to bee bound but also to die for the testimonie of Christ. Of this better sort although in comparison of the woorse the number be not so great as good yet I suppose that fewe Nations vnder heauen haue moe faithfull and able ministers than this Land hath Beg we at the hands of the Lord of the haruest to send moe pastors and fewer hyrelings moe labourers and fewer loyterers For in respect of the greatnesse of the haruest these workemen though they be many yet are but fewe When God doth giue his people good gouernours and wise teachers when he maketh their men to excell in wisedome their princes to be as Moses and their Priests as Aaron and besides all this raiseth vp women like to Marie amongst them powring out his spirite not onely vpon their sonnes but vpon their daughters also choosing out of them notwithstanding their weakenesse mightie instruments of his power surely a benefite so rare and pretious should winne mens hearts vnto God for euer 8 But the Prophet goeth forward and maketh mention of a third thing which is that God did turne the cursings of Balaam into blessings Remember what Balak King of Moab had deuised and what Balaam the sonne of Peor aunswered him from Shittim to Gilgall that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lord. It fretted the heart of that prophane king Balak to beholde the flourishing prosperitie of Gods people to see Og the king of Bashan and Sihon king of the Amorites conquered and slaine by them This multitude saith he will licke vp all that are about vs as an oxe licketh vp the grasse of the fielde Wherefore mistrusting his owne strength hauing feene trial of theirs he deuised to hire Balaam the wisard to curse them and thought by that meane without all peraduenture to preuaile ouer them But ye knowe Balaams answeres the first How shall I curse where God hath not cursed the second God hath blessed and I cannot alter it the third How goodly are thy tents O Iacob and thine habitations O Israel As the valleies are they stretched foorth as gardens by the riuers side as the Aloe trees which the Lord hath planted and as the cedars beside the waters When hee sawe that God would not suffer his tongue to curse Israel though it were hyred hee gaue Balak this aduise to cause the daughters of Moab to steale away their hearts by carnall pleasure and so to allure them vnto the sacrifice of their gods that they forsaking the true God he might also forsake them This practise was a stumbling block in their way whilest they abode in Shittim they committed fornication they coupled themselues vnto Baal Peor and ate of things sacrificed vnto Idols and diuels Wherefore God plagued them and laid his heauie hand vpon them Howbeit he withdrewe not his mercie and kindenesse wholly from them but in Gilgal tooke away this their shame and sealed againe the couenant of reconciled loue So that as there was no curse which could take away his blessing so there was no counsell that could hinder his good purpose towards his people Yee are not ignoraunt how the Balamite of Rome hath cursed vs our prince our prophets and our people euen as the Philistim cursed Dauid by his gods But we haue found the promise of Christ most true Blessed are yee when they shall reuile you Our God hath turned all his curses into blessings his name be blessed for it The Pope that Balaam hath bitterly cursed the ground whereon we goe and the whole Land wherein wee liue But hath there growen a brier or a thorne the more vpon it for all that mans curse Hee that shall surueie it and viewe it well and marke the plentifulnesse of these latter yeeres must needes confesse that God hath bestowed vpon
is sufficient for them Thy testimonies saith Dauid are my counsellers Their counsell was to him sufficient Hee red not the scriptures at idle times or at leisure they were his meditation continually Reading was not irkesome and tedious vnto him his eies did preuent the night watches to meditate in the word The time was not lost which was so bestowed For by thy commaundements saith he thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies The diligence of that noble Eunuch chiefe officer to the Queene of Ethiopia is greatly commended as a woorthie president for Christian Courtiers to behold and followe Many cannot reade yet al ought to heare I will hearken saith Dauid what the Lord God will say Who doth not reioyce to heare a prince speake gracious and fauorable wordes But I wil heare the lord speake saith the prophet For he wil speake peace vnto his people A bad seruaunt an euill wife a cursed childe a damnable creature that will not gladly heare the voice of the Lord the husband the father the creator Christ taught dailie in the temple and doubtlesse he was daily heard But hearing of the woord may not daily be attended least it hinder more weightie affaires Is there any thing more weightie than the matter of saluation Is the earth of more account than heauen a short miserable life than a blessed and immortall Philip of Macedonia casting off the suite of a poore woman with a short answere that he had no leisure to heare her cause she aunswered boldly Why then hast thou leisure to be a king I may as boldly aske of them which say they haue no leisure to heare Gods word how they will finde the leisure to be saued This word only saueth Receiue ye therfore the word ingrafted which is able to saue your soules 13 If there bee no saluation but by faith no faith but by hearing the woord of God how should the people be saued without teachers The mother Citie of the Realme is reasonably furnished with faithfull preachers certaine other Cities not many in number are blessed too though not in like sort But the sillie people of the Land otherwhere especially in the North parts pine away way and perish for want of this sauing foode they are much decayed for want of prophecie Many there are that heare not a sermon in seuen yeres I might say safely in seuenteene Their bloud will be required at some bodies hands The Lord deliuer vs from that hard account and graunt redresse with speede 14 But why doth the countrie want preachers The people pay tithes of that they haue therefore there must needes be sufficient to maintaine them If things were well ordered this sequele were good But the chiefest benefices were by the Pope long since impropriated vnto a Monkes which deuoured the fruits and gaue a sillie stipend vnto a poore Sir Iohn to say Masse And as they left it so we finde it still Where liuings were not impropriated by the Pope there they are for the most part so handled that patrons maintaine themselues with those tithes which the people giue and ministers haue that which the patrons leaue The worlde dealeth with Gods Clergie as Dionysius the tyrant with Iupiters Idoll They make themselues as merie with spoyling Christs patrimonie as he with robbing Iupiter of his golden cloake which being too heauie for Sommer and too colde for Winter he tooke away and left in stead of it a cotten coate light for the one time and warme for the other To take from them which liue idly and superstitiously in the Church they pleade it to be lawfull because those vnprofitable members were vnwoorthie to enioie the fat of the earth Abbeies being eaten vp and other profites gone now as greedie cormorants they sease also vpon the Church of Christ. It is not fit forsooth that men sanctified vnto heauenly things should be ouermuch encombred with these earthly commodities and therefore euen of great deuotion and zeale they will ease the Church of these her burthens Thus by men that cannot stand without the fall of the Church of God all meanes are inuented to begger the ministerie A deuise no doubt of Satan and a practise of his impes to cause a famine of the bread of life by staruing the Oxe that should treade out the come and to withdrawe Gods people from seeking the Lord by weakening and discouraging such as should guide them in the waie of life Thus you see how God must be sought in his word which woord because all men must heare and learne therefore many must be sent to teache it 15 But because the seede which is cast into the earth groweth not vp vnlesse it be watered with the dewe of heauen neither doth the sound of the woord bring any man vnto Christ except the grace of the spirite be with it which grace God offereth so freely vnto men that there needeth no more but Aske and Haue for this cause it followeth in the Prophet Call vpon him while he is neere We may reade and heare of God as of one farre off But when we praie vnto God we acknowledge that he is as it were within sight when we cal vpon him we speake to him as vnto one which is present He is neuer so clearely and plainely found his presence is neuer so familiarly enioied as by heartie praier Praier consisterh of two parts Thankesgiuing for that which we haue receiued and requesting of that whereof our soules or bodies haue neede 16 The good king Dauid falling into consideration of the infinite mercies of God bursteth out into these carefull woordes What shall I render to the Lord Finding no way to requite hee resolueth thus I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord. Perhaps the Prophet had the more care to shewe himselfe thankefull towards God by reason of the griefe which himselfe sustained through mens ingratitude towards him He maketh pitifull complaint that his familiar friends who ate bread at his table who tooke sweete counsell with him whom hee had many waies benefited were vnthankefull and requited him with trecherous dealing An honest hearted man is neuer so grieued as when his friendlinesse is requited with ingratitude If it be saith S. Ambrose a fault to bee matched euen with murther not to requite man with thankefulnesse what a crime is it to deale vnthankefully with God Dixeris maledicta cuncta cum ingratum hominem dixeris Wee haue named all the naughtinesse that can bee obiected when wee haue termed a man vnthankefull saieth another Lycurgus beeing asked why in his Lawes he had set downe no punishment for ingratitude answered I haue left it to the gods to punish All the punishment which man could deuise he though too easie for a fault so heinous The ingratitude of Ierusalem did more wound the heart of the sonne of God Christ Iesus than the speare that pierced him through the heart vpon the crosse Hee
hath dealt as mercifully with vs as with them if we deale as vnkindely as they with him we which knowe what befell them for it cannot be ignorant what is likely to befall vs except we take the cup of saluation betimes and call vpon the name of the Lord while he is neere 17 And as his benefites doe require thankes so our owne estate doth need succour Our necessities therfore should make vs earnest suters vnto God that he would be our relieuer Our ship is in peril of tempest the ragings of the sea doe threaten it yet who crieth Help Lord What man is there that weepeth bitterly with Peter or nightly watereth his cowch with teares as Dauid Yet al haue sinned offended the Lord of glorie It is high time therefore to call vpon God that earnestly The superstitious praied without vnderstanding Wherein are we better if our praiers be without feeling The fountaine of praier is the feeling of the heart Powre out that before the Lord cal vpon him from thence crie from the depth and he shall answere Here I am thy readie helper in time of neede 18 But withall take this Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord that is to say Repent Paul to Titus vseth the like description of repētance saying The grace of God teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlinesse worldly lusts and liue soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world Peter out of the Psalme in fewer words saith the same Decline from euill and doe good The Papists set repentance vpon three feete Confession Contrition and Satisfaction But two of them are of wood without life Their confession is to a priest whereas the scripture maketh God and not the priest our Confessor Confitemini Domino saieth the Psalmist Make confession to the Lord. Their satisfaction is but monie matter and God is satisfied not by gold but by bloud with vs he is pleased when our liues are amended Deus morum emendatione placatur qui peccare desinit iram Dei mortalem facit God is pacified by the mending of our maners and he that ceaseth from sin bringeth the wrath of God to an end saith Lactantius We must forsake therefore our owne waies our owne cogitations they are wicked vngodly There is nothing ours but imbecillitie and naughtinesse which with our selues we must vtterly renounce and forsake and flie to Gods mercie that in mercie he may accept vs. No doubt wee haue all wandered out of the waie all haue started aside euerie man hath wandered his owne fond and sinnefull way wee haue prouoked Gods wrath our ingratitude hath grieued him we haue wickedly profaned his sacred Gospell his word we haue contemned and abused vsing it as a cloake to couer our deepe hypocrisie Christ was neuer more professed neuer lesse obeied It is truly verified in our times which the Prophet Oseas complained of in his There is no trueth there is no mercifulnesse there is no knowledge of God in the Land cursing and lying and murther and theft and whoredome haue ouerflowed bloud hath touched bloud Ezechiel teacheth that the sinnes of Sodome that sinke of sinne were Idlenesse of fulnesse of bread pride and vnmercifulnesse towards the poore Are not these the sinnes of this Land of this Citie of this Court at this day Are not these bad waies our waies Halfe Englande liueth idly or woorse occupied we are fed to the full and who is not puffed vp with pride or who relieueth his neighbours want No man is contented with his owne estate but euerie one striueth to clime higher to sit aloft There is want of the true feare of God in all sorts estates and ages Yet we please our selues and walke on as if God either sawe not our sinne or else in his iustice could not punish it Are the eyes of the Lord shut vp or hath God forgotten to be iust Surely our sinnes will not suffer his plagues to stay long from vs. What plagues I dare not presume to prophecie For God hath kept that secrete to himselfe But I stande in feare that we are the men to whom Christ saith The kingdome of God shall be taken from Yov that wee are they whose sinnes will bring the scepter of this kingdome into the handes of an hypocrite If God in his iustice doe this woe worth vs most wretched men The losse of the Gospell is the losse of our soules and the losse of our Soueraigne the losse of our liues Truely when I fall into consideration of the wickednesse of this worlde that all sorts of men fall to sinning with greedinesse that there is skant one left as Elias complaineth that truly seeketh after God that in all conditions iniquitie doeth abound and charitie waxe colde that the zeale of God is vtterly dryed vp in the hearts of men that God is serued for fashions sake and not in trueth what should I thinke but that God hath gathered his lap ful of plagues and is readie to powre them downe vpon vs There is but one way to staie him for which he himselfe doth staie and waite Doe ye not knowe that the lenitie of God inuiteth you to repentance If we wil saue our Nineuie we must repent and turne to our God we must seeke him both prince and people 19 The benefite which commeth vnto those that seeke him is this He will haue mercie on them Although the house of Israel rebelled against the Lord as a froward woman rebelleth against her husband yet he ceased not to call vpon them still by the voice of his Prophets O ye disobedient children returne returne and I will heale your rebellions Surely it perteineth vnto God to say I haue pardoned I will not destroie He looketh vpon men and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it did not profite mee hee will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see light Loe all these things will GOD worke twise or thrise with a man He desireth not our destruction but our conuersion be we neuer so great sinners For hee is verie readie to forgiue Aske pardon and thou shalt haue it Returne to the Lord vnfeinedly and he will mercifully accept thee 20 And if he be readie to forgiue vs let not vs bee loath to giue vnto him We neede not aske where he is or what he wanteth that we may giue vnto him He is neere at hand straying staruing in the streetes naked hungrie cold harborlesse sicke and diseased ruthfully moning and crying for reliefe Let the pitifull crie of our Christ mooue our hearts to mercie He that shutteth his eares at the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard Let that mercilesse Moguntine terrifie men of hard and stonie hearts who was deuoured of rats the vilest vermin for his cruell heart voide of all
our sinne but no remedie against the sting therof so that it maketh vs feare and with trembling looke for the reward of sinne which is euerlasting death But the spirite of adoption by the preaching of the Gospel telleth vs that in Christ we haue remission of sinnes we are reconciled vnto God and adopted by him we are his chosen children and may boldly and ioyfully call him father And this certainetie of our saluation the spirit of God testifieth to our spirit whereby we put away all seruile feare of punishment beeing assured of Gods constant fauour and eternall loue towardes vs who neuer leaueth vnfinished that which he hath begun nor forsaketh him whom he hath chosen 15 Therefore daungerous and desperate is that doctrine of the Papists which doth teache vs euer to be doubtfull and in suspence of our saluation A lamentable discomfortable and miserable estate Here it is in one woord confounded For Zacharie saith we are redeemed to serue him without feare or doubtfulnesse For where doubt is there is feare and what greater feare than of a thing so fearefull Hee that will serue God must serue him in a quiet and ioiefull conscience with a sure and vndoubted confidence of mercie and saluation in Christ the Lord of mercy With thee is mercie saith the Prophet that thou maist be feared As if hee should say Thou art full of clemencie and compassion and therfore we serue thee with a reuerent and without a seruile feare being perswaded of thy great mercie 16 Feare is euer of the inferior to the superior It is not required in the prince to feare the subiect the master the seruaunt the father the childe or the husband the wife but contrarie in all God feareth not man his creature man ought to feare God who hath created him to feare him as a louing father and not as men doe feare a fierce tyrant 17 The true feare which is required of vs is euer ioined with loue The good childe feareth to offende his father for that loue and reuerence he beareth to him and not in respect or for feare of punishment The honest and well natured wife that truely loueth her husband for the same cause feareth and taketh great heede least in any thing she should offend him Euen with such feare ought we to serue our God who is our father our Christ who is our spouse Of this godlie feare the Prophet Dauid saith Serue the Lord in feare And againe Feare the Lorde all yee his Saints Of this Christ speaketh Feare him which can destroie both bodie and soule This feare great goodnesse and happinesse doe accompany It is the beginning of true wisedome For all wisedome without the feare of God is but earthly fleshly and diuelish They that haue it shall be satisfied with all good things There is no want to them that feare him It causeth men to decline from euill it banisheth sinne woorketh repentance in mans heart and happie are all they that feare the Lorde as they cursed which feare him not If the Angell had feared the Lord he had still kept his place and glorious estate and not beene made of an Angell a diuel cast out of heauen into hell If Adam had loued and feared God hee had not beene banished out of paradise and throwne vpon the face of this cursed earth If the feare of God had not of old wanted the whole world had not beene drowned If the citie of Sodoma had feared God they might haue remained in prosperitie vntill this day If Cain had feared God he had not so trecherously murthered his brother If Cham he had not so shamefully discouered his father If Laban he had not so deceitfully dealt with Iacob If Pharao he would haue let Israel depart when GOD commaunded If Israell had loued and truely feared God they would not haue loathed Manna despised magistrates followed fleshly lusts murthered the Prophets crucified Christ and persecuted his Apostles If the Corinthians had feared God they would not haue beene so contentious so proude so adulterous neither would they so vncharitably haue iudged their brethren in things indifferent they would not haue condemned mariage the institutiō of God neither in such sort prophaned the holy Sacramēts of Christ. The feare of God wold haue brought forth better fruit in all these and the want therof brought forth this bad fruit 18 If the feare of God dwelt in our hearts the Gospel so truly and plentifully preached among vs would no doubt bring forth far more fruite after so many monitions perswasions and entreaties we would leade a better life When there are amongst vs many that breede contention and make diuision that lend out their monie vpon vsurie that pollute their neighbours bed with adulterie that shut vp the bowels of mercie and compassion and suffer Christ to begge crie and starue in the streetes that neither regard the heauenly message of their saluation nor esteeme the messenger by whom it is brought that shewe no reuerence to the woord of God but manifestly hate loath and despise it is it not too cleare and manifest that we feare not the Lord 19 If the feare of God were in vs would wee deale with the seruaunts of God as wee nowe doe The dealing of Hanun the sonne of Nahash towards Dauids seruaunts was not more villanous than the dealings of the world are with the honorable Embassadors of the most high God at this day Dauid sent his seruauntes to the king of the children of Ammon to comfort him straight vpon the death of his father The malitious Ammonites misconstruing their intent whispered in the eare of their Lord Thinkest thou that Dauid doth honour thy father or that he hath sent comforters vnto thee Are they not rather sent as spies to searche the citie and so to ouerthrowe it He had no sooner heard the name of a spie but hands were laide vpon Dauids seruants they were sent away with their beards halfe shauen and their coates cut off in the vnseemeliest place to his owne euerlasting ignominie and shame which so despitefully vsed men sent vnto him of meere loue and heartie meaning For the good king had no other drift or purpose in his heart but this I will shewe kindenesse to Hanun as his father shewed kindnesse vnto me The true Dauid the most mightie Prince the king of all kings hath in fauour mercie and reconciled loue sent his embassadors his ministers vnto you to comfort you in your griefes and to bring you ioiefull tidings of a kingdome which it hath pleased his father to bestowe vpon you These messengers ought of right to be honourably receiued Entreate such with honour saith the Apostle Nay such messengers are woorthie of double honour But behold they are taken as if they were spies they are accounted as the offscourings refuse baggage of the world not as the embassadors of the great
times wherein iniquitie aboundeth and charitie waxeth colde Heartie loue is turned into heartie hatred our handes are bloudie and our hearts malitious Hee liueth not that loueth his neighbour as himselfe If we did loue our neighbours as our selues we would not oppresse them with extortion and vsurie we would not vndermine them and wring them in bargaining we would not so proudely contemne them so spitefully enuie them so impudently slander them or so greedily practise for their infamie and discredit wee would not speake them faire and mind them euil fawne on them and betraie them seeke our credit by their reproche our gaine by their losse when we see their necessities we would releeue and succour them binde vp their wounds with the good Samaritan and charitably prouide for them When wee suffer them for want to perish in our streetes this is an euident token and manifest argument that wee neither loue God neither them that are of God neither him nor his If the vertues which are in loue be not found in vs but if contrariwise we abound in those vices from which loue is free if we be voide of patience and courtesie full of enuie and froward dealing if we swell in pride and care not what we do to aduance our selues aboue others if euerie mans care be only for himselfe if our wrath be kindled with euerie light occasion any thing suffice to make vs alwaies thinke the worst that can be surmised and doe the woorst that can be inuented if wee rather be glad at the fall of our brethren than reioice when they constantly abide in the truth if we be come to that passe that we can in a maner suffer nothing beleeue nothing hope nothing beare and endure nothing what should we say but acknowledge the arrearages in which we are cast and confesse that wee haue left that debt of loue which wee owe to our brethren vndischarged God graunt vs grace to amend this bad paiment least hee paie vs our due punishment Thus much of our duetie towardes our neighbour set downe in these words Owe nothing c. 20 Nowe followeth the duetie which we owe vnto God And that considering the season that it is nowe time wee should arise from sleepe For nowe is our saluation neerer than when we beleeued The night is past and the day is at hand Let vs therefore cast away the workes of darknesse and let vs put on the armour of light so that wee walke honestly as in the day Two things are here required at our hands to cast off the workes of darkenesse to put on the armour of light to put off the olde man Adam and to put on the new man Christ to shake off the ragged coate of sin to cloath our selues with the comely vesture of innocencie to absteine from euill and to doe good in a word to repent and amend Why wee should thus doe our Apostle giueth reasons The time doeth require that nowe wee should arise from sleepe our saluation is neere the night is past and the day hath dawned 21 This time requireth a newe life For this is the last houre the acceptable time the day of saluation the day when as God doeth visite vs in his mercie calling vs to the knowledge of him and of his sonne Christ by the preaching of the gospell to the sauing of our soules O that we could knowe the day of our visitation and would take hold of this gratious time of mercie Arise at length arise from sinne and redeeme the time past and lost We haue long yea too too long slumbered it is now more than high time to arise to arise from slepe of error of sin of securitie 22 Many are fallen asleepe in the blinde errors of mans doctrine many are yet drowned in the dregges of poperie preferring dreames fancies lies and fables before the heauenly doctrine of Gods euerlasting trueth The cause of this their blindenesse is ignorance of the scriptures the cause of their ignorance is the hardnesse of their hearts They neither knowe they are so ignorant nor will knowe they are so stubborne When they are exhorted to reade they close their eies when to heare they shut their eares when to come they drawe backe their feete If the sunne shine neuer so bright they see it not if the trumpe sound neuer so lowde it will not waken them Christ compareth them very aptly to the hard stonie way whereon what good seede soeuer is cast is lost it can take no roote for either it is eaten vp by birds or trodden downe by men The stubborne-hearted and stiffe-necked Iewes were cast into this dead sleepe establishing their owne righteousnesse and reiecting the righteousnesse that is in Christ Iesu reposing saluation in their externall sacrifices ceremonies not seeking it there where it was onely to bee found in Christ which was the sacrificed Lambe from the beginning of the worlde that onely taketh away the sinnes of the worlde As those were then so nowe these are who with the proude Pharisees iustifie themselues by their owne defiled woorkes not regarding the true iustification which we haue in Christ thorough faith preferring the sacrifice of the blasphemous masse the meere inuention of man or of Satan before the sweet and acceptable sacrifice which Christ made for vs vpon the crosse once not to be renued and sufficient not needing helpe Men they are of dull eares and of hard hearts a rebellious and froward generation to whom whatsoeuer we speake this account we may make before hand Surely they will not heare neither will they arise from the error wherein Satan hath rockt them asleepe crie the Prophets neuer so lowde so often Rise O Ierusalem be inlightened for thy light is come and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee The light is come into the world Therefore considering the season it is time we should awake least we bee vnseasonably taken asleepe and so iudged as we are taken 23 Arise thou that sleepest whether it bee in error or in sinne This sleepe is so pleasant that all the world lieth in it and hardly can shake it off King Dauid fell into it and continued in it sleeping very soundly neuer lifting vp his head for two yeres space till at the length Nathan the Prophet at the commaundement of God awakened him Zacheus slept a long time pleasauntly in his vsurie with heapes of euill gotten goods vnder his heade till the sonne of God himselfe called vpon him and lifted him vp by whose voice hee was effectually and throughly wakened insomuch that his eyes beeing nowe opened to see the ouglinesse of his sinne wherein he had so long time before slumbered hee not onely made restitution but also gaue the one halfe of al his goods to the poore This man awaked in an happie time It is most dangerous to slumber long in sinne Custome of sinne maketh sinne familiar so that at the length we learne
they would learne two short lessons of S. Paul and learne withall to followe them the matter easilie might be amended The one is to loue men not their monie Non quaero quae vestra sunt saith S. Paul I seeke not yours but you This lesson is hard but good and the other is like it I can doe nothing against the trueth but for the trueth saith the Apostle Nothing in a bad cause but in a good cause all things These lessons well learned would quickely cut off many euil pleas and driue back causelesse controuersies 15 You to whom the sword of iustice and iudgement is committed take heede vnto it Let it not spare mightie men for their sinnes are mightie sinnes If such offend their fall draweth down others with them God therefore commaunded Moses to hang vp the princes of the people vpon gibbets that they might be examples of punishment who had beene examples in sinning The good Consul Iunius Brutus spared not his owne sonnes but cut off their conspiring heads And Aulus Fuluius in the like case did the like thing Pilate abused his office when vpon sute hee spared Captaine Barrabas the murtherer and killed Christ our sauiour Spare not traitors murtherers or theeues least you bee partakers of their sinnes Your lenitie towardes them is crueltie towards the common weale the enemies of whose peace they are Serue God in feare loue his trueth promote his Gospell The seate the iudgement the sword is the Lordes defend therefore his cause see to the keeping of his statutes enlarge his kingdome aduaunce his glorie for he hath promised to glorifie them that honour him but they that despise him shall be full base hee shall make them vile and contemptible 16 Doing of iudgement may also generally be taken for iust dealing Iustice is a vertue which giueth euery man his own Render vnto euerie man y ◠which is his Let euerie man performe his office fulfil his dutie let euerie man do right one to another do as you would be done vnto If this Law were obserued the people shold be eased of great expenses iudges iustices of great trauel Christ saith if a man take thy coat frō thee rather than striue giue him also thy cloake There is verily a fault amongst you because ye goe to Lawe one with another why doe you not rather suffer wrong Why doe yee not rather sustaine any kinde of tollerable harme Abraham gaue place to Lot and would not contend his onely reason was wee are brethren But brotherhoode is nowe adaies no argument of agreement our times are so vnlike their times and we so vnlike them There were no better meane in my opinion to bridle these quarelling and contentious mindes of wranglers than to burthen such as faile in their cause with great expenses amerciaments It would make them beware of quarels and vniust contending if they were sure to paie well for it Doe iudgement deale iustly one with another paie vnto al men that which is due that which is not due seeke not to haue at any mans hands 17 The second duetie to our neighbour is mercie Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iudgement and to loue mercie Bee mercifull saith our Sauiour as your father is also mercifull This mercie as Christ there teacheth wil shewe forth it selfe in three properties First it will bridle that vncharitable rashnesse of iudging and condemning others Nolite iudicare Iudge not Mercie will not bee hastie to iudge There be iudgements ciuill and iudgements Ecclesiasticall iudgements publike and priuate iudgements Christ neither forbiddeth the magistrate neither the publike minister to iudge according to the Lawe neither the parent or master to iudge and correct their offending children or seruaunts It is vncharitable priuate iudgement which God forbiddeth when men vnaduisedly take vpon them to giue sentence of others as if God had resigned his owne right into their handes they condemne whom they list and say what they list euen as they fancie so they iudge This man is a Saint and that man a sinner he the seruant of God and hee the childe of death Who art thou that so iudgest anothers seruaunt Is it not to his own master only to whom he stands or fals Who art thou that takest such seueritie vpon thee that dealest so vnmercifully with thy brother He is a sinner so thou either art or hast beene or maist be iudge therfore thy selfe trie and examine thine owne woorkes Iudge I say thy selfe and iudge not him least thou be condemned of the Lord for both not iudging and iudging If a brother be ouertaken with a fault ye that are spirituall shew mercie restore him with the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted Verily this mercilesse iudging of others is the cause why wee fall into many perils and secret temptations Loue mercie therefore and iudge not Hee that iudgeth with the Pharisee with the Pharisee shall be iudged 18 Another fruite of mercie is forgiuenesse They who are hastie to iudge are for the most part in forgiuing slowe But forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen Howbeit such as sit in iudgement ought to correct and not to remit because they deale not with iniuries doone to themselues but to the lawes and common wealth or church But in priuate iniuries wee must all remember the words and followe the example of our Sauiour Be mercifull and forgiue Christ forgaue them that put him to death Stephen them that stoned him Ioseph them that solde him the king his vnthriftie seruaunt 1000. talents If wee forgiue not others it is in vaine to praie that which wee dailie praie Forgiue vs. For so doth Ecclesiasticus wel teache vs. He that seeketh vengeance shall finde vengeance of the Lord and he will surely keepe his sinnes Forgiue they neighbour the hurt that he hath doone to thee so shall thy sinnes be forgiuen thee also when thou praiest Should a man beare hatred against man and desire forgiuenesse of the Lord Hee will shewe no mercie to a man that is like himselfe and will he aske forgiuenesse of his owne sinnes If hee that is but flesh nourish hatred and aske pardon of God who will intreate for his sinnes And our Sauiours commaundement is If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the altar and goe thy waie first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Whereunto S. Chrysostome alluding saith That God had rather want thy sacrifice due to him than reconciliation should not be made betweene thee and thy brother 19 The next and third fruite of mercie mentioned by our sauiour is Giue and it shall be giuen vnto you He that loueth mercie giueth almes but the couetous man is cruell God is so carefull to haue the
poore releeued that he hath bound himselfe by promise to make almes most gainefull to the giuer so that it is not in this as in other common expenses but whatsoeuer we laie out that we laie vp He that giueth to the poore lendeth to the Lorde a sure discharger of his debts to the vttermost For hee leaueth not a cup of colde water giuen in his name vnrewarded The occasions which we haue to shewe foorth this fruite of mercie are very many and great we haue the poore with vs and we haue them with vs in great numbers Are we not woorse than Iewes if we suffer our Christ at whose hands we haue receiued all our riches in his naked and hungrie members to beg his bread at our dores pitifully to die euen in the midst of our streetes for distresse for colde and hunger If our gospell bring foorth in steade of mercie this crueltie in stead of kindenesse this hardnesse of heart doubtlesse God will take his pretious gospell from vs and giue it to a people that will bring foorth better and sweeter fruite Nowe if the loue of God and mercie towards our brother can not pierce our flintie heartes yet let shame of the worlde compell vs and our owne commoditie induce vs well to consider of this lamentable case If that which is giuen were giuen in good order it would ease this common griefe By good order and wise prouision the impotent might be so releeued that they should not need to beg and such as are able might be forced in the sweate of their browes to eate their owne bread And if the matter were taken in hande by them by whom it should I doe not doubt but GOD would touche the hearts of many a man with tender mercie that they would both cheerefully and liberally contribute to this worke of mercie which God doth more esteeme than any other sacrifice nay he refuseth sacrifice and craueth this The Lorde loueth a cheerefull and a bountifull giuer and will plentifully reward him Let euerie good man set forward this worke it is the worke of the Lord the fruite of mercie good and gainfull not onely to others but also to our selues For behold howe the works of mercie doe returne backe againe vnto them from whom they proceed Iudge not and you your selues shall not bee iudged Forgiue and yee shall bee forgiuen your selues giue and it shall bee giuen vnto you 20 All which notwithstanding the bowels of compassion are in some men so maruellously dried and closed vp that they turne away their faces from all men that desire any thing at their hands though they aske it not of gift but of loane vnlesse they aske to buie the loane with vsurie The Iewes euen till this day will not lend vpon vsurie among themselues but lende freely to their brethren and without gaine Iudas himselfe that solde his master for monie was not more cruel harted I suppose than these men are who for monie deuoure their brethren Their hearts are yron hearts They haue no sparke of pitie or compassion left in them Let them not thinke but that one day their gaine shall be their exceeding losse If Chrysostome thought that one euill gotten groate laide vp amongest a chestful of monie would be as a canker to fret out and eate vp the rest what shall become then of so much gotten by so vnmerciful vngodlie meanes Where is loue where is mercie when lending of monie is become merchandise Inough hath beene saide in this place of this matter which if it be not amended be yee assured that the Lorde God in his iust wrath will plague you both in your selues and in your posteritie for it 21 Nowe that we haue seene what duetie we owe to men let vs see what God requireth to be performed vnto himselfe Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good Our dutie towards him is to humble our selues and to walke carefully with our God He that will walke with God must be of an humble heart It is the milde-hearted and not the proude-minded the Publican and not the Pharisee that walketh with him 22 To walke with him is to be syncerely and heartily carefull to set forward his cause to promote his gospell to defende his trueth to amplifie his kingdome to the vttermost of our powers Princes and they that iudge the earth whome God hath blessed with so high an honour especially should in feare and reuerence serue their God loue his woord and gospell earnestly cheerefully aduaunce maintaine and defend true religion They are able to doe most good and therefore most is required of them Bishops and ministers the dispensers of Gods blessed mysteries should carefully trauell in their Lords cause and glorie in season and out of season to preache the gospell euen so much as in vs lieth or else the Vae of God which hangeth ouer our heads shall be powred downe vpon vs. But the saying of S. Paul is verified in these our daies vpon al sorts of people All men seeke their owne The preferring of true religion the seeking of Gods glorie is the least part of mens care or thought It was otherwise with Moses who both loued Gods seruice with perfect loue hated superstition with perfect hatred Theodosius for want of this warmenesse zeale in Gods quarell suffered by his too much lenitie the Arrians who denied Christ to be God quietly to spreade abroad their heresies in his dominions without checke or controlling The good Bishop Amphilochius vpon this occasion repaired to the Emperor who had at that time with him his sonne and heire Arcadius The Bishop did his obeysance and dutie to the Emperor but saluted not his sonne wherewith the Emperor finding fault saide Why salute ye not our sonne who shall sit on our seate No Emperor for somuch as thou doest not care for the sonne of God but sufferest him to loose his honour and place neither shal thy sonne be regarded or sit on thy seate Here at his owne cause called into question hee waxed warme and foorthwith expelled the Arrians out of his dominions Many of them who are hoat in their owne matters are colde in Gods cause Yet our Prophet biddeth vs carefully to walke with our God and to bee earnest in seeking of his kingdome and glorie 23 Be carefull ouer your conuersation giue no cause of slander to them which are without or of offence to the litle ones Let not the gospell be discredited by your behauiours Be careful that the light of your life so shine before the worlde that therein your heauenly father may be glorified Yee ought to shine as lights Take heede that your light be not turned into darkenesse Be bright starres and not mistie cloudes If an Eclipse fall amongst you the rest of England will be darkened with it Ye are seene and marked of men and Angels The world hath many eies eares and tongues London Westminster the Innes of Court and Chancerie from
Sabaoth Such traficke is as bad in the house as on the daie which God hath sanctified Wherefore in the Lawe these two are iointly coupled together Yee shall keepe my Sabaoths and reuerence my Sanctuarie The prophaning therfore of the temple the house of God the place of praier is an euident token that amongst the Iewes all religion was now trodden vnder feete all reuerence of God abolished This sheweth that there was nowe no difference at all holie and common pure and prophane cleane and vncleane all was one When they which ought not to die but without the citie were suffered to liue within the temple yea of and at the altar when Gods owne house was made a denne of theeues we cannot easily imagine a degree of prophanesse beyond this At this the Lord himselfe doth seeme to woonder Is this house become a denne of theeues whereupon my name is called before your eyes What reuerence or seruice is it likely that they would shewe other-where vnto the Lorde who liued as theeues in that glorious sanctuarie where all the earth should tremble before him 24 In the house of God they had the Lawe both red and expounded they offered sacrifice and they praied But because the seruice for which the temple was ordeined though not only yet principally is praier therefore he hath saide My house shalbe called the house of praier In Deuteronomie it is called the place which God chose to cause his name to dwel there It is true indeede saith Salomon that God will dwell on the earth No doubt where his truth is syncerely professed where his sacraments are rightly and duely ministred where his name is called vpon by heartie praier where two or three are gathered together in his name that is to say to serue him in these things there the woorking of his spirite is so forcible and effectuall his mercie is so obiect euen vnto sense his grace is in such sort felt seene and tasted that he seemeth as it were to stand before mens eyes to walke to inhabite to dwel amongst them when they are thus occupied The dore of the Church is the gate of the Lorde and the righteous wil surely enter into it They reioice when they heare men say We wil goe into the house of the Lord the house of praier where as many as call vpon the name of the Lord shall vndoubtedly bee saued But because no man can call on him in whom he doeth not beleeue nor beleeue without hearing the word of God requisite therefore it is that the house of publike praier should also be the house of publike preaching For this cause the Iewes heard the Lawe euery Sabaoth day in their Synagogues 25 And as they did not onely heare the word but also offer sacrifice in the house of God so we in our Churches haue both the Gospell preached and the Sacramentes which are seales of the Gospel administred knowing that Christ hath commanded both alike Hee which sent his Disciples to teache sent them also to baptize he which inioined them to preache gaue them also an other charge Hoc facite Doe this in remembrance of me Therefore as often as we speake vnto you out of these places as often as here we minister the Sacrament of baptisme to your children in token of their new spirituall birth as often as we doe here present our selues at the Lords table to eat of his bread and to drinke of the wine which he hath prepared for the comfortable nourishment of our soules wee keepe the Lordes institution and not our owne wee doe as he hath commaunded not as we haue deuised we vse the house of God not as theeues but as Saints 26 For these things the Sanctuarie was erected for these the house of God was sanctified and for praier Therefore the twelue told the rest of the Disciples as it is in the historie of their Acts We will giue our selues continually vnto praier and ministration of the word Aaron was appointed vnder the law as to offer so also to pray for himselfe and for the people Be this sinne against the Lord saith Samuel farre from me that I should cease to praie for you The request which Salomon made vnto GOD in the first dedication of the temple was that if his people Israel should at any time for their sinnes be ouerthrowen before the enemie or heauen bee so shut vp that they should bee in distresse for want of raine or if there should be famine in the land or pestilence or blasting or mildew or grassehopper or caterpiller if the enemie should beseege thē if they should fall into any aduersitie whether it were of bodie or of minde his eares might alwaies bee open to the praiers which they should make before the Lord in the house of praier Heare the supplications of thy people Israel which pray in this place 27 Nor only their supplications but moreouer Salomon addeth As touching the straunger that is not of thy people Israel who shall come out of a farre countrie for thy names sake and shall come and praie in this house heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place and doe according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee that all the people of the earth may knowe thy name and feare thee as thy people Israel doe Agreeable wherevnto are the words of the prophet Esay It shal be in the last daies that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shalbe exalted aboue the hils and all nations shall flowe vnto it And againe The strangers that cleaue vnto the Lord to serue him and to loue the name of the Lord and to be his seruaunts euery one that keepeth the Sabaoth and polluteth it not and embraceth my couenaunt them will I bring also to mine holie mountaine and make them ioyful in mine house of praier their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall bee accepted vpon myne alter For myne house shall be called an house of prayer for all nations This prooueth that article of our Christian faith to be most certain wherein we acknowledge the Church of Christ to be Catholike vniuersal For we must vnderstand that there was a time when the Lord gaue expresse charge comandement No vncircumcised in the flesh shall enter into my Sanctuarie The adoption the glory of the sons of God y e couenants the law the seruice of God the promises al the riches wherwith the church of Christ is adorned did belong vnto Israel vnto none else they were the only people that obteined mercie al y e world besides was Loammi amongst them God was knowne but as for the nations they heard not of him Iudea was the onely garden of the Lord the rest of the earth was a meere wildernesse they were the vineyard and we the forrest they within the wals of the citie of God and we
without they citizens and we strangers But nowe the bounds of the Church are inlarged her elders as it is in the booke of reuelation do now sing a new song Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud out of euerie kindred tongue people and nation Wherfore remember saith the Apostle that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with hands were at that time without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenaunts of promise and had no hope and were without God in the worlde But nowe in Christ Iesus ye which once were farre off are made neere by the bloud of Christ. For he is our peace which hath made of both one and hath broken the stoppe of the partition wall This wee are willed to remember For is it not a thing verie memorable that in vs GOD should nowe accomplish the promise which hee made to his sonne so long before Aske of me and I will giue thee the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the vttermost coasts of the earth for thy possessions Is it not memorable that the furious rage of the whole world mightily opposing it selfe against the kingdome of Iesus Christ it should notwithstanding growe so soone to this so exceeding greatnesse and that by so weake meanes from so small beginnings Nowe sith God hath brought this so strangely to passe for our sakes sith the Lord hath doone it for no other cause but onely to open the doore of saluation vnto vs with how great ioie of heart ought wee to heare his voice when hee saith of the Gentiles Let them ascend to mount Sion when hee saith of his house It shall be called the house of praier for all Nations Hee that will not shrowde himselfe vnder this vine hee that entreth not into this arke hee that will not be partaker of these celestiall treasures these heauenly mysteries this true bread of life so largely offered vnto all nations if his soule die the death who wil haue pitie or compassion of him Wherefore to conclude let vs bee followers of Christ as becommeth his deare children let vs learne by his example to be carefull and zealous for the house of God to purge and cleanse it as much as in vs lyeth from al defilements that as oft as we doe reuerently religiously frequent it to heare the word of saluation to receiue the blessed Sacraments of the Lord to powre out our praiers and supplications before him his spirite groaning with our spirits and our requests ascending thorough the forcible intercession of that only mediator which is to bee heard for his reuerence sake wee may reioice in our saluation and he be glorified by our reioysing Which GOD the Father graunt for his Sonnes sake To whom c. The fourteenth Sermon A Sermon made at the Spittle in London ACTES 10. 34 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons c. THE doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles doth wholly tend to this ende to declare vnto vs that Iesus Christ crucified is the promised Messias the redeemer and Sauiour of all that doe beleeue in him Neither is this matter cleared more perfectly by any Prophet or Apostle than by the Apostle S. Peter in this Sermon which nowe we haue in hand For therein is comprised briefly but most effectually the fulnesse of the gospell the perfect doctrine of saluation Nowe because the occasion of hauing it preached was Cornelius the captaine and the preacher of it was Peter the Apostle I will note somewhat in either of them seuerally for the better vnderstanding of that which the Sermon it selfe shall laie before vs. In Cornelius therefore first what maner of man he was on what occasion he sent for Peter in what sort he receiued him at his comming 2 The curious description which S. Luke maketh of Cornelius here declareth him to haue beene a notable and rare man both by other circumstances of his person and by his manners The other circumstances which I meane are his countrie his calling and the place of his abode Touching his countrie he was an Italian an Ethnike bred of Ethnike parents trained vp amongst a people drowned in idolatrie and superstition worshipping false gods being ignorant of the true God By calling hee was a souldier a captaine of the Italian band a captaine ouer one hundred souldiers The Romans had soldiers out of al prouinces but their chiefe force was of the Italians whom they trusted best as naturall subiects This Italian captaine made his abode in Cesarea a famous citie inhabited by the Iewes The whole lande of Iurie was brought in subiection to the Romane Empire and least the inhabitants thereof should reuolt certaine garrisons of souldiers were placed in sundrie of the greater cities to see them kept in obedience and to represse tumults Cornelius the captaine with the souldiers of his retinue were bestowed in Cesarea If we looke on this mans countrie if we consider his calling and vocation if we call to remembrance in what place he liued and with whom he was conuersant we shall finde nothing but idolatrie superstition wee shall behold nothing but rape robberie murther mischiefe spoile bloud-spilling we shall see nothing but lewdenesse prophanenesse wicked maners and cursed companie 3 All the which occasions of corruption notwithstanding he was deuoute he feared God with his whole familie hee gaue much almes to the people and praied God continually The mightie and merciful God did gather pearles out of this dunghil God can raise vp children vnto Abraham out of stones Faith pietie holinesse and religion come not by nature but of grace of Gods free gift not of our deseruing of mercie not of merite Faith is the gift of God He worketh all in all He giueth to will and to doe Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had wrought but according to his mercie hath hee saued vs that we may acknowledge our wretchednesse and vnworthinesse and giue all glorie vnto him 4 Here we learne that neither parentage nor vocation nor corruption of place doeth shut vs out of the kingdome of God Ethnikes euen wilde oliues by nature are graffed by grace in the true oliue Souldiers that liue in order are allowed of by Iohn Baptist. Neither filthie Sodome nor superstitious Egypt nor idolatrous Babylon nor corrupt Cesarea was able to infect Lot or Ioseph or Daniel or Cornelius whom the Lorde had chosen according to his good pleasure and of his mercie had preserued The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his I will haue mercie on whom I wil haue mercie It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie
instrument to receiue it withall is faith He that beleeueth is made partaker of it and not of it onely but of eternall life also For he that beleeueth in me hath life eternall saith our Sauiour Christ. But this faith this iustifying faith doth worke through loue and sheweth it selfe by workes The good tree will be fruitfull The beleeuing iustified childe of God will feare God and worke righteousnesse 46 This doctrine of iustification by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ Iesu is witnessed by all the Prophets It is no newe doctrine but olde not onely proceeding from the Apostles but also from the Prophets For Moses and all the Prophets beare witnesse of him And as they so the Apostles after them Whose steppes we must followe and acknowledge that no doctrine is to be established but that which is testified by the Apostles and Prophets The true Church of Christ doth builde her faith on their foundation God will be worshipped and serued according to his prescript woord and not according to the braine of man The Prophets and Apostles with all such as be ministers of the woord are heere and elsewhere called witnesses Yea Christ himselfe termeth himselfe a witnesse of the truth For this cause am I borne and for this cause came into the worlde that I should beare witnesse to the truth And Christ saith to his Apostles Ye shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in Samaria euen to the vttermost endes of the earth 47 The truth is to bee testified by publike preaching Paul commendeth the Thessalonians for beleeuing his testimonie His testimonie was the Gospel which he did preache and testifie vnto them According to the voice that did speake vnto him when he was cast off his horse I haue appeared to thee for this purpose to appoint thee a minister and witnesse both of things which thou hast seene and of the things in which I will appeare vnto thee The truth is also testified by writing By the writings of the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists the truth of God Iesus Christ was most plainely testified As Iohn to name one of them among many This is that Disciple which testifieth of these things The truth is also witnessed when as it is testified in bloud for a martyr is a witnes Christ told Peter that when he was young hee girded himselfe and walked whither he lusted but when he waxed old other should gird him and carie him whither hee would not Nowe this saith Iohn he spake signifying by what death he should glorifie God Many Martyrs haue thus testified the truth with suffering for it But they ouercame by the bloud of the Lambe and by the woord of their testimonie not louing their life no not to the death That minister which will neither testifie it by publike preaching nor by writing will hardly testifie it by suffering but will rather say with Peter I knowe not the man But I must here make an end for the time hath ouertaken me and without repetition as you knowe the maner is To God the father God the son God the holie Ghost three persons one almightie almerciful God be rendred all thanks all glorie giuen for euer and for euer Amen The fifteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at Strausborough in the time of Q. Maries reigne 2. COR. 6. 2 Wee therefore as helpers beseeche you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine 3 For he saith I haue heard thee in a time accepted in the day of saluation haue I succoured thee behold now the accepted time beholde now the day of saluation THE Prophet to abate the hawtie conceit which naturally wee haue of our selues in such sort as euery man were his owne God and had no other whom to praise for the graces and gifts wherewith he is beautified and set forth as a mirror for al other creatures to beholde and woonder at indeuoureth to turn away our eyes frō too much gazing vpon our owne excellencie by pointing as it were his finger at him who is author of euerie good perfect gift saying Hee made vs and not we our selues For what end and purpose Zacharie teacheth namely that we might serue him in holinesse and righteonsnesse before him all the daies of our life For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Ye are not saith S. Paul to the Corinthians your owne Why so For you are bought with a price Glorifie therefore God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods Forsomuch then as we are all of the houshold of God all one in Christ all members of one and the same spirituall bodie woorshipping one Lord receiuing one baptisme professing one faith expecting one glorie to be reuealed vpon vs in that great day it is our duetie in token of our neere coniunction in the spirite with one heart one minde and as it were with one mouth to present our selues before his mercie seate to praise him to heare his word to receiue the seales of his merciful couenaunt in the Gospel and to offer him our needeful supplications together that in all things it may appeare that we are one as hee and the father are one euen one God to be blessed for euer 2 With what zeale desire Gods people of old were woont to do this we may gesse by that which we reade of y ◠Prophet Dauid who being persecuted of his wicked vnnatural son driuen from y e presence of that glorious tabernacle which with great triumph ioye himselfe had placed in the Citie of Dauid where he was woont with the rest of the people to call vpon the name of the Lord to heare the Lawe and to offer sacrifice vpon those beautiful altars conceiued such a deepe impression of griefe by the sorowfull meditation of those sweete and heauenly comforts whereof his soule had tasted in former times that forgetting quite the losse of all other royalties whatsoeuer he maketh mone for nothing but onely this that he might not nowe be partaker of those inestimable benefites and the comforts of minde and conscience which he was woont to receiue at the hand of God at such time as with the rest of the Israelites he resorted to the tabernacle where God promised to be present and fauourably to heare the petitions there made vnto him Of this his great miferie he complaineth him lamentably in diuerse of his Psalmes but especially in the 84 where he breaketh out into these woords of great zeale O Lord of hosts howe amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courts of the Lorde mine heart and my flesh reioice in the liuing God He goeth on and magnifieth the blessed estates of those sillie birds which might haue their nests and lay their young euen
not trauell to tel you howe diuersly the name of grace is taken in the sacred scriptures but rather note vnto you in what sense the holie Ghost doth chiefly vse it in this place Grace is the fauour and mercie of God towards sinnefull men It is called grace because it is giuen gratis freely and vndeseruedly on our parts to whom it is giuen For vs it is purchased by the onely meane and meere merite of our Sauiour Christ and to vs it is both offered and exhibited by the voluntarie and vnprouoked operation of the spirite This grace in it selfe being large more than sufficient for all men the holy Ghost diuideth and bestoweth vpon eache breathing where and as he listeth according to the secrete pleasure of his will Thorough it we haue saluation whereas through sinne wee deserue death For out iniquitie was heinous in the sight of God first committed by Adam and since continued in vs but farre more exceeding was the mercie of our Lord who when we were his enemies sent foorth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Lawe that he might redeeme them which were vnder the Lawe and that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes No tongue can expresse neither any minde conceiue this gratiousnesse Yet let vs ponder it with such consideration as we are able Great therefore I say was the mercie of our creator who gaue his sonne and great the loue of our Sauiour who gaue euen himselfe for vs. Our thraldome was great that required a ransome of such value our guiltinesse much that could no otherwise be washed away but with the verie heart bloud of the innocent lambe of God Christ Iesus our Lord Yea inestimable and vneffable was the loue of our gratious Lord who to spare vs spared not himselfe He was content to become ignominious before men that we might be glorious with his father to be condemned that wee might be absolued to bee crowned with thornes to purchase vs a crowne of immortalitie to loose his life that we might gaine life to suffer death that we might escape it and to become as hated and accursed of God that we might find fauour and eternall grace with him In his death our sinne is pardoned by his bloud our filthinesse is washed away by his resurrection we are reconciled to his father and made at one with God Let vs not breake this so happie truce betwixt the Lord and vs let vs not through sinne condemne our selues againe nowe that we are iustified let vs not walke toward hell hee hauing made plaine and easie the path to heauen The image of God in vs defaced through Adam is repaired by Christ Let vs appeare therefore in this pure image before God that wee may be acceptable in his pure sight Through Christ we are called to be citizens with the Saints and Gods houshold-seruaunts let vs then put on the garments of trueth and innocencie that so it may appeare whose seruaunts we are by our Lords liuerie We are made the happie heires of his glorious kingdome and fellow heires with Iesus Christ wherefore let vs not seeke so possessions here that we loose a better inheritance aboue in heauen If wee doe it is in vaine that the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ hath beene so largely offered vnto vs and plentifully powred on vs. Yea his grace will encrease the wofulnesse of our destruction 7 Grace is offered and receiued by two especiall outwarde meanes the preaching of the Gospel and the holie administration of the blessed Sacraments These two are the instruments or rather the hands by the which the holie Ghost doth offer exhibite seale and deliuer the grace of God vnto vs. 8 And there bee two sorts of men to whom grace is offered by the word in vaine The one are they which wil not giue it so much as the hearing but doe vtterly contemne and vnkindely refuse that which the Lord doth so kindly and so gratiously offer to them The other they that heare it indeede reade it but consider it not receiue it but altogether without fruite and for fashions sake Of the former sort are all such as Pharao was who enioined Moses to come no more in his sight for hee would not heare him Such also were the Iewes to whom when Stephen preached they stopped their eares Such they of whom the Lorde complaineth by the Prophet saying I spake and they would not heare 9 Of the latter sort there be three kindes shadowed in the parable of the sower which went foorth to sowe his seede whereof some fell in the high way side some in stonie grauelly ground some also amongst thornes That which fell by the high waie side either the birds of the aire picked vp or men trod vpon with their feete Which our sauiour applieth vnto him that heareth the word of the kingdome and vnderstandeth it not and by and by the diuell taketh it away least he should beleeue and so be saued For it fareth with the woord preached as with the seede sowen Some are so dissolute and rechelesse that they let it in at the one eare and out at the other The hearts of some be so be so hardened and parched because they want the watering of Gods spirit which doth only mollifie that his word can take no roote in them The diuell and his deceitful Angels doe so bewitch them and fil their harts with vain cogitations so abalienate their mindes and trouble their memorie that they cannot tell what is saide it is forgotten by that it is spoken Yea the diuell doth so throughly occupie the hearts of many other with superstitious opinions and fond perswasions or with such worldly desires such fleshly lusts such froward affections that the hearing of the blessed word is a wearisome worke vnto them euery houre spent that way is as tedious as a yere and thought to bee wholly lost Many likewise both heare the woord preached and reade the Scriptures as the Pharisees did heare them that they may seeme to fauour the Gospel and so vnder pretence of holinesse blinde the eyes of others and purloine commoditie to themselues Such come in amongst the children of God as did Satan of old yet God knowes them to be children of darknesse not of light yea and oftentimes he so shaketh them out of their painted rags that the whole world may espie their ouglie and deformed nakednesse Whilest by their hypocrisie they labour to deceiue others they deceiue yea and damne themselues To this sort of men therefore the word is offered but all in vaine Either they receiue it not or they receiue it to their owne destruction 10 The second sort are resembled to the stonie soile which receiueth the seede and it taketh roote for a time but when the heate of the sunne commeth it withereth away Many such there be which haue gladly heard the Gospel haue frequented sermons with appearance of great deuotion and could freshly
to God we were but the Lorde and our owne consciences doe knowe how farre otherwise the case doth stand I will not enter into particulars nor open the sores of any man but send you home into the closet of your owne heartes to see it And if we prosecute the comparison in such wise as hath beene touched I nothing doubt but euerie one of vs may iustly lay the cause of this heauie displeasure of God and grieuous plague vpon himselfe euerie one may say and crie out with the prophet Dauid It is I that haue sinned I that haue committed iniquitie and deserued this great vengeaunce The smart whereof as wee doe outwardly feele so if it inwardly pierce vs to the quick of our hearts and soules if we be truly wounded and humbled in deede with the grieuous remembrance of our former sinnes this is of all other the most acceptable time for vs to receiue the sauing health of God who as he taketh his time to offer vs grace so we must also take ours to receiue it beeing offered To day saith the Apostle if you wil heare his voice harden not your heartes It is to day so long as he speaketh by his Prophet saying Returne euerie one from his euill waie make your waies and your workes good If this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them It is to day so long as that voice of Iohn the Baptist is heard Repent So long as wisedome vttereth her voice in the streetes and crieth Turne so long as our Lord and Sauiour saith Come it is to day These so often callings and so sweete admonitions ought to be of force sufficient to set vs forward to repent to turne and come to our mercifull Sauiour in this day of saluation and to follow the worthie examples of our wise forefathers who being stirred vp in like sort haue awaked and haue beene saued That very daie that Nathan the Prophet tolde Dauid of his fault hee repented and was receiued to mercie The Niniuites likewise were a wise and a circumspect people they tooke their time euen the acceptable time of their repentance which else had come too late So they which repented at the preaching of Iohn made speede to retire from their owne by-paths and ro turne into the waies of God As many as receiued fruitfully and effectually the grace which the Lord did offer by the hands of Peter preaching the remission of sins they also tooke the opportunitie of that selfesame houre so were saued All these things as S. Paul witnesseth are written for our instruction that wee might learne wisely to redeeme the time and to knowe the day of Gods most gratious visitation 15 Especially nowe sith we doe not onely heare the sound of his voice but also feele the smart of his correction There is no hope that euer we wil receiue the grace of God if in the midst of our afflictions we refuse it His case is desperate whom aduersitie cannot cure whom eternall death hath so possest and benummed that the very sharpest medicines are vnable to woorke vpon him Turne you therefore saith wisdome at my correction When men are heauie laden with griefe and sorowe then are they fittest to call for and to receiue refreshing Examples hereof are almost infinite After Iosephs brethren were brought into comber and into feare of their liues they remembred their fact committed against their brother and it grieued them much which before had much contented them Whilest men are at ease and haue rest in the flesh grace is no grace the promises of God cannot haue their effectuall and powrefull operations no not in the very elect of God Looke vpon Manasses in his throne and in prison vpon the people of Israel at home in peace and abroade in banishment vpon Noah Dauid Ezechias all the Saints and seruaunts of God in their flourishing estate and in their grieuous troubles and yee shall finde that the gratious offers of God were neuer receiued woorthily in deede but in great extremities When a man is striken with sorowe vpon his bed and the griefe of his bones is sore saith Elihu in the booke of Iob so that his life causeth him to abhorre bread and his soule daintie meate If in such a case there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse how that God wil haue mercie vpon him and wil say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue receiued a reconciliation such a message of grace no doubt will then be heartily accepted or else be in vaine for euer It is affliction that maketh the kingdome of heauen to suffer violence When we are in miserie in trouble in distresse of bodie mind then especially is the acceptable time thē is the high day of our saluation Thou didst chastise me saith the Prophet Ieremie and then I came to vnderstanding So that the most especiall time to shewe our selues woorthie receiuers of the grace of God is when his chastisements are vpon vs and his anger doth afflict our soules Wherefore most properly beloued in the Lord to you it may be spoken Receiue not the grace of God in vaine This is the acceptable time this is the day of your saluation Although the grace of God haue heeretofore beene offered and vnkindely refused yet nowe that the hande of his heauie displeasure nowe that the rodde of his correction is laide vpon you O receiue it not nowe in so acceptable a time in vaine 16 The onely way to shewe our selues woorthie receiuers of grace is by heartie and vnfeined repentaunce to acknowledge that we haue sinned in peruerting righteousnesse and to amende that which we knowe and acknowledge to bee amisse If wee thinke to be receiued into his fauour without this brethren wee deceiue our selues He is gratious but to the penitent and will haue mercie vpon sinners but vpon sinners which forsake their sinnefulnesse It is true that he wil heale whom he hath spoiled and whom he hath wounded he will builde vp he wil quicken the dead and raise vp them that are throwne downe yet so if they say Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord. The first effect therefore of grace in the heart of man is vnfeined repentaunce With the doctrine whereof we are throughly ynough acquainted We haue no neede to be taught what the name doth signifie the nature properties and parts thereof are knowne Onely the practise wanteth whereunto wee are so slowe and so hardly are drawne that in this one point we wearie out all our teachers about this one thing they wast they spend themselues And in the end we are most commonly as wee were at the first like the Leopard that chaungeth not his skinne To bring men to repentance is such a worke
of weight that God himselfe seemeth as it were tired with labouring so long about it As appeareth by those passionate and grieuous complaints recorded in holy scripture I haue spoken they doe not heare I haue stricken they are not grieued How often would I haue gathered them as a hen her chickens vnder her wings and they would not bee gathered O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda howe shall I intreate thee Yet neither were they ignoraunt and we doe very wel know that there is no other medicine saue repentaunce onely to heale the wounds of our soules no other way to restore our selues againe to our fathers home but onely Father I haue sinned no other meane to quenche the wrathfull indignation which our sinnes haue caused to burne and flame as an ouen but onely our teares Though our sins be red as skarlet or as fire yet being bathed with the water of our eyes they are scowred made as white as snow It is written of Marie not of that vertuous Marie but of the dissolute that she was Mulier peccatrix notorious for her light and lewde behauiour Yet by repenrance as she died vnto sinne so the memorie of sinne being dead vnto her she liueth stil in the glorious remembraunce of that righteousnesse which penitent sinners obteine by faith She is honourably mentioned wheresoeuer the Gospel of Christ is heard all men speake of her teares of her sinnes no one is mentioned or knowne The pretious oyle wherewith shee was woont to annoint her selfe that shee might be more pleasaunt to the senses of her louers shee nowe powreth out and for loue sake bestoweth it vpon her Sauiour The eyes which were woont to cast wanton lookes vpon the dissolute did nowe gush out with water and serued as conduites at the feete of Christ. The haire which before had beene wrapt in golde had beene coloured pleated and bordered laide out and beset with pearles was now imployed to a far other vse that the honour receiued from the feete of Iesus might put out the shame which before it had taken from the eyes of lewde and amarous beholders Hauing washed and dried she could not satisfie her selfe til she had also kissed her Sauiours feet whose mercie had now eased her heart of that deadly sting which the lips of wantons had imprinted left behind them O blessed paterne of true contrition howe woorthily art thou left for al posteritie to talke of to behold and to follow Such conuerts shew plainely that they are woorthie receiuers and that the grace of God hath not appeared vnto them in vaine For they who in this fort denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts will surely according to the blessed Apostles exhortation which followeth giue offence to none 17 For although there must of necessitie offences rise yet Woe be to him hy whom they rise Why Were not the Pharisees offended at the scholers and disciples of Christ for not fasting for eating with vnwasht hands for plucking the eares of corne on the Sabaoth day and for such like things of their owne inuention toyes of no importance Nay did not the most charitable deedes of Christ himselfe offend these peeuish hypocrites It is true they were offended with him and his as at this day the Romish Pharisees are offended with vs and ours But we must marke and obserue that we are warned onely not to giue offence to any man If men bee offended with vs which by vs are not offended such offences being not giuen of vs but taken of them are not our faults but their follies Vnto vs therefore at this time S. Pauls exhortation importeth thus much that sith God hath graunted vs fauour in the eyes of this people with whom we presently conuerse it were a thing most intollerable for vs with Iacobs children to commit such crimes or giue such offences as might make vs odious and lothsome in their sight The Gospel hath nowe gotten honour and renowne by these our sufferings for it let it not hereafter bee ill spoken of and slandered through our disordered conuersation Of all others wee had neede to walke most warily We are set as it were a citie vpon a mountaine to be gazed at Our conuersation is marked of all men and diligent searche made of it on euerie hand Friends enemies and strangers obserue our steppes and a litle fault in vs will be taken as a great offence Let the woord of Christ dwell richely amongst you with all wisedome that ye may bee blamelesse and pure as the sonnes of God without rebuke that we may bee as shining lights in the world holding foorth the word of life that in the day of Christ we may reioice and be glad as they who haue not receiued the grace of God in vaine Let vs forsomuch as our heauenly father for the merites of his sonne and by the ministration of his spirite doth gratiously offer and exhibite vnto vs his manifold mercies and benefites especially in his holie woord and sacraments thankefully and woorthily receiue the same and namely in this acceptable time the onely time appointed of God for vs to receiue and for him to offer grace Finally let vs shewe that his grace hath taken roote and place in our fleshie not fleshly hearts in bringing foorth the woorkes of the spirite the fruite of true repentance of sanctification and good life giuing offence to no man no not to those which are without but walking quietly honestly and orderly in all things that men seeing our blamelesse and inoffensiue conuersation may glorifie God the giuer of all goodnesse and the eternall father To whom with the Sonne and the holie Ghost one God of most glorious maiestie be all honour and praise rendered in the Church for euer Amen The sixteenth Sermon A Sermon preached at a mariage in Strausborough HEB. 13. 1 Mariage is honourable in all AS God made the worlde and all the creatures therein conteined to serue for the setting forth of his glorie and great maiestie so likewise by the forcible mightie operation of his strength and power he preserueth still the workes of his hands least if he should haue onely builded the goodly frame of this world afterward suffred the same to decay the praise of his name shold haue lasted but a while and reached but to a fewe which nowe passeth through many generations and continueth to all eternitie For this he prouided when hauing finished the creation of trees and herbes and made them both beautifull and good in their appointed seasons hee blessed them with secrete vertue to multiplie by bringing foorth fruite and seede eche according to his kind that there might be a continuance increase of things so behooueful for liuely creatures Also that the liuely and sensible creatures themselues the birdes of the aire the beasts of the fielde and fishes in the sea might yeeld in all ages the benefite which the children of men do reape by them he powred
into the hands of their enimies and they that hated them were Lordes ouer them he cast them into exile and miserable bondage he burnt vp their holie citie he destroied their glorious temple he left them to be deuoured with pestilence with hunger and with the sworde the accustomed instrumentes of his wrath Insomuch that euen to this day the remnant of that elect and chosen people is scattered farre and wide and doth liue in all contempt hatred and slauerie marked like Cain to be knowne as a murdering vagabond vpon the earth to be a byword an example of Gods Iustice to all the worlde throughout all succeeding ages 6 Now all these thinges came vnto them not onely for their punishment but also for examples vnto others were written to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come They are patterns for vs to looke vpon that seeing their sinne and the punishment thereof we may eschew the one if we desire to escape the other And they crie dayly in our eares Let not your faults be like their faultes least your destruction also be like to their destruction for God is the same yesterday to day for euer he hateth sinne no lesse now then before no lesse in vs than in them 7 He hath visited vs in mercie as he visited them yea we haue tasted perhaps more aboundantly of his goodnes than euer they did And as the benefittes we haue receiued doe at the least equall theirs so their vnthankfulnesse is much behinde ours if it be rightly and duelie considered God hauing so straungly so farre beyond all hope so much beside our expectation and more besides our desert so many times and so many wayes deliuered vs not out of one Aegypt from vnder one Pharao through the middest of one sea but out of sundrie places of most grieuous irkesome and tedious captiuitie from vnder the heauie yooke of sundrie cruell tyrants through the middest of sundrie maine seas of troubles and afflictions Yet haue we for all this buried the memorie of our deliuerance in forgetfulnesse yet doe wee for all this sinne dayly and that with greedinesse yea and spiritually as farre as in vs lyeth crucifie Christ a freshe and sheede his most precious bloud againe We are wearie of the Gospell the foode of life is reiected as a thing vnsauorie we haue no liking to feede as the Lordes table our desire is rather to franke vp our selues with that which we shoulde abhorre and loath Euerie house and corner is full of idolatrie and superstition of sinne and filthinesse full of murmuring against God full of grudging and repyning against the Lords annointed For of his Prophetes what shoulde I say was there euer any time any age any nation countrie or kingdome when and where the Lordes messengers were worsse entreated more abused despysed and slaundered than they are here at home in the time of the Gospell in these our dayes wee are become in your sight and vsed as if wee were the refuse and paringes of the worlde Euerie mouth is spitefully opened euerie tooth is sharpened and whetted against vs. Harde it is to finde one foorth that will loue and reuerence vs as fathers obey vs as gouernours honour vs as Gods embassadours learne of vs as of schoolemaisters here and follow vs as sheepeheardes giue vs worthie wages as workemen that take paines for your saluation But our exspectation is not deceiued Christ our Sauiour hath told vs long ago that the world should hate vs our case is no worse herein thē the blessed Apostles was our reward is great in heauen And it were well if this vnkinde affection did reach no further than vnto vs only But it spreadeth wider regardeth as little the throne of Dauid as the chaire of Moses the sworde as the booke the Prince as the Prophet the ciuill as the ecclesiasticall state Some desire a chaunge Others not onely desire it but conspire for it too and contriue treacherie greedelie expecting their looked for time the daie of their felicitie and of their great ioy But if God in his wrath graunt such a time which for his mercie sake I trust he will neuer do it wilbe euen to them who now so earnestlie desire it a day of death and not of life of lamentation and not of ioy What gayned they who desired the chaunge of Samuell for Saull of Christ for Barrabas they procured Gods wrath their owne confusion perpetuall slauerie So it fareth with miscontented mindes Their own desires plague them 8 Thus we cannot but see Gods godnesse and our vnthankefulnesse his giftes and our abusing of them his patience and our continuall frowardnesse Our sinnes are come to the fulnesse with the Ammorites iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand and crusheth downe all pietie Can our God thinke you winke at so manifest or holde his hande at so grieuous sinne If he spared not the braunches of the true oliue not his first borne Israell not his elect people but often punished and at length gaue them quite ouer for that they neglected his worde and despysed the Preachers of it if he spared not his owne onely citie not the holie temple wherein he woulde be worshipped but for that they were both polluted and prophaned destroyed both for euer whar can wee which are but as wilde twigges whose father was an Ammorite and whose mother an Hittite who haue not harkned to his worde sent from heauen who haue defiled his sacred temple and euen crucified his Christ looke for any other but Gods great plagues and dreadfull vengeance to be powred vpon vs to our eternall miserie doubtlesse we haue deepely prouoked him vnto anger The onely way to pacifie and appease his wrath to mitigate his indignation and to remoue his plagues from vs which euen now hange ouer vs is our earnest repentāce to turne vnto our God with our whole harte that he may turne to vs to lament and forsake our wickednesse to trust in mercie and to craue pardon to promise performe amendment of this sinnefull life Thus we must doe and that speedelie or else without doubt and without delay we perish 9 The threatned destruction of the temple hath occasioned me thus much to say Now when Christ had vttered the sentence of ruine desolation against that holy place the Disciples as Mathew reporteth cam secretly vnto him asked not only of the time when the Tēple should be destroied but also of the second comming of Christ and of the end of the worlde They enquired as men desirous to learne that whereof they were ignoraunt And they asked of Christ the wisedome of God the appointed schoolemaister of whome we should seeke for knowledge They asked as I sayde three seuerall thinges of the destruction of Ierusalem of the seconde comming of Christ of the ende of the worlde which two later are indeede but one To whom Christ maketh answere not assigning any certainetie of the times when
he wil both cause the raging of the sea to cease and staie the madnesse of the people 2 But to the ende wee may more particularly gather such lessons out of this parcell of Scripture as may most tende to Gods glorie and our edifying I meane to stande while this time will permit vppon these pointes shewing first that wee must followe Christ into the ship secondly that as many as will saile with him shall be in daunger thirdly that in their daunger they shall not be destitute of helpe if they seeke it at his hands It is not my peculiar cōceit but Tertullian Chrysostom do note that this ship representeth the church of Christ tossed with the surges of temptatiō with the stormy waues of calamity trouble in this presēt world 3 Christ hath alwaies had a Church here on earth it was begun in Paradise sithens it hath remained and continewed euen vnto this daie And as Christ hath his boate so hath Antichrist also his Wherefore it behoueth vs to knowe and discerne the one from the other The arke of the tabernacle of the Lord hath her true ornamentes whereby to be knowne Therein are layde vp the treasures of God most precious iewels S. Paul telleth vs what they are In the arke of the testament was a goulden pot hauing manna and the rod of Aaron that had blossomed and the tables of the testament In the tables was the written word of God Manna was a figure of that mysticall foode wherewith we are nourished to eternall life the rod of Aaron resembled the scepter of discipline So that where nothing is taught but according to the written worde where the sacramentes are sincerely ministred where the rod and scepter of gouerment is vsed there is Christ there is the Church And wee may thanke our God for euer that in his meruelous great mercie hee hath made vs pertakers of these so rich and precious blessings whereby we knowe assuredly that God is amongst vs that he sitteth in the midst of our assemblies that this church is vnto vs as the arke of Noah as the glorius sanctuarie of the Lord as the ship into which Christ Iesus is entred 4 When the Romaines minded to leaue the citie Scipio tooke an ensigne in his hād set forwardes towards the capitol saying Quicunque vult remp saluā me sequatur whosoeuer wisheth wel to the common state let him follow me But most truely it may be saide Whosoeuer wisheth well to his owne soule let him follow Christ. Hee is no seruaunt that refuseth to follow his maisterr he that followeth him not is not worthie of him The sheepe when they heare the voice of their sheepehearde they go after him He is no member of Christ that sundreth him selfe from the heade of that bodie whereof he professeth himselfe a member That braunch that is cut off from the vine withereth and is fit for nothing but for the fire After that Iudas left Christ gaue himselfe to be a sectarie of the high priestes his case was lamentable No man commeth to the hauen but hee which followeth Christ to the ship If wee leaue him whither shoulde wee go There is no other that hath the words of eternall life Let vs therefore doe as his Disciples did forsake all and follow Followe him not onely to the ship but in the ship 5 The follow Christ to the ship which by faith in the gospell are gathered and vnited to his Church the doore and entraunce whereunto is narrow For so Christ describeth it If any man will come after me let him denie him selfe This lesson is generall For S. Luke sayth dixit omnibus he spake vnto all and S. Marke Et turbae discipulis dixit he spake it both to the multitude and to his disciples No man therefore can looke to come vnto Christ by any other way We must beginne with the plaine denying of our selues that is to say the forsaking of our impietie and fleshlie lustes 6 To denie impietie is to forsake false doctrine false worshipping of God and whatsoeuer is against the first parte or table of the law The house of God saith Tobias shall be built for euer with a glorious building as the Prophetes haue spoken of it And all nations shall turne and feare the Lord God truely and shall burie their idols that is to saie they shall forsake their impietie and so be numbred with the Saintes of God When the Ephesians which had vsed curious Artes were conuerted to the faith of Christ they brought their bookes and burned them as many as were worth by estimation fiftie thowsand peeces of siluer By the writinges of Athenagoras Clemens Iustine martyr Arnobius Minutius Lactantius and many other of the Auncientes it appeareth that the verie first thing which those men of famous memorie did in their conuersion from Gentilitie to the truth was openly to proclaime defiance to that impietie wherein they had bene nuzled and trayned vp Constantine considering with him selfe the liues and doinges of former Emperours and finding that their estate had bene alwaies worse which had worshipped the gods of the nations that they which gaue greatest credit to Idolatrous spirites of diuinatiō were but deluded that none had fairer promises of prosperous euentes then they whose endes were most infortunate that his father onely amongest the rest putting his trust in the God which created heauen and earth had by experience all the time of his life founde him a mightie protectour and a bountifull rewarder of them that feare him when it pleased God by this meane to bring him to a loue and liking of the truth he began forthwith to shew great tokens of fauour vnto Christians to haue conference with their Bishops and chiefe professours to restore them whom crueltie had cast out of their lawfull possessions for beeleuing in the name of Christ to erect houses of great charge for prayer and holie exercises of the Church to doe whatsoeuer might any way be deuised not onely for the succour and needeful reliefe but also for the honour and dignitie of Christians Nowe by this that Tobias foresheweth how the Gentiles being conuerted to the truth shall burie their Idols that S. Luke recordeth howe the Ephesians burned all their impious bookes that the fathers in their first conuersion wrote so vehemently against paganisme that Constantine gaue so many and so great tokens of a minde detesting all impietie and burning with the loue of Christ Iesus by this I say we may perceiue how impossible it is to steale a true denial of impietie how impossible for a man which in deede hath denied it not to shewe his deniall in his deedes 7 To denie impietie it is not enough except wee also denie our fleshlie lustes If we looke into our euill and corrupt nature wee shall finde nothing but that which leadeth vs cleane from Christ nothing but rebellion against the spirite distrust in the
the holie ghost a trinitie in vnitie be rendered all thankes and all glorie giuen from this time forth and for euer more Amen The one and twentieth Sermon A Sermon preached at Pauls Crosse at what time a maine treason was discouered PSALM 4. 5. Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse THE occasion why the Princely prophet wrote this Psalme is the great distresse whereunto he was brought by the monstrous vnnaturall rebellion which his ambitious sonne Absalon raised against him This forced him to flie vnto God for aide and by earnest prayer to seeke help from heauen The summe and substance of the Psalme consisteth in these pointes First he crieth vnto God for deliueraunce from this wicked conspirasie Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse haue mercie vpon me and hearken vnto my prayer Secondly he reprooueth the wicked enterprise of his foes and therewithall moueth them to repentance O ye sonnes of men howe long will ye turne my glorie into shame louing vanitie and seeking lies For be yee sure that the Lorde hath chosen to himselfe a godly man the Lorde will heare when I call vnto him tremble and sinne not examine your owne heart vpon your bed and be still offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lorde Thirdlie as one assured of present helpe he turneth his talke againe vnto God and reioyceth in the sweete and comfortable feeling of his grace saying Many say who will shewe vs any good but Lorde lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vpon vs thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart than they haue had when their wheate and their wine did abounde I will lay me downe and also sleepe in peace for thou Lorde only makest me dwell in safetie 2 The prophet in calling vpon the name of God maketh mention of his owne innocencie Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnes Not that he thought himselfe so iust righteous that God could not charge him with any sin for so no mā can trie his cause and stand in iudgement with God which thing he also confesseth saying in an other place Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no fleshe liuing be iustified For one dutie scarce performed he is able to charge vs with a thousande omitted nay we cannot alleage him one for a thousande why then doth the prophet speake of innocencie Why doth he vse this phrase of speach Heare me O God of my righteousnesse Surelie he knewe that God is a mercifull defender of them whome the world doth vndeseruedlie hate and persecute And in respect of his enemies for anie cause which they had so to conspire and rebell against him he might iustlie and trulie euen in the sight of God protest him selfe to be innocent He was a mercifull and a iust prince neuer offering wrong to anie his rebellious sonne he had sundrie times spared but neuer offended he neuer greeued his wicked counseller Achitophel neither yeat the raging people which vnnaturallie opposed them selues against him In respect hereof he alleageth his righteousnesse and innocencie his hart being a witnesse vnto him that towardes them he had euer shewed him selfe milde and mercifull 3 The Prophet hauing thus professed his vprightnesse vrgeth and prouoketh God to take the defence of his cause now as at all times he had heretofore protected him Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse Dauid passed through manie trobles but God deliuered him out of all He strenthened him against that huge and monstrous Philistine farre beyond the reason or expectation of man For if ye compare a younling with one of perfect age a simple shephard with a souldier exercised in feates of armes one of smale stature with a vast giant a naked manne with one most stronglie armed the combat could not choose but seeme in all pointes verie vnequall in so much that the Philistine plainlie contemned him But God fought for him gaue him the victorie Besides this he deliued him also from the fraud trechery of wicked Doeg from the treason of the men of Caila and Ziph which laboured to giue him into his enemies handes God deliuered him frō Achis king of Geth where he was in great danger How often by what miraculous meanes he saued him out of the hands of Saul y e histories do manifestly plainly shew Therfore he putteth God in remēbrāce of this his wonted mercy God is well pleased when his benefits are well remembred Vpon this experience of Gods former mercies he cōceiueth great confidence and sure hope that his protector woulde not leaue him now in the bryers that the God of whose mercie hee had so often tasted seeing that his cause was iust woulde not nowe leaue him as a praie to his enemies neither suffer them to trample ouer him 4 Thus wee see that the security of princes doth not rest vpon their power be they neuer so strongly garded but vpon their innocencie wee see from whence they ought in their troubles to looke for succour we see by what meanes they may assure themselues of helpe from heauen In the seconde parte of the Psalme the Prophet reporteth the rebellion of his foes and withall moueth them to repentaunce He reproueth them especially for two causes first for that they laboured to displace the prince whom God had set ouer them wherein the ignominie which they did vnto him was not so great as the iniurie which they offred vnto God 5 The contriuers thereof were not men of meene calling but of high place and great authoritie and therefore they are not called the sonnes of Adam but the sonnes of man filii viri noble personages Conspiracies are not wont to bee bred in the heades of the meenest sort which thing the Prophet noteth in the seconde Psalme The princes are assembled together in counsell against the Lorde and against his Christ. Marie the verie sister of Moses a woman of place and countenaunce deuised a plot to displace hir brother Moses spared hir because shee was his sister but God plagued hir because shee was a rebell and cast vppon hir a most foule disease Core Dathan and Abiram which conspired also against Moses were not the meenest men in their tribe Ieroboam a man of great might conspired against Salomon and openly rebelled against Roboam The kinges sonne Absolon the great wise counseller Achitophel rose vp against their lawfull Soueraigne armed the people against him If I shoulde enter into prophane histories and receite vnto you the authors and contriuers of ciuel seditions from time to time it woulde appeare that they were for the most part filij viri It is sometime otherwise For wee reade that simple men that men whose names are not spoken of without some speciall note of extreeme basenesse haue notwithstanding stirred vp daungerous tumultes But such are either set on by other
must all offer 15 At the handes of the minister it is required that hee feed the flocke committed vnto his charge this is righteousnesse in him it is his sacrifice God will haue no blinde no lame no vncleane thing to be offered therfore let as many as offer the sacrifice of righteousnes take heede to that they doe The wordes of the Lorde are pure wordes like siluer tried in a fornace of earth fined seuen times He therefore that speaketh let him speake as the wordes of God 16 Furthermore as it is reason that they which sacrifice at the altar shoulde liue of the altar euen so it is against all equitie and right that the labour of preaching the Gospell shoulde rest vpon any mans backand the maintenance due for the same be withheld and kept from him It hath beene tolde you often and some haue beene angrie to heare it so often tolde that the ministerie is too much pinched the liuing of the Church so fleesed that manie worthy ministers haue scarce nay they haue not wherewith tolerablie to sustaine themselues 17 To come from the minister to the magistrate when heynous crimes are detected and brought to light there is then a speciall sacrifice of righteousnesse required at his handes such a sacrifice as Ioas offered who following the good aduise of Iehoida the high priest his faithfull counsellour put Athalia which had murthered the kinges children and vsurped the kingdome to the sworde The Lorde sometime doth so deale with his people that they plainely see his wrath to be kindled and his heauie indignatioÌ„ impossible to be appeased til this sacrifice be offred him The Israelites were ouerthrowne in battle till Achan was stoned to death King Dauid founde no rest in his kingdome till AbsoloÌ„ Adonias had that which their rebellious practises did deserue God requireth as well the sacrifice of iustice as of mercie yea he sometimes accepteth iustice for a sacrifice and plagueth mercie as a grieuous sinne If Dauid had not spared his sonne for murther his sonne had not troubled him with rebellion For rebellion he woulde also in fatherly pity and compassion haue spared him this God coulde not suffer but tooke execution of iustice him selfe stretched out the arme of an oake and strangled the gallant in his owne haire Saul suffred Agag but he felt the wrath of the Lorde for it to the losse of his kingdome Quiparcit lupo mactat gregem hee that spareth a wolfe spilleth the bloude of the flocke saith Chrisostome God appointeth the magistrate to be a reuenger vnto wrath vpon him that committeth euil They which glorie to haue the sworde rustie in the sheath when they woulde drawe it out peraduenture shall not so well be able Let magistrates therefore from the highest to the lowest execute iustice without feare or fauour when neede requireth and so they shall offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse 18 As this sacrifice belongeth peculiarlie to them so there are others belonging although to them yet not to them alone but to all Christians Wee must all sacrifice vnto the Lorde with our goodes with our mindes and with our bodies For all these we haue receiued to serue him withall With our goodes the needie must be relieued the naked clothed the hungrie comforted and fed For this sacrifice S. Paul commendeth to the PhilippiaÌ„s I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you an odoure that smelleth sweete a sacrifice acceptable pleasant vnto God The like he hath also to the Hebrewes To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased 19 To haue the sacrifice of the bodie offered S. Paul is verie earnest with the Romaines I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holie and acceptable vnto God Let not thine eye behold the thing which is euill and it is made a sacrifice let no vncleane word escape thy tongue and it is an offring let thine hande doe no harme and it is an oblation saith S. Chrysostome To the like effect Origen when thou subduest pride thou dost affer a calfe when wrath a ram when lust a goate a doue when a vaine and wandring cogitation But the most precious sacrifice of the bodie is when being mortified it is also offered to the crosse for the testimonie of Iesus Christ in whose cause the death of the Saints is deere in the sight of God If the Prophetes the Apostles the martyrs of all ages haue offred vp the glorious sacrifice of righteousnesse why should wee be acounted faithfull as they were vnlesse wee be willing to doe and to suffer as they did Wee haue a longe time had faire weather wisdome would that we should prouide for stormes Christs Church must be tried such is Gods woont A rough storme was rising but the Lord such are his mercies raised vp a winde which scattered the clowdes he hath in great fauour and tender loue deliuered vs from the Lions mouth Let vs therefore liue no longer in this our senslesse securitie but offer him sacrifice as of our bodies so likewise of our mindes repentance and praise 20 Our sinnes no doubt haue prouoked his wrath our ingratitude hath grieued him our iniquities haue kindled his indignation wee haue grieuouslye offended by despising his worde from the highest to the lowest The Magistrates are for the most part colde in Gods cause they are not eaten vp with the zeale of his house iustice iudgement they commonly omit wickedly peruert The guides and Pastours of the Church seeke themselues and not those things which belong to Iesus Christ. And the people not well guided nor â—euerely corrected are of all other farthest out of frame Now if the most high haue power ouer the kingdome of men to giue it to whom soeuer he will and to appoint ouer it most vile persons when pleaseth him and if because of our vnrighteous dealing he should as he hath done many a time and oft vnto nations farre greater and mightier then ours power vs as it were out of one vessell into an other translate the scepter of this kingdom from hand to hand in steede of a gracious and religious Lady cause an hypocrite to raigne ouer vs which the Lord neuer suffer these eyes to see what could we saie but God were iust in al his waies had brought that vpon vs which our sinnes haue deserued To appease his wrath and to staie these or the like plagues from breaking in and from ouerwhelming the land there is no other waie but speedily to offer vp the sacrifice of righteousnesse This is the sacrifice of righteousnesse euen a broken and a contrite heart 21 The other sacrifice of the minde is praise which consisteth in thankesgiuing and petition Let vs thanke our God for his manifolde mercies For it is the Lordes mercies that
hands of God so he at ours should haue the duty of continuall holinesse and righteousnes of life 1. Cor. 1. Luc. 11. Matth. 23. Matth. 7. Ep. Iud. Iohn 3. Heb. 6. 2. Pet. 2. Acts 13. Osee. 13. Our redemption the ende thereof to serue him the maner of seruice in holinesse c. All men by nature bondmen Psal. 51. Rom. 6. Rom. 5. Ephes 2. By Christ we are redeemed out of bondage Col. 2. Ephes. 4. Iohn 1. Acts 10. Vs he hath deliuered after a more peculiar speciall maner The cause of our deliuerance is the mercie of hiâ— who hath deliuered vs. Ephes. 2. Tit. 3. We were redeemed to the end we might serue him Iohn 4. Man borne vnto labour and seruice Matth. 8. Iâ—hn 12. 2. Tim. 2. Gen. 3. Matth. 20. We must serue him and no other Matth. 6. Not MammoÌ„ as couetous men and vsurers doe Ephes. 5. Luc. 6. Luc. 12. Luc. 8. Esay 55. Not the belly as time seruers Theod. lib. 2. cap. 24. Not men as the popish faction c. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Tim 4. Not y e world sinne and Satan Rom. 6. Deut. 6. We must serue with feare chiâ—like not slauish Pâ—al 2. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 8. Poperie teacheth in stead of feare distrust Psal 131. Inferiors must feare superiors Our feare must be ioined with loue Psal. 2. Psal. 34. Matth. 10. Psal. 34. Gen. 3. Gen 7. Gen. 19. Gen. 4. Gen. 9. Gen. 29. Num. 11. 1. Cor. 11. The preaching of the Gospell with so litle fruite is a token that the true feare of God is wanting The cruel entrâ—ating of Gods messengers 2. Sam. 10. Phil. 2. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Cor. 4. 2. Thess. 1. It belongeth to God to prescribe how he will be serued Deut. 12. Marc. 7. 1. Sam 15. 2. Sam. 6. He will be serued in holines and righteousnesse syncerely and continually Matth. 25. Our election his will commandement example calling requireth holinesse at our hâ—nds Ephes. 1. 1. Thes. 4. Our holinessâ— must appeare 1. Tim. 6. When Christian assemblies to the seruing of God may be secret and when not 1. Cor. 10. 2. Cor. 6. Esay 52. Acts 2. Heb. 11. Christian magistrates may constraine their subiects vnto open assemblies where God is serued With holines righteousnes must be ioined Rom. 13. Righteous magistrates Righteous ministers Righteous â—ich men Righteous Lawyers Righteous men of what estate soeuer Tit. 2. Our holinesse and righteousnesse must be in zeale Apoc. 2. With what kind of zeale we must serue 1. Tim. 1. Rom. 10. 1. Reg. 10. Examples of â—â—ue zeale in Gods seruice Exod. 33. 1. Reg. 18. 2. Reg. 10. Num. 25. 1. Mac. 2. Iohn 2. Luc. 19. Psal. 119. Psal. 51. 2. Cor. 11. Our zeale must be as in knowledge so in synceritie Our seruing of God must continue all the daies of our life Magistrates ought to be obeyed whether they be Heathen or Christian. Why obedience should be yeelded vnto Magistrates Magistrates to be obeyed in the Lorde for conscience sake and not for feare onely Acts 5. Tribute due to Princes What we owe to men and what to God Examples of them which haue wel or ill discharged y â— debt they owe to magistrates Iosua 1. The magistrate is a debtor to the people as they are debtors vnto him he of iustice as they of obedience Qualities required in a gistrate Exod. 18. Luc. 23. The debt of the minister to his flocke 1. Pet. 5. Theires to him The debt of husbands wiues masters seruants Vsurers bad paymasters of that which they owe. Luc. 6. Exod. 22. Leuit. 25. Deut. 23. Falshoode in merchants paiments The debt of loue is general and continuall Al men owe it and no man paieth it so but that stil he oweth it Reasons why-loue is due debt Loue is due to our neighbours who they be Howe we ought to loue others namely as our selues A caution to be obserued in louing one another Rom. 12. The great want of loue in these our times Our dutie to God repentance newnesse of life The time requireth the paiments of this debt The blindnes in which the world sleepeth althogh the night be past Ezech. 2. Esay 60. Iohn 3. As many sleepe in error so the most in sinne Luc. 12. Ephes. 5. Sleeping in securitie Bernard Matth. 26. Because our saluation is neerer therefore we ought not to slâ—epe still in darkenesse The night is past The last day draweth nere We must therfore walk honestly as in the day We must cast off the workâ—s of darkenesse We must put on the armour of light Phil. 1. Iohn 1. 1. Iohn 1. The occasion of the aboue written words of the Prophet The likenesse betweene the occasion offered to the prophet of those words then of the like nowe The mercies of God towards the Church of England Euseb. li. 4. c. 15. Our euil requiting of the Lord for his goodnesse The way which men haue deuised for remedie of this The way which God hath prescribed by his Prophet Acts 4. Rom 8. Iohn 1. No seruice pleaseth God but such as God prescribeth Deut. 12. Apoc. 22. Clem. Alexand. Cyprian Hieron God prescribeth doing of iudgement what it is to doe iudgement Gen. 18. Matth. Parisâ—n Henr. prim Iudgement must be done by such as haue the administration of iustice committed vnto them Psal. 72. Psal. 94. Iudges free from taking of briâ—es They that iudge others must themselues be faultlesse Acceptation of persons Foolish pitie Ios. 19. Iudgement neither too hastie nor too slowe 1 Reg. 3. Acts 24. 2 Cor. 12. 2. Cor. 13. Partialitie Iudgement iustice must be in all the dealings generally of all men 1. Cor. â— Gen. 13. As we must doe iudgement so we must also loue mercie which he that loueth doth not rashly iudge others Luc. 6. Gal. 6. Louers of mercie are readie to pardon and put vp iniuries Ecclesiast 28. Matth. 5. Merciful men are bountiful Vsurers arâ— altogether mercilesseâ— men The dutie towards God which the prophet requireth at our hands What it is to walke with God He which walketh with God must walk carefully especially if God haue made him as it were a God amongst men They which walke with God must still walke on We all walke before God but not all with God The care which the godly haue alwaies had oâ— the Church Acts 15. The Church purged the vse thereof shewed by Christ. The entertainement of Christ and his ministers in the world when they goe about to doe the worke of the Lord. Luc. 19. Christs entring into the temple The state wherein he found the temple of Ierusalem He 〈…〉 By whom the Church shold be reformed when things are found to be amisse Esay 49. 2 Reg. 22. Ier. 1. What was reformed by Christ in the temple Deut. 14. What wee should reforme in the Church according to Christs example The vnkinde affection of euil pastors Iohn 10. Their vnorderly entring vpon the flockâ— by Simonie 2. Mat. 4. Acts. 20. Acts
by denying our selues Mat. 16. Luc. 9. Mark 8. Our impietie Tob. 14. Act. 19. All our worldly and fleshlie desires Ioh. 5. Ioh. 4. Matth. 26. 1. Cor. 3. Luc. 14. Tit. 2. The waie to follow him in the ship is imitation 1. Ioh. 3. 1. Pet. 2. Leuit. 11. 1. Pet. 1. Ioh. 8. How God is to be followed and how men Eph. 5. Heb. 6. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thes. 1. Psalm 78 1. Tim. 4 Phil. 4 They which are wiâ—h Christ must suffer trouble and affliction Afflictions common vnto all men Iob. 14. Afflictions peculiar vnto Gods elect Psal. 35. 2. Thes. 1. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Vpon euerie particular meÌ„ber Vpon the principal meÌ„bers specially The causes from whence such stormes do rise as troble y t church Rom. 15. How the stormes whâ—ch trouble men in partâ—cular do a rise Our troubles do grow when the causes that shoulde appease them are asleepe Aug. in Psal. 32 Eph. 5. 〈…〉 By ministers Ezech. 3. Esai 56. It is good that Christ should sleepe and wee bee troubled Cant. 5. Psalm 127. He seÌ„deth his disciples help in their troubles Psalm 44. We must liue as they that in the ende shall giue account howe they haue liued 1. Cor. 3. 1. Pet 2 Deut. 10. 1. Pet. 1. Luc. 1. Aâ—ac 2. Apocal. 3. The consideration of the last ende doth make them that are heauie ioyfull and them that are godlie watchfull Luke 21. The last ende of all things is certaine 2. Pet. 3. Act. 27. Act. 10. Act. 1. Apoc. 1. The time thereof vncertaine Act. 1. Matth. 24 1. Thess. 5. The time neere at hand as appeareth by signes but how neere we knoâ—e not Matth. 24. Dan. 7. 2. Thess. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Pet. 3. The destruction of Antichrist Ose. 4. The duties towardes God which S. Peter infereth vpon this doctrine 1 Ioh. 3. Inwarde sobrietie Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 13. Luke 5. Rom. 1â— Outward sobrietie in diet 1 Cor 9. Iud. 7. Sobrietie in attire Ecclesiast 19. 1 Tim. 2. Sobrietie in speech and gesture Awaking out of error superstition and sinne Ephe. 5. Esay 60. Watching that we ourselues be not deceiued by false teacheâ—s Chrysost. Psalm 73. Watching that others be not deceiued Esay 44. Watching ouer our liues 2. Reg. 31. Praying 1. Cor. 3. Psal. 126. The dutie towardes men which S. Peter inâ—erreth vpoÌ„ his doctrine concerning the end of all thinges haue feruent charitie Charitie hideth sinnes Possidon in viâ—a August Charitie is prone vnto hospitalitie Heb. 13. Leuit. 19. Matth. 25. Enemies to hospitalitie 1. Sam. 25. Charity communicateâ—h euery grace and gift of God vnto others Iac. 1. The occasion and partes of the Psalme The prophet alleageth his innocencie righteousnes He maketh mention of Gods wonted mercies towardes him He reproueth those which conspired against him What kinde of men they were which conspired Numb 25. Their continuance in their wicked purpose Their cuÌ„ning practises against the Lordes annointed The kinges patience All their deuises were but vanity They are exhorted to releÌ„t and châ—unge their mindes to offer the sacrifice of righteousnes vnto God Leuit. 4. Sacrificing vsuall in all ages Sacrifice God requireth 1. Pet. 2. The priestes by whom sacrifice is to be offered The sacrifice which Aaron offred the sacrifice of Christ and our sacrifice Esa. 53. Heb. 10. The sacrifice of the minister Psalm 12. 1. Pet. 4. The maintenaunce of the minister to offer sacrifice The sacrifice of the magistrate Ios. 7. Chrysost. Rom. 13. The sacrifice of all Christians offring their goodes Phil. 4. Heb. 13. Their 〈◊〉 Their soules â—n repentance Dan. 4. In thanksgiuing Lament 3. In making prayers and supplications S. Pauls fareâ—well to the Corinthians The same applied to the present occasion 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thes. 2. Iac. 3. An exhortation to perfection Perfection in God Matth. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. Iâ—c 1. Psalm 94. Esai 66. In his worde Psalm 119. Rom 7. 1. Tim. 1. Heb. 7. Rom. 8. In all his workes Esa. 4â— Perfection in vs by imputation Ezec. 28. Perfection 〈◊〉 be sought for by industrie and labour Phil. 3. Inwarde perfection 〈…〉 In knowledge Colloss 1. In faith 1. Thess. 3. 1. Ioh. 5. Ioh. 5. Luke 17. In Godlines Iohn 5. In brotheâ—â—ie kindnesse and lâ—ue Outward perfection in doing 1. Thess. 4. In speaking Prou. 15. Colloss 4. Iac. 3. Ecclesiast 27. In suffering Iac. 1. An exhortation to reioyce and be of good comfort Act. 26. 2. Cor. 12. 1. Pet. 5. Ioh. 16. An exhortation to peace and vnitie Psalm 133. 1. Cor. â— The promise made to them which doe as they haue ben hitherto exhorted
that worketh all in all Wherfore as not onely Paul Apollos Cephas but all are ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods so let vs comfort and strengthen one another in our holy faith holding nothing more deere vnto vs then the saluatiō ech of others and in Gods holy feare commend we one another to that faithful creator who is father of all aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all To him be rendred all thanks and all honour geuen for euer and for euer The order and matter of the Sermons 1 The first Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters c. Esa. 55. 1. 2 Be this sinne against the Lorde far from me that I shoulde cease to pray c. 1. Sam. 12. 23. 3 Take vs the little foxes which destroie the vines for our vine hath florished Cant. 2. 15. 4 I exhorte therefore before all thinges that requestes supplications c. 1. Tim. 2. 1. 5 Be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde c. Phil. 2. 2. 6 Teach mee thy way O Lorde and I will walke in thy truth Psal. 86. 11. 7 Drawe neere to God and he will draw neere to you Iac. 4. 8. 8 Seeke the Lorde while he may bee founde call vpon him while hee is neere c. Esay 55. 6. 9 All the daies of this my warfare do I waite till my changing come Iob. 14. 14. 10 That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies we may serue him c. Luc. 1. 74. 11 Owe nothing to any man but this to loue one another for hee that loueth c. Rom. 13. 8. 12 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Mich. 6. 8. 13 And Iesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that soulde and bought c. Matth. 21. 12. 14 Then Peter opened his mouth and saide Of a truth I perceiue that God c. Act. 10. 34. 15 We therfore as helpers beseech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 2. Cor. 6. 2. 16 Mariage is honorable in all Heb. 13. 1. 17 After these thinges Iesus went his waie ouer the sea of Galile c. Ioh. 6. 1. 18 Then there shalbe signes in the sunne and in the moone c. Luc. 21. 25 19 And when he was entred into the ship his disciples followed him c. Mat. 8. 23. 20 The end of all thinges is at hand Be ye therefore sober c. 1. Pet. 4. 7. 21 Offer the sacrifices of righteousnesse Psal. 4. 5. 22 For the rest brethren fare yee well be perfect be of good comforte c. 2. Cor. 13. 11. A Sermon made in Paules on the day of Christes Natiuitie ESAY 55. 1 Ho euerie one that thirsteth come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money 2 Wherefore doe ye lay out siluer and not for bread and your labour without being satisfied Hearken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnesse 3 Encline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue I wil make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid OVR Euangelical Prophet Esaias through the spirit of reuelation hath in the former part of this his prophecie 800. yeres before the birth of Christ euen as if the thing had alreadie beene performed such is the certainetie of his prophecie most liuely described and set foorth the natiuitie the preaching the persecution the apprehension the death the resurrection the ascension yea and the latter comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudge the quicke and the dead in such wise that for the substance thereof no Euangelist hath more perfectly or plainly set foorth this great mysterie of our saluation He foretelleth that Christ shall be borne of a virgin that his name shalbe Immanuel that his office shalbe to preache the glad tidings of saluation to the poore in spirit that he shalbe led as a sheepe to the shambles to be slaine that he shall be stricken for our sakes and beare the burthen of al our sinnes vpon his backe 2 His birth foreshewed so long agoe by this heauenly Prophet was in fulnesse of time accomplished as this day in Bethlem a citie of Dauid according to the testimonie of that Angel sent from heauen to proclaime the birth of the sonne of God at the same time saying Behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shalbe vnto all the people because this day is borne vnto you a Sauiour which is Christ our Lorde in the Citie of Dauid This is that seede of the woman which breaketh the serpents head that meeke Abel murthered by his brethren for our sinne that true Isaack whom his father hath offered vp to be a sacrifice of pacification and attonement betweene him and vs. This is that Melchisedeck both a king and a priest that liueth for euer without father or mother beginning or ending This is Ioseph that was solde for thirtie pieces of monie This is that Sampson full of strength and courage who to saue his people and destroy his enemies hath willingly brought death vpon his owne head This is that Lorde and sonne of Dauid to whom the Lord sayde Sit thou on my right hand This is that bridegroome in the Canticle whose heart is so inflamed with heauenly loue towards his deare spouse which is his Church This is he whom holy Simeon imbrasing prophesied that he should be a light to the Gentiles and a glorie to his people Israel he vpon whom the holy Ghost descended and of whom the father testified from heauen This is my welbeloued Sonne This is that lambe of God pointed at by Iohn and sent to take away the sinnes of the world to redeeme vs from thraldome not with golde nor siluer but with the inestimable price of his pretious bloud to be made our wisedome iustification sanctification and redemption This is the childe that is borne for vs the sonne that is giuen for our cause the king whose rule is vpon his shoulders whose name is maruellous the giuer of counsell the mightie GOD the euerlasting father the prince of peace the same Messias which was shadowed in the ceremonies and sacrifices of olde which was prefigured in the Lawe and is presented in the Gospel and hath beene approoued to the worlde by signes and wonders by so cleare euidence as cannot bee either dissembled or denyed Let vs therefore embrace this babe with ioie let vs kisse the sonne let vs with the Angels of heauen praise the Lord let vs sing their Psalme to the honour of his name Glorie be to God on high and on earth peace 3 The Prophet Esaias hauing in spirite espied Christ and seene the day though farre off wherein the Sauiour of the world should be borne
calleth all the nations of the earth together and exhorteth them to come to behold to beleeue to embrace to tast of the mercies of Christ Iesus which are as water to refreshe their thirstie spirits and as milke to nourish and comfort their hearts All you that thirst come to the waters c. In which exhortation the Prophet obserueth this order First he exhorteth the people to come Secondly he telleth whither and to whom they should come Thirdly he teacheth after what sort they must come Fourthly what commoditie such as come shal receiue 4 Come all that are thirstie Gods mercie is great and generall he hath no partiall respect vnto any person no countrey no kindred no age no condition no sexe is excluded He calleth Iewe and Gentile young and aged riche and needie bond and free man and woman He commaunded his Gospel to be preached to all Goe your waies preache the Gospel to euerie creature In the parable all are inuited to that magnificent mariage and kingly supper Christ himselfe cryeth in general words Come to me all that labour If all bee called and exhorted to come what cause can any man alleage sufficient to excuse his not comming the buying of fermes or the trying of oxen or the marying of wiues They haue base mindes that are withheld by these meanes But if any haue a feareful and a trembling heart who being called stand stil a farre off not because they wil not but because they dare not approche neere them God pitieth yea vnto them especially or rather onely vnto them he saith Come you Be thy sinnes neuer so great feare not to come for he that calleth thee hath stretcht out his armes of mercie at length they are wide open to embrace thee mercie is readie to all that will receiue it and to them that neede it most most readie A comfortable â—esson to all sinners 5 Come all that are thirstie He calleth not them which are full and neede neither meate nor drinke but such as be hungrie and thirstie them he calleth The proude Pharisey that was ful of his owne righteousnesse hungred not after remission of sinnes and they who are ouerfilled with works of supererogation and haue store to serue themselues and others neuer thirst to drinke of the cup of saluation In generall such as are drunke with the vaine trust of their owne merites wil neither tast of this bread nor drinke of this water The couetous man thirsteth after monie euen with the sale of his owne soule to get it The lewde after fleshlie delights and pleasures to the wasting of his patrimonie vpon them The proude after glorie that his itching eares may be tickled with his owne praise But what thirst the Prophet doth meane Christ sheweth in the Gospel where he also blesseth it Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousnesse Such as see their owne nakednesse as feele their owne infirmities as grone vnder the heauie burthen of their sinne as confesse with Dauid I knowe mine owne iniquities as make request with the Publicane God be mercifull to me a sinner as crie with the Leper Lorde if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane such are inuited vnto such our Prophet speaketh He calleth not the iust but vnto sinners he saith Come Goe not away but come 6 Whither and to whom Come to the waters Not to such waters as either the wel or the riuer yeeldeth but to those that issue from the sonne of God to those that shalbe in him which tasteth them a wel of water springing vnto euerlasting life Vnto whom shall we goe thou hast the words of euerlasting life Come to these waters buy this wine and this milke Other bread is no bread Eate that which is good Vnder these names of water wine and milke all things necessary to a spiritual life are comprehended For as with these corporall meates and drinkes the bodie is nourished so in Christ thorough the beleeuing of the Gospel our soule is refreshed perfectly fed vnto euerlasting life Christ is the fresh fountaine whereof who so drinketh shall neuer thirst Christ is that bread which descended from heauen He that eateth that bread which is his flesh shal liue foreuer Christ is that wine which maketh merie the heart of man and quieteth the troubled conscience Christ is that milke which nourisheth and feedeth vs that we may growe to a perfect man Milke is fit for infants water is conuenient for young men wine agreeth with olde age So in the Scriptures there is foode both for such as are simple and weake and also for such as are learned and strong 7 This grace of God which saueth hath appeared to all men this heauenly foode Christ Iesus by preaching the Gospel is offered to all as Manna the heauenly bread by faith to feede vpon and as a liuely fountaine to drinke of to euerlasting life All are of mercie grace and fauour freely called al may come and freely feede without penie or penieworth The grace of God is free remission of sins is free freely graunted freely giuen without monie The price of our redemption is neither golde nor siluer Through grace ye are freely saued For it cannot be grace any way which is not euerie way free saith S. Augustine 8 Wherefore doe ye lay out your siluer for that which is no bread and your labour on that which is not to satisfie As before he exhorted vs to come and buie freely without monie because God is no monie man neither can any man deserue fauour at his hands but whatsoeuer wee haue of him we haue it of mercie so nowe he sharpely reprooueth all such as by monie or merchaundise by desert or merite seeke after saluation He dehorteth vs from false teachers craftie seducers which offer to sel the grace and mercie of GOD for monie Christ proposeth his heauenly treasures remission of sinnes iustification sanctification mercie grace and saluation freely He that sitteth in the Temple of God and termeth himselfe Christs Vicar doeth in like sort offer vnto the people bread water wine milke pardon of sinnes grace mercie and eternall life but not freely he is a merchaunt he giueth nothing and that is nothing which he selleth For although he make large promises to the buyer he selleth that which he hath not to deliuer Eternall life is the gift of God The Pope therefore selleth but wind and smoke for fire shadowes for truthes he deceiueth the buyers with false â—lights false measures false weightes Beware of this merchaunt loose not your labour cast not away your monie it is not meate but poison which he offereth you His phisicke cannot heale your diseases His holy water cannot wash away the spottes of a sullied and defiled soule as he vntruely would beare you in hand His blasphemous Masses doe not appease but prouoke Gods wrath they cannot benefite the quicke much lesse the dead which either neede no helpe or are
not so wel to deale with prophane things in this place the word of God beeing so plentifull and of great power to mooue the hearts of such as beleeue In the scriptures of God Counsellers haue examples laide before them of both sorts as well such as haue referred all their counsels to their owne priuate gaine as also such as haue faithfully employed their trauels to the benefite of others Achitophel beeing a man of a traiterous heart gaue trecherous aduise tending to the kings confusion But Chusa the Archite directed faithfully his counsell to the safetie of his Lord and Master the King Let him be followed who is most to be commended and was best rewarded This lesson must be deliuered vnto them also which haue charge to deliuer it vnto others For woe be to those pastors that feede themselues and not their flocke Paul had care of all Churches Christ preferred the safetie of his flocke before his owne soule hee gaue his pretious life for his beloued sheepe To bee short this must teache euerie member to trauell for the benefite of the whole bodie that the glorie of God may be sought of all Which that all may seeke syncerely and heartily God the Father graunt for his Sonne our Sauiours sake to whom c. The sixth Sermon A Sermon preached before the Queene PSALME 86. 11 Teache me thy way O Lord and I will walke in thy trueth I Will not meddle with the argument of this Psalme nor make any generall discourse of the whole this one verse shall suffice being plentifull and riche in matter most fit for these our times and not vnfit for this most honourable audience they are the words of a most woorthie prince pertinent to all princes and conuenient for all Christians This short sentence consisteth partly of a petition and partly of a promise For first he praieth to be taught of God secondly hee promiseth to walke in his trueth In the former part are these things chiefly to be considered first a request to be taught Teach me secondly to be taught of God Teache me O Lord thirdly what he would be taught Teache me thy waies 2 The king in praying to be taught confesseth his ignorance and if the great prophet of God pleade ignoraunce who is hee that dare boast of knowledge If S. Paul after so long studie and after so many heauenly reuelations did confesse We knowe in part then the best learned of all may learne Yea when a man hath doone his best he must then begin againe as if all which hath beene doone alreadie were in comparison of perfection nothing It is too much arrogancie in that proude man who thinketh himselfe to haue all knowledge hid in the chest of his bosome and all trueth cheined to his tongue so that hee can neither deceiue nor be deceiued No man hath attained to the knowledge of any thing which will not confesse with Socrates This one thing I knowe that I knowe nothing Brethren saith the Apostle I would not haue you ignoraunt Ignorance is the mother not of deuotion but of superstition not of trueth but of error and sinne If wee desire therefore rather to walke in light than to dwell in blindenesse we must learne of this princely prophet to become scholers in Gods schoole we must with Salomon prefer knowledge and wisedome before riches honour and long life 3 God hath appointed good meanes to leade men to knowledge hee hath caused the scriptures to bee written for our learning Without the knowledge whereof neither can kings beare rule neither subiects obey and liue in order as they should Wherefore Iosua was commaunded not to laie aside the volume of the Law at any time night nor day The prophet Dauid made it his continuall studie The wisest gouernours of Israel would not enterprise any matter of weight til they had turned the leaues of this booke thence to take aduice for their better direction This most pretious iewel is to be preferred before all treasure If thou be hungrie it is meate to satisfie thee if thou be thirstie it is drinke to refresh thee if thou be sicke it is a present remedie if thou bee weake it is a staffe to leane vnto if thine enemie assault thee it is a swoord to fight withall if thou be in darkenesse it is a lanterne to guide thy feete if thou be doubtfull of the way it is a bright shining starre to direct thee if thou be in displeasure with God it is the message of reconciliation if thou studie to saue thy soule receiue the word ingrafted for that is able to doe it It is the word of life Whoso loueth saluation will loue this woord loue to reade it loue to heare it and such as wil neither reade nor heare it Christ saith plainely they are not of God For the spouse gladly heareth the voice of the bridegroome and my sheepe heare my voice saith the prince of pastors 4 But the world seemeth to be glutted with the word there be many stomackes that cannot digest it and many that loath it I stand in feare that God in his iustice wil giue vs instead of plentie of this bread a famine and for wholesome foode meate that shal rot betweene our teeth There is not that desire in vs to knowe the wisedome of Christ which was in the Queene of Saba to heare the wisedome of Salomon There were of the Iewes no small numbers that heard Christ three daies together in the wildernesse and that fasting but he hath fed vs so full that wee care not for him The seruaunts of Salomon were thought happy that they might stand daily to heare his wisedome Happie it were both for the seruants of Salomon for Salomon too if but euerie Sabaoth they would heare him which is farre both greater and wiser than Salomon There is no want except it be of willingnes onely for both we haue leisure ynough to heare and there are store of them whom God hath verie well enabled to speake No time can be better spent nothing more necessarie for a Christian Court What more princelike than to honour the prince of all princes with that seruice wherein he is so highly delighted The bellie is daily and daintily fed O suffer not the soule to want that foode which abideth for euer They are not blessed that feede and pamper the flesh they are that heare the word and keepe it This word attentiuely and carefully heard would conuert our soules correct our liues soften our hearts inflame our mindes with the loue of God it would roote out vice and ingraft vertue banish vaine and cherish good desires in vs it would lay our sins before our faces humble our proude and hawtie lookes bring vs vnto true and heartie repentaunce throwe vs downe with godlie sorowe and raise vs vp againe with heauenly comfort in the merites and mercies of Christ Iesus it would perfectly perfect vs vnto
euerie good worke 5 The Prophet beeing inflamed with a desire of knowledge and vnderstanding sawe no other waie to attaine thereunto but by ioyning with continuall meditation earnest prayer Teache me thy waies O Lord Giue me vnderstanding Shewe me thy Law He knewe that praying was as needefull altogether as reading that if there be any difference at all it is this By praying we profite more than by reading 6 As he desireth to be taught so it is especially to bee noted that his desire is to be taught of God Teache thou me O Lorde There is none that can open the sealed booke of God but onely the Lion of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid the Lambe of God For Thou art woorthie to take the booke and to open the seuen seales thereof because thou wast slaine and hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud It is he that hath the keie of Dauid which openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth For the outward reading of the word without the inward working of his spirite is nothing The precise Pharisees the learned Scribes red the Scriptures ouer and ouer againe they not onely red them in bookes but woore them on their garments they were not onely taught but were able themselues to teache others But because this heauenly teacher had not instructed them their vnderstanding was darkened their knowledge was but vanitie they were ignoraunt altogether in that sauing trueth which the Prophet Dauid is so desirous to learne The mysteries of saluation were so hard to be conceiued of the verie Apostles of Christ Iesus that he is forced many times sharpely to rebuke them for their dulnesse which vnlesse he himselfe had remooued by opening the eyes of their mindes they could neuer haue attained to the knowledge of saluation in Christ Iesus The eares of that woman Lydia would haue beene as close shut against the preaching of Paul as any others if the finger of God had not touched and opened her heart As many as learne they are taught of God and no man knoweth the father but he to whom it pleaseth the sonne to reueale him There is but one teacher in the schoole of Christ hee it is that leadeth vnto all trueth 7 Nowe although Christ onely openeth the booke of knowledge giueth vnderstanding and reuealeth vnto vs the wil of his father although the spirite onely bee the schoolemaster that inwardly guideth the heart in the way of trueth yet may wee not gape for reuelations as the Anabaptists doe or thinke that God hath reuealed vnto vs whatsoeuer wee doe vainely imagine and conceiue in our braines For as there is a spirite of truth so there is also a lying spirit S. Iohn therefore giueth vs a caueat not to credit euerie spirit but to trie spirits whether they be of God or no. We are to bee taught of God yet by such meanes as God hath appointed The riche man beeing in torments craued reuelations for his brethren to whom it was aunswered They haue Moses and the Prophets God doth teache inwardly but by outward meanes He spake in old time by Angels by dreames by visions by reuelations But now in these latter daies he hath spoken by his sonne and he by his ministers He taught the Eunuch but it was by Philip he taught Cornelius but it was by Peter he taught Paul but it was by Ananias 8 But howsoeuer or by whomsoeuer we taught the thing which we must learne is the woord of God not the decrees and decretals of Popes not the quiddities of too curious schoolemen not lying legends not amorous arts not the daungerous discourses of Politikes voide of the feare of God denying defacing Christian religion This is not our schoole these are not our studies What we should desire to learne the Prophet sheweth by the words following Thy waies 9 This word WAIE by a translation or metaphor in the scripture hath sundrie significations Sometime it is taken for doctrine as thou teachest the WAIE of God truely sometimes for religion as when S. Paul saith I persecuted this WAIE and againe According to this WAIE which they call heresie I woorship the God of my Fathers sometimes it is taken for the course and order of a mans life as in the words of the Prophet Esay The Lord taught mee that I should not walk in the WAIE of this people sometimes for the counsels and purposes of men so Elihu meant it saying His eyes are vpon the WAIES of man and he seeth all his goings The waie which the Prophet heere would learne of God is true religion the doctrine of his holie wil in his word reuealed but chieflie the doctrine of the true Messias promised the waie of trueth it selfe hee onely being the waie the trueth and the life hauing giuen vs an example that we should followe his steps who did no sinne Now as God hath his waie so man hath his My waies are not your waies The waies of Christ and Antichrist of the Church of God and the Synagogue of Satan of religion and superstition these are contrarie eche to other Christ saith of himselfe I am the waie In the knowledge of this waie S. Paul glorieth I esteemed to knowe nothing but Christ Iesus and him crucified and in the knowledge of this waie the Prophet desireth to be taught of God Teach me thy waie O Lord. 10 To this petition he addeth a promise first to walke and secondly to walke in trueth We may not be idle We are created vnto good workes which God hath prepared that we might walke in them Wee are redeemed and bought with a price not to doe nothing or to liue as we list but to serue him which hath redeemed vs. Our Sauiour could in no wise abide idlenesse Why stand ye still Saint Paul would haue all men to be stirring Let euerie man walke Not one is excepted not one can be dispensed withall Whosoeuer hee bee that will not labour let him not eate For it is good that euerie man should eate his bread in the sweate of his browes And worke in the wise mans iudgement is euen as needefull for men as meate There is no such bane to a common wealth or kingdome no such poison to the maners of euerie particular man as idlenesse is Examples we haue too many in all ages Idlenesse in Dauid was a cause of lewdenesse so that it is not good no not for Princes to bee idle Idlenesse was the roote of all that filth in Sodoma Israel in the absence of Moses being idle fell to feasting dauncing and idolatrie And therefore seeing that such as bee idle are subiect to so many noysome temptations S. Ieroms counsell is this See thou be alwaies dooing somewhat that the diuell may finde thee occupied he that is out of good exercise is easilie snared of the diuell And idlenesse saith S.