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
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
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
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
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
they say partly by grace but principally by the power and strength of their owne nature For being ashamed to affirme with Pelagius that a man may doe the workes of righteousnesse by nature without the grace of God they hold his grace to be a thing indeede necessarie But howe As a birde that is tyed or a man that is in fetters needeth onely to haue those incumberances remooued hauing then a naturall abilitie to flie and walke without any further helpe so man as they say hath in himselfe abilitie to doe good if the grace of God doe but remooue lets Is not this to make nature the principal cause of our well dooing whereas in trueth without the speciall motion of Gods spirite and that in euerie particular action wee are no more able to walke in the waies which GOD hath commaunded than a drunken man to goe without leading who staggereth euen in the plainest ground though all stumbling blockes be remooued though his waie lie neuer so smooth before him such is our weakenesse In consideration whereof the blessed Apostle sayth plainely It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie We dragge and are not able of our selues to set one foote before an other Drawe me saith the spouse in the Canticles and then we will runne after thee But these men litle considering of what fraile metall they are made perceiuing not how sinne hath weakened the faculties of the soule vaunt of freedome of strength of inward power and make their owne will the chiefest cause of their wel dooing 30 And when they haue doone any thing which to their seeming is wel doone they prise it so high and esteeme so much of it that God as they thinke should doe them iniurie if in iudgement he did not pronounce them iust and righteous for their workes sake If it were possible that God entering into iudgement should finde any so vpright and perfect that by their workes they might be iustified in his sight doubtlesse he should finde his owne seruaunts to be such or else none if any of his seruaunts surely his Prophets if any Prophet rather Dauid than any other But Dauid crieth out Enter not into iudgement no not with thy Seruaunt O Lord. For in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified For whether we consider workes forbidden or commaunded by the Lawe what man is there liuing which can say in the one My heart is pure in the other I haue doone all that is enioyned me For if it were so that we knewe nothing wherein we had transgressed the lawes and statutes of the almightie yet herein could we in no wise be iustified because of secret sinnes hidden euen from our owne selues For which if God shal call vs to our reckoning and marke straitely what is doone amisse O Lord saith the Prophet who shall stand Againe if we had doone whatsoeuer wee could yet because we cannot doe so much as we should we ought to acknowledge our selues vnprofitable whereas we euen the best of vs are farre from dooing that which if we would we might doe 31 Nowe if God notwithstanding for his sonnes sake doe so allowe and accept the worke of our hands that he bountifully rewardeth our weake seruice with an excellent and an eternall waight of glorie how much are wee bound both to praise his mercie and to hate the insolencie of those men who besides al this swelling in the proude conceit of their workes will haue eternall life which is his gift to be their merite nor onely that but the worthinesse of their deserts to be so great that many of them dooing God more seruice than can bee sufficiently rewarded in their owne persons deserue heauen not onely for themselues but for others too These shipwracks of faith they haue made by reason of their inward pride 32 The excessiue desire of outward pompe hath furthermore caused them to disdaine the basenesse of Christ Iesus and of his Apostles to bee ashamed of the meane and lowe estate wherein they liued to make of their Deacons and Priests Cardinals exceeding the kings of the earth in glorie of their Bishop a Monarke vnder whose foote the Emperour himselfe hath beene a footestoole whose stirrop the greatest Soueraignes haue scarse beene deemed worthie to holde at whose bridle kings haue attended as seruaunts that the wordes of the Preacher might bee iustified Follie is set in great excellencie and the riche set in the lowe place I haue seene seruaunts on horses and Princes walking as seruants on the ground 33 This pompe cannot bee maintained with nothing it must haue strong sinnewes And therefore whatsoeuer mans wit might possibly deuise for gaine they haue both founde it out and put it in vre setting Offices Masses Prayers Pardons Sacramentes Heauen and Earth all the treasures of the house of GOD to sale if wee may terme it the house of God which they haue made a shoppe of so vile merchaundise It were infinite to recite what huge summes of money they haue heretofore by religious pretenses euerie yeere gathered within the compasse of this one Ilande What heapes then haue they raked out of other partes of Christendome Which offals and profites if once men beginne as here so in other kingdomes also to withholde from them if men leaue off buying their wares any more if things which are fatte and excellent depart doubtlesse that citie which nowe is cloathed in fine linnen and purple and skarlet which nowe is guilded with golde and decked with pretious stones and pearles shall in one houre be made desolate This they know and it maketh them carefull to maintaine whatsoeuer is commodious and gainefull to them As for the glorie of GOD it is the least part of their care nay they care not howe heynous sacrilege they commit in spoyling and robbing him of his honour 34 It is an honour vnto God when all men by faith point their fingers as it were at Christ Iesus naming him the onelie Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde when he is acknowledged the onely mediatour betweene God and vs when wee confesse that hee is that Priest according to the order of Melchisedech which hauing offered one sacrifice for sinnes hath therewith because it was a perfect sacrifice consecrated for euer them that are sanctified when our faith is so ascertained and grounded vppon his promises that we can bee bolde as Lyons assuring our selues that the eye of the Lorde is on them which trust in his mercie to deliuer their soules from death as the Prophet witnesseth But how doe they giue vnto him this honour who haue deuised so many waies to take away sinne besides the bloud of the Lambe of GOD who as though wee might not be bolde to enter into the holie place by the newe and liuely way which hee hath prepared for vs through the vaile which is his fleshe or as
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
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
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
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
blotted out the handewriting that was against vs he spoiled our foes of their prai◠hee tooke euen captiuitie it selfe captiue in a word he wrought our ful and complete deliuerance The price of our redemption was not gold but bloud the pretious bloud of our blessed Sauiour The bloud of Iesus Christ doth deliuer vs from all sinne And as he died to redeeme vs so rose he againe to iustifie vs. In rising againe hee triumphed ouer death now conquered he burst the gates cheines of hell and set our feete in a place of great libertie hee cloathed vs with his righteousnesse reconciled vs to his father of enemies made vs friends of no people the people of God of straungers citizens with Angels and inhabitants of heauen free denisons with the children of God and heires of his euerlasting kingdome This deliuerance out of bondage this redemptiō this kingdome of God euerlasting inheritance our Christ hath purchased God hath granted to all such as thankfully will receiue him As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to bee made the sonnes of God and to receiue him is to beleeue in him for so it followeth To them which beleeue in his name Faith therefore is the meane to make vs partakers of that great redemption in Christ Iesus Heereunto all the Prophets beare witnesse that whosoeuer shall beleeue in him by his name he shall receiue remission of sinnes and withall eternall life 5 And as Christ hath deliuered all his out of the captiuitie of Satan and sinne so hath he also vs after a more speciall and peculiar maner out of that denne of theeues out of that prison of Romish seruitude out of the bloudie clawes of that cruel and proud Antichrist Our God hath vsed our Moses to deliuer vs from Egyptiacal seruitude that we may serue him henceforward in freedome of conscience he hath led vs out of a maruellous darknesse into a maruellous light hee hath giuen vs for his gift it is an vnderstanding heart to knowe God the father and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ vnto whom by this starre his shining Gospell he hath conducted vs. This trueth of God hath discouered yea and discomfited also grosse error For the want of this light was the cause of all our blindenesse which is the mother of all superstition which is the enemie to all religion That now we haue eyes to see and heartes to vnderstande there is no other cause besides the mercie of our redeemer 6 For of the cause of our gratious deliuerance thus Zacharie recordeth It was saith he that he might shewe mercie towards our fathers God made a couenaunt with our father Abraham confirmed it with an othe not that it might be surer but that we might be more assured of it the couenaunt was that hee would shewe mercie and in mercie worke our deliueraunce To performe this couenant of grace and mercie made vnto our fathers and comprehending also vs he gaue vp his only begotten sonne in the fulnesse of time to death There was no other motiue why he should worke our deliuerance but onely this his mercie God therefore which is rich in mercie for the great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when we were dead by sinne reuiued vs with Christ. The cause of our redemption was his good will onely For By grace we are deliuered He did it according to the good pleasure of his owne will according to the riches of his grace So that all the steps to this our redemption are built vpon mercie only God in mercie made couenant of our deliuerance in mercie confirmed it with an othe in mercie through the merits of Christ performed his promise to vs so that our whole redemption is free not due of mercie and not of merits Not by workes which we haue wrought but according to his great mercie he hath saued vs. Man neuer brought one stone to this building man neuer laide one finger to this woorke it is the onely building and woorke of GOD who in tender compassion hath both begun and finished it Wee may well wonder that God with so mercifull eies looked vpon so miserable and so sinfull creatures that the sonne of God would die for the redemption of his enemies This doth in deede commend his loue seeing that all which he hath doone is of meere mercie in himselfe without any shadowe of merite in vs. 7 Nowe that Christ hath deliuered vs from Satan and that with so deare a prise let vs fall no more into the clawes of that roaring Lyon least he vtterly deuoure vs. Hee is cast out of our house let him enter in no more least hee bring seuen with him woorse than himselfe and then our euill ende bee farre woorse than our bad beginning Now that Christ hath cleansed vs from our sinne let vs not swinelike returne to wallowe in that slime againe Thou art made whole saith Christ I haue washed away thy sinne with my bloud Goe and sinne no more least a woorse thing happen vnto thee Nowe that Christ in a mightie arme hath freed vs from Pharao from the house of bondage let vs returne no more to the flesh pots of Egypt let vs not lust after quailes for if wee feede vpon them we shall surfet of them to our destruction Let vs serue no more him that serueth Satan that vndoubted man of sinne And lastly nowe that Christ hath opened our blinded eies and hath powred vnderstanding into our hearts nowe that hee hath giuen vs a lanterne to guide our feete let vs tumble no more in darkenesse but as the children of light walke in the light honestly as becommeth men in so cleare noone day For the ende of our redemption is that wee may serue him without feare that hath so dearely redeemed vs. 8 First we must serue Secondly we must serue no other but him Thirdly him we must serue without feare We were created man is borne vnto seruice and labour as birdes vnto flight We were not redeemed and bought with a price to bee idle and doe nothing but to glorifie him in bodie and spirite that hath bought vs. We are not called to stand or sit still but to walke euerie one in that vocation wherewith he is called The scriptures are full of such speeches as these Goe walke worke sweate why stand yee idle To teache vs that seruice is required at our handes 9 God deliuered vs to the end that being deliuered we might now serue him as heretofore we serued Satan We are not nowe our own men to serue whō or how we lift but we are his to serue him as he prescribeth No man can serue two masters wee haue yeelded and promised our seruice to him therefore besides him we may serue no other 10 We may not serue Mammon for that is made to serue vs. The couetous man which serueth his monie is iustly called of Paul an Idolater
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
not to feare it at all but rather to take delight and pleasure in it to commit it as the Apostle saith with a kinde of greedinesse to count sinne no sinne to swallowe it down without any remorse or contradiction Their case is lamentable which are thus fallen asleepe and for the most part their end miserable Such was the sleepe of that riche man who hauing filled his barnes and prouided store for many yeeres incouraged himselfe to sensualitie Soule take thy rest You that loue the rest of your soules in deede keepe your soules waking and doe not suffer them to take rest Awake thou that sleepest and takest thy rest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light It is time to awake we haue slept too long God would not haue vs to sleepe vnto death but to awake vnto life for he wil not the death of a sinner his desire is rather that we should repent Now is the time nowe Christ calleth thee nowe he stretcheth out his armes nowe he offereth mercie come vnto him and thou shalt finde true rest for thy wearied soule Long hath beene thy sleepe great hath beene thy sinne but God is full of compassion prest and readie not onely to graunt but to offer pardon If nowe wee refuse it offering it selfe to vs it will refuse vs hereafter when wee offer our selues to it 24 Of this we are not afraide because we sleepe as well in securitie as in sinne We must therefore be raised out of this sleepe also Mans life is a warfare and men are souldiers we must keepe our standing and watche least we be vnawares both assaulted and surprised We haue both many and mightie and fierce aduersaries The diuell who is violently and greedily set as an hungrie Lyon that roareth for his pray The worlde which hath infinite slights to deceiue vs The flesh which mightily striueth wrastleth against the spirite There is no place of securitie left for a Christian souldiers there being so many great dangers There is no where any place wherein it is safe to be secure Not in heauen saith Bernard nor in Paradise much lesse in the world In heauen the Angels fel from the verie presence of the Godhead Adam fel in Paradise from the place of pleasure and Iudas in the world from the schoole of our Sauiour In the time of Noe they liued in great securitie and the floud sodainely ouerwhelmed them In the time of Lot the Sodomites liued in as great securitie and were as soudainely consumed with fire Thus with fire and water securitie hath beene plagued God hath armed the verie elements against that thing wherein notwithstanding we continue as if we would trie whether hee which wakened them by sending water vpon the one and fire vpon the other would waken vs by causing the earth to swallowe vs vp What we should looke for GOD doth best knowe our securitie being the same with theirs can denounce no lesse to vs than it brought to them Wee crie peace peace what more euident token can there bee that our sodaine destruction is at hand Men are commonly neerest vnto perill both corporall and spirituall when their mindes are furthest from thinking of preuenting it It is written of the people which were in Laish that because they had no businesse with any bodie nor any bodie with them no man raised any tumult or vsurped any dominion in their Land and the place which they inhabited was good and lacked nothing therefore they dwelt carelesse quiet and sure Which when the spials sent foorth from the children of Dan had once perceiued they made no doubt of conquering the Land but encouraged their brethren and set them forward Be not slouthfull to goe and enter to possesse the Land If yee will goe ye shall come vnto a carelesse people the countrie is large surely GOD hath giuen it into your hands They went vp being onely sixe hundred men came to Laish found the people without all mistrust of danger put them to the sword and burnt vp their citie Their peace bred plentie their plentie securitie their securitie their destruction And as in daungers of the bodie so likewise or rather much more in perils which beset the soule we shal find those temptations most grieuous which assault vs at vnawares For this cause we are in scriptures so often called vpon to be watchefull Watche and praie saith our Sauiour that ye fall not into temptation Hee that falleth into temptation asleepe hardly riseth out of temptation aliue For if they that watch continually be not conquerors but with much adoe what shall become of them vpon whom Satan then laieth hands when beeing lustie and strong hauing whatsoeuer their hearts can wish they are at peace take their rest and because they haue no change therefore feare not GOD Surely their destruction is as the swelling of an high wall it commeth sodainely downe and they are fearefully consumed Watch therefore and sleepe not in securitie Blessed is he that watcheth 25 Our saluation is neerer than when we beleeued This is the second reason why we should cast away the workes of darkenesse and put on the armour of light We haue entred our names into the profession of Christianitie in our Baptisme we haue receiued the trueth by it wee seeke saluation wee haue beene long scholers we ought nowe to growe to some good perfection we draw now neere vnto the end therfore we shold amend our pace in this our course The neerer we come to the end of our race the faster we should run if we desired to get the reward we runne for Let vs doe so And seeing the race that we haue to run is euen in a maner finished and the crowne we run for is immortall let vs be earnest in the cause let vs cast off all hinderaunces and striue industriously vnto that saluation which is set before vs. Nowe that wee are almost as it were within the reache of the crowne of glorie let vs take strength vnto vs let vs double our courage encrease our zeale adde more and more vnto euerie good and perfect gift which wee haue receined from the father of light This the neerenesse of our saluation doth now especially require 26 Let them that sit in darkenesse and in the shadowe of death sleepe on But vnto vs the night is past Night in the scriptures is taken for ignorance the times whereof are now past The day starre is risen and hath appeared vnto vs. Christ the true light is come into the world he that nowe will walke in darknesse is not blinde but wilfull and runneth with open eyes to his owne damnation If the light had not come into the world if I had not spoken vnto them saith Christ they might haue pleaded ignorance but I haue tolde them the trueth therefore they are left without excuse Christ that light of the worlde hath appeared his crosse is painted out before our eyes If our
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
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
wearie and loaden to come promising them that he would refresh their soules And heerein he did the office of a priest And againe hee healed all that Satan had afflicted and herein he did the office of a king He shall iudge the poore of the people saith the prophet he shall saue the children of the needie and shal subdue the oppressor He threwe out his enemie the oppressor Satan and deliuered his people out of that enemies hands An example for the magistrate to defend the innocent to deliuer the oppressed to punish the transgressor For the swoord is giuen him to this end An example for the minister to teache the word of God and confirme it with doing what good soeuer he may according to the talents that the Lord hath giuen him Finally an example for euerie faithfull Christian to shewe foorth his beleefe by his conuersation his faith by workes to make his vocation and calling sure thereby For God was with him Christ wrought his wonderfull workes by the power of God and not as the Scribes falsely charged him by the power of Beelzebub for God was with him He taught the word that he receiued of his father he cast out diuels by the finger of God He was no chopper or changer of the woord he vsed neither witchcraft sorcerie nor coniuring He wrought not by the diuel but by the power of God 40 The next part was that he died and rose again to procure vs this peace They slewe him hanging him on a tree God raised him vp the third day The death and resurrection of Christ is the onely meane of our reconciliation and peace with God For he died for our sinnes and rose for our iustification By his death and passion he hath cancelled and fastened vpon the crosse the hand-writing that was against vs. Hee hath pacified Gods wrath hee hath procured Gods fauour of enemies made vs friends of strangers citizens of the children of wrath the children of God and fellow-heires of his eternall kingdome 41 Before this crucified Christ that died and rose againe wee shal appeare to giue an account of our whole life of our thoghts our workes and words For as S Peter saith He is ordeined of God a iudge of the quicke and the dead At the latter day hee is appointed to be iudge of all flesh The father hath deliuered all iudgement vnto him And we shall all stand before his iudgement seate that euery one may receiue the things doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euill This iudge is both iudge and witnesse I will come neere vnto you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the southsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe back the hyrelings wages and vexe the widowe and the fatherlesse oppresse the stranger and feare not me saith the Lord of Hosts Nothing is hid from his eyes he seeth the secrets of all hearts he wil not be corrupted but giue vnto euerie one according to his woorkes Christ is iudge Wherefore we are taught to leaue reuenge vnto him Vengeaunce is mine I will repay saith the Lord. For priuate men to reuenge wrongs is to vsurp Christs office to take iudgement out of his handes whom God the father hath appointed iudge of the quicke and the dead You that bee afflicted and oppressed with miserie and wrong lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere You that oppresse and wrong your brethren repent and desire pardon least the sentence of Gods iustice ouertake you His iustice no man can abide For in his sight shall none that liueth be iustified Christ therefore is giuen as S. Peter teacheth to be our Iesus that is our Sauiour our Christ that is annointed a king a priest and prophet the Lord of all whom we ought to serue in holinesse and righteousnesse sent of God and made man he preached peace betweene God and man and betweene men among themselues he died to bee a sacrifice for vs he rose againe to iustifie vs hee is made our iudge and doeth iudge iustly 42 Nowe wee with PETER or rather with the holie Ghost with the Prophets and Apostles giue heerein to Christ that which is his owne And here is the controuersie betweene the aduersaries of the Gospel the papists and vs. We giue vnto Christ that which is his right they rob and take from him that which is his due We spoile our selues of all righteousnesse and seeke to be cloathed with his righteousnesse They cloath themselues with their owne righteousnesse not caring for that righteousnesse which is in him We hope to be saued by him our onely priest our sacrifice our mediator They haue shauen priests and vnbloudie sacrifices and infinite mediators both of Saints and Angels To be short we acknowledge Christ our whole Sauiour and all the glorie thereof we giue vnto God They will be saued by themselues their merits their pardons they impart the glorie of God vnto dead men to images to relikes to dumme creatures 43 The third and last part of S. Petets sermon was that wee are made partakers of peace by faith in Christ name To him all the prophets giue witnesse that through his name al that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sins Wherein three things are remembred vnto vs that remission of sinnes is free that we receiue it by faith and that this doctrine is witnessed by all the prophets 44 All flesh hath sinned and doth neede forgiuenesse God is the onely forgiuer of our sinnes Neither doth he forgiue them in respect of mans merits but of his mercie good will and free mercie The onely meanes that mooued God to bee mercifull freely to sinnefull man was that most acceptable sweete bloudie sacrifice which the innocent sonne of God offred vpon the crosse for our sinnes All haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus He tooke our vnrighteousnesse vpon himselfe and cloathed vs with his iustice and He who knewe no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him In Christ and for Christ we receiue free remission of sins There is no other name giuen vs vnder heauen whereby we may be saued I am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to the father but by me saith Christ. No sinne forgiuen but thorough him and through him all sinnes are forgiuen freely 45 The meane whereby wee are made partakers of this free remission of sinnes in the death and resurrection of Christ is faith in Christ. For all saith Peter that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes through his name God doeth freely offer vnto vs remission of sinne and peace in Christ. The meane and
it will one day appeare Our conuersion will be called vnto an hard account In that day wee must stande before the tribunall seate of God and render a reckoning yea and receiue as we haue wrought in our bodies good or badde The iudge is euen at hande Veniens veniet He will come surely without fayle and without staie He standeth before the doore This is the last houre the trumpe is in a readinesse to bee blowne to iudgement 2 For sayeth Peter the ende of all thinges hangeth ouer vs. In which wordes the Apostle doth both comfort vs and exhort vs. Such as are afflicted oppressed with wrong burdened with pouertie vexed with sickenesse slaundered persecuted or hated of the worlde heere they may receiue comfort Your miserie shall be but momentanie and short your ioy shall be great and endlesse Lift vp your heades for your redemption draweth neare The ende of your affliction together with the end of all thinges is at hande Againe vpon these wordes a most necessarie exhortation is inferred Christ is comming in the cloudes all fleshe shall rise and recken he onely that hath his lampe burning shall enter in with the bridegrome as wee are founde so shall wee be taken and iudged The ende is at hande bee sober therefore and watch vnto prayer 3 Whereas the holy scriptures doe make often mention of a double ende the one wherein wee are to yeelde vp our mortall liues the other wherein Christ at his seconde comming shall finish the course of all this sinnefull worlde the Apostle treating in this place of the later I shall at this present followe his foote-steppes and speake of Christ his seconde comming to put an ende to all thinges For they which say Where is the promise of his comming deceaue themselues Hee hath set a day wherein he will iudge the worlde in iustice hee is appointed iudge of quicke and dead The Angell of God beareth witnesse of his comming This Iesus which is taken vp into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him goe And S. Iohn as if he beheld and sawe him comming sayth Beholde he comâ—eth with cloudes and euerie eye shall see him 4 But as his comming is most certaine so the houre day moneth yeare or time is most vncertaine It is not for you to knowe the seasons and precise pointes of times which the father hath appointed in his owne power Of that day and houre no man knoweth No not the verie Angels of heauen but my father onely The day of the Lorde will come stealing vpon vs as a theefe in the night 5 Nowe as we knowe not the day and time so let vs be assured that this comming of the Lorde is neere He is not slacke as we doe count slackenesse That it is at hande it may be probably gathered out of the Scriptures in diuerse places The signes mentioned by Christ in the Gospel which should be the foreshewers of this terrible day are almost alreadie all fulfilled The prophecies of Daniell of the foure Monarchies of the little horne and of the times weekes and dayes are manifestlie come to passe The defections or fallinges away which are spoken of in holie scriptures are also in great part accomplished The prouinces the tenne kingdomes are fallen from the Romaine Empire and that wicked one hath wrought the misterie of iniquitie Againe there hath beene in a manner a generall falling from the Catholike faith as the Apostle long before foretolde vs some vnto Mahomet some vnto Antichrist his brother Euen about one time Mahomet appeared and the Pope swarued from the true faith of Christ the one renouncing him in name the other in deede the one quite blotting out the mention of Christ and denying at all to professe him in woorde The other keeping his name but robbing him of his office and shutting him out of his right place both falling from the faith That defection also is come vpon vs which Saint Paul did prophecie of In the latter times men shall fall from the faith giuing eare to deceiuing spirites and doctrines of diuelles And Saint Peter There shall come in the last dayes mockers that walke after their owne lustes and say where is the promise of his comming Thus heretiques and Atheistes haue fallen from Christ and Christian faith We that professe Christ and his Gospell are also charged with a defection a schisme and a falling away But in euerie Apostasie two thinges must be considered from whom and to whome this sliding is We gladly graunt that we are fallen away from the Bishoppe of Rome who long agoe fell from Christ wee doe vtterly abandon his vsurped and proude authoritie we haue happely forsaken that Synagogue of Satan that den of theeues that polluted Church that simoniacall temple and we ioyfully confesse that we haue no societie or fellowship with his darknes In our sermons we preach Christ and none els but him we knowe nothing we teach nothing we beleeue nothing but Christ and him crucified In our Sacraments we shewe foorth the Lordes death in no other sort then he himselfe hath done and commaunded vs to doe In our liues we woorship the Lord alone and in yeelding vp our soules we flie for mercie onely to the merites of Christ Iesus our mercifull sauiour This is our Apostasie We haue forsaken him that hath forsaken God and whom God hath forsaken we haue left that man of sinne that rosecolored harlot with whom the kinges of the earth haue committed fornication that triple crowned beast that doublesworded Tyrant that theefe and murderer who hath robbed so many soules of saluation and sucked so much innocent bloud of Christian martyrs that aduersarie vnto Christ that pretensed vicar who hath displaced the person not onely taking vpon him Christes roome and office but also boasting himselfe as if he were a God being content of his parasites so to be called This wicked man of sinne is at length reuealed by the sincere preaching of the Gospell Daniell in his prophesies Paule in his Epistles and Iohn in his Reuelations haue most liuely described pointed him foorth euen as it were with the finger Yea through his pride and ambition his vsurping authoritie and worldly rule his tyrannie and persecuting of Christ in his members hee hath sufficiently reuealed and detected him selfe if none had doone it for him 6 This wicked man the Lorde shall destroye with the breath of his mouth and then shall be the ende The blast of Gods trumpe hath made him alreadie stagger he hath caught such a crampe that hee beginneth nowe to halt his long and farre reaching arme is marueilously shortned his cofers are waxen leaner his falshoode is espied many princes refuse to tast any more of his poysoned cuppe he is fallen from beeing the head and come almost to be the taile he was too cruell and too violent to continue There is no counsell nor power
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