God continually Who more wretched sinners then Publicanes Math 9.9 Luke 19.6 yet were Mathew and Zacheus the faithfull children of God Who more blinde and obstinate then the Pharisies yet was there amōgst them a godly Nicodemus Ioh. 3.3 7.50 19.39 which was desirous to be instructed by Christ and resisted his companions the Pharisies and thought nothing to déere to be bestowed to the honouring of his Lord and Sauiour Who were more wilfully bēt to withstande Christ the true Messias then were the Iewes to whom he was sent As the Scripture saithe Iohn 1.11.47 he came vnto his owne and his owne receaued him not Yet were there some Nathaniels true Isralites Lu. 2.25.37.38 in whom there was no guile some Symeons which feared God and looked for the consolation of Israel and some godly Annas which serued God day and night with fastings and prayer and confessed the Lord Iesus to all that looked for redemption in Ierusalem so that howsoeuer the seuentie Disciples might imagine the Haruest to be but small yet indéede as Christ telleth them héere the Haruest was great Then dearely belooued we are héere to learne not to measure the Haruest of Christe according to our owne fancies 1. Re. 19.10.18 for if the spirite of Elias could not discerne one when in déede there were seuen thousand how much lesse are we able to perceaue the greatnes of Gods Haruest whose eyes are nothing so bright nor iudgement so cléere nor knowledge so perfect as was in the holy Prophet of God But rather we ought to prayse God continually for the great increase which hee dayly addeth vnto his Haruest and for the blessing which he giueth to the course of his holye worde making the same to fructifye and increase to hundreds and thousands and to praye vnto him incessantlye that as he hath alreadye drawne a great parte of Christendome from vnder the Yoake of Antichriste so it would please him to continue his goodnes and to increase his Haruest daily more and more to the glorie of his holy name and the aduauncement of his kingdome which the Lorde of his infinite mercy graunt for the merits and intercession of his dearely belooued sonne Iesus Christ and thus much for the first part how the Haruest is great Now that our Sauiour Christ hath told his Disciples of the greatnesse of the Haruest he sheweth them in the next place of the small number of the labourers the Labourers saith he are but few By this worde Labourers he meaneth true and faithful Pastors for otherwise of other labourers the Iewes did want no store they had their Leuits they had infinite Sinagogues and therin a great company of Lawyers and Scribes they had their Priestes which challenged to sit in the Chayre of Moyses they had their Pharesies the expounders of the Lawe which were in great estimation of learning and holynesse and how then were the Labourers but fewe Wee must vnderstande that our Sauiour speaketh not of false Hierlings but of true Pastors not of those which beare an ydle name and title of Pastoures beeing Pastores a pascendo tanquam montes a mouendo that is feeders of feeding as mountaines of moouing but of those that doo carefully and painefully feede the flock of Christe And of these the number is very small so that God may still say as he saithe in Ezechiell Ezech. 34.6 Dispersus est grex meus c. My flock is scattered through all the earth and there is none that doth seeke and search after them This phrase of spéeche to call the Ministers Labourers and their Office a labour is often vsed in the holy Scriptures Nos sumus cooperarij Dei saythe Paul 1. Cor. 3.9 We together are Gods Labourers I am in feare of you Gala. 4.11 least I haue bestowed on you my labour in vaine Si quis Episcopatum desiderat 1. Tim. 3.1 bonum opus desiderat If any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good worke It is a worke non honos sed onus not an honour but a burthen or if it be an honour yet hath it alwayes a burthen annexed 1. Tim. 5.17 The Elders which rule well are worthie of double honour Maxime ij qui laborant verbo doctrina especially they which labour in worde and doctrine By all which places we of the Ministery are admonished of our dutie that we ought to be labourers not loyterers not to liue idely and securely but to be painefull workemen in the Haruest of the Lorde Saint Paul had no better reason to perswade the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Actes 20.28 to take heede vnto themselues and to all the flock whereof the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers then to tell them that the Church which they had the charge of was the Church of Christe which he had purchased with his owne bloud neither can there be any thing which ought more to stirre vp vs which be héer present to painefull labour and carefull diligence then to remember that we are appointed labourers to worke in the Haruest not of men but of the Lord and in that Field which Christ hath purchased with his owne most precious bloud We are called the Salt of the earth Math. 5.13 and therefore we ought to season the people of God with the knowledge of his holy word we are called Math. 5.14 Math. 6.22 Apoc. 1.20 the eies of the body the stars of heauē the light of the world therefore we must séeke to driue away all ignoraunce and darkenesse not putting our lightes vnder a Bushell but setting them vpon a Candlestick Isa 56.10 to giue light to all the housholde We are called Watchmen and therefore we must not let the enemie come in while we sléepe and delight in sleeping for as God saith by the Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 33.6 If the Watchman see the Sword comming and blow not the Trumpet and the people be not warned and so they perish with the Sworde they are perished for their iniquitie but their bloud will I require at the watchmans hand We are called heere Labourers and therefore we ought to labour in the Lordes Haruest dilligently and faithfully Ier. 48.10 For as the Prophet saithe Cursed is he that dooth the worke of the Lorde negligently if this be the worke of the Lorde to punish the wicked and destroye them with the sworde as the Prophet dooth in that place describe then howe much more shall we accompt it to be the worke of the Lord to edifie the soules of the simple to sowe in their hearts the seede of Gods worde to bringe them to repentaunce and amendmēt of life this is the worke of the Lord and cursed is he that dooth the worke of the Lord negligently We are called the Angels and Messengers of the Lord of Hoastes Math. 2.7 the Ministers of Christ 1. Cor. 4.1 and dispensers of the secrets of God and
swearing blaspheming the name of God It were a matter too long tedious and likewise the time will not suffer me discourse of all the soueraigne vertues of the ToÌ„gue as Blessing praysing the name of God calling vpon him by prayer instructing of our brethren reproouing wickednesse setting vnitie and concorde amongst men and coÌ„fessing of the Lord Iesus But héere we are only to coÌ„sider the chéefest vertue of the ToÌ„gue which is With the mouth to coÌ„fesse the Lord Iesus And the chéefest poison which is To deny renounce our Lord and Sauiour The Apostle héere requireth of euery Christian That he shal with the mouth confesse the Lord Iesus Because as all the body is made to glorifie God so especiallie the tongue is as Paule sayth Let euery tongue coÌ„fesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord Phil. 2.11 to the glorie of God the Father Hebr. 13.15 Let vs offer the sacrifice of praise alwayes to God That is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name and this the Prophet Hosea dooth call the calues of our lyppes Hose 14.2 Dauid sayeth I beleeued and therfore I spake Psal 116.10 Signifying therby that There can be no true beleefe in the heart vnles the tongue delight to talke of the same Math. 12.34.35 For of the abundaunce of the heart the mouth will speake A good man out the good treasure of his heart bringeth foorth good thinges and an euill man out of the euill treasure bringeth foorth euill things About what thing soeuer the heart of man is occupied the tongue will most commonlie be talking of the same The Ship man will talke of his windes the Soldier will reckon vp his woundes the Shéepheard will be telling of his shéepe and the Plowman of his Oxen. If a man â—elight in Hawkes Horses Houndes or â—ny pastime whatsoeuer his talke wil be according to his delight and howe can it â—hen be but that if our hearts and soules delight in the Lord our tongues should also praise him confesse him and glorifie his holy name Shall the knowledge of Christe haue lesse obedieÌ„ce of our toÌ„gues then the vaine and transitorie desire of worldly pleasures Shall worldly things haue our tongues at commaundement shall the glorious name of Christe haue no portion therein This can not be déere brethren that there should be any true saith in the hart except it draw the toÌ„gue to the confessing of the same Our bodies are called the temples of God Knowe ye not that ye are the temple of God 1. Cor. 3.16.17 that the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defyle the temple of God him will God destroy for the temple of God is holy and that are ye And therfore it is Saâ—riledge Church-robbery to plucke our tongue or any part of our body froÌ„ God For we are Temples and Saints conseâ—rated and sanctified vnto God And for â—his cause dooth Paule beséeche vs for the tender mercie of God That we offer vp not onely our soules 1. Cor. 6.19.20 but our bodies also a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God And telleth vs that Our body being the Temple of the holy ghost we are not our owne but are bought with a price And therfore we should glorify God both in our bodies and in our soules for they are Gods They are Gods That is God made them and Christe Iesu redeemed them and bought them with a price not with siluer nor golde but with his owne most precious blood God made not onely soule but body also and our Lord and sauiour Christe gaue his body and shed his heart blood vppon the Crosse not onely for soule but for body also and not onely soule but body also shall liue for euer in the worlde to come then séeing that God created bothe body and soule and Christe with his body and soule did paye the raunsome bothe of body and soule and bothe body and soule shal be partakers of euerlasting glorie in the worlde to come We must as Paule sayth Glorifie God bothe in body and in soule for they are Gods 1. Reg. 19.18 The Lord sayth vnto Elias That he hath reserued vnto him seauen thousande people which neuer bowed their knees to Baall nor kissed him with their mouthes He dooth not say Which haue not beleeued in Baall in their harts But Which haue giuen neither knee nor mouth nor any part of their body to any other but to the Lord God of Israell Nabuchadnezzar required nothing of Shidrach Meshach and Abednego Dan. 3.19 but that They shoulde in bodie fall downe and worshippe the golden Image But ther chose rather to be cast aliue into the boate fierie Furnace The Kinges Commissioners required nothing of Mattathias But 1 Mach. 2.19.37 That he should outwardlie doo Sacrifice vnto the Idolles at Modin But he would rather dye then consent vnto it God is a ielous God and therefore will suffer no part of our bodie to be giuen to any grauen Image nor to any other but him alone as he sayth in his commaundement Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worshippe them Exod. 20.5 for I the Lorde thy God am a ielous God Whereby you sée that no part of our bodies ought to be giuen from God but that we should with euery part of vs glorifie God our creator and Christe Iesu our redeemer and the holy Ghost our sanctifier which hath made our whole bodies holie Temples vnto the Lord. And as with euerie part of our body we must set foorth the lawde and praise of God so especially with our tongue Phil. 2.11 That euery tongue may may confes that Iesus Christe is the Lord to the glory of God the Father Dauid séemed to be in better case when he was in the house of Achis or in the land of Iorden or in Hermonim or in the mount Mizar then if he should haue béen in the TeÌ„ple of God in the midst of Saules boast and all his enimies Psal 42.4.5 yet he sayth him selfe I powred out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voice of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast Why art thou so cast downe O my soule and why art thou so vnquiet within me O my God my soule is cast downe within me because I remember thee from the land of Iorden Hermonim and from the mount Mizar When Dauid was in the lande of Iorden in Hermonim or in the mount Mizar no doubt he prayed vnto God and gaue him thankes for all his benefites Yet because by reason of his enimies he could not come to the Temple of God to glorifie God as well in body as in soule He therefore crieth out with gréefe of hart Psa 84.1 â— â— Why art thou so cast down O my soule and why art thou so vnquiet within me And in an other place O Lord of hoastes howe
be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of God and from the glory of his power great cause ye haue to lift vp your harts vnto the Lord earely and late and continually to praye vnto the Lorde of the Haruest to sende foorth labourers into his Haruest and not onely to praye for labourers but also to praye that the labours and paines of the labourers may be profitable vnto you Actes 16.14 For except the Lorde doo open the hart of Lydia she cannot so much as marke those things which Paul speaketh Neither can the word of God any thing profit you vnlesse with the planting of Paul 1. Cor. 3.6 and watering of Appollo God doo giue the increase and as the Prophet saith Ezech. 11.19 put a new spirit within your bowels and take away your stonie hearts and giue you hearts of flesh And therfore whensoeuer the séede of Gods word is sowen in your hearts praye vnto God that he will so water it with the dew of his holy spirit that it may take such déepe roote that Sathan be neuer able to plucke it awaye assuring your selues that the Diuill dooth goe about nothing so dilligently as to keepe you in ignoraunce and blindnesse 〈◊〉 and to snatche the seede of the worde Luke 8.12 out of your heartes least ye should beleeue and be saued When a mā hath taken away the weapon from his enemy then may he worke his pleasure and use him as he will Euē so if Sathan can pluck away our weapon The sworde of the spirit out of our hands then may he handle vs as he wil when we know not the trueth Ephe. 6.17 he may intangle vs in his snares at his owne will drawe vs vnto all wickednesse and mischiefe 1 Tim. 2.25.26 and therefore his chéefe endeuour hath euer béene to kéepe the people vnarmed and to maintaine his Bulwarke of ignoraunce blindenesse for this cause he sendeth his Messengers to sowe this doctrine in the hearts of men that Ignoraunce is the mother of deuocion that the Bible ought to be lockt vp and nothing to be heard but the traditions of his sonne the Pope that it is Heresie to heare the word of God that the people may indeede come to the Church to be Christened to be Maryed and to be buryed but in no case to pray or to heare the Gospell of Christ And thus the God of this world hath blinded their eies that 2. Cor. 4.4 the light of the glorious gospell of Christe which is the Image of God should not shine vpon thē Others thinke that if they come to the Church orderly customably to pray that then they haue gon far enough as for hearing the worde of God they make small accompts of it therefore if they can get such as can read thē morning euening prayer they care for no other labourers in the Haruest But these doo not consider that which Salomon saithe Hee which turneth awaye his eare from hearing the law euen his praier shal be abhominable Prou. 28.9 although hee patter vp neuer so many prayers yet vnlesse he shew therwithall a zeale to héer the word of God his praier is abhominable in the sight of God this is a plague of all plagues that that prayer whereby we should aske all good things at Gods hands that prayer shall be come abhominable An other spiritual plague is the taking away of the foode of our soules and the depriuing vs of the Gospell of Christ which the Lorde dooth threaten to all the contemners of his word Amos. 8.11 Behould the dayes come sayth the Lorde God that I will send a famine in the Lande not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but a famine of hearing the worde of God and they shall wander from the North vnto the West from one Sea to another they shall runne too and fro to seeke the worde of God and shall not finde it Math. 21.43 And Christ dooth threaten the Iewes that for their vnthankfulnesse the kingdome of God the preaching of the Gospell should be taken from them and giuen to an other nation which should bring foorth the fruite thereof And surely if we consider our owne vnthankfulnesse in this Realme of England we shal be compelled to confesse that we haue deserued long a go to haue this plague to be brought vpon vs that the worde of God should be taken from vs and giuen to an other nation which shall bring forth the fruite therof For what one among a thousande hath any care for the heauenly foode of his soule what one among a thousand doth praye earnestly to the Lord of the Haruest to sende foorth labourers into his Haruest Naye we are rather glutted with it it is but a vile meate thinke we Numb 11.5 we had rather returne into Aegipt to feede on our Onyons Leekes and Garleeke then to taste of the sweet Manna the worde of the euerliuing God Iohn 1.10 The light came into the world and men looued darkenesse more then light The Lorde of his aboundant mercy Luk. 19.42.44 open our eyes that we may once sée those things which belong to our peace and know the time of our visitation that by our vnthankfulnes wee neuer deserue to haue the glorious Gospell of Christ to be taken from vs. Alas déere brethren we consider not the heauie iudgements of God which hange ouer our heads and shall moste certainely be powred vpon vs vnlesse we repent vs of this our vnthankfull contempt of the word of God It did nothing gréeue the Sodomites Gen. 19.16 when Lot was departed from them The olde world made no accompt of it Gen. 7.1 when Noah the Preacher of righteousnesse went from them entered into the Arke Amo◠7.10 Exod. 32.6 1. Cor. 10.17 All the lande of Iurie was not able to abide the words of Amos when Moses was away then were the people of Israell all merry they sate downe to eate drinke and rose againe to playe And so also it is with vs we rather wish that these labourers which we haue already should be taken away then that the number of them should be increased we had rather haue their absence then their presence their roome then theyr cōpany But I beséech you consider how in the end they were all most miserably plagued The Sodomites with fier brimstone from Heauen The old world with the floud ouerwelming the whole earth Exod. 32.27 2◠The Isralits with a lamentable murther staying euery man his brother and euery man his companion and euery man his neighbour The Iewes with a miserable captiuity in Babilō for the cause of their destruction was onely the despising of the Prophets of God as the Lord sheweth by his Prophet Ierm 29.18 I wil persecure them with the sworde and I will make them a terrour for all Kingdoms of the earth and a curse and astonishment and an
the prayse of men more then the prayse of God Thou art peradueÌ„ture ashamed to séeme holy before a coÌ„pany and great assemblie but the holie Scripture sayth Mark 8.38 that Whosoeuer shall be ashamed of Christe and of his woords among this adulterous sinfull generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glorie of his Father with his holie Angelles Thou art afeard least thou shalt be mocked and scorned of wicked worldlinges I aunswer with the Apostle that If thou seeke to please men Gal. 1.10 thou canst neuer be the seruaunt of Christe And therefore whosoeuer for feare of man doth hold his peace in such offences the woorde of God dooth testifie against the thoughts of his heart that he looueth the prayse of maÌ„ more then the glorie of God and who soeuer for feare of daunger ensuing dooth refuse to confesse the Lord Iesus with his mouth he hath his damnation pronounced that the sonne of God shall neuer confesse him before his father and before his holie Angelles in Heauen And therfore 1. Tim. 6.12 â—f euer we looke to fight the good fight of faith or to lay holde on eternall life we must also professe a good profession before many witnesses A carnall man may thinke it a small offence to dissemble with the mouth that a man may so dissemble with the tongue that notwithstanding the heart maye be kept faithfull vnto God But we must take héede that we deceiue not our selues nor suffer our selues to be deceyued with such fonde imaginations There are many sinnes which séeme vnto vs to be of â—mall waight because eyther we haue no faith to beléeue the woord of God or else we iudge of them according to the corrupt affection of our flesh but if we could iudge according to the iudgement of the spirite of God we should finde that those sinnes which we estéeme light are most gréeuous â—nd abhominable in the sight of God We must take héede least the subtill Serpent â—eceyue vs as he did Adam and Eue 2. Cor. 11.3 who â—hought it could be but a small offence to â—ste of the fruite of a Trée but in the end â—hey prooued the contrarie for they were â—r this their disobedience cast out of Paâ—dize a place of all pleasures into all miserie and mischéefe which they we and all posterity may for euer rue and lament We must especiallie take héede of the beginning and first entraunce of sinne for if we doo a little giue place vnto it it will shortlie after take further possession of vs. We must take heede of giuing the bridle vnto the fleshe for if it once catch the bit into the teethe and feele the bridle loose vpon the necke it will carie vs headlong into all sinne and wickednesse Deut. 5.32.33 We must take héede of going out of the way although it be neuer so little for if we once misse our way goe astray the further we goe forewarde the further we goe out of our way and the more hardly shal we returne into the way againe We must retyre from the Riuers of sinne for if we goe vp and downe careleslie in the streame of wickednesse we are likelie at the last to fall into such a whirlepoole and bottomlesse pitte of mischéefe as whosoeuer is plunged therein can not be recouered We must take héede not onelie of touching sinne but also of approching néere vnto it for it is a plague so infectious and a venim so pestilent and a disease so daungerous that although we flie from it as farre as we can it can not be but that â—e shall be some thing infected therwith Eph. 5.7.11 â—e must drawe no acquaintaunce with â—ne For if we once ioyne our selues in â—itie and fréendship with sinne it will 〈◊〉 come so familliar vnto vs that we shall â—rdlie dispatch our handes of it and therâ—e if with our tongues spéech we conâ—nt vnto Idolatry wickednes and so afâ—r a sort draw acquaintauÌ„ce with it it caÌ„â—ot be but that we shall afterward grow â—to greater familiaritie with it so run â—eadlong into greater mischéefe Isa 1.21 Iere 3 1. Eze. 15.15 But that 〈◊〉 may shew you an ensample to teach you 〈◊〉 giue neither your tongue nor any part â—f your body to Idolatry to coÌ„mit spirituâ—ll fornicatioÌ„ against God coÌ„sider I pray â—ou by what meanes an harlot dooth come 〈◊〉 the vttermost degrée of her infamie and â—bhomination She dooth not become a coÌ„mon struÌ„pet at â—he first day 1. Tim. 2.9 but first she beginneth to pas â—he limits bonds of that shamefastnes modesty which ought to be in a vertuous â—oman the feareth God 1. Cor. 15.33 then she delighteth â—o heare and to vtter lewde and vnchaste â—alke and to sing filthy Rimes of ribauâ—rie Afterwarde she taketh pleasure in â—auncing and to be conuersauÌ„t with lusty â—onkars Eccl. 9.4.5 to féede bothe her eies with their iestures countenaunces and her eares with their lasciuious amorous spéeches And when she hath thus abandoned her tongue her eyes and her eares she is no more chaste nor holie Math. 5.28 For true chastitie must consist in the heart in the soule yea and in euerie part and member of the body After that the tongue eyes and eares are thus possessed of Satan then there follow touchinges and contractions which doo more defile her body and more inflame her vnto wickednesse And when her chastitie is thus crackt and violated hitherto then shortlie after it dooth perish altogether by most abhominable filthy fornication Notwithstanding at the beginning she hath some shame left and she dealeth as secretlie as she can to kéepe it close from the sight of men but in processe of time and by long custome of sinning this shame also falleth away by little and little so that at the last the secrete strumpet becoÌ„meth a knowen common strumpet and hath no regarde reuerence nor feare either of God in heauen or of men in earth or of the deuilles in hell Euen so it is also in spirituall fornication A man dooth not become an open idolatours at the first but by little and little â—irst â— Tim. 3.3 4.3.4 he delighteth to heare the blaspheâ—ies of wicked men wherewith they â—aspheme the trueth of God and layeth â—s eares open to their lyes and forgeries â—en he giueth his tongue to slaundering â—nd giuing at the profession of the Gospel â—nd to maintaine grosse errours for dispuâ—ations sake Afterward he delighteth his eyes with â—he glorious shew of gylded Crosses painâ—ed Images goodly Tapers precious Orâ—aments Coapes and Vestments and all â—he superstitious iestures vsed at the Masse â—s masking and mumming turning and â—alfe turning some times at the right side â—f the Aultar some times at the lefte some â—imes crying out some times whispering â—oftlie some times looking vp some times â—owking downe besides all their other â—oyes and foolishe iestures as twinckâ—ing
good for euill and looue them which hated them and blesse them which curssed them and in all his life he made a mocke of Christe and called him the Carpenters sonne and the man of Galily But what came of it in the ende when he sawe his death at hande he cryed out with a desperate mind Vicisti Gallilaee O thou man of Galiley thou hast gotten the victory Ioh. 4.25 The Iewes saw manifestlye that Christ was the Messias Act. 3.6 the sonne of God which was promised they sawe the power of his Godhead by all the miracles Ioh 8.46 7.40 2.9 which were wrought not onely by him selfe but by his Apostles in his name they sawe the innocencye of his lyfe the maiesty of his woord the certiâ—nde of his prophesies they saw his mighty omnipotencie by turning the water into Wine Mat. 14.19 by féeding so many thousandes with a fewe barlie loues and a fewe fishes Mar 4.39 by commaunding the Sea and Winde by giuing sight to the borne blinde by making the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to goe the dead to ryse Luk. 8.30 17.14 Ioh. 4.18 by clensing Lepers by casting out deuils by telling them the very thoughtes and cogitations of their hearts They saw all thinges fulfilled in him which the Prophets had foretold them as Zachery Zach. 9.9 of the King which shoulde come poorely and riding vpon an Asse Isa 53.3.10 Esay of the laying downe of his soule an offering for sinne Dauid of his féete and his hands bored Psa 22 16 18 of the thirst vineger and of the casting lots for his garments also which Moses had foreshadowed vnto them by his sacrifices vpon the Aulters Num. 21.9 Ioh. 1.29 and by the lifting vp of the brasen Serpent They hearde Iohn Baptist a Prophet and more then a Prophet not declaring in woord but poynting out with his finger Mat 27.51.45 Luc. 23.45 The Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world They saw how at the time when he was crucified the vayle of the Temple burst and darknes ouershadowed the earth They saw how gloriously the body of Christe was risen againe out of the graue Mat. 27.65 Math. 28 4.5 and they knew well enough that it coulde not be stolen away by vnarmed Disciples from so many harnised Souldiars as they had placed to kéepe the graue Act 1.11 2.3 5 41. 7.60 They saw this his wonderfull resurrection witnessed by the testimony of men Women and Angels They perceiued the giftes of the holy ghoste which after his visible ascention he powred out most plentifully vpon his Apostles and Disciples And they sawe also his Apostles Disciples which were alwayes conuersaunt with him so stedfastly to beléeue in him that they did not onely suffer greate tribulation for the professing of his name but also endured most cruell death sealing theyr profession with their owne blood as with a most certaine testimonie Col. 2.9 which surely they would neuer haue don vnles they had séene the godhead to dwell corporally in him All these thinges the Iewes sawe well enough and yet notwtstanding all these testimonies of meÌ„ of Angels and of God himselfe saying from heauen This is my well belooued sonne Math. 3.17 17.5 in whom I am well pleased Notwithstanding I say all these thinges confirmed with so many witnesses beholden with so many eyes and as it were handled with theyr owne hands yet they would not confesse the Lord Iesus to be theyr Messias but obstinately renounced theyr Lorde and Sauiour but howe did the Lorde plague them for thys their offence euen with the plague which is threatned by the Prophet Isa 6.9 Mat. 13.14 Rom. 11.8 that theyr hearts should be made fat and their eares heauy and their eyes blinde least they should see with their eyes or heare with their eares or vnderstande with theyr hearts and be saued They mocked and scorned our Sauiour and his Disciples and now they theÌ„selues are made a scorne and a laughing stocke vnto others lyuing in miserable slauery and bondage and being lamentably scattered abroade ouer the face of the earth so disdained and hated that vnto this day the verye name of a Iewe is odious thoroughout all the world They will not confesse the Lord Iesus to be their Messias but they looke for an other Messias But looke they doo looke they shall and they shall neuer sée him vntill the day of vengeaunce then they shall see him whether they will or no but as a iudge and not a Sauiour To descende from the Ievves to examples of latter time God hath shewed sufficient tokens of his iudgementes euen in mans memory to terrifye vs all and to teach vs what a horrible thing it is to renounce the true fayth of Iesus Christ Fraunces Spera after that he had in Citadell professed the Gospell of Christ after warde by the threatning of the Popes Legate in Venis and by the desire which he had of worldly riches he renounced openly recanted his fayth and religion but he was by and by stricken with horrour desperation and confusion he felte the torment of hell in his conscience he desired to be in the place of Iudas Caine â—e looked for Belzebub to call him to a â—aste he cryed out that he was a reproâ—te from the beginning and that the â—eath and passion of Christ could nothing â—uaile him He wished that he might reâ—aine tenne thousande yéeres and more 〈◊〉 the flames of hell fyre so that at the â—ste he mighte conceaue some hope of an â—de but that he could hope for nothing â—ut euerlasting destruction both of bodye â—nd soule he cryed out alas that curssed â—ay alas that curssed day that euer he renounced his Lord and Sauiour and at â—he last in a desperate mynde he stranged himselfe and so ended his wretched â—se with a most miserable death So also Stephen Gardener Act. mo pag. 1992 when there â—ame a Bishoppe vnto him lying on his death Beddeâ— and put him in remembraunce of Peters denying his Maister aunswered againe that hee had denyed with Peter but that he could not repent with Peter So also one Rockwood at the poynte of death staring and raging sayde that â—he was vtterly dampned and béeing willed to aske mercy cryed out all all too late all to late I might rehearse also the death of diuers others as Hales Thorneton Smith and many others of whose death we may not iudge but commit iudgement to him to whom it belongeth but most certainly it was horrible fearefull in the sight of man I might also declare the gréeuous plagues wherewith God hath punished the persecutors of theÌ„ which haue professed the name of Christ Herod soughte by all meanes possible to roote out the name of Christe and to destroy the babe Iesus but in the ende hee was plagued with a desperate minde so that he
with the vnbeléeuers thou shalt be cast as an vnprofitable seruaunt Mark 9.44 Ezech. 34.1 1. Cor. 9.16 Luk. 16.26 Apoc. 14.11 into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping gnashing of teeth where the worme neuer dyeth and the flame neuer goeth out where woes thou shalt finde on euery side and nothing but woes and of all woes this is the greatest that there shal be no ende of thy woes Where thou shalt alwaies consume and yet neuer be consumed alwayes burne and yet neuer be burnt away alwayes die and yet neuer giue ouer to death but haue paines vnquencheable intollerable easelesse endlesse and hopelesse from the which the Lord of his infinite mercy for his sonne Christ his sake deliuer vs all and giue vs grace so to vse our Talents in this vale of miserie that when our accompts shal be made we may be founde acceptable in his sight and héere that ioyfull saying O ye good and faithfull seruaunts Math. 25.21.23.34 yee haue beene faithfull in little I wil make you Maysters of much enter into the ioyes of your Lorde come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world Thus deerely belooued ye see the thyrde propertie which is required in him that shall labour in the Lords Haruest that Luk. 12.46.45 he must be dilligent and that if he let any perish for want of foode then doth he smite his fellow seruaunts and murder them with a murder which before God is of all others most horrible and therefore if when we haue murdered a man although it be but by chaunce medley yet the remembraunce of it dooth gréeue vs vexe vs terrifie vs torment vs and make our flesh to quiuer shake and tremble how much more ought ye to auoyde the wilfull murder of so many thousand soules which perishing by your wilful negligence and ignoraunce 2. Thes 1.8.9 because they know not God are thrown headlong into euerlasting perdition and if the bloud of meÌ„ that are slaine béeing behoulden with the eies of the body dooth moue pitty and compassion howe much more ought it to gréeue the eyes of your hearts and spirits to sée the bloudshed of the soules 2. Sam. 22.15 which bringeth death eternall When Dauid in the Haruest time being in the Caue of Adullam did greatly longe to drinke of the water of Bethlehem sayd O that some man would giue me to drinke of the waters of Bethlehem there could not well any water be fetched because the Garrison of the Philistines which were Dauids enemies were then in Bethlehem Notwithstanding when thrée of Dauids mighty Captaines saw how greatly their King loÌ„ged for that water they valiauntly brake thorough the Hoaste of the Philistines and drew water out of the Wel of Bethlehem and brought it vnto Dauid when Dauid sawe what they had done he refused to drinke of it and sayde O Lord be it farre from me that I should doo this Is not this the bloud of the men which went in daunger of their liues And so he would not drinke of it but powred it out for an offering vnto the Lorde Now if Dauid would not drinke once of the water of Bethlehem because it was brought vnto him with the ieopardie of thrée mens liues how much lesse ought ye not onely to eate and drinke but also to cloathe your selues yea and delight your selues in pastimes and plesures not once but euery day not with the dauÌ„ger of thrée mens liues but with the manifest murder of so many hundred soules And therefore as in the Solemnization of Matrimonie in this Church of Englande the Minister dooth firste charge the parties that are to be maried as they will aunswer at the dreadfull day of iudgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened that if either of them doo knowe in themselues any impediment why they may not lawfully be joyned together in Matrimonie that they confesse it Euen so I am to charge you before the Lord Iesus Christ and as you will aunswer at his appearaunce that if any of you doo know in your selues any secret impechment that either ye want the inward calling not to respect the liuing but to doo good in the Church of God or els that ye haue not the giftes of Nature fitte for that function or that yee feele not your selues so mortified with the spirite of sanctification that ye haue good hope to liue according to your profession to despise the worlde and painefully to discharge your duties that ye vtter it or at the least wise withdrawe your selues from rashelye entring into so high a calling Otherwise assure your selues that ye doo nothing els but plucke the vengeaunce of God vpon your owne heads But some of you say that ye haue no other way to liue and therefore vnlesse ye â—e nows made Ministers ye must néedes he brought to extreame beggerie I aunswer Ps 33 19. 34 8. 112.1 â— 3 that if the Lord be willing to deliuer you from pouertie he is able to deliuer you and he will deliuer you by a farre more lawfull meanes if ye will serue him and feare him 1 Tim. 1.5 1. Pet. 3.16.21 Tit. 1.15 and although he should neuer bring you out of it yet how much better were if for you to liue here in perpetuall begger is with a quiet conscience then with the best benefice in this Realme to haue a hell in your consciences in this worlde and euerlasting death in the worlde to come for then Mar. 8.36.37 what will it profit a man to win the whole world and loose his own soule or what shall a man giue for his soule ye must remember the counsell which Paul giueth to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.22 Psalm 38.4 not to be partakers of other mens sinnes our own sinnes are a burthen too heauie for vs to beare and altogether intollerable then what a desperate case are we in if we doo also charge and loade our selues with a heape of sinnes committed by other men Ezech. 3.18 whose bloud must be required at our hands if they be not dilligently lye warned and reclaymed from their wickednes that they may repent liue The fourth propertie which must be in the labourer is that he labour with bothe hands that is both with life and doctrine for otherwise if he be painfull in teaching and haue no care to expresse the same in life and conuersation then dooth he but build with the one hand and pluck downe with the other with the one hand he gathereth together and with the other hand he scattereth abroade and then he is no good labourer in the Haruest of the Lorde and therefore Saint Paul biddeth Timothy 1. Tim. 4.15 Act. 20.28 take heede vnto himselfe and to his doctrine and continue therein for in so dooing he should saue himselfe and theÌ„ that heard him And he willeth Titus Tit. â— 7 abooue all things to shew himselfe an ensample
is vile No but as the gould is taken and the earth left so take ye the doctrine and refuse the manners The Bees haue no neede of the stalke but of the floure so take ye the Flower of exhortation and let the vnprofitable stalke of conuersation wither awaye If thou thirste for the Heauenlye foode of Gods worde refuse not the good and comfortable Wine because it commeth out of a Tréene or Earthen Vessell Although the Rose be compassed about with many Briers and Nettles yet doo not thou therefore refuse the swéete Rose the sauor of life vnto life to those that shal be saued if thou trauaile in a waye that thou knowest not yet if a Criple by the high waies side doo shew thée which waye thou shalt turne refuse not thou to go thy way although the Criple be not able to remooue an intche from his place Although the Carpenters which make the Arke be drowned yet doo thou with the faith of Noah enter into the Arke and thou shalt be saued Math. 2.6 Although neither Scribe nor Pharisie nor Herode nor any of the people in Ierusalem wil beare thee company to Bethlehem to worship the Babe Iesus yet if the Priests doo shewe thée where thou shalt finde him followe thou the wisemen Luke 10.34 and go alone Although bothe Priest and Leuit passe by the wounded man and shew no mercy at all yet be thou that poore Layman that pittifull Samaritan which bound vp his wounds and powred in Oyle and Wine and brought him to an Inne and made prouision for him 1. Cor. 13.1 Although thy Teacher speaking with the tongue of an Angel and hauing no loue be nothing els but as sounding Brasse and as a tinkeling Simball and therefore doo nothing profite himselfe for a Simball or Harpe heareth nothing it selfe yet may he comfort thée when thy minde is in heauines if thou hast a liuely faith to beléeue and apprehend the sweete promises of Iesus Christ which by him shall be vttered Aug. lib. 3. contra donat cap. 10. Contra Cresce lib. 3. cap. 6 de fide ad pet cap. 36. Etsi aquae fluxu canatis nihilo fit faecundior hortus tamen per eum irrigatur et fructificat Although by the running of the water the Chanel is made nothing more fruitfull yet the Garden which is watered by it dooth bring foorth fruite more plentifully Although the Scribes and Pharisies will put no finger to the burthen yet take vp the Yoake of Christ and learne of him that he is meeke and lowely in heart and thou shalt finde rest for thy soule Aug. contra litteras petiliani Donatistae cap. 27. tom 7 Pag. 71. Pontifex Caiphas persequutor vnius et verissimi Sacerdotis quamuis ipse non sit verax quod dat tamen verum est si non suum det sed Dei What though Caiphas be a wicked high Priest a persecutor of our Lorde and Sauiour yet if he speake not from himselfe but from God Iohn 11.51 18.14 and Prophecie of Christe that he must dye for the people We must not therefore despise or renounce Christ because God dooth compell euen the wicked to confesse him Nay what though it be Sathan himselfe which confesseth Christ to be the sonne of God Luke 4.34.41 and calleth him Iesus of Nazareth the holy one of God yet we must not contemne or refuse the sonne of God because he compelleth the Deuill and his Angels to acknowledge him But rather muche more we ought to feare that omnipotent God which so ruleth all things with his mightye hand that euen those whom he dooth not gouerne with his spirit yet he dooth bridle them with his power Math. 11.29 Although thou be taught or Baptized by Iudas yet doo thou laye houlde vpon the bloud of Iesus Christ Marke 16.16 and thy sinnes are forgiuen thée Quos Baptizauit Iudas Aug. baptizauit Christus Whom Iudas Baptized Christ Baptized for the dignitie of the worde and Sacraments dooth not depend vpon the person of the Minister which may be wicked but vpon the promises of God which cannot deceaue But thou wilt say peraduenture they which liue ill be Thornes and how can a man gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of Thistles Aug. de pact cap. 10. tom 9. Pag. 731. Augustine dooth aunswer very well The Grape dooth hange indeede amongst the Thornes but not of the roote of the Thornes for it hangeth only of the roote of the Vine Euen so the doctrine which is taught vnto them although it hange amongst the Thornes of many vices in the Minister yet it groweth not on the roote of those vices but on the roote of the worde of God and the Gospell of Iesus Christ then if thou desire to taste the swéete grape of the Gospell of Christe Lege vnam inter spinas pendentem sed de vite nascētem Gather the Grape hanging indeede among the Thornes but growing on the Vine Iesus Christe It is a lamentable case to consider how in these our dayes the Deuill hath so bewitched the heartes of so manye that in all their assemblyes Feastes and méetinges they haue nothing almoste in their mouthes but the lyues of the Mynisters the lyues pf the Preachers And yf they can espye anye faulte in the worlde then of a Moate to make a Bearne and of a Hillocke a Mountayne And looke who of all men are the fylthyest VVhooremongers the moste blasphemous swearers the moste dissolute Gaymesters the ranckest Ruffyans the moste cruell oppressiours of the poore the gretest spoilers of the goods of the Church wherewith the Ministers should doo good and kéepe Hospitality they are of all other most busie in displaying the faults of the Ministerie which is onely the deuise of Sathan to drawe them from the consideration of their owne sinnes least they should repent and liue whereas indéede they should first Math. 7.5 pluck out the beame out of their owne eyes and then should they better see to pluck out the Mote out of their brothers eye We haue a Wallet cast ouer our shoulders in the ende before vs we put the sinnes of our Ministers and of our neighbours in the end behinde vs we put our owne sinnes Psalm 38.4 51.3 and then Non videmus manticae quod in tergo est But good brethren if ye will be true Christiās ye must learne to turne the Wallet setting your owne sinnes before your face and casting behinde your backes the offences of your neighbours and Pastoures and although some of your Ministers haue not the grace to liue as they ought to doo yet ye must rather honor the bad for the good then despise the good for the bad And if any thing be amisse in them the waye is not to amende it with vile and reprochefull slaunders but your remedie is onely to flie vnto God by feruent and harty prayer praying alwayes the Lord of the Haruest that he will powre vpon
they be sent we must continually beare in minde this cōmaūdement of our Sauiour Christ that we praye vnto the Lord of the Haruest to send foorth Labourers into his Haruest Which cōmaundement because Christ gaue it in this place to his 70. Disciples Let vs of the Ministery firste apply it to our selues and learne heere our dutye which is that with all laboures we ioyne our prayers vnto the Lorde of the Haruest For if in temporall things nothing can prosper without the blessing of the Lorde as the Prophet Dauid saithe Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that builde except the Lorde keepe the Cittie the Watchemen watcheth but in vaine It is in vaine for you to rise vp earely and to lye downe late and to eate the bread of carefulnesse as we sée by experience euery day many rise early and lay downe late and eate the bread of carefulnesse but they prosper not because the Lord doth not build the house if worldly riches be the blessing of the Lord as Salomon saith it is the blessing of the Lorde which maketh men riche if in fishing in the Sea Luke 5.5 Peter may fishe all night catch nothing vntil our Sauiour Christe voutchsafe to come into the barge thē how much lesse shall we think that we can build the Lords house or watch ouer the flock of Christ or gather a rich haruest vnto the lord or catch the soules of mē with the spiritual net of gods word vnlesse with our rising early lying downe late eating the bread of carefulnes we alwaies let our praier supplicatiō be made to God with thāksgiuing Phil. 4.6 Iob. 31.27 Iobe saithe If my heart did flatter me in secret or if my mouthe did kisse mine hand this had bin an iniquity to be condemned for I had denyed the Lorde aboue where Iob maketh the ascribing of our temporall goods to our owne handie worke and saying Haec sunt opera manuum mearum these are the workes of mine owne hands to be nothing els but a denying of the Lord aboue How much more then doo we deny the Lorde aboue if in spirituall graces we doo not confesse and acknowledge that it is nothing for Paul 1. Cor. 3.6 2. Cor. 3.5 to Plant and Appollo to water except the Lord doo giue the encrease that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke one good thought as of our selues but all our sufficiencie commeth of God who hath made vs able Ministers of the new Testament that Isa 6.5.7 Ierm 1.6.9 the Prophet Isay is a man of polluted lippes bēfore the Lorde doo purge them that Ieremie is but a Childe and cannot speake before the Lord doo put his woords into his mouthe and therefore that in all our endeuours we trust not to our owne wisdome to our owne learning to our owne pollicie to our owne gifts of nature but that in all our laboures we doo in feruencie of spirite Psalm 51 1◠pray with Dauid O Lorde open thou my lippes and then my mouthe shall shew foorth thy praise Héere also in that our Sauiour dooth commaund his Disciples to pray the Lord of the Haruest to send foorth labourers into his Haruest we haue to consider the tender care which euery Minister ought to haue of the Church of God still to pray vnto God for the same and not onely to pray vnto God but also with great griefe of hart to remember as well the small number of the faithfull labourers as also the great number of the peoples sinnes This vehement zeale and tender care for the Haruest of the Lord was in Moyses when he prayed so earnestly for the people that he sayde Exod. 32.32 O Lord pardon their sinnes or els raze me out of the booke which thou hast written Gen. 18 24. This was in Abraham for when he saw how the sinnes of the Sodomites had prouoked the scourge of God against them he prayed vnto the Lord and sayd Lord if there be but fiftie righteous in the Citie wilt thou destroy the place and not spare it for the fiftie righteous and againe behould I haue begonne to speake vnto the Lord and am but duste and Asshes If there lack fiue of fiftie wilt thou destroy them for fiue And againe what if but fortie And againe what if thirtie what if twentie And againe let not my Lord be angrie if I speake once againe what if but ten shewing thereby sufficiently the earnest zeale which he had 2. Pet. 2.7 for the saluation of the people This was in Lot who was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked for béeing righteous and dwelling among them in séeing and heareing vexed his righteous soule from day to daye with their vncleane and foule déedes This zealous care for the Lords Haruest was also in Samuel 1. Sam. 7.9 Psal 119.136 who cried vnto the Lord for Israell And in Dauid whose eyes gusht out with Riuers of water because his people kept not the Lawe of God This was in the Prophet Isay Isa 22.4 who in the aboundance of looue bewayled his bretheren which would needes perishe saying Turne away from me I will weepe bitterly labour not to comfort me for the destruction of the Daughter of my people Ierm 9.1 Ierem. 14.17 This was in Ieremy who cryed out O that my head were full of Water and mine eyes a Fountaine of Teares that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Let myne eyes droppe downe teares night and daye without ceasing Dan. 9.7.16.18.19 This was in the Prophet Daniel who when he heard out of Ieremie that the Captiuitie should continue seauentie yeares he turned his face vnto the Lord with fasting with Sackcloth and Ashes and prayed saying To thee O Lorde belongeth righteousnes to vs open shame and confusion O Lord I beseeche thee let thine anger be turned away from thy Cittie Ierusalem thine holy Mountaine We doo not present our selues vnto thee trusting in our owne righteousnesse but in thy great and tender mercyes O Lorde heare O Lorde forgiue O Lord consider and doo it not for our sake but for thyne owne sake O my God This was in the holye Apostle Sainte Paule Actes 20.31 Phil. 3.18 Rom. 9.1 who ceased not to warne euery man bothe daye and night with Teares and hee called God to wytnesse that hee spake the trueth howe hee had great heauynesse and contynuall sorrowe of heart for hys Bretheren and that for their sakes Luk. 19.41 he wished himselfe to be seperate from Iesus Christe This was also in the chéefe Shéepheard our Sauiour Christ who when he beheld the Citty Ierusalem and the iniquitie thereof he wept ouer it and cried out with gréefe of heart O if thou hadst knowen at the least in this thy day these things which belong vnto thy peace but nowe they are hidde from thine eyes and this ought
to be in all the Ministers of Christ to haue a zealous and a tender care of the Church of God which Christ hath purchased with his moste precious bloud and therefore our Sauiour dooth héere commaund his seuentie Disciples that in all their prayers they should not haue so much respect vnto themselues as vnto the Haruest of the Lorde and biddeth them pray the Lord of the Haruest to sende foorth labourers into his Haruest And this is the dutie not onely of the Minister but generally of all men Psal 137.5.6 to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and the prosperous estate of the Church of God Ephe. 6.19 to pray for the Ministers that vtteraunce may be giuen vnto them that they may opē their mouthes bouldly to publish the secret of the Gospell to pray 2 Thes 3.1 that the word of God may haue free passage and be glorifyed among them to pray for their Pastors Colos 4.3.4 that God wyll open vnto them the doore of vtteraunce that they may so speake the Misteries of Christ as it becommeth them to speake to pray with Dauid that the Lord will be fauourable vnto Sion Psa 51.18 and build vp the walles of Ierusalem And finally to praye heere with the seuentie Disciples that the Lord of the Haruest will send foorth labourers into his Haruest and this shall euery one of you performe a great deale more carefully if ye will call to minde either the great comfort which commeth vnto you by the paines of faithfull Labourers or els the miserable estate that ye stande in if ye want these Labourers For first what greater comfort can there be to a trauayler béeing in a straunge place and among his enemyes then to be well armed and to haue a good weapen to defēd him Neither can there be any greater comfort to vs that Psalm 39.12 are straungers and Pilgrimes in this vale of misery and continually assaulted with most cruell enemies the world the flesh and the Deuill then to be well weaponed with the sworde of the spirite Ephe. 6.17 Hebru 4.12 the word of God which shall cut downe sinne in vs and enter thorough euen to the deuiding a sunder of the soule and of the spirite of the ioyntes and of the marrowe Then we ought alwayes to pray with Dauid I am a straunger vpon earth Psal 119.19 O hide not thy commaundement from me What greater comfort to a man which walketh in darkenesse and in a daingerous place Ephe. 5.8 Psa 119.105 2. Pet. 1.19 Ephe. 5.8 then to haue a light to be brought vnto him Neither can there be anye greater comforte to vs which of our selues are nothing but darkenesse as Paule saythe then to haue the worde of God a Lanterne to our feete and a Candle shining in a darke place whereby we may be made light in the Lorde and walke as the children of light What greater ioye vnto a poore man then to shrowde himselfe vnder the winges of some Nobleman or Gentleman and to weare his Liuerie and Cognisance neyther can there be any greater ioye to a true Christian then to weare the Badge of a Christian which is a zeale to heare the worde of God Iohn 8.47 1. Ioh. 4.6 Iohn 10.27 that hearing Gods worde he may be knowne to be of God and hearing the voyce of Christ may be knowne thereby to be one of the Sheep of Christ and therefore such a one as cā neuer perrish There is no man but he would willingly be reconciled to his Landlorde or any other which is able to hurt either his body or goods The Gospell of Christ is called 2. Cor. 5.19 Math. 10.28 the worde of reconciliation whereby we are reconciled to him which is able to destroy bothe body and soule and cast bothe into Hell lier No man but he would willingly be saued Iam. 1.21 Rom. 1.16 Isa 12.3 it is called the worde of saluation which is able to saue our soules and therfore we ought with ioy to draw water out of the Wels of saluation as the Prophet speaketh ther is no mā but he would willingly be preserued frō errours falshood it is called 2. Cor. 6.7 Iohn 17.17 the word of truth No mā but if he haue any sparkle of grace he would willingly be deliuered frō the bondage of sinne iniquitie It is the Law of God Psal 19.7.11 119.9 which is perfect conuerteth the soule the Testimony of the Lord is sure giueth wisdom vnto the simple by thē is the seruāt of God made circūspect by teaching improouing 2. Tim. 3.16 correcting instructing they make the mā of god absolute perfect in al good works There is no mā but if he haue enemies suing him at Lawe for a péece of Land he would gladly haue the aduise of good and learned Counsellers our enemyes séeke to pluck from vs the kingdome of Heauen and therefore our delight ought to be in the statues of God for they are our Counsellers Psal 119.24 saith Dauid if we haue any suite we are desirous to know the end how that iudgement shall passe Christ saithe If any man receiue not my woords Ioh. 12.48 Sermo quem loquutus sum iudicabit eum in nouissimo Die the word which I haue spoaken shall iudge him the last day There is no man but if his Father haue made a Will and Testament and therein bequeathed vnto him any worldly goods or possessions he wyll read the Will ouer and ouer againe to see what his father hath bequeathed vnto him But the Minister dooth bring vnto you not the Testament of any mortal man but the Will and Testament of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 11 27. 2. Cor. 3.6 Hebru 8.8 9.15 1. Pet. 1.18 wherein he hath bequeathed vnto you not temporall riches but the euerlasting ioyes of Heauen purchased not with Siluer nor Gould but with his owne precious bloud How much more then ought ye to héere marke and commit vnto me morie this Will and Testament of our Lorde and redéemer When the Market day commeth that we must prouide for foode and rayement for our bodyes we wyll applye it dilligently to our great costes and charges Behoulde the Lorde hath appointed many dayes especially the Sabbaoth dayes to be the Market dayes of our soules wherein we may fréely prouide for some thing to the nourishment and comforte of our soules What a great care then ought wee to haue to resort vnto the Church Apoc. 3.18 Isa 55. ◠to buy Gould tryed by the fier that we may be riche and white rayment that we may be cloathed and as the Prophet saythe to buie Wyne and Mylke without Siluer and not so to care for the body which shortly shall be Wormes meate that we haue no care of the soule which shortly shall be in the companye of Angels There is none of vs but he would willingly conceaue some hope of eternall life and
this can neuer be vnlesse we haue a desire to sowe in our hearts Luke 8.11 the Seede of Gods worde for therefore is the worde of God called Seede because in the Séede is all the hope of the Haruest Sowe litle reape litle sowe sparingly reape sparingly sowe nothing reape nothing and therfore let vs neuer thinke that we can reape the Haruest of euerlasting life vnlesse we haue a care to sowe in our hearts the Seede of Gods worde for without faith no man can be saued neither can any man haue faithe but Rom. 10.14 by hearing the worde of God for how shall they beléeue on him of whom they haue not heard or how shall they heare without a Preacher Vnlesse the ground doo giue Sap vnto the Tree the Tree must needes wither Iohn 4.14 Math. 25.8 Vnlesse the Springe doo Minister Water vnto the Riuer the Riuer must needes be dryed vp If Oyle be not still powred into the Lampe the Lamp will go out take Fish out of the water it wil dye to be briefe there is no liuing thing but if ye take from it the foode and nourishment due vnto it it must of necessitie dye and perrishe euen so the faithe of a Christian vnlesse it receaue Sap continually from the ground of Gods worde and be watered with the Fountayne of lyfe and haue the Oyle of the sweete promises of Christ often powred into it and be dayly fedde with the bread of God Iohn 6.33 which commeth downe from Heauen and giueth lyfe vnto the world it must néedes be wythered dryed vp extinguished it must néedes die perrish and vtterly consume for euer If these things were duly considered they would make vs to hunger thirste for the word of God Psalm 19.11 and to accompt it as Dauid did more to be desired then Gould yea then much fine Gould sweeter also then the Hony and the Hony Combe they would make vs to say with the Prophet Isay Isa 52.7 Rom. 10.15 O how beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tidings of peace And according to the commaundement of Christe in this place to pray to the Lorde of the Haruest Colos 3.16 to send foorth Labourers into his Haruest that the worde of Christe may dwell plentifully in vs in all wisdome Hebr. 6.1 wherby we may not onely learne the Doctryne of repentaunce from dead workes and the firste instructions of of faith towards God but also to go on forward to perfection and to go thorowe all the chiefe principles of religion so that we may be able alwaies 1. Pet. 3.15 to giue an answer to euery mā that asketh vs a reasō of the hope that is in vs for this dooth the word of God require of euery Christiā If these reasons cānot stir vp our harts so many sweete odours and pleasaunt Flowers more gorgeously cloathed then Salomon in all his royalty The ground yeelding foorth Grasse for the Cattell and Hearbe for the vse of man Psalm 104.10 and Wine that maketh gladde the heart of man and Oyle to make him a cheerefull countenaunce and bread to strengthen mans heart The hiding of the treasures of the Snowe and bringing foorth the hoarie Frostes Psa 147.8.16 the couering the heauens with Cloudes and bringing foorth the winds out of their places The wonderfull woorkemanship of God in man which is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a litle world Wherein the glory of the workeman dooth most appéere the mighty operation of God bothe in man and Beast as well in the sharpnesse of their senses as in their stomacke which digesteth all things Iob. 12.7 Isa 10.42 and yet dooth not digest it selfe and sundrye other such workes of God doo shew his power and Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make them in excusable which are Gentils and know not God Rom. 1.20 and therefore the Prophet Dauid saith The Heauens declare the power of God and the Firmament sheweth the woorke of his hands Psal 19.1 daye vnto daye vttereth the same and night vnto night teacheth knowledge there is no speach nor language where their voyce is not heard Whose voyce the voyce of the heauens the Firmamēt the vnchaingeable course of daye night Summer Winter their voice is heard euery where they preache the power of God So that we cannot say If we had known God we would haue feared him serued him for the Heauēs as Dauid saith are as it were a line capitall letter to set before vs the power wisdom God that knowing there is a God if we will not feare him as God Psal 19.4 we may be made all inexcusable an other reason which Saint Paule vseth is the lawe of nature which God hath ingrauen in the hearts of men whereby their owne conscience dooth heare them witnesse and their owne thoughts either accuse or excuse for Nulla est tam barbara natio Rom. 2.14.15 Cic. de nat deor nulla gens tam efferata cui non insideat haec persuasio esse Deum And therefore the moste wicked howsoeuer sometimes they foolishlye saye in their hearts there is no God Psalm 14. ◠yet doth the feare terror which they continually cary in their brests the iudgmēts of God which they dayly sée before their eyes compell them will they nill they to confesse that there is a God in heauen whom they haue contemned As we read of C. Caligula Suetonius although he was a bloody tyrant and a moste dasperate contenmer of God yet when as by the terrible thūdering and lightnings he saw a token of Gods wrath he couered himselfe in corners and crept vnder the Beds for the feare and terrour thereof Whereof came this same but that his owne conscience tould him that there was a God aboue whose voice he heard and whom he had despised who in the end would surely be reuenged By these reasons good people ye sée that if ye wāt faithful labourers in the Lordes Haruest yet your ignoraunce shall not excuse you but that Prou. 29.18 where prophecie ceaseth there the people perrish and the Lorde will powre out his vengeaunce euen vpon them which by his worde haue neuer knowne him For he saith by the Prophet Ezech. 3 18. 33.6 If thou doo not warne the wicked man of his sinnes his bloud will I require at thy hand but he saythe therewithall that the wicked shall die in his iniquitie the wicked is taken away for his sinnes but his bloud I will also require at the Watchemans hands so that bothe shall perrish bothe the negligent watchmen the ignorant people bothe the blinde leader the blinde follower as Christ saithe Math. 15.14 If the blinde leade the blinde they shall bothe fall into the Ditche And therefore séeing your ignoraunce dooth not onely not excuse you 2. Thes 1.8 ◠but also throw you headlong into the pit of destruction there to