❧ Two godly and learned Sermons, preached at Manchester in Lancashire, before a great Audience, both of Honour and Worship.  
The first, containeth a reproof of the subtle practices of dissembling Neuters, and politic worldlings.  
The other, a charge and Instruction, for all unlearned, negligent, and dissolute Ministers: And an Exhortation to the common people, to seek their amendment, by prayer, unto God.  
By Simon Harward, Preacher of the word of God, and Master of Art, late of New College in Oxfoord.  
Si Deus nobiscum quis contra a nos?  
Homo Deo, lutum figulo.  
¶ Imprinted at London by john Charlewood, and Richard Ihones. 1582.   

❧ The Preface to the Christian Reader.  
FOr as much as the profession of a Christian, 
2. Tim. 4.7. Ephe. 6.11. 1. Thes. 5.8.  is in the holy Scriptures oftentimes compared unto the life of a soldier, because we are as it were sworn in the Sacrament of Baptism, to fight manfully under the banner of jesus Christ, not only against the vain and wicked enticements of the flesh, whereby we are drawn to the abominable lusts and pleasures of voluptuous living and against the dangerous assaults of Satan the Prince of this world, which seeketh continually to devour us, and to drown us in the pit of desperation & confusion; but also against the subtle snares of the world, which either by riches and the glory ●hereof, doth provoke us unto covetousness, or else by slanderings, reui●nges, injuries, and oppressions, doth ●rre us up to impatiency, hatred, envy ●nd malice: we are therefore to call to remembrance continually, that notable property, and quality of a Christian Soldier, to arm ourselves with patience against the day of trial, that we may as Saint Paul saith to Timothy; Suffer affliction, 
●. Tim. 2.3.  as good Soldiers of jesus Christ. And this doth our Saviour teach us in the Gospel after the Evangelist Saint Luke, 
Luk. 14.31.  when he asketh the question. What King going about to make war against an other King, doth not sit down and take council, whether he be able with ten thousand, to meet him which cometh against him with twenty thousand?  
Whereby he doth admonish us to ponder and weigh our strength and ability beforehand, and not rashly and carelessly to enter into the battle. And therefore, as that Captain is greatly to be condemned, which will not provide for any help and furniture, until the time do come, that the onset must be given, and the strokes begin to fly about him. And as that Soldier showeth himself very careless and negligent, which will never think upon his armour and weapons, until the time do come that he must enter into the combat. Even so that christian is overmuch given to carnal security, which being a Soldier in the Spiritual warfare of Christ, wherein the victory bringeth no earthly triumph, but the incorruptiple crown of glory: and the loss, is not the death of the body only, but the casting of both body & soul into hell fire: will not yet once sit down to take council aforehand of his ability, nor once remember his weapon of patience, nor once by prayer make provision for it, until the hour do come, that even now the trumpet doth cry alarm, and his enemies fall upon him. Of which sort of Soldiers, I am afeard there are very many in the Realm of England, which because the Lord hath given us many, happy, plentiful, and peaceable years, under our gracious Princess Elizabeth (the Lord long preserve her Majesty, and give us grace so to repent and amend our sinful lives, that for our wickedness and unthankfulness, her days be not shortened:) do therefore loath to hear the preaching of the armour of patience, and not once remember to pray unto God for the obtaining of the same. But rather they seek by their policies, to join themselves in league with the enemies of Christ, that if trouble and affliction should come, they may avoid the danger, not by patience in suffering for the name of Christ, but by a traitorous shrinking from their Lord and saviour. And these may well be compared to the Ostrich, who when there was a battle, between the four footed Beasts and the Birds to please the Beasts, showed forth his hoof, and to make the Birds believe that he was of their side, he put forth his bill & wings and so pretending to take part with both, was in deed traitor to both.  
And therefore, whereas of late, being appointed by my very good Lord, the Bishop of Chester, I preached a Sermon at Manchester in Lancashire, as concerning the bold & constant confessing of the Lord jesus, and the patiented suffering of affliction for his name's sake: I have thought good to publish the same in writing, to the view of those Christian Soldiers, into whose hands it shall please God to send it, that thereby they may learn both the faithfulness, which they own unto their grand captain jesus Christ, and the provision which they ought to make in time for the armour of patience, and also be admonished, how they shall sit down and take council, and make their accounts of the charges which are required to a Christian man's profession. And this our saviour doth reach us by an other similitude, taken of the wisdom which ought to be in a builder: Which of you (saith he) being minded to build a Tower, 
Luk. 14.28.  doth not first sit down, and count the costs and charges, whether he have sufficient to perform it or no? least that after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it: all that behold it, begin to mock him, saying. This man began to build, and was not able to make an end.  
Even so all we which build our selves upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone, must first sit down and cast our accounts, whether we be able to perform it or no. In what manner must we reckon our charges? First, whether we be fully resolved to show forth the fruit of our profession, in our lives and conversations. For otherwise, unless with hearing, we join doing, & with professing, expressing: Our saviour showeth us, 
Math. 7.27.  That we build not upon the rock, but we are like unto the foolish man, which buildeth upon the sand, where the rain falling, and the floods running, and the winds blowing, do beat down the house, so that the fall thereof is great.  
And secondly, we must count our charges, whether we be thoroughly determined by the grace and assistance of God (whom we call upon continually for help, strength, & succour) constantly with the mouth to confess the Lord jesus, and with patience to take up our cross and follow him, so that, Neither father nor mother, nor wife nor children, nor brother nor sister, nor farms nor Oxen, nor land nor living, nor gold nor silver, nor worldly promotion, nor tribulation nor anguish, nor persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, 
Rom. 8.35.  nor peril, nor sword, nor life, nor death, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD, which is in Christ jesus our Lord.  
Argolandus, the Prince of Africa, ●ganne to lay a foundation, when he came to Charles the great, the king of France, and was purposed to have forsaken his Heathenish superstition, and to have embraced the true Religion of Christ. But when he saw thirteen poor folks, simply arrayed, to be set at meat before Charlemaigne, he asked him what he meant to entertain such simple wretches in his presence?  
The king made answer: These be they whom I keep always before me, in remembrance of my master & his friends. And being demanded, of what master, and of what friends? He said. Of my master Christ and his twelve Apostles, who lived in poor and base estate here upon earth. If the case be so (said Argolandus) that your master useth his friends no better, I care not greatly for his friendship, neither do I mean to be any of his friends. And so the Heathen Prince refused to become a Christian, because he did not consider, that the Cross was always a companion of the Gospel of Christ, and that the children of God, were to be judged and measured, not by outward prosperity, but by inward graces, & therefore with shame ●he gave over his building, so that it might justly have been said unto him. This man began to build, and was not able to make an end. But we must consider, that the charges of a Christian building, is not to imagine, that we shall lead a soft, easy, quiet, rich, delicate, and pleasant life: in honour, ●itches, dainty fare, pride, and pleasures of the world. But we must sit down & so make our accounts: That we must be content to forsake all we have, 
Luk. 14.33.  for the name of Christ: and patiently to submit ourselves to all troubles whatsoever, for the bold and open confessing of the Lord jesus our saviour. For so doth our mai●er Christ foretell his Disciples: when ●e saith unto them. Beware of men, 
Math. 10. 1●. john. 16. ●.  for ●ey will deliver you up to the councils, ●nd scourge you in their Synagogues. They ●hall excommunicate you, yea, the time ●all come, that whosoever killeth you, shall think he doth God good service. If ye were of the world, 
john. 15.19. & 16.20.  the world would love his own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you: Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice.  
Now therefore that we christian Soldiers, may in time be careful for sufficient furniture against the day of trial, and think upon our harvest before the hour do come, that the strokes shall light upon us, and learn aforehand, what duty we own unto our chief captain jesus Christ, and how we may in all things please him, for as Paul saith. No man that warreth, will entangle himself in the affairs of this life, 
2. Tim 2 4.5  because he would please him which hath chosen him to be a Soldier, and if any man strive for a mastery, he is not crowned, except he strive as he ought to do.  
That we may therefore endeavour in time, to know how we ought to strive, and as wise builders, sit down and cast our accounts, before we ●ake that work in hand, to be professors of the Gospel of Christ: I trust that this Treatise, will be some thing available to provoke us thereunto, if the Reader thereof will not so much respect, and look for any ●urious and artificial handling of the same, as ponder and lay up in his ●eart, the proofs and reasons, which ●re simply and plainly therein contained.  
I was purposed also to have pen●ed the second part of this Text, which I handled in the same place, ●e next morning following.  
But because I shall have occasion to street more at large of that article ●f justification, in an other work which I am determined by God's as●taunce hereafter to publish: I ●ue thought good now to omit it, ●d in steed thereof to join an o●her Sermon which I made too, before in the same place, the last time that Ministers were there ordained. That, as in the first Sermon generally, all men may learn how to strive, and how to cast their accounts in their Christian profession: so in the second especially, Ministers may learn the same: which are as it were captains and chief builders, under our Lord and saviour jesus Christ. It may peradventure seem unto you a tedious thing, that so large a Treatise should at once be uttered unto the people: but you may easily consider, that the matter which we had then in hand, was not to be posted over with quick speed and celerity, but that even as in the Apostles time, Ministers were appointed with fasting & prayer: so it was behoveful that I should at that time with continuance in preaching and prayer, keep the people occupied longer than the wunted manner, and withdraw them from their accustomed diet. And again, if now in penning the discourse, I have in some places enlarged it, I trust you will not deny, but that the weightiness of the matter, doth greatly require it.  
The Lord give grace, both to me which have uttered this doctrine out of his holy word, and also to you which shall read the same, that being watered with the dew of his holy spirit, it may so reform us, renew us, and build us up into the perfect building of Christ: that we may every one of us, discharge our duties in our several vocations, and let our light so shine before men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father in heaven. Amen. Farewell in Christ jesus: from Warrington, the. 8. of May. Anno. 1582.  
Yours in the Lord, Simon Harwarde.   

A godly and learned Sermon, against the subtle practices of dissembling Neuters.  Rom. 10.19. 
〈◊〉 thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  
THe holy Apostle S. Paul, the elect vessel of God, the servant of jesus Christ, and the Doctor of the Gentiles, writeth this Epistle ●o all that were in Room, beloved of the Lord, & called to be Saints, which were ●o instructed before by Andronicus, junia Vrbanus and others, that their faith was published throughout all the world: In which Epistle, as I declared unto you yesterday, after that he hath saluted them in 〈◊〉 Lord, he first proveth unto them: That ●o man can be saved by himself, and by ●is own merits, but that both jew and Gentile were in themselves condemned. The Gentiles were condemned by the knowledge which they had by the creatures 〈◊〉 God, because by the creation of the world ●ey knew that there was a God, and ther●re, if they did not fear him as God, they were left all excusable. And secondly, by the law of nature which God hath engrafted in their hearts, their own consciences either accusing or excusing them. The jews he condemneth by the written law of God, which they read and heard continually, & yet not withstanding, were daily transgressors of the same, so that they which were without the law, did perish without the law, and they which were under the law, were judged by the law: and therefore that both jews and Gentiles were all sinners, and deprived of the glory of God, & were justified freely by grace, through the redemption that is in Christ jesus, which he proveth both by the ensample of Abraham, who about fourteen years before he was circumcised, was counted just only by faith: and by the sentence of David, who pronounceth, That man only blessed, whose iniquities are for given, whose offences are covered, and to whom the Lord doth not impute his sin. Afterward he maketh a comparison of Christ with Adam, of Death with Life, & of the Law with Grace. In the sixth Chap. he descendeth from justification to Sanctification, showing them by an argument taken of Baptism, That they which were baptised in Christ, were baptised into his death: And therefore, as Christ was raised up from the dead, by the glory of God the Father, so they also should walk in newness of life, not giving their members servants, to uncleanness and iniquity, but making them servants to righteousness and holiness of life. Which that they might the better do, he showeth them in the next Chapter of the right use of the Law, and of the bend ready will, which every Christian ought to have to the uttermost of his power to perform the law of God, and with the virtue of his spirit, to strive against the flesh. And then he setteth down the conclusion of the first part of his Epistle, next after his salutation: to wit, That there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ jesus, which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit, because the spirit of adoption which they have received in their hearts, whereby they cried, Abba, Father, doth so seal in them the hope of everlasting life, that nothing ●s able to separate them from the love of God which is in jesus Christ their Lord. Now in the three Chapters following, the .9.10. ●. 11. He disputeth, Of the just rejecting of the jews, and of the free calling of the Gentiles. Wherein after that he hath in the last Chapter, laid down the foundation thereof in the free election & purpose of God, Who will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth, and doth of the same lump of clay, make some vessels of honour, & some of dishonour, some vessels of mercy, to show forth his goodness, and some vessels of destruction, to be glorified in his power. Now in this tenth Chapter, lest God should seem unjust, in rejecting those whom he had ordained to be vessels of wrath: He showeth an other second cause of the casting away of the jews, because they were ignorant of the righteousness of God, and went about to establish their own righteousness, and would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. And because the Apostle S. Paul did long for nothing so much, 
Rom. 10.3.4.5.  as that Israel might be saved, so that for their sakes, he desired to be separated from Christ, for his brethren which were his kinsmen according unto the flesh. He therefore beginneth here to instruct them in the faith of Christ, teaching them, That Christ was the end of the law, for righteousness unto all believers. And showing them, that the promise of God in Deuteronomy. 
Deut. 30.14.  The word is very near unto thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart for to do it. Was it therefore spoke? because they were not able of themselves to perform the ●awe of God, and to obtain righteousness thereby, but that in that place God doth signify the word of faith, which we do preach, which is near unto thee in thy mouth, and in thy heart, for, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord jesus, and believe in thine heart, that God raised him again from the dead: thou shalt be saved. In which piece of Scripture, we have two things to consider: first, That we are justified only by faith, in the death and resurrection of Christ jesus. Secondly, That we must show forth the fruit of our faith, to confess him with our mouths. But because the confession of our mouths is first set down in this place, as well in the sentence of Paul, and also in the words in Deuteronomy. The word 〈◊〉 near unto thee, even in thy mouth, and ●n thy heart. I have thought it best at this ●me to follow the same order, which the ●oly Ghost doth use in this place, and to speak first, Of the fruit of confession. And secondly, Of the tree of faith, rooted and grounded upon the death and resurrection of Christ.  

Rom. 10.9.  If thou shalt with thy mouth confess, the Lord jesus, etc. The Apostle beginneth here, first with the Mouth, because the Tongue is one of the principallest parts of man's body as S. james saith. If a man sin not in word, he is a perfect man, & able to bridle the whole body. For if the tongue be well used, he compareth it to a little bit, which ruleth the Horse be he never so fierce & untamed: and to a rudder, which though it be small, yet it governeth the huge Ships, being tossed & assaulted, with many blustering storms and tempests. But if it be ill used, he saith, It is a world of wickedness, it defileth the whole body, it setteth a fire the course of nature, and is itself set on fire of hell. And therefore Anacharsis the Philosopher, being asked, What was the best & wholesomest part of any thing, and what the worst and most unwholesome. When it was thought, that he would have made answer of two several parts, to a double question, he answered in one single word, saying: The Tongue. Because being well used, it is of all parts of man's body the best, and on the other side being ill used, the worst: and therefore if we imagine the case ●o be thus, that we should carry about with us two boxes, whereof, the one containeth most deadly Poison, and the other a sovereign Remedy against all diseases: what great heed would we take unto them, lest if the one of them should run out, we should be most dangerously infected, or if any of the other should be spilled, we should lose so precious a jewel? In the Tongue there is both, there is venomous Poison, and there is also a sovereign Medicine for all infirmities and maladies: and therefore what great care ●ought we to have, lest either by abusing it, we be infected, or otherwise by out negligence, lose the right use thereof? To rehearse all the poisons of the Tongue, as, Railing, vain babbling, filthy talk, lying, slandering, cursing, 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 sovereign virtues of the Tongue, as, Blessing, & praising the name of God, calling upon him by prayer, instructing of our brethren, reproving wickedness, setting unity and concord amongst men, and confessing of the Lord jesus. But here we are only to consider the chiefest virtue of the Tongue, which is, With the mouth to confess the Lord jesus: And the chiefest poison, which is, To deny, & renounce our Lord and Saviour. The Apostle here requireth of every Christian, That he shall with the mouth confess the Lord jesus. Because, as all the body is made to glorify God, so especially, the tongue is (as Paul saith:) Let every tongue confess that jesus Christ is the Lord, 
Phil. 2.11.  to the glory of God the Father. 
Hebr. 13.15  Let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God. That is, the fruit of the lips which confess his name: and this the Prophet Hosea doth call the calves of our lips. 
Hose. 14.2.  David sayeth: I believed, and therefore I spoke. 
Psal. 116.10.  Signifying thereby, that, There can be no true belief in the heart, unless the tongue delight to talk of the same. 
Math. 12.34.35.  For of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak. A good man out the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things. About what thing soever the heart of man is occupied, the tongue will most commonly be talking of the same. The Ship man will talk of his winds, the Soldier will reckon up his wounds, the Shepherd will be telling of his sheep, and the Ploughman of his Oxen. If a man ●elight in Hawks, Horses, Hounds, or ●ny pastime whatsoever, his talk will be according to his delight: and how can it ●hen be, but that if our hearts and souls delight in the Lord, our tongues should also praise him, confess him, and glorify his holy name? Shall the knowledge of Christ have less obedience of our tongues, than the vain and transitory desire of worldly pleasures? Shall worldly things have our tongues at commandment, & shall the glorious name of Christ have no portion therein? This can not be (dear brethren) that there should be any true saith in the heart, except it draw the tongue to the confessing of the same. Our bodies are called the temples of God: Know 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 defile the temple of God, him will God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, and that are ye. And therefore it is Sacrilege & Church-robbery, to pluck our tongue, or any part of our body from God. For we are Temples and Saints, consecrated and sanctified unto God. And for ●his cause doth Paul beseech us for the tender mercy of God: That we offer up not only our souls, 
1. Cor. 6.19.20.  but our bodies also a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God And telleth us, that, Our body being the Temple of the holy ghost, we are not our own, but are bought with a price: And therefore we should glorify God, both in our bodies and in our souls, for they are Gods. They are Gods, That is, God made them, and Christ jesus redeemed them, and bought them with a price, not with silver, nor gold, but with his own most precious blood. God made not only soul, but body also, and our Lord and saviour Christ, gave his body, and shed his heart blood upon the Cross, not only for soul, but for body also, and not only soul, but body also shall live for ever in the world to come: then seeing that God created both body and soul, and Christ with his body and soul, did pay the ransom, both of body and soul, and both body and soul, shallbe partakers of everlasting glory in the world to come. We must, as Paul saith: Glorify God both in body and in soul, for they are Gods. 
1. Reg. 19.18  The Lord saith unto Elias: That he hath reserved unto him seven thousand people, which never bowed their knees to Baal, nor kissed him with their mouths. He doth not say: Which have not believed in Baal in their hearts. But, Which have given, neither knee nor mouth, nor any part of their body, to any other, but to the Lord God of Israel.  
Nabuchadnezzar, required nothing of Shidrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 
Dan. 3.19.  but that, They should in body fall down and worship the golden Image. But there chose rather to be cast alive into the boat fiery Furnace.  
The kings Commissioners, required nothing of Mattathias: But, 
1 Mach. 2.19.37.  That he should outwardly do Sacrifice unto the Idols at Modin. But he would rather die, than consent unto it.  
God is a jealous God, and therefore will suffer no part of our body, to be given to any graven Image, nor to any other but him alone: as he saith in his commandment, Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them, 
Exod. 20.5.  for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.  
Whereby you see that no part of our bodies ought to be given from God, but that we should with every part of us, glorify God our creator, and Christ jesus our redeemer, and the holy Ghost our sanctifier: which hath made our whole bodies holy Temples unto the Lord. And as with every part of our body, we must set forth the laud and praise of God: so especially with our tongue, 
Phil. 2.11.  That every tongue may may confess that jesus Christ is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father. David seemed 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 have been in the Temple of God, in the midst of saul's boast and all his enemies, 
Psal. 42.4.5.  yet he saith himself: I powered 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 praise, as a multitude that keepeth a feast. Why art thou so cast down, O my soul, and why art thou so unquiet within me? O my God, my soul is cast down within me, because I remember thee from the land of Iorden & Hermonim, and from the mount Mizar. When David was in the land of Iorden in Hermonim, or in the mount Mizar, no doubt, he prayed unto God, and gave him thanks for all his benefits. Yet because by reason of his enemies, he could not come to the Temple of God, to glorify God, as well in body, as in soul. He therefore crieth out, with grief of heart: 
Psa. 84.1. ●. ●  Why art thou so cast down O my soul, and why art thou so unquiet within me? And in an other place: O Lord of hosts, how amiable are thy Tabernacles? My soul longeth, yea, and fainteth for the courts of the Lord, for mine heart and my flesh rejoiceth in the living God. The sparrow hath found her a house, and the swallow a nest for her, where she may ●ay her young: even hard by thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Where the Prophet David is grieved, that the sparrows & swallows had more access to the Church of God than he had. There are many now a days which will say, that they bear as good a soul toward God, as they which resort so often to the Church, and that they can serve God as well at home, as in the Church.  
But these must learn of the Prophet David to praise God, not only at home, but in the assemblies also, as he ●ayteh unto God. 
Psa. 68.26. Psa. 22.22.  I will declare thy ●ame unto my brethren in the midst of ●he congregation, I will sing praises unto thee. For otherwise, if we do not seek to ●et forth the glory of God, as well publicly in the assemblies, as pruivatly in our Families, our hearts are not aright before God. Here then they are condemned which being Landlords, and Men of Worship, do disdain to come into the Congregation of God, to confess God's name unto their brethren, and in the midst of the assemblies to sing praises unto him, but will have the Service of God done privately in their Chambers and in their Closets. These are far unlike to the holy Prince and Prophet David, the anointed of God, 
Psal. 42.4.  who led the people into the house of God, and accounted nothing so dear unto him, as openly in the assemblies to confess the name of God unto his brethren And therefore he saith: 
Psal. 26.8. Psa. 27.4.  O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thine house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will require, even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to visit his holy Temple. For although that cannot, but be most true, 
Math. 18. ●0  which our saviour saith, that, wheresoever two or three be gathered together in his name, he will be in the midst of them, and whatsoever they ask, they shall receive. Yet this private prayer ought not to take away public prayer, but much more establish it. For if God will ●are the prayers of two or three being gathered together in his name: how much more will ●e hear a whole congregation, 
Rom. 15.6.  when with ●e heart & one voice, they shall glorify God ●e father of our Lord jesus Christ. If the prayers proceed from a faithful heart, God ●ill hear, Ezechias, in his bed: Hoster, in ●er chamber: job, upon the dunghill: Daniel, 
Isa. 38.2. Hest. 4.16. job. 2.8 Dan. 6.16. jonah 2.1. Exod 15.1. josu. 10.12. 1. Reg. 17.20 &. 19.8.9. Acts. 10.2. &. 30. Luk. 6.12. Math. 27.46  ●n the den of Lions: jeremy. in the prison: Io●s, in the Whale's belly: He will hear the people of Israel, in the land of Egypt: Mo●s and Aaron, in the wilderness: josua, in ●is wars: Elias, in the house of the widow of Sarepta, & in a Cave of the mount Noreb: Cornelius, at home in his own ●ouse: Simon Peter, in the house of Simon ●he Tanner: Paul, in the Ship, and on the 〈◊〉 bank: and our saviour Christ on the mountains, in the fields, in the garden, & ●n the Cross. So that in every place the ●ord is nigh unto all the call upon him, I ●y, unto all that call upon him in truth. 
Psal. 145.18.  notwithstanding, this doth God especially squire of every christian, that we should all together publicly in the assemblies make ●en confession of our Faith, in the Lord ●esus, unto the land and praise of God.  
And therefore miserable is their blindness, and intolerable is their arrogancy, which think they may serve God sufficiently in their houses, and do therefore abstain from public prayer, and from the open confession of their faith in the Church of God, wherein first they rob God of his honour, and commit Sacrilege, in keeping back their tongues from the public confessing, & their bodies from the open glorifying of the name of the Lord jesus.  
secondly, they cut themselves off from the mystical body of jesus Christ, for Christ is the head, 
Ephe. 1.22. Ephe. 4.15.25.  and we are the body, one head hath but one body. And thus as Paul saith: We are all members one of an other. And therefore as one body, we should be all of one faith, all agree in one truth, and all with one heart & one voice, laud and magnify the name of God, and who soever by schisms & divisions doth separate himself from his brethren, and cut himself off from the Church, that man doth cut himself off from the mystical body of jesus Christ. Thirdly, they show intolerable pride and arrogancy, for what proud wretches are they which take upon them, to condemn the congregation of Christ, which is assembled together in his holy name, and to account them he●tiques, for whom Christ shed his ●ood? and how vilely do they think of ●eir brethren, 
Psal. 22.22.  which will not vouchsafe 〈◊〉 pray, & to make confession of their faith together with them? They are worse a ●reat deal then the Phariseis, for they though they were proud & haughty, and ●d above all others disdain the Publi●nes, yet they did not refuse to come to ●e Temple, because the Publicans re●rted unto it. For S. Luke showeth how ●e Pharisey & the Publican, 
Luk. 18.10.  came both 〈◊〉 the Temple together: And therefore ●ey which deny or disdain to come to ●e Church, either they make us worse ●en Publicans, or else they themselves ●e worse than Phariseis.  
fourthly, they give great offence unto ●hers, by their ill ensample, especially: 
Psa. 42.4.  〈◊〉 they be such as should lead the people to the house of God. I mean Land●des, and Gentlemen: for if they pray ●elie at home, the poorer sort say strait ●ayes within themselves, why may not ●e pray also at home, seeing we have all ●e Lord, and Master in heaven? for in●riours are called Apes of superiors, 
Herodian.  'cause whatsoever they see done of them, they think that they may do the like, 
Seneca.  and Graavissimus morbus est qui a capite diffum ditur: That disease is most perilous, which cometh from the head. And therefore, Woe be to him by whom offences come, 
Mat. 18.6.7.  it were better for him that a mill stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the bottom of the sea.  
Last of all they which refuse to come into the Congregation of God, 
Psal. 22.22.  to confess the name of God amongst their brethren, they condemn and despise the holy ordinance of God: For God hath ordained, & in holy word commanded, That his people should come together, to make public confession of their faith, in the blood of jesus Christ, to pray for things necessary to hear the sacred and blessed word of God, to be thankful to him for all his benefits, to receive his holy Sacraments.  
And he which slieth from these things, which are so often commanded by the Lord God, in flying from the Church: he flieth from the Celestial jerusalem, he flieth from his own salvation, he flieth from God himself. What caused the jews to lament so pitifully to weep, by the Rivers of Babylon, and to hang their Instruments upon the Willows, 
Psa. 137.1.2.3  saying: How shall we sing the song of the Lord, in a strange land? If I forget thee O jerusalem, let my right hand forget to play. ●f I do not remember thee, let my tongue leave unto the roof of my mouth, if I ●oo not remember jerusalem in all my mirth?  
No doubt, when they were captives ●n Babylon, they prayed unto the Lord, ●ut therefore they wept by the waters of Babylon, because they could not visit the Temple of GOD in jerusalem, there to make public confession of their Faith, ●nd openly to magnify the name of the God of jacob. And in the same place, the Rulers envying that Daniel should be set ●uer them, caused the King to confirm ●nd seal a decree, that, 
Dan. 6.7.10.  Whosoever should ●ke any petition of any other God, saving ●nly of the King, for the space of thirty any's, he should be cast into a den of Lions. 〈◊〉 man might think it to be but a small offence to abstain from praying openly or the space of thirty days, Daniel might ●r so short a time have prayed to God in ●eart only, or he might have prayed secretly in his bed and in his Closet.  
But he knew that his whole body was made to glorify the name of God, and therefore, when the decree was published, he went into his house, and his window being open in his Chamber towards jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed, and praised his God as he had done aforetime. He opened the window towards the City, that all men might see, that he served the Lord his God, not with heart only, but with the tongue, the knees, and the whole body.  
Peter denied his master in mouth: But no doubt, 
Math. 26.70  in heart he believed in him, and he denied him not for fear of losing his worldly goods, but for fear of present death, not willingly and of set purpose, but through the infirmity of his flesh, because he saw his Master forsaken of his friends, and taken of his enemies, and therefore could find out no other way to save his life, but in heart he still believed in the Lord. Here some peradventure may judge this fault of Peter to be somewhat excusable. But most certainly it was a wicked and an heinous offence, and unless the Lord had looked upon him, whereby he went forth and wept bitterly, no doubt it had been to his utter condemnation and destruction, both of body and soul. 
Math. 10.33.  For our saviour saith: Who soever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in hea●en. And it is not sufficient not to deny Christ, unless we do in all places openly confess him, & freely reprove those which blaspheme his holy name: For we are not ●orne to ourselves, but first to the glory of God, as Christ commandeth us, To let our light so shine before men, 
Math. 5.16. 1. Pet. 2.12. &. 4 11.  that they may see our good works, and glorify our father in heaven. And secondly, to, ●he edifying of our Brethren, and to win them unto Christ, as Paul saith: Ex●ort one another, and edify one another. 
1. The. 5.11.  And Saint james saith: If any man hath erred from the way, 
jam. 5.19.  and some man hath converted him, let him know, that he which hath converted a sinner from going a stray out of his way, shall save a soul from death. This is the law of God in Levitticus: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, 
levit. 19.17.  but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour, and suffer him not ●o sin. Where the Lord doth account ●t, the extréemest hatred that can be, to ●atter our neighbours in their sins. We are commanded by the word of God, ●hat, For as much as we are all members of ●he same body in jesus Christ, we should be charitable one to an other, and do good one to an other by all means possible.  
Now if it be accounted charity, to feed the body, how much more is this charity to feed the soul, with holy admonitions and godly instructions. And if we be bounden by the law of God. 
Exod. 23.4.  That when we see our enemies Ox or Ass, going astray, we shall bring it home again. How much more ought we, when we see the soul of our brother going astray, to seek by all means possible to bring it home again? Saint john willeth us, That if any man bring not the doctrine of Christ, 
1. joh. 2.10.11.  we receive him not into our houses, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed, is pertakar of his evil deeds.  
And therefore, if thou hear or see a man which holdeth any wicked opinions and heresies, if thou do not instruct him to the uttermost of the power, but sufferest him to continue in his error and blindness, and biddest him God speed, thou art partaker of his wickedness. And if thou hear any man blaspheme the glorious name of Christ, if thou do not say unto him. 
Exod 20.7.  Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 
Eccl. 23.11.  A man that useth much swearing, shall be filled with wickedness, and the plague of God shall never departed from his house. Thou art partaker of his iniquity, and the same plague which hangeth over him, for his blasphemy in speaking, the same is due unto thee for thy silence in hearing. For if thou do not confess Christ: thou dost deny him, as our Saviour sayeth: He that is not with me, is against me, 
Luk. 11.23.  and he that gathereth not, he scattereth.  
And therefore we must every one of us, in such manner, confess the Lord jesus with our mouths, that by our confession, other may be edified: and the greater that the assembly is, the more boldness should be in our confession. There are many of us, which before one or two will peradventure rebuke a swearer, which blasphemeth the name of Christ. But if it be in a Feast, or in a Banquet, or otherwise before many, than we are very mannerly and civil, we dare not speak for fear of offence, we account it a point of modesty, to bear with their wickedness.  
But what is this else, but to keep the honour of God for holes and préevie corners and to offer up sacrifice openly to the devil? 
john. 12.43.  What is this else, But to love the praise of men, more than the praise of God?  
Thou art peradventure ashamed to seem holy before a company and great assembly, but the holy Scripture saith, 
Mark. 8.38.  that, Whosoever shall be ashamed of Christ, and of his words, among this adulterous & sinful generation, of him shall the son of man be ashamed also, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with his holy Angels. Thou art afeard lest thou shalt be mocked and scorned of wicked worldlings: I answer with the Apostle, that, If thou seek to please men, 
Gal. 1.10.  thou canst never be the servant of Christ. And therefore, whosoever for fear of man doth hold his peace in such offences, the word of God doth testify against the thoughts of his heart, that he loveth the praise of man, more than the glory of God, and who soever for fear of danger ensuing, doth refuse to confess the Lord jesus with his mouth, he hath his damnation pronounced, that the son of God shall never confess him before his father, and before his holy Angels in Heaven. And therefore, 
1. Tim. 6.12.  ●f ever we look to fight the good fight of faith, or to lay hold on eternal life, we must also profess a good profession before many witnesses.  
A carnal man may think it a small offence to dissemble with the mouth, & that a man may so dissemble with the tongue, that notwithstanding, the heart may be kept faithful unto God. But we must take heed that we deceive not ourselves, nor suffer ourselves to be deceived with such fond imaginations. There are many sins, which seem unto us to be of ●mall weight, because either we have no faith, to believe the word of God, or else we judge of them according to the corrupt affection of our flesh, but if we could judge according to the judgement of the spirit of God, we should find that those sins which we esteem light, are most grievous ●nd abominable in the sight of God. We must take heed, lest the subtle Serpent ●eceyue us, as he did Adam and Eve, 
2. Cor. 11.3.  who thought it could be but a small offence to ●ste of the fruit of a Tree: but in the end ●hey proved the contrary, for they were ●r this their disobedience, cast out of Pa●dize, a place of all pleasures, into all misery and mischief, which they & we, and all posterity, may for ever rue and lament. We must especially take heed of the beginning, and first entrance of sin: for if we do a little give place unto it, it will shortly after take further possession of us. We must take heed of giving the bridle unto the flesh, for if it once catch the bit into the teeth, and feel the bridle lose upon the neck, it will carry us headlong into all sin and wickedness. 
Deut. 5.32.33.  We must take heed of going out of the way, although it be never so little, for if we once miss our way & go astray, the further we go forward, the further we go out of our way, and the more hardly shall we return into the way again. We must retire from the Rivers of sin, for if we go up and down carelessly, in the stream of wickedness, we are likely at the last, to fall into such a whirlpool, and bottomless pit of mischief, as whosoever is plunged therein, can not be recovered. We must take heed, not only of touching sin, but also of approaching near unto it: for it is a plague so infectious, and a venom so pestilent, and a disease so dangerous, that although we fly from it as far as we can, it can not be but that ●e shall be some thing infected therewith. 
Eph. 5.7.11.  ●e must draw no acquaintance with ●ne: For if we once join ourselves in ●itie and friendship with sin, it will 〈◊〉 come so familiar unto us, that we shall ●rdlie dispatch our hands of it: and ther●e, if with our tongues & speech, we conant unto Idolatry & wickedness, and so af●r a sort draw acquaintance with it, it cannot be, but that we shall afterward grow ●to greater familiarity with it, & so run headlong into greater mischief. 
Isa. 1.21. Jere, 3 1. Eze. 15.15.  But that 〈◊〉 may show you an ensample to teach you 〈◊〉 give, neither your tongue, nor any part ●f your body to Idolatry, to commit spiritual fornication against God: consider I pray ●ou, by what means an harlot doth come 〈◊〉 the uttermost degree of her infamy and abomination.  
She doth not become a common strumpet at ●he first day, 
1. Tim. 2.9.  but first she beginneth to pass ●he limits & bonds of that shamefastness & modesty, which ought to be in a virtuous ●oman the feareth God: 
1. Cor. 15.33  then she delighteth ●o hear, and to utter lewd and unchaste ●alke, and to sing filthy Rhymes of ribau●rie. afterward, she taketh pleasure in ●auncing, and to be conversant with lusty yonkers, 
Eccl. 9.4.5.  to feed both her eyes with their gestures & countenances, and her ears with their lascivious & amorous speeches. And when she hath thus abandoned, her tongue, her eyes, and her ears, she is no more chaste nor holy. 
Math. 5.28.  For true chastity must consist in the heart, in the soul, yea, and in every part and member of the body.  
After that the tongue, eyes, and ears, are thus possessed of Satan: then there follow touchinges and contractions, which do more defile her body, and more inflame her unto wickedness. And when her chastity is thus cracked, and violated hitherto: then shortly after, it doth perish altogether by most abominable & filthy fornication. Notwithstanding, at the beginning, she hath some shame left, and she dealeth as secretly as she can, to keep it close from the sight of men, but in process of time, and by long custom of sinning: this shame also falleth away by little and little, so that at the last, the secret strumpet, becometh a known common strumpet, and hath no regard, reverence, nor fear, either of God in heaven, or of men in earth, or of the devils in hell.  
Even so it is also in spiritual fornication: A man doth not become an open idolaters at the first, but by little and little. ●irst, 
●. Tim. 3.3. & 4.3.4.  he delighteth to hear the blasphemies of wicked men, wherewith they ●aspheme the truth of God, and layeth ●s ears open to their lies and forgeries, ●en he giveth his tongue to slandering, ●nd giving at the profession of the Gospel, ●nd to maintain gross errors for dispu●ations sake.  
Afterward, he delighteth his eyes with ●he glorious show of gilded Crosses, painted Images, goodly Tapers, precious Ornaments, Copes, and Vestments, and all ●he superstitious gestures used at the Mass, ●s masking and mumming, turning and ●alfe turning, some times at the right side ●f the Altar, some times at the left, some ●imes crying out, some times whispering softly, some times looking up, some times ●owking down: besides all their other ●oyes and foolish gestures, as twinkling with the fingers, kissing the Altar, breathing upon the Host, crossing the bread and cup, shutting the eye, and counterfeiting a sleep, striking the breast, and ●yfting up the Host betwixt two false ●andes, even as Christ was crucified betwixt two thieves.  
When the eyes are thus carried away, than the other senses do follow after▪ The smelling is delighted with the sweet odours and perfumes of the incense and Frankincense, the ears are tickled with the sound of Organs, and of Bells, and with the chanting & bleating of Hymns and Anthems, in an unknown tongue. And when the tongue, the eyes, the ears, and all the senses of the body, are thus by little & little carried away from God, then is the heart lulled a sleep, it is stolen away from worshipping the Lord in spirit and truth: it is drawn to worship Idols and Images, it is drawn to honour the whe●ten God, 
Rom. 1.25.  ascribing that unto the Creature, which is due unto the Creator: whose name be blessed for ever and ever.  
And thus if we first commit Idolatry in the temples of our own bodies, which Christ hath consecrated & sanctified to be the temples of the holy ghost: then we will not stick afterward to commit Idolatry in the Temple and Congregation of the Church of God, and that we can not avoid the evil, unless also we avoid the occasions thereof. 
Gen. 34.1.  Dina the daughter of jacob, which was ravished by force of the son of Hamar the king of Sichè, did not in har● consent unto that wicked act, and yet notwithstanding, she was not free from the ●rime of whoredom: neither was she to ●e reputed for any thing but a strumpet.  
For if she had tarried at home within her Father's house, and not strayed abroad to see the Daughters of that Country: she might have avoided the great inconvenience whereby she fell into so great dishonour and shame. And therefore Paul commandeth us, To abstain, 
1. The. 5.22.  not only from evil, but also from all occasion, and all appearance of evil. And we are commanded by God himself, 
Isa. 48.20. &. 52.11. 2. Cor. 6.17.  that we come out of Babi●on, and sly from the Caldaeans. Depart ye from thence, and touch no unclean thing, go out of the midst of her, and be ye clean, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord.  
Now there are three kinds of coming out of Babylon: The first is in body only, the second is in heart only, the third is ●othe in body and in heart: And this is the safest and surest way for every Christian.  
Of the first sort which are come out of Babylon in their bodies, and yet have their minds still in the midst thereof, I am afeard lest there are many of them at this time here present amongst us, which have drawn their bodies out of Egypt, and yet have not utterly forsaken the manners and fashions of the Egyptians: and for this coming out, they are never the better, it is an occasion of their damnation, and not of their salvation. For it were far better to be●e Israelite, and to worship God purely in the land of Egypt, then to be an Egyptian, and an idolater in the Desert, and in the land of Canaan: 
Exod. 32.6.  and there to worship golden Calves, and to long for the Onions, 
Num. 11.5.  and Garlic, and fleshpottes of Egypt. It were far better to call upon God in Egypt, and to bear patiently the tyranny of Pharaoh, 
Exod. 2.23.  then being out of Egypt, to murmur against God, and to blaspheme his truth, as did the ancient idolaters, Israelites by name, but Egyptians in deed, having their bodies without Egypt, and their hearts with in it: and as many do now which being delivered from the bondage of Pharaoh, do long for the fleshpottes of Egypt, and loath the sweet Manna, the word of the everliving God. The second sort, is of them: Which come out of Babylon in heart, but not in body: which can very hardly be in any Christian, for where the heart is, there will the body be also.  
And it can not be that the heart should ●e truly turned unto God, but it must ●éedes draw the obedience of his wil But ●e safest and surest, and the only true ●ay for a Christian, is to come out of Ba●ilon, both spiritually and corporally, both in heart and body, 
Ephe. 5.11.  and to have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness. For, What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? 
2. Cor. 6.14  What Communion hath light with darkness? what concord hath Christ with Be●all? what part hath the believer, with the infidel? or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? wherefore come ●ut from among them, and separate yourselves, (saith the Lord) and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, I will ●e your Father, and you shall be my sons and daughters: saith the Lord almighty.  
There are some, which to prove that a man may come out of Babylon, in heart, although he do not come out in body: and that a man may dissemble with the tongue, and yet have a true faith in Christ, do allege the examples of Naaman the Sy●rian, of Saint Paul and of Nicodemus. 
2. Reg. 5.17. 1. Cor. 9.22. john. 3.2.   
Of Naaman, because when he was converted to the true God of Israel, he said to Elisieus. Thy servant will from henceforth, offer neither  Sacrifice nor offering, to any other God save unto the Lord. Herein the Lord be merciful unto thy servant, that when my Master goeth into the house of Remmon to worship there, he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Remmon: when I bow down myself, I say in the house of Remmon, the Lord be merciful unto thy servant in this point.  
Elisaeus seemeth to grant thus much unto him, for he doth not reprove it, but faith, 
2. Reg. 5.19.  Go in peace: As though he would permit it to be lawful for him, to enter into the house of Remmon, into the Temple of Idols, and to be present at the sacrifice of the Heathen people, so that he worshipped the Lord God only in his heart. But we must consider, that Naaman was Captain of the host, and Servitor to the King of Aram: and he was in his masters company, not to commit Idolatry with him, or to allow his Idolatry, but according to his duty, to do him service in his necessity: and therefore he doth not require of Elizaeus, that he might have leave to bow down to worship the God Remmon in body, and notwithstanding, ●o worship in heart the true God of Israel. But he requireth that for a time he might do service unto the Heathen Prince, who was ●ount to kneel before the God Remmon. And because the King, when he bowed down, did always lean upon his servitor, & he could not lean upon him, unless ●e bowed also, therefore he asketh leave to bow down, not to worship the god Remmon: but as he saith himself, that his Master might lean on his hand, and so he might serve the King according to his office. As godly joseph served wicked Pharaoh: 
Gen. 41.42 1. Reg. 18.4. Phili. 4.22.  & virtuous Obadiah, served the Idolatrous Achab: and there were many Saints in the house of Nero. And thus doth Naaman require that he might for a time do service to the King of Aram, to how down that he might ●leane on his hand, 
2. Reg. 5.17.  but otherwise he pronounceth plainly, that he will offer sacrifice to none, but unto the Lord God of Israel. And for a sign and seal thereof, he requested to have two Mules, loaded with the earth of Israel, to carry with him into the land of Syria, to be a witness, and as it were a public confession, that he worshipped none but the Lord God of Israel, and yet notwithstanding, he doth not justify this his service to a heathen Prince, but doth acknowledge it to be a fault, and therefore desireth the Prophet to pray for him, that this sin may not be laid to his charge: And Elisaeus doth not deny, but that it was a fault, but he biddeth him, Go in peace: rather bearing with his infirmity, than any ways allowing it: and howsoever Elisaeus would not press him too sore, because he was a Novice, and newly converted unto the true Religion of God, yet it doth not follow, that we Christians, which have received more abundant knowledge of the truth, being confirmed with the death and passion of Christ, and witnessed with the blood of so many Martyrs, should of a particular example, gather a general doctrine, to cover our dissembling in Religion, and renouncing of our Lord and Saviour.  
And last of all, the answer of Elizaeus, Go in peace: because it is the common phrase, whereby the Hebrews, do bid a man farewell, to say, Go in peace: it must not be referred to the last words which Naaman spoke, of the bowing down in the Temple of Remmon, but generally to all the words which were before spoken betwixt them: For their talk being ended, 
Eccl. 23.11.  he vade him farewell, saying, Go in peace, and so departed: whereby ye see plainly, that this place doth nothing allow any dissembling in Religion, neither by the words of Naaman, nor yet by the words of the Prophet.  
another ensample there is of Paul, 
1. Cor. 9.20.  who amongst the jews became a jew, and amongst the Gentiles, a Gentile, and became all things to all men, to win some. This place is abused by many, to cover their flesh with a mask, and to transform their Satan into an Angel of light, whereby they do great injury to the holy Apostle of Christ: For because he became amongst them which were without the law, as being himself without Law, shall we therefore think that amongst drunkards, he became a drunkard, or amongst thieves, a thief, or amongst idolaters, an idolater? When he was at Ephesus, or at Cyprus, or at Athens, did he do any worship, or offer any Sacrifice to Diana, to Venus, 
Acts. 17.32. &. 19.24. & 21.28. &. 24.28.  to Minerva, to jupiter, to Neptune? Nay, did he not so freely reprove, and condemn their Idolatry, and preach unto them the Lord jesus, that they persecuted him every where, and moved insurrection against him? and sought by all means possible to dispatch and to murder him? 
Acts. 16.3. Acts. 18 18. &. 21.24.  Unto the jews in deed, Paul became a jew, he went into the Temple at jerusalem, to purify himself, and to offer Sacrifice: he made a vow, and caused his head to be shaven, he circumcised Timothy. But why so? because these Ceremonies of the jews were commanded of God himself, and therefore it was lawful for all men to use them to edification, according unto Christian liberty, until jesus Christ was fully made manifest, and by his death and passion had utterly taken away all the jews Rites and Ceremonies, and also until the jews were perfectly advertised of their liberty in Christ, and of the abrogation of their Ceremonies. But afterward, when Paul saw that some of them did confirm themselves in superstition, and required Ceremonies as necessary unto salvation: then he cried out against them, and openly condemned them, and when he saw that some false brethren came to spy his liberty, 
Gal. 2.3. Gal 5.2.  he could not Circumcize Titus, as he had circumcised Timothy. But he accounted it damnable, and taught men plainly, that if they were circumcised, the death of Christ could nothing profit them.  
So also among the Gentiles, Paul became a Gentile. But how? Not in allowing their Idolatry, but in obeying their civil Laws, & politic customs, and in agreeing to all their deeds, which were not repugnant to the word of God. He obeyed also their Princes and Rulers, 
Act. 16.19.38 &. 22.25. &. 26.32.  and being a Citizen of Room, appealed unto Caesar, and used Heathen Magistrate for the defence of his cause, in that they were the Ministers of God: But otherwise he never applied himself unto their false Religion and Idolatry, neither did he by holding his peace, allow any thing in them, which was contrary to the word of God.  
But what shall we say to Nicodemus? 
john 3.2.  He stole to our Saviour Christ in the night, he durst not confess him openly in the day: was he therefore condemned, because he durst not openly with his mouth, confess the Lord jesus? I answer, that although Nicodemus came to our saviour Christ in the night, it doth not therefore follow, that he did blaspheme him, or deny him in the day. And although in the beginning, his incredulity and infirmity, could not be excused, 
john. 7.50.  yet afterward he became so zealous and constant, that he resisted his companions the Phariseis, and thought nothing too precious, 
john. 19.39.  to be bestowed upon the honouring of his Lord and Saviour. He declared himself, with joseph of Aramathia, to be one of his Disciples, when all his Disciples had forsaken him: he made then a public confession with the greatest danger that might be, and when there was more occasion to fear, than ever there was: then they demanded the body of Pilate to bury it, and Nicodemus bought Myrrh and Aloes mingled together, about an hundred pound, and wrapped the body of jesus in Linen and sweet Odours, to bury it.  
And thus ye see, good Brethren, that these examples, do nothing serve to colour and cloak the infirmity of our flesh, howsoever they seem at the first, to make some thing for us yet, if we examine them thoroughly, they are utterly against us.  
But it fareth with this flesh of ours, as it doth with a quarreling man, whose delight is only to trouble his neighbours in suits of Law. He goeth to seek the advise of some Councillors and attorneys: and if he light upon such as have good Consciences, and tell him the truth of his case, and bid him give over his suit, for his matter is not good, than he goeth away angry, and chafing with himself, and accounteth them but fools, dastards, ignorant beasts, and men of no judgement in the Law: because they have told him the truth, and forthwith he seeketh other Advocates and Proctors, which shall better satisfy his honour.  
At the last, be lighteth upon such a one as hath no conscience nor fear of God, neither serveth any other God, but gold and silver. He seeth that the man is wilfully bend to be revenged of his neighbour, whatsoever it cost him, and to d● him a displeasure: he followeth his affection, and telleth him that his case is good, although it be the shamefullest matter that can be devised. Then is he glad, that he hath found such a one as he would have, and he accounteth him the learnedst, and the wisest man in the world. But what cometh hereof in the end? when the matter is come to be tried, the sentence of judgement is given, not by the advocate, nor by the Proctor, nor according to the affection and appetite of the plaintiff: but it is given by the judge himself, according to equity and law. And when the man is overthrown, master Procter goeth his way, and leaveth him in the mire, he hath his desire, he hath plucked the goose, he hath his money paid: and then he hath no more care, neither of the Client, nor of the cause, and so the man hath lost his will, and also his pains and charges.  
Even so it fareth with this corrupt flesh of ours, in matters of Faith and Religion. If we hear any reasons, which flatter us in our sins, we are strait way ready to embrace them, and we account them forcible learned, & profound arguments. But if we hear any reason which tendeth to the beating down of this flesh of ours, than we let it pass by our ears as the wind, we judge it to be but a foolish argument, and to no purpose, and we make no accounts thereof, not considering that the Lord, the righteous judge, at the last day, when the secrets of of all hearts shall be opened, shall not pronounce the sentence of judgement, according to the reasons which we have framed as proctors to cloak and cover our sins, nor according to the corrupt affections of our flesh, but according to the equity and justice, of his most holy & blessed word: as Christ showeth us that the word which he speaketh unto us, 
john. 12.48.  shall judge us in the last day: For if we would call to mind the justice & equity of the righteous judge, it could not be that we should so foolishly set our affections upon the flattering reasons of such wicked proctors.  
Let us take heed then, that we do not cloak or cover our sins with the examples of Naaman the Sirian: of Paul, or of Nicodemus, being wrested against the truth: but let us see what is evidently and plainly commanded us by the word of God, and there we shall find that a lively faith and open confession, are unseparable in a true Christian.  
As the Soul and life, as fire and heat, as the Sun and brightness, can not be separated, so can we not separate a true Faith, from the confessing of the Lord jesus. For if we believe in the heart, than Christ doth dwell in our hearts by Faith, 
Ephe. 3.17.  and if Christ be there, it is not without his holy spirit, and therefore Paul sayeth: That if any man have not the spirit of Christ, 
Rom. 8.9.  he is not of Christ. Now where the zeal of the spirit is, there must needs be confession. For how is it possible that God should be in the heart, and the Devil in the tongue, the hands, and the other parts of the body, which take their life from the heart, and are governed thereby? Saint james speaking of the nature of the tongue, sayeth: 
jam. 3.9.10.  That out of the same fountain, there can not come sweet water and bitter, nor out of the same mouth, blessing and cursing By the tongue, we bless God the Father, and by the same we curse men, which are made after the Image of God. How can this be so: Even so may I say also, by the tongue we confess that we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, and with the same we blaspheme his most holy and blessed name. How can this be so? It cannot be, that faith in the heart should be constant, unless the tongue also do constantly continue in confessing, praising, and glorifying the Lord jesus. For faith is not a dream, or an idle fancy, or a light imagination conceived in the brain: but where soever it is, it showeth itself accordingly, as appeareth notably in the example of jeremy, who was weary of forbearing, and could not forbear, as he sayeth: I am had in derision every day, and every one mocketh me: 
jere. 20.7.9.  for since I spoke, and cried out of wrong, and proclaimed desolation, the word of God was made a reproach unto me, and I was had in derision daily: then said I, I will make no more mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, but his word was ●n mine heart, as a burning fire shut up in my bones, I was weary of forbearing, and ●ould not forbear.  
If then the word of God, be as a burning fire shut up in our bones, how is ●t possible, but that it should send forth ●he light and heat of open confession? 〈◊〉 speak not this, good brethren, to favour ●nd allow a number of rash and enraged spirits, which without wisdom and discretion, will counterfeit themselves to be ●ealous professors of the Gospel, which will cry out against, they can not tell what, without keeping any measure, without searching the occasions, without con●dering the circumstances, which do only serve to trouble and offend the weak, and to hazard, and put in daun●er those which truly serve God. And ●o colour their frenzy and furor, they allege the zeal of jeremy, which was weary of forbearing, and could not forbear.  
But these are more like the glorious Elihu the Buzite, than the zealous jeremy the Anatothite: for Elihu the Buzite, one of the comforters, or rather discomforters of job, crieth out. Behold, I am full of matter, 
job. 32, 18.  and the spirit that is within me, compelleth me: behold, my belly is as the wine that hath no vent, and like the bottelles that burst: therefore will I speak that I may take breath. etc.  
Even so many now are like the new wine, which must break the vessel, unless it have issue. But we must learn, that as the spirit of God can not be idle in the heart of man, so doth it not compel any man to pass the limits and bonds of Christian modesty. It doth not allow the zeal which is without knowledge and spiritual wisdom: 
Rom. 10.2.  And therefore the Apostle saith, That the spirits of the Prophets, are subject unto the prophets. 
1. Cor. 14.32.  As he himself showed by experience: for although he was most excellent in the gifts of God above all other, yet he always submitted himself to the judgement of the Church, and never despised the council of his Brethren, as appeareth by that which he did in the Church of Damascus, of Antioch, 
Act. 9.19.26. &. ●●. 18.  of jerusalem, and of Ephesus. And when he was in the City of Athens, waiting for Silas and Timothy, when he saw that City so given to Idolatry, the spirit was inflamed within him.  
But how did he show forth the zeal thereof? He disputed openly in the assembly, with all which came unto him: he did not cry out in the streets a mad man: he did not make an exclamation without reason: he did not run rashly to burst any thing in the Temples, nor to pluck them down: He made it no matter of conscience, to enter into their Temples, and to behold their Altars and Idols, not to do any Sacrifice with the Idolaters, or to please the athenians: 
Acts. 17.23.  but he went thither to find occasion to draw them from their Idolatry and Superstition, which he condemned by his public testimony, but not without great reason and wisdom, and Christian modesty.  
And as I do not allow the preposterous zeal and frenzy, of some without discretion: so I can not but condemn the over much discretion & policy of others, which are afeard to show forth any shadow or smoke of their faith, lest the sparkles should appear, and so they should come into some danger for the name of jesus Christ.  
There are many which make this excuse, that in heart they think well, although for policy they speak otherwise. But it is a common saying: He that sweareth by craft, by craft he is forsworn. And if the tongue be forsworn, the heart can not be free from perjury.  
Even so is it also, in Faith and Religion, the heart can not be true, unless the tongue be true also. 
2. Cor. 11.2. Isa. 1.21. Eze. 16.15. Jere, 3.1.  The Church is called the Spouse of Christ, and if she go a whoring after false Gods, she is called in the Scriptures, an harlot. Now ye know that the duty of a faithful spouse, is to be true to her Husband, not only in heart, but in body also. And if any wife should come to her Husband, and say, Husband, although I was content for a time to give my body to an other, yet I always kept my heart faithful unto you, will any man take this excuse? 
Exod 20.5.  Much less, will God which is a jealous God, suffer our tongues, our knees, or any other part of our bodies, to serve or to worship any other but him alone.  
If a man have put away his Wife for suspicion, and take her again, he will ●ooke that she should afterward avoid ●he company of them, with whom she was suspected. 
jere. 3.1.  But thou (as God saith by the Prophet) hast not been only suspected, but thou hast played the harlot, in deed, with many lovers, Yet return thou again unto me, saith the Lord.  
There is none of us all, which hath not committed most filthy Idolatry: Some of us have prayed to Saints, 
Math. 6.24. Eph. 5.5. Phil. 3.19.  and so made more Gods then one: some of us have been greedy and covetous, in heaping up money, and so made Mammon our God: ●ome of us have been given to gluttony and drunkenness, and so made our belly our God.  
And now the merciful Lord, in steed of justly divorcing us, hath freely reconciled us by repentance and faith in the blood of jesus Christ. How much then are we bound, not only to abstain from going a whoring after strange Gods again, but to avoid even their company, and all suspicion thereof? And therefore S. john saith, in the end of his first Epistle: 
1. john. 5.21  Little Babes, keep your selves from Idols. He doth not say from worshipping of Idols, but he will have us to abstain from the Idols and Images themselves, and to abhor the presence of them, and in no wise, either to delight in them, or to incur any suspicion thereof.  
The devil is content some times with one part, when he can not obtain the whole: for so he requireth of Christ, not that he should believe in him in heart, but that he should outwardly do him homage. I will give thee, all these kingdoms of the world, 
Math. 4.9.  if thou wilt fall down and worship me. But the Lord our God is a jealous God, he will have the inward man, and the outward, both heart and body, belief and confession, whole or no part, all or none. What then shall we say, of these Ambidexters, jacks on both sides, or rather neuter, and Nullifidians, which will profess nothing with their mouth, but stand indifferent unto all opinions? I say unto them, as Elias said unto the people of Israel: 
1. Reg. 18.21  How long will ye halt between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him. But if Baal be he, then go after him. If thou believe, that thou art redeemed, and saved only by the precious blood of jesus Christ, through true faith and unfeigned repentance, then confess with thy mouth the Lord jesus.  
But otherwise, if thou think that thou canst be saved by Masses, Dirges, praying to Saints, going on Pilgrimage, Pope's Pardons, Indulgences, and such ●ke villainies devised by man: It were as good for thee to stick to them, as to stand indifferent unto all opinions. For God doth threaten, that of all men in the world, he will most of all vomit out lukewarm Soldiers. I know thy works, 
Apoc. 3 15.  that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would thou werest either cold or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, it will come to pass, that I shall spew thee out of my mouth.  
Hereby then is condemned the policy of many, which in Religion, have not so much respect unto the true service of GOD, as to their own private gain, which care not how God be served, so that they may live in wealth and prosperity, which would go every Sunday in the year to a Communion, if they might gain a halfpenny by it: and every Sunday to a Mass, to gain a penny by it, and for two pence, resort to neither of them both.  
Of which Religion, a certain Atheist did council his friend to be, when he bade him to be always of the Prince's Religion, as a man standing under an old tree, not to near the tree, lest the tree should fall upon him: and again, not too far off, for than he could gather no fruit.  
As many in these our days, that they may reap some commodity, that they may be justices, and Sheriffs, and bear a countenance in the world, they will pretend some forwardness in Religion, but they are afeard of being too zealous, they will not stand too near the tree, for fear lest the tree fall upon them.  
another sort of men are of a contrary policy. They will always be of a Religion contrary to their Prince: in Queen Mary's time, they were Protestants, and now they are Papists, that by this means they may not only seem unto the world, to be holy, devout, and singular men: but also if any change should come (which God forbid) they might happily hereafter live of the spoil of their Brethren, and so come to some preferment and Promotion. These may well be compared to Gedeons' Fleece, which, 
jud. 6.37.  when the ground was wet, it was dry, and when the ground was dry, it was wet.  
So these men, when they are among Protestants, they are Papists, and when they are among Papists, they are Protestants: and thus they seek always to be singular, when in deed they are worse than nothing, I say worse than nothing before God.  
Others there are, which are of an other policy, they will always be of the same Religion, with the company wherein they are present. As I have heard of a certain Astronomer, which on a time to deceive the eyes of the simple people, walked up and down in the Streets, looking up into the Skies, as though he were some learned and profound Doctor: when one asked him what weather it should be, he said, fowl weather: when an other asked him in the next street, he answered, fair weather. On the next day, when the weather proved in deed to be fowl, then came he to him, to whom he had foretold that it should be fair, and said: Master Doctor, you were deceived yesterday, you said it should be fair weather, and now it proveth contrary. The Astronomer answered, Oh I did but jest with you, but ask what I said to such a man, in such a street.  
Even so, these politic Religious men keep always two tongues in their heads, that which goeth against them, that is in jest, and that which bringeth any profit to them, that is in earnest. These are like their grandfather the devil, 
2. Cor. 11.14  which to deceive an other, can turn themselves into Angels of light.  
When they come into any danger, then will they say, we are conformable men, we come to the Church, we receive the Sacrament, we observe our Prince's Laws, we obey Injunctions, we follow orders, we are as good Subjects as any can be. But if they come amongst their fellows, and others of their own crew. Then they stomach and scorn at the preaching of the Gospel, they gibe and scoff at the doings of the godly and learned, they whisper of strange news, and gape for their golden day, they deride and mock the simpler sort of the professors of God's word, they defend and maintain their gross errors, and superstitious opinions, they cry the Pope's day again in every corner.  
These may peradventure deceive the eyes of men, but God is not deceived with any Sophistry. These are like Chameleon's, which can turn themselves into every colour, saving white, and be all things, but what they should be.  
These carry two faces under one hood, like Ia●s: two hearts in one body, like Magus: two tongues in one head, like judas.  
These are the children of this world, 
Luk. 16.8. Math. 10.16  which are wiser in their generation, than the children of light. They are not as Christ would have them: Wise as Serpents, and simple as doves, which have godly simplicity, joined with their wisdom: but they are subtle Serpents, 
2. Cor. 11.3.  of the old Serpent the Devil: they are not as Paul would have them, wise to that which is good, 
Rom. 16.19.  but simple to that which is evil. But as jeremy sayeth, 
jer. 4.22.  To do mischief, they are wise enough, but to do well, they are stark fools.  
These confess the name of Christ, as the Herodians called him Master, but they hold on their purpose, 
Math. 22.16.  to seek to snare him, and persecute him in his members: they seem to be desirous of the knowledge of Christ, but it is with the mind of Herode, who said to the wise men, Go and search diligently for the Babe, 
Math. 2.8.  and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come also and worship him: When as the Fox did purpose nothing else, but to devour the child jesus, and murder our Lord and Saviour.  

Mark. 10.17.  The young man which came running unto Christ, confessed him to be his Master, when he said, Good Master what shall I do to possess eternal life: But he would neither obey his commandment, nor take up his Cross & follow him. judas confessed Christ with his mouth, when he said: Master, Master, 
Mark 14.44.45.  and kissed him. But with the same mouth, he said: He it is, take him and lead him away.  
But the confession of a true Christian, 
Math. 15 8.  must proceed from a pure and constant heart, not openly to confess the name of Christ, and secretly to betray him: 
2. Tim. 3.5.  not to honour him with our lips, our hearts being far from him, not to have a show of godliness, and in deed to deny the power thereof.  
There are many of these, which bear a show and countenance for a time, which if the day of trial do once come, will either forsake the Apostle, and embrace this present world with Demas: 
2. Tim. 4.10.14. Gen. 4.8. Luk. 22.5.  or work Paul much evil, with Alexander the Coppersmith, I pray God they do not murder with Cain, or sell with judas.  
There are an other sort of politic and worldly wise men, which will profess no faith at all, but keep their Religion secret unto themselves. But they must learn out of this text of saint Paul, to cast away all care and desire of worldly promotion, & also all fear of danger, loss, death, or of any trouble whatsoever, and freely with the mouth, to confess the Lord jesus. For otherwise, howsoever they think it a praise to be close men, and to keep their Religion secret unto themselves, yet where they think, they hide themselves most: there they lay widest open their shame, and where they endeavour to keep it unknown of what Religion they are, this their dissembling and close dealing, doth proclaim louder than with the blast of a Trumpette, that they are of no Religion at all before God.  
The last kind of politic men, are such, as will in deed confess openly, of what Faith and Religion they are, and yet notwithstanding, they will keep company with the enemies of the Gospel, and join themselves to them in the league of amity and friendship, in hope that hereafter, if any trouble or pesecution do come, they may receive some comfort by them. And thus the wise wicked ●oward hopeth to be entertained of them, which have consented with him in his unrighteous dealing not in robbing a earthly Master, of a few measures of Oil or Wheat, but in robbing the Lord of heaven, 
Luke 16.4.5.  of his honour and glory.  
But these are commanded by the Apostle Paul, 
Rom. 16.17  to avoid those which hold any doctrine, contrary to the word of God: and by Saint john, 
1. joh. ●.  not to receive them into their houses, nor to bid them God speed, much less to join themselves in any league or amity with them, or to suffer such to have any dealing under them.  
Abraham refused to take of the King of Sodom, so much as a thread, 
Gen. 14.23.  or a sho● latchet, lest he should say, 
E●dr. 4.3.  I have enriched Abraham. Zerobabell would not suffer the Samaritans, to lay lime and stone in the building of the lord 
1. Reg. 13.16.18.  The young Prophet, for eating bread with the wicked old Prophet, was denowre● of a Lion. 
Euse. lib. 4. Cap. 14. Nicepb. lib. 3. Cap. 14. Euse in vit. Const lib. 1 Cap 11.  john the Evangelist, would not tarry in the same house, with the heretic Cerinthus. Constantinus, to try his men, commanded, that all which would not do sacrifice to Idols, should be thrust out of his service: and when many for fear obeyed the commandment, he put them all away: 
Psa. 110.6.7  for he would suffer none to serve him, which would not also serve the Lord: and he knew, that they could not be faithful to men, which were unfaithful unto God.  

Theo. lib. 2. Cap. 6.  Liberius, going into banishment, refused all the gifts of the Emperor and his wife, saying: Let them give those things to Auxentius and Epictetus, their Arrian heretics, 
Ephe. 5.11. 2. Cor 6.14.  we must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, nor any way yoke ourselves with Infidels. 
levit. 19.19.  We are commanded by the law of God, not to plough with an Ox and with an Ass, nor to sow our ground with divers seed, nor to make our garments of Linsey wolsey. Wherefore, we must avoid all mingling of contraie Religions, and in no wise join ourselves with the wicked, but endeavour ourselves that we may say with David. 
Psal. 110.6.7.  Mine eyes shall be unto the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me, he that walketh in a perfit way, he shall serve me. There shall no deceitful person dwell within my house: he that telleth lies, shall not remain in my sight. O Lord, do not I hate them which hate thee? 
Psa. 139.21.22.  and do not I earnestly contend against those, that rise up against thee? yea, I hate them with a perfect and unfeigned hatred, as they were mine utter enemies.  
But what is the cause, why these politic worldly wise men, do so familllarlie join themselves with the wicked, and so many ways withdraw them selves from the true confessing of the Lord jesus?  
Surely, this is only the cause, for that they are afeard, lest a change should shortly come, whereby they might be compelled, either with shame to turn their coats, or else incur great danger of suffering for the name of jesus Christ. Saint john showeth, 
joh. 12.48.  how many of the chief Rulers believed in Christ, but because of the Phariseis, they durst not confess him, lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue, for they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of God.  
As many there are now, which would gladly profess the true faith of Christ, and yet because they are either Tenants to such Landlords, or Servants to such Masters, as are backward in Religion, and frowardly bent to superstition, or else because they are afeard of afterclaps, and perils which may hereafter ensue, they dare not with their mouth confess the Lord jesus.  
These do not consider that which our Saviour Christ saith: That who soever will be his Disciple, 
Math. 16.24 Luk. 14.27.  must take up his cross and follow him. Nor that which the Apostle saith: That we must through many afflictions, 
Acts. 14.22.  enter into the kingdom of God: and that they which will live godly in Christ jesus, must suffer persecution. Neither do they consider, 
2. Tim. 3.5.12.  that trouble and affliction is profitable, yea, and necessary for the Church of God: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, 
Pro. 3.11. Apo. 3.17. Hebr. 12.6.7.8.  and scourgeth every Son that he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God offereth himself unto you as unto sons. For what Son is he whom the Father doth not chasten: If therefore ye be without correction, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.  

Psa. 119.67.71.  Before I was afflicted (sayeth David) I went astray, but now I keep thy word: it is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn thy statutes.  

john. 15.2.  When the Vine groweth out of order, it must be husbanded, pared, and dressed: when the body aboundeth with evil humours, 
Eccle. 2.5. 1. Pet. 1.7.  it must be purged. Gold must be tried in the fire, before any precious work be made thereof. Stones must be hewed, and Timber must be squared, before we can raise up any building. Corn must be threshed, & Grapes must be priest, before we can have either bread or wine. And all this is wrought in us, by trouble and affliction: for affliction is the sickle, which doth pair and dress the branches, it is the purgation which doth purge our souls from our former wickedness, and drive us to repentance and amendment of life: it is fire wherein the Gold is tried, it is the tool whereby we are hewed and squared, and made sit for the building of the Lord: it is the instrument, whereby we are threshed and priest, and made as pure spiritual wheat, fit for the Garner and storehouse of everlasting joys.  
And therefore Ignatius said, when he was brought to be cast into the den of Lions: Thus it behoveth me to be ground with the teeth of Lions, that I may be made a sweet manchette for the Lord. The Faith of a Christian, is compared to Camamill, which the more it is tread upon, the more it doth flourish, and the better it doth prosper, as Paul showeth: How the outward man must perish before the inward man can be renewed, 
2. Cor. 4.10.16.  and we must bear in our bodies, the dying of the Lord jesus, that the life of Christ may be made manifest in us.  
And what is the cause now, why many do live so carelessly and carnally, setting their minds wholly upon the glory and riches, and vain pleasures of this world, and having no care at all, either of the honour due unto the name of the immortal God, and the setting forward of the glorious Gospel of Christ, or of the salvation of their own souls? Surely, the cause is only this, for that they are drunken with too much prosperity: the outward man doth not perish, they do not carry about in their bodies, the dying of the Lord jesus: For I am fully persuaded, that there are a great number in England, which now do show themselves carnal and careless, which if GOD should lay upon them his rod of correction, would become much more holy, and far more zealous for the truth of God.  
Our Lord God hath two ways to bring his people home to repentance & amendment of life, the one is by the loving countenance of his mercy, the other is by therod of correction proceeding from his justice, if the one will not serve, he must must needs put in ure the other. The Lord give us grace to return truly unto him, that we may be brought to amendment of life, rather by the mildness of his mercy, then by the rigour of his justice. And the Lord long preserve our gracious Princess Elizabeth, that she may have a long happy and prosperous reign over us, that we may a long time in peace and tranquillity enjoy the glorious gospel of Christ, and under her lead a quiet and a peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty: and the Lord confound all the bloody enterprises of traitorous Rebels, and as he hath always hitherto discovered and prevented their devices, so the Lord of his mercy, discover them and prevent them hereafter. But dearly beloved, whatsoever troubles do happen unto us, let us always remember that saying of our Lord and Saviour. 
Mat. 10.28.  Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear ye him which is able to destroy both body and soul and to cast them both into hell fire, fear him.  

Luk. 14.26 Mat. 10.37  He that loveth father or mother, or wife or children, or brethren or sisters or land or living or his own life more than me, is not worthy of me. If any man will be my disciple, let him take up the cross and follow me. But here I think I hear some of you say a 'mong yourselves, it is an easy matter to talk of constancy, in bearing the Cross and suffering affliction for the name of Christ, but it is not so easy to perform it indeed.  
There are many of you of the ministry, which exhort to constancy in the profession of the Gospel, which if any trouble should come, are likely to turn your coats as soon as any other. What we should do in the like case, 
2. Cor 3.5 Phil. 2.13.  God only knoweth, who is the giver of all strength and without whom we are not able to think a good thought, but it is God which worketh in us, both to will and to perform.  
It may be that some which make the greatest brags, & say with Peter, though all men in the world should be offended by thee, 
Math. 26.33.35.  yet will not I be offended, though I should die with thee, yet will not I deny thee. 
joh. 13 37  Lord why can not I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.  
It may be I say, that they shall be the first which shall deny and forswear: but good people the question is not what I or be, or any other particular man shall do, but the question is what ought to be done of every Christian, and therefore we must every one of us pray unto God continually that he will vouchsafe to account us worthy to suffer any thing for the name of jesus Christ, and that he will give us patience to endure whatsoever his merciful hand shall lay upon us.  
Some may peradventure think that this doctrine of patience to suffer for the name of Christ is not needful to be preached at this time, when all things are in quiet. But is not he a foolish Soldier, which will never think upon his weapons and armour until the hour come that he must hasten into the field? And how unwise then is that Christian which will never think upon his armour of patience until the time come that the Cross shall suddenly be laid upon him?  
Let us think upon our weapon in time dear brethren, let us pray for it day and night, that so we may find comfort in the day of trial, 
1. Pet. 1.7  that the trial of our faith being much more precious than gold, may be found to our praise and glory at the appearing of jesus Christ. Let us set before our eyes the example of our Lord and Saviour, 
1. Pet. 2.21.  who as Peter saith, did suffer for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. Let us look unto jesus the author and furnisher of our faith, 
Heb. 12.2  who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God. The scholar is not above his Master, 
Mat. 10.24 joh. 13.16  nor the servant above his Lord, nor the ambassador greater than him that sent him, wherefore if they have called the Master of the house Belzebub, how much more will they revile them of the household? If they have called the Master Christ himself a glutton and a drunkard and a companion of Publicans and sinners, 
Mat 9 34 & 11.19.  and a caster out of Devils, through the Prince of the Devils, how much more will they give reproachful words unto the scholars? If they have cruelly entreated the Lord himself with haling him about from place to place, with blasphemous lies and false accusations, with whips and scourges, pricks and thorns, buffets and blows, mocks and mows, cords and ropes, scoffing and spitting, railing and reviling, nails and gibbet, thirst and vinegar, reed and spear, and lifting him up betwixt two thieves, leaving no drop of blood in all his blessed body, how can the servant look for any better? let us also call to mind the joy which is laid up in heaven for those which suffer any thing for the professing of the Lord jesus, as he saith Blessed are ye when men revile you, 
Mat 5.11  and persecute you, and falsely speak all manner of evil against you for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the Prophets before you, 
Mat. 23.35.  even from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zacharias, the son of Barachias whom they slew between the temple and the Altar. 
2. Cor. 11.25. Rom. 8, 18  S. Paul was most cruelly persecuted, stoned beaten with rods, imprisoned, yet he counteth all his afflictions not worthy of the glory which should be revealed unto him. Blessed is the man which endureth temptation, 
jam. 1.12.  for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.  
Last of all let us call to remembrance the heavy judgements of God, which from time to time have been showed upon them which have not continued constant in the confessing of the Lord jesus. julian the Emperor, who for his most wilful renouncing of his Lord and Saviour, 
Hilar.  is called the Apostata, was counted at the first a gracious and religious Prince. But afterward being drawn away with the vain enticements of Philosophy, he began to account the Gospel of Christ to be but foolishness, be persecuted the professors of his name, with many scoffs and taunts, saying that they must do good for evil, and love them which hated them, and bless them which cursed them, and in all his life he made a mock of Christ and called him the Carpenter's son, and the man of Galily But what came of it in the end? when he saw his death at hand, he cried out with a desperate mind. Vicisti Gallilaee, O thou man of Galiley, thou hast gotten the victory. 
joh. 4.25.  The jews saw manifestly that Christ was the Messiah, 
Act. 3.6  the son of God, which was promised, they saw the power of his Godhead, by all the miracles, 
Ioh 8.46 & 7.40. & 2.9  which were wrought not only by himself but by his Apostles in his name they saw the innocency of his life, the majesty of his word, the certi●nde of his prophecies, they saw his mighty omnipotency, by turning the water into Wine, 
Mat. 14.19  by feeding so many thousands with a few barley loves and a few fishes, 
Mar 4.39  by commanding the Sea and Wind, by giving sight to the borne blind, by making the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the lame to go, the dead to rise, 
Luk. 8.30. & 17.14. joh. 4.18.  by cleansing Lepers, by casting out devils, by telling them the very thoughts and cogitations of their hearts. They saw all things fulfilled in him, which the Prophets had foretold them, as Zachery, 
Zach. 9.9  of the King which should come poorly and riding upon an Ass, 
Isa. 53.3.10  Esay of the laying down of his soul an offering for sin, David, of his feet and his hands bored, 
Psa. 22 16 18  of the thirst & vinegar, and of the casting lots for his garments, & also which Moses had foreshadowed unto them by his sacrifices upon the Altars, 
Num. 21.9. joh. 1.29  and by the lifting up of the brazen Serpent. They heard john Baptist a Prophet and more than a Prophet, not declaring in word, but pointing out with his finger. 
Mat 27.51.45. Luc. 23.45.  The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. They saw how at the time when he was crucified, the veil of the Temple burst, and darkness overshadowed the earth. They saw how gloriously the body of Christ was risen again out of the grave, 
Mat. 27.65. Math. 28 4.5.  and they knew well enough that it could not be stolen away by unarmed Disciples, from so many harnessed Soldiers as they had placed to keep the grave. 
Act 1.11. &. 2.3 & 5 41. & 7.60  They saw this his wonderful resurrection, witnessed by the testimony of men, Women, and Angels. They perceived the gifts of the holy ghost, which after his visible ascension he powered out most plentifully, upon his Apostles and Disciples. And they saw also his Apostles & Disciples, which were always conversant with him, so steadfastly to believe in him, that they did not only suffer great tribulation for the professing of his name but also endured most cruel death, sealing their profession with their own blood, as with a most certain testimony, 
Col. 2.9.  which surely they would never have done unless they had seen the godhead to dwell corporally in him.  
All these things the jews saw well enough, and yet notwithstanding all these testimonies of men, of Angels, and of God himself, saying from heaven. This is my well beloved son, 
Math. 3.17. &. 17.5,  in whom I am well pleased. Notwithstanding I say, all these things, confirmed with so many witnesses, beholden with so many eyes, and as it were handled with their own hands, yet they would not confess the Lord jesus to be their Messiah, but obstinately renounced their Lord and Saviour, but how did the Lord plague them for this their offence? even with the plague which is threatened by the Prophet, 
Isa. 6.9 Mat. 13.14. Rom. 11.8  that their hearts should be made fat, and their ears heavy, and their eyes blind, lest they should see with their eyes, or hear with their ears, or understand with their hearts and be saved.  
They mocked and scorned our Saviour and his Disciples, and now they themselves are made a scorn and a laughing stock unto others, living in miserable slavery and bondage, and being lamentably scattered abroad over the face of the earth, so disdained and hated, that unto this day the very name of a jew is odious, throughout all the world.  
They will not confess the Lord jesus to be their Messiah, but they look for an other Messiah. But look they do & look they shall, and they shall never see him until the day of vengeance, & then they shall see him whether they will or no, but as a judge and not a Saviour.  
To descend from the Jews to examples of latter time, God hath showed sufficient tokens of his judgements, even in man's memory, to terrify us all, and to teach us what a horrible thing it is to renounce the true faith of jesus Christ. France's Spera, after that he had in Citadel professed the Gospel of Christ, after ward by the threatening of the Pope's Legate in Venice, and by the desire which he had of worldly riches, he renounced & openly recanted his faith and religion. but he was by and by stricken with horror, desperation, and confusion, he felt the torment of hell in his conscience, he desired to be in the place of judas & Cain, ●e looked for Belzebub to call him to a ●aste, he cried out that he was a repro●te from the beginning, and that the ●eath and passion of Christ could nothing ●uaile him. He wished that he might re●aine ten thousand years and more 〈◊〉 the flames of hell fire, so that at the ●ste he might conceive some hope of an ●de, but that he could hope for nothing ●ut everlasting destruction, both of body ●nd soul, he cried out alas that cursed ●ay, alas that cursed day, that ever he renounced his Lord and Saviour, and at ●he last in a desperate mind, he stranged himself, and so ended his wretched ●se with a most miserable death.  
So also Stephen Gardener, 
Act. & more. pag. 1992  when there ●ame a Bishop unto him, lying on his death Bedde●, and put him in remembrance of Peter's denying his Master, answered again that he had denied with Peter, but that he could not repent with Peter.  
So also one Rockwood, at the point of death, staring and raging, said that ●he was utterly dampened, and being willed to ask mercy, cried out all all too late, all to late. I might rehearse also the death of divers others as Hales, Thorneton, Smith, and many others, of whose death we may not judge, but commit judgement to him to whom it belongeth, but most certainly it was horrible & fearful in the sight of man. I might also declare the grievous plagues wherewith God hath punished the persecutors of them which have professed the name of Christ. Herod sought by all means possible to root out the name of Christ, and to destroy the babe jesus, but in the end, he was plagued with a desperate mind, so that he would have sticked a knife into his own heart, 
josephus de antiq. li. 17. cap. 8  if Achiab his kinsman had not with holden his hand: and yet he did not so escape the vengeance of God, for he was stricken with Fevers, with wonderful swellings, and last of all with Worms, to devour him, most horribly to behold.  

john. 19.22 Suppl. cron Eutrop. lib. 7. cap. 7. Euse. lib. 2 cap. 7  Pilate unjustly crucified jesus of Nazereth, whom he could not but confess to be the King of the jews, but within a few days after, he was driven to hang himself. Nero, a blood thirsty Tyrant, persecuted, imprisoned, and murdered Paul & many other Christians in Rome, which professed themselves to be the servants of the Lord jesus. But in the end. ●e was most grievously plagued for the ●ame, for being wonderfully troubled with terrors and tears, and fearful dreams, he would have had some friend ●o have cut off his head, he could not get so much friendship, he would have drowned himself in the river Tibris, but that ●he was holden back by one Phaon, and at the last he thrust his knife into his own throat.  
And thus we see that they which persecute the confessors of the Lord jesus, rather than they shall want a hangman, they shall become hangmen unto themselves. I might rehearse also divers others, Emperors of Rome, which although they were of great might and power in the world, yet did they in vain kick against the spur, when they persecuted the professors of the Gospel of Christ. Valerian the Emperor was a bloody persecutor of the Christians, his reward was to be carried away in a Cage, 
Act. & mon pag. 30.31 59.75.86.89.  by Sappores the King of Persia, who brought him to such slavery, that he made of him a block to get up upon his Horse Maxentius, Maximinian, and Dioclesian, being Emperors of Rome, they cruelly murdered the Saints of Christ. But escaped not God's vengeance, 
volat. lib. 23  when one of them fell of a bridge with his Horse & harness, the other was plagued with louse and vermin, gushing out of his entrails. And the last was driven to this extremity to poison himself.  
Sundry other examples I might recite unto you of latter years, but that the time will not suffer me, and these may be sufficient to testify unto us all, what a horrible thing it is, not only to renounce the Lord jesus ourselves but also to speak by any means whatsoever to compel others thereunto. And now therefore that I may draw to an end, let us consider in a word or two whom it is whom Saint Paul will have us to confess with our mouths, we must confess with our mouths the Lord jesus, that is, we must confess Christ only to be our Saviour, and that we look for salvation in none other, for this is signified by the name of jesus, 
Math. 1.21  as the Angel saith to joseph, thou shalt call his name jesus, for he shall save the people from their sins, & Peter when he was examined by what means the impotent man was made whole, answered. 
Act. 4.10  Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of jesus Christ of Nazereth, whom ye have crucified, whom God raised again from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole. This is the stone cast aside of you builders, which is become the head of the corner, neither is there salvation in any other, for among men there is given none other name under heaven, by whom we must be saved, but only by the name of jesus of Nazereth. Then as often as we hear the name of jesus, we must call to mind how God the father which cannot lie, hath commanded by an Angel from Heaven, that the name of jesus, that is a Saviour, should be given to his Son, being made manifest in the flesh, and therefore that he will most certainly save us full and perfectly both in body and soul. And we must call to remembrance the sweet promises of the Gospel which lay hid under this name of jesus, that he by his merrites hath saved us from our sins, and by his virtue and power, doth daily mortify the Relics of sin in us, and quicken us with his holy spirit, and keep us unto salvation, 
1. Pet. 1.5.  which is prepared to be showed in the last time, as Paul saith, While we were yet sinners, 
Rom. 5.9.  Christ died for us much more than being now justified, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life. 
Esa. 53.5  And therefore doth Christ bear the name of jesus, because by his stripes we are healed, because by him we have redemption through his blood, 
Ephe. 1.7 2 Tim. 1.10 Heb. 2.14  even the forgiveness of sins according to his rich grace, because by his death, death is destroyed, and he that had the power of death, that is the Devil.  
And therefore for our cause he beareth that excellent name given him of his Father from Heaven, to wit jesus a Saviour, that he might indeed effectually show forth the truth of his name in my salvation and in the salvation of all believers. 
1 Cor. 10.13  He is faithful which beareth the name of jesus, and therefore, 
Hebru. 10. 2● 2. Tim. 2.13.  as he is called a Saviour, so no doubt, he will indeed show himself a Saviour unto us: he is also able to save us, for to him is all power given in heaven and in earth, seeing that God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name, that at the name of jesus, every knee should bow, both of things in heaven, and of things in earth, 
Phil. 2.9.10.  and of things under the earth, & that every tongue should confess that jesus is the Lord, to the glory of God the father. And this cannot but be a great comfort to the heart of every Christian, that the Lord jesus is true: and therefore, as he is called a Saviour, so will he show himself indeed, he is also omnipotent, and therefore able to perform it to the salvation of all believers: 
Rom. 4.21.  so that we may boldly say with Paul. 
1 Cor. 15. 55.5●  O Death where is thy sting? O Hell where is thy victory? Thanks be to God which hath given us the victory through our Lord jesus Christ: 
jam. 1.6. 1. Pet. 1.13. Heb. 10.22. 2. Tim. 1.12.  Whosoever then doth doubt of his salvation, being like a wave of the Sea, which is tossed about with every wind, and doth not fully persuade himself that he is of the number of them, for whom Christ died upon the Cross, and whosoever doth put his trust in any other thing but only in the death and passion of jesus Christ: these do both deny and renounce their Lord and Saviour, they profess they know God, 
Titus. 1.16.  but in their works they deny him, 
2. Pet. 2.1.3.  and therefore Saint Peter doth call them Heretics, which deny the Lord that bought them: which Heretics, Paul doth bid us reject and avoid, after once or twice admonition. 
Titus. 3.10.  The Papists do teach this doctrine very earnestly, that Heretics ought to be avoided, and for this cause with their reasons of refusal, and their Popish shavelings, creeping from place to place, they persuade men to absent themselves from the church, teaching them that it is a damnable thing to commmunicate with Heretics. Then in this point we agree both in one, that, Heretics, if they can by no means be reclaimed, must be rejected. But here only lieth the question, who are they, which by God's word, are condemned for Heretics? 
Tertull.  Quodcunque adversus veritatem sapit, est Haeresis etiam vetus consuetudo: Whatsoever doth savour against the truth, if it be obstinately defended, it is an Hearesie, although it be never so ancient a custom. But the Apostle Saint Peter, 
●. Peter. 1.3.  doth more perfectly describe an Heretic, by two marks and properties. There shall be (saith he) false teachers among you, which shall hring in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, damnable Heresies: first, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, denying the Lord that hath bought them: and secondly, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they shall for lucre's sake, make Merchandise of you, with feigned words. Now who seeth not that these two points are plainly and fully accomplished in our adversaries? for first they deny that the Lord hath bought them: they call the Lord jesus their Saviour, & they confess that he died upon the Cross, but they deny that he bought them with his death, for if he bought them with his own most precious blood, what need they to be bought again with Pope's Pardons, Indulgences, Man's Merits, Masses, Dirges, Trentals, or any such paltry devices, and lewd inventions of man?  
And who knoweth not that all these things are nothing but subtle practices too pick men's purses, and too make Merchandise of Souls, for covetous Lucre. Then, these are the Hereticques, which we must avoid, which deny the Lord that bought them, which to enrich themselves defend such monstrous opinions as do all derogate from the death and passion of Christ, 
Titus. 1.16.  which profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him. Our Saviour Christ is anointed of God, to be our King our Priest, 
Luke. 1.33.  and our Prophet. Our King as the Angel said to Marie, he shall reign over the house of jacob for ever, and of his kingdom shall be no end. 
Psal. 110.4. Hebr. 4.14, & 7.26.  Our Priest, as the Prophet saith, the Lord hath sworn and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec. And our Prophet, 
Luke. 4.18. Math. 17.5. john. 1.18. Hebr. 1.2.  because, the spirit of the Lord hath anointed him to preach the Gospel unto the poor, and he is the beloved son of God, whom only we must hear, who being in the bosom of the Father, hath declared him unto us. Then whosoever do teach us that any man can rule the hearts of men, 
Psalm. 2.9. Math. 9.6. Colos. 1.13. Psal. 110.1. Rom. 16.20. Rom. 6.6. Mich. 7.19. 1. Cor. 15.55. 1. Peter. 1.3.  or forgive sins, or destroy the power of darkness, or make his enemies his footstool, or tread down Satan under his feet, or kill the old man, with all his concupiscence, with the power of his spirit, or raise up the new man, in holiness and righteousness, or vanquish sin, Hell, Death and damnation, or establish in us a hope of the inheritance of everlasting life, but only our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ: that man denieth the kingdom of Christ. And whosoever doth offer Sacrifice for the quick and the dead, but only the Lord jesus, who being the last Priest, & the Priest for ever, did offer himself once upon the Cross, for the sins of all mankind, as the Apostle saith. 
Heb. 9. 2●.  He appeared once to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself, and, 
Heb. 10.10.14  Sanctificati sumus per oblationem jesu Christi, semel factam: we are sanctified by the offering of the body of jesus Christ once made, for with one offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified, he denieth the eternal Priesthood of Christ, and whosoever affirmeth that any mortal man can dispense with the word of God, or that the Bible ought to be locked up, and that our faith ought to be grounded upon the Pope's decrees & decretales, or upon any Dunces or Doctors, or Fathers, or Counsels, whatsoever, he denieth our Saviour Christ, 
Math. 17.5.  to be our Prophet, the well-beloved son of God, whom only we must hear, and therefore the Papists, howsoever they have the name of jesus often in their mouths, 
2. Pet. 2.2.  yet indeed they deny the Lord that bought them, and therefore, 
Titus. 3.10.  are such Heretics as are to be avoided. But we must confess our Saviour Christ, to be only our king to govern the hearts of his elect people, with the virtue of his holy Spirit, and as for the wicked, 
Rom. 8.14.  to crush them with a Sceptre of Iron, 
Psalm. 2.5.  & to break them in pieces, like a Potter's Vessel: only, the Priest, which offered himself without spot to God, 
Hebr. 9.14,  to purge our consciences from dead works to serve the living Lord, and (only) the Prophet by whom in these last days, 
Hebr. 2.2. Deut. 18.18.  the Lord doth speak unto us, and whom God promised to Moses, that he would raise him up among his Brethren: whom, who so ever should hear, 
Gen. 3.15. & 12.3.  should not be destroyed.  
We must confess, that, he (only) is the seed of the woman, which hath bruised the Serpent's head: 
Isa. 7.14.  the seed of Abraham, in whom, all the Nations of the world should be blessed: The Child, which a virgin should conceive and bear, & call his name Emanuel, whom many kings and Prophets have desired to see: we must confess him to be our jesus, by whom we are saved, and that under Heaven, there is no other name given, nothing in Earth, nothing under the Earth: nothing in Heaven, nor in the Heaven of Heavens: 
Acts. 4.10.  no virtue, no power, no strength, no name else that is named in which or by which we can be saved, but only by the name of jesus of Nazareth. 
Math. 3.17. john. 1.1. 2. Cor. 4.4. 1. Cor. 1.24. Acts. 3.15. Hebru. 2.10. &. 12.2. 1. Cor. 2.8. john. 10.11 14  We must confess him only to be the well-beloved son in whom the Father is well pleased, the word of God, the Image of God, the power and wisdom of God, the Prince of life, the Prince of salvation, the Prince of faith, the Lord of glory, the Heir of all things in Heaven and earth. We must confess him to be the only good shepherd, by whom we must be gathered, 
john, 10.7.  and brought home upon his shoulders, the only door by whom we must enter, 
Math. 9.12. Math. 17.5. john 1.4. &. 5.26. 1. Cor. 3 11. Ephe. 2.10.  the only Physician to cure our maladies, the only Master whom we must hear, the way, the truth, the life, the light, the foundation, and chief corner Stone, on whom only we must build our only hope, and consolation, our wisdom, justification, 
Math. 12.21. 1. Cor. 1.30. Math. 11.27. Ephe. 2.18. 1. Tim. 2.5. john. 4.10, &. 7.38.  sanctification, and redemption, the only Mediator and Advocate betwixt God and man, whose blood only doth purge us from all our sins. We must confess him to be the only giver of the warer of life: whereof whosoever tasteth, shall never thirst, 
john. 6.51.  but it shall be in his belly as a Fountain springing up to eternal life, the only bread of life which came down from Heaven, of whom whosoever eateth shall live for ever: 
Rom. 13.14. Gal. 5.16.  the only riches whereby our poverty must be relieved, the only raiment wherewith our nakedness must be covered. The victorious Lion of the Tribe of juda, 
Gen. 49.10. 1. Cor. 15.55.  by whom all our enemies are subdued, the Devil unchained, Hell gates destroyed, death swallowed up in victory, 
Ephe. 2.16. Colos. 2.14.  the wrath of God slain, the law crucified, sin vanquished and abolished, and we ourselves made partakers of the everlasting Crown of glory. 
Ephe. 2.22. &▪ 4.15. 2. Cor. 11.2.  We must confess him to be the only head of the body, the only husband of his dear Spouse the Church. The Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which was and is to come, even the almighty, for ever the holy and true, 
Apoc. 1.8. & 3 7.  which hath the Key of David, which openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, who by his incarnation, nativity, circumcision, exile, Baptism, fasting, temptation, doctrine, miracles, agonies, bloody sweat, painful passion, 
Math. 16.27. Luk. 24.52. Hebr. 8.1. &. 10 12. 1. ●hes. 4.16.  death, resurrection, and ascension, overcame all our enemies, and now sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty, making intercession for us, and shall come at the last day to judgement, in the twinkling of an eye, with the blast of a trumpet, and sound of an Archangel, to judge both the quick and the dead. If we thus confess the Lord jesus here in earth, 
Math. 10. 3●.  then have we a comfortable promise, that he will likewise confess us before his ●ther which is in Heaven: 
Hebr. 2.11,  he will not be ashamed to call us brethren, he will give us this honourable title, to be called Heirs of God, & fellow Heirs with jesus Christ. 
Rom. 8.17.  And thus much of the first part, how every Christian must with his mouth confess the Lord jesus. Of the second part, which is, that we must believe in heart, that God raised him up again from the dead, because it containeth the Article of justification, a matter large and weighty, not lightly to be posted over, but requiring a longer discourse, as being the chiefest principle of Christian Religion. I am therefore purposed (God willing) to entreat thereupon to morrow at the first morning prayer: In the mean time, let us meditate upon this, which we have learned already, that not only our souls, but our whole bodies, are made to glorify God the Creator, 
1. Cor. 6.19.  Christ jesus the Redeemer, and the holy ghost the sanctifier, and as all the body, so especially the tongue, 
Phil. 2.11.  that every tongue should confess, that jesus is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father: we have heard also where we must confess the Lord jesus as in all places, 
Psalm. 22.22.  so especially in the midst of the congregation, and amongst our brethren, because we are not borne to ourselves, 
1. Pet. 4.11. 1. Thes. 5.11.  but first to the honour and praise of the name of God, and then to the edification, instruction and comfort of our brethren, 
Ephe. 6.4.  and last of all to the godly bringing up and relieving of ourselves and our families, in the fear and nurture of the Lord. We have heard all, those reasons answered, which are drawn from the example of Naaman, Paul and Nicodemus, to cloak and cover that dissembling in religion, which is flatly and plainly condemned by the word of God, because that if Christ do dwell in our hearts by faith, 
Ephe. 3.17.  it is unpossible that the Devil should be in the tongue, and the other members of the body, which have their life of the heart, and are governed by the heart, and also because God being a jealous God, 
Exod. 20.5.  will suffer no part of his Spouse to be given to any, but to himself alone: we have heard also, the sundry sorts of the policies of worldly wise men, which are all contrary to the true and constant confessing of the Lord jesus, & therewithal the manner how they must repent and amend, which is by casting away all respect of fear or favour of men, or of the loss of land, living, yea and of the life itself, & constantly with the mouth to confess the Lord jesus, and so much the rather, because if any trouble or persecution should come, 
Rom. 8.28.  yet all things will work for the best to those that love God. We have heard the plagues and heavy judgements of God showed all upon those which for any worldly respect have renounced the Lord jesus as also upon them which have sought by violence to enforce others thereunto. 
Titus. 1.16.  And last of all we have heard the manner how we must confess him, not only in word but also indeed, that he is our jesus that is our Saviour, and therefore will save us, & is also able to save us, being the heir of all things in Heaven, & in earth: and therefore that without all wavering, 
Acts. 4.12.  we hope assuredly to be saved by him, & look for no salvation in any other: & if we thus confess him in this world he will also confess us before his father, 
Luke. 12.8. Hebr. 2.11. Rom. 8.17.  & before his holy Angels in Heaven, he will acknowledge us to be his brethren & fellow heirs, when he shall pronounce the joyful sentence. Come ye blessed of my father inherit you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world. Then shall we be with the Lamb, and go whether he goeth, then shall we make an other joyful confession, with heavenly Harmony, and most pleasant melody, when we shall accompany the Archangels, Thrones, Powers, Dominions, Cherubins, Seraphins, patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs Virgins, Confessors, Angels, Elders, and innumerable thousands of Saints, and with a new Song, for ever glorifying our Lord jesus: saying. 
Apoc. 4.8. &. 5.11.  Thou Christ which was slain, art worthy to receive power and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts: glory be to thee O God most high. To the which heavenly company and confession, the Lord hasten us all, for the merits of his well-beloved son jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the holy ghost, be all praise and dominion for ever and ever.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Rom. 16.27.  

A GODLY and Learned Sermon Containing a charge and Instruction for all unlearned, negligent and dissolute Ministers:  
And an Exhortation to the common people, to seek their amendment, by Prayer, unto God.  
Preached at Manchester in Lancastershire, before a great and worshipful Audience, by occasion of certain Parsons there at that present, appointed (as then) to be made Ministers.  
By Simon Harwarde Preacher of the word of God, and Master of Art, late of New College in Oxford.  Hilar. lib. 8. de Trinitate. 
Non statim boni atque utilis Sacerdotis est, aut tantummodo innocenter agere, aut tantummodo scienter praedicare, cum & innocens sibi tantum proficiat nisi doctus sit, et doctus sinc doctrinae, sit authoritate nisi & innocens sit, vita cius ornetur docendo & Doctrina vivendo.   

A learned Sermon of Instructions to the ministery.  Luke 10. verse 2. 
¶ The Harvest is great, but the labourers are but few: pray therefore, the Lord of the Harvest to send forth Labourers into his Harvest.  
THE occasion of these words of our Saviour Christ (right reverend and dearly beloved) is that which is set down in the verse last going before, how the Lord appointed. 70. Disciples, and sent them two & two before him into every city & place where he himself should come: wherein we have first to consider, how all the doings of our Lord and Saviour, were not only foretell, by the Prophecies, but also foreshadowed by the deeds of the patriarchs and holy Prophets of God. For, as, the posterity of jacob had the twelve patriarchs, 
Apoc. 21.14. Gen. 46.27. Num. 11.16.  as the chief fountains, from the which their offspring was derived, even so, hath Christ sent forth his Apostles to the foundation of his church, & as jacob went down into Egypt with seventy souls & as God commanded Moses to choose out seventy of the Elders of Israel to bear the burden of the people with him: which government was in a manner afterward renewed, when the people were returned from Babylon: for they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was afterward corruptly called Sanedrin, consisting of 71. Seniors, which had the hearing of most weighty affairs: even so, our Saviour Christ, 
Colos 2.16. Heb. 10.1.  doth here sand forth 70. disciples before him, into every city & place where he himself should come: & thus is our Saviour become the truth of all figures & the body of all shadows. 
Gen. 2.22.  He is the second Adam which was as it were cast on sleep for a time, when he lay in the Sepulchre, until the Spouse his church was framed out of his side. He is the Abraham, 
Gen 13.16.  whose seed is as the stars of heaven & as the dust of the earth in number. He is the Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec. 
Psal. 110.4. Exod. 12.13.  He is the pascal lamb the lamb of god, 
john. 1 29. Na●. 21.9. john. 3.14. Gen. 28.12.  slain from the beginning of the world. He is the Brazen Serpent, which was lift up upon the cross, to cure all our maladies. He is the Ladder which jacob saw, whereby only, 
Gen. 1●. 17. &. 22.9.  we must ascend into heaven. He is that Isaac which being born against the course of nature, was sacrificed upon the Altar of the Cross, 
Gen. 37.28. & 43.30. &. 45.3  & yet remained safe and sound. He is that pitiful joseph which was sold of his Brethren, & yet so lovingly affected, that he afterward being advanced in glory, was not ashamed to confess his brethren: 
john. 1.13.  He is that valiant josua, which leadeth us into the Land of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey. He is that David, which being persecuted by Saul & his enemies became a worm and not a man, 
Psal. 22.1.14.15.16.18.  a very shame of men, and the contempt of the people, whose heart was melted like wax in the midst of his bowels, and his strength dried up like a potshard, whose hands and feet they pierced, and cast lots upon his garments, so that he was compelled to cry out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
1. Reg. 10.23. jud. 16.30.  He is that wise Solomon which ruleth his people with peace and tranquillity. He is the courageous Samson, who by his death overthroweth all his enemies. 
Num. 11.17.   
And here he is that careful Moses, which for the profit and comfort of his people, doth choose out seventy Disciples, to bear the burden with him, & sendeth them out two and two, into every City and place, where he himself should come.  
Here also, we have to learn the unity and loving agreement which ought to be amongst the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel of Christ. Our Saviour seedeth forth his Disciples by two and two: signifying unto them, the mutual agreement which they ought to have one with another, how they ought one to aid and assist another and in all their doings, to go as it were hand in hand together. So the Evangelist Saint Mark showeth how Christ sent forth his Apostles also by two and two, 
Mark. 6.7.  and when he chose his Apostles, he called them two and two. For, first, he called Simon Peter and Andrew his Brother. 
Mat. 4.18.  And going a little farther, he saw two other brethren, james the son of Zebedaeus and john his Brother, mending their Nets in a Ship With Zebedaeus, their Father, and he called them. Whereby we are admonished of a brotherly love which ought to be (as amongst all men) so especially amongst the preachers of the Gospel of Christ. Let us then of the ministery, learn here to lay aside all hatred and malice, not to envy or malign our fellow brethren, not to seek to supplant one an other, not to divide our selves one from another, with vain & unprofitable contentions, as many do, to the great slander of the Gospel, but to go all as it were hand in hand together, with one heart and one voice to glorify God the father of our Lord jesus Christ. Let us say one to another as Abraham said to Lot: I pray thee, 
Gen. 13.8.  let there be no strife between thee and me, neither between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we are all Brethren. We are all brethren, Brethren by nature, brethren by calling, Brethren in Religion: all made by one God, all redeemed by one jesus Christ: all called to the same office and ministery, all branches of one vine, all sheep of the same sheepfold, all members of the same body, all fellow servants of the same household, all partakers of the same baptism, of the same faith, of the same hope of everlasting life, and all shall be judged at the last day of the same judge without respect of persons: And therefore, let there be no contention among us, we are fellowservants, we are Brethren. David compareth Love to the precious ointment, which was powered upon Aaron's head, 
Psal. 133 2.  running down upon the Beard, and from thence unto skirts of his clothing. signifying thereby, that love can never be in the borders of the Garment, that is in the common people, unless it first be in the heads, that is in the magistrates & Ministers, & therefore that it ought first to be powered upon Aaron's head, upon the Rulers of the common wealth, and upon the Ministers of the Church of God, lest the heads being infected, the whole body be the worse for it, we especially aught to take heed that we agree one with another, comfort one another, assist one another, & as it were go hand in hand together in the work of the Lord. Again, in that the Disciples were sent out by two and two, we are to consider the equality, which ought to be in the Ministers of the word of God. Christ granteth to none of them any primacy or supremacy, but sendeth them forth with equal authority, two by two. 
Apoc. 21.14.  The Church is said to have twelve foundations, the twelve Apostles, of the Lamb, where Peter is made no head corner stone, but all the Apostles equally, 
Eph. 2.22.  foundations, as Paul saith, Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone. And our Saviour seemeth to signify an equality when he saith, 
Math. 19.28.  that they shall sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. And a little after when the rest of the Apostles began to disdain james and john, he reproved them saying. 
Math. 20.25.  The Lords of the Gentiles have dominion over them, and they are great and exercise authority, but it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your servant: and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your Minister, even as the son of man came not to be served, but to serve, 
Mat. 28.19.  and to give his life for the ransom of many. And when he gave unto them the commission and authority of their Apostleship, he gave it equally and generally to them all saying. Go therefore and teach all nations, Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost. And Saint john saith, 
joh. 20.19.22.  that Christ stood in the midst of his Disciples and said. Receive the holy Ghost, who so e'er sins ye remit they are remitted, and who so euers sins ye retain, they are retained.  
He leaned not to Peter, nor to james, nor to john, but stood in the midst of them, neither did he give the authority of binding, and loosing (particularly) to Peter, but (generally) to them all: and when the holy Ghost came down in cloven tongues, 
Act. 2.3.  like fire, the Text sayeth, It sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and began to speak with divers Languages, even as the same spirit gave them utterance. It hath been taught in times past, that the absolving of sins did consist in the worthiness of the person: a simple Priest might absolve but certain small sins, other greater, did belong to the Bishop, the Archbishop claimed an other higher sort, but the greatest and foulest sins were reserved to be forgiven only by the Pope and his Cardinals: But this division was brought in by their greedy covetousness, to enrich themselves, and not by any warrant of the word of God. For we know assuredly, that the authority of binding and losing by the word of God, the administration of the Sacraments, and the efectuall operation of the spirit by the preaching of the Gospel is equally committed to all Ministers, whether they be archbishops, or Bishops, or Pastors, by what name or title so ever they be called. Ministers have better knowledge and utterance, some, than other, but their ministery is of equal dignity: And therefore, the Privileges and superiorities which Bishops have above other Ministers, are rather granted by man, for maintaining of better order & quietness in common wealths, then challenged by the office of their ministery. They may have some thing in commission from the Prince, which we are bound to obey, not for fear, but for Conscience sake, and how so ever, for the avoiding of disorder and confusion, there may be some Bishops and Superintendents, as it were particular heads of certain congregations, yet this doth nothing prove, 
1. Pet. 5.4. Eph. 1.22, & 4.15.  that any man may challenge to himself the name of universal Bishop, or head of the whole Church which is only proper to our Lord & Saviour jesus Christ: And therefore, whosoever doth arrogate to himself this name or title, he must needs be that lying Antichrist, 
2. Thesa. 2.4.  which as Saint Paul saith, Doth exalt himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he doth sit in the Temple of God, as God, showing himself, that he is God: 
Greg. Mag. Epist. 30. ad mauritum Imper.  and therefore it was well said of Gregory, Ego confidenter dico quod quisquis se universalem sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua, Antichristum proecurrit, quia superbiendo se coeteris praeponit. In that our saviour Christ doth send forth seventy Disciples, where as before he sent forth but twelve, we have moreover to consider that the multitude of Ministers is bound to no certain number. Some affirm, that there ought to be no more Ministers than there are Congregations: and indeed, to have any vacabound Ministers, to wander about without charges I find it altogether repugnant to the word of God: yet notwithstanding, seeing that the Congregations and Parishes in this Country, are so unequally divided, that some may be better governed by one, than others may be with ten, it is necessary that many pastors amongst us should have many assistants, and therefore good people marvel not though there be many Ministers at this time to be ordained before you, to whom I am now to give their charge, but rather seeing that there are none admitted, but such as are called to their several flocks, as I myself dare avouch being oculatus testis, & having seen the same testified by the Letters of divers worshipful, who as my Lord is persuaded, will in no wise abuse him. I beseech you pray to god together with us that he will prowre upon them, the dew of his holy spirit, and so bless them with the heavenly gifts of knowledge, with wisdom, zeal and utterance, that they may become profitable labourers in the Lord's Harvest: for the Harvest is great, and the Labourers are but few.  
Moreover, in that Christ did send forth his seventy Disciples before him, into every City and place, where he himself should come, it appeareth, that our Saviour did not show himself like these corner créepers, 
2. Tim. 3.6.  these Howletes & Night Birds, which do creep into Houses and lead captives Women laden with sins, but he would have his coming to be openly known to all the Country.  
Omnis qui perverse agit, odit lucem. Every one that doth evil, hateth the light: neither cometh he to the light lest his deeds should be reproved: but he which dealeth truly cometh into the light,  manifesta fiant facta ipsius quod secundum Deum fiant, That his deeds might be made manifest, that they are wrought according unto God. And therefore, if there were nothing else to condemn these popish shavelings, which being disguised, do creep about from place to place, to persuade the people to withdraw their obedience from their natural Sovereign, to whom it is due, and to give it to a foreign Prelate a Priest of Rome: this one thing were sufficient to bewray them and to discredit their cause, for that they are ashamed to show their faces, and do use such hard shifts, such subtle practices and slighty devices, to keep themselves close, that they may not be called to their answer, whereas most certainly, Truth seeketh no corners: as here you see how our saviour Christ doth send his seventy Disciples, as it were forerunners to make proclamation of him in every City and place, where he himself should come, which though it were perilous, for, according to the words of our Saviour, in the third verse, It was nothing else, but to send Lambs among wolves, 
Luk. 10.3.  yet was there more respect to be had of the truth, then of any danger of death what so ever. When our Saviour hath thus sent forth his seventy Disciples before him into every City and place where he himself should come, he beginneth now their charge, in these words which I have read unto you, The Harvest is great, and the Labourers are but few, pray therefore, the Lord of the Harvest, to send Labourers into his Harvest: which piece of Scripture might fitly be divided in two parts: the first is, An exhortation to prayer, that we pray to the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth Labourers into his Harvest. The second containeth, The reasons of the Exhortation, which are two: first, because, the Harvest is great, and secondly, because, the Labourers are but few. But I think it best at this time not to invert the words of our Saviour but to entreat upon them orderly, as they lay in the text: First, of the greatness of the Harvest. Secondly, of the small number of the Labourers. Thirdly, of the means whereby that small number shall be increased, if we performed our duty to pray unto the Lord of the Harvest to send forth Labourers into his Harvest.  
first, our Saviour Christ, telleth them, that the Harvest is great, whereby he signifieth, the number of the faithful, which hunger and thirst after righteousness, and have an earnest desire to hear, to receive, and to embrace the heavenly treasure of his most holy and blessed word. And thus doth our Saviour, oft name the Congregation of his faithful people, by the name of Harvest, 
joh. 4.35.  when he saw the Samaritans coming to him out of Sichem, he said: behold, lift up your eyes, & look on the Regions, for they are white already unto the Harvest: 
Math. 9.37.  And in the Gospel after Saint Matthew, he saith, Surely the Harvest is great etc. where he doth use the self same words, which he doth in this place, although to another purpose. For, there he hath especially respect unto the people, on whom he had compassion, when he saw them dispersed and scattered abroad, as it were Sheep having no Shepherd, and therefore he said: Surely the Harvest is great, but the labourers are but few, pray, etc. But here he hath respect, not so much unto the flock as unto the Disciples themselves, that although they saw but few among the jews which favoured his doctrine, and therefore might hardly conceive any hope of doing any good, yet they should not despair, For the Harvest was great, howsoever in their judgement the number of the faithful was but small, 
Rom. 11.2.  yet they should not be discouraged, For the Harvest was great. Elias being in a Cave in the Mount Horeb, 
1. Re. 19.10.18  was in a manner discouraged, when he saw all the Prophets of God slain, & his Altars broken down, and he left alone, whose life they sought also. But the Lord appeared unto him and comforted him saying. 
Rom. 11.4.  I have reserved unto myself in Israel 7000. men, which have never bowed their knees to Baal, nor kissed him with their mouths. Here then, we that are Ministers are to learn, not to be dismayed, although we see but small fruit of our labours, but to go on forward diligently and painfully in the work of the Lord, knowing that the Harvest may be greater than we do imagine & although in our judgement there be few or none which return unto repentance, yet there may be seven thousand in the sight of God, & therefore although we may say with Peter: I have travailed all night, 
Luke. 5.5.  and have taken nothing, yet we must remember that we say also, Nevertheless at thy commandment O Lord I will still let down the Net.  
Semper tibi pendeat hamus.  
In quo non credis gurgite piscis erit.  
The Church is called an Harvest, and therefore we must not look that it should increase and grow to perfection all at once, but by little and little, and that with much a do: for as the seed is first cast into the ground, then covered with clods, afterward kept under with Frost and snow, and when it is grown up it is parched with heat, almost choked with briers and weeds, and beaten down with storms and tempests, & at the last with much labour it is brought into the Barns: Even so, the Seed of God's word, when it is sown in the hearts of men, it is long before it take any deep root, and hardly doth the fruit appear, and when it is sprung up, it is parched with the heat of many troubles and miseries, it is almost choked with the briars & brambles of voluptuous living, and the thorny cares of this world, it is beaten down with the storms & tempests of sundry temptations, & at the last with much a do, it doth make us fit to be received into the Barns of everlasting joys, & then only is the Harvest perfectly purged, for so long as we remain here in this vale of misery, we must look for nothing else but to have the tars mingled with the wheat, the chaff with the grain, the wicked with the good, the goats with the sheep, & therefore the church is compared to a family or household, which containeth not only sons but slaves also, 
Rom. 9.21. 2. Tim. 2.20.  not all vessels to honour, but some to dishonour: it is compared also to, a draw Net, 
Math. 13.47.  which being cast into the Sea, doth gather all kind of Fish, good & bad. And our Saviour saith, that the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field, 
Math. 13.24.  but while men slept the enemy came & sowed tars among the wheat, & went his way, & when the blade was sprung up & brought forth fruit, them appeared the tars also: them came the servants of the householder & said unto him. Master, sowedst not the good seed in thy field?  
from whence then hath it tars and he said, the Envious man hath done this. Then the Servants said unto him, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, nay, lest while ye go about to gather the tars ye plucked up the Wheat also: Let both grow together until the Harvest, and in the time of the Harvest, I will say unto the Reapers, gather ye first the tars and bind them in sheaves to burn them, but gather the Wheat into my Barn. And therefore until the Harvest do come, that is the consummation of all things, and the end of the world, we must look for nothing but to have the wicked mingled with the godly, and the tars with the good Grain. Some have gathered out of this place, that obstinate Heretics and idolaters ought not to be punished with death, because the Householder doth command his servants to let the tars and the Wheat grow together until the time of the Harvest. 
Mat. 13.24.30  But we must understand that as by the good Corn is meant all the faithful, all which are sown of God, all which shall be gathered into the Barns of everlasting life: so by the tars are meant not only Heretics and Idolaters, but also all which are sown of the Devil, all Hypocrites & Infidels, and all which shall be cast into the Furnace of everlasting fire. And therefore, if by this Parable, our Saviour did forbid the punishment of Idolaters, by the civil Magistrate, it would follow also that neither Traitors, Whoremongers, thieves, nor Murderers, were to be punished with death, which were too absurd, and too gross to be Imagined. For by the tars are signified all the wicked, and all which are sown by the envious man. 
Math. 13.28.  And therefore this commandment of Christ, given to his Servants, doth not concern the civil Magistrate, but as by the Field, is signified not the Church where the Gospel is purely preached, nor our mind, as some do expound it, but the whole world, containing all both grain and chaff, wheat and tars. And as the Harvest in that place is taken, not as it is here, for the company of the faithful which gladly receive the word of God, but for the universal consummation of the world, so by the servants are meant not civil nor Ecclesiastical Magistrates, but the Angels of God, by whose Ministry, the harvest, that is the consummation of the world, shallbe accomplished: And therefore, as in the beginning of the History of job, God is set forth consulting with his Angels, as a King with his honourable Counsel, that thereby the incomprehensible providence of God, which governeth all things, by his Ministering spirits, might be, as in a lively table set forth before our eyes: so here is the Lord set down as it were, talking with his Angels, of the state of the Ghurch, and of the end of the world, when there shall be an universal purging of the Church of God: And this may appear both by the words of the servants. Num vis, ut colligamus Zizania? They do not say, shall we gather this or that Tare, shall we punish this or that Idolater, this or that Murderer, but wilt thou that we shall gather the tars, that is, that we shall make an end of all things, and purge the good seed which thou hast sown from all offences? and also by the words of the householder, for he doth not command his servants to suffer the tars to grow, lest they chance to pluck up Wheat for tars, but, least with the tars they pluck up the Wheat also, signifying thereby that he gave the commandment, not to provide for the tars, but to provide for the good Corn: and therefore, neither doth the general gathering of the good Corn into the Barns, any thing hinder, but that God may particularly by death every day, gather some of his Saints into Abraham's bosom, 
Exod. 32.27. Deut. 13.9. 2. Par. 15.13. 2. Reg. 23.20. 1. Keg. 18.40 2. Reg. 10.1.  neither doth the universal burning of the tars any thing hinder, but that they may particularly be plucked up by the Magistrate according to the word of God. And there is no reason, but if they may be put to death, which murder the body and spoil men of their goods, much more they which murder the souls of many, and disturb the quietness of the common wealth, and rob God of his honour, whose name be blessed for ever and ever.  
Then the meaning of that Parable of our Saviour Christ, is, that so long as this wicked world continueth, we must look for no perfect purging of the Church of God. Let the Magistrate execute never so much, and the Preacher teach never so much, there will be Heathen, Infidels, jews, Turks, Papists, Atheists, Hypocrites, continually troubling the church of God. But all our comfort is that the Lord doth tell us, that there will come an Harvest time, wherein he will separate the tars from the wheat, & the sheep from the Goats. The wicked do provoke the wrath of God to burn and consume them presently, and to throw them headlong into the bottomless pit of Hell: notwithstanding, for the elects sake God doth spare them for a time, until the Harvest, that is, until the number of the elect shallbe accomplished, which shall never be, until the consummation of all things, and the end of the world be brought upon us: and therefore, if in the mean time, in the Harvest of the people of God, the tars be mingled with the Corn, we must not fret ourselves because of the ungodly, neither be envious for the wicked doers, 
Psa. 17.1.2.35.  For they shall once be cut down like grass, and as the green Herb shall they whither away: though for a time they be lusty and strong, & spread themselves like green bay Trees, yet shall they suddenly pass away so that we may say with David. O how suddenly are they destroyed, 
Psalm. 73.19.  perished and come to a fearful end, even as a dream when a man awaketh. And though for a time the tars do flourish, amids the Wheat, yet shall the Harvest at the last be ripened, & then shall the Lord send his Reapers to gather the Corn into his Barn, but the tars shall they bind together, and cast into unquenchable fire. Here then learn good people, to show forth the fruit of your profession, 
Math. 7.16.  for by the fruit shall the Tree be known. Every, good Tree bringeth forth good fruit, and a corrupt tree bringeth forth corrupt fruit. Do men gather Grapes of Thorns, 
Gala. 5.6.  or Figs of Thistles? Paul will have the faith of every Christian to work through charity. For if the faith of a Christian be compared to a Tree, then even as the root of a Tree, sucketh juice out of the earth, the body receiveth of the root, the branch taketh of the body, and the fruit shooteth out of the branch: even so the faith of a Christian, must first be rooted and grounded upon the death and passion of jesus Christ, then must it send up the Sap of love, and love must blossom forth in good works. And thus if our faith be not a dead faith, but a lively faith, not a barren faith, but a fruitful faith, not an idle faith but a working faith, a faith working thorough charity: then are we pure spiritual Wheat for the Barns of the Lord. The Church here ye see is compared to a Harvest, them if we bring forth nothing but tars of sin and wickedness, we can look for no other, but to be gathered by the Reapers, 
Math. 13.30.  into a bundle, and to be thrown into the Furnace of everlasting fire. 
Isa. 5.2.  It is compared also to a Viniarde which the Lord hath hedged and gathered out the Stones, and planted it with the best Plants, and built a Tower in the midst thereof, and made a Wine Press therein: then if in steed of the sweet Grapes of holiness and righteousness, we bring forth nothing but the wild Grapes of sin and wickedness, that the Lord may say unto us, as he saith unto the jews: 
Isa. 5.4.  what could I have done to my Viniarde, which I have not done, and behold now, when I look for Grapes, it bringeth forth nothing but wild Grapes: then have we a severe judgement denounced against us, by God himself, he will break down the Hedge of the Viniard, he will lay it waste, 
Math. 7.19.  he will let in the wild Boar, to devour and spoil it, yea he will hue down the trees, and cast them into unquenchable fire. We are compared also to ground on which the sour doth sow his seed, 
Luke. 8.5.  then if we be that hard ground, whereinto the Seed of God's word cannot enter, but that it is plucked away by Satan, even as seed by the high ways side, is snatched away by the Fowls of the air, or if we be that dry ground whereupon the fruit doth whither away, because it wanteth the moisture of the dew of God's holy spirit, or if we be the thorny ground whereupon the fruit is choked, with the briars and brambles of cares, and riches, and voluptuous living, then are our hearts evil and unfruitful ground, 
Mark. 11.13. ●●  & therefore before God accursed, even as the Fig tree which had flourishing leaves without fruit, was by our Saviour Christ accursed, & dried up by the roots for ever: but if we desire to be blessed of the Lord, we must endeavour to be good ground, that is, 
Luke. 8.15.  as our saviour doth himself expound it, with a good & honest heart, to hear the word of god, & to keep it, & to bring forth fruit with patience, not to be idle and fruitless hearers, to let it in at the one ear and out at the other ear, to hear it in the Church, and leave it in the porch, but to hear it, to keep it, 
Rom. 2.13.  and to bring forth fruit with patience, for not the hearers of the word but the doers, shall be justified. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord, 
Math. 7.21.  shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father in heaven. 
Luke. 11.28.  Blessed are they which hear the word of God and keep it. So then, with hearing, ye must join keeping, with talking, we must join walking, with professing, expressing, with exhortation, conversation: with science, conscience, with faith, charity. For it shall not be asked in the dreadful day of judgement, what we have heard, nor what we have learned, nor what we have read, but how we have believed, 
Math. 7.19.  and what we have done, and that same Tree which hath not brought forth good fruit, shall be hewn down and thrown into unquenchable fire, & they which in the harvest do prove to be tars, shall be bound together by the Angels of God, 
Math. 13.30.  and cast into the Furnace of eternal death, where the worm never dieth, and the flame never goeth out. We are called also by the Apostle Paul, God's Husbandry. 
1. Cor. 3.9.  Vos estis Agricultura dei: ye are God's Husbandry. Whereby we are admonished of our duty, that the more that we are husbanded by the word of God, the more plentiful aught we to be in good works, or otherwise, our condemnation will be the greater. We cannot allege the ensample of our forefathers, nor of any others in this time, which have not the like Husbandry bestowed upon them. For, 
Mat. 25.20.22.  to whom the Lord committeth but two Talents, of him he will look for but the increase of two. But to whomsoener he committeth five Talents, of him he will look for the increase of five. The Schoolmaster will not require Latin of him that never learned any, but he which hath learned it, he must give an account for it.  
When a Master doth send forth his servant in the night time, if he have miss his way a little, he will not deal so rigorously with him: but when he sendeth him in the day time, if he miss his way, than he shall more hardly be excused. Where the Husbandman doth take great pains in husbandry, there will he look for much fruit, but where he never took any pains, there, it will grieve him the less to have some thorns and thistles, briers and brambles. And therefore, consider (good people) how the Lord hath dealt more mercifully with you of this Town of Manchester, then ever he did with your forefathers, or then now he doth with any place about you. He hath given you a large Talon, he hath revealed his holy will most plainly and plentifully unto you, he hath sent you forth in the day time, even in the light of his glorious Gospel, he hath sent his servants early and late, to husband your hearts, and to sow therein the seed of his most holy and blessed word, take heed therefore that your fruits be answerable thereunto, or otherwise assure yourselves that your condemnation shall be the greater: 
Luk. 1●. 47.48  for, he that knoweth the will of his Master, and will not do it, he shallbe beaten with many stripes: and to whom soever, much is committed, of him shall much be required. And thus dearly beloved, ye see how these allegories so often used in the Scriptures, of Harvest, Trees, Viniarde, Ground, Seed, Husbandry, do all admonish you of God's great mercy towards you, how he doth account you for his own Harvest, for his Trees, planted with his own hand, for his own Viniarde, for his own Husbandry, for his own ground, sown with his own seed, the word of his everlasting truth, to the end, that if ye will be answerable to these unspeakable mercies, & show yourselves plentiful in all good works, ye may at the last be also brought into his own Barns, of everlasting joys, there to be heirs of God, & fellow heirs with jesus Christ. The Harvest (saith Christ) is great. The Harvest that is the Church of God may be called great, either for the price and excellency thereof, because Christ doth more esteem one fafthfull member of his mystical body, them all the wicked reprobates in the world, and make more account of his Church, be it never so small, being purchased with his own most precious blood, than all the number of the Infidels and Atheists, be they never so many and so glorious in the sight of the world: or therefore may the Harvest now be called great, because it is indeed dispersed far and wide over the face of the whole earth. It is not now tied to the family of jacob, as the jews would have it nor to Africa, 
john. 4 23. Apoc. 21.12.13  as the Donatists would have it, nor to Rome as the Papists would have it, but God hath chosen for the seed of Abraham, all which have the faith of Abraham, and for the family of jacob, all which worship the Lord in spirit and truth. And therefore in the apocalypse, the Church is called a City, having twelve Gates, three into every corner of the world. 
Ephe. 2.14.  And Saint Paul showeth that Now the Wall of partition is broken down: so that all the world is equally the Church of God, all countries are juda, all Cities are jerusalem: all are the seed of Abraham, which have the faith of Abraham. All the world is the Harvest, the Field, the inheritance of the Lord, all houses are the house of God, where the Lord is worshipped in spirit and truth: And thus is the Harvest great, being now not bound to any particular place, but Catholic, and extended over the face of the whole earth. I must needs confess, that if we compare the small number of the faithful, with the great multitude of the wicked: the harvest will not appear to be great, but the abundance of weeds will be more than of the good Corne. And in this respect, Christ doth call his flock, a little flock: Fear not my little flock, 
Luke. 12. 3●.  it is your Father's pleasure to give a kingdom. 
Gen. 8.16.  There will be for Noah and his family, being but eight persons, all the world, drowned and overwhelmed in wickedness. For Lot and his two daughters, all Sodom and Gomorrha, 
Gen. 19.24.  with the Cities round about, destroyed with fire and Brimstone from heaven: For one thankful Samaritane, there will be nine Lepers unthankful: 
Luke. 17.17.  so that of ten, scarce one will acknowledge God's benefits, and fall down at the feet of jesus, and glorify God. 
1. Reg. 18.19.  For one Elias, there will be four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal, and four hundred Prophets of the Groves which eat at jezabels' Table. For one Prophet of God, Micheas, 
1. Reg. 22. ●.  there will be four hundred false Prophets, to prophecy lies unto Achab. There will be but one of a City and two of a Tribe, which shall enter into Zion the true Church of God: 
jerem. 3.14.  in steed of the two legs or the piece of the ear, 
Amos. 3.12.  which the shepherd shall save from the mouth of the Lion, the whole body shall be devoured: 
Apoc. 3.4.  there will be but a few names found in Sardis which have not defiled their garments, For wide is the Gate, and broad is the way, 
Math. 7.13.  that leadeth to destruction, and many enter into it, but strait is the Gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it: and therefore, if we compare the number of the faithful with the wicked, we shall find more Chaff than Grain, more tars then good Corn: so that the Harvest of the pure Wheat, shall be found to be very small, 
Isa. 24.13.  and therefore the Prophet Esay doth compare the Church to the shaking of an Olive Tree, and to the Grapes when the vintage is ended, that even as when the fruit of the Olives and the Grapes of the Vines are gathered, there remain but a few hanging here and there upon the branches, even so is the Church of God, as it were the glening of the Corn, when the Harvest is ended: And yet dearly beloved, howsoever the Harvest of the godly being compared with the abundance of the tars, is but as Christ saith, a little flock, yet surely it is far greater than can be perceived with the eyes of man. 
Aug. in joh. Hom. 45. & cap. 20.  For as Augustine saith, there are very many Sheep without, and very many Wolves within. Where we account all to be Sheep, there are many Wolves, and where we account all to be wolves, there hath Christ his Sheep and chosen people: and therefore we must not take upon us to judge our brethren, but to commit judgement unto the Lord. For as Saint Paul saith. 
2. Tim. 2.13.  The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath this Seal. Dominus novit, qui sunt sui, the Lord knoweth who be his. Let every one that calleth upon the name of Christ, depart from iniquity: there is no place, no Region in the world, no state of people, no degree of men, wherein the Lord hath not some of his chosen people. 
Gen. 41.42.  The Court of Pharaoh was very wicked, yet therein did flourish a godly joseph. Achab was a bloody Tyrant, and his wife jezabel sought by all means she could, utterly to destroy the Prophets of God: 
1. Reg. 18.4.  yet Obadiah the Ruler of their house, feared God and hid an hundred Prophets, by fifty in a Cave, and fed them with bread & water. The King of Aram served strange Gods and committed Idolatry in the house of Rimmon, 
2. Reg. 5.18.  
2. Reg. 5.15.17.  yet Naaman the Captain of his Host, served only the Lord God of Israel. Who was there a more deadly enemy to our Saviour Christ, then Herode? yet was there Manahem his companion, 
Acts. 13.1. Luke 8.3.  joanna, the wife of Cura, Herodes Steward, and the Ruler at Capernaam, under him, which all feared God. Who was there a more bloody persecutor of all the godly, then Nero? yet were there in his house many saints, as Paul saith, 
Phil. 4.22.  all the Saints salute you but especially, they which are of Caesar's house. Who are more given to injury, violence, 
Acts. 10.3.  and oppression, than Soldiers? yet Cornelius a Captain of a band, feared God, and all his Household, and gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God continually. Who more wretched sinners than Publicans? 
Math 9.9. Luke. 19.6.  yet were Matthew and Zacheus the faithful children of God. Who more blind and obstinate than the pharisees? yet was there amongst them a godly Nicodemus, 
joh. 3.3. &. 7.50. &. 19.39.  which was desirous to be instructed by Christ, and resisted his companions the pharisees, and thought nothing to dear to be bestowed to the honouring of his Lord and Saviour. Who were more wilfully bend to withstand Christ the true Messiah, then were the jews to whom he was sent? As the Scripture saith, 
john 1.11.47.  he came unto his own, and his own received him not: Yet were there some nathaniel's, 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 served God day and night, with fastings and prayer, and confessed the Lord jesus, to all that looked for redemption in jerusalem: so that, howsoever the seventy Disciples might imagine the Harvest to be but small, yet indeed, as Christ telleth them here, the Harvest was great. Then dearly beloved, we are here to learn, not to measure the Harvest of Christ according to our own fancies, 
1. Re. 19.10.18.  (for if the spirit of Elias could not discern one, when in deed there were seven thousand: how much less are we able to perceive the greatness of God's Harvest, whose eyes are nothing so bright, nor judgement so clear, nor knowledge so perfect, as was in the holy Prophet of God?) But rather we ought to praise God continually, for the great increase which he daily addeth unto his Harvest, and for the blessing which he giveth to the course of his holy word, making the same to fructify and increase to hundreds and thousands, and to pray unto him incessantly, that as he hath already drawn a great part of Christendom, from under the Yoke of antichrist, so it would please him to continue his goodness, and to increase his Harvest daily more and more, to the glory of his holy name, and the advancement of his kingdom, which the Lord of his infinite mercy grant, for the merits and intercession of his dearly beloved son jesus Christ: and thus much for the first part, how, the Harvest is great.  
Now that our Saviour Christ hath told his Disciples of the greatness of the Harvest, he showeth them in the next place, of the small number of the labourers, the Labourers, saith he, are but few. By this word Labourers, he meaneth true and faithful Pastors: for otherwise, of other labourers the jews did want no store they had their Levites, they had infinite Synagogues, and therein a great company of Lawyers and Scribes, they had their Priests which challenged to sit in the Chair of Moses, they had their Pharisees the expounders of the Law, which were in great estimation of learning and holiness, and how then were the Labourers but few? We must understand that our Saviour speaketh not of false hirelings, but of true Pastors, not of those which bear an idle name and title of pastors, being, pastors a pascendo, tanquam montes a movendo, that is, feeders of feeding, as mountains of moving: but of those that do carefully and painfully feed the flock of Christ. And of these the number is very small, so that God may still say, as he saith in ezechiel. 
Ezech. 34.6.  Dispersus est grex meus. etc. My flock is scattered through all the earth, and there is none that doth seek and search after them. This phrase of speech, to call the Ministers, Labourers, and their Office a labour, is often used in the holy Scriptures: Nos sumus cooperarij Dei, saith Paul, 
1. Cor. 3.9.  We together are Gods Labourers. I am in fear of you, 
Gala. 4.11.  lest I have bestowed on you my labour in vain. Si quis Episcopatum desiderat, 
1. Tim. 3.1.  bonum opus desiderat: If any man desire the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good work. It is a work, non honos, sed onus: not an honour, but a burden: or if it be an honour yet hath it always a burden annexed. 
1. Tim. 5.17.  The Elders which rule well, are worthy of double honour, Maxim, ij qui laborant verbo & doctrina, especially they which labour in word and doctrine. By all which places, we of the Ministry are admonished of our duty, that we ought to be labourers, not loiterers, not to live idly and securely, but to be painful workmen in the Harvest of the Lord. Saint Paul had no better reason to persuade the Elders of the Church of Ephesus, 
Acts. 20.28.  to take heed unto themselves, and to all the flock whereof the holy Ghost had made them overseers, then to tell them, that, the Church which they had the charge of, was the Church of Christ, which he had purchased with his own blood: neither can there be any thing, which ought more to stir up us which be here present, to painful labour, and careful diligence, then to remember that we are appointed labourers to work in the Harvest, not of men but of the Lord, and in that Field which Christ hath purchased with his own most precious blood. 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 eyes of the body the stars of heaven, the light of the world, & therefore we must seek to drive away all ignorance and darkness, not putting our lights under a Bushel, but setting them upon a Candlestick, 
Isa. 56.10.  to give light to all the household. We are called Watchmen, and therefore we must not let the enemy come in while we sleep and delight in sleeping, for as God saith by the Prophet Ezechiel. 
Ezech. 33.6.  If the Watchman see the Sword coming, and blow not the Trumpet, and the people be not warned, and so they perish with the Sword, they are perished for their iniquity, but their blood will I require at the watchman's hand. We are called here Labourers, and therefore we ought to labour in the lords Harvest diligently and faithfully. 
jer. 48.10.  For as the Prophet saith, Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently: if this be the work of the Lord, to punish the wicked and destroy them with the sword, as the Prophet doth in that place describe, then how much more shall we account it to be the work of the Lord, to edify the souls of the simple, to sow in their hearts the seed of God's word, to bring them to repentance and amendment of life: this is the work of the Lord, and cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently. We are called the Angels and Messengers of the Lord of Hosts, 
Math. 2.7.  the Ministers of Christ, 
1. Cor. 4.1.  and dispensers of the secrets of God, and therefore, we ought to dispense the word faithfully, in season and out of season, 
2. Tim. 4.2.  knowing that if any do perish through our default, a severe account shall be required at our hands. We are called builders, to edify & build the body of Christ, 
Isa. 49.17. Ephe. 4.12 15.  that is, his Church, and to join it unto the head, Christ: and therefore we must labour painfully and take heed where we lay our foundation, that we build not upon the sand, but upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, 
Ephe. 2.20.  jesus Christ himself being the chief corner Stone. We are called, 
Luke. 6.39.  the leaders of God's people, to lead them into all truth, and therefore we must take heed that we have always the word of God a Lantern to our feet and a light unto our paths, 
Psal. ●19. 105.  for otherwise, if the blind lead the blind, 
Math. 15.14.  they shall both fall into the Ditch: we are called Shepherds and Pastors, and therefore we ought to feed the stock committed to our charge, or otherwise there is no love of Christ in us. 
john. 21.15.  For our Saviour moved the question thrice to Peter Simon, thou son of jona, dost thou love me? his answer was, Lord I love thee, Lord thou knowest that I love thee. Then feed my Sheep, feed my Lambs: And therefore, it is unpossible that there should be any sparkle of the love of Christ in our hearts, except we have a care to feed those Lambs, for when he shed his blood, 
Ezech. 34.4.  to strengthen the weak, to heal the sick, to bind up the broken, to bring home that which is driven away, to seek that which is lost, and to defend then from being devoured of the wild beasts of the field, which we c●̄ never do, unless we be able to interpret the scriptures, & to apply them to the instruction & comfort of the people, & therefore, 
〈◊〉 ●3. 2. 〈◊〉 2.24.  Paul requireth in the Minister that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sit to teach, al● commandeth Timothy to show himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly dividing the word of truth, 
2. Tim. 2.15.  not only and barely reading (for that were to give whole loaves unto Children, for the which they should be never the better) but cutting and dividing the word of truth, 
Math. 4.19. Luke. 5.5.  and as it were, breaking unto them the bread of life. We are Fishers of men, and therefore we must at Christ's commandment, continually let down our Nets. We are called Gods Stewards, 
Luk. 12.42. &. 16.1.  and therefore, we ought to be faithful and wise, and give unto the Household of God, their portion of meat in due season. Happy is the Servant, whom the Master when he cometh shall find so doing. We must every one of us be as it were, 
Gen, 41.57.  another joseph, that when the Egyptians are pinched with famine, they may find relief at joseph's hand. The first thing then that is required in a Minister, is, that he have knowledge and understanding, how to do his Embassage, how to feed with discretion, first with Milk, and then with strong meat, how to labour in the Lord's Harvest, how to build, how to lead the people of God, how to watch over them, how to lighten their hearts, and to season them with the knowledge of God's holy word. The Prophet saith, 
Math. 2.7.  that, the lips of the Priest must preserve knowledge, that the people may seek the law at his mouth: For, he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts, and not only should their lips preserve knowledge, but they must even eat the roll of God's book, 
Ezech. 3.2 3. Apoc. 10.9.  and fill their bowels with the volume thereof, whereby is signified, the profound and deep knowledge, and inward digesting of the word of God, which ought to be in every Minister. 
isaiah. 56.10.  The Prophet doth greatly complain of the blind watchmen which cannot see, and the dumb Dogs which cannot bark, and God denounceth a severe judgement against them, saying. 
Ezech. 13.3.  Woe be unto the foolish Prophets, which follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. 
Exod. 28.33.  About the skirts of the rob of Ephod, were golden Bells always sounding, to signify, that the Priest wheresoever he went, should be able to found out the word of truth, and therefore, we which are called to be labourers in the Lord's Harvest, to instruct the people in the word of God. Let us first learn how we must do it, for labour we never so painfully, 
2. Tim. 2.5.  yet if we labour not as we ought to do, our labour is all in vain. The labouring Husbandman, must first be able to choose good Seed, and then to Sow it with discretion: even so, the Minister must first be able to dissever the truth from falsehood, light from darkness, and meat from poison, and then to utrer his Doctrine, applying it to the profit and comfort of the hearers. The Husbandman must first Plough the Soil, and bruise the clods, before he commit the Seed unto the ground, even so must the Minister, first bruise the clods, and knotty affections of men's hearts, by the Preaching of the Law, and then Sow therein the sweet promises of the glorious Gospel of jesus Christ. Some are of this judgement, that only the law and the threatenings of God against sin, ought now to be preached, both because the manners of men are grown to be so wicked and desperate, that they have need of a sharp and desperate remedy, and also because that Christian liberty, the more it is preached, the more it is abused. I confess these things to be true, and too true, the Lord be merciful unto us: But how so ever sin be increased and Christian liberty abused, yet good brethren, we must so proceed in teaching, that rather Christ be framed in the hearts, than Moses, and that rather by acknowledging Gods benefits, men may be drawn to love him, then be driven by fear to fly from him. For if Christ do come into our hearts, it is unpossible but that he should bring with him new virtues, new actions, new motions, and a spirit sanctifying all things: and where Christ is not received, there is it in vain to speak of any moral virtue or vice whatsoever. 
Eph. 3.17.  If Christ do dwell in our hearts by faith, then must it needs follow, that we should be rooted and grounded in love, and say with the Apostle. 
2. Cor. 5.14.15.  The love of Christ constraineth us, for this we know, that if Christ died for us, we which live should not live unto ourselves, but live unto him which died for us, and rose again: that as he gave his body and blood upon the Cross for us, so we should give our bodies and souls to serve him, and show ourselves thankful for the work of our redemption, knowing that he did not therefore die for us, that we should wallow in sin and wickedness, 
'tis 2.14.  but that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purge us a peculiar people unto him, zealous of good works. And thus our especial care ought to be, to frame Christ in the hearts of men. 
2. Cor. 3.6.  And therefore Saint Paul saith that God: Idoneos nos fecit Ministros novi Testamenti: he hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 
Luke. 16.16.  Lex et prophetae usque ad johannem, ab eo tempore regnum dei annunciatur. The Law and the Prophets continued unto john, and from that time the kingdom of God is Preached: whereby we are given to understand, that we are especially the Ministers of the new Testament, to Preach the kingdom of God, that is, the Gospel of jesus Christ: not that we ought not to Preach the Law also, for the teaching of the law is very necessary. first, 
Rom. 3.20. & 5.20. &. 7.7. Gal. 3.21. &. 4.1 Psa. 1.2. & 19.7 & 119.105. Math. 5.17.  to make us acknowledge our own wretchedness and misery: Secondly, to be as it were our Schoolmaster, to lead us unto Christ: And last of all, to reveal unto us, the will of our heavenly father: whereunto, every Christian must endeavour, to the uttermost of his power, to frame his life and conversation. But for that our chiefest labour ought to be, to sprinkle the souls of men, with the blood of jesus Christ, 
1. Peter. 1.2. Heb. 9.14.  and by his death and passion, to purge their consciences from dead works, to serve the living Lord. What though some do abuse the liberty of the Gospel, and of the door of salvation, do make unto themselves a window unto all wickedness? what though some by abusing Christ's benefits, do show themselves unworthy of the same? what though many come to the Supper, without their wedding garment? yet we must follow the ensample of our heavenly Father, who, 
Math. 5.48.  maketh the Sun to shine upon the good and bad, and the Rain to fall upon the just and unjust: we must follow the servants, 
Luke. 14.17.  which were sent to bid men to the Marriage, we must bid all, both worthy and unworthy, and if any do come which are unworthy, having not their wedding garments, God will not condemn us, but them, he will not say to us, why did ye bid him, why did ye let him enter? 
Math. 22. 1●.  but he will say unto the unworthy guest: friend, how camest thou hither, having not thy Wedding garment? take him, bind him hand and foot, and cast him into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. We must follow the good Shepherd, 
Luke. 15.4.  which if he have but one Sheep lost, will leave ninety and nine in the Wilderness, and go and seek that one which is lost. And therefore, if in the whole congregation, there be but one, which with David, 
Ps. 6.3. &. 38.4  doth groan under the burden of sin, and therefore needeth comfort, and all the rest be abusers of Christian liberty, there is no reason, that for the great multitude of the abusers, he should be deprived of comfort, for whom Christ died. And thus ye see, first, the wisdom which is required in them that will be profitable labourers in the Lord's Harvest, that they know how to labour, how to choose the Seeds, how to Sow it with discretion, how to bruise the clods and knotty affections of men's hearts, by the threatenings of the law, but especially, how to mollitie them and water them, with the sweet dew of God's mercies, and with the comfortable promises of the Lord jesus Christ.  
Then, ye which are now to take the Office of the ministery upon you, are here to try and examine yourselves, whether ye be able thus to labour in the lords Harvest, or no: and if ye be not, assure yourselves, the Lord doth not send you: ye respect the living to feed yourselves, and not your knowledge, to feed the flock: and therefore, 
john. 10. ●.  are ye hirelings, ye are thieves and murderers, ye come in at the window, and not at the door, Christ jesus. And as for you, which now either for want of knowledge, or otherwise, for want of age, are not admitted at this time, into the ministery: be not therefore discouraged, but rather account it to be a token of the merciful providence of God, that he would have you to tarry the time, until he himself shall call you, and make you fit for that function, and with this persuasion apply the scriptures, and no doubt the Lord will bless both you & your studies the better. Paul will have the Minister to be no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no young Plant, 
1. Tim. 3.6.  not green timbered, but to be seasoned for a time, with the knowledge of God's word, and with gravity and integrity of life: For, if the chief beams and Rafters of the house, be made of grieve Timber, there is great danger, lest the Timber shrink, and so the fall of the house be great. The Minister must be one of the Beams to uphold the house of God, and therefore, seeing ye are yet but green wood, as I am sure your own conscience doth witness unto you: let it not grieve you to be seasoned for a time, that ye may be made fit for the building of the Lord. And here by the way, I am to make my humble petition to you my Lord, that as your Lordship hath had a godly care, and taken a good course, that none should be admitted at this time, but such as for their learning and knowledge, are of great hope and towardness: So also an order may now be taken, that they may be driven to some godly exercises, whereby not only, the good gifts of God may be continued and increased in them, but also, 
Isa. 56.10.  the blind guides and dumb Dogs, which are already crept in, may be in time reform. You must deal with all these Ministers, as the Eagle doth, with her young Birds, as many as can look steadfastly upon the Sun, so many doth she nourish, the rest she turneth out of the Nest, as unfit to be kept. You must set before them all, 
Math. 4 2. 1. Cor. 14.29. 1. Tim. 4.13.  the beams of the sun of righteousness, jesus Christ, appoint them godly exercises, to the increase of their knowledge, and as many as cannot abide thus to look upon the sun of righteousness, so many should be turned out of the nest; as unfit to serve in your Lordship's Diocese. And thus if their Talon be exercised, than no doubt their Talon shallbe increased, 
Math. 25.20.  and God will double his holy spirit in them, so that in short time they shall be able both to exhort with wholesome doctrine, 
Tit. 1.9. Act. 1.4. & 6.3 Luk. 24.49.  and also to improve the gainsayer, and except they have these gifts and graces of the holy spirit, and be endued with power from an high, they are not fit Pastors, for the Church of Christ. This then is the first thing which is required in us, that are appointed to be labourers in the lords Harvest, that, we understand the mysteries of God, 
● Tim. 2.5.6.7.15.  and know how to labour. For as Paul showeth Timothy, as he which striveth for a Mastery, is not crowned, except he strive as he ought to do, no more can the Husbandman reap any fruit, unless he labour as he ought to do: and therefore, he prayeth the Lord to give him understanding in all things, that he may be able to show himself a workman, that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. For if the Ministers be not able thus to divide the word of truth, then are they nothing else but, labourers without tools, Stewards without Talents, Teachers without doctrine, Shepherds without Pastures, Bells without Clappers, Criers without voices, watchmen without eyes, builders without hands, Captains without weapons, Fishers without Nets, Lanterns without lights, Ambassadors without tongues, Fe●rs without meat, Sowere without Seed, leaders without sight, Sal●e, without savour: and therefore good for nothing; but to be trodden under foot, to be cast out of none, and thrown upon the Dounghill. The second thing which is required in a Labourer, is, 
Luk. 12.42. 1. Cor. 4.2.  that he do his work faithfully, without all fraud and deceit: Who is a good and faithful Steward? say the Christ? and Paul affirmeth this to be required in all the dispensers of God's word, 
Colos. 1.7. Hebr. 3.5.  that every one be found faithful: such alone was Epaphras, a faithful Minister of Christ, such a one was Moses, who was faithful in all his house, and such aught all Ministers to be, to do the work of the Lord faithfully. Saint Paul teacheth us, 
2. Cor. 2.17.  not to make merchandise of the word of God, 
2. Cor. 4.2.  but to speak of Christ in sincerity as of God, in the sight of God, and to cast from us the cloaks of shame, not to walk in craftiness, neither to handle the word of God deceitfully, but in the declaration of the truth, to approve ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. Hereby then is condemned, all wresting of the holy scriptures, to satisfy our own humours, & also all overcurious handling of the word of God, 
2. Cor. 12.3. 2. Cor. 4.5. 1. Cor. 2.1.2.4.15.  whereby the minds of men are corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. And therefore, we ought to preach, not ourselves, but Christ, & to preach him not in excellency of words, nor in painted eloquence, nor in the enticing speech of man's wisdom, but in plain evidence of the spirit and power, confessing that we know nothing, but jesus Christ, and him crucified. Saint Paul will have the Ministers not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 
2. Cor. 2.17.  Cauponantes vel adulterantes verbum Dei, not to mingle it as Vintners do their Wine, and as false Huksters do their wares, but to preach it in sincerity and truth. Hereby then is condemned, the unadvised mingling of profane writers, and inventions of men, with the heavenly word of God, as many now a days do, running up and down from Scriptures, to Doctors from Prophets, to Poets, from Peter to Ovid from Paul to Horac● from Christ to Virgil, to the great derogating from the authority and majesty of our Saviour Christ, and his glorious Gospel, whereas, 
Heb. 4.12. ●phe. 6.17. ● Cor. 10.5.  indeed, only, the word of God is the Sword, whereby we must cut down sin and wickedness, and bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ▪ and the c●use why there appeareth so small fruit of many of our Preachings, is because, we trust not to that weapon's which God doth deliver us. 
jerem. 23.22.  For so sayeth God by the Prophet, If they had stood in my counsel and had declared my words unto my people, them they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the wickedness of their own inventions. And therefore, why the labour that we take in the Lord's Harvest is often in vain, is because we labour not with the right tool and instrument, the word of God, which, as it is there set down by jeremy, is only, 
jer. 23.29.  the Hammer to bruise the stony heart. I confess that to illustrate and make plain the truth, the Preacher may use what comparisons he can, as Christ drew his Parables from the Harvest, the ground, the Seed, the Viniarde, and such other things as are most familiar and best known unto the common people, he may also use the sayings and sentences of Doctors and Fathers, yea and of profane Philosophers & Poets, sometimes as Saint Paul doth allege, sometimes half verses, sometimes whole verses, out of Aratus, Menander, 
Act. 17.28. 1. Cor. 15.33. Tit. 1.12. Exod. 3.22.  and Epimenides, which were all profane and Heathenish Poets: and by this means we may as it were, spoil the Egyptians of their jewels. But this must be done sparingly, seldom, and with great judgement, not so much to establish and confirm the truth, as to illustrate and make plain the truth. 
john. 20.31. Rom. 1.16. 2. Tim. 3.16.17  For otherwise, for the confirmation of any doctrine we ought to lean only to the authority of the word, which doth fully & perfectly contain allthings necessary to our salvation, & is the power of God to salvation, to all believers. And therefore, they are no faithful Ambassadors; which will do the message which their Prince never gave them in commission, neither are they faithful labourers, which will neglect that which their Master commandeth, & do what seemeth good in their own fantasies: Here than the Papists are condemned for unfaithful Stewards; whose doctrine is altogether, either a clean contrary alteration; or else a wicked addition, unto the word of God? so that God may say unto them, as he saith by the prophet Esay. 
Isa. 1.12. Act. 8.28. &. 17.11. 2. Peter. 1.19.  Who required these things at your hands? Who required this at your hands, that ye should cause my holy & blessed word to be locked up, & the decrees of Antichrist to be placed in steed thereof? Who required this of you; to take your obedience from your natural Prince, 
Rom. 15.1.  to whom it is due, 
Tit. 3.1. 1. Peter. 2.13.  & to give it to a proud Prelate of Rome, that he by his pensions and Pardons, and Peterpence, 
1. Cor. 14.14.15.16.  may impoverish the whole land? Who required this at your hands? to patter up prayers, in an unknown tongue, which ye understand as well with your heels, as with your hearts, and to make your prayers not to me, the Father of Heaven, 
Psal. 50.14. Io●. 2.32.  whom am only to be called upon, but to give mine honour to Angels and Saints, to Idols and Images, to stocks and stones, to blocks & Bones? 
Math. 26.27. 1. Cor. 11.25.  Who required this at your hands, that ye should take the sacrament of my blood (which I shed for all men) from the common people, & so to make my supper, rather an excommunication than a Communion? who required this at your hands, that ye should rather thrust your children into Abbeys & Covents, there to live an idle & a Swinish life, being pampered up with all dilicious fare, which may stir them up to all filthiness, them to set them to some homest occupation, 
Gen. 3.19. 2. Thes. 3.12.  to get their living with the sweat of their brows, to the profit and furtherance of the Common wealth? Who required this of you, that ye should account it a more meritorious work, to gild an Image their to clothe a poor naked man? and a better deed, to go a gadding on Pilgrimage to seek dead bones, then to tarry at home and visit the poor members of Christ, which lay sick and bedrid, lame and impotent: 
1. john. 1.7. Eccle. 12.7 Luke. 23.49. Acts. 7.59. Apoc. 14.13.  who required this at your hands, that ye should make any other Purgatory, than the blood of jesus Christ, which doth purge you from all your sin? or that ye should place your holiness in kissing of Relics, creeping to crosses, choice of meats, contempt of marriage, sprinkling of holy water, censing of Herbs & boughs, auricular shriving, in consecrated war, Agnus This, Crucifyres, Palms, Cream, Spittle, Salt, Oil, Ashes, Bells, Beads, Ladies Psalters, Portuises, Legendaries, Man's merits, work of supererogation, Shrines, roods, Tapers, Frankincense, Masses, Dirges, Trentals, Bulls, Pardons, Indulgences, and all such trash and trumpery, whereof there is no mention at all, in my holy word? Who required these things at your hands? & if I never required them, but rather forbade them, and commanded the clean contrary, then are ye no faithful labourers, 
2. Peter. 2.3.  ye labour for your own gain, to make Merchandise of souls, for Lukers' sake, but ye are no labourers in my Harvest, 
Apoc. 22.19.  to bring increase into my Barns: and therefore ye are accursed, and have no part in the book of life. Thus good brethren ye see how we shall be faithful labourers, we must, 
Deut. 4.2. &. 12.32. Pro. 30.6.  add nothing to the word, and take nothing from it, neither to decline unto the right hand, nor to the left: for, if it be unlawful to add or to change, 
Gala. 3.15.  or to abrogate any thing in the Will and Testament of men, how much less shall it be lawful to put too, or to diminish, or to disannul any thing in the Will and Testament of the everliving God: and if in making of the Tabernacle, 
Exod. 25.40. 2. Cron. 8.14.  or building of the material Temple, it was not lawful for the workmen to do any thing, but what the Lord appointed: how much less may the builders of the spiritual Temple, the Church of God, decline from that rule which God hath prescribed in his holy word. Moreover that we may be faithful labourers, this is required of us, that we avoid all flattery, and without respect of persons, do boldly that Message, 
Gala. 101  whereunto the Lord shall send us, knowing that, if we seek to please men, 
Ezech. 13.12.  we cannot be the servants of Christ. 
●ech. 13.18.  The Prophet denounceth an woe against those, which sow Pillows under men's elbows, and cry, peace, peace, where as no peace is, and God doth threaten by jeremy, that, he will come against those Prophets, which have sweet lips, 
Ie● 10.  and flatter men in their sins. Woe be to them which speak good of evil, and evil of good, which put darkness for light, and light for darkness, which put bitter for sweet find sweet for sour. 
Pro. 12.2  Disperdat Dominus omnia labia adulationum: the Lord ●ut out all flattering lips, saith the Prophet David: and as flattering lips are abominable in all men, so especially they ought to be abhorred of us, which are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts. We must all, 
Ephe. 6.19.  open our mouths boldly, to publish the secret of the Gospel: Howsoever it be a dangerous thing, for Lot to reprove the filthy and beastly Sodomites, 
Gen. 19.7.  assaulting his house, yet he must not cease still to say I pray you my brethren, 
Pro●. ●0. 2.  do not so wickedly. Howsoever the wrath of a King be the roaring of a Lion, and he that doth provoke him to anger, doth hazard his own life: yet if Princes offend, the Prophet of God must say, the Princes are rebellious, 
Isa. 1.23.  & companions of thieves: every one loveth bribes they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the widows cause come before the: 
Ezech. 22.27.  the Princes of juda, are like ravening wolves, sucking blood and destroying souls for covetous Lucre. Although it must cost john Baptist his life, yet must he not cease to say to Herod. 
Math. 14.4.  It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother philip's wife. And not only the wicked, but the godly also, when they fall, they must be boldly & sharply reproved, so that Nathan must say unto David, thou art the man, 
2. Sam. 12.7.  it is thou that hast done this deed, & doubt not but the Lord will so work with it, that thy smiting shall be taken for a benefit, 
Psa. 141.5.  and thy reproving for a precious balm, which will not break his head, & howsoever the wicked do kick & spurn against thy godly admonitions, yet no unthankfulness of the world, aught to drive them from performing thy duty, but that the more stormy tempests that the weather doth bring, the more painful thou shouldest be in the Harvest of the Lord: What though thou be sent, as Christ here sent forth his seventy Disciples, as Lambs among Wolves? 
Luke. 10.5.   
What though thou be Sawde in pieces, with a Saw of wood, as the Prophet isaiah was? or have a Nail of Iron driven into the Temples of thy head, with Amos? or be beheaded, with john Baptist? or be Stoned with Steven? or slain with the Sword, with james? or most cruelly put to death with Peter & Paul, and the rest of the Apostles? or have thy portion among the blessed Martyrs of God, whereof some were devoured with wild Beasts some burnt with fire and Faggot, some broiled upon hot coals, some hanged, some drowned, some torn in pieces with wild Horses: yet must you always remember the comfortable promise of Christ, 
Math. 5.10.  that, great shallbe thy reward in Heaven. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, 
jam. 1.12.  for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Thus must the Ministers labour faithfully, and not only faithfully, but willingly, as Peter saith, feed the flock of Christ, 
2. Peter. 5.2.  which dependeth upon you, caring for it, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: For if the labouring Servants, which are hired to do the work of men, be bound to do it, 
Titus. 2.9.  without murmuring and grudging, and to serve their bodily Masters, with fear and trembling, with singleness of heart, 
Ephe. 6.5.  not with eye service, as pleasing men, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. How much more ought the labourers in the Harvest of the Lord, to show all faithfulness, in doing that work willingly, where unto the Lord hath sent them? The third property, which is required in those that will be good labourers in the Lord's Harvest is, Diligence, for otherwise they be not labourers, but loiterers, and therefore Saint Paul doth charge Timothy, 
2. Tim. 4.1.2.5  before God, and before the Lord jesus Christ, which shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, & in his kingdom, that he preach the word, and be instant, in season and out of season, that he improve, rebuke, and exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine, watching in all things, & doing the work of an Evangelist. Solomon saith, 
Prou. 27.29.  be diligent to know the state of thy flock, and take heed unto thy Herds. 
Isa. 58.1.  God commandeth the Prophet, to cry aloud and spare not, to lift up his voice like a trumpet, to show the people their transgressions, and the house of jacob their sins. 
Colos. 4.17.  Tell Archippus (saith Paul) take heed to the ministery, that thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. Right terrible is the woe, which is so often denounced in the holy Scriptures, against the slothful and negligent Pastor, 
Ezech. 34.2.  as by the Prophet, woe be to the Shepherds, which feed themselves and feed not the flock, and by the Apostle, 
jer. 23.1. ●. Cor. 9.16.  vae mihi nisi Euangelizavero: Woe be to me, if I preach not the Gospel. If the consideration of this woe, that is of the horrible judgements of God, were laid up in our hearts, it could not be that so many of us should sleep in the Cradle of Security, & utterly neglect the charge which is laid upon us: it could not be, that so many of us should leave the study of the Scriptures, & give ourselves to lewd pastimes, as though we were called to cast a Bowl, to prick a Card, to trip a Die, and not rather to feed the flock of Christ, which he hath purchased with his precious blood. Neither could it be, that so many of us should departed from the flocks, over the which the holy Ghost hath made us overseers, and lie continually, either in the Universities, or in Cathedral Churches, not once endeavouring to fulfil the Ministry, which we have received of the Lord: & it could not be, that so many of us, by joining living to living, should heap charge upon charge, without any care to discharge: for, if they which discharge their office by substitutes, would consider how that he which feedeth his flock, only by a Substitute, may peradventure, go to Heaven by a substitute, but he shall surely, feel his woe in Hell, in his own proper person, & if they which lie away for learning's sake, would consider how lamentable the case is, that, the Steed should starve, while the Grass doth grow, & how that before God this excuse will not stand, live Horse and thou shalt have Grass, & if all we which are careless & negligent, would continually set before our eyes, the woe so often pronounced against us, & the heavy accounts which we are to make at the dreadful day of judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, it could not be but we should have more care to fulfil the Ministry which we have received of the Lord, and when we have urgent occasion to go abroad (as often times it falleth out) and so for a time to be absent in bodies, yet it would make us always to be present in heart, 
1. Reg. 19.20.  and in prayer: and again, to remember the Counsel of Elias, to go, but, with speed to return: For, when Elizaeus the Prophet asked leave of him to go to his Father and Mother, he said, go, return, for what have I done unto thee? I have anointed thee to be the Prophet of God, and that is the charge which thou must now attend unto, notwithstanding go to thy father's house, but with all speed, return. As for those which continue from their flocks, and suffer the word to cease amongst them, so that their souls do perish for want of food, they have a severe plague denounced against them, by the Prophet Zacharie. 
Zach. 11.17.  O idol Shepherd, that leaveth the flock, the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye, his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shallbe utterly darkened, his arm, that is, his strength, and his right eye, his knowledge, and memory, shall all consume, perish, and vanish away, and he shall come to a fearful end. But thou wilt say, that thou art resident upon thy living, and therefore thou dost not fly away: Augustine saith, 
Aug tract. 47. in joh.  Fugisti quia tacuisti: Thou hast holden thy peace, and therefore thou art fled away: thou art present in body, but thou art absent in mind and voice, and what will thy bodily presence profit, when thy heart and thy tongue, whereby thy office should be discharged, is altogether absent? Then ye which are now to enter into the ministery, and so to be sent forth as labourers into the lords Harvest, learn how to show your diligence, not by idle presence of the body, but by painful presence of the heart and voice: for otherwise, 
Zach. 11.17.  the Prophet Zachary doth account you to be nothing but Idols, not Pastors indeed, but Idols, 
Psal. 135.16.  such as the Psalmist speaketh of, which have mouths and speak not, eyes and see not, ears and hear not, neither is there any breath in their mouths. 
Math. 25.20  If your Talon be but small, yet exercise the same with prayer and diligence, and the Lord hath promised, that, he will increase it, and double it, and when ye shall show yourselves faithful in little, he will make you Masters of much. But if ye have any Talon, be it never so small, although it be but, one Talon, yet if ye hide it, 
Mat. 25.28.30  it shall be taken from you, and ye shall be cast as unprofitable servants into utter darkness, where shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth. But otherwise, if ye perceive evidently that ye have no Talon at all, and that ye are able to do no good at all, in the Church of God, I require and charge you, before the Lord jesus Christ, and as ye will answer at his appearance, that ye presume not rashly, to enter into so high a function, 
Luk. 12.42.  to be Stewards of the Lords Household, having no portion of meat to give them in due season. Remember the accounts which every Steward is to make at the last day, when that dreadful voice shall be pronounced. Give an accounts of thy stewardship, 
Luk. 16.1.  thou mayst be no longer Steward. The Text saith, that, the evil Steward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was first accused to his Master, that he wasted his goods, and then he was called to his reckoning. Even so shall all blind guides, dumb Dogs, unfaithful Stewards, Idol Shepherds, & slothful loiterers, first be accused to God, and then called to their accounts: who shall be their accusers every slothful and unfaithful Steward, of what calling soever he be, shall have three accusers. 
Rom. 2.15.  The first is, their own conscience, for that will be as good as a thousand witness, 
Juvenal.  Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem. A corrupt conscience is called a continual Hangman: 
Gen. 4.7.  it is sin laying at the door of our hearts, it is called of the Prophet Esay, a Worm that never dieth, and a Sea which always rageth without rest: 
Isa. 66.24. 1. Tim. 4.2.  of Paul, a fearing with a hot Iron: and in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 
Hebr. 10.26.  a terrible looking for of judgement, and violent fire to devour the adversaries: and therefore, as often as they call to mind & remember, how, they have eaten the fat, 
Ezech. 34.3.4.  & clothed themselves with the Wool, but that they have not fed the Sheep, nor strengthened the weak, nor healed the sick, nor bound up the broke, nor brought again that which was driven away, nor sought up that which was lost, but have ruled their slocks with rigour and cruelty: this corrupt conscience, 
Rom. 2.15.  will be as good as a thousand witnesses, to accuse & condemn them before the throne of God. 
Isa. 57.21. 2. Tim. 1.7. Sap. 17.10.11.  There is no peace to the wicked, the Lord hath said it, but they shall carry in their breasts fear & terror, & tormenting furies, continually citing them before the tribunal seat of Christ. And if there be any which with vain pastimes and pleasures of this world, do drive away the remembrance of God's judgements for a time, yet are they never the better for it: for, although they seem to rejoice, yet as Solomon sayeth, 
Pro 1.14.13. & 20.17.  Even in the laughing, the heart is sorrowful, and the mirth doth end in heaviness. Although the bread of deceit be sweet in the mouth, for a while, yet in the end, the mouth shallbe filled with Gravel: although for a time, they live without remorse of conscience, 
Luke. 11.21.  and the strong man doth so possess all things, that all things seem to be quiet, yet in the end they shall be never the better for it, no more than the stall fed Ox is the better, because he knoweth not that he is taken out to the slaughter house, for a sudden death will have the greater fear. 
1. Cor. 1.12.  And therefore good brethren, let every one of us endeavour as much as we can, to keep the testimony of a good conscience, for as of all the treasures and pleasures in the world, a quiet conscience is the greatest, 
Pro. 15.15.  as Solomon saith, a good conscience is a continual feast, so it is the greatest horror in the world, to make Shipwreck of a good: conscience: 
1. john 3 21.  for if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and therefore let every one of us labour faithfully and painfully in the Lord's Harvest, let us as good stewards, give unto the household their portion of meat in due season, that whensoever we must leave our flocks, we may every one of us, in the testimony of a good conscience, say as Paul said to the Elders of Ephesus. 
Act. 20.26.27  I take you all to record, this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have kept nothing back, but have showed you all the counsel of God. The second witness which shall accuse thee, if thou be an evil Steward, is, the cry of the poor people, which by thy negligence, are pinched with the famine of the word of God: 
Amos. 8.11.  for if in plaguing of the body of goods, that be true, which the wiseman saith, 
Ecclc. 35.15.  that the tears which run down from the widows cheeks, go up into heaven, and the Lord which heareth them doth accept them: and that which james saith. 
jam. 5.4.  the cry of the poor doth enter into the ears of the Lord of Hosts, and that which David affirmeth, that, 
Psal. 56.8.  God doth put the tears of his Saints in his bottle: how much more shall the tears and the cry which cometh by the plaguing of the soul, go up into the ears of the Lord of Hosts? when the People shall hunger & thirst, for the food of Godsword, & thou hast none to give them? when they shall cry for their portion of meat, and thou hast none, neither for thyself nor for them. This cry goeth up into heaven, and the Lord which heareth it, doth accept it, & when he calleth thee to thy reckoning, he will one day remember it. The third witness which shall accuse all evil Stewards, is, the hurt & damage which is done in the Lord's Harvest by their negligence: 
Gen 4.10.  for, if the voice of the blood of Abel, did cry out of the earth for vengeance, and if in building of houses, with the oppression of the poor, one stone do cry unto another, 
●bac. 2.11.  & one beam cry against an other, woe be to him that buildeth of blood: How much more shall the blood of the souls of men, & the maintaining of our wealthy estates, by the perishing of so many souls, cry continually out of the earth, to the Lord for vengeance And thus, if thou be an unfaithful and negligent Steward, thou hast three accusers, continually citing thee, before the throne of God, and the Lord which heareth their accusations, will one day call thee to thy reckoning, when he himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, 
1. The. 4.16.17.  and with the voice of the Archangel, & with the trumpet of God, and thou shalt meet him in the Clouds, where thou shalt see heaven above thee: ready to receive the saints of God, Hell beneath thee, gaping to devour thee, round about thee, the world burning, & the Elements melting with heat: thine own sins on the one side of thee, and the sins of all those which have perished by thy negligence, on the other side of thee: behind thee the Devil, ready to accuse thee: within thee a conscience already condemning thee, and before thy face, the terrible judge, accompanied with thousands of Angels, calling thee to give an accounts, of thy Stewardship. And if it be found, that, 
Luke. 12.48.45.46.  thou hast not given to the Household of God, their portion of meat in due season, but hast smitten thy fellow servants and given thyself to eat and drink, 
Math. 25.30.  and to be drunken, then most assuredly thou shalt be cut off, and have thy portion with the unbelievers: thou shalt be cast as an unprofitable servant, 
Mark. 9.44. Ezech. 34.1. 1. Cor. 9.16. Luk. 16.26. Apoc. 14.11.  into utter darkness, where shall be weeping & gnashing of teeth, where the worm never dieth, and the flame never goeth out, where woes thou shalt find on every side, and nothing but woes, and of all woes this is the greatest, that there shallbe no end of thy woes. Where thou shalt always consume, and yet never be consumed, always burn, and yet never be burnt away, always die, and yet never give over to death, but have pains unquenchable, intolerable, easeless, endless, and hopeless, from the which the Lord of his infinite mercy, for his son Christ his sake, deliver us all, and give us grace so to use our Talents, in this vale of misery, that when our accounts shallbe made, we may be found acceptable in his sight, and here that joyful saying: O ye good and faithful servants, 
Math. 25.21.23.34.  ye have been faithful in little, I will make you Masters of much: enter into the joys of your Lord, come ye blessed of my father, possess the kingdom prepared for you, from the beginning of the world.  
Thus dearly beloved, ye see the third property which is required in him that shall labour in the Lord's Harvest, that, 
Luk. 12.46.45  he must be diligent, and that if he let any perish, for want of food, then doth he smite his fellow servants, and murder them with a murder, which before God is of all others most horrible: and therefore, if when we have murdered a man, although it be but by chance medley, yet the remembrance of it doth grieve us, vex us, terrify us, torment us, and make our flesh to quiver, shake and tremble: how much more ought ye to avoid the wilful murder of so many thousand souls, which perishing by your wilful negligence and ignorance, 
2. Thes. 1.8.9.  because they know not God, are thrown headlong into everlasting perdition? and if the blood of men that are slain, being behoulden with the eyes of the body, doth move pity and compassion, how much more ought it to grieve the eyes of your hearts and spirits, to see the bloodshed of the souls, 
2. Sam. 22.15.  which bringeth death eternal? When David in the Harvest time, being in the Cave of Adullam, did greatly long to drink of the water of Bethlehem, & said, O that some man would give me to drink of the waters of Bethlehem, there could not well any water be fetched, because the Garrison of the Philistines, which were David's enemies were then in Bethlehem. Notwithstanding, when three of David's mighty Captains, saw how greatly their King longed for that water, they valiantly broke through the Host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the Well of Bethlehem, and brought it unto David: when David saw what they had done, he refused to drink of it, and said. O Lord be it far from me, that I should do this, Is not this the blood of the men, which went in danger of their lives? And so he would not drink of it, but powered it out for an offering unto the Lord.  
Now if David would not drink once of the water of Bethlehem, because it was brought unto him, with the jeopardy of three men's lives, how much less ought ye not only to eat and drink, but also to clothe yourselves, yea and delight yourselves in pastimes and pleasures, not once, but every day, not with the danger of three men's lives, but with the manifest murder of so many hundred souls?  
And therefore as in the Solemnisation of Matrimony in this Church of England, the Minister doth first charge the parties that are to be married, as, they will answer at the dreadful day of judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, that if either of them do know in themselves any impediment, why they may not lawfully be joined together in Matrimony, that they confess it. Even so I am to charge you, before the Lord jesus Christ, and as you will answer at his appearance, that, if any of you do know in yourselves any secret impeachment, that either ye want the inward calling, not to respect the living, but to do good in the Church of God, or else that ye have not the gifts of Nature, fit for that function, or that ye feel not yourselves so mortified with the spirit of sanctification, that ye have good hope to live according to your profession, to despise the world, and painfully to discharge your duties, that ye utter it, or at the least wise withdraw yourselves from rashly entering into so high a calling. Otherwise assure yourselves, that ye do nothing else, but pluck the vengeance of God upon your own heads.  
But some of you say, that, ye have no other way to live, and therefore unless ye ●e nows made Ministers, ye must needs he brought to extreme beggary. I answer, 
Ps. 33 19 & 34 8. & 112.1. ●. 3.  that if the Lord be willing to deliver you from poverty, he is able to deliver you, and he will deliver you by a far more lawful means, if ye will serve him and fear him, 
1 Tim. 1.5. 1. Pet. 3.16.21. Tit. 1.15.  and although he should never bring you out of it, yet how much better were if for you, to live here in perpetual beggar is, with a quiet conscience, then with the best benefice in this Realm, to have a hell in your consciences, in this world, and everlasting death in the world to come; for then, 
Mar. 8.36.37.  what will it profit a man, to win the whole world, and lose his own soul, or what shall a man give for his soul? ye must remember the counsel which Paul giveth to Timothy: 
1. Tim. 5.22. Psalm. 38.4.  not to be partakers of other men's sins: our own sins are a burden, too heavy for us to bear, and altogether intolerable, than what a desperate case are we in, if we do also charge and load ourselves with a heap of sins committed by other men? 
Ezech. 3.18.  whose blood must be required at our hands, if they be not diligently lie warned and reclaimed from their wickedness, that they may repent & live.  
The fourth property, which must be in the labourer, is, that, he labour with both hands, that is, both with life and doctrine, for otherwise, if he be painful in teaching, and have no care to express the same in life and conversation, then doth he but build with the one hand, and pluck down with the other: with the one hand he gathereth together, and with the other hand he scattereth abroad, and then he is no good labourer in the Harvest of the Lord, and therefore Saint Paul biddeth Timothy, 
1. Tim. 4.15. Act. 20.28.  take heed unto himself, and to his doctrine, and continue therein: for, in so doing, he should save himself, and then that heard him. And he willeth Titus, 
Tit. ●. 7.  above all things, to show himself an ensample of good works, with uncorrupt doctrine, with gravity and integrity, and with the wholesome word which cannot be reproved, that he which withstood him, might be ashamed, having nothing against him to speak evil of: and for this cause, there was placed in the breast Plate, upon Aaron's heart, urim and Thummim, that is, 
Exod. 28.3.  light and perfection: to signify, that, he should not only have light in knowledge, but also integrity in conversation: for this cause also, God giveth the Law in Leviticus, that, 
levit. 21.7.14 18.  the Priest shall in no case, take to wife an Whore, neither marry any woman that is polluted, but that, he shall take a Maid to wife, and so be holy unto his God: and in the same Chapter, he will have his Priests to have no blemish in their body, neither any misshapen members: whereby is foreshadowed and signified, the perfectness which ought to be in their lives and conversations: for otherwise, if they preach the word of God, and have no care to reform their lives thereafter, then are they not gatherers, 
Luk. 11.23. Psal. 50.16.  but scatterers, and God will say unto them, as he saith by the Prophet David. What hast thou to do, to declare mine ordinances, that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? seeing thou hatest to be reform, and hast cast my words behind thee. When thou seest a Thief, thou runnest with him, and hast been partaker with the adulterers, thou givest thy mouth to speak evil, and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit, thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, and slaunderest thine own Mother's son, and therefore what hast thou to do to preach my laws, or to take my covenant in thy mouth? A Wall hath on either side great squared stones, and in the midst small pebbles, & gravel, if one of the great stones which uphold the building, do slip away, than all in the midst will soon clatter after. The square stones, of the Wall of God's building, are on the one side the Magistrates, and on the other side the Ministers: if one of these do fall away, then are they guilty not only of their own condemnation, but also of the blood of as many as perish by their fall and evil ensample, and therefore we ought all to pray unto God continually, that he will give us grace so to reform our lives, that we may every one of us, say unto our flocks, as Saint Paul said unto the Phillipians. Brethren, 
Phil. 3.17.  be ye followers of men, and look on them which walk so even, as ye have us, for an ensample, for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now I tell you weeping: that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: assuring ourselves, that although we talk never so much, yet unless with our talking, we join walking, and so by our lives and conversations, give ensample to our flocks: we are nothing but enemies of the cross of Christ, we cause the Gospel of Christ to be evil spoken of, we draw from Christ both ourselves and others, and throw both them and us, into the pit of perdition, and then are we like unto that Idiot, which standing on the Sea shore, and seeing strangers passing by, doth cry aloud unto them, away, away, the tide is at hand. The travailers looking back, and seeing the Fool to stand still, they begin to say amongst themselves. Surely, the man doth but jest, if this were the time of the tide, he would surely pack away himself, we need not to make any such haste: but by and by, the Tide cometh indeed, and overwhelmeth both the negligent fool, and the careless Horesemen. Even so, if we say unto the people: The Tide cometh, do this, or thou canst never be saved, do this, or else thou art damned for ever: and in the mean time, stir no foot ourselves, the common people seeing our careless negligence, they strait way murmur amongst themselves. If these heavy judgements of God were true, they would amend themselves, and thereupon they begin to be careless also, and so in the end, both are overwhelmed, 
Apoc. 21.8. Isa. 30.33.  not with the waves of the Sea, but with the Lake burning with fire and Brimstone, which is the second death, and with Tophet, the burning whereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord, like a River of Brimstone doth kindle it. (Then dearly beloved) If we teach well, and live well, 
Chris. in Math. 23.  we are become judges of all men: but if we teach well and live ill, we are become condemners, 
Rom. 2.1.  both of ourselves and others, for by teaching well, and living well, we teach other men how they shall live, but by teaching well, and living ill, we teach God how he shall condemn us, and therefore, let every one of us, endeavour to follow, not the ensample of the pharisees, which bind heavy burdens, 
Math. 23.4.  and lay them upon other men's shoulders, but they themselves, will not so much, as put too, one of their least fingers: but the ensample of the holy Apostle Saint Paul, 
1. Cor. 9.27.  to beat down our bodies & to bring them into subjection, lest by any means, after we have preached unto to others, we ourselves become reprobates, 
1. Pet. 5.3.4.  that we may be ensamples to the flock (as Peter saith,) that when the chief Shepherd shall appear, we may receive the incorruptible crown of glory, which Christ jesus hath prepared for them which love him. I speak not this good brethren, to accuse any man, nor yet to excuse myself, the Lord is my witness. For I acknowledge myself above all others, to be a most miserable and wretched sinner, the Lord be merciful unto me, and to us all, and give us all grace hereafter, so to a mend our lives, that by our evil ensample, none be compelled to start back from the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ. But howsoever we of the ministery are not able fully to express our doctrine in our lives and conversations, as, we are not Angels, but men, and therefore being flesh and blood, may fall and do fall, and have sundry imperfections, yet good people, this aught to be no cause, why ye should challenge unto yourselves any more liberty, to wallow in sin and wickedness. For although the Minister were most wilfully bend to work all uncleanness, even with greediness, yet, if he sit in Moses' Chair, 
Math. 23.3. Chris. in Math. 23.  if he be called to be your Pastor, ye must follow the exhortation of Christ himself, to observe whatsoever by God's word they command you, but not to do after their works. For, as Chrisostome saith, upon that place, Si bene vixerent, etc. If they shall live well, it is their own gain, if they shall teach well, it is your gain, then take ye yours, and do not curiously meddle with that which appertaineth unto others. The Earth is vile, the Gould is precious, will any man despise the precious gold, because the earth is vile? No, but as the gold is taken, and the earth left, so take ye the doctrine, and refuse the manners. The Bees have no need of the stalk, but of the flower, so take ye the Flower of exhortation, and let the unprofitable stalk of conversation wither away. If thou thirst for the heavenly food of God's word, refuse not the good and comfortable Wine, because it cometh out of a Tréene or Earthen Vessel. Although the Rose be compassed about with many briars and Nettles, yet do not thou therefore refuse the sweet Rose, the savour of life unto life, to those that shallbe saved: if thou travail in a way that thou knowest not, yet if a Cripple by the high ways side do show thee which way thou shalt turn, refuse not thou to go thy way, although the Cripple be not able to remove an intche from his place. Although the Carpenters which make the Ark be drowned, yet do thou, with the faith of Noah, enter into the Ark, and thou shalt be saved. 
Math. 2.6.  Although, neither Scribe nor Pharisie, nor Herode, nor any of the people in jerusalem, will bear thee company to Bethlehem, to worship the Babe jesus: yet if the Priests do show thee where thou shalt find him, follow thou the wisemen, 
Luke. 10.34.  and go alone. Although, both Priest and Levit, pass by the wounded man, and show no mercy at all, yet be thou that poor lay-man, that pitiful Samaritan, which bond up his wounds and powered in Oil and Wine, and brought him to an Inn, and made provision for him. 
1. Cor. 13.1.  Although, thy Teacher, speaking with the tongue of an Angel, and having no love, be nothing else, but as sounding Brass, and as a tinkeling simbal, and therefore do nothing profit himself, for a simbal or Harp, heareth nothing itself, yet may he comfort thee, when thy mind is in heaviness, if thou hast a lively faith, to believe and apprehend the sweet promises of jesus Christ, which by him shall be uttered. 
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 Channel is made, nothing more fruitful, yet the Garden which is watered by it, doth bring forth fruit more plentifully. Although the Scribes and pharisees, will put no finger to the burden, yet take up the Yoke of Christ and learn of him, that he is meek, and lowly in heart, and thou shalt find rest for thy soul. 
Aug. contra litteras petiliani Donatistae cap. 27. tom. 7 Pag. 71.  Pontifex Caiphas persecutor unius, 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 Lord and Saviour? yet if he speak not from himself, but from God, 
john. 11.51. &. 18.14.  and Prophecy of Christ, that he must die for the people. We must not therefore despise, or renounce Christ, because God doth compel even the wicked, to confess him: Nay, what though it be Satan himself, which confesseth Christ to be the son of God, 
Luke. 4.34.41  and calleth him jesus of Nazareth, the holy one of God? yet we must not contemn or refuse the son of God, because he compelleth the Devil and his Angels, to acknowledge him. But rather much more we ought to fear that omnipotent God, which so ruleth all things, with his mighty hand, that even those whom he doth not govern with his spirit, yet he doth bridle them with his power.  

Math. 11.29.  Although, thou be taught or Baptized by judas, yet do thou lay hold upon the blood of jesus Christ, 
Mark. 16.16.  and thy sins are forgiven thee. Quos Baptizavit judas, 
Aug.  baptizavit Christus. Whom judas baptized, Christ baptized, for the dignity of the word and Sacraments, doth not depend upon the person of the Minister, which may be wicked, but upon the promises of God, which cannot deceive. But thou wilt say peradventure, they which live ill be Thorns, and how can a man gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? 
Aug. de pact. cap. 10. tom. 9 Pag. 731.  Augustine doth answer very well. The Grape doth hang indeed amongst the Thorns, but not of the root of the Thorns, for it hangeth only of the root of the Vine. Even so the doctrine which is taught unto them, although it hang amongst the Thorns of many vices, in the Minister, yet it groweth not on the root of those vices, but on the root of the word of God, and the Gospel of jesus Christ: then if thou desire to taste the sweet grape of the Gospel of Christ, Lege unam inter spinas pendentem, sed de vite nascentem: Gather the Grape, hanging indeed among the Thorns, but growing on the Vine jesus Christ. It is a lamentable case to consider, how in these our days, the Devil hath so bewitched the hearts of so many, that in all their assemblies, Feasts and meetings, they have nothing almost in their mouths, but the lives of the ministers, the lives of the Preachers: And if they can espy any fault in the world, then of a Moat, to make a Bearne, and of a Hillock a Mountain: And look who of all men, are, the filthiest Whoremongers, the most blasphemous swearers, the most dissolute Gaymesters, the rankest ruffians, the most cruel oppressiours of the poor, the greatest spoilers of the goods of the Church, wherewith the Ministers should do good and keep Hospitality, they are of all other most busy, in displaying the faults of the ministery, which is only the devise of Satan, to draw them from the consideration of their own sins, lest they should repent and live: whereas indeed they should first, 
Math. 7.5.  pluck out the beam out of their own eyes, and then should they better see to pluck out the Mote out of their brother's eye. We have a Wallet cast over our shoulders, in the end before us, we put the sins of our Ministers, and of our neighbours, in the end behind us, we put our own sins, 
Psalm. 38.4. &. 51.3.  and then, Non videmus manticae quod in tergo est. But good brethren, if ye will be true Christians, ye must learn to turn the Wallet, setting your own sins before your face, and casting behind your backs, the offences of your neighbours and pastors, and although some of your Ministers have not the grace to live as they ought to do, yet ye must rather honour the bad for the good, then despise the good for the bad: And if any thing be amiss in them, the way is not to amend it, with vile and reproachful slanders: but your remedy is only to fly unto God, by fervent and hearty prayer, praying always the Lord of the Harvest, that he will power upon them the dew of his holy spirit, and make them fruitful labourers in his Harvest, that they may not gather with the one hand, and scatter with the other, but labour profitably with both hands, both with word and life, 
Tit. 2.7. 1. Tim. 4.16. Exod. 28.3.  with urim and Thummim, with light and perfection, with exhortation and conversation: And here cometh in the last part, which containeth the duty, both of Minister and people, to fly unto God by prayer, that seeing the Harvest is great, and the labourers are but few, we should pray unto the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth labourers into his Harvest: where first we must learn, what those labourers were, for whom our saviour would have them pray, to be sent forth into the Lord's Harvest. They are set down all in one verse, by Saint Paul, 
Ephe. 4.11.  some Apostles, some Prophets, others Evangelists, others Pastors, to the knitting together of the Saints, to the work of the Ministry, and to the building of the body of Christ. 
The seven Popish orders.  Then to be a labourer in the lords Harvest, is not, to chant and bleat in Quires: it is not, to jangle the Bells, and to look to the Vestery, as was in time past the office of the Porter: it is not, to read and sing lessons, and to hollow bread, and all green fruit, as was the charge of the Reader: it is not, to Charm or to Conjure, as was the office of the Exorcist: it is not, to carry Candlesticks and light Tapers, as the Acolites: it is not, to provide water against Mass, to wash the corporasse clothes, to vow chastity, to give the Chalice & cover to the Deacon, as the Subdeacons: it is not, to serve at the Altar, & to read the Gospel, for the quick and the dead, as was wickedly placed for the office of Deacons: it is not, to mumble up Masses, and to offer up sacrifice, for the quick and the dead, as the shaveling Priests: it is not, to sit Imperiously, with the Majesty of a Triple Crown, and to dispose kingdoms, nor to bear a Crosier staff, and bless, and challenge power to give the holy Ghost, & remit sins at their own pleasure, as the Pope and his Bishops: it is not, to wear a Cardinal's Hat, nor to live unto themselves, and their own bellies, as the swimish Cloister men, Abbots & Priors, monks & Friars: it is not, to serve men's humours, as elbow Chaplains, but, to be a labourer in the Lord's Harvest, is, 
Phil. 2.25. Act. 14.14. 1. Cor. 11.4. Acts. 13.1. Acts. 21.8. 2. Tim. 4.5.  to feed the flock of Christ, with the heavenly food of his blessed word, as did the Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists, in the primitive Church & as is now required of Pastors & such Elders or Bishops, which are appointed as watchmen over certain flocks & congregations, to rule and govern the same, by the preaching of the Gospel, 
Tit. 1.5.7. Acts. 20.28.  by the administering of the Sacraments, & by the exercising of Ecclesiastical discipline, & of the Doctors, whose charge is especially to expound the right sense & understanding of the Scriptures, & to instruct those which are Catechumenoi in the points & principles of christian religion.  
But what need we of these Pastors & Doctors, Obiectio. 1 seeing that the holy ghost is promised to be our Doctor, 
john. 16.13. joel. 2.28.  to lead us into all truth? I answer, that although it be the peculiar office of the holy Ghost, to lighten us within, & to lead us into all truth, yet the outward ministery of the word, is necessary, because God useth the same as an inferior, & a secondary mean to bring us thereunto. The light of the sum can nothing help blind eyes, nor the lowdenes of the sound, profit deaf ears, no more can the word, pierce the hardness of the heart, unless it be mollified, by God's holy spirit: but both must go together, first, to have the eyes opened, and then the Sun to shine and give light: and therefore, the spirit of God and his word, are by Christ, both joined together, when he saith to his Disciples, 
john, 15.26.  the Comforter shall come, and teach you all things, Quaecunque dixi vobis: whatsoever I have told you: where you see how with the working of the holy ghost, he joineth his word, No Text, no gloze, no Scripture, no spirit. What then shall we say, to that place of Saint john: Ye know all things, Obiectio. 2 
1. joh. 2.20.27.  the anointing which ye have received, dwelleth with you, and you need not that any man should teach you, therefore it should seem to be peerless, to have any labourers in the Lord's Harvest. But john writeth not this unto them, to signify that they had no need of teaching, (for then to what purpose should he have written his Epistle unto them, if they had no need of teaching?) but he showeth them, that, they were not rude Scholars, and altogether ignorant, but well skilled, and of great knowledge in the matters which he propounded unto them: and therefore, that he did not so at large set forth these points, as though they were altogether unknown unto them, but that he did only bring these things to mind, that they might remember them, as Peter saith. 
2. Peter. 1.12.  I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though that ye have knowledge and be established in the present truth. Another doubt may arise of that place in jeremy, where the Lord saith thus: Obiectio. 3 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, 
jerem. 31.34.  and every man his brother: saying. Know ye the Lord: for they shall know me from the least, even to the greatest, this is meant of the state of the Church, under the new Testament, & therefore there needeth no labourers in this harvest. I answer, that indeed God maketh there a comparison, betwixt, the people under the Law, and the other under the Gospel, that, the light of the Gospel of Christ, should be common and familiar unto all, whereas in the law it was darkly figured by types and shadows. But he sayeth not, simply, that there shall need no more teaching: but he addeth saying: Know the Lord, they shall no more need to be taught the first A.B.C. and first Principles of Christian religion, 
Gala. 4.1.  as the old fathers, which were as young Children, ignorant of the first rudiments: but they shall have greater knowledge, and yet notwithstanding, diligently endeavour to go forward more and more, 
Isa. 2.3.  and say, as is in the Prophet, Come and let us go up into the Mountain of the Lord, into the house of the God of jacob, and he will teach us his ways: then this is a perpetual decree and ordinance of Christ, under the Gospel, that, his people should be taught from time to time, 
Rom. 10.14.  that, so●, faith may come by hearing, and hearing, by the word preached: and because none can preach, unless they be sent, we must continually bear in mind, this commandment of our Saviour Christ that, we pray unto the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth Labourers into his Harvest.  
Which commandment, because Christ gave it in this place, to his 70. Disciples, Let us of the Ministry, first apply it to ourselves, and learn here our duty, which is, that with all labours, we join our prayers, unto the Lord of the Harvest. For, if in temporal things, nothing can prosper, without the blessing of the Lord, as the Prophet David saith. 
Psal. 127.1.  Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build: except the Lord keep the City, the watchmen watcheth but in vain. It is in vain for you, to rise up early, and to lie down late, and to eat the bread of carefulness, as we see by experience every day, many rise early, and lay down late, and eat the bread of carefulness, but they prosper not, because the Lord doth not build the house: & if worldly riches be the blessing of the Lord, as Solomon saith: it is the blessing of the Lord which maketh men rich, & if in fishing in the Sea, 
Luke. 5.5.  Peter may fish all night, & catch nothing, until our Saviour Christ, vouchsafe to come into the barge: them how much less shall we think that we can build the Lords house, or watch over the flock of Christ, or gather a rich harvest unto the lord, or catch the souls of men with the spiritual net of god's word, unless with our rising early & lying down late, & eating the bread of carefulness, we always, let our prayer & supplication be made to God, with thanksgiving. 
Phil. 4.6. job. 31.27.  Jobe saith: If my heart did flatter me in secret, or if my mouth did kiss mine hand, this had been an iniquity, to be condemned, for I had denied the Lord above: where job maketh the ascribing of our temporal goods, to our own handy work and saying. Haec sunt opera manuum mearum: these are the works of mine own hands, to be nothing else, but a denying of the Lord above: How much more than do we deny the Lord above, if in spiritual graces we do not confess and acknowledge, that it is nothing for Paul, 
1. Cor. 3.6. 2. Cor. 3.5.  to Plant, and Apollo to water, except the Lord do give the increase, that we are not sufficient of ourselves, to think one good thought, as of ourselves, but all our sufficiency cometh of God, who hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament: that, 
Isa. 6.5.7. Ierm. 1.6.9.  the Prophet isaiah is a man of polluted lips, benfore the Lord do purge them: that jeremy is but a Child and cannot speak, before the Lord do put his words into his mouth: and therefore, that in all our endeavours, we trust not to our own wisdom, to our own learning, to our own policy, to our own gifts of nature, but that in all our labours, we do in fervency of spirit, 
Psalm. 51. 1●.  pray with David, O Lord open thou my lips, and then my mouth shall show forth thy praise. Here also, in that our Saviour doth command his Disciples, to pray the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth labourers into his Harvest: we have to consider, the tender care which every Minister ought to have of the Church of God, still to pray unto God for the same, and not only to pray unto God, but also with great grief of heart, to remember, as well, the small number of the faithful labourers, as also the great number of the people's sins? This vehement zeal and tender care for the Harvest of the Lord, was in Moses, when he prayed so earnestly for the people, that he said: 
Exod. 32.32.  O Lord pardon their sins, or else raze me out of the book which thou hast written. 
Gen. 18 24.  This was in Abraham, for when he saw how the sins of the Sodomites had provoked the scourge of God against them, he prayed unto the Lord, and said. Lord if there be but fifty righteous in the City, wilt thou destroy the place, and not spare it for the fifty righteous? and again, behold I have begun to speak unto the Lord, and am but dust and Ashes. If there lack five of fifty, wilt thou destroy them for five? And again, what if but forty? And again, what if thirty? what if twenty? And again, let not my Lord be angry, if I speak once again? what if but ten: showing thereby sufficiently, the earnest zeal which he had, 
2. Pet. 2.7.  for the salvation of the people. This was in Lot, who was vexed with the unclean conversation of the wicked, for being righteous, and dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day, with their unclean and foul deeds. This zealous care for the Lords Harvest, was also in Samuel, 
1. Sam. 7.9. Psal. 119.136.  who cried unto the Lord for Israel: And in David, whose eyes gushed out with Rivers of water, because his people kept not the Law of God. This was in the Prophet isaiah: 
Isa. 22.4.  who in the abundance of love, bewailed his brethren, which would needs perish: saying, Turn away from me, I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, for the destruction of the Daughter of my people. 
Ierm 9.1. jerem. 14.17.  This was in jeremy, who cried out: O that my head were full of Water, and mine eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I might weep day and night, for the slain of the daughter of my people. Let mine eyes drop down tears night and day without ceasing. 
Dan. 9.7.16.18.19.  This was in the Prophet Daniel, who when he heard out of jeremy, that the Captivity should continue seventy years, he turned his face unto the Lord, with fasting, with Sackcloth and Ashes, and prayed: saying. To thee O Lord, belongeth righteousness, to us open shame and confusion. O Lord I beseech thee, let thine anger be turned away from thy City jerusalem, thine holy Mountain. We do not present ourselves unto thee, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy great and tender mercies. O Lord hear, O Lord forgive, O Lord consider, and do it, not for our sake, but for thine own sake, O my God.  
This was in the holy Apostle saint Paul, 
Acts. 20.31. Phil. 3.18. Rom. 9.1.  who ceased not to warn every man, both day and night, with Tears, and he called God to witness, that he spoke the truth, how he had great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart for his brethren, and that for their sakes, 
Luk. 19.41.  he wished himself to be separate from jesus Christ. This was also in the chief Shepherd, our Saviour Christ, who when he beheld the City jerusalem, and the iniquity thereof, he wept over it, and cried out with grief of heart. O if thou hadst known, at the least, in this thy day, these things which belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes: and this aught to be in all the Ministers of Christ, to have a zealous and a tender care of the Church of God, which Christ hath purchased with his most precious blood, and therefore our Saviour doth here command his seventy Disciples, that in all their prayers, they should not have so much respect unto themselves, as unto the Harvest of the Lord, and biddeth them pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth labourers into his Harvest: And this is the duty, not only of the Minister, but generally of all men, 
Psal. 137.5.6.  to pray, for the peace of jerusalem, and the prosperous estate of the Church of God, 
Ephe. 6.19.  to pray, for the Ministers, that utterance may be given unto them, that they may open their mouths boldly, to publish the secret of the Gospel: to pray, 
2 Thes. 3.1.  that the word of God may have free passage, and be glorified among them: to pray, for their Pastors, 
Colos 4.3.4.  that God will open unto them the door of utterance, that they may so speak the Mysteries of Christ, as it becometh them to speak, to pray with David, that the Lord will be favourable unto Zion, 
Psa. 51.18.  and build up the walls of jerusalem: And finally, to pray here with the seventy Disciples that the Lord of the Harvest, will send forth labourers into his Harvest, and this shall every one of you perform a great deal more carefully, if ye will call to mind, either the great comfort which cometh unto you by the pains of faithful Labourers, or else the miserable estate that ye stand in, if ye want these Labourers. For first, what greater comfort can there be, to a travailer, being in a strange place, and among his enemies, then to be well armed, and to have a good weapon to defend him? Neither can there be any greater comfort to us, that, 
Psalm. 39.12.  are strangers and Pilgrims, in this vale of misery, and continually assaulted with most cruel enemies, the world, the flesh, and the Devil, then to be well weaponed, with the sword of the spirit, 
Ephe. 6.17. Hebru. 4.12.  the word of God, which shall cut down sin in us, and enter through, even to the dividing a sunder of the soul, and of the spirit, of the joints, and of the marrow. Then we ought always to pray with David. I am a stranger upon earth, 
Psal. 119.19.  O hide not thy commandment from me. What greater comfort to a man, which walketh in darkness, and in a daingerous place, 
Ephe. 5.8. Psa. 119.105. 2. Pet. 1.19. Ephe. 5.8.  then to have a light to be brought unto him? Neither can there be any greater comfort to us, which of ourselves are nothing but darkness (as Paul saith, then to have the word of God, a Lantern to our feet, and a Candle shining in a dark place: whereby we may be made light in the Lord, and walk as the children of light. What greater joy unto a poor man, then to shroud himself under the wings of some Nobleman or Gentleman, and to wear his Livery and Cognisance? neither can there be any greater joy to a true Christian, then to wear the Badge of a Christian, which is a zeal to hear the word of God, 
john. 8.47. 1. joh. 4.6. john, 10.27.  that hearing God's word, he may be known to be of God, and hearing the voice of Christ, may be known thereby, to be one of the Sheep of Christ, and therefore such a one, as can never perish. There is no man, but he would willingly be reconciled to his Landlord, or any other, which is able to hurt, either his body or goods: The Gospel of Christ is called, 
2. Cor. 5.19. Math. 10.28.  the word of reconciliation: whereby we are reconciled to him, which is able to destroy both body and soul, and cast both into Hell liar. No man but he would willingly be saved: 
jam. 1.21. Rom. 1.16. Isa. 12.3.  it is called the word of salvation, which is able to save our souls, and therefore, we ought with joy, to draw water out of the Wells of salvation: as the Prophet speaketh, there is no man but he would willingly be preserved from errors & falsehood: it is called, 
2. Cor. 6.7. john. 17.17.  the word of truth. No man but if he have any sparkle of grace, he would willingly be delivered from the bondage of sin & iniquity. It is, the Law of God, 
Psal. 19.7.11. &. 119.9.  which is perfect, & converteth the soul: the Testimony of the Lord, is sure, & giveth wisdom unto the simple: by them is the servant of God made circumspect: by teaching, improving, 
2. Tim. 3.16.  correcting & instructing, they make the man of god absolute & perfect in all good works There is no man, but if he have enemies, suing him at Law, for a piece of Land, he would gladly have the advise of good and learned Counsellors: our enemies seek to pluck from us, the kingdom of Heaven, and therefore our delight ought to be in the statues of God, for, they are our Counsellors, 
Psal. 119.24.  saith David: if we have any suit, we are desirous to know the end, how that judgement shall pass. Christ saith, If any man receive not my words. 
joh. 12.48.  Sermo quem locutus sum, judicabit eum in novissimo Die: the word which I have spoken, shall judge him the last day. There is no man, but if his Father have made a Will and Testament, and therein bequeathed unto him, any worldly goods or possessions, he will read the Will over and over again, to see what his father hath bequeathed unto him. But the Minister doth bring unto you, not the Testament of any mortal man, but, the Will and Testament of our Lord jesus Christ: 
Rom. 11 27. 2. Cor. 3.6. Hebru. 8.8. &. 9.15. 1. Pet. 1.18.  wherein he hath bequeathed unto you, not, temporal riches, but, the everlasting joys of Heaven, purchased, not, with Silver nor Gold, but, with his own precious blood: How much more then, ought ye to here, mark, and commit unto me morie, this Will and Testament, of our Lord and redeemer? When the Market day cometh, that we must provide for food and rayement for our bodies, we will apply it diligently, to our great costs and charges. Behold the Lord hath appointed many days, especially, the Sabbaoth days, to be the Market days of our souls, wherein we may freely provide for some thing, to the nourishment and comfort of our souls. What a great care then ought we to have, to resort unto the Church, 
Apoc. 3.18. Isa. 55. ●.  to buy Gould tried by the fire, that we may be rich, and white raiment, that we may be clothed, and as the Prophet saith, to buy Wine and Milk without Silver: and not so, to care for the body, which shortly shall be worms meat, that we have no care of the soul, which shortly shall be in the company of Angels. There is none of us, but he would willingly conceive some hope of eternal life: and this can never be, unless we have a desire, to sow in our hearts, 
Luke. 8.11.  the Seed of God's word. for, therefore, is the word of God called Seed, because in the Seed is all the hope of the Harvest. Sow little, reap little, sow sparingly, reap sparingly, sow nothing reap nothing, and therefore let us never think, that we can reap the Harvest of everlasting life, unless we have a care to sow in our hearts the Seed of God's word: for without faith, no man can be saved, neither can any man have faith, but, 
Rom. 10.14.  by hearing the word of God: for how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? or how shall they hear without a Preacher? Unless the ground do give Sap unto the Tree, the Tree must needs whither: 
john. 4.14. Math. 25.8.  Unless the Spring do Minister Water unto the River, the River must needs be dried up. If Oil be not still powered into the Lamp, the Lamp will go out, take Fish out of the water, it will die: to be brief, there is no living thing, but if ye take from it, the food and nourishment due unto it, it must of necessity die and perrishe: even so, the faith of a Christian: unless it receive Sap continually from the ground of God's word, and be watered with the Fountain of life, and have the Oil of the sweet promises of Christ, often powered into it, and be daily fed with the bread of God, 
john. 6.33.  which cometh down from Heaven and giveth life unto the world, it must needs be withered, dried up, & extinguished: it must needs die perish, and utterly consume for ever: If these things were duly considered, they would make us to hunger & thirst for the word of God, 
Psalm. 19.11.  and to account it, as David did, more to be desired then Gould, yea, than much fine Gould: sweeter also than the Honey and the Honey Combe: they would make us to say with the Prophet isaiah, 
Isa. 52.7. Rom. 10.15.  O how beautiful are the feet of them, which bring glad tidings of peace: And according to the commandment of Christ in this place, to pray to the Lord of the Harvest, 
Colos. 3.16.  to send forth Labourers into his Harvest, that, the word of Christ may dwell plentifully in us, in all wisdom: 
Hebr. 6.1.  whereby we may not only learn the Doctrine of repentance from dead works, and the first instructions of of faith towards God, but also to go on forward to perfection, and to go thorough all the chief principles of religion, so that we may be able always, 
1. Pet. 3.15.  to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us, for, this doth the word of God require of every Christian. If these reasons cannot stir up our hearts, so many sweet odours, and pleasant Flowers, more gorgeously clothed than Solomon in all his royalty. The ground yielding forth Grass for the cattle, and Herb for the use of man, 
Psalm. 104.10  and Wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and Oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart. The hiding of the treasures of the Snow, and bringing forth the hoary Frosts, 
Psa. 147.8.16.  the covering the heavens with Clouds, and bringing forth the winds out of their places. The wonderful workmanship of God in man, which is as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little world: Wherein the glory of the workman doth most appear, the mighty operation of God, both in man and Beast, as well in the sharpness of their senses, as in their stomach which digesteth all things, 
job. 12.7. Isa. 10.42.  and yet doth not digest itself, and sundry other such works of God: do show his power and Godhead, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make them in excusable which are Gentiles and know not God, 
Rom. 1.20.  and therefore the Prophet David saith. The Heavens declare the power of God: and the Firmament showeth the work of his hands: 
Psal. 19.1.  day unto day uttereth the same, and night unto night teacheth knowledge, there is no speech, nor language where their voice is not heard. Whose voice? the voice of the heavens, the Firmament, the unchaingeable course of day, night, Summer & Winter, their voice is heard every where, they preach the power of God. So that we cannot say: If we had known God, we would have feared him & served him: for the Heavens as David saith, are as it were, a line, & capital letter, to set before us the power & wisdom God: that knowing there is a God, if we will not fear him as God, 
Psal. 19.4.  we may be made all inexcusable: an other reason which Saint Paul useth, is, the law of nature, which God hath engraven in the hearts of men, whereby their own conscience, doth hear them witness, and their own thoughts either accuse or excuse, for, Nulla est tam barbara natio, 
Rom. 2.14.15 Cic. de not deor.  nulla gens tam efferata cui non insideat haec persuasio, esse Deum.  
And therefore, the most wicked, howsoever sometimes, they (foolishly) say in their hearts there is no God: 
Psalm. 14. ●  yet doth the fear & terror which they continually carry in their breasts, & the judgements of God which they daily see before their eyes, compel them, will they, nill they, to confess that there is a God in heaven, whom they have contemned. As we read of C. Caligula, 
Suetonius.  although he was a bloody tyrant and a most dasperate contenmer of God, yet when as by the terrible thundering and lightnings, he saw a token of God's wrath, he covered himself in corners, and crept under the Beds, for the fear and terror thereof. Whereof came this same but that his own conscience told him that there was a God above, whose voice he heard, and whom he had despised, & who in the end, would surely be revenged? By these reasons (good people) ye see that if ye want faithful labourers in the lords Harvest, yet your ignorance shall not excuse you, but that, 
Prou. 29.18.  where prophecy ceaseth, there the people perish, and the Lord will power out his vengeance, even upon them which by his word have never known him. For he saith by the Prophet, 
Ezech. 3, 18. &. 33.6.  If thou do not warn the wicked man of his sins, his blood will I require at thy hand, but he saith therewithal, that, the wicked shall die in his iniquity, the wicked is taken away for his sins, but his blood I will (also) require at the Watchemans' hands, so that both shall perish, both the negligent watchmen, & the ignorant people, both the blind leader, & the blind follower, as Christ saith, 
Math. 15.14.  If the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the Ditch. And therefore, seeing your ignorance doth not only not excuse you, 
2. Thes. 1.8. ●  but also throw you headlong into the pit of destruction, there to be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of God, and from the glory of his power, great cause ye have to lift up your hearts unto the Lord early and late, and continually to pray unto the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth labourers into his Harvest, and not only to pray for labourers, but also to pray that the labours and pains of the labourers, may be profitable unto you. 
Acts. 16.14.  For except the Lord do open the heart of Lydia, she cannot so much as mark those things, which Paul speaketh: Neither can the word of God any thing profit you, unless, with the planting of Paul, 
1. Cor. 3.6.  and watering of Apollo God do give the increase: and as the Prophet saith, 
Ezech. 11.19.  put a new spirit within your bowels, and take away your stony hearts, and give you hearts of flesh. And therefore whensoever the seed of God's word is sown in your hearts, pray unto God, that he will so water it with the dew of his holy spirit, that it may take such deep root, that Satan be never able to pluck it away: assuring yourselves, that the Devil doth go about nothing so diligently, as to keep you in ignorance and blindness, 〈◊〉 and to snatch the seed of the word, 
Luke. 8.12.  out of your hearts, lest ye should believe and be saved. When a man hath taken away the weapon from his enemy, then may he work his pleasure, and use him as he will Even so, if Satan can pluck away our weapon, The sword of the spirit, out of our hands, then may he handle us as he will, & when we know not the truth, 
Ephe. 6.17.  he may entangle us in his snares, & at his own will, draw us unto all wickedness and mischief, 
1 Tim. 2.25.26  and therefore, his chief endeavour hath ever been, to keep the people unarmed, and to maintain his Bulwark of ignorance & blindness: & for this cause, he sendeth his Messengers to sow this doctrine in the hearts of men, that, Ignorance is the mother of devotion: that, the Bible ought to be locked up, and nothing to be heard, but the traditions of his son the Pope: that, it is Heresy to hear the word of God: that, the people may indeed, come to the Church to be Christened, to be Married and to be buried, but in no case, to pray, or to hear the Gospel of Christ: And thus the God of this world hath blinded their eyes, that, 
2. Cor. 4.4.  the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, which is the Image of God, should not shine upon them. Others think, that, if they come to the Church orderly & customably to pray, that then they have gone far enough, & as for hearing the word of God, they make small accounts of it: & therefore if they can get such as can read them morning & evening prayer, they care for no other labourers in the Harvest.  
But these do not consider that which Solomon saith. He which turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shallbe abominable: 
Prou. 28.9.  although he patter up never so many prayers, yet unless he show therewithal a zeal to here the word of God, his prayer is abominable in the sight of God, & this is a plague of all plagues, that, that prayer whereby we should ask all good things at God's hands, that prayer shall be come abominable. another spiritual plague is: the taking away of the food of our souls, and the depriving us of the Gospel of Christ, which the Lord doth threaten to all the contemners of his word. 
Amos. 8.11.  Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that, I will send a famine in the Land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of God, and they shall wander from the North unto the West, from one Sea to another, they shall run too and fro to seek the word of God, and shall not find it: 
Math. 21.43.  And Christ doth threaten the jews, that, for their unthankfulness, the kingdom of God, the preaching of the Gospel should be taken from them, and given to an other nation which should bring forth the fruit thereof. And surely if we consider our own unthankfulness, in this Realm of England, we shallbe compelled to confess, that we have deserved long a go to have this plague to be brought upon us, that, the word of God should be taken from us, and given to an other nation, which shall bring forth the fruit thereof. For what one among a thousand hath any care for the heavenly food of his soul? what one among a thousand, doth pray earnestly to the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth labourers into his Harvest? Nay we are rather glutted with it, it is but a vile meat think we, 
Numb. 11.5.  we had rather, return into Egypt to feed on our Onions. Leeks, and garlic, then to taste of the sweet Manna, the word of the everliving God. 
john. 1.10.  The light came into the world, and men loved darkness more than light. The Lord of his abundant mercy, 
Luk. 19.42.44  open our eyes, that we may once see those things which belong to our peace, and know the time of our visitation, that by our unthankfulness we never deserve to have the glorious Gospel of Christ to be taken from us. Alas, dear brethren, we consider not the heavy judgements of God, which hang over our heads, and shall most certainly be powered upon us, unless we repent us of this our unthankful contempt of the word of God. It did nothing grieve the Sodomites, 
Gen. 19.16.  when Lot was departed from them. The old world made no account of it, 
Gen. 7.1.  when Noah the Preacher of righteousness, went from them, & entered into the Ark. 
Amo●. 7.10. Exod. 32.6. 1. Cor. 10.17.  All the land of jury was not able to abide the words of Amos: when Moses was away, then were the people of Israel all merry, they sat down to eat & drink, and rose again to play: And so also it is with us, we rather wish that these labourers which we have already, should be taken away, then that the number of them should be increased: we had rather have their absence, than their presence, their room then their company. But I beseech you consider how in the end they were all most miserably plagued: The Sodomites with fire & brimstone from Heaven. The old world, with the flood overwelming the whole earth. 
Exod. 32.27 2●.  The Israelites with a lamentable murder, staying every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. The jews with a miserable captivity in Babylon. for the cause of their destruction was only, the despising of the Prophets of God, as the Lord showeth by his Prophet. 
Ierm. 29.18.  I will persecute them with the sword, and I will make them a terror for all Kingdoms of the earth, and a curse and astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all nations, where I shall cast them, because they have not heard my words, saith the Lord. When I sent unto them my servants the Prophets, rising up early, and sending them, but ye would not hear, saith the Lord. But while they mocked the Messengers of God, and despised his word, and misused his Prophets, 
2. Chro 36.16  behold the King of the Chaldaeans coming with a fierce and terrible Army, broke down the Walls of their City, fired their Temple, burned all their Towers, destroyed Man, Woman and Child, so that none escaped death, but such as were led into captivity, and all the Gold and Treasures both of the Temple and of the Noble men was all carried away into Babylon. The Lord knoweth whether the like captivity be reserved for us or no: and, the Lord grant that the days of our Gracious Prince Elizabeth, be not shortened for our unthankfulness. There was never Country, that ever despised the Prophets of God, but it afterward felt the scourge of God, and shall we, which are most guilty of this sin, be only free from the punishment?  
No, no, it cannot be, but either we shall taste of a miserable Captivity in this world, or else of a far greater Captivity, 
2. Thes. 1.8.9.  when Satan shall lead both body and soul, into the bottomless pit of Hell, there to be punished with everlasting perdition, from the presence of God, and from the glory of his power.  
These things good people, if they were well pondered in our minds, they would make us continually to fly unto God, with fervent and hearty prayer, and to say with David. Blessed art thou O God, 
Psalm. 119.12 18 19 33 35 97 135.  O teach me thy Statutes: open mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy Law, teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes, and I will keep it unto the end, direct me in the path of thy commandments, for therein is my delight. O how I love thy law, it is my meditation continually, show the light of thy countenance upon thy servant, and teach me thy commandments: and they would make us carefully to perform this which our Saviour doth command his seventy Disciples: To brave the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth Labourers into his Harvest, and not only to pray for faithful Labourers, but also to put to our helping hands and to endeavour by all lawful means possible, to provide for such as shall painfully labour in the Harvest of the Lord: for otherwise, if we will in words seem to pray for them, and then indeed can not find in our hearts to bestow any penny upon them, that the Labourers may have their hire, that, they which sow unto you spiritual things, 
Math. 10.10. 1. Tim. 5.18. 1. Cor. 9.11.14 Gala. 6.6.  may in like manner reap of your carnal things: that they which preach the Gospel, may live of the Gospel, as the Lord hath ordained: then are our prayers nothing else but mockeries, and plain Hypocrisy before God: for outwardly we pray for them, but inwardly we are not touched with the want of the thing that we desire. Here then is a Lesson for all Latrones (as they are,) but patrons, as they should be, that in bestowing their livings, they seek not to enrich themselves by Sacrilege and Church robbery, nor yet to provide for such as will flatter them in their sins, and sow Pillows, under their Elbows, and cry: Peace, peace, where as no peace is, 
Ezech. 13.18. jerem. 23.30.  nor such as have sweet lips, and will pass and repass, under their arms, at their own pleasure, nor such as are dumb Dogs and cannot bark, blind guides and cannot see: 
Isa 56.10.  but that they travail to the uttermost of their power, to place faithful labourers in the Harvest of the Lord, or otherwise they are accessary to the murder of so many souls as perish. And here also is a lesson for you of the inferior sort, that seeing our livings are so spoiled by impropriations, that they are not able to maintain Preachers amongst you, for ye know, that we have but the chaff, and others the corn, we the pare, and other the Apples, we the shells and others the Kernels: and ye see how every day it waxeth worse & worse, so that, he now doth account him happiest, which can pill the Church most, yet ye must not follow their wicked and desperate ensample, but every one contribute something to the maintenance of some learned Pastor, to instruct you in the word of God, which is able to save your souls. Set not your minds so upon worldly things, 
Luke. 14.18.  as upon your Oxen, your Farms and your Wives, that in the mean time, 
Math. 13.46.  ye neglect the Heavenly Supper which is prepared for you by jesus Christ Ye must account the Gospel of Christ, to be that Precious Pearl, which when a Merchant man hath found it, he selleth all he hath to been it, 
Phil. 3.8. Math. 6.33.  ye must account all things but doonge, so that ye may win our Lord jesus Christ. Seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven, and then all things shall be given unto you. Spend not your substance in pride, riot, drunkenness and excess, to the destruction both of your souls and bodies, but bestow it to the glory of God, to the comfort of your brethren, to the godly relieving of your families, and to the salvation of your own souls. David saith, 
Psalm. 69. ●  O Lord the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: but we may say the zeal of our own houses, the pride and excessive riotousness of our own houses, hath eaten us up: but few of us can say with David. O Lord, the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. Especially, ye that are Landlords, and have all the sweet and fat of the earth, ye are to look unto it, that there be provision made for Labourers in the Lord's Harvest, and that ye bestow your portion liberally thereunto, for, what a great shame is it, that ye whom the Lord hath blessed with so great abundance, should prodigally spend it, all upon your own backs, all upon your own bellies, all upon your own Kitchens, all upon your own Stables, all upon hawking and Hunting, all upon Whores and Hounds: and nothing upon the Church of God, nothing upon the honour of your chief Lord in Heaven, nothing upon the common wealth, nothing upon your brethren in Christ dearly bought with the blood of Christ? And what a shame is it, that ye should account the livings of the Church to be your own, to give them, to buy them, to sell them, to farm them, at your own pleasures, & in the mean time, to think that the care of the Church doth nothing appertain unto you? As the Prophet requireth of Princes, 
Isa. 49 23.  so also all inferior Magistrates, aught to be nursing Fathers & nursing Mothers, to the church of God. Now the duty of a Nurse, is not only, to nurture and correct, but also to feed the Child. Then if justices of Peace, and Magistrates, will punish the people for their sins, as their murders, Thefts, and such other crimes, and in the mean time never see them fed with the sincéere Milk of God's word, than they are not nursing Fathers, and nursing mothers: but Stepfathers & stepmothers, for they beat, but they do not feed. Pharaoh was a cruel tyrant, yet when all his people were so oppressed with hunger, that they were compelled to sell their Cattle and ground for Corn, whereby all the Country was come into the King's hands, yet he would not only not suffer the Priests to sell their possessions, nor seek any gain by their hindrance, but also of his own costs, he provided for them: 
Gen. 47. ●  for the Text saith. The Priests had an ordinary of Pharaoh, and they did eat the ordinary which Pharaoh gave them, and therefore they did not sell their ground. jezabel, 
1. Reg. 18.9.  so provided for the Priests of the Groves, that she kept four hundred at her own Table. The papists have thought nothing too much to be bestowed on the maintenance of their foolish superstition, and all the Heathen people in the world are bountiful and liberal unto their Priests and Soothsayers: how much more than ought we Christians to be careful to provide not for idolatrous Massing Priests, nor Heathenish Soothsayers, but for faithful labourers in the lords Harvest to feed the flock of Christ which he hath purchased with his blood? for otherwise most certainly, the blind devotion of the Papists and Infidels, will condemn us, and it will be more easy for them, then for us, at the dreadful day of judgement: for as nothing ought to be more dear to the Minister, than his flock, that he may say unto them, 
Phil. 1.8. &. 4.1.  as Paul saith unto the Philippians. God is my record how I long after you all, from the very heart root, in jesus Christ, my brethren beloved and longed for, ye are my joy and my crown, continue in the Lord my beloved. So on the other side, the people should have joy in nothing, so much as in the Ministers, and therefore God saith to the Church, 
Isa. 49.17.18. 1. Thes. 5.13.  by the Prophet Esay. Thy builders make haste, as I live saith the Lord, thou shalt surely put them all upon thee, as a Garment, and gird thyself with them as a Bride: showing thereby that the joy and Crown of the Church, aught to be the good and godly estate of the builders thereof, that they may be able according to the word of God, 
1. Cor. 9.4.5. 1. Tim. 3.2.4. ●. Cor. 9.14.  not only, to sustain themselves with meat and drink, but to maintain a wife being a sister, as Paul saith, to keep Hospitality to the credit of their calling, to provide for their children, living under obedience, with all honesty, & in all points well and honestly, to live of the Gospel, and not to be brought to such miseryas they are now, in a manner, to beg from door to door. And thus ye see it is your duty, not only, to pray for faithful labourers, but to seek by all means possible, to maintain faithful Labourers: and likewise, to keep out all hirelings, thieves, and murderers: And therefore, you my Lord, are here also admonished, not to regard the pitiful and lamentable complaints of those which allege their charges heretofore, and their present poverty, that unless their sons be now admitted, they must needs take them from the School, and set them to the Plough and Cart, but to answer them, as Ulysses answered Andromache, entreating for her boy Astyanax: Thy tears O woman, move me much, but the tears of my countrywomen ought to move me more: your complaints, indeed, are lamentable, but much more pitiful are the tears of the Church the spouse of jesus Christ. And last of all ye that are the parents are here to learn, to weigh the gifts & ability of your children before ye seek to bring them into the Ministry. It is a common use & custom among you, if your children have any good gifts of nature, or any great token of towardliness, then to set them to some occupation, or to place them in service with some Gentleman: but if they be good for nothing, then to seek by countenance of letters, to make them Ministers to serve the Church of God, so that with the best ye will serve the world, and God must take that which is left, whereas indeed, ye ought to think none to good to serve the Lord: although, ye had but one, 
1. Sam. 1.22.  and him as dear unto you as Samuel was to Elcana and Anna: but to account it as King David did, a more honourable thing, to be a dorekeeper in the house of his God, 
Psalm. 84.10.  then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickedness: what more vile office than a dorekeeper? Yet David being a King, had rather be a door keeper in the house of his God, then to dwell in the Palaces and Tents of ungodliness. The scornful keeping back of the worthy, and the careless and impudent thrusting in of the unworthy is a manifest sign, that ye have not that care for the Lords Harvest, which ye ought to have, seeing that ye seek to place therein loiterers, thrust in by yourselves, and not labourers sent from God. Ye see by the words of Christ in this place, that none ought to labour in the Lord's Harvest, unless he be sent of God, which is the Lord of the Harvest, 
Rom. 10.15.  & therefore Paul saith: How shall they hear without a Preacher, or how shall they preach unless they be sent? No man taketh this honour unto him, but he that is called of God, even as Aaron was. 
Heb●. 5. ●.  Now they only are truly sent and called of God, which inwardly, have God the Author of their calling, and be fully persuaded in heart, that God hath chosen them to be fit Labourers, for the profit and benefit of his Church, & outwardly have the Church, or the Elders thereof, by the ordinance of God, to lay this office upon them. If any do thrust in themselves before they be thus sent of God, & do preach the word, or Minister the Sacraments, being either men which are not called, or women which may not be called to that public function, 
1. Tim. ● 11. 1●. Numb. 16.31.  they are no better than Core, Dathan and Abiram, who with two hundred & fifty men, offered Incense to the Lord, without calling, but the earth clave under their feet, and opening her mouth, swallowed up, both them and their Tabernacles, and a fire coming forth from the Lord, consumed the two hundred & fifty men, which offered the Incense: and therefore, although there be great want of Labourers in the Lord's Harvest, and few to Preach the word of God, yet none ought to intrude themselves, 
1. Thes. 5. ●1. jam. 5.19. Deut. ●. 7.  before they be called and sent of God, not only with the inward calling, but also with the outward. I speak this of the public office of the ministery, 
Gen. 18. 1●. josu. 24.15, Isa. 38 19 Ephe. 6.4.  for otherwise, every Christian is bound privately, to instruct his brother, and especially, every parent & householder is bound by the word of God, to be a Bishop in his own family, & hath charge not only of the body, but also of the soul. But in the public office of the Ministry, there is required an other manner of outward calling: first, 
Hebru. 13.17. 1. Thes. 5.11.  to be approved and allowed by the judgement of the Church, especially of those whom the Apostle doth call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which be over the people & have the oversight of the people, & therefore Paul will have in the Church a Seniory, or Eldership, which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, when he saith to Timothy: 
1. Tim. 4.14.  Despise not the g●if● that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with the laying on of hands of the company of the eldership: 
Acts. 6.2.  & when the Deacons were choose, the twelve called the multitude of Disciples together. For the which cause good people, ye see how my lord at this time hath done nothing of his own private judgement, but hath joined with himself a Seniory of the Preachers round about you, who have altogether in this church examined these which are now to be admitted for the space of these two or three days, and for that the consent of the common people is not to be neglected for (before the Deacons were chosen, the whole multitude was pleased: 
Acts. 6. ● ) therefore, there is none at this time admitted but he is approved & commended by the letters of sundry worshipful and others, which are best thought of, testifying both his good & godly conversation, & also the good liking which the people have of him in that place whereunto he is already called. And as for the rest, if any in those parishes can allege any cause, why any of these are not to be admitted, if they will speak, they shallbe heard, & if they speak not, than their silence is to be taken for a consent, especially seeing they have had knowledge so long before, as this business is not now taken in hand of a sudden, but long before known to all the Country.  
And here, as in matrimony, the congregation standing by, is deeply charged, that, If any man can show any just cause why the parties that are to be married may not lawfully be joined together, that he now speak, or else for ever hereafter hold his peace.  
Even so, that I may as it were, ask the Banes, betwixt these that are to be made Ministers, & their charge and office, I most earnestly request you all, as you will answer before the Lord jesus Christ, and as ye tender the Church of God, that If any of you can lay any thing to any of their charges, or show any just cause why they may not be received into the office of the ministery, that he speak now, or else for ever hereafter hold his peace, from speaking any ill of their admission.  
Now after their election, there must follow their ordering, which that it may be according to the word of God, there are two things required. 
Luke. 6.12. Acts. 1.24. &. 6.6.  First, fasting and prayer, and therefore our Saviour Christ before that he sent forth his Apostles, he went into the Mountain to pray, and spent the night in prayer to God. The Apostles in the choosing of Mathias, and in the appointing of the Deacons, made their prayers unto God: 
Acts. 13.3 &. 14 23.  Paul & Barnabas, were sent forth with fasting & prayer. And the second thing is, 
Acts. 8. 1●. &. 13.2 &. 14.22.  the laying on of hands, whereby they are as it were separate from private men, and sent forth unto the work, whereunto the Lord hath called them: which manner of ordaining, as it is plainly commanded and appointed by God, so is the number uncertain by whom it must be done, for that the Scriptures do make mention, sometimes, but of one, 
2. Tim. 1.6. 1. Tim. 5.22. Acts. 6.2.6. &. 13.1. 1. Tim. 4.14.  although (no doubt) there were no more adjoined: sometimes of the twelve, sometimes, of certain Prophets & Teachers, and sometimes of the signory or eldership, which seemeth most to appertain to the state of the church now present. But here a question may be moved: how the calling of the first reformers in the Church in this last age can be good, seeing they had no imposition of hands, but only of Popish Priests, which are no true signory? I answer, that, the manner of calling, must be considered according to the visible estate of the Church, which is either altogether corrupt, or else abiding safe and sound. If it be pure, then is the ca●ing ordinary, but if it be altogether corrupt, them an extraordinary vocation may have place, even according as it shall please God to raise up his servants, and to employ them, to reform the Church, and to bring her to her old purity. God is not always bound to ordinary means: 
1. Reg. 18 19  for when the ten Tribes of Israel, were altogether corrupted thorough their Idolatries: God did extraordinarily raise up unto them Elias, to reform them, and to endeavour to bring them unto the right service of God▪ who notwithstanding) was not a Priest, neither had he in that respect any succession. That this general corruption shall be in the Church, in the last age, and that God shall raise up witnesses to speak against it, it is sufficiently showed in the apocalypse 
Revel. 11.2.3.  Again I may answer, that, the most part of the first reformers of the Church, in this last age, had after a sort an ordinary vocation (as they count a vocation) for they were called by the Priests, and by them established and setllin their charges: and therefore by consequent, had authority and right, to go up into the Pulpit, and to teach in the Church, as Luther, Zwinglius, Ecolampadius, Bucer, and before them, Wicliffe, and john Hus, and so many Bishops in England, Scotland, Denmark, and else where, which have received, and do preach the Gospel of Christ, have succeeded the Popish Priests, in succession of the Chair and place, although in Doctrine, they have only succeeded our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. And therefore as we allow their Baptism, so also their imposition of hands, until the time came, that the Lord in his mercy took away the corruptions of them both. And thus you see, how by the word of God, Ministers are to be publicly ordained with laying on of hands, and with prayer, not with shaving and besmearing with Oil, not with, Tapers, Basins, Towels, Chalices, singing Cakes, Wine and Water, Flower, Crosses, Linens, bands: not with, breathing on them, as though it were in man's power to give the holy Ghost: not with, Amicks, Albes, Stools, Girdles, Mamples, Crosier staves & Mitres: not with sundry such sottish ceremonies, & foolish gestures, as have been used heretofore, in the creating of popish Bishops and Priests, greasy shavelings, and Idolatrous massmongers: but simply and plainly, with laying on of hands, and with prayer. And for this cause, my Lord hath thought it convenient, at this time, not to ordain the Ministers secrety in his Closet, as hath been wickedly practised of others heretofore: but, to bring them into the face of the congregation, to the end that we altogether, might, with one heart and one voice, pray unto the Lord of the Harvest, that he will make them profitable Labourers in his Harvest. And now therefore, dear brethren, let us not account this business, A Spectacle to be gazed upon, but let us all with one accord, lift up our minds unto the Father of Heaven, through the merits and intercession of his well-beloved son jesus Christ. Let us pray unto the Lord of the Harvest, that he will grant not only to these, which are now to be sent forth, but also, to all us which are sent already, the grace of his holy and comfortable spirit, 
Luke. 24.49.  that he will endue us with power from an high: that he will so power out upon us, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, 
Cor. 4.3.4. Ephe. 6.19.  that we may know the miseries of his will, that he will so open unto us the door of utterance, that we may boldly publish the secret of the Gospel, that we may with discretion, wisely, painfully, faithfully and diligently, feed the flock of Christ, which he hath purchased with his blood, so that no unthankfulness of the world may discourage us or drive us from the performing of our duty, that we may fulfil our ministery, 
Colos. 4.17. 1. Tim. 4.16.  and continue in doctrine: not to put our hands to the Plough and then to look back again: as many in these our days, preach diligently for a time, while they have nothing, but when they have gotten good livings, than the fat ●ennes lay no Eggs. For, if we thus look back again, 
Luke. 9.62.  than we have our judgement denounced against us by Christ himself: that, we are not fit for the kingdom of God. Let us also pray unto God that he will root out all ravening Wolves, all hirelings, Timeservers, and dumb Dogs, 
2. Thes. 3.1. Psa. 51.18.  which hinder the course of the Gospel, that he will give his word free passage, and build up the walls of jerusalem, that, he will give unto us all the spirit of sanctification, that, we may let our light so shine before men, 
Math. 5.16.  that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven: that, so we may labour with both hands, in the Harvest of the Lord, with exhortation and conversation, with life, & doctrine, whereby there may be plenty, of pure spiritual Wheat, to the laud and praise of God, and great heaps of true believers, to be gathered into the Barns of everlasting joys. And finally, that, he will bless all Schools of Learning, with increase in all godly knowledge: and grant unto all Students, that, they may always have his fear before their eyes, and make this the chief end of all their Studies, the glory of his holy name, the profit of the Church, and the maintenance of the common wealth, whereby the number of true Labourers may be increased: for, the Harvest is great, and the Labourers are but few.  
And thus good people, that I may now draw to an end, ye have heard out of this charge, given by our Saviour Christ unto his seventy Disciples, all such profitable Lessons as my slender Talent would suffer me, at this time, to deliver unto you. Much more might be spoken hear, 
Math. 21.22. Ephe 3.12. jam. 1.6. Hebr. 4.16. Luke. 11.9.10  of the manner how we ought to pray to the Lord of the Harvest: that, we must pray in faith, grounded upon God's promises, with full assurance that our request shall be granted, and that he will not forsake his church: and again, that, we should be touched inwardly, 
Rom. 8.26. john, 4.24. 1. joh. 5.14. Psalm. 25.1.  with the want of the thing that we desire, and therefore, that we pray in spirit and truth: & in heart, lament as well the small number of true and faithful Labourers, as also the great abundance of Wolves and hirelings, 
Luke. 18.1. Rom. 12.12. 1. Thes. 5.17. Colos. 4.2.  and that we ought to continue in prayer although we have not our requests at the first, but that thieves & murderers do daily creep in more & more, and that we must pray only, 
john. 1●. 13. 1. ●im. ●. 5. 1. john 2. ●. Math. 3.17.  for the merits and intercession of jesus Christ, who is only the mediator betwixt God and Man, in whom the Father it well pleased: that, the Flock may not perrishe, for which he shed his blood: 
Psalm. 50.15. jam. 1.5.  and finally, that, we ought to direct our prayers only to the Lord of the Harvest: who is only able to hear us, 
joel. 2.52. Acts. 10.26. Apoc. 19.10. Rom. 1.25.  and only of power to help us, and not to any Saint or Angel in Heaven, ascribing that to the Creature, which is due unto the Creator, who be blessed for ever and ever. But because these matters require a larger discourse, than the weakness of my voice will now permit me to utter, I have thought good, rather, to pass them over briefly, then by continuing my speech, either to weary you and myself, or to withhold you any longer, from a far more learned exhortation, which shall immediately be given you. The Lord of his infinite mercy give us grace so to lay up these profitable Instructions, in our hearts, that as we have heard them attentively, so we may bring forth fruit accordingly, that we of the ministery, may with all wisdom and discretion, feed the Flocks committed to our charge, that we may labour so diligently, faithfully, and painfully, in the work of the Lord: that, no unthankfulness of the world, may drive us which have now put our hands to the Plough, to look back again: that, we may take heed unto ourselves, and to our doctrine, and continue therein, whereby we may save ourselves, and those that hear us: that, we may not gather with the one hand and scatter with the other hand, but labour with both hands, with word and life, as well by our agreeing together with brotherly love, and going hand in hand together, in the work of the Lord, as also, by all integrity, holiness and pureness of living lest while we preach unto others 〈◊〉 selves become reprobates. And the 〈◊〉 ●e out the dew of his holy spirit, 〈◊〉 you that are the hearers, that the seed which we saw amongst you, may neither 〈◊〉 out of your hearts by Satan, as the seed by the high way side, is devoured by the Paul's of the air, nor choked with the Briars and Brambles of voluptuous living, and the Thorny cares of this world, nor burnt up with the heat of per●ion: but that, it may battle, as in good ground, and bring forth fruit an hundred fold: that so ye may be a plentiful Harvest unto the Lord not bringing forth the tars of sin and wickedness, but in the fruit of good works, answerable to that husbandry, which the Lord hath bestowed upon you. And the Lord pardon both in you and in us, all our offences, and all our sins, so especially our dull spirits in prayer, and give grace hereafter, both to pastor and to people, that we may pray earnestly from the heart unto the Lord of the Harvest, to send forth Labourers into his Harvest, that so we may be taught, and so we may live in this world, that at the last day, when we shall appear before the Throne of Christ, the Angels of God may gather us, not as the wicked, which shall be collected as faggots, and cast into the Fire, but as pure Wheat which is gathered into the Barns of everlasting rest, that we may inherit the heavenly jerusalem, the Land of Canaan flowing with Milk and honey. where there shall be no more tars nor Weeds, nor Thorns, nor Thistles, nor heat of Sun to parch, nor storms, nor tempests, but we shall remain (for ever) a glorious Harvest unto the Lord, where there shall be no more hunger, nor thirst, nor cold, nor sickness, nor temptation, nor torment, nor misery, nor mischief, nor envy, nor malice, nor grief, nor pain, but the Lord shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, where we shall enjoy such joys, as eye never saw, ear never hard, neither ever could enter into the heart of man To the which joys, the eternal God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, both happylye and speedily, bring us all, for the mearites of his dear Son our most merciful Saviour: to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, three parsons and one true and everliving god be all honour, glory, majesty, power and Dominion, both now and ever. Amen.  
FINIS.   

The Printer, to the Christian Reader.  
CHristian Reader, if thou find any faults escaped in the Printing, either in mistaking of any Note in the Margin, or otherwise, I beseech thee not to impute them to the Author, for that he was absent at the time of the imprinting hereof, but only to the Printers negligence: who humbly requesteth thee with thy Pen to amend them, as occasion shall require.   


¶ HILLARIUS, contra Auxentium Arrianum.  
Primum, miserari licet nostrae aetatis laborem, et praesentium temporum opiniones praesentes ingemiscere quibus patrocinari Deo humana creduntur, et ad tuendam Christi ecclesiam, ambitione seculari laboratur. Oro vos Episcopos, qui hoc vos esse creditis, quibusnam suffragijs ad praedicandum evangelium Apostoli usi sunt? quibus adiuti potestatibus Christum praedicaverunt gentesque fere omnes, ex idolis ad Deum transtulerunt? Anne aliquam sibi sumerent ex patatio dignitatem hymnum Deo in carcere inter catenas post flagella cantantes? Edictis ne Regis Paulus cum in Theatre spectaculum ipse estet Christo ecclesiam congregabat? Nerone se aut Vespasiano aut Decio patrocinantibus tuebatur quorum in nos odijs confessio divinae pietatis effloruit? Illi manu atque opere se alentes, inter caenacula secretaque coeuntes, vicos, castella, gentesque fere omnes terram, maria contra senatus consulta et regum edicta peragrantes claves regni caelorum, non habebant? An non manifesta se tum Dei virtus contra odia humana porrexit? cum tanto magis Christus praedicaretur, quanto magis praedicari inhiberetur? At nunc (proh dolor) divinam fidem suffragia commendant, inopsque virtutis suae Christus dum ambitio nomini suo conciliatur arguitur, terret exiliis et carceribus ecclesia, credique sibi cogit quae exiliis et carceribus est credita, pendet ad dignationem communicantium quae persequentium est consecrata terrore diligique se gloriatur a mundo quae Christi esse non pot● nisi cam mundus odisset.   

¶ CYRIL. in Ioh lib. 5. cap. 12.  
Idiotae et simplices caelum rapuint, nos autem doct cum scientiis nostris ad inferna demergimur, qui scilicet nos inflant & non a difi●no.   

¶ HIERON. ad Nepotianum.  
Non confundant opera tua sermonem tuum, ne cum in ecclesia loqueris, tacitus quilibet respondeat cur ergo haec quae dicis ipse non facis▪   

¶ Idem in primum ad Titum. Tom. 9  
Qua libertate peccantem corripere potest, cum tacitus ipse sibi respondeat eadem se admisisse quae corripit?   

¶ BERNARD. de conuers. ad Clericos. cap. 29.  
Curritur passim ad sacros ordines & reverenda ipsis quoque spiritibus Angelicis Ministeria, sine reverentia, sine consideratione, in quibus regnat avaritia, ambitio imperat dominatur superbia.   

¶ Idem Paulo ante. cap. 27.  
Vae Ministris infidelibus qui nondum reconciliati, reconciliationis alienae negotia apprehendunt, v● filijs irae qui se ministros gratiae profitentur.    

¶ AT LONDON Printed by Richard Ihones, and john Charlewood. 1582.