A Sermon preached at Paul's cross the first Sunday after Newyears day, being the third day of january. 1580. By William Fisher Student of Divinity. ☞ Imprinted at London, for Edward Aggas and Thomas Chare. 1580. MATH. 9 vers. 11. When the Pharisees saw that, they said unto his disciples: why eateth your Master with Publicans & sinners? 12 When jesus heard that, he said unto them: The whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what this is: I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. IT may appear by these words which I have read unto you (Right Honourable & men & brethren right dearly beloved in the▪ Lord) that Christ jesus the true Messiah and redeemer of mankind no sooner presented himself in the faithfulness of his office among the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but by and by he became as a sanctuary to some of them, and as a stumbling stone and rock to fall upon, to other some. He was the only sanctuary and refuge of miserable Publicans and sinners, which had no righteousness to account of, no good works to trust unto, but being condemned by the law, and oppressed with the heavy weight of their sins were in a manner confounded with the horror of their own consciences, and terror of Gods most dreadful judgements, in so much that if they had not taken sanctuary and found rescue at his hands, which was wont to say, Come unto me all Matth. 11. ye that be heavy loaden, etc., Their deadly enemies the Law, Sin, Death, and hell had devoured their souls like so many raging Lions. No marvel then if they followed him into the wilderness, if they made him glad to take a boat & to preach unto them on the shore, if they untiled houses to have access unto him, if they left all and came after him, if it did them good to eat and drink in his company (as the text here witnesseth) for he was their blessed sanctuary. And as he was to them, so assuredly he will be unto you (dearly beloved) if you flee unto him with like measure of Faith: of what outrage so ever the enemies be that chase you. For Esay ca 8. Speaks generally to all the faithful: Sanctify the Esay. 8. Lord of hosts: let him be your fear: let him be your dread, and he shall be as a sanctuary. But how should we sanctify the Lord, that he might be our sanctuary: First with Faith, trusting only and assuredly in him: Secondly with prayer, calling upon him in all perplexity and extremity: Thirdly with Patience, waiting meckely for his help: Fourthly with Fear and Trembling, lest you should displease him. Thus sanctify the Lord of hosts, and he never showed himself so ready or so safe a sanctuary to any Publican as he will be to you. Now as the Messiah was a Sanctuary to save, so contrariwise, he was a stumbling stone and a rock to fall upon unto other some, as namely to the proud Pharisees and stately justiciaries: for God knows they took many exceptions against him and were marvelously offended at him. First they took offence at his Parentage, because he was but a Carpenter's son. Then they misliked with his state, which was so beggarly that he had not a house wherein to put his head. Thirdly they snuffed, and snarlde at his doctrine, and letted not to call it seditious. Fourthly, they found fault with his miracles. As when he cast out Devils, they avouch that it was through Belzebub the chief of the Devils, and when he cured the man of the Palsy by forgiving his sin, they Matth. 9 made a muttering, as if it had been blasphemy. But that which did most of all nettle and sting their malicious hearts, was his eating and drinking, and keeping company with Publicans and sinners. This was a marvelous heartburning unto them, and made them out of measure repine against him: for in deed there can not be a greater eyesore to the devil himself (whose instruments they were) then too see jesus Christ in the company of wretched Publicans and sinners: for than he knows there is no room for him, and he sees that all his former temptations are too no purpose. And this made him to egg on the Pharisees in this place against our Saviour jesus, the quarrel being nothing else, but because he did eat and drink etc. and their drift, too discredit our Saviour Christ in the world, and so consequently too work the decay of his kingdom. Wherein you may see the fetching policy of Satan. He knew that the Pharisees had it given in charge by Moses' law, to avoid the company of the wicked above all things: therefore none so meet too set the matter abroach as they: and he was not deceived therein, for they did it full cunningly, God knows. Mark their subtlety, to bring the Messiah and saviour of the world, in contempe with all the world, and so too supplant him for ever: they begin with his own Disciples, thinking that if they could possibly bring it about, that they might mislike with him once, it were no mastery to prevail with the rest. And hereupon (dearly beloved) like subtle foxes they came (as the blessed Evangelist recordeth) unto his Disciples, and moved the matter, saying, Why eateth your Master, & c? But the disciples being but raw in their masters doings, for that they had not been long with him: and not well knowing how to answer, so odd a question, our Saviour Christ therefore framed them such an answer as may very well be called the confusion of all malignant hypocrites, and the sweet comfort of all miserable sinners, and the very pith and marrow of the glorious Gospel of jesus Christ. The whole need not the Physician etc. And thus you see how orderly these words divide themselves into a question, and an answer too the same: Now in what manner I am too speak of them, may it please you to understand. First in the question I will note unto you the qualities and properties of the stumbling adversaries of Christ and his Gospel. Secondly in the answer I will do the best I can by the assistance of God's holy spirit too show the benefits and blessed treasures which we enjoy through Christ and his Gospel. And this that I may the better perform, there are two things which I most humbly desire you to grant me. The one is your favourable and Christian patience: for in truth I have not any wanton Eloquence too make you too wonder at: neither come I in any bravery of words to amaze you withal: But only my drift and desire is, because it hath pleased God to call me hither this first Sunday of the new year, to give you some spiritual gift, in such wise that you may be comforted, and God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ glorified. And therefore it is that I crave an other thing at your hands which is your assistance by hearty and humble Prayer in this my weighty purpose, that I being enabled and emboldened through God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, may have utterance given me from him to open my mouth truly while I publish unto you the secrets of his Gospel. And pray I beseech you not only for me, but also for the whole Church which jesus Christ hath bought and purchased to himself with his own blood. That as etc. The first part of the properties of the adversaries. When the Pharisees saw that, they said to his Disciples: Why eat, etc. In this question how short or how simple so ever it seems, there is more mischief comprised and pact together, than any man would take it at the first hearing: therefore let us examine & thoroughly sift it to the bottom. Why eateth, etc. Hear I find four things worth the consideration. First that they do backbite our saviour Christ. Secondly, that they discourage his Disciples. Thirdly, that they justify themselves, and lastly, that they condemn their poor brethren the Publicans. Into so many notorious offences they fell while they stumbled & took offence at Christ, as may be gathered very apparently by this their question, Why eateth your master, etc. The first property of the adversaries. Touching the first, that they did backbite our saviour Christ, it is plain in that they came privily to his Disciples and asked them in secret, Why their master, etc. They came not before his face, but crept behind his back, and there spoke their pleasures of him. And here you may note one of the qualities and properties of the adversaries of Christ, which is, a great delight that they have to feed their malicious humours in depraving Christ and his word. The swine delight not more to wallow in the mire, neither the dog too return too his vomit, neither the lion to tear in pieces his prey, than these brute beasts, led with sensuality, do in backbiting Christ and his members. But what delight or pleasure so ever the adversary takes in it, it is one of the bitterest crosses that follows the profession of the Gospel: even a malicious depraving tongue. For why? Doth it not most violently tear in pieces the fame and good name of the godly. An old writer upon the Psalm, saith that the tongues of Cassiodorus. backbiters may rather be called teeth than tongues? Quia sicut dentes ciborum partes demunt, ita detractores famam hominum corrodunt. Doth it not vex and torment the mind even as the flames of hell fire. S. james in the 3. chapter saith painly. james 3. The tongue is fire and a world of wickedness, so is the tongue set among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. To be short, doth not a spiteful tongue cut & wound the soul of the Godly as it were a sword. David, Psalm. 57 complaining Psal. 57 of the inhabitants of the Desert of Zeph saith. Their tongue is a sharp sword: and in the 62. psalm bewaileth Psal. 62. the destruction of Abimelech and the rest of the Priests, which was wrought by the privy slander of Achitophel and others, saith, They have whet their tongues like a sword, whereby it may appear that the persecution of an ill tongue is a sore persecution, even because it woundeth the godly like a sword. The Catholic Pharisees of Rome say, that their holy Father hath and aught to have two swords, by reason that the disciples said to Christ, Behold Lord here are two swords. Luke, 22. Luke 22. In deed I am of that opinion, that the Pope hath now, and long hath had two swords: The sword of Tyranny and the sword of Infamy. His sword of Tyranny wherewith he divides the ●ead from the shoulders was bequeathed unto him by his ancestors Cain Esau, Pharaoh, Herod, Nero, julian. etc. with this sword he hath had hi●full stroke at the Saints of God here in England, and would even now l●t drive at us again, if by God's good providence we were not to far out of his reach. The Lord so keep us: The lord for his name sake so keep us. His other sword of Infamy, wherewith he wounds the godly by depraving their good names, came to him by the like descent: For after that Semei, Doeg, Achitophel & others had played their parts with it against David, the Scribes and Pharisees had it in their use, & what deep wounds they gave with it to Christ & his Disciples you can not be ignorant. Now out of their hands Antichrist at his coming snatch it, and ever since hath holden it fast as the sceptre of his kingdom. With this sword even now he lays about him in England & strikes more desperately at all estates then ever he did: for all our hold Recusants, all our quondam priests, all our harpers upon a change, all our lookers for a golden day, all our privy whisperers, and subtle surmisers which we have in England, what else are they but the Pope's soldiers, and their tongues his sword wherewith he strikes most fiercely, though privily, at her Majesty, at her most honourable Counsel, at her faithful people, yea and at Christ himself as these Pharisees did. Christ himself I say, they backbite and blaspheme in two respects, in his word, and in the messengers of the same word. In his word, when they tell the people in their ears under the colour of friendly counsel, that the word of God is hard and obscure, that it is a dumb schoolmaster, and a dead letter, that it is a nose of wax and a shipman's hose, serving too every purpose, and therefore advise them in no case to read it. Do they not most despitefully discredit and slander Christ himself? do they not match these in blasphemy those proud jews which called the Gospel in contempt Ouangilion. that is, revealed sin, or Ougelion, that is, The revelation of vanity. Now in the messengers of the same word they backbite Christ whiles they revile us in their sleeves, and call us Heretics, Hypocrites, Apostates, Blasphemers, Vowebreakers, Peacebreakers, Filthy lecherers, accursed hellhounds, etc. which bitter reproaches and revilings, when they come too our ears, would wound us as it were a sword, were it not for the same blessed shield which jesus Christ himself hath given us: Mat. 5. Blessed are you, etc. Matt. 5. Therefore let them spew out their reproaches until their hearts burst in pieces, and strike at us with their cankered sword of slander until their tongues cleave to the roof of their mouths, they shall not discourage, but rather make us the more dutiful. For even as the enemy of jason Phileus thought to wound him with his sword, but in deed healed him by opening his impostume, so they shall find that when they have said the worst they can, they do but launch our impostumes of negligence and security, and so make us the more diligent in our calling, which God grant. And thus much of the first note. The second property of the adversaries. Once again let us look into this question of theirs, and we shall see that which secondly I noted. I mean how subtly they began to discourage the disciples. Why eateth, etc. As if they had said in flat and plain speeches: you silly Disciples, do you not perceive and see what a one your Master is, for whose sake you have left all that you had: he forbears not too eat and drink with the wicked, even Publicans and sinners: An honest man I warrant you, and you have made a fair hand too betake yourselves to such a Master. Mark well I beseech you their profound subtlety. They would feign discourage the Disciples. And why? To make them forsake their master. And what then? Then would the people leave him, & so he should be as an abject & as one forlorn, you have no likelihood of a more cunning devise at any time, then to use the Disciple as an instrument to confound the master, and yet you may note it for an other of the accustomary qualities of the adversaries of the Gospel. For how had these Pharisees known which had been Christ, if they had not made judas for money too give them a sign? And if you read the 14. of Acts, you shall find the very self Act. 14. same practice put in ure by the jews, which to supplant the Disciples in their labours, corrupted the minds of certain Gentiles, which had been their auditors, & so did much harm. Again since Christ An. 178. in that same famous persecution which was then in France, as appeareth in the Ecclesiastical history, the Eusebius. persecutors used the like treachery towards Atalus & Alexander, two noble professors of the Gospel, for their own servants which had been ethnics were subverted to avouch openly that their masters lived by man's flesh: that they offered infants to the devil: that they committed incest, with other such like blasphemies, more bitter than death itself. And julian Ruffinus. lib. 1. cap. 32. the Apostata to pluck up by the roots all that ever Athanasius that good old father of Alexandria, had planted in the Lord's vineyard, called the Christians, which were his hearers, & heaped kindness upon them, & gave them liberty at will, because they should shrink from their pastor & profession. And what think you ot antichrist that Archenemie of the Gospel: hath the Devil himself a cast beyond him to undermine jesus Christ: One while he thundereth and lighteneth against us, with Bell, Book, and Candle: and an other while he smiles & fawns upon us with his Bulls, Pardons, and Indulgences, and all to withdraw us from our Lord and master jesus Christ. So that thus you see that this subtle devise of these Pharisees is an ordinary practice of the Adversaries, and doth no small harm in the Church of God, and therefore I thought good too make you acquainted with it, because you may the sooner eschew it, if at any time it shall be practised towards you. The third property of the adversaries. But return to the Pharisees, Chirdly in their question they justify themselves: that is, they do bear the Disciples in hand that they are men of such singular honesty and perfect holiness, that they abhor all Publicans and sinners, yea and cannot abide those which keep them company, and all to bring their purpose the sooner about. A notable point of hypocrisy, under the vizard of honesty and holiness to work mischief and villainy. and a familiar practice of the adversaries of the Gospel, which hath made us great Shepherds of the word of God, no one thing the like: for whilst they cover their inward villainy with the fair Cloak of honesty and good meaning, who can escape their snares? surely very few at al. For albeit that experience hath given forth these rules: That all is not Gold that glisters: That a rusty blade may have a painted sheath: That none talks more of honest dealing, than a common Cozener: That none offers fairer play, than a false juggler: that many a one too have his purpose, will light a candle before the Devil. And albeit that the scripture hath given forth these notes, that hypocrites are like painted Sepulchres, full of dead men's bones: that they are Wolves in sheeps clothing: Welles without water: and Clouds without rain, & that the greatest grace and glory of an Hypocrite is, too seem that he is not, and that Satan can change, etc. yet such is their cunning in counterfaitting, and such are their conveyances in canueising, that they are never almost foreseen till it be to late and past remedy. Wherefore hypocrites may be compared to the tricksy minion mentioned in the Pro. 5. Her lips (saith the wise man) drop as an honey comb, and her mouth is more soft than oil, but the end of her is as bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two edged sword. And surely so it fareth with an hypocrite most commonly: his golden pretence is never lightly with out a bloody end. Potolome had a golden pretence, when he invited old Simon & his two sons to a feast but his drift was too dispatch them, and so he did. Herod had a golden pretence when he willed the wise men too bring him word where the Child was, that he might come and worship, but his end was to kill him. judas had a golden pretence when he came to his Master jesus Christ & saluted him, and embraced him, and kissed him, but his end was to betray him. These Pharisees had a golden pretence when they curried favour with the Disciples, and asked them by way of friendship, why eateth, etc. but their end and purpose was to seduce them. Let all Symons be advised how they come too Ptolomaeus feast: Let all wise men foresee Herod's devotion: Let all Machab. masters revoke judas kiss: Let all disciples take heed of the Pharisees drifts: and let all good and godly men have an eye too hypocrisy, the beauty and continuance of the adversaries of the Gospel, which can seem a saint, and be a Devil, and in tongue profess a good word, but in heart hatch and harbour a mischief, and so much of the third note. The fourth property of the adversaries. The fourth thing which I have noted in this question is, that they did rashly condemn their poor brethren, calling them Publicans and sinners, pronouncing sentence upon them, as it they had been then as they were before. That is, such catchpoules and cutthroats as none could be worse: where as they poor souls were at utter defiance with their former ways, and sought by all means to become regenerate in Christ jesus. Hear I am to put you in mind of a fourth quality of the adversaries of the Gospel which is, Rash judgement, forbidden by our Saviour jesus. Mat. 7. judge not and ye shall not be judged, condemn not, etc. This rash judgement goeth headlong to work and condemns a man without regard of circumstance or perfect understanding of the matter, whereof there is a notable example, Acts 28. When Paul had gathered a number of sticks, etc. Backbiting and privy slander is a grievous cross, hear it who shall. The subtle supplanting of the head by the foot is a Devilish policy, who ever doth practice it. The counterfeit compasses of Hypocrisy are always mischievous, how beautiful soever they appear: but yet rash judgement is worst of all. And therefore belike the charitable Pharisees of Rome will seem to be far from this question, and even for S. Charity's sake not to judge the worst one of Decret. an other. Pope Leo the fourth, made a decree, that if the Pope himself were seen committing murder, it should be excused as the murders of Samson: and if he were seen playing the adulterer, it shall be cloaked as the Adultery of jacob: and if he were seen doing a robbery, it should be coloured as the robbing of the Egyptians, and all to avoid rash judgement. The same holy father made an other decree to the same end in the behalf of his clergy: that if one of the Clergy were seen embracing a woman, it should be said that he did it to bless her. And besides the charitable decrees, their Legends setting forth the wonderful charity of S. Francis: record that when he saw two wantoness dallying and kissing together, he fell down upon his knees & held up his hands and praised God that there was some charity to be seen in the world. Have you heard of the like charity? would you wish more advised judgement, and yet none living more headless or headlong in judgement: For if you mark this gear well, you shall perceive that all was because they would not have the world too judge of them, as they were indeed: For let them see a mote in our eyes, and they will not let too condemn us for very firebrands of Hell. Our discord about Cap and Surplice is but a mote, in comparison of their great beams about the principal articles of Christian faith: and yet they condemn us for schismatics. Our Christian liberty too take such meat in worth as comes before us, with thanks too GOD and without grudge of conscience: what is it to their beastly licentiousness, too do what they list without remorse of conscience? and yet they condemn us for Libertines. Our godly love too provide honestly for Wife and Children, is nothing in comparison of their unsatiable greediness too scrape together for their Strumpetes and Bastards, and yet they do condemn us for covetous Gospelers. Our brotherly compassion to pardon sometimes small offences, is but a very Mite in regard of their monstrous Camel of Blasphemy to pardon always whatsoever offences, and yet they condemn us for Anabaptists. Good GOD then where is their Charity become, whereof they makeso great boast? belike they keep it all to themselves: for to us they show nothing else but Buchery cruelty, and tyranny, behaving themselves like the Soldiers of that Captain whose badge they bear. Our infirmities they lay open to the world, as damnable enormities: their own blasphemies and detestable heresies, they cloak and cover with the backeslydinges of the godly patriarchs. My conclusion is therefore, how daintily and how nice so ever they seem too make it to judge one another, be the matter never so evident: yet they are most despiteful in condemning us, be the crime never so unlikely. And thus in the Pharisees you have here the qualities and conditions of the adversaries of Christ his Gospel. But now it may be that some one or other will begin too doubt because of this the Pharisees question, whither it be lawful to keep company or too enter into familiarity with the wicked, yea or no. For the resolution whereof this I say: It is not only lawful, but also behoveful for the good minister of Christ too keep company and too have familiarity with those wicked ones in whom there is good hope of amendment. For these are too be brought home as stray sheep upon their shoulders, and the worst that can come of it is but the repining of a malicious Pharisee saying, Lo he is a friend too Publicans and sinners. But for any man that fears God and professeth the Gospel, to join in entire amity with the adversaries of the same, that is impossible, it is ungodly, it is dangerous. It is impossible, because two contraries can not agree together, ye cannot drink of the Cup of the Lord, and of the cup of Devils: ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of Devils. Be not unequally yoked with Infidels. And why? For what fellowship hath righteousness with 1. Cor. 10. unrighteousness? Or what communion hath light with darkness? what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath the believer with the infidel? Or what agreement 2. Cor. 6. hath the Temple of God with Idols? Once for all. It cannot be that the adversaries of the gospel, should be friends unfeigned with the true professors of the same: For so long as their hearts rest on this pin, that a solemn vow is not to be performed unto a Gospeller, let us never look but for patched and botched amity at their hands. And as it is impossible to find friendship at their hands, so it is ungodly too seek it: for God's word doth forbid it. Take heed Exod. 33. 3● too thyself that thou make no compact with the adversaries of the land whither thou goest, lest they be the cause of ruin among you. And here is the danger to be noted to, lest they be the cause etc. Hereby we may see that ruin and destruction hang over their heads which are in amity with God's professed enemies. josaphat did but go with Achab for company, It had almost been his overthrow. And that the Prophet told him at his coming back. The same account let every one of us make, whensoever we shake hands with God's enemies. So that thus the case stands: If there be hope of amendment, then keep company with the wicked: But if their hearts be indurate, and their necks stiffened, then beware lest they because of ruin. So far of the first part. The second part of the benefit of Christ and his Gospel. When jesus heard that, etc. Now I come to speak of the answer, and so of the benefits which we enjoy through Christ and his word. Had our Saviour jesus framed his answer according to their veins & affections which moved the Question, neither had their mouths been so soon stopped, nor our souls so happily furnished with the blessed riches of salvation: For in this his answer he doth confound all proud minds, and comfortal sorrowful hearts, even as it were with one breath. For he answereth that one question three manner of ways. First according to their known proverb: The whole need not &c. Secondly, according to the Scripture: Go learn what etc. Thirdly, according to his own office and duly: I am not to call. etc. Good God how doltish and how sottish is man's wisdom when it will seem too contend with Gods. The first answer shows that they were ignorant of common sense and reason. The second that they were ignorant of the Scriptures. The third that they were ignorant of the Messiah his office and duty: and every one of them doth fully satisfy the question and show us besides what benefits we have through Christ our Saviour as you shall understand. The first Answer. The whole need not &c: First he saith, The whole need not &c. As if he had said, I am like unto a Physician, you are like unto whole men: These Publicans are like unto sick men. Now you know by common sense and reason, that the whole need not the Physician, but the sick, therefore I eat with them and not with you. In which saying we have to note the comparison, and to consider how fitly they are made. first he compareth himself unto a Physician: secondly, the Pharisees unto whole and sound men: Thirdly the Publicans unto sick persons. The first Comparison. Christ is like a Physician. Two things are especially requisite in every good Physician: First that he be able to cure his patient: next that he be willing: otherwise he is no perfect Physician. That Christ jesus can heal our desperate diseases of sin: What better proof is there then the notable cures which he hath already done. Read no more but the Chapter wherehence these words are taken, and you shall find that he cured Matthew a sinful Publican: He cured the Ruler's daughter: He cured the woman of her bloody issue of twelve years continuance: He cured two blind men: He cured the dumb man which was possessed with a Devil: In so much that the blessed Evangelist concludes the chapter with this testimony: jesus went about all Cities and towns, teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Yea, and his coming is so great that it surpasseth the skill of all other Physicians what so ever. For whom (he only excepted) can take away the principal cause of all diseases, I mean Sin? Did not he heal the Palsy man by forgiving his sin. It is a common rule among Physicians: cessant causa cesset & effectus. Sin is the original and fountain of all diseases in man: therefore he that was able to remove that, cannot choose but have power over all the effects thereof. It is a world to see, how fair the Pope would be thought to be a cunning Physician, and of ability to cure the disease of sin: He made our Churches his Apoticary shops, wherein he sold all manner of Drugs, Salt, Cream, and Oil for one purpose: Mass & Dirige for an other: Tapers and Torches for an other: Bulls and Pardons for an other: Relics and Shrines for an other: and yet all would not serve to purge the least sin that is: Therefore more Antichrist he to pretend it. No, no, it is the blood of Christ which purgeth all sin, and cureth all manner of wickedness. Who was ever so diseased through mischievous thoughts as Paul, which breathed out threatenings and slaughters against the Disciples of Christ, and yet the blood of jesus Christ healed him? Who was ever so diseased in word, as Peter which denied his Master with an oath, & yet Christ healed him? Who was ever so diseased in villainous deeds, as the thief upon the Cross, which was hanged for his robberies, and yet Christ healed him? And all this is too teach us that whether we be sick in thought, word or deed, he is a Physician able to heal us. And what a shield is this against the terrible assaults of Desperation. Shall the murder of Cain force men to say, My sin is greater than that it can be forgiven: Or shall the treachery of judas, swallow up all hope of salvation in me: Or shall my sin seem so incurable to me, that Christ cannot heal it, no I am bold: I cannot be so sick, but he can make me whole. The other property of a good Physician is, that he be willing to heal his patient: For unless he be willing to do good, it skilleth not what his ability is. But that Christ jesus was at any time unwilling too save sinners it can by no means appear. For did he not moste lovingly call us unto him, Come unto me, and promise us saying, I will refresh you? And did he not weep over jerusalem, and all because he came willingly to visit her, & she would not know the time of her visitation. But see and behold a plain testimony of his goodwill to heal sinners. He was well assured that the salve wherewith he was too cure the most deadly diseases of sin, could not be made to any purpose without the shedding of his most precious blood, and the loss of his life: and yet he never grudged at the matter, but was well content it should be so. Oh Compassion without Comparison! What Pharisee would ever have done that for his patient, which Christ jesus hath most willingly done for us. They are willing too finger our money, and they can make us believe well: But they will not lance their least finger if one drop of blood would save our lives. But Christ jesus taketh nothing of us, and yet he hath suffered his own heart blood too be launched, that it might gush out to heal us. Can you tell me of a Pharisee that was so willing too cure his Patient, that he refused not too be beaten and buffeted whilst he made the medicine. And the Prophet Esay in the 53. Chapter tells Esay. 53. you that Christ jesus was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities. They tell you that the things which they minister unto you, are dear and costly: Noah, Noah, dearly beloved, that is a dear Salve too the Physician which costs him his life, with many a heavy groan, with many a deep sigh▪ with many a bloody tear, and many a bitter pang beside. And here you have a mighty Bulwark against the roaring storms of your ghostly enemies, The Law, Sin, Death, and Hell. For what if they draw together and conspire against thy soul, and prove unto thee by record of thine own Conscience, that thy sins are in colour as red as Scarlet, or in number as the sands of the Sea, or in weight as the mass of the whole Earth, and therefore bear thee in hand that thy disease is so rotten and festered in thy bones, that Christ jesus thy Physician will not once seem too meddle or have any thing to do with thee, nor seek any means too cure thy malady or send remedy to any such as thou art? What hope, what comfort hast thou then? Even this, that he that was willing too purchase a medicine to heal sin with the loss of his life, will at all times be willing to minister the same to the glory of his name. Therefore, oh my soul, be of good comfort, and cheer thyself in the Lord, for if thou mayst but touch the hem of his vesture by faith, thou shalt be whole. And this dearly beloved, is one of the benefits and blessed Triumphs which we enjoy through Christ and his Gospel. That he is our Physician, which is both willing and able too heal all our diseases of sin, be they never so grievous, which indeed is a benefit without comparison: The Lord make us thankful for it, and open our eyes that we may see it clearly in the cloudy days of desperation. The second comparison. The whole need not, etc. The second comparison here to be noted, is that the Pharisees be likened to whole men: which kind of comparison we must so much the more diligently mark how much the more strangely it is made. For he calls them whole, not because they were so indeed, but in derision, because they were so persuaded of themselves: smoothing up their foul faults with self love and self liking. In the like sense Elias called the abominable Idol Baal God, not that he was so, but because his Priests did so account of him. Likewise Paul calleth Satan the God of this world, not that he either made, or redeemed, or ruled the world, but because worldlings serve him more duly than the living God. After the same manner our Saviour in the third answer calls the Pharisees righteous, even because they were so bewitched with the works of their own hands, that they made no account of the righteousness of God. There cannot be a more especial token of reprobation, then when the Lord falls to laughing and scorning his enemies, as you shall find in perusing the 2. Psalm. A man that had seen these Pharisees outwardly, would have thought that our Saviour had been in good earnest when he compareth them to whole or sound men. For none had more regard of Moses' law then they, they would not abrogate one ceremony there commanded. None fasted more than they, twice in the week was the least. None prayed more than they: in every street they went babbling & mumbling their prayers. None gave alms more than they: they sounded trumpets to have the greater resort of the poor. None paid tithes better than they: they left neither Mint ne Cummin untiched: yea if you looked in their hands you should see scrolls wherein the law was written. If you looked in their foreheads you might see the law written. If you looked upon their door posts, ye might see the Law written. If you looked in their garments, you might find thorns and needles, too make them remember the the Law written, They had always in their mouths, Templum Domini, Templum Domini. You could no sooner ask them of their Proginie, but they would be ready to answer Pater noster Abraham. And when any inquired of their inheritance, they would tell him. Nos haeredes terrae promissionis. What a wonderful matter was this? were not these men whole and sound? Indeed to the outward appeerance they were: but what they were inwardly those manifold woes which our saviour Christ pronounced against them. Mat. 22. may at large testify. And now you may see that it is one thing for a man to be whole in the sight of God, & an other thing in the sight of the world. He is whole in the sight of god which believeth that jesus Christ is able & willing to heal his disease of sin: But he is whole in the sight of the world, which thinks that the works of his own hands do make him sound. And this is such a kind of health, as I pray God never any good christian have: set the Pope never so great store by it, assuredly it is far worse than any sickness in the world: If the rules of Physic be true: That there is no disease like too that, when a man thinks himself whole, and yet is heart sick. I might here stand in comparison between the Pope and the Pharisees, and show you that they both are alike whole sound, but it is no matter of such importance as I have to speak: therefore to the third comparison. The third comparison. The sick need. etc., The third comparison is, of the Publicans and sinners unto sick men, which have need of the Physician. These Publicans had been as very cutthroats and Catchpoules as ever lived: But as he goes far that never returns, so they at the length, hearing our saviour preach repentance and remission of remission of sin, had remorse of conscience, in so much that their disease had cleaved fast unto their bones, had they not heard of a Physician, which was both willing and ready to help them. The pangs of sin pricking the conscience, are even as the fits of sickness griping the heart: causing many a deep sigh and many a piteous groan. David being in the agony of sin, bemoans himself after this manner: Have mercy upon me, O Lord for I am weak: O Lord heal Psal. 6. me for my bones are vexed. My soul is also soretroubled, but Lord how long wilt thou delay? And Paul was no sooner gripped at the heart with the remembrance of his sin: but he cried mainly out saying, O miserable man. etc. Yea and all the godly, considering how many ways God hath blessed them, and how unthankfully they have behaved themselves: considering again their daily trespasses and offences, and how long the Lord hath looked for their amendment, and how often he called them to repentance: by and by they fall sick, & groan so ruefully that you would lament too hear them. O my tender Father whom I have displeased: O my sweet redeemer Christ jesus whom I have crucified again: O my sovereign comfort, the holy Ghost whom I have grieved: O the time that I have misspent: O the grace that I have despised: O the creatures of God that I have abused: woe worth my uncleave thoughts: Woe worth my idle words: woe worth my damnable works: O how bitter is the curse of the law? How heavy is the burden of my sin? How horrible is the sight of death. How intolerable are the pains of hell. Ah my soul gins to faint, therefore help me to a physician, or else I perish, I die. Do you not think dearly beloved, that a Physician should not be welcome, & well entreated among such sick souls as these? yes, never heart so thrusted after the Rivers of waters, as they long after jesus Christ. Such men have need of the Physician, and therefore they will seek unto him, as these Publicans did, yea and because of their necessity, they will honour him likewise in calling him to their houses, & biding him to their feasts: they are so desirous of health & salvation. In whom we have a notable precedent how to behave ourselves in our sickness of sin. First that we must seek our Physician. Secondly, we must honour him the best we can. This precedent is but meanly followed in most places in England, God knows? For so far forth as Christ will feed their bellies, they will follow him through thick and thin: And they are so far from honouring him, at their feasts, that they will not stick too say, they cannot be merry at their meat, when a Preacher is at their Table. But there is good cause, the City of London should become an other Thessalonica, in seeking and honouring our Physician Christ jesus. There is so much Preaching, and so diligent hearing, that needs there must be some following. If London have stopped her ears, and shut her doors against Christ and his messengers, there were just cause why she should tremble and quake in the guiltiness of her own conscience: But if she have played the sick Publican in seeking and honouring Christ her Physician, let her not faint, but in the testimony of a good conscience pluck up her heart, in these dreadful times and days of peril: For the Lord will be found of those that seek him, & he will not forsake those that fear him. If Sodom, or Gomorrha, or Samaria, or jerusalem, or Antwerp could have pleaded for themselves no more but that they sought the Lord, & honoured his Christ, even as sick men do their Physician, I am sure their confusion had been farther from them, than the east is from the west. Therefore, London, seek thou thy Physician Christ jesus, believe in him, pray to him, serve him in singleness of heart, as thou oughtest to do, and he will not deliver his power into captivity, nor his beauty, I mean his Gospel, into the enemies hand. The second part of the Answer. Go learn what that is, I will have mercy. etc. A good Lawyar perceiving the subtlety of his adversary, will speak to the case, and be earnest in the matter: And commonly a skilful Chirurgeon, seeing the rotten flesh begin to fester and corrupt the sound, will launch it too the quick. Much after the same manner doth our Saviour Christ show himself in his second answer, Go learn what etc. As if he should say in sharp and round speech. Do you make yourselves so perfect in the Scripture, and yet do you find fault with him which showeth mercy to the miserable and comfortless, Go learn, go learn of the Prophet who in the person of God himself saith, I will have mercy. etc. Then shall you see that I do nothing against the will of God I warrant you. I will have mercy and not sacrifice, etc. When the Lord maketh choice of mercy rather than sacrifice, we have to understand that his will is, that we should be pitiful one tending an others distress, and not blear his eyes with an outward show of godliness. Now for your better instruction in the will of God, it shall be expedient that I speak severally. first of Mercy, then of Sacrifice. I will have mercy, etc. It should be of no small force to make us show mercy and compassion one towards another, When the Lord sayeth, I will have mercy. etc. For if we be servants, we must do the will of our master. And if we be children, we must obey the will of our father. But alas it fareth with us as often times with young Children: the more the father doth cocker and dandle them, the less they care for him: and if he say unto them, I will have this or that done, none so ready too bid him command and do it himself, as his own Children. So it falleth out with us: God our heavenly Father hath blessed us, and blessed us again, and yet when he saith: I will have you to be merciful and pitiful to your needy brethren, like stubborn children, we sit still & stop our ears as if we heard not. There is no one thing so much called upon and commended unto us in Scripture as mercy, & yet on our parts there is no one thing so little regarded. He that is merciful (saith the Prou. 11. wiseman) rewardeth his own soul. And Micheas showeth Israel what it was that Mich. 6. the Lord required at their hands indeed, bid them first do justly, and next love mercy, etc. In the fift of Matt. Blessed Matth. 5. are the merciful for they shall etc. In the 6 of Luke. Be ye therefore merciful Luke. 6. as your heavenly father is merciful. S. james also in his 2. Chapter saith in james. 2. plain words, that there shall be judgement without Mercy to him that will show no mercy. And all this is to stir us up and to pluck us forward too show mercy and compassion one towards an other. And surely happy is that Christian whose faith is exercised in mercy: For as the wiseman saith. Prou. 20. Mercy & truth preserve the king, etc. His throne shallbe established with mercy. So all estates may be sure that mercy is one of the strongest Pillars of their health & safety. And therefore I beseech you right honourable & dearly beloved, have due regard of your health & welfare, which partly consists in mercy. For this your noble city of Lond is builded & situate upon four Golden pillars, justice, Concord, Sobriety, and Mercy: the Foundation being jesus Christ. And so long as these stand and flourish in London, she is safe and sure, by the grace of God: But if they should by any means decay, then great and woeful should be your downfall. Therefore it stands you upon so much the more heedfully to look about you, and to prevent the worst: For you have not so many pillars to uphold your welfare and safety, but there be as many ways too undermine them, if that they be not the better foreseen. First jesus, which upholdeth right and suppresseth wrong without respect of persons may be undermined and overthrown through bribery: For hold you the sword, right honourable, never so upright in your hands, yet if your substitutes, whom you put in trust, have their hands full of bribes, they must needs wink at scant measures, and justify the bag of deceitful weights, and allow of the wine which is mixed with water and so blear your eyes with omnia ben●: and so shall justice be undermined and fall too the ground. Therefore it behoveth your Honour to be the more circumspect in appointing your Substitutes, and too have an eye too their dealing under you, for fear of the worst. Secondly, Concord which is the bond and sinews of every well ordered City may be undermined by the root of bitter dissension, which maketh the members of the self same body too jar an● snarl one with an other, & is commonly found by Pickthanks and tale-bearers, which carry speeches and reports from party to party, of whatsoever they hear or see, and all to feed the humours of such cankered natures as delight in debate. Therefore such Merchants are worthy of severe punishment, and to be thrust out of the City as privy conspirators against the health and welfare of the same. As for them which delight in discord, ruptures, breaches, and sallinges out for every trifle, they are evil worthy to enjoy the freedom of Citizens, yea, the name of a Citizen doth not become any such: And if I may call them Citizens, they are the worstmembers of the City. For as she which would have the Child whom she falsely claimed, to be divided, was thereby known to be an unnatural mother: And as they who would have the vnse●nied C●ate of jesus Christ divided, were counted beryer thieves, than they that ca●● lots for it: even so if you cut out all the w●ste members of the city and set them together, t●ose which delight in delusions and dissension, rather than in unity and Concord will easily appear in your sight, to be the worst of all. Try whom you will. Thirdly Sobri●t●e which is the beauty and comeliness of you all, may be undermined and overthrown many ways: But especially through excess of dye●, and excess of apparel. For ●uen these Epicures and Bellygods which eat themselves a sleep, and sleep themselves an hungered: And those aleknights which drink out all the wit out of their heads, and all the money out of their purses, have vowed themselves conspirators to banish all Sobriety. Again those proud puppies, which think all too little they tal●●ap and rend to hang upon them: which make no account what their behaviour he, so their attire be fresh and gallant which have no other way to purchase credit, but only by weating outrageous apparel: which strec●h their Arms farther than their sleeves will reach, and all to ru●●le it out: which are in their change for to day, and to morrow, and the next day: which are in their fashions, The Ga●kdine, the U●n●●can, the French, the Spanish▪ the , etc. These I say have likewise sworn too confound the beautiful Pills of Sobriety. Therefore right Honourable and you all good Citizens of London, ha●e an eye to them, and what ly●● im●●st, prevent them, either by reformation, correction, or expulsion out of the City. Fourthly and lastly Mercy: the golden Pillar of Mercy, which is the exercise of the rich, the life of the poor, and the preservation of you all: may be undermined and overthrown so many ways, that I fear me it is down already, and that I shall warn you too late i● foresee that that is past. For every hard heart, every Churlish niggard, every pinching Miser, every greedy Usurer, is a mortal enemy to the goodly Pillar of mercy: but especially and principally the Usurer, for he hath such long Nails, and so sharp teeth, that he will scratch & gnaw it down, rather than it should stand. And if a man control him for it, and bid leave for shame, and tell him that in the end it shall be too the ruin and destruction of the City, he shall find that he hath an Iron sinew in his neck, and a brow of Brass. For will he not reply and say that such as he is do good service in the City, are very profitable members, and might ill be spared. And yet if you take him and look in his mouth, you shall see his teeth all gore blood with eating and devouring his needy debtors. Then let a man take one of them aside, & show him Luke. 6. the words of our Saviour Christ. Luke. 6 If you lend to them of whom you hope too receive again, what thank have you? For even sinners lend too sinners in hope too receive the like: Wherefore love your enemies, do good, and lend, looking for nothing again, and your reward shallbe great, etc. And what shallbe his answer: Tush, Tush, Scripture is scripture; but for all the Scripture, a man must live by his own, and I tell you my money is my Plough. Is it not a world too see that Usurers would be like Plowmen: & yet nothing so unlike: for the painful Ploughman gets his living by the sweat of his own brows: but the Usurer lives by the sweat and sweet of other men's labours. Therefore they are such ploughmen as the Prophet David speaketh of, Psal. 129. and their needy brethren may Psal. 129. complain of them, as he did of their predecessors saying: The Plowers ploughed upon my back, and made long furrows: And if they be such Plowmen, they shall be as withered grass on the house tops, as appeareth in the end of the Psalm. But be it so, thy money is thy plough, and thou thyself dost hold thy plough, & covetousness doth draw thy Plough, and the Devil doth drive thy Plough, and so thou plowest the furrows of thine own confusion, and dost so we the seeds of thine own destruction, and without speedy repentance, shall reap the fruits of thine own damnation. And all because S●●●pture is Scripture, and thy money is thy Plough. For Whososoever Prou. 22. ploweth Iniquity shall reap mischief. Prou. 22. And thus much of Mercy which the Lord willeth. And not Sacrifice. The second point to be noted. This general inhibition of Sacrifice, is not so to be understood, as if the Lord would have all manner of Sacrifice utterly abolished: but it is spoken by way of correction, because he could not abide this Sacrifice which smelled of Hypocrisy. It is expedient, therefore that there be a disstinction made, what sacrifice the lord will have and what sacrifice he will not have. Sacrifices mentioned in Scripture are of three sundry sorts. The Sacrifice of the jews: The Sacrifice of Christ: The Sacrifice of Christians. Now these words are to be understood of the Sacrifice of the jews, which at the first were appointed by God himself to very good purpose: for after that man through disobedience had defaced the lively Image of God in him, he could not approach the sight of GOD by any means, but needs he must appear more fulsome than vile s●inck●●g Carrion. Wherefore it pleased the Lord in his mercy to work the means of his reconciliation, which was by Sacrifice. And this Sacrifice thus ordained was to be offered up as a witness of man's sin, and as a figure of the precious sacrifice of jesus Christ, which one day should be offered upon the Altar of the Cross, for the full satisfaction of all sin. Now if any Sacrifice were offered otherwise then thus: That is, to acknowledge sin, and to foreshow an other Sacrifice to come, which was the Lamb of God jesus Christ, it was abominable to the Lord and he would not have any such too come in his presence. And verily this it was which made him abhor their Sacrifice: for many times they offered sacrifice upon custom and for fashion's sake, neither respecting the true sacrifice Christ, nor respecting their sin, but rather committing the more sin, and using Sacrifice as a Cloak to cover the same: Therefore the Lord told them he would have Mercy, and not such Hypocrisy under the colour of Sacrifice. He might use the like inhibition at this day against a number of gospelers. For many false Brethren abuse the gospel and make it a common Cloak for their Usury, Adultery, and Cruelty. To them the Lord might say, I will have Mercy and not the Gospel: No not the Gospel so professed as they profess it. The second kind of Sacrifice mentioned in Scripture, is the Sacrifice of Christ, which the Lord will have: For howsoever he tolerated the blood of Goats, and the blood of Calves, for the time, yet he coul●e not be pleased with any other, but with this only. As for all other Sacrifices●, they were but Shadows, this was the body: They were but husks, this was the Kernel: They were but Chaff, this was the Wheat: They were but Leaves, this was the fruit: They were but signs, this was the thing signified, and the truth itself. For Christ jesus being the brightness of the father's glory, and the engraved form of his person, humbled himself upon the Cross, and offered his body to affliction, & his soul to anguish, & all too purge our sins, whereby he hath wrought our atonement with God, and taken away the curse of the Law, and destroyed the works of the Devil, and triumphed over hell itself. O blessed Sacrifice, No savour but this could perfume our stinking souls. No sacrifice but this could pacify the wrath of God. And here dearly beloved we may see an other benefit, which we have and enjoy in Christ, who hath given himself a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God, that he might purge our sins. The Lord make us thankful for this benefit, and faithfully to take hold of it in all the assaults of Satan. The third kind of Sacrifice, is the Sacrifice of Christians which S. Peter calleth an especial sacrifice, acceptable to God for Christ's sake, and this kind of Sacrifice is manifold as may be gathered in Scripture. The Sacrifice of a sorrowful heart. The Sacrifice of God, Psal. 51. is a troubled spirit: and a broken and contrite heart O God, shalt thou not despise. This sacrifice Christians ought to offer up as often as they call to mind their wicked and sinful ways. Secondly we have the Sacrifice of Righteousness, which is newness of life, & true godliness. This sacrifice Christians are willed to offer by the prophet David: Psal. 4. Offer to god the sacrifice of righteousness, & put your trust in the Lord, that is, walk in the light as Children of the light, have no fellowship with the unfaithful works of darkness: Resist the flesh & live in the spirit: this is to offer sacrifice of Righteousness. Thirdly we find in Scripture the sacrifice of Praise and thanksgiving, which is called the Calves of Christian lips: Offer to God praise Psal. 50. & pay thy vows unto the most high. That is, show thyself mindful of God's benefits by thanksgiving. Fourthly, we have the sacrifice of alms, whereof the Apostle speaketh, To do good and to Heb. 13. distribute forget not: for with such sacrifice God is pleased. And this sacrifice is to be offered of much plenteously, and of little diligently, and it shall be accepted according too that a man hath and not according to that he hath not. Lastly we have the Sacrifice of obedience, or reasonable service of God, which Saint Paul commendeth. I beseech you therefore Rom. 12. brethren by the mercies of God, that you give your bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable too God, which is your reasonable service of God. This Sacrifice we are to offer as often as we celebrate the lords Supper. For as the carnal Sacrifices of the jews, were too foreshow the blessed Sacrifice of Christ to come: So must this lively Sacrifice of our souls and bodies be offered up too testify that it is already come: that his body is already broken, and his blood already shed for the remission of sins. hereupon it is that the Schoolmen say, that the lords Supper is a Sacrament and a Sacrifice. It is a Sacrament in that we receive the bread and Wine in remembrance that Christ his body was given, and his blood shed for the remission of sin. It is a Sacrifice, in that we do offer up ourselves, that is, our souls and bodies, too show our thankfulness for so great a benefit. These are the Sacrifices which christians are of duty to offer unto God, who will have them, and accept them for jesus Christ's sake. And in respect of these Sacrifices, Christianity is a Royal priesthood, and Christians are Royal Priests: Their hearts are royal Altars: Their faith is Royal Incense: And their fervent love towards God and man, is a Royal fire to make them have a sweet savour before God. The Sacrifice of the Mass. But what shall we say of the Sacrifice of the Mass? Is not that holy sacrifice to be numbered among those which the Lord will have? When the Church of Room, and all her Catholic children make so great account of it, which is of force to release the tormented souls in purgatory: and to chase away Devils from the possessed in Earth: which whoso ever heareth, as long as he heareth, it he shall never wax old: which preserveth young children in their mother's wombs, & delivereth both old and young from all imminent perils and dangers. No, I avouch and protest that the Lord will not have it, struggle the Catholics never so mightily, shuffle they never so cunningly, for the magnifying of their Idol: The Lord will not have it. It is a world to see how even of late they began to set up their crests, and to clapp their wings, as if they would crow the Pope day again into England: & all because they imagine that their golden day gins to spring, wherein the mass shall shine again. Yea they begin to look upon us, as if the Devil should look over Lincoln: and do account it half heresy to speak to any man that is a known gospeler: They pass by us humming & mumming: and whether they wish out heads in their dishes, or their swords in our bellies we cannot tell yea or Noah: But let them know that their sacrifice of the Mass is too full of Idolatry, abomination and blasphemy for the Lord to hear it. And do they think that her majesty, the Lords anointed, will hear it? God be thanked by the space of one and twenty years, she hath been a nursing and a natural mother to the gospel, and now will she become a stepmother, and fancy the Mass? No, it hath caused too many conspiracies and rebellions against her most noble person, for her majesty ever to brook it: even in policy. And whereunto serve the Prayers of God's children her faithful subjects, but even to beseech God to continue her majesties godly proceed: that she may be so far from backsliding, as to grow from grace to grace, & from faith to faith that as she hath planted & nourished the Gospel, so she may not be ashamed of the Gospel, which is salvation to every one that believeth. She had never more faithful subjects, and I dare undertake she never had more fervent Prayers, for her prosperity in government & constancy in God's word. And as vile sinners as they note us to be, we doubt not but God will hear our Prayers in his good time. And this I say to the confusion of all bloodthristie Massemungers, that it was never seen yet, but what reckoning so ever the wicked made, the contrary followed. Pharaoh thought himself sure of his prey upon the Israelites, when he had them at the brink of the red sea, but the Sea swallowed him up host and all. What account made Achitophel of promotion and preferment, when he conspired against his master David? but when he saw it would not be, did he not hang himself? Those wicked judges which falsely accused that chaste matron Susanna, little thought that they should have been stoned to death themselves. Haman made a pair of Gallows, and there was no way but poor Mardocheus must be trusted up, but you know who had the first bansel. Therefore let our adversaries know, that they cannot so lay their snares for us, but they may be taken therein them selves: They cannot so dig their Pits for us, but they may fall therein themselves: The Rods they make account shall beat our tails, may scourge their own: And their Golden day, their Dommes day. And this the Lord can do for his Church, yea this he will do, if we pray unto him, and repose ourselves upon him: Therefore whiles our Adversaries harp and hope upon our destruction, let them quake and tremble for fear of their own: For the Lord is nigh unto all those that call upon him. As for the sacrifice of the wicked, he will not have it come in his presence. And thus far of Sacrifice. The third answer. I came not to call, etc. As if he should say, Why should you mislike because I eat with Publicans and Sinners? I tell you truly I came not too call such holy men as you are, but miserable sinners as they be to repentance. An excellent saying▪ and able too renew and quicken any sinful soul, how long soever it hath been dead in the grave of sin.. All the world is not able to show the like Mithridate and sovereign preservative against the bitter curse of the law. Hell itself doth repine at this saying, and murmur that ever man should have so great an advantage against her. And I am verily persuaded that if the devil had forecast that such an answer should be given to the Pharisees, he would rather have carried them headlong into the sea, and have drowned them as he did the heard of swine, than they should once have moved the question. For why? doth it not most lively show and set forth unto us the benefit of all benefits, I mean our calling in christ which Paul termeth a holy calling, for that it was not for our merits, but of gods 2. Tim. 1. tender love. There cannot be a greater encouragement to a Christian man to animate him in doing good works, them to consider that Christ came to call him: & therefore the Apostle telleth them that they are called in jesus Christ, that is, adopted in Christ. Rom. 1. What a singular prerogative this benefit hath above all other, as S. Paul Ro. 8. We Rom. 8. know (saith Paul) that all things work together for the best unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his purpose. And what a mighty proof doth he bring to assure and warrant the faithful, that it is true which he hath spoken to their comfort: For those which he foreknow, he also predestinate to be made like to the Image of his son, that he might be the first borne among many. Moreover whom he predestinate, them also he called, and whom he called, them also he justified, and whom he justified, them also he glorified. Therefore he that will become strong & invincible against adversity, let him be mindful of his calling in jesus Christ. This sovereign benefit of our calling in jesus Christ will appear in your sight to be the greater and more worthy benefit, if you mark well the circumstance wherewith our saviour Christ doth set it forth. I come not to call, etc. In which words we are to note the circumstances. First the means of our calling, which is Christ coming. I come not, etc. Secondly the parties which are called that is, sinners: I come not to call the righteous, but sinners. Thirdly the end and purpose whereunto he calleth: To repantance. The first circumstance. The more often I call to mind the miserable plight of man through sin and disobedience, the less able do I find myself to show and see forth unto you the infinite goodness of God, our heavenly Father, in appointing so worthy a mean to call us out of the bottomless pit of destruction, as his own only son: who notwithstanding he was of the very substance, and God eternal with him: yet by the power of the holy Ghost was made man, to the end that both natures joined together in one, he might in the flesh take away the filthiness of the flesh, and fulfil God's law, which man had so often broken, and bear the wrath and heavy indignation of his Father against sin, whose coming was promised at the first by God himself: hoped for by all the faithful patriarchs: Figured & foreshowed under the sacrifice of god's law: often foretold and prophesied by all the Prophets: & at the length performed unto our fathers and us, upon whom the ends of the world are come, and all to call us to repentance and so to bring us to everlasting life. And this hath he himself often beaten into our heads, if we had the grace to consider of it. This is the will of john. 6. him that sent me, that every man which seethe the son, and believeth in him, should have everlasting life. Again, So john. 3. God loved the world. etc. Also, I came to seek & to save that which was lost. Mat. 15. And I am not sent, etc. Now whether Christ by his coming doth call us to repentance, yea or no, search diligently & you shall easily find. His birth in such base and vile manner without harbour, without necessary furniture, without reverence or regard, without form or shape (as Esay saith) and not without hatred and danger of spiteful Herode, doth it not touch or move our haughty stomachs? doth it not pull down our peacocks tails? doth it not make us sorry and ashamed that our sins should make God to thrust his only and beloved son out of his bosom to such beggarly state of reproach and misery. Then look you upon his life, which as it began in such perfect humility, so it continued in true fasting, daily prayer, often watching, wreping, sighing, patience righteousness, innocency, & holiness: which because it is a lively pattern for all christians to follow, doth likewise call us to repentance and amendment of life. Lastly his death conspired by his own disciple, pursued by his own nation, purposed by his own father, & purchased by our sins, without any desert of his own: doth it not strike our hearts, and wound our consciences with remorse? Those bloody tears: those piteous groans, those cruel scourgings, those reproachful buffetings, those bitter tauntings and railings which he put up in all patience as the due rewards for our sins: shall they not make us morn and lament, when they made the veil of the temple to rend in sunder: the gates to open the dead bodies to arise: the earth to quake and tremble, and the sun to wax dark? If an earthly prince should punish every rebellion, treason, conspiracy, contempt, offence and default, which his subjects make, upon his beloved son: would they not in pity be ashamed, & sorry too? Our heavenly father punished the sins of the whole world upon jesus Christ his only begotten son, hanging him upon the cross. Oh then, where is our sorrow? why are we not ashamed to heap sin upon sin? and to nail him to the cross again? Thus is Christ's coming the means of our calling, wherein are included other more special means, as ye shall hear in the next circumstance. The second circumstance. Moreover in these words we are given to understand: who they are which Christ came purposely to call. I come not to call the righteus, but sinners, etc. Yea and this circumstance may stir us up to magnify the benefit of our calling as much as any. For here we see plainly that he renounceth all those which think better of themselves then sinners: as these Pharisees who dreamt that their own righteousness was sufficient to fulfil the law without Christ. But what is the matter that he doth so flatly deny that he came to call the righteous? It is well worth the noting. For whom doth he call righteous, but those which trust only in their own righteousness and make no account of the righteousness of Christ. Now these he doth renounce. First because it was the determinate will & purpose of his father which sent him, that whosoever will make himself righteous, & is his own Christ, & his own jesus, shall lie still in blindness, & sleep in his own confusion. another cause may be, that forsomuch as he came purposely to seek & to save that which was lost: & the righteous imagine that they neu●r went astray: therefore he lets them be as they are. another reason may yet be taken of the setting forth his father's glory: for that there shallbe more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, then over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. And no doubt if he had offered to call them, he had but lost his labour: For had he said to them, as he did to Matthew, Come & follow me: they would have answered by and by, We follow Abraham our father: we follow Moses our Prophet: we follow the law of God: we have ceremonies: we have traditions: we have prescriptions: we have our inventions to follow: we look for another manner of Messiah to follow then such a beggarly outcast as thou art: Therefore go where thou wilt, we will not follow thee. Wherefore dearly beloved, beware how you stand upon your own righteousness, because of a few good works: surely you have no more portion in Christ then the veriest pharisee that ever was: For if our Saviour jesus will be found faithful in his Messiaship, he must renounce you and say: I came not to call the righteous: Not the righteous? whom then? sinners? sinners. Behold dearly beloved, if you think to reap the benefits of Christ's coming, you must humble yourselves, and become sinners: But how, or in what manner doth he call sinners? The calling of Christ is of two sorts: the one is common wherewith we are in deed stirred up after a sort, but not effectually bound & brought to the purpose, for that they are not pleased with the means: as God's word, the Sacraments, Sermons, &c: and this is common to the reprobate & righteous, as well as to the elect & sinners. Now the other is a convenient and a mighty calling, whereby the minds of sinners are touched and thoroughly charged: For in this very manner he doth call sinners to repentance. First he soundeth in their ears by the voice of his Law the great danger of death and damnation wherein they stand because they have so wilfully transgressed his commandments: & this strikes them in such horror of their sins & fear of his vengeance, that they would be glad to be reconciled to God the father, lest he should pour upon them their deserved punishment. Then he sends them the sweet comfort of the gospel, which shows them, that jesus Christ is become their mediator & advocate: & if they believe in him, they shallbe safe & sure: whereupon he gives them faith, & plants it so fast in them, that nothing can draw them from Christ. And lest this faith should be Idle & frutlesse, he sends them the holy ghost: the spirit of adoption to work in their hearts according to their calling. And thus you see how jesus Christ calleth sinners to repentance. If you should question farther with me & inquire of the time when he calleth sinners: That is counsel to us. For there is no time excepted: there is no time to be in this world. Therefore let no man despair: For he cannot be called so late into the Lord's vineyard, but he shall have his penny well & truly paid him. Lastly if you yet question further with me, and inquire the cause why he calleth sinners and not righteous: I must either hold my peace, or else with Paul exclaim, saying: O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdom Rom. 11. & knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out? Who hath known the mind of the lord? or who was his counsellor? etc. For dearly beloved, be it known unto you, & heaven & earth shall bear me witness that the Lord in his doings is neither unjust, nor unmerciful: No, he is most just and most merciful. Is not he most just which hath punished with extreme rigour the offences of all those sinners whom he calleth, upon his own dear son jesus Christ: yea and will no: vouchsafe to receive them into his glory, until he hath perfectly justified and sanctified them in Christ? & is he not most merciful, who hath elected and called those which had neither work nor meat, but only a lively faith in the blood of Christ which he himself had given them? Therefore let all sinners rejoice in the Lord again and again, for Christ came to call them, etc. The third circumstance. Lastly we see here to what end & purpose we are called in Christ to repentance. To call sinners to repentance, is to work two things in them: that is, to make them know their own misery, and too give them faith whereby they may see their great felicity in jesus Christ. Repentance is termed Vinum Angelorum, August ad. Romanos. the wine of Angels, for that the tears of a sinner more rejoice the Angels in Heaven, than any Wine doth the heart of man. To repent, as saith Augustine, is to be sorry for sins committed, & not to commit the like again. In deed Repentance hath the rod of sorrow in one hand, wherewith she scourgeth herself when she calls to mind her former sins: But in the other she hath the Ancour of Faith, wherewith she taketh sure hold fast in the rock jesus Christ: otherwise her own tears would drown her in the Seas of desperation. Repentance in this place includeth justification, and is indeed the true and direct means to justification: For when the sinner is called to an inward sorrow for his sins, once jesus Christ for his comfort gives him faith, which faith bringeth to him by a heavenly violence all the merits of Christ, & applieth them to the sinful soul. And this it is dearly beloved, which makes repentance of that prerogative, that At what time soever a sinner repenteth, the Lord will put all his wickedness out of his remembrance, & that there shallbe more joy in heaven, etc. O Lord jesus Christ make us partakers of this privilege, & call us to repentance that we die not in our sins. It is high time, it is high time I say, dearly beloved, for England to pray for the privilege of repentance & pardon in jesus christ. For let England make the best of herself she can devise, she is but like a speckled leopard, which hath five black spots, for one whit. And to speak generally and truly, what wickedness is there from which England may wash her hands & say: I am not defiled with any such. The glorious gospel of jesus Christ, which should be our shield in all extremities, we tread it under our feet, as a vile thing. Prayer which should be our sword of defence always, lieth rusting in the scabbard of security. The old sin of Damascus is renewed in England. She threshed Gilead with iron flails: we thrash the poor with the silver flails of Usury, which is all one. The wickedness of Israel is now twice done and committed in England. She sold the R. for old shoes, we sell justice for rewards which is all one. In Israel a man and his father would go in unto one woman: which is, the father deflowereth a maid, & to make her amends marrieth her to his own son, which is all one. Yea even the abominations of Sodom are multiplied in our days. Pride, Fullness of Bread, Idleness and Contempt of the poor: For the which the plague of Sodom hangs over our heads, & would out of hand consume us, were it not for those ten righteous ones, which God be thanked we have among us, for whose sakes the mercy of God entreateth his justice to spare the whole Realm. Therefore it is high time I say once again for us to pray for the privilege of Repentance: That so we may weep bitterly with Peter: & wash our saviours feet with the unfeigned tears of Repentance with Mary Magdaline. Wherefore we beseech thee, O heavenly father, be merciful unto us, & boutsafe us thy dear son jesus Christ too call us from the danger of thy displeasure, and the uncleanness of our sins, unto unfeigned repentance, that so in sorrow of heart and liveliness of faith, we may receive the spirit of Adoption: whereby we cry Abba Father. And that the same spirit may certify our spirit, that we are the sons of God, albeit called, justified, and glorified in jesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour in whom grant us the fruition of thy glorious pleasure, with Angels and Archangels in thine everlasting kingdom: where thou raign●st in all Majesty, with jesus Christ sitting at thy right hand, and the holy ghost the spirit of grace. To whom three persons and one God be all glory and honour, now and for ever, Amen. ¶ IMPRINTED at London at the three Cranes in the vintry, by Thomas Dawson, for Edward Aggas, and Thomas Charde, 1580.