A GODLY AND FRUITFUL SERMON, Madent ●t Maydstone in the county of Kent the first sunday in Lent, in the presence of the most Reverend father in God THOMAS Archbishop of Canterbury. etc. by M. Thomas Cole schoolmaster there, against divers erroneous opinions of the Anabaptists and others. ❧ LONDINI, ANNO DOMINI. M. D. LIII. A SERMON MADE AT MAYDSTONE THE FYRT sunday in Lente, the year of our Lord, 1552. in the presence of the most reave rend father in God, Thomas Archby●shop of Canterbury. etc. by M. Thomas Cole schoolmaster there, against divers errors of the Anabaptists and such sects where soever they be, as in christian religion call themselves Brothers and Sisters, and dyvide themselves from other christian people. Audite coeli, percipe auribus tuis ô terra, quoniam Dominus locutus est WHo doth not marvel or count it a thing very strange, that a mortal man, of the generation of Adam, conceived in sin, borne in wickedness, bring no creator, but a creature, yea dust and ashes, should so boldly speak unto all states and degrees of men, commanding them to hear. Some peradventure do not only marvel, but accuse the Prophet, that he should say being but a man, Audite, quoniam Dominus locutus est. But dear christians, marvel not, neither charge you gods elect prophet with any evil, or breach of civility, least happily in faulting them, whom god sendeth unto you with the word of reconciliation, ye procure to yourselves the same rebuke, which our Saviour Christ gave to the catching Phariseis, namely, Quare vos malum cogitatis in cordibus vestris? For although Esay spoke words Math, 9 Marc. 2. Luc. 9 of commanding and of authority, yet he spoke them not of himself, neither in his own name, but in the name of the living god, which called him to be his prophet, and made him a messenger unto the people, to call them to the obedience of the faith. saying therefore, that almighty God, the lord of all creatures sent him to speak unto them, he gave him power to say, Audite: and seeing he sent him not to speak his own words, but the words of God, he also gave him power to say, Quoniam Dominus locutus est. For as the pen is the instrument, that formeth the letter, whereby the mind of the writer doth appear unto them that read it, not through the pen only, but by the writer that useth the pen: even so the prophet Esay, & all they that have the ministry of the word of god, are but the instruments which god useth according to his godly pleasure, to make his will to be known unto the hearers: Which cometh not of themselves, but of god, which speaketh in them. David not forgetting that he Psal. 45 was the instrument of god, although called to the dignity of a prophet, unable of himself to set forth the inestimable riches of God's wisdom, without the aid of his holy spirit, said Lingua mea calam us scribae, velociter scribentis. S. Paul well remembering that the ministration of the word was honourable, whereof God had made him a choose instrument, & on the other side, not forgetful how little he had deserved at the lords hands such a promotion, when he heard the people of Corinth fallen into such a frenetical contention, that they would (as men do now a days) either commend or loath the word for the instrument sake, because he would not have them to regard his person, but almighty God that spoke in him: Therefore to declare himself to be but an instrument to set forth the glory of God, he said: Quid igitur est Paulus? Quis ●utem 1 Cor. ●. Apollo? nisi ministri per quos credidistis, et ut cuique dominus dedit, Ego plantavi, Apollo r●gauit, sed Deus deditincrementum. Itaque neque qui plantat est aliquid, neque qui rigat, sed qui dat incrementum Deus. Esay upon like consideration entending to draw the Israelites from the deceivable affections of flesh and blood unto the worthy receiving and reverent embracing of the word of life, that they should not think on the person, but on the Lord that spoke in him, said: Audite coeli, percipe auribus tuis ô terra, quoniam Dominus locutus est. The like mind ought to be at this day in all them that either preach or hear the word of the Lord, that the preachers may acknowledge themselves to be but instruments, and the hearers to seek nothing in them, but god, speaking in them the words of eternal life. Now therefore that almighty God speaketh by his instruments, the true preachers of his word, thorough the operation of his holy spirit, which in times past spoke immediately from himself, by the patriarchs and prophets to the world: Let us give ear with diligence that we may understand his heavenly mind, and beware that we despise not, neglect and abandon this high treasure of the wisdom of god, the word of faith, although it seem to come from a base & poor instrument, but heartily receive it, joyfully accept it, obediently follow it, and faithfully persist in it to the end, that the may reap with great comfort thy promise of God, Qui persever averit usque in finem, hic saluus erit. For Math. 24. Mat. ●●. without doubt god willeth his word spoken by those whom he chooseth to this sacred function, to be received with like worthiness and estimation, even as though he spoke it himself. And therefore he saith: Qui vos audit, me Luc. 10. joan. 14. Marc. 6. Math. 10. audit. qui vos spernit me spernit. As the mouth of the kings ambassador is (for the time he speaketh the words of the king) the very mouth of the king, so the mouth of the preacher, speaking sincerely the word of God, is the mouth of god for the time he preacheth. And therefore the Prophets when they had spoken to the people, unto whom they were sent, the mind and word of God, they for the most part concluded their matters with these words, saying: Quoniam os Esa. 1. Domini locutum est. Wherefore as they that despise the kings emdassadour, little regard or esteem the king. so likewise they that despise the true preachers of the word of god as much as in them lieth, despise god. Now dearly beloved christians, although Esay speaketh not unto you, but a sinful man, one unworthy to bear Esayes' books after him, either for the dexterity of life that was in him, either for the deep knowledge in the mysteries of God, yet because it hath pleased our heavenly father to call me at this time to this place, truly without colour to speak his truth, and nothing but his truth, I shall desire you in the name of God to dee diligent hearers. Wherefore hoping to have you like attentive now, as the true worshippers of God were in Esayes' time, I use the same introduction to my matter as Esay did, saying unto you, as he did unto them: Audite coeli, percipe auribus tuis ô terra, quoniam Dominus locutus est: Hear O heavens, hearken O earth▪ hear ye that be rich, and ye that be poor: ye that be honourable, & ye that be miserable: ye both good and bad, Audite, Audite. But peradventure so me man museth what I do mean, thus earnestly to will you to hear, declaring nothing what you should hear, Cum audire non possitis sine predicante: If here were no man to speak unto, then Rom. 10 although I should say audite, yet might I chose whether I would speak further, because it is written, Auditus ubi non est, non effundas Eccl. 32 sermonem. I can make no such excuse, seeing here is so goodly an audience, so learned an auditory, so diligently bend to hear that that shallbe spoken, but am compelled for conscience sake to speak that that the lord willeth to be spoken by me: (wherefore) as it is written Qui habet aures ad audiendum, audiat. Speak on therefore, what would you that we should Mar. 4. hear? Verily ye shall hear the wholesome, comfortable and sweet exhortation, yea rather the humble supplication that the holy Apostle S. Paul made unto the Corinthians But I would not have you to hear for your bellies sake, or to satisfy the wanton lusts of your flesh, as did the Epicures: neither to trip the preachers in their words, as did the Phariseis or cursed Herodians: lest the Seeing plague, I would say, the Sin plague of. Egypt fall upon you, as it did upon them for their so wylfulle enterprise: Auditu audietis & non intelligebitis, & videntes Math. 13. Esa. 6. Marc. 4. Act. 18. videbitis, & non videbitis. But I would wish you so to hear, that ye might learn. so to attend, that ye might comprehend your duty towards our merciful god. To this end do they hear that are either wise, or religious: As Solomon witnesseth: Auris sapientum Pro. 18. quaerit doctrinam, non calumnian, as those that be undiscrete do, to whom to speak of knowledge it availeth not, because they refuse to be learned therein: unto whom Solomon forbiddeth to speak, saying: In auribus insipientium ne loquaris, despicient enim doctrinam eloquij tui. hoping Pro. 23. therefore that ye seek to know with the wise, & not to carp with the foolish, that ye seek to learn & not to lurch, to savour the truth, & not to snare them that seek the prosperity of your souls. I am bold at this instant through the permission of god, to open my mouth in the truth. Being well assured, that if ye deceive me herein, yet can you not deceive the lord who seeth clearly in the darkness, Gen. 11. & 17. Psal. 7. Apo. 2. who knoweth the very secrets of all men's hearts, unto whom no thing is hid, but known, as it is written: ●mnia nuda sunt illius oculis, de quo agimus, who can not be beguiled, Psal. 93. because he made man, and all that is in man. As the prophet saith, Shall not he that made the ear, hear, or he that made the eye, shall not he see, and he that made the heart shall not he understand and know? yea verily. Wherefore without all hypocrisy bow your ears to the Lord, and obediently learn to serve him, that your soul may live. As the Lord himself saith: Aurem vestram inclinate, Esa. 55. & venite ad me, audite, & vivet anima vestra. To this end saint Paul made this supplication unto the Corinthians, that they might live. Therefore to declare how careful he was over their life, and fearful lest thorough their own folly they should fall to death, he said. Quin adiuuantes obsecramus, ne in vacuum 2, Cor. 6. gratiam dei receperitis. Dicit enim, in tempore accepto exaudivite, & in die salutis su●curri tibi. Ecce nunc tempus acceptum, ecce nunc dies salutis. Ne quam demus offensionem, ne reprehendatur ministerium nostrum, sed in omnibus commendemus nos●psos ut Dei ministri, etc. After this humble and lovely manner, did saint Paul exhort the Corinthians, which were citisyns of the head city of Achaia, of whom they had their names, and were called Corinthians, willing them, as a tender father doth his beloved children, that they should not receive the abundant grace of god, ministered unto them by his preaching, in vain. Wherefore he saith, We as helpers exhort Rom. 11. 1. Cor. 8. Eph. 1. 2. Cor. 3. Apoc. 17. you. not that he meant by those words, to help god, which needeth not the help of men, because he is a perfect God, holy, just and good, unto whom nothing can be added nor any thing diminished, but that he holp the Corinthians in this that he slacked not the ministration of the word toward them, neither behaved himself unfaithfully towards God, by whom he was chosen to be an instrument to bear his name unto the Gentiles. No neither unkindly toward the Corinthians, whom he had converted unto the truth from their gentility and ungodliness. For as it appeareth by ancient and godly writers, he lived among the Corinthians one hole year and six months: in the which he laboured with all diligent preaching, to bring them from all lets that hindered Christ's religion, unto the obedience of the faith, wherewith, before his coming, they were not a little infected. What mischief was there to be seen among any people, that could not be both seen and found among the Corinthians before his preaching? Were they not devout idolaters, execrable blasphemers, unmerciful oppressers, violent exactours, beastly advoutters, full of envy, pride, drunkenness, gluttony, strife, sedition and unspeakable villainy against God and his dear son jesus Christ? Did they not through ignorance, the chief enemy to knowledge, abuse all the good gifts of god? But the Lord intending to set forth mercy towards them, like as he hath done to all the hole world, did move saint Paul by his holy spirit to go preach unto them the glad tidings of salvation, & call them to repentance, that they might by grace through faith in jesus Christ, obtain the crown of immortality and everlasting life. which thing, when he lived familiarly among them, through the spirit of grace in preaching, he performed. Wherefore by true preaching he laid a sure foundation among them, ut sapiens archytectus, 1. Cor. 3. namely the Lord jesus, that they being built upon him, might grow to an holy temple in the Lord. Howbeit the devil, the ancient enemy of God, endeavouring to destroy that that God worketh, labouring to evert that that God buildeth, and to root up that that God planteth, because he may not abide the creatures of God to turn from sin, and faithfully to serve their God. Therefore soon after saint Paul's departure from Corinth, the devil (working in the children of unbelief) stirred the Corinthians to their old vomit again, that they might perish. And to bring this matter to pass, he laboured to cause the heathen people that had concourse thither, not only by their heathenyshe manners, to corrupt the people, but also through false Apostles, to bring them from the truth to paganry, from the gospel to the law, from the righteousness of Christ, to their own righteousness, and from the true worshipping of god, to adore their own invention, that the knowledge of God might clean be rooted out among the people, saint Paul being moved with godly zeal over them, and loath to see them desolate, whom god of his free mercy for Christ's sake, through his preaching had converted unto the truth, although he had moved them with one epistle to beware of such deceivers, yet ceased he not with an other (signifying his carefulness) to exhort them that they should not receive the grace of god in vain, neither sin against so merciful a God. Is there any thing that may deserve more commendation, than in the time of punishment, to forgive? and when sentence of death is pronounced, to pardon? This did our heavenly father for them, and not for them alone, but also for us, sending his dear and only begotten son to be a ransom for our sins, in whom all that believe, have remission of their sin, and life everlasting. He alone is our Redemption and justification. In him only are our sin purged and done Rom. 4. Rom. 5. 1. joan. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 2. Tim. 2. Tit. 3. Gal. 3. Eph. 2. away. He is our reconciliation & mercy seat in whom God is pacified toward us, contented towards us, agreed with us to take us for his sons. Therefore it is written, Christus pax nostra: And again, Abluti sumus, sanctificati sumus, justificati sumus per nomen jesu Christi, & 1. Cor. ●. Eph. 1. per spiritum dei nostri: Per quem habemus redemptionem, per sanguinem ipsius, remissionem peccatorum, de qua ubertim nobis impartivit, in omni sapientia & prudentia, patefacto nobis arcano voluntatis suae juxta beneplacitum suum, quod proposuerat in seipso etc. This word of reconciliation did saint Paul unto the Corinthians, whereby the grace of god was manifested unto them in Christ jesus, for the remission of their sins, willing them not to be unthankful receivers thereof, neither such as by favouring their old sins, should neglect the benefit of their salvation, but bring forth fruit agreeable to the same gospel, which he had so long time preached among them, and not to give ear to the subtle sophistry of the deceiver. For well knew saint Paul the damnable policy of the devil, that he cared not though the word were much preached, so that he might bring to pass to destroy in the people the fruits of the gospel. Wherefore he exhorted them, not to receive the grace of God in vain, but to be faithful followers of Christ, and live after the gospel. Because the grace of God Tit. 2. hath appeared, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live justly, soberly, and righteously in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and apearing of our Lord jesus etc. But have not we as much need at this time to learn this lesson as had the Corinthians? Hath not almighty god showed as much mercy unto us as he did unto them, or rather more? God sent to the Corinthians one preacher to convert them to the truth: God hath sent to us many. The word was preached by one whole year and a half to the Corinthians: It hath been preached many years unto us. God taught the Corinthians the true worshipping of god, he also hath taught us to worship god truly. God removed from the Corinthians by sincere preaching, that which hindered godly religion: The same God hath also removed from us that that hindered godly religion. But as the goodness of God hath been more abundant to us than to the Corinthians, so have our sins far exceeded the sins of the Corinthians: whereby if Paul seared that they would take the grace of God in vain, much more it is to be seared that we receive it not in vain. For the same devil that laboured to make the Corinthians enemies to grace, at this day ceaseth not to make us the same, as saynet Peter saith: Diabolus adversarius noster tanqleo 2. Pet. 5. rugiens circuit, quaerens quem devoret: He is not idle, but still laboureth to root out of man's heart the fear of god and knowledge of the truth, that they might follow him like captives, snared in the bands of darkness to perdition: For as saint john saith, Diabolus peccat ab initio, and therefore studieth 1. joan. 3. to make all men to have pleasure in sin, that they might enjoy his inheritance, the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. As God hath pleasure in life, so hath he pleasure in murdering and killing the souls of men. Not without cause therefore hath our saviour Christ thus spoken of him: Diabolus homicida erat ab initio, & in veritate non stetit, quia non est veritas in eo. By errors joan. 8. therefore and false suggestions he goth about to make men always disobedient and unfaithful against god. To achieve this his detestable purpose, he putteth into their hearts strong delusions, that they should believe lies, and attempt things worthy of condemnation. As he did into judas heart, as saith S. john: Diabolus immisit in cor judae joan. 13 ve proderet Christum. Many ways the devil did seek to bring the Corinthians into god's displeasure, after they had received the gospel, but chief either in corrupting themselves with a conversation most contrary to their profession, either by stirring them by false apostles In judaismum, ut exciderent à gratia. Gala. 5. Even so he doth labour diversly and many ways to bring us into God's displeasure, but principally by two ways, wherein he spendeth no small labour in these days, not altogether without bringing his cursed purpose to pass. Thone way is by speaking well, and living abominably: tother is by living well (as far forth as men can judge) and speaking evil, that is, teaching or maintaining unsure doctrine. By one of these two ways the devil at this day deceiveth the souls of men. If th'one serveth not, he doth attempt with the other. To speak well and live carnally, it displeaseth him very little: but to live well, that is not for the devils diet: nothing is so contrary to his pestilent tooth, it is to hot for him to swallow up such a morsel, unless he play the cook, and take in hand to season the matter himself. That that is most difficyle to bring to pass, that doth the devil first enterprise, most hardly assault, most busily seeketh to conquer, and being conqueror thereof, more rejoiceth than over that that is but small mastery to win. The devil doth think it easier to continue an hundredth well speakers in a filthy conversation, than to overcome one man that exerciseth himself in virtue and godliness. First therefore he biddeth battle to the virtuous man, as to his most adversary, whose castle he knoweth to be so strong and unsaultable, that without diligent beating of his devilish wits, he can by no means win it. Strong is that munition whose walls are brass, but stronger is that soul whose wall is the word of God: invincible is that fort, whose rampires are strongly couched to the walls, and of great quantity, but more invincible is that soul, whose faith is surely linked to the word of God, and in great quantity expresseth the fruits thereof thorough undefiled charity. yet is there no bastylion so strong, but by some means it may be overcome. For that that force often misseth, that doth prodition bring to pass: and that that can not be done by other, is often thorough policy down by our selves. Of this the subtile Satanas is not ignorant, whose practice it hath been from the beginning against man's soul, and will be (I fear me) unto the end. We have example in Scripture, that some time by force of other he caused men to sin, and sometime he provoked themselves to be cause of their own mischief. Whilst Moses was in the Mount with God, the devil knew that the government of the people hanged upon Aaron's shoulders, wherefore thorough the ignorance of God, he stirred up the hearts of the israelites, to cause Aaron to make them a molten Calf after Exo. 32 the manner of egypt. Thus by force he caused Aaron to be their image maker, contrary to God's will. But where this feat serveth not, he occupieth the other, namely to make men betray themselves. What needeth me to rehearse the good King Ezechias, whom the devil so myghtilye assaulted 4 Reg. 30. thorough his cruel instruments, the capitain of Sennacherib king of Assyria, tempting him with outrageous blasphemy against god, to give over his heart with the people thorough incredulity, into the hands of the king of Assyria? Yet could not the devil by these his ministers overcome good Ezechias but the more they proudly bragged, the more 4 Reg. 20, Ezechias humbled himself. The more they called to the people, fearing them with the name of the king of Assyria, with his gests and martial feats to turn their hearts from their king (that king and people may fall into his hand) so much the more good king Ezechias called unto God in fervent prayer, to be defended from God's enemy, & the enemy of his people, the king of Assyria. And god of his free mercy heard his prayer, strengthened the people's hearts, and delivered jerusalem from the spoil. O victory of Faith. Satan therefore perceiving that by this ways he could not prevail against Ezechias, whose munition was so strong, thorough jesus Christ, he went an other way to work, namely by prodition to cause him to betray himself, that he might by some mean cause him to offend. After that god had given him peace, and destroyed the host of Assyria, the king of Babylon sent 2 Par. 22, gifts to Ezechias. The devil therewithal made him to forget his humility, and thrust into his heart opinion of himself, whereby he did not only rejoice that so famous a king should seek friendship at his hands by gifts, but also to ostentate his riches and power, he showed the messengers his treasure house, for the which the Prophet was sent to rebuke him: & he repented. This hath been his fetch of old (as we here see) & this doth he practise now at this day, against those that covet to lead a virtuous life, whose fall is his only joy, because he is a devourer. Therefore where he perceiveth any that have pleasure in godliness, and to walk in the orchard of God's eternal word, by whose pleasant savours their souls might be consolated, to infect those is his whole industry, which he can by no means do, but by making them receive the grace of God in vain. Seeing then that he can not corrupt them with gross sins, which thorough custom and exercise of virtue do continually watch that they may escape them, he desireth to corrupt them therein, wherein they lest suspect to fall, namely in doctrine, and that because he seeth them greedy of knowledge, and of the sweet savour of the truth. Therefore he gathereth together a great heap of noisome flowers, which are beautiful to the eye, and seem for their gloss and colour to have grown in the orchard of the Lord, yet is their stink deathly and pestiferous to them, that obstinately delight in their savour, and declareth them not to be of the orchyarde of God, but of the contagious palude of hell. Those he straweth before the godly liver, that by their ill savour he may be an evil speaker, and so receive the grace of God in vain. For as good savour is comfortable to the body, and a preserver of his health, so is sound doctrine the preservative of the soul. As it is written: Verba quae ego loquor, spiritus & vita sunt. joh. 6, But as nothing soever corrupteth the body, than stinking savour and impure air: so nothing soever killeth the soul, than impure doctrine. As it is written: Erratis, quia nescitis scripturas. Seeing that the Math. 22 devil straweth such flowers before good livers, provoking them by their colour to poison themself with their savour, charity willeth that ye declare them, least happily any man thorough ignorance should smell there unto, and so receive the grace of God in vain. give ear therefore, and ye shall perceive these flattering flowers of the devil wherewith he laboureth to deceive, and beware of them. first, That all men be so saved, that none at length shallbe dampened. This flower seemeth to have a goodly colour, & the devil by the deceitful beauty thereof, enticeth some to put it to their nose, that with smelling thereto, their souls might be filled with blindness and error. For it seemeth to be built upon the mercy of God, but so, that utterly it destroyeth his justice, breedeth in man a false security, clean rooteth out of his heart the fear of God and obedience to his word: wherefore it is as Cycute, and mortifieth the soul. For although God be merciful (as he is in deed) by the which he willeth Eze. 18. not the death of a sinner, Sed magis ut vivat & convertatur, yet is he also just, by the which he condemneth the unbelievers and impenitent. Therefore it is written: Eccl. 5. Eccl. 19 Goe 6 & 19 Nun, 14. Ne dica●, Miseratio Domini magna est, multitudis peccatorum meorum miserabitur. Misericordia & ira abillo cito proximant, & in peccatores respicit ira illius: Non tardes converti ad Dominum, & ne differas de die in diem. Subito enim venitira illius, & in die vindictae disperdet etc. The word of God therefore doth declare God to be both just and merciful, and that his mercy destroyeth not his justice, neither his justice diminisheth his mercy. For he hath declared in his word their limits and bounds in such sort, that we may assure ourselves either of salvation or of condemnation. notwithstanding that his Mercy reacheth unto the heavens, and is over of all his works, yet are none thereof partakers, but those in whom Christ dwelleth by lively faith, as S. Paul writeth: Christus jesus in vobis est, ni reprobi estis. 2 Cor. 23: And again: justus ex fide vivit. To the faithful Rem, 1, therefore God hath, for Christ's sake, promised mercy, which are penitent and convert unto the Lord, but the unfaithful and impenitent that die in their ●ol sins, shall be confounded and perish: Quoniam novit Dominus viam justorum, & iter impiorum peribit. As the unbelievers and impenitent Psal, 1 therefore have promised to them M judgement, so to the faithful and penitent, God, for Christ's sake only, hath promised mercy, and will not enter into judgement with them, because they be grafted in Christ, upon whom saint Paul sayeth, there is no condemnation. Life everlasting is the guyfte of god thorough Christ, and it belongeth to true christians, which unfeignedly believe in christ, whereof they may be glad: But eternal death is the inheritance of the unbelievers, whom god will cut of from his face with the sword of justice, that they shall be destroyed. as David sayeth. Exurgat Deus & dissipentur inimici eius, & Psalms, 67, fugiant qui oderunt eum, à facie eius. Sicut deficit fumus, deficiant: sicut fluit cera à facie ignis, sic pereant peccatores à facie Dei. Et justi epulentur, exultent in conspectu dei, & delectentur in laetitia. etc. Our saviour Christ intending to set before the people's eyes the limits of his mercy, & bounds of his justice, that they might certify them of whether they were partakers, not withstanding the universal preaching of his most blessed word, said: Euntes in mundum Mar. 16. universum, praedicate evangelium omni creaturae: Qui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit, hic saluue erit: qui non crediderit, condemnabitur. These are the limits that Christ hath set to his mercy and judgement, which are most certain, of the which every man shall taste, according to his deeds, as saint Paul saith: Hijs quidem qui secundum patientiam boni operis, gloriam & honorem & incorruptionem quaerentibus, Rom. 1. vitam aeternam: hijs qui sunt ex contentione, & qui non acquiescunt veritati, credunt autem iniquitati, ira & indignatio, tribulatio & angustia, in omnem animam hominis perpetrantis malum, judaei primum & Graeci. If therefore gods mercy towards all men in jesus Christ, saveth none but the true believers, and that for Christ's sake, as it is most certain: and in the contrary part, god's judgement condemneth none but the unbelievers, Heb. 3. Heb. 6. that die without repentance, as that is not to be doubted: Therefore it is a stinking flower most pestilent to say, that he will save all, for the scripture doth certify us, that some died impenitently in their unbelief, for the 2 Gen. 4. judic. 1●. Reg. 31. 4. Reg, 19, Gen. 19 Num. 16. which cause they were condemned: as Cain, Saul, Sennacheryb, the Sodomites, and the cursed congregation of Corath and Abyron, which went quick down into bell, with other more, of whom we read in the old testament. Also in the new Testament we read of judas the lost son, with many other. Act. 1. If some therefore are all ready condemned, then abominable is this error, that at length all men shall be saved. O pernicious heresy so far against god and his holy testament, through whom unbelieving cain is promoted to salvation as well as faithful Abel: and cursed judas as well as blessed Peter, contrary to the purpose of God, declared in his word. O subtle devil, that with the stink of this deathly flower poysonnest man's soul with vain hope and hellish security, clean perverting him from the truth, that he should receive the grace of god in vain. For surely as God hath expressed his justice from the beginning upon the unbelieving, and his mercy upon the faithful, so will he do to the end and conclusion of the world. As when he cometh to judgement, it shall appear. For than will he separate the lambs from the goats, the one on his right hand, to life, and the other on his left hand, to death. Beati igitur qui Apoc. 22. servant mandata illius, ut sit potestas corum in ligno vitae: foris auteni canes ve nefici, homicidae & impudici & idolis seruientes, & omnis qui amat mendatium. For the time shall come, that the faithful shall hear this sweet voice, Venite benedicti patris mei, in regnum preparatum Math. 25. pro vobis ab initio. And the unfaithful shall hear, A bite in ignem aeternum etc. ergo non omnes saluentur. But if this flower will not serve, than he bringeth an other of no less poison than this was, wherewithal he would persuade by a common order, that none shall be saved. And this is his flower. That there is no predestination of God: O deceivable devil, that leavest no stone unrolled to drown men in to perdition. By this contagious flower, he laboureth to make men deny the holy Predestination of God, and their election in jesus Christ, in whom the faithful are sealed to eternal life. That in denying thereof, he might wipe out of their soul the comfort of their justification, and glorification, the effects of the predestination of God, the which Saynet Paul so strongly confirmeth unto the Romans, saying: Scimus autem quod hijs qui diligunt deum, omnia cooperantur in bonum, nimirum hos qui juxta propositum vocati sunt etc. Rom. 8. Porro quos praedestinavit, eosdem & vocavit: & quos vocavit, cos & iustificavit: quos autem iustificavit, eos & glorificavit. Thus we see, that the effects of predestination, is justification and glorification: the which if the devil could make us to deny, he would soon make us renounce our justification: if he could make us renounce our justification, then would he easily persuade us that there were no Christ, or that he died in vain. If he could cause us to deny Christ, or to think that he died in vain, then would he destroy the faith: if no man had faith, that none should be saved: Qui non crediderit, condemnabitur. Take heed Marc. 16. therefore that no man smell to this dangerous flower, lest he err against the truth, and deny that which is confirmed by the truth. For saint Paul confirming our election and predestination in jesus Christ gave hearty thanks to god for it, as for the sweet conserve of the soul, and principal medicine to them that by faith clean to Gods promise made in Christ, saying: Benedictus deus et pater domini nostri jesu Christi, qui benedixit nos in omni benedictiōe spirituali Eph. 1. in coelestibus in Christo: sicut elegit nos in ipso ante mundi constitutionem, ut essemus sancti & immaculati in conspectu eius in charitate. Qui praedestinavit nos in adoptionem filiorum per●●sum Christum etc. If there had been no predestination, then would not S. Paul have given thanks to God for it. But out of doubt there is a predestination, the which is certain in God, although it be uncertain in us, and none otherwise known, but in that we feel the spirit of grace working faith and obedience in our hearts unto the word of god: and that is the true token whereby the spirit of god certifieth our spirits, that we at the elect sons of God. Let no man therefore rashly judge of gods holy predestination, but let every man submit his judgement to the word of God, without curiosity, seeking that end in predestination, which saint Paul willed the Ephesians to learn, namely Elegit nos in ipso ut sancti essemus & immaculati in conspectu eius in charitate, That feeling this mind and desire in themselves, they may rejoice in their election, and give thaiskes with saint Paul. Who so ever than there be, that is faithful, and coveteth rightly to understand predestination, let him attend upon Christ, that he may find himself in him, without whom there can be found no worthy token of Predestination. & beware that no man be so blind, that he should deny the predestination of God, for so should he declare himself to be infected with this stinking flower of the devil. Now as it is a wicked error to deny the Predestination of God, and our election in Christ, and a flower not to be found among christian men, so it is a most damnable heresy, and an execrable flower of hell, wherein may be smelled the poison blasphemy of the devil against the son of God jesus Christ, to affirm and hold that by predestination God is the author of sin, where as we may learn in scripture, that the holy Predestination of God never passeth, but always continueth within the bounds of Godliness and righteousness: where by all mighty God at no time moveth any man to sin: universae enim viae domini misericordia & veritas. Saint james therefore to declare jacob. that God is not the author of sin, saith that God tempteth no man to evil. Satan is the cause of sin, and sin the cause of our punishment, what bringeth the wrath of God upon us, and maketh his anger so fierce over us? Syn. What is the cause that God's truth taketh no place in us, and that we receive the grace of god in vain? Sin. Therefore it is written, In cor malevolun, non introibit sapientia: nec habitabit ●ap. 1. in corpore subdito peccatis. etc. isaiah confirmeth the same, saying: Your sins have separate you from god. Saint Paul also teaching the Romans, wherewith God was and is displeased, said: Revelatur ira Dei de Rom. 1. coelo super omnem iniustitiam & impietatem hominum. etc. If God be than displeased at sin (as his word doth declare him to be) than is he not the author of sin, unless we should grant (as God forbid) that he is both a mutable god or a dissembling God, which coveteth or alloweth that, which he saith by his word, he doth hate. For he is the author of nothing but of that which he alloweth. As he therefore is good only, and goodness itself, contrary to all iniquity: so is he author of all godliness and virtue, and no sin. For this cause hath he commanded us to flee from all sin, as from a serpent: declaring in his blessed testament, that they be blind, as concerning the knowledge of god, yea strangers from all truth, that say, they have fellowship with the light, & yet walk in darkness. 1. joan. 1. Therefore he willeth all men to abstain from sin, whereof he is not the author, but the hater: not the cause, but avenger: & with a lively faith to withstand the devil, the author & only joan. 8. cause of sin, as it is written: Diabolus mendax est, & pater eius. Away therefore with this pestilent flower & creeping pestilence in the dark, whereby the devil busily seeking our destruction, laboureth to persuade us little to regard the law of God, to neglect our conscience, to eschew no evil, to follow all mischief like unbridled horses: and that because God is displeased at no sin, which is the author of all (as the devil teacheth.) But let us build our faith upon the word of god, sanctified and sealed with the blood of Christ, whereby we are taught that God is holy, just and good, and the cause of no sin, as it is written: Quoniam non Deus volens iniquitatem Psal. 5. tu es. Neque habitabit juxta te malignus, neque permane bunt iniusti ante oculos tuos. Odisti omnes qui operantur iniquitatem. etc. Therefore by predestination god doth not provoke or allure any man to sin, because he is god, and playeth not the part of the devil: but he hath predestinate his judgement, wherewith he will reward every man as he hath done, either life or death, unto whose predestination nothing appertaineth, but just condemnation to the unbelievers, and undeserved mercy to the faithful. Christ came to take away our sin, and there was no sin in him. As there was no sin in him, so was there no sin of him: that that was not of him, was not his work: that which was not in his work, was not in his predestination. a damnable flower of the devils orchard. But if this flower serve not, he hath an other ready in store, the smell whereof no less infecteth than tother. That is, Christ died for his own sins as well as for the sins of the people. How the devil hath wrought by this flower, ye have an example before your eyes, that ye may learn to eschew the savour of so perilous a flower. For the poisoning of this, aught to be to you a perpetual warning, to beware the engines of the devil, that he at no time bewitch you to fall into such an error so far against the truth. By this blind suggestion the devil goth to appeach Christ's innocency, righteousness & death, and to make him an insufficient Saviour, whereby he might make us opinion, that the law were not satisfied for us, neither yet God contented towards us. For God could not be pleased towards us, until his law were satisfied. And the law could not be satisfied, until one that had not transgressyd the law, should be propitiation for their sins, that were condemned by the law. Seeing therefore that none could be found of the sinful generation of Adam, that had not in Adam transgressed the law, Omnes enim peccaverunt, simul Gala. 4. P●alm. inutiles facti sunt, when the full time was come, God sent his son made of a woman, Factum sub lege, ut eos qui sub lege Gal. ●. erant, redimeret. which thing he could not do, if he had not been innocent and without sin. Moses' therefore to represent his innocency and purity without sin, caused the children of Israel when they celebrated the passover, which represented the sacrifice of Christ's body, to take a Lamb of one year, without spot, in token that Christ was without sin. To declare therefore that he was the true Messiah, sent from God to satisfy the law, and that by his innocency, he with his own mouth, said: Princeps huius mundi ve nit, & in me non habet 〈…〉 quicquam. Esay also saith: Christus Iniquitatem non fecit, neque dolus inventus est in ore 〈…〉. eius. Christ therefore being without sin, how could he die for his own sin? But the scripture teacheth us, that he alone died for our sins, to redeem us from sin, as it is written: Ipse vulneratus est propter iniquitates Esa. 53. nostras, & attritus propter scelera nostra. Away therefore with this contagious flower, and receive the truth spoken by S. Paul to your great comfort, who saith Hebr. Non habemus Pontificem qui non possit affici sensu infirmitatum nostrarum, tentatum per omnia juxta similitudinem absque peccato. O subtle devil, that so canst enchant the minds of simple men, to make them so judge of the immaculate lamb jesus christ. Whether causest thou the sheep of God to wander thorough thy enticing flowers, out of the sweet pasture of God's verity? But now that he seeth his enterprise so shameless and wilful, yea and open to all men's eyes that it is espied, he passeth from the boddye of christ, and blasphemeth his holly Spirit. Therefore he showeth man an other flower, where thorough he would have his foul perish. Which flower is this. That a man having the spirit of God, may have his neighbours wife in common. This flower is so fyltbye and so blasphemous an error against God and his holly spirit, that the abomination thereof abhorring the very law of nature, so condemneth it, that it needeth no farther confutation. For what other thing meaneth the devil by this flower, but to make whoredom and all such abominations to be fruits of God's spirit? Where as saint Paul doth prove to the Galathians, that godliness is the fruit of God's spirit. And therefore he saith: Fructus spiritus est charitas, gaudium, pax, Gala. ●. lenitas, benignitas, bonitas, fides, mansuetudo: adversus huiusmodi non est lex. Wherefore whoredom proceedeth not of God's spirit, but of the devil and our flesh, of whom it is a work. whereof S. Paul hath thus prophesied, that who so committeth therein, unless he repent, shall never be heir of the kingdom of God. God's spirit doth not privilege any man to do that, which is forbidden by the word of God: but to pollute their neighbours bed, is forbidden by the word of God: therefore no man having the spirit of God, may do any such abomination: For God hath said: Non commits Mar. 10. Exo. 20. adulterium. And again: Scortatores & adulteros judicabit Deus. A wicked and pernicious Heb. 13 heresy it is, loathsome to any christian cares, to hear any man breath out the savour of so stinking a flower, which violateth not only the sacred institution of Christ, because the Lord hath said: Ambo erunt Heb. 13 una Caro. Et, Honorabile connubium & thorus immaculatus. but also it dispatcheth a side the will of God: which thing God's spirit teacheth no man to do. For S Paul saith: Haec est voluntas Dei, sanctificatio vestra, Tess. 4. ut abstineatis à fornication. etc. Ergo to have thy neighbour's wife, is against God's will, and forbidden thee, if thou have the spirit of Christ. How God hateth the cursed sect of Nycolaitans, whose hearts were infected with the savour of this pestilent flower, S. john doth not hide, that we should eschew Apoc ● the plagues that God brought upon them. Unspeakable is this heresy, and not to be talked of any man, much less to be holden. I know none infected with these aforesaid errors (these men except) but if there be any, God bring them into the way of truth. But now if the devil can not persuade men to commit whoredom by the spirit of God, whereby God in his wrath may take his holy spirit from them, that they may perish, than he taketh an other shameful flower, to detestable to be spoken, whereby he teacheth men to affirm that, which gods word flatly condemneth: namely That the inward man sinneth not, when the utter man sinneth. O pestilent flower, breeding in man all beastliness, whereby his foot is in hell or he be ware, For whilst he promiseth himself; life, thorough a vain hope, & giveth his members over to serve sin, he becometh the servant of sin, whose reward is death. For the outward man never sinneth unto death, although no good thing dwelleth in it, but when the inward man consenteth thereto. Therefore the serpent entering by our flesh assaulteth the soul with wicked temptations, to make it obedient to the lusts of our flesh. Wherefore although we have participate thorough Adames disobedience the poysonned nature of the devil, which dwelleth in our flesh, and always biddeth battle against our soul, yet the devil obtaineth not his pray, until the soul of man (neglecting the grace of God) giveth itself over with consence to serve the wicked apperytes of the flesh. Sayncte Paul therefore willing man to continue God's warryar against sin both in body and soul, crieth to the Romans: Let not sin Rom. 6 reign in your mortal boddyes, that ye should fulfil the lusts thereof. When reigneth it, but when the soul is be come the bond slave to the flesh? which ought thorough the spirit of grace, to reign and rule. Therefore saint Paul saith: Look to whom ye give over yourselves to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether it be sin unto death, or righteousness unto life. To give over and obey what meaneth it, but when thorough grace we serve God in soul and body, or else serve the devil in soul and body? David the prophet not infected with this flower, but knowing that the body sinning, the soul could not be free, yea rather confessing all mischief to proceed from the inward man, overcome and obeying the devil, cried unto the Lord, who only could help him: Cor mundum crea in me Deus, & Spiritum Psal. ●● rectum innova in visceribus meis. Which petition he would never have made, if he had thought, that the inner man sinned not, when the outward man sinned. Why should the Prophet joel have willed the people of Israel to rent their hearts and not their , if he had thought, (as the devil would have men think,) that the inward man sinned not? etc. But he believed that the inward man sinneth with the outward, and needeth to repent. Therefore he cried: Scindite corda vestra, & non vestimenta joel. 2. vestra. Our Saviour Christ to beface and destroy this perilous flower, declaring that the inward man sinneth as well as the outward, said: Ex cord exeunt cogitationes malae, homicidia, adulteria, fornicationes, surta, falsa testimonia, blasphemiae, etc. Beware therefore of this flower. Another flower the devil hath in store, if this serveth not to infect man's soul withal, whereby he would have him presume of himself, to do that which is not in himself. This flower is a pestilent flower, wherewith the devil hath in time passed deceived many. This flower is, that by free will, sprung of our own nature, we may believe the gospel, and do all things pleasing to God. Or else he bringeth an other flower not unlike to the same, whereby he would have man to take Christ's office in hand, & to be Christ to himself, namely 〈…〉 That by our free will, we may save our souls. These venomous flowers of presumption to be stinking wreds, God's word doth prove, willing all men to beware of them, for as much as by them, sinful man is set in the place of our righteous God, and may come to heaven, if this were not an error, whether God will or no. Than the which what blasphemy can be greater? To prove the first to be a very lie, Saint james taketh jacob. 1 in hand, which saith, That every good guyfte and perfect guyfte cometh from God the father of light. But faith is a good and perfect gift, ergo it cometh of God: than man can not give himself faith. Also our Saviour christ saith: Sine me nihil ●oan. potestis facere. that is, without me you can do nothing ergo we can not please God of ourselves. S. Paul confuteth the latter error & proveth it to be flat against the truth, saying Gratia estis saluati per fidem, idque non ex vobis, ●ph. 2 Deidonum est, non ex operibus, ne quis glorietur. Therefore we be not saved by our own fire wil Christ hath taken us from the vengeance to come, ergo not our own free will. Christ Tess. 1 is our justification & redemption, ergo not our own free wil No man can come to the father but by Christ, therefore we can not be saved by our free-will. Saint Paul after he felt the comfort of his election in jesus Christ by faith, he did not say, Of mine own free-will I am that I am: but he said, By the grace of God I am that I am. Sure it is therefore, that we can not think good nor do good, neither will good, nor work good, without the grace of God. For as S. Paul saith: God worketh both the will and the deed. Away than with this filthy free-will flower, which is able to do us no good (with out the grace of God) but condemn us. and let us faithfully embrace our saviour Christ, which is our only saviour, and none other: & by whom we receive all good gifts, & by none other: and by whom we do all things pleasing to God, and by none other: in whom god is pleased towards us, and by none other. But if he can not prevail by this mean, he will seek an other, whereby he may make man offend against God. And because nothing can sooner deceive man than that mischief, that hath some colour of goodness: therefore he tempteth man to make new inventions to himself, and mislike all public and common order: Saying, that to invent orders in religion, and to mislike all thing the we invent not ourself, is not evil: or the it is lawful to every man to make peculiar orders to himself, in contempt of the common order. But the word of God doth not allow any man to contemn or mislike any public order, set forth by his superiors authorised thereunto, which order is consonant to the word of god, whether it be in ceremonies, or any thing appertaining to godly religion, & to use things invented by himself publicly. For this flower hath in it the making savour of self opinion, the which S. Paul willeth to be absent from christian men, saying: Be not wise therefore in your own conceits. Away therefore with this flower, and receive the wholesome doctrine of S. Paul, Omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus Rom. 13. subdita sit, etc. Who soever therefore, either in ceremonies or godly religion, doth not conform himself to the common order; but misliking the common order, choose ceremonies and doctrines of their own inventions, are authors of sects. I do not here count it unlawful, neither cause of division for any man to use in his house any private order, for the trading up of his youth in virtue and godliness, so that it be consonant to the word of God, and in no contempt of the common order. But if the devil can not cause men by his crafty illusions, to condemn things done by the superior powers convenable to the truth, and make innovations contrary to the laws, than he laboureth to poison men with the stinking flower of separation or segregation from other, as from wicked and damned men, not worthy to communicate the sacraments, or to eat and drink with them. This flower how far it dissenteth from the example of Christ, it easily may be perceived to them, which with humble hearts read the word of god. For Christ although he were the son of God, righteous, holy, and void of all sin, which of his justice could not but hate sin and wickedness, yet of his mercy he sought them that were all together unrighteous, and did not separate himself from them. As well he entered into the house of the Pharisey Math. 9 Luc. 14. as into the house of the Publican, and eat as well with the one, as he did with the other. Which thing if it had been unlawful for a true christian to do, we should have had in him no such example But when he eat or drank with them, or came into their company, he endeavoured to bring them by charitable persuasion to the obedience of faith, & to the unity of the spirit, from their impiety and ungodliness. Because he came to save, & not to lose, as it is written: The son of man came not into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world should have life by him. It is therefore lawful for any true christian, to come into the company of the ungodly, so long as he followeth the example of jesus Christ. Yea we ought to have the same mind in us, that was in Christ jesus, namely to seek to draw the ungodly from sin to virtue, from corrupt manners to a godly conversation, and not utterly to condemn them as castaways, in respect of ourselves. A dangerous thing it is to take God's office in hand, or to judge this man or that man condemned without any exception: Seeing it is to us uncertain who perisheth in his sin. We must therefore leave that to God. Clear he ought to be that should condemn an other, lest haply it be said to him, as was said to the Phariseis: Cast the first stone. and so he go away ashamed. Therefore it is written, judge not, lest ye be judged. But it is forbidden by the word of God, that any christian man should keep company with the ungodly to follow their ungodliness, or to communicate with them in their sins: that did we not see in the Lord jesus, neither may a christian man do so without blame. Example we have in josaphat, who was blamed of the Lord for going with wicked Achab, and doing the same enterprise with him, which Achab was forbidden to do. Solomon saith, Si te lactaverint peccatores, ne ●cquiescas. And Paul saith, Peccatis alienis 1. Tim, 5. ne communicaveritis. When the ungodly do declare themselves to be enemies of God, and of all goodness (Ex fruct●bus ipsoru●, cognoscetis eos, and by none other way) than a christian man must use that order, which Christ hath appointed in his holy testament belonging to a private man, that is, first secretly to admonish the offendant, than to call two or three witnesses: if he than doth not amend, publish him to the congregation, or to the authorized disciplinatours: and he excommunicated by them out of the congregation, shall separate himself from the good christians, and they shall also separate themselves from him, as from an Ethnic, until he by repentance be admittted again. But if the church or authorized disciplinatours be in this their office negligent, and will not excommunicate such as be notorious & manifest evil workers, than must the private man commit the matter to god, desiring him to redress such an abuse, being contented to live in the church, and receive the sacraments, without separation, assured that the wickedness of the wicked, can not make an holy thing unholy or unprofitable to him, so long as he believeth in Christ, and keepeth himself unspotted from their unrighteousness. Scripture much commendeth unity and concord. therefore let us cast away all division, and grow to the unity of the holy spirit. Let those that be spiritual, help to amend them that are out of the way, in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves that they may fall. Labour therefore by a godly conversation and ghostly council to call them to repentance that do ill, charitably seek them that go astray, without condemning them as castaways, or justifying yourselves. But yet I will no man to neglect circumspection, although I reprove uncharitable separation. The wisdom of God doth not teach me to seek an other, and lose myself. Wherefore if any man perceive the fragility of his nature to be such, or rather his weakness, that by occasions he is apt to forget himself, to offend god, and to turn back to his vomit again by keeping company or familiarity with them that will not be warned to leave their beastly behaviour, than I think it good for that man to withdraw himself from those occasions, and grow stronger. For to this end doth the scriptures tend, which treat of eschewing evil company, that no man by keeping therein company, should fall to like ungodliness, and not to separate themselves from other, as though they alone were only just, and all other condemned. Who so committeth herein, doth declare himself to be infected with this naughty flower. But truly I know none that useth any such separation: if there be any, God reduce them into the way of truth. Where this peevish flower serveth not, he hath an other very fowl and stinking, to corrupt man's soul withal. As these are to pestilent to be found among christians: Namely to deny that children be borne in original sin: or that a man after baptism can not fall into deadly sin: or being so fallen, can not be renewed again by repentance: or to deny the baptism of infants. How the word of god doth confute these errors, and deface these flowers, I would declare if time served: But because it is short, and I have somewhat more to say, let it be sufficient for you to know, that they are pestilent and unwholesome flowers. another flower the devil hath, wherewith he laboureth to make men break godly order, which is this: That it is lawful to be a public preacher in a christian common wealth, without the authority of the christian magistrates. But leave this flower to the devil again, which is and ever will be, an enemy to christian order. And know you, that it is not lawful in a christian common weal to be a public preacher, without the authority of the higher powers. another flower the devil hath in store, wherewith he would persuade man, that in this life he may attain such a perfection, that he shall sin in nothing. And this is that doting flower, that a man may keep the commandements of god so perfectly and absolutely, that he shall sin in nothing, nor have nothing whereof to ask God's mercy. But beware of this flower, which savoureth more of imagination than of knowledge: more like a dream than a truth: more of folly, than of godly wisdom. For by it the devil goeth about, either to make us forgetful of our imbecility, that we might the less regard our strength and protection jesus Christ: or else that in the end when our conscience doth accuse us of offence against God, and his holy commandements (that they be not perfectly kept) he may thrust us down headlong to desperation. We must therefore refuse the savour of this flower, and nourish our soul with the sweet odour of the truth, by whom we may learn our imbecility to be such, and the corruption of our nature so great, that neither we can or may keep gods holy commandments, so absolutely (not although we have the grace of God) that here we shall sin in nothing. The experience whereof he shall easily have the beholdeth himself well in the law of God, whereby he shall see how infirm he is to observe the first commandment so perfectly, as the law requireth, namely, Diliges Dominum Deum tuum, ex toto cord, etc. Wherefore God of his infinite goodness, considering our imperfection how we are letred thorough our weakness, and want of our own power, to keep the commandments of God▪ Yea although our soul desireth to keep them, being thereto moved by grace, he sent his dear son jesus Christ to be the fulfilling of the law in us, as S. Paul saith: i●stitia legis impleretur in Rom. ● nobis, qui non secundum carnem versamur, sed secundum spiritum. This is therefore to all faithful christians no small consolation, that although our weakness be such, that we can not here so perfectly observe gods commandments and sin in nothing, yet we are assured by the promise of God, made in Christ, if we be faithful, that he will supply that which wanteth in us, and will make his perfection to be ours, in whom we shall be presented before the throne of god, faultless, as the members of his precious body to eternal life. So that we shall not fear in the end this stinking flower, or the devils accusation, seeing that our saviour christ 1 Cor. 1 is made of God, our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification and redemption. Let us therefore commit ourselves to the Lord with well-doing, being out of doubt that it shall not perish, that with an unfeigned hope is committed to his charge. Qui confidit in illo, non pudefiet. But if the devil can not end aunger man soul with these flowers, yet that he make man offend in some thing, he seeketh by tri●les to move seisme and contention, that unity (which he so much hateth) & concord in the truth, might fade and not grow. Therefore he moveth much strife, by the particular calling of Brother & Sister, as though Christ's church were divided, or that God favoured such particularity and division. But God is the god of peace, and his delight is in godly unity, which is the bond of perfectness, whereunto he willeth all true christians to contend, and with it to certify themselves, that they are in Christ, sons of God, and one an others brother, without all carnality or particularity. Whosoever therefore doth call any man or woman brother and sister otherwise then he calleth all other christian men, Peccat in unitatem ecclesiae. The other trifling flower of scism & contention is That it is deadly sin to play at any game for money. By this he laboureth to thrust into man's heart such a preciseness, that at length a good man might judge every thing although it were but indifferent, to be damnable sin. Beware thee fore good christians of this subtle floor, & that to play at games of itself is not deadly sin, but the abusing of ourself in playing, is damnable sin, and great wickedness, who soever is permitted to play at any game by the law, as cards and dice and such like, although the games of themselves be not deadly sin, yet if he blaspheme the name of God, maintain in play a covetous heart, use his mouth in filthy communication, or such like ungodliness, no doubt he committeth deadly sin. Also he that is forbidden by the law to play, if he play in the contempt of the Law, spendeth the time God's creature in idleness, his house being unprovided for, which ought to be bestowed in his honest labour▪ or if he tear the lords body with horrible oaths, spend his goods prodigally, or with crafty legerdemain as byfoisting, cogging-girking or false dice, winneth away his neighbour's money, or rageth in wrath, swelleth with spite, delighteth in brawling, fight & such like mischief, although the game of itself be not deadly sin, yet they that thus abuseth themselves in play, sin damnably. Pitiful it is to see how licentiously those that be forbidden by policy, spend their time in unlawful games, yea more lamentable it is to see the the officers appointed for the search and correction of such brothels and brothel houses, so neglect their duty. For this is a common practice, that in every market town for the most part these haserders make their privy conventicles and meetings upon the market or fair day, where the one robbeth the other, both of wit and money. In the mean time whilst they be at their merry fare, the wines have at home sorrow enough, when they hear their children try: Mother give me bread, and they have no crumb to quench their hunger with all, yet these jolly rutters far well, and think themselves rich in the dice house, where as master beggar ruleth the roost at home, and pincheth both wife and children by the belly. But saint Paul sayeth: He that provideth not for his family, is worse than an infidel. O misery of miseries, to much put in practice in these our days, as the eyes of poor wives almost out with weeping, and the paale colour and thin cheeks of poor children can testify. God grant it may be amended in time, least worse evils happen thereby. These are the beautiful flouts of the devil, wherewith he seeketh now, as he hath done in times passed, to blind the eyes of them that lead a sober life. These he straweth before them to this end, that of good livers, they may become evil speakers, and so receive to their confusion the grace of God in vain. Wherefore good people, saying the mystery of these erroneous or schismatical flowers is detected unto you, wherein ye see as it were in a glass, with what wylynes the devil goeth about to obscure virtue, by impure doctrine and erroneous folly●, let this rude detection therefore be a warning unto you, to flee from his subtlety. Clean to the truth, O thou lover of virtue, & read it with humility, fear, and reverence, for thine erudition, not to dispute, but to amend, desiring God always in thy prayer to be delivered from these and such like stinking weeds of sinister doctrine, that thou mayst not by them, as the devil would have it, receive the grace of God in vain. I have not spoken of these errors to this ●nd, that I would have you to learn them, but that I would have you to eschew them Neither have I spoken them unto you, in the way of recantation, neither came I to this place to retract any doctrine that I have before taught, as some crooked spirits, more apt to contention than to concord, perhaps either think, or will hereafter report of me. For God is my witness, before whom I stand I never held or taught any of these or such like errors. neither do I know any that doth hold or maintain any of them, besides these two simple men, which are here punished for their offences: by whom ye may learn to beware of like danger: Pulchrum est alien: frui insania. But I came hither in the way of exhortation, to require you in the name of God, and of his dear son jesus Christ, that ye suffer not the devil so to bewitch you, that you should with the Corinthians fall from truth in judaismum, least I have cause to feat you, as S. Paul had to fear the Corinthians, Ne in vacuum gratiam Dei recipiatis. As he therefore receiveth the grace of God Psal. 13 Psal. ●1. Psa. 29. 〈◊〉. 3. in vain, which under good living obstinately maintaineth ill doctrine, so on the other part he receiveth the grace of God in vain, which under well saying shameth not to lead an abominable conversation. By this latter mean, the devil in these days hath deceived many, whom he hath persuaded, either 〈…〉. 2. that there is no God, nor pain for evil works or eyes that God is blind, & seeth not their execrable hypocrisy. No marvel therefore, though they little regard with their beastly living to deny god. y● bought them. Many therebe that can say well, ye they can speak of God, of Christ of eternal l●●e, yea of judgement & the reward y● the ungodly shall have, as though there were angels late come from heaven▪ but yet firebrands of hell. For out of all question, if they did c●●dite the truth that cometh out of their lips, or fear the God of whom they talk. or love that Christ whom they call a saviour, or coveted the kingdom wherein is everlasting life. to conclude if they believed that God were just & can not but reward impenitent hypocrites, would they (think you) serve their filthy flesh with such greediness, & be such patrons of impiety? Full well prophesied Esay of you ye hypocrites (saith the lo●de.) Esay. 1●. Math. 1●. Mar. 7. This people draw me me with their ●●●pes, but their hearts are far from me. No greater friends hath the devil had from the be beginning, than those that say and do not, neither greater friends doth he require to have to the worlds end. For by say and do not, the devil brought to pass to kill our saviour Christ. and by say and do not, he purposeth to kill even in the blade, the 〈◊〉 of the gospel. Who doth not lament to hear men so expert in talking, and so abominable in living: so fruitful in teaching, and so fruitless in working: such ba●la●● of faith, and have so little? Every man can say covetousness is nought, yet they desire their neighbour's goods and livelihood. Every man can say that whoredom is ill, but who almost liveth chaste? Every man can say, that envy is a vice, yet for the most, all are enemies to charity. Every man can say, slander and detractation is wicked, yet very few can speak good by their neighbours. Every man can say Pride, Glottonye, Drunkenness, and insolent behaviour be very ill, yet cannot they away with humility, temperance, soberness nor discrete manners. To conclude, Every man saith he loveth God, yet very few desire truly to worship him but in their deeds they deny him, & live like Pagans. therefore with the same plague that God in time passed rewarded them that said & did not, will he bring upon them, that in these days say & do not, whose damnable hypocrisy is as hateful in his sight, as their was. But God for their hypocrisy struck them with blindness & dasynes of heart, whereby they thought they were well, when their case was miserable. they thought themselves in light, when they were in darkness. and to be the sons of God, when they were (as their fruits did declare them) children of the devil. Even so will he do to them that imitate their manners in these our days. Thus God rewarded them: Perdam sapientiam sapientium, & prudentiam prudentium adnihilabo. So that whiles they thought themselves well, and no danger at hand, suddenly came their destruction upon them like a violent flood, that can not be resisted: yea when they think with their wisdom to escape, their foolishness shall be so great, that they shall fall into their own mischief, no man persecuting them, but a guilty conscience accusing them, for that they said, and did not: yea for this their hypocrisy (if they die in their unbelief) all that they take in hand, shallbe impure and accursed of God: so that their prayer to him shall be as blasphemy, their fasting as filthiness, their alms deed as robbery, and their worshipping of God, as most greatest dishonour, and that because they said, and did not. This S. Paul proveth, saying: Omnia pura puris, porro pollutis & infidelibus nihil est purum. Sed polluta est & illorum mens & conscientia. Profitentur se scire deum, caeterum factis negant, cum sint abhominabiles, & dicto non audientes, & ad omne opus bonum reprobi. If therefore it be wicked (as it is in deed) under good living to maintain ill doctrine so is it most wicked and damnable, under well saying, to cloak a filthy and detestable living: yea some be (I fear me) grown in such wilful wickedness, that neither the terrible judgements of God, neither worldly shame will drive them from their sin, but as past graces, they never leave to work wickedness, till it forsake them, that is, till they can sin no more. Wherefore like inheritance as God giveth to those that knowing the truth, wilfully or obstinately under good living defend heresy, even so will he reward those hypocrites that say and do not, so that although they with well saying, be exalted to the clouds, yet for their evil working, with the Capern●●●es they shall fall down to hell, as holy job saith: Hypocritae superbia si ad coelum Io●. ●0. usque ascederit, & caput eius nubes tetigerit, quasi ster quilinium in fide perdetur: qui eum viderant, dicent, ubi est? Wherefore as they can not plead in judgement their virtue that obstinately maintain untruth, so can not they in judgement plead their welsaiing or wholesome doctrine, that wilfully lead a naughty conversation: but as the sentence of god is fearful to the one, so is it most horrible to the other. It shall therefore little profit them that say and do not, although they brag before God's throne, saying, Master, master, have we not in thy name prophesied? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name have done many miracles? where he will answer them again: I never knew you: Depart from me ye workers 〈…〉 these two ways full 〈…〉 vel goth about to ma 〈…〉 other in time past, to re 〈…〉 in vain, I thought it not 〈…〉 necessary to make the same 〈…〉 exhortation to you the S. Paul m 〈…〉 rinth, That ye receive not the grace of 〈…〉 in vain. But as god of his favourable me 〈…〉 for Christ's sake, hath sent unto you the w 〈…〉 of Reconciliation & of faith, to call you to 〈…〉 pentaunce, that ye might not alone fe●e t 〈…〉 comfort of your election, but also express th● fruits of the gospel in your lives & manners; So be ye not found, I beseech you, such children as halt out of the way, either in defending ill speaking under virtuous living, or ill living under virtuous speaking. But rather, as it well beseemeth true christians, he pure both in word & deed, after the ensample of the fore runner jesus Christ. Follow holiness & righteousness, without the which no man shall see God. for so hath he taught us, saying, Sancti eritis, quia ego sanctus sum, do levit. 2. minus deus vester. Therefore s Paul saith, We are not called to uncleanness, but to holiness. for this cause, as he counseleth us, let us glorify god both in our bodies & in ou● spirits. We are not our own, but his, bought with a precious ranson, not with corruptible gold & silver 〈…〉 (as S. Peter 〈…〉 s blood of Christ 〈…〉 & without spot etc. 〈…〉 Religion if we follow 〈…〉 oyd of all doubleness and 〈…〉 ment, we shall not only es 〈…〉 es of them that received the 〈…〉 o● God in vain (whose carkaises were 〈…〉 rthrowen in the wilderness, and became 〈…〉 the dung of the earth) but also shall en 〈…〉 e the unspeakable mercy of God, decla 〈…〉 to the world in jesus Christ, as did the 〈…〉 atriarkes, Prophets, and righteous people, which through lively faith, obeyed ●he Lord, followed his law, and served him ●ith a true heart all the days of their lives. Not deferring the time of repentance, and of the true worshipping of God, t●ll after death, as the ungodly did. Wherefore when they called unto the Lord in the time of their trouble, he delivered them out of all their distress. Therefore he said unto them, In tempore accepto exaudivi te, & in die salutis succurri tibi. When was this accepted time to the fathers? When they being afflicted, and needed help, were comforted of the Lord. When was the day of health? when the kingdom of God was opened unto them for remission of their sins and life everlasting, thorough the passion of Christ, in whom all the faithful are blessed for ever. Ecce nunc acceptum tempus, ecce dies salutis. Even now is the same accepted time to us wherein we have need of the comfortable help of our God. Now is the day of health and salvation, wherein the glad tidings of remission of our sins, of everlasting life is offered unto us by grace, through faith in jesus Christ. Now is the time that wisdom crieth without, and putteth out her voice in the streets, she calleth before the congregation in the open gates, and showeth her words through the city, saying: O ye children, how long will the scorners delight in scorning, and the unwise be enemies to knowledge? O turn you unto my correction, lo I will express my mind unto you, and make you understand my words. Now is the time wherein we must attain (by grace given from above to the faithful) the crown of immortality, which no man shall attain, but he, that here in this life, striveth lawfully, as it is written: Nemo coronabitur, nisi qui legitime certaverit. And therefore Saint Paul counseleth us to fight the good fight of faith. Now is the time that god hath sent his servants the true preachers of his word Vluimus incerti, nec quos lux crastina casus Adferat, humano pectore nosce datur. Seeing then it is so uncertain, and when it cometh not to be avoided, we must of duty watch and pray, as it is written, Vigilate & orate, quia nescitis diem neque horam, least our flight be in the winter. For the day of the Lord is at hand. Therefore prepare oil in your lamps that ye may enter with the bridegroom, when he cometh. Do you not procrastinate the time of amendment, lest when ye come and knock with the foolish virgins, this answer be made unto you, Non novi vos, For when he cometh, he will not tarry, and his reward is with him. Now is this accepted time while it is called to day. Now is the day of health, where in God for Christ's sake hath promised to help the true believers. Therefore as Saint Paul counseled the Corinthians: Even so do I council you now, Ne quam usquam demus offentionem ne reprehendatur ministerium sed in omnibus commendemus nos ut Dei ministri. This wholesome and profitable council did sayncre Paul give unto the Corinthians, whereunto he wished them to obey, that there by they might certify themselves, that they were partakers of this accepted time. The same council do I also now give unto you, that ye may have the like certificate. Wherefore so let every man behave him in his degree and vocation, as God's minister, that no fault be found in his ministration: Omnes enim statuemur ad tribunal Dei. Who is just, & may not away with those which answer his inexpressible benignity with fair words and corrupt, yea wilful wicked manners, not commending themselves as the ministers of God, but of Belial. Seeing then that we must all come to judgement before the throne of God, which will not wink neither favour iniquity, where and in whom soever it be found, because with him there is no respect of persons, let us all take heed, that no fault be found in our ministration. Left the bishops commend themselves as the ministers of God, that no fault be found in their ministration, when this judge shall appear. Let the justices behave themselves as the ministers of God, in the true and just execution of the laws, without all corrupt affections, defending the welldoer, and punishing the ill, that no fault be found in their ministry. Let the other officers be diligent & not slack in their mynistry, neither wink when they ought to see, that no fault be found in their ministration. Ye husbands love your wives, and be 1 Pet. ● Colo. ●. not bitter unto them, but dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto them, as unto the weaker vessel, and cohere with you of grace, that your prayers be not letted. Ye women be ye subject to your own husbands Ephe. 5. 6. 2 Pet. 3. as to the Lord, and obey them even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose daughters ye are, so long as ye do well. Ye fathers provoke not your children unto Ephe. 6 wrath, but bring them up in nurture and information of the Lord. Ye children obey your parents in the lord, Ephe. 6. for that is good. Honour thy father and mother. that is the first commandment that hath any promise, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayst live long upon earth. Ye servants obey your bodily masters Eph. 6. Colo. 3. with fear and trembling, in the singleness of your heart, as unto Christ, not with eye service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God heartily with a good will, serving the lord and not men, knowing that what good every man doth, thereof he shallbe rewarded of the lord, whether that he be bond or free. God work this in servants hearts in these our days, for surely they had never more need to be amended. Ye masters do the same to them without Eph. 6. Colo. ● cruelty, knowing that your master is in heaven, before whom there is no acception of persons. Therefore to conclude (because I purpose to eschew redyousnes) let every man in that office whereunto he is called, behave himself as the minister of God, that in his office no fault be found. Than no doubt when the householder cometh from far, to take account and to view the doings of his servants, these which he findeth faithful as his true ministers, occupied in the diligent execution of their ministration, he will boun●efullye reward for his promise sake. And they shall hear this comfortable word, Euge serve bone: where as they which deal untruly in their ministration, smite their fellows, waste their masters good in voluptuousness, shall be not only rebuked with these sharp words, serve nequam, but also heavily rewarded with utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. God make us of the numbered of the faithful servants. Amen. Now have you heard dearly beloved Christians the exhortation or supplication of S. Paul made unto the Corinthians, Whereby as he willed them, so hath he done us, not to receive the grace of God in vain. Also ye have heard how the devil laboured to make them unthankful receivers thereof: and how at this day he seeketh us to be the same: And that by two ways principally, either by corrupting good livers with ill speaking, I mean doctrine, or else good speakers with ill living. I have showed you what flowers he straweth afore men to bring this his policy to pass. Then I declared how the holy men in time passed thankfully received the grace of God, and refused the delusions of the devil. Wherefore God of his great mercy heard them in an accepted time, and succoured them. In conclusion: I told you, that now is that accepted time and day of salvation. wherein I exhorted you to walk as gods ministers (that is faithfully and godly) in your ministrations, that you which faithfully believe, may (at the appearing of our Lord jesus) receive the reward, namely the crown of eternal life. What now remaineth, but to desire you in the name of our Lord jesus, that ye will (all schism, discord and variance laid apart) grow to the unity of the spirit of Christ, that ye may be like minded in the truth: Knowing that nothing is more acceptable in the sight of almighty god in jesus Christ, than the unity of brethren. Hereunto the whole scriptures do lead us: this they do teach us: and this they will us to follow: and that because God is the God of peace, and not of discord. He delighteth to see unity, dwell among christian men (which by lively faith are graffed as members into his precious body, and are his members in deed) and not division, Christ our head is the peace offering, the atonement maker, and the God of Reconciliation. The members being knit to the head, What ought they to express? A contrariety to the head? No, that were a wonderful disorder. They must therefore express the quality of the head, by whom they be governed. He is peace, we must be peaceable: he made atonement, were must be atone: he is the Reconciliation, we must be reconciled. He being the head, is knit to his members. all true christians be his members, by his free sure holy and merciful promise of our parts undeserved. The members are knit to him with a lively faith, mightily working by love, through whose operation, as S. Paul proveth, we are members one of an other. The head agreeth Ephe. 4 with the body, to teach the members to agree together. The head is not divided from the body, no more must the members thereof be divided. Wherefore to draw us to the conformity of his members, and to alien are from us the enemy of unity, he gave us a notable lesson by saynet Paul, saying: Let there be but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one god and father of all, which is above all, through all, and in you all. This is the rule of right Christianity, whereunto we all thorough faith must apply ourselves, and whereby we must be framed, if we purpose to have an even and straight building in the Lord to eternal life. From the which rule who so wilfully swerveth, and returneth not again by repentance, he hurteth himself incurably, and shall be cast out of the vine, as a withered branch forsaken of the vine, so dry that the sweet moisture of the wine will not enter. God dring us therefore to unity so much commended in scripture, that we may as members ruled by the virtue of the head, agree like members, in the body of Christ, that we may all hear his ioyefulle voice in the end, saying: Venite benedicti patris mei in regnum praeparatum pro vobis ab initio. to the which God bring us for Christ's sake. To whom with the father and the holy ghost be all praise, honour, power and dominion, now and for ever. Amen. God be praised. God save the king, and his honourable council, and send us peace in Christ jesus. NUM. XXI. Imprinted at London by Reginalde Wolf. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.