Certain Sermons, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
CERTAINE SERMONS, PREACHED BY THAT Reuerend and Iudicious Diuine Maſter THOMAS NEVVHOVSE, late Preacher of Gods word in the Citie of Norwich.
AND NOW SET FOORTH for the vſe and benefit of Gods people, by ROBERT GALLARD Maſter of Arts, and Miniſter in the ſame Citie.
ECCLESIAST. 12.11.
The words of the wiſe are as goads and nailes faſtned by the Maſters of the aſſemblies, which are giuen from one ſhepheard.
AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kingſton, for Edmund Weauer and William Welby. 1614.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLI. MAſter GEORGE COCK, Maior of that famous and well-gouerned Citie of Norwich, together with the Worſhipfull Companie of Sherifes and Aldermen his fellow brethren in the ſame Citie: R. G. wiſheth all true proſperitie.
RIght Worſhipfull, that ſpeech of the Poet, viz. ſcribimus indocti doctique, &c. was neuer ſo true as now in this our ſcribling age, wherein ſo many are poſſeſſed with a brainſicke humor of being ſeene in print. I touch not any of thoſe (the ſearcher of all hearts knoweth) whoſe writings are of good worth, and vſefull to helpe forward the ſpirituall building; yea, Iames 2.17.rather I much bleſſe that God the father of lights, whoſe ſpirit hath of late ſo clearely ſhined in the workes of diuers, for hereby the trueth which before (as an vnknowne treaſure) lay hid is notably diſcouered, error confuted, vertue much furthered in the hearts and liues of men. But of ſuch onelyonly I ſpeake, who being bigge with conceit of their owne conceits, must needs vent and ſet them a broach, though neuer ſo froathie, and in truth being ballanced in the ſcoale of a iudicious Reader, found altogether lighter then vanitie it ſelfe. Their works I may fitly reſemble to the Spiders web, for though they ſeeme to be ſpun with ſome curioſitie, yet in truth they be deuoide of all ſubstance and ſoliditie: or to the airie Meteors, for as they very ſuddenly vaniſh out of ſight, ſo theſe (being as it were of an airie nature) doe euen in the reading, quaſi abire in fumum. Alas, little is the gaine a man gets by them: with ſuch ſuperficiall and ſlightie ſtuffe our age ſo abounds, that many complaine of a ſacietie, yea of a ſurfit, and therefore for my part I wiſh that men were more modest this way, and would keepe in their pennes from blotting ſo much paper in vaine; moſt excellent is the rule of Euripides for this purpoſe, viz. foreign i. either ſpeake that which is better then ſilence, or elſe keepe ſilent ſtill.
The workes which here I am bold, right Worſhipfull, to publiſh to the worlds view, are not (as in reading you ſhall ſee) any vaine or idle diſcourſes ſauouring of an empty braine, but moſt heauenly and diuine truths, breathed forth by the breath of an holy and ſanctified heart: they bee a few of thoſe ſweete blasts, that were ſounded forth in your hearing, by that ſiluer ſounding trumpit: I meane the learned lectures of that famous and most iudicious diuine Master Thomas Newhouſe, late Preacher of Gods word among you: who (as you know) like a faithfull ſeruant of Chriſt, thought not his life too precious to lay downe in his Masters ſeruice, but willingly as it were ſacrificed himſelfe to God in his miniſterie, and as the candle, ſpent himſelfe to giuegive you light.
When I ſeriouſlie conſider how compleate this holy man of God was, how fitted and furniſhed with diuine gifts for his heauenly function, I cannot (and I thinke no more can you) but much bewaile) our grieuous loſſe; can a man lament the loſſe of his box full of precious and coſtly iewels, or a Marchant the wracke of his ſhippe fraught with earthen treaſure, then ſurely may we much more, the loſſe of this box, the wracke of this ſhip, ſo filled and fraught with ſuch ſpirituall and diuine riches? What a maſſe of knowledge God ſtored vp in this his earthen veſſell, your thurſday Lecture in part bewrayed, wherein he did vſually vent ſo much diuinitie, as that his learned brethren ſeldome went away (by their owne confeſsion) without inſight into ſome ſpeciall things they neuer knew before: and for his excellent skill in Caſe-diuinitie, whereby he was able to ſettle the wauering and doubting Conſcience, I may truly ſay of him as Iſaiah doth of himſelfe, *Iſaiah 52.4.The Lord gaue him the tongue of the learned to ſpeake a word in ſeaſon to him that was weary.
Againe for that ſingular gift God gaue him in vnfoulding and explaining moſt myſticall and infoulded truthes, in vnlooſing moſt intricate and knottie doubtes (whereof there bee many twixt vsus and that Romiſh Church, as alſo for his marueilous dexteritie in ſelecting, contriuing, but eſpecially in acute and ſolid iudging, who euer almost did heare him, but will acknowledge his excellencie in all theſe things with admiration?
And yet moreouer what a great meaſure of ſanctifying grace, it pleaſed the diuine ſpirit (which bloweth where it listeth) to beautifie this his inſtrument with, what rare and excellent vertues did appeare and ſhine forth in the courſe of his life, it is not (I appeale to them that knew him) an eaſie thing for me to declare; I hauehave much muſed to ſee how aſſiduous he was in his painefull calling, how carefull alwaies to put men forward in the way of life, how careles of the world, not ſeeking the gaine thereof coueteouſlie, nor the glorie thereof ambitiouſlie, a vertue in theſe our times not commonly ſeene in ſo great meaſure, in men of ſo great gifts and learning. I neede not ſpeake of his meeke, lowly, courteous and affable carriage euen towards his inferiours; how wiſe and gracious he was in his behauiour, how graue, ſober, amiable and louely in all his demeanour, all ſuch can ſay that knew him, and I am ſure that none of you that knew and entirely loued him can eaſily forget, nor yet remember, without ſome ſigh or ſigne of ſorrow for the loſſe of ſo ſweet and ingenuous a friend. Thus out of the abundance of my hearty affection towards this man of God, I thought it meete according to that certain knowledge which I, and many of you yourſelues had of him, to record theſe things which tract of time would hauehave worne out and buried vp in the graue of obliuion, & hope no man is ſo enutous as to grudge the dead ſhuld hauehave their due.
Bethinking my ſelfe (Right Worſhipfull) what courſe might bee taken to recouer the publique dammage which the Church hath ſuſtained in the death of this worthy man, I finde no way better then the publiſhing of ſuch manuſcripts as hee left behind him, among which I commend theſe few (as firſt fruits) to your Worſhips patronage. The reaſons of my ſo doing be theſe, I know that his miniſtery (as it was meet it ſhould) was among many of you much ſet by, you receiued him as an Angel of God, eſteemed and heard him as an Interpreter one of a thouſand, you loued and reuerenced him in his life, and in his death lamented much (as cauſe you had) your publique loſſe, yea and ſtill I ſee how freſh his bleſſed name remaines among you, pleaſant as an oyntment powred out, ſweet as a bundle of myrrhe which ſendeth forth moſt fragrant ſmels; vponupon theſe, and ſuch like grounds I am led to thinke, that theſe his endeuors cannot miſſe of your courteous acceptance and tuition, and therefore if I ſo farre preſume as to ſhroud theſe orphan writings vnderunder your protecting wing, I hope you will eaſily giuegive leaue to this my bold enterpriſe; wherein I hauehave but ſignified my duty to your ſelues, and my louelove vnfained to him that is gone.
In theſe two treatiſes which in ſpeciall wiſe I preſent vntounto your view, you ſhall finde (Right Worſhipfull) theſe two pointes very ſoundly and plainely handled; the firſt is the moſt wiſe, and eternall decree of God, the ſecond is the freed, and alſo the vnchangeable eſtate of Gods childe, both of them matters of great waight and moment, needfull to bee knowne in ſome ſort of all, and no way vnworthy to be read and vnderſtood of the moſt worthie. I wiſh I might hauehave ſpoken ſomewhat of each of them: but leaſt I ſhould exceede the bounds of an Epiſtle, I will (your patience permitting) onelyonly ſpend a few lines in ſetting downe how lawfull and meet a thing it is to preach & publiſh the doctrine of predestination.
As it was horrible preſumption in the Bethſhemites to peere into Gods Arke, 1. Sam. 6.19. So it hath been, and ſtill is eſteemed by many: for a man to diue though neuer ſo little into the doctrine of Gods decree, ſome holding it ſhould not bee medled with at all: others that it may be ſparingly handled, but onelyonly in ſchooles before the learned: but by their leaues they are much deceiued; for though we may not curiouſly ſearch into ſuch things as be hidden and wrapt vp in the ſecret counſell of God, yet are wee not forbidden to ſeeke the knowledge of thoſe things which bee reuealed. The Lord ſaith, Deuter. 29. Secret things belong vntounto God, let vsus hauehave nothing to doe therewith: but further he ſaith, reuealed things belong to vsus and to our children; ſurely thoſe may we ſafely meddle with, and endeauour to know; nay wee are bound both to know and publiſh, ſo be it wee keepe within the limits of wiſedome and ſobriety: for if God who is wiſedome it ſelfe, thinkes it a meete thing to open this doctrine to his Church, (as hee doth in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles) how can we conceale it without guilt of ſacrilegious follie? Shall wee bee ſo bold as to ſeale vp that which God hath opened? God forbid. But how iniurious they bee to the Church of God, who would hauehave this doctrine ſmothered from the people, and canuaſed onelyonly in ſchooles of learning, will eaſily appeare, if we doe but conſider the great good it brings to the people of God, being perſpicuouſly and plainely taught. Our Sauiour Chriſt ſaith, Luke 10. Reioyce in this, that your names are written in heauen: which place importes, that the enrolling our names in the booke of life: i. election, is a matter of great ioy. And in the 6. of Ioh. 3. All thoſe ſaith Chriſt, that the father hath giuen mee; i. in election, ſhal come vntounto me, and thoſe that come to me I caſt not away; i. they ſhal not periſh. So that a beleeuer may hence aſſure himſelfe, that being elected bee cannot periſh. Were it not much then (by concealing this doctrine of predeſtination) to depriue Gods people of this ioy, of this comfortable aſſurance?
Againe, in this doctrine of Gods decree, ſoundly and plainely taught, a beleeuer ſhall finde that his appointment to ſaluation is not grounded vponupon any thing in himſelfe, neither his will, nor faith, nor works, nor worthineſſe foreſeene, but onelyonly the good will and pleaſure of God. As Epheſ. 1.5. Who hath predeſtinated vsus according to the good pleaſure of his will, to the praiſe of the glory of his grace; now were it not ſinfull to hide from people this heauenly doctrine, whereby they are taught to aſcribe all the glory of their ſaluation to the free fauour and louelove of God in their election? Yes ſurely. Yet moreouer in our predeſtination to eternall life, wee plainely ſee as in a glaſſe an Ocean ſea of Gods louelove and fauour towards vsus, in that God paſsing by ſo many thouſands as veſſels of wrath ſet apart to perpetuall ſhame, would ſelect and appoint vsus to the obtaining of eternall life by Ieſus Chriſt. Now how can it be (louelove being the loadſtone of louelove) but that the liuely ſenſe, and feeling of this louelove of God in our election, ſhould enkindle in vsus a louelove to him that hath ſo entirely loued, vsus and therefore it cannot but be very iniurtous to depriue people of the doctrine of election, which might bee as the bellowes to blow vp in them this little ſparke of heauenly louelove to God.
But peraduenture ſome man may ſay, Obiection. though the point of election may in ſome ſort be taught, yet reprobation (which is the paſsing by of many thouſands and the appointing them to eternall wrath) being a matter ſo full of horror (as indeed it is) were better concealed.
No, Anſwere. for God thinkes good to publiſh it in the ſcriptures, ſhall wee ſhut vp where God will open? Againe, what is the point of reprobation but an illuſtration of the greatnes of the grace of election, as contraries (wee know) laied one by an other are more perſpicuous: and how can we feele the ſweetnes of Gods louelove in our owne election, till we ſee the terrour of his hate in the reiection of others? To this purpoſe Auguſt. tom. 4. li. 1. ad ſimp. q. 2. ſaith, that God ſheweth by the puniſhment of the one what hee giueth to the other.
Yea but this is a matter full of terrour. Obiection. Polan. in epiſt. libell. de Predeſt.Hereto I anſwere as a learned diuine of our times doth: ſo that their harts are too tēder, their eares too nice which cannot brooke this point. And if this were a good reaſon, it is a terrifying doctrine: Ergo, God may not be taught, then might we not preach of Gods iudgements, doomes day, the torments of hell; all which be matters full of terror. But to giuegive more full ſatisfaction in this point, the doctrine of reprobation is fearefull: to whom? either elect or reprobates, not to the elect, for God aſſureth them that they be not reiected: Ergo, to reprobates as Cain, Iudas, and the like, Now muſt we for their ſakes abſtaine from teaching neceſſarie truthes? Iſaiah 8.14.Iſaiah foretold long ſince that Chriſt himſelfe ſhould be as a ſtone for theſe to ſtumble at, and as a rocke of offence for them to fall vponupon, yet who will ſay that; Ergo, Chriſt ſhould not bee preachea? nay Chriſt muſt be taught though all the world ſhould be offended thereat.
Yet moreouer there be ſome (who being giuen to picke quarrels) ſticke not to auouch that we in our doctrine of reprobation, (wherein wee teach that God hath ordained ſome men to be damned) charge God with a mercileſſe diſpoſition, which God forbid we ſhould once imagine to be in him, who is indeede euen mercy it ſelfe; wherefore I pray you giuegive leaue in a word or two to wipe away this ſlaunder.
Firſt it muſt bee remembred that we teach not that God doth ſimplie ordaine any man to hell fire, but thus we teach, that God hath decreed and purpoſed to glorifie his name in the due and deſerued damnation of ſome, for in mans Reprobation, God hath two actions: Firſt, he decrees to paſſe by ſome without ſhewing his eternall merciemercy vntounto them, and onelyonly to declare his iuſtice vponupon them; which thing hee may well doe without controle, for he is tyed to none, then further he decrees to inflict vponupon ſome (when by themſelues they be fallen into ſinne) their iuſt and deſerued damnation. So that God decrees a man to hell, not ſimply and abſolutely without all reſpect to ſinne, but with a reference thereto. This point I take it, being well weighed, Gods iuſtice in reprobation is much cleered, and our doctrine freed from caſting the guilt of cruelty vponupon the moſt high.
Secondly, I wiſh it might bee well conſidered how that in ſome caſes among our ſelues we giuegive liberty one to another to doe this or that as we will, and we think the action ſo done, both iuſt and lawfull; then ought we not much more to giuegive to the moſt wiſe and righteous God, a liberty in his actions to do euen as he will without all impute of cruelty or iniuſtice whatſoeuer?
Laſtly, we doe but require that in this caſe of reprobation, ſo much ſo ueraignty may be giuen to God euer men (which is moſt equall) as a ſilly and mortall man aſſumes to himſelfe ouer the creatures: we allow to a man ſo much power and libertie, as to kill a flie, or a worme at his will, to ſlay a ſheepe or an Oxe for his lawfull vſe and pleaſure, and all this without the leaſt tincture of cruelty, why then ſhould wee thinke much, to grant to God (the abſolute Lord of the ſpirits of all fleſh, and ſoueraigne King of the whole world) a liberty to appoint ſome men to bee paſſed by, and ſo to runne on to deſerued death, vponupon his meere will and pleaſure?
Thus hauing ouermuch preſumed on your patience, leaſt I ſhould ſeeme iniurious in detaining you too long in this my rude and weariſome diſcourſe I here ſurceaſe, deſiring that what I hauehave here with a ſingle heart offered vntounto your worſhips, may finde your moſt kinde and curteous acceptance.
The God of all mercy and goodnes who hath enriched your Citie with manifold bleſsings, and made it very famous for his Goſpell and good gouernment, perpetuate theſe his vndeſerued fauours among you, with the further inlargement of your proſperitie, and grant that as hee hath made you his vice-gerents, and hath put his ſword into your hands, ſo hee would pleaſe to double his ſpirit of wiſedome, and courage vponupon you all, that when you hauehave faithfully finiſhed your work for God, in a Zealous executing of iudgement and iuſtice here on earth, you may be rewarded with the life of glorie in the Citie of the moſt high. From Norwich, Nouemb. 7. 1613.
Your Worſhips euer to command in the Lord, Robert Gallard.