A Sermon of Christ Crucified, Sermon 1

A Sermon of Christ Crucified · Sermon 1

¶ First for the ground and argument of my Sermon, I shall desire you (Christian audience) to geue eare vntounto a fewe wordes which I will recite to you out of S. Paule written vntounto the Corinthians. 2. Corinth. 5. The wordes be these: Pro Christo ita{que} legatione fungimur. &c.

For Christ therefore,Text. or in Christes name we come to you as messengers,2. Cor. 5.2 Cor 5 euen as God him selfe desiring you. We pray you for Christes sake, that you will be reconciled vntounto God. For him which knew no sinne God hath made to be sinne for vsus, that we might be made the righteousnesse of God by him. &c. 2. Corinth. 5.

IN this parcel of Scripture here is brought vntounto you (Christiā audience) an high message from an high and mighty prince, of an high matter, and of weighty importaunce. Concerning the which message three thinges I hauehave principally to notifie vntounto you, by order of the letter as it lyeth▪

1. The first diuision.FIrst beginning with him who is the sender of this message.

2. Secondly, to speake of them, which be the messengers.

3. Thirdly, to shew, what is the message it selfe here sent vntounto vsus.

As touching the first, S. Paule,The sender of the message. to prepare and stirre vp the mindes of the Corinthians to more attention, expresseth first the person and authour of this message, in whose name he commeth, saying: In the name of Christ we come as Ambassadors &c. In the name (sayth he) of Christ. Wherin we see the wordes of Christ our Sauiour rightly accomplished: wherin he prophecying before of this his Apostle and messenger, speaketh to Ananias in this wise, saying: Vade, quoniam vas est mihi electionis, &c. Goe to him, for he is an elect vessell to me, to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kinges, and before the children of Israell. Actes. 9.Actes. ix.Acts 9

The Apostles doe all thinges in the name of Christ.In like maner the other Apostles also when soeuer they come, either shewing whose seruants they be, or to teach any doctrine, or to worke miracles, euer they beare the name of Christ before them. With him they begin, and with him they end. Now, if messengers or ambassadors which come from earthly princes and potestates in this world, are commonly estemed and reputed according to the estate of them which send them, and especially if the matter bring with it any face of temporall commoditie, men are wont right gladly to receaue thē. How much more then ought we to be moued with this heauenly and most ioyfull legation directed vntounto vsus, not from any terrene Prince or Lord, but frō the King of Kinges, and Prince of all Princes, especially touching such à benefite here sent and offered vntounto vsus by him, of such speciall & singular effect, that without it no earthly thing in all y^e world can make vsus happy, and hauing it nothing can make vsus miserable.

Let me tell you à story, which I remēber was done about y^e beginning of Quene Maries raigne, an. 1554. There was à certain message sent, not from heauen, but from Rome: not from God, but frō the Pope: not by any Apostle, but by à certain p. 2Cardinal, who was called Cardinal Poole, The Popes Legacie into England.Legatus a latere, Legatus natus, à Legate frō the Popes owne white side, send hether into England.Card. Poole the Popes Legate.

This Cardinall Legate first comming to Douer, was honorably receiued & brought to Grenewich: where he againe being more honorably receaued by Lordes of high estate, and of the priuy Counsell (of whom some are yet aliue) was conducted frō thence to y^e priuy staires of the Quenes Court at Westminster, no lesse person then King Philip him selfe waiting vponupon him and receauing him, and so was brought to the Queenes great chāber, she then being, or els pretending, not to be well at ease.Ste. Gardiner B. of Wine. Steuen Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester, & Lord Chaūcellor of England, receiuing this noble Legate in the King and the Queenes behalfe, to cōmend and set forth the authoritie of this Legate, the greatnesse of his message, & the supreme maiesty of the sender, before the publicke audience of the whole Parlament at that time assembled, there …enly protested with great solemnitie of word … what à mighty message & of what great importaunce was then brought into the Realme, euen the greatest message (sayd he) that euer came into Englād: and therfore desired them to geue attentiue & inclinable eares to such à famous legation, sent from so high authoritie.

Well, and what message was this? Forsooth, that the Realme of England should be reconciled againe vntounto their father the Pope: that is to say, that the Queene with all her nobilitie and sage Counsell, with so many learned Prelates, discrete Lawyers, worthy commons, and y^t whole body of the Realme of England, should captiue thē selues, and become vnderlings to an Italian straunger, and frierly Priest sitting in Rome, which neuer knew England, neuer was here, neuer did or shal do Englād good.Ste. Gardiners mighty message sent to England frō Rome. And this forsooth (said Gardiner) was the greatest ambassage, the weightiest Legacie that euer came to England: forgetting belike either this message of God sent here by his Apostles vntounto vsus: or els because he saw it made not so much for his purpose as did y^e other, he made the lesse accompt thereof.

Well then, & will we see what à weighty message this was that Gardiner so exquisitely cōmendeth? First, the sender is gone, the messenger is gone, the Queene is gone, and the message gone, and yet England standeth not à rushe the better. Of which message I thus say, answering againe to Gardiner, per inuersionē rhetoricam, that as he sayth, it was the greatest, so I say againe, it was the lightest legacie, the most ridiculous trifle, and most miserablest message, of al other y^t euer came, or euer shall come to England, none excepted, for vsus to be recōciled to an outlandish priest, & to submit our neckes vnderunder à forrein yoke. What hauehave we to do more with him, then with y^e great Calypha of Damascus. If recōciliation ought to folow, where offences hauehave risen: the Pope hath offended vsus more then his cofers are able to make vsus amendes. We neuer offended him. But let the Pope with his reconciliation and Legates goe, as they are already gone (God be thāked) and I beseech God so they may be gone, that they neuer come here again. Englād neuer fared better then p. 3when y^e Pope did most curse it. And yet I heare whispering of certaine priuy reconcilers,The Popes priuy reconcilers secretly creeping in corners. sent of late by y^e Pope, which secretly creepe in corners. But this I leaue to thē that hauehave to do withall. Let vsus againe returne to our matter.

We then hauing this Legation sent to vsus, not frō the Pope, but euē from our Lord & God: not by any Cardinall of Rome, but by the elect vessell of Christ, the Apostle S. Paule and other Apostles: let vsus attend with reuerence, first to him that sendeth, then to the messengers y^t be sent vntounto vsus, remembring how Raab the harlot receaued y^e messengers of Moses and was preserued:Iosue. xxvj. remembring also the wordes of our Sauior: He that heareth you, Luke. x.Luke 10heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. &c.

Wherefore, considering with our selues (good Christian audience) the high maiestie of this our supreme prince the sender of this message, being not onelyonly our head & king annointed, but which also of louelove gaue his life and bloud as this day to be spent for our redemption: let vsus for our partes, if we be his subiectes, marke what our prince requireth: let the flocke heare what the Pastor teacheth: the body what y^e head speaketh: the spousesse, what the spouse sendeth. And thus much touching the sender of the message.

Now what these messengers be,The messengers. and who they are: the Apostle proceding further in the letter, thus inferreth: We (saith he) be sent as messengers. &c. speaking not of him self alone, nor of Peter alone, nor of any Apostle one more then an other, but iointly ioyning thē all in one office & calling together, without difference of degree or singularitie of person, he saith: We be sent as messengers or Apostles: For so signifieth y^e name of Apostolus, Apostolus, what it signifieth.as much to meane as à messenger or à Legate sent. Where is to be noted by the way, y^t this nominatiue [Nos] in the pluratiue nūber is not here to be expoūded after y^e stile of Rome: Stylus Romanae Curiae.For Stylus Romanae Curiae, or rather foreign Romanae Curiae, the swelling stile of the court of Rome, vseth commonly when any Mandate, Breefe, or Sentence is geuen, thus to say: Nos Willielmus pro tribunali sedētes. &c. Nos Edmundus, Roberto Cluney literato. &c.

So y^e Bishop of Rome directing forth his preceptes or Buls, neuer speaketh in other nūber, but Mandamus, The Pope will needes be singular, & yet disdaineth to speake in the singular number.Statuimus, Ordinamus, & Volumus. And although he be but one singular person that speaketh, and such as will needes be singular alone aboue all others: yet disdaineth he to speake in the singular nūber, but alwayes vseth the plurall, to expresse belike, his Regale sacerdotiū. Who because he feeth great Kinges & Emperours frequent this trope of writing and speaking, least he should seeme in any point inferior to them, or not to speake as bigge as they for their liues, vseth therefore the same regall or imperiall phrase of speach,Os loquens grandia. with his Mandamus, & volumus. &c. when as Christ in the Gospell is content to say: Mandatum nouum do vobis: not damus vobis. &c. But if the Pope will not follow the humilitie of Christ in the Gospell, let him beware he followe not the swelling Tode in Aesopes Fables: who seing the great Oxe, and disdaining, that y^e Oxe should be bigger then he, swelled him selfe so bigge, that at length he swelled him self out of his own skinne. p. 4But let the Popes courtly stile passe, which as it is à thing but puft vp with the winde of pride, so let it vanishe away with the winde also.

This is certaine, that S. Paule in these wordes, We come as messengers. &c. meaneth no such matter: to signifie either him selfe alone, or Peter alone,No singularitie among the Apostles. or any other of the Apostles singularly: but ioyntly cōprehendeth the whole fellowship of the blessed Apostles together, and declareth, that they all together ioyned in one commission, are sent in the behalfe and name of Christ, as Legates or messengers, and not onelyonly to these Corinthians, to whom here he writeth, but inclusitiuely to all other wheresoeuer either collected or dispersed in the whole world, according as it was enioyned them by the Lordes owne speciall cōmission, saying: Goe into the whole worlde, Mark. xvj.and preach this Gospell or glad message to eueryevery creature. Whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised, shall be saued.

Well, and what shall we then say? Did this message of the Apostles cease with the end of the Apostles? or did the preaching thereof extend no farther, but during the cōtinuance of their time? Yes verily: for he which then set them on worke, and sent thē in this message,Posuit in nobis sermonem reconciliationis. putting in their mouth the word of reconcilement, is the same Lord which liueth still, and ceaseth not to send messengers into his Church frō time to time: Some Apostles, some Prophets, some Euangelistes, some teachers and instructers, Ephe. iiij.some with one gift, some with an other,Christ neuer ceaseth sending messengers to the edifying of his Church. and all for the edifying of his people, to hauehave the message of his Gospell continued in the world, which still shall be continued, so long as his Church shall endure: for he can not, nor will not totally & finally forsake his Church, which is his kingdome.

False messengers.But as it then happened in the Apostles time, there crept in with them certaine Pseudolegati, false Apostles, & sinister teachers, which confoūding together the lawe with the Gospell: Moses with Christ: mans merites with mercy: confidence in workes with Gods free grace and promises, laboured to peruert the course of this blessed message sent to vsus by the mouth of the Apostles: so hath there not lacked since that time in the Church, some Pseudocatholici and false teachers, not sent of God to do his message, but creping in craftily to lead à loytring life, some impudent, some negligent, some ignoraunt and blinde, hauing a zeale of God, Rom. x.Rom 10but not after knowledge, as S. Paul saith, some preaching them selues, some preaching for benefices and promotions, some teaching before they hauehave learned, some speaking that they know not, nor hauing experience whereof they speake, some also plaine enemies to the crosse of Christ, and subuerters of his heauenly message: of which sort we hauehave had heretofore to much experience of late yeares when the Pope had the leading of this Church of England.

But blessed be the God of all consolation, & father of our Lord Iesus, who hath visited vsus frō an high with such mercy and grace, and hath raised vp such ministers and messengers of his holy grace and Gospell to his Church, which so constantly accord and tune in one string together, to set forth the liuely message and truth of Christes Gospell vntounto you. Which you dayly doe heare. p. 5Which as it doth me good to see, so doe I most hartily reioyce from the bottome of my hart and soule, and prayse God with my harty thankes therfore. And yet neuerthelesse, to speake the simple truth touching the present state of this our ministery, if I should say y^t nothing therein were à misse, I should in deede blaunch and flatter to much. For who seeth not that many this day enter into y^e ministery, not as Gods messengers sent vponupon any message frō him, but winding in them selues by hooke or crooke, or by some compound way,The ministery not cleare from abuses. parting halfe stakes as it were betwene their patrons & them, and hauing either no arte to finde thē, or no minde to labour, make à trade of liuing of the ministery, more to liue at ease, then to labour in Gods message.

Many other abuses might be here recited, but I am not at this time to complaine of any: but onelyonly to preach Christ Iesus crucified vntounto you. And if there be any thing in them further to be complained of, I leaue it either to the ministers thēselues, or to their patrons that receaue them, or to their Bishops which induct them, to looke vponupon it. But to our purpose: they that will be the true messengers of God, let them well consider what their office is, whose messengers they are, and do their message faythfully.

The office of ministers was wont in the time of barbarous Popery, to be counted Orare, The office of ministers.Predicare, Sacrificare, to pray, to preach, and to sacrifice. But they which allotted those offices to the ministery, thought be like to bring in the Aaronicall, or Leuiticall priesthoode againe, with their praying for the sinnes of y^e people, & offring continuall sacrifice for the same. As for prayer which they call [Orare] Orare.I take that office as common to all Christen men, & not onelyonly appropriate to the ministery, to pray I meane for sinnes. And as touching [Sacrificare] Sacrificare.if they meane therby to sacrifice Christes body for sinne: that office onelyonly appertaineth to Christ, and to none other. But we which are entred now into the new Testament, and are past from shadowes to the body, from legall significations, to spirite and truth, following the direction of Christes commission in his Gospell,Praedicare. do say with S. Paule, that the principall office of the ministers of the new Testamēt is, laborare in verbo & doctrina, j. Tim. v.that is, by worde and doctrine to do Gods message, and to preach to the people, sermonem quem posuit in illis, vel quem proposuit illis Deus, the word which God hath put in their mouthes, or which he hath left vntounto them by his Apostles. Although beside this,Diuers thinges incident to the office of ministers. diuers other duties are incidēt to the order of ministers, as to minister y^e Sacramētes, to pray, to offer thankesgeuing, to reproue, to cōfort, to lay on handes, to excommunicate. &c. yet the principall end which chiefly concerneth the ministers of the new Testament, is, by preaching repentaunce and the glad message of the Gospell, to bring all mē to the obedience of Christes fayth, for remission of sinnes.

And thus much cōcerning the function of ministers, whose office is (as you hauehave heard) to be messengers or Ambassadours of Christ, in dispensing p. 6the mysteries of his worde. Now,The message sent, what it is. touching the message that is sent by them vntounto vsus, let vsus consider what followeth by the text. The wordes be these: Euen as God desiring you by vsus, we pray you, for Christes sake, or in Christes behalfe, that you will be reconciled vntounto God. &c.

Here now cōmeth in the ioyfull message and glad tidinges of the Gospell, which S. Paule calleth Sermonem reconciliationis, Sermo reconciliationis.the worde of recōcilement. Wherein is to be explaned vntounto you in order and distinctly, first what this reconcilement is, betwene whō it is, by whō it cōmeth, with all such things as wel going before, as which folow after it. But first, for somuch as the preaching of reconciliation importeth à variaunce or diuision betwene God and vsus going before: let vsus something entreate of the same, & put you in remembraunce of that miserable thraldome wherewith we were once oppressed, lying vnderunder the greuous wrath of God (which in my minde is much nedefull of all Christen mē throughly to be cōsidered) and compare y^e same to y^e state which we are now called vntounto.Variaunce betwene God and man, considered. For els how shal we reioyce at Gods grace, if we feele not before his iudgement? or what thankes can they geue for the gift, which neuer vnderstand what lacke they had? what passeth he for heauē, which feeleth no hel? or who careth for the Phisition, but he that is sicke?

And though I know there be à good sort of godly mourning soules in Sion, which lye groning vnderunder the feare of Gods heauy indignatiō,Preaching of Gods feare necessary in these dayes. and neede rather with boldnesse to be refreshed, then with more feare to be deiected: yet notwithstanding for somuch as the greater sort commonly hauehave their cogitations otherwise occupied, some not touched with any sorrow, some not examining their cōsciences nor feeling their wound, some not tasting any hell, some not caring for any God, to helpe therfore such senselesse soules, and to rouse them à little out of their carelesse sleepe of securitie, let vsus enter into some consideration of our damnable and cursed state,The miserable state of man without Christ. wherin all we once did & yet do stand by nature, all such (I say) as are not yet recōciled in Christ. For what cā be more greuous and horrible then the creature to be sundred and parted from the grace and good will of his creator & maker? to lacke his protection? to sustaine his wrath? to be outlawed from our owne countrey of Paradise, where we were first created? to be cut from him, without whom nothing can do vsus good, & we good for nothing? For if all goodnesse be in him, what cā be without him but that is euill? If life leaue vsus, what remaineth but death? If God forsake vsus, what receaueth vsus but the deuill, author of all mischiefe and fountaine of all calamitie? Of whose miserable dominion ouer vsus, we hauehave felt and tasted to much already.

Man in his most felicitie in this world, is but a miserable thing.Now take à man in all his abundance of riches, treasures, & pleasures, florishing in hys most felicitie, brauery, and prosperitie: let him be, if ye will, an other Polycrates of this world, what is he p. 7of him self but à carcas, à caitife, à subiect of sathā, à pray to death, reioysing and laughing in thys world, but yet as one y^t laugheth in his dreame, & waketh in sorrow, fraught full of feares & cares of minde, blinde in soule, not knowing to day what will happē to morrow, voyde of all inward rest and peace of conscience, mortall, mutable, miserable, wrapt in wretchednesse, prone to all wickednesse, whose beginning is in trauaile, his stāding vncertaine, his end is corruption: briefly as one liuing in death, & dead being aliue. For how is he aliue, that is dead to God?Math. vij. Let the dead (saith our Sauiour) goe bury the dead. &c. speaking of thē which liued, and yet to God were dead. And how cā we be els but dead to God, except we be brought and reconciled by Christ to God?

And yet for all this, such is our dulnesse that either we feele not what it is to lacke the Lorde, or our wilfulnesse such, that we care not for that we lacke. But how soeuer it be, that either we will not or cā not see, the end of all thinges declareth what à miserable thing it is the creature to be diuided from his creator.Mā cast away from God. In whom as eueryevery thing hath his being: so not to be in him is to be in dede nothing: whom once we had, afterward loste him, and in losing him, hauehave loste with him all thinges. By creation first we had him, by transgression afterward we lost him, and all through the meanes of our great foreign Adam: who by his disobedient presumption brought this wofull diuision betwene God and vsus.Diuision betwene God and man by Adam the first man. Whereupon hath ensued all this rufull ruine of the whole creature and nature of man, being secluded from Gods fauour and protection, and geuen ouer to death and to him that hath power of death, that is, to Sathan, which euer since hath had dominion ouer vsus.

And thus may you see (good Christian audience) the sorrowfull state and condition of mankinde, fallen from his originall felicitie, wherin he was first planted, not into à pecke of troubles, but into à hell full of all miseries, into vtter desolation,Originall sinne. and destruction, death & damnation, and all through y^e transgression of one. Out of whose roote first springeth this publike infection of our nature which we call originall sinne, prone to all corruption, destitute of grace and righteousnesse, and voide of all goodnesse: which originall cancker hanging in our fleshe, draweth vsus from God and all goodnesse. Wherof S. Paule in hys letter to the Romanes, complaineth thus and sayth: That he knoweth and feeleth that in him, that is to say, in his flesh there is no goodnesse dwelling. &c. And againe, where he sayth: I see an other law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde, captiuing me. &c. Rom. 7. Rom. vij.Rom. vij.And this originall sinne is called Peccatum in nobis inhabitans, sinne dwelling or lurking in vsus. &c. Wherby we hauehave to vnderstand, that beside our outward actions which burst out into opē sinne, there lurketh also inwardly in the bottome of our nature à priuy fomes, à breeder of sinne, an originall infection, or (as we may call it) à priuy sparcle of the Serpentes seede, infecting our nature, and drawing vsus from all heauenly p. 8disposition, to all earthly concupiscence.

Which lurking infection in vsus,The Papistes extenuate originall sinne. although it seeme but à small matter to many, and especially to the Papistes, who vse to much to extenuate it, and to make light thereof: yet we must vnderstand that in Gods sight it appeareth à mighty matter, passing all other sinnes:Originall sinne no small matter in Gods sight. who not onelyonly looketh vponupon our outward and manifest transgressions which we dayly committe against his lawe, but also considereth the person especially, and the crooked nature inwardly infected within vsus (out of which issue forth these outward transgressions) and so punisheth the same with no lesse penalty then the outward sinnes against the law committed.Similitude. Like as if à mighty hunter chasing the wilde Wolfe, and happening vppon the Wolfes denne, findeth there the yoūg Wolfelinges which as yet neuer did no rauen: yet because of the same nature lurking in them, he vseth them no otherwise then he doth the olde: Euen so let eueryevery man repute him selfe as touching hys first byrth and outward man, as he originally descendeth of Adam, to be execrable vntounto God, and not onelyonly hys outward euill doinges,The nature of man odible to God before he begin to sinne, but also hys inward nature and very person before he beginne to worke, to be odious vntounto hym.

Which being well expended and weyed in our mindes, let vsus then cast with our selues in what à miserable perplexitie and wretched case we sinfull creatures were & yet are, so many as be not yet reconciled againe in Christ. For what can be more miserable then man to be vnderunder the heauy wrath and displeasure of hys God (as I sayd) the creature to be diuided from hys creator, the pot or vessell to be displeasaunt or in hatred with the potter? For what are we els, but as earthen pots in the handes of our God, which formed and created vsus?

Variaunce a daungerous thing in all states, but betwene God and man most greuous.Now if variaunce and debate breede such daungers and mischiefes amōgest the creatures themselues wheresoeuer it commeth: what is to be thought of that discorde which is betwene the sely creature and the creator him selfe? In à common wealth we see what à wofull state there is, where the Prince with his nobles,Discorde decayeth all thinges. or the nobles with the commons can not agree. What à hell is in that house, where the husband and wife liue together in continuall iarre? or who can abide to liue in that Citie, where the Citizens through ciuill dissentiō are disseuered in sides among them selues, one fighting against an other? The consent of Musicke may teach vsus, what an amiable thing to nature it is to tune in one agreement of concorde, and how contrary to nature discorde soundeth.Life standeth in concorde. In the body both of man and beast, where the elementall qualities and humors doe not concorde together in due proportion and conueniencie, life there can not consist. Briefly, if the wrath of à terrene King in thys earth,The wrath of God, and the wrath of a king cōpared. be death (as the wise King speaketh in the Scripture): what is it then to be vnderunder the wrath of the almighty King of all Kinges, and God of all creatures?

p. 9And vnderunder this wrath of our Lorde and God, all we mortall wretches for sinne in vsus (which God created not, but hateth in vsus) were wofully wrapped (and as the Scripture speaketh) Eramus natura filij irae: We were by nature the children of wrath. &c. enemies to God, diuided and sundred from hym, and so continued à long time, euer since thys sinnefull nature first tooke place in vsus. For sinne by nature gendreth wrath,Sinne y^e roote of all misery belonging to man. and prouoketh iudgement: Iudgement by law ministreth death and damnation: with death entred the deuil, and with him heapes of infinite miseries and calamities. And in thys pickle lyeth man by nature, that is, all we that be Adams children. Let no man flatter him selfe, or thinke better of him selfe; that is, of hys owne originall nature, then is here declared. Neither is here declared any other thing, then the Scripture it self concludeth, which concludeth vsus altogether to be vnderunder sinne. All thinges concluded vnderunder sinne.All our mouthes are stopped, and we destitute of the glory of God, standing all at his mercy and grace. Rom. 3.Rom 3We hauehave all gone astray (sayth the Prophet Esay) eueryevery man in his owne wicked way. Esay. 53.Esay. 53.Isa 53 Luke. 17.Luke 17And are all vnprofitable seruantes (sayth Christ) yea, when we hauehave done the best we can. And if our best doinges be vnprofitable in the sight of God to saluation, where then shall our euill deedes become?

These premisses thus considered and concluded by the Scriptures, as you hauehave heard: what shall we say (good Christian audience and beloued brethrē?) Shall we now dispayre, or is there no remedy, no hope nor helpe to be had? no truely in our selues, in our selues (I say) none, none at all. For the iust iudgemēt of God must needes hauehave hys course. Gods sentence once pronounced must needes procede. And as none of vsus all was euer borne (Christ onelyonly excepted) or is now liuing, that carieth not y^e wound of originall sinne about hym: so is there none of vsus all that possibly in him selfe can auoyde the sentence of Gods terrible iustice:Man by nature vnderunder malediction. but death and condemnation will needes procede agaynst vsus, vnderunder which sentence and malediction we all, eueryevery mothers sonne, as touching our selues, should hauehave perpetually continued, had not à certaine deare good frend of ours, our singular good Lord and onelyonly patrone, à mighty capitaine stept in betwene, who to kepe off the blowe from vsus, bare the stroke of Gods heauy wrath on hys backe, and so deliuered vsus frō death, being for vsus slaine him selfe, and therby slewe all enmitie betwene God and vsus, How benediction and grace commeth in.pacifying by the bloud of his crosse, all thinges both in heauen and earth, and so hath purchased this blessed and happy reconciliation betwene his heauenly father and vsus earthly creatures.Ephe. 2. Colloss. 1.Eph 2

The message of grace beginneth.And as he hath purchased it: so hath he sent tidinges of the same here by hys Apostle S. Paule, and by all hys other Apostles, all about, throughout the whole world, to eueryevery creature. Whereof Esay thus speaketh, marueiling and reioysing at the comming of these messengers:Esay. 52.Isa 52 How faire (sayth he) be the feete vponupon the mountaines, of him that bringeth tidinges, and preacheth peace, bringeth tidinges of good thinges, & preacheth saluation, saying to Sion: Thy p. 10God shall raigne. &c. Esay. 52. Which prophecy you see here verified by the preaching of these Apostles: and not onelyonly by them, but by other also, whom Christ our Sauiour ceaseth not continually from time to time to stirre vp in hys Church to be his messengers and Legates Apostolicall:Gods message to Londoners. who now comming to you also Londoners, as S. Paule dyd to the Corinthians, with the same wordes doe speake also to you saying: We pray you for Christes sake, that ye will be reconciled vntounto God. &c.

Whereby all mourning soules, where soeuer you are, or what soeuer you be, that labour and be burdened, may note for your comfort, how not onelyonly the Lorde offreth himselfe ready to be recōciled, to you if you be willing:God offreth him selfe to be recōciled to vsus. but also louingly and most gently sendeth forth hys seruantes to entreate you to be reconciled vntounto him. As who would say: In God there is no let, but you may boldly come and be reconciled, whosoeuer desireth to be at peace with him: onelyonly let there be no stay in you. Be you willing to be reconciled, and you shall speede: come and you shall be receaued, holde out your hand to take what he will geue, and you shall hauehave. What more can you desire? And yet moreouer to encourage you to come to hym, not onelyonly he offreth him selfe ready at your sutes to be entreated, but also sendeth abroad hys messengers to entreate you, to come and be reconciled to him.

And further, lest ye shoulde thinke those messengers to come in their owne name, and so regard them the lesse, marke what S. Paule addeth moreouer,The Apostle adiureth vsus in Christes name to be recōciled. how he not onelyonly prayeth them, but also in à maner adiuring thē. We pray you (sayth he) pro Christo, for Christes sake, as though he woulde say: as you louelove Christ, and will do any thing for hys cause which hath so dearely bought you, we pray you, not for our selues, but in the name of hym, that you will be reconciled vntounto God.

And yet neither is thys also inough, which notwithstanding is so much as may make vsus all to maruell at hys mercies. But marke moreouer the speach of the holy Ghost, and consider the exceding tendernesse of y^e vnspeakeable benignitie of our God. We were the offenders, and he the partie that was offended: we his creatures, and he our maker: we the first breakers frō him, and yet all thys notwithstanding, such is the passing and more then fatherly richnesse of his grace, that he not onelyonly offreth and sendeth vntounto vsus,God offereth, sendeth, inuiteth, yea prayeth vsus him self to be agreed with him. yea adiureth vsus in hys owne sonnes name: but also, which is more then all that can be most, euen the same God prayeth vsus, euen him selfe, euen vsus I say, such misers and damnable wretches, that we will come and be agreed with hym: for so the tenour of our text in plaine wordes purporteth, where he sayth: Euen as God him selfe praying you by vsus, we pray you for Christes sake, that you will be reconciled vntounto God. &c. Here is offending, and yet here is praying and praying againe. O gentlenesse, O kindnesse. Man first began the diuision: and God beginneth first the reconciliation. God prayeth, Christ prayeth, and the Apostle p. 11prayeth. Man offendeth and hath forfeited hys soule to the deuill, and yet is prayed. He that shoulde pray to be forgeuen, is prayed to be content to be forgeuen. What shoulde we here say or thinke (welbeloued Corinthians here of London) but cry out with the wordes of Nazianzene: foreign:Nazianzen: foreign. that is: O the readinesse of Gods gracious louelove: O the easinesse of hys exorable reconcilement. &c.

Although it be not in my vtterance,Gods gracious tendernesse to vsus, considered. nor in no mortall tounge to expresse the fulnesse of these deepe & profound mysteries of spirituall thinges: yet by that as I could declare, somewhat you heard, and more may conceaue with your selues, first of the horrible wrath of God, and his district seueritie against sinne, with all such penalties, plagues, and punishmentes, due for the same, declared vntounto you. After y^t you hauehave heard againe of the singular and superabundant greatnesse of his fatherly tendernesse toward vsus, who so willingly, so kindly, not onelyonly offreth his reconciliation, but also inuiteth vsus, yea prayeth vsus to be reconciled to hym.

Now, what thys reconciliation is, and what great thinges come thereof, it followeth likewise to be considered. Which albeit can not so amply be described to you as it is in it selfe, yet by similitudes and examples partly it may be conceaued. For as we see in à worldly gouernment,Similitude. when any subiect is vnderunder the indignation and displeasure of his prince, his state is miserable, his minde vnquiet, fraught full of feare, and dread, hys hart out of comfort, in hys life no safety, but he liuing like à dead man: briefly no calamitie lacketh, where the wrath of à Prince hangeth. But if the trespasse be pardoned, and displeasure remoued, then feare departeth, hope reuiueth, comfort commeth, and life beginneth to looke vp. Euen so, or rather much more then so, it is betwene God and man. For so long as we were vnderunder wrath, there was nothing in man but death, dread, damnation, hell, malediction, the tyranny of Sathan, vnquietnesse: in summe, all the miseries of hell were heaped vponupon the poore soule of man. But after it pleased the goodnesse of our God to turne from vsus hys wrath,Gods reconciliation cause of all mans felicitie. and to receaue vsus againe to fauour: now all is turned, our feare to hope: death to life: damnatiō to saluation: hell to heauen: malediction to blesse: the power of Sathā dissolued: care to comfort: and in summe, all the felicities, so many as Paradise can holde, do now belong to man.

But what should I set forth the high amplitude of thys heauenly reconciliation of our Lord by earthly similitudes, which by no comparison of man can be expressed? For in mans agreement, though the prince be recōciled neuer so well with the subiect, yet it may happen that the agreement may breake off againe shortly after. Againe, the reconcilement that is betwene man and man, is commonly but for that one trespasse which bred the variance: which being forgeuen, agreement cōmeth. So is it not betwene God and vsus. Neither p. 12is hys reconciliation so variable or incōstant as altereth by dayes or times:Reconciliation of God, what it is. but is the receauing of mankinde into the aeternall fauour and mercy of God, euen the same fauour which Esay the Prophet, Chapt. 54. speaketh of in these wordes, saying:Esay. 54.Isa 54 For a little moment of time I hauehave left thee, but in great mercies I will gather thee. In a moment of my indignation, I hauehave hid my face a while from thee: but in my euerlasting mercy, I hauehave pitied thee, sayth the redemer thy Lord. &c.

This reconciliation now to be defined,Reconciliation defined. is y^e receauing againe of mā into the perpetuall fauour of God, purchased by Christ to all them, that by fayth and repentance come vntounto hym. Which aeternall fauour of God, as we shewed before to be freely offred vntounto vsus: so now remaineth further to be explaned, what fauour this is, how it is perpetuall, by what cause it commeth, and to whom it belongeth. Touching the first,The fauour of God, what it is, and how it is perpetuall. to declare what fauour this is whereunto we are receaued, here is to be vnderstand by the meaning of S. Paule, thys fauour to bee that which is contrary to the wrath and malediction which went before for sinne. For as that malediction did threaten vntounto vsus aeternall reiection, vnderunder which we were and should perpetually hauehave cōtinued had it not bene stopped: so is thys reconcilement à receauing againe into aeternall acceptation, which perpetually doth and shall continue for Christes sake, to all faythfull beleuers in hym. And this fauour I call perpetuall in respect of time: for that God promiseth neuer to remember, nor to impute our sinnes any more for Christes sake. Ieremy. 31. Ierem. 31.Jer 31And hereof springeth the foūtaine of perpetuall remission, promised in the xiij. chapter of the Prophet Zachary: Zach. 13.Zech 13where he sayth: In that day shall be open to the house of Dauid, and to the dwellers of Ierusalem, a foūtaine to the clensing away of sinne, & menstrui. &c.

Where note how the Prophet sayth: In that day. &c. assigning not diuers and sundry dayes whē Christes body should be offred for sinne: but signifying that one day should come, when that Lambe and sacrifice which was slaine from the beginning of the world in Gods determination, and afterward was offered actually once and no more, should suffise to purge the sinnes and filthinesse of all the dwellers in Ierusalem, that is, of all such as retaine to him by faith.Christes body once offred for sinne, and no more. And thus hauehave you the cause of remission of sinnes to be onelyonly the sacrifice of Christes body offred vp to God, not eueryevery day, but in one appointed day, which we call good friday: for the which sacrifice sake God hath assured his promise to all & singular persons that shall come or seeke to hys sonne by fayth, to geue them free forgeuenesse, and neuer to remember, nor impute their sinnes to them any more.

And herein standeth the difference betwene the Popes doctrine and ours. For he holdeth that the sacrifice of Christes body not one day, but eueryevery day is to be offred for sinne. Contrary,Difference betwene the Popes doctrine and the Scripture. we with the Scriptures affirme, remission of sinnes to be the effect onelyonly of one cause, that is, of Christes bloud our Sauiour, sacrificed once on good friday vponupon the Crosse (and neuer p. 13els) to take away all malediction of sinne for euer, as well for them that were before his passion, as them that should follow after. And that is it that the Scripture sayth:The Lambe slaine from the beginning, what it meaneth. The Lambe to be slaine from the beginning of the world (and so is he slaine to the latter end): meaning therby the vertue and power of that sacrifice to extend vniuersally to all times, to all men, and to all kinde of sinnes, from the beginning to the end of the world for euer: So that on Christes part,The cause of remission of sinnes on Christes part. the cause onelyonly which worketh reconciliation and remission of sinnes, is hys onelyonly death and bloudshedding once sacrificed actually (and neuer els) vponupon good friday.The cause of remission of sinnes on mans part. On our partes the cause onelyonly y^t worketh thys reconciliation and remission, and is of vsus required, is not to offer vp thys body againe for à dayly sacrifice to God: but onelyonly to beleue faythfully & obediently vponupon him that was sacrificed for vsus, & so by fayth to apply the merites of hys passion to vsus. And to thys fayth God hath promised perpetuall remission of our sinnes, according to the manifest testimony of the Scripture, where it is in y^e Actes of the Apostles thus expressed:Act. 10.Acts 10 That to him all the Prophets beare witnesse, all mē to receaue remission of sinnes by him, whosoeuer beleue in his name. &c. Againe, Acte. 16. Beleue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued, Act. 16.Acts 16and thy whole house. &c. Peter & Paul say not: Offer Christes body for à dayly sacrifice to God: but, onelyonly beleue in him & thou shalt be saued. And thus much hetherto cōcerning recōciliation, what it is, how it is perpetuall, what is the onelyonly cause thereof, and to whom it belongeth: wherof more shall be sayd (Christ willing) in further processe hereof.

Gods reconciliation includeth not onelyonly remission of our sinnes, but also acceptation of the person of man.Now as touching thys reconciliation and fauour of God aforesayd, as it reacheth to the free remission of all men and to all tymes, as well before as after: so moreouer this is to be added, and worthy to be noted, that not onelyonly it reacheth to our sinnes, but extendeth to the acceptation of the nature and person also of man: so that through this reconcilement, not onelyonly our sinnes are done away: but also y^e person of mā, which before was execrable vntounto God, is now accepted, which before was odious, is now beloued, which before was vnpure and vncleane, is now purified, regenerated, and chaunged as into an other person, and as ye would say, made à new man in the sight of God: not because the new life of à man maketh the man new in Gods sight: but because the man being first made new, and regenerated by reconciliation, bringeth forth afterward à new life.

And here commeth in that which we call regeneration,Regeneration. or new birth, not in being altered into any new bodily substance from that we were: but in being turned by reconciliation into à new state of fauour & grace, as who before were dead to God, damnable creatures, & children of wrath: but now are accepted, purged, and iustified from the malediction as well of originall sinne as actuall:…an restored to the same fauour of God, which Adam had before his fall in paradise. which before times were separated frō God, but now restored againe to grace & fauour, euen the same fauour of God, wherein Adam stoode before hys fall in Paradise, and more to.

p. 14Of this regeneration we read in many places of the Scripture, which Scripture geueth vsus to vnderstand thys our new regenerate byrth to be referred not so much to the outward actes of life, as chiefly to y^e person & nature of mā, altered and chaunged into à new state of grace & fauour with God by spirituall reconciliation, yea before he beginne to worke any good action. Whereupon afterward follow the fruites of new life, which we call good workes, & are called good, not so much for the worthinesse of y^e action done, as for y^e worthinesse of the person the doer thereof, which is à faithful Christiā reconciled in Christ to God. And therof take good workes their goodnesse,Good workes why they are called good. being not onelyonly accepted for good, but also imputed in Scripture sometimes to merite: as where Christ our Sauiour sayth: I was hungry and ye fedde me, I was in prison, and ye visited me: Come therefore and possesse the kingdome. &c. Math. 25. Math. 25.Matt 25Not that the valew of the worke deserueth that imputation, but that the worke is so imputed for the fayth of the person: for els let an infidell do the same,To the pure all thing is pure: But to the infidell all is sinne that he doth. or more to, and all is sinne that he doth. But let the Christian do, be the thing neuer so simple, if it be good it is accepted, and if it be otherwise, yet is it remitted, so that in a briefe summe, the order of all thys standeth thus.Christ. Fayth. Reconciliation, or Iustification. First commeth Christ crucified and offred for vsus: with hym commeth fayth apprehending hym: with fayth ensueth reconciliation or iustification, through y^e promise: wherby man being reconciled vntounto God (which before was reiected) is made now à new creature, because he is set now in à new stocke: and this is called regeneration.Regeneration. After regeneratiō of the person (which is accepted for his fayth) foloweth thē the fruites of new obedience,New obedience. which be accepted for the faythfull person:Acceptation of good workes. but because our new obedience is alwayes and in all men imperfect, and falleth many tymes into disobedience through frailty of flesh, for à remedy thereof followeth remission of sinnes.Remission of sinnes. And thus hauehave you the golden chaine of our saluation: First beginning with Christ:The golden chaine of saluation. then commeth fayth: fayth bringeth reconciliation, or iustification: with it commeth regeneration: after which ensueth new obedience, or mortification, with acception of good workes: Last of all commeth remission of sinnes and maketh all sure.

Touching which remission of sinnes,Remission of sinnes. here is further to be noted: First that thys remission is not onelyonly of such sinnes as goe before Baptisme or regeneration, but also of all such which à man repenteth hym of with fayth, from the beginning till the end of hys life. Secondly is to be vnderstand, that thys remission is not onelyonly for all actuall sinnes which man committeth, but also for originall sinne which nature bringeth. Thirdly, neither must we thinke thys remission of the new Testament to be like to the remission of sinnes practised in the olde law, which stoode by sacrifices. Wherin this difference there is: First that remission which was by sacrifices, serued not for all sinnes, nor for such as were to come, but onelyonly for such sinnes as were p. 15before the sacrifice: so that whensoeuer any new sinne followed, new sacrifices were required.Difference betwene remission of sinnes in the new Testament and in the olde. Secondly, that remission stoode onelyonly for actuall sinne, and not for originall. Thirdly, in that Legall or temporall remission is moreouer to be noted, that sacrifice for sinne was then but à thyng typicall, so that albeit the crime for which the sacrifice was offered was done away, yet the person notwithstanding remained still vnderunder death and the penalty of originall sinne pronounced agaynst Adam and all hys posterity. Briefly in one word to conclude, betwene this remission of the new Testament and that of the olde, so much difference there is, as is betwene temporall thinges and aeternall. Of which difference let vsus heare what the Prophet Iereme teacheth vsus, saying: Behold the dayes shall come, saith the Lord, & I shall make a new couenaunt with the house of Israell, and the house of Iuda, not after the couenaunt which I made with their fathers whē I brought them out of Egypt with strong hand, and they transgressed my couenaunt, but this shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israell After those dayes, sayth the Lorde, I will geue my law within them, and in their hart I will write it, and I will be their God, and they my people &c. For I will hauehave mercy of their iniquities, and their sinnes I will neuer more remēber. &c. Ieremy. 31.Iere. 31.Jer 31

By these wordes of y^e Prophet, if they be well marked, we hauehave to learne à manifest difference betwene the olde couenaunt, and the new: and what the grace is of the new Testament, especially cōcerning remission of sinnes: which sinnes he saith shall neuer more be remembred, meaning that the day should come when God will set such à sacrifice for sinne, which shall geue à perpetuall remedy for euer: so y^e although sinne shall nede dayly to be helped, yet no more sacrifices shoulde neede to be offered, but that one should serue and suffice for euer. Wherby we see remission of sinnes to stand otherwise now then it did then. For in the olde law although sinnes were purged after à sort, by sacrifices and bloud of beastes: yet that remission lasted not for euer, but for certaine tymes, so that new sinnes euer required new sacrifices.

Wherin apperaeth the pernitious abuse of the daily sacrifice of the Popes Masse,The sacrifice of the Popishe Masse consumed. most false and contrary to all Scripture, vtterly subuerting the truth of Gods couenaunt and Testament. For if sinne shoulde neede dayly purgation by dayly sacrificing, as it did before, what difference then make we betwene the new Testament and the olde, betwene the Christians and the Iewes? Or if Christes body once sacrificed for sinne can not serue except it bee dayly sacrificed for purgation therof, where is then this euerlasting reconciliation taught by the Apostles? or where is thys neuer remēbring of our sinnes any more, promised by the Prophets? how is that wounde cured for euer, which eueryevery day needeth à new plaster? Briefly,Heb. 10.Heb 10 how hath he made thē perfect with one oblatiō for euer which be sanctified, if Christ once offered suffice not, but eueryevery day must be offered à fresh? what perfectiō is in that which eueryevery day p. 16is new to begin? If sinne (malediction of sinne I meane) be not once taken away for euer, how thē hath Christ made vsus perfect for euer? Heb. 10. Heb. 10.Heb 10or how hath he found out aeternall redemption by once offering him selfe for vsus? Heb. 9. For what is aeternall redemption els, but aeternall remission of sinnes? Now, where remission of sinnes is, and y^e same remission aeternall, what nedeth any more hostes or oblations for sinne? as the Apostle plainly testifieth, saying: Vbi peccatorū est remissio, iam non est amplius oblatio pro peccato. i. Where remission of sinnes is, there is no more oblatiō for sinne. &c.

Let vsus reason now then with these sacrificing Priestes of the Popes law, after their owne distinctions. A cōtinuall or dayly sacrifice, say they, must euer remaine in the Church. For what purpose, I aske? For remission of sinnes, say they. So had the Iewes in the olde law continuall and daily sacrifices for remission of sinne remayning amongest them also. What difference is now betwene the new Testament & the olde, if the daunger of sinne remaine in both Testamentes alike, to be done away by continuall reiteration of sacrifices? Or if there must nedes be à differēce,The cause of doing away sinne discussed. let them shew what difference it is, or wherin it consisteth els but onelyonly in y^e cause of remission: which in the new Testament standeth one for euer, in the old Testamēt it is dayly repeated by renuing of sacrifices. Of the which cause the Apostle to the Hebrues, speaking of Christ Iesus crucified, and consummated, specifieth moreouer, & sayth: factus omnibus obtēperātibus sibi, Heb. 5.Heb 5causa aeternae salutis. &c. i. Was made to all which obey him, the cause of eternall saluation. &c. Heb. 5. By the which wordes we are taught the cause of remission of sinnes to be the onelyonly body of Christ offered for vsus, & the same body to be once offered and neuer more, as in the same Epistle followeth in these wordes declared: Nunc autem semel in instante consummatione. &c. i. Now hath he once appeared in this latter consummatiō of the worlde, to the destruction of sinne by his owne oblation. &c. Heb. 9. Heb. 9.Heb 9Wherby we hauehave to note, that as the once appearing of Christ is the onelyonly cause of destruction of sinne, and remission not to be sought at any other cause but that alone: so is their doctrine vayne which require any more appearinges of Christ to remitte sinne, then onelyonly the same. And thus appeareth the true difference betwene remission in the olde law, and in the new: wherof the one which stoode by renuing of sacrifices was temporall, the other is perfect and perpetuall, perfect I meane as touching the cause of putting away sinne, which once done standeth for euer.

But here come they with à blinde distinction of [bloudy and vnbloudy] and say, that in the Iewes law they offered y^e bloud of Goates and Calues,Distinction of the Papistes. and of other diuers sortes of beastes: but in the new lawe they offer continually one sacrifice and no moe, which is the body of Christ, and that after an vnbloudy sort. Whereunto I aunswere: first if they hauehave the body of Christ, let them offer it. But they which doe well consider the Scriptures, do see & know that Christes p. 17body is not here to be offered:How the Papistes do sacrifice Christes body eueryevery day with bloud. Vnlesse they meane the members of hys mysticall body here in earth, which they sacrifice eueryevery day with such store of bloud, as is pitifull to see: but els the true body of Christ in deede y^e Scripture placeth to be in heauen, and not in earth. Once it was in the handes of sinners and was offered of them, but now he is out of their handes, and past all mens reach to be offered any more. Wherefore, where they say, they offer the body of Christ, that is but à phantasie. For as the presence of the body here ceaseth, so ceaseth the offering therof also.

Now, although his bodily presence were here: yet is he not to be offered to appease Gods wrath for sinne any more. For first, none can offer the body of Christ for sinne to hys father, but him self: because in the new Testament to offer for sinne, requireth à Priest which is immaculate, impolluted, and segregated from sinners, as we read. Heb. 7. Heb. 7.Heb 7Talis enim decebat vt nobis esset pontifex, sanctus, innocens. &c i. For so it behoued, that our Bishop for vsus should be holy, innocent. &c. And againe: Sermo autem iurisiurandi, qui post legem esset. &c. that is: But the word of the othe which followeth after the old law, appointed his sonne to be our perfecte Priest for euer. &c. Heb. 7. Secondly, by the types of the olde lawe Christ can not be offered for sinne but it must be without the tentes by the law, or els hys sacrifice cā not answere to the law. Thirdly, when soeuer Christ is offered for the pacifying of Gods wrath for sinne, it must be vppon the crosse. For so we read. Coloss. 1. Coloss. 1.Col 1Pacifying all thinges by the bloud of his crosse, all thinges both in heauē & in earth. &c. Fourthly, it must be also with bloud, for by y^e Scripture, Without effusion of bloud there is no remissiō. &c. Heb. 9. Fiftly, where they say, they offer no moe sacrifices but one, which is the body of Christ: that is not inough,One oblation and one time of offering for sinne in the new Testament. forasmuch as the Scripture requireth not onelyonly the hoaste to be one, but the time also to be one. For probation whereof we hauehave the plaine wordes of Scripture. Heb. 7. where the Apostle speaketh of offering for y^e sinnes of the people: For that (sayth he) he hath done once, offering him selfe. &c. Heb. 7. Heb. 7.Heb 7Also chapt. 9. where the same Apostle comparing Christ entring with hys sacrifice with the high Priest in the olde lawe, entring into the secrete tabernacle once à yeare, at last concludeth and sayth: Sic & Christus semel oblatus est ad multorū tollenda peccata. &c. i. So also Christ (sayth he) was once offered for the doing away the sinnes of many &c. Againe, in the same chapter, excluding all offeringes of Christ sauing one, he sayth: Not that he should offer him selfe at times as the high Priest did: but once for the doing away of sinne he appeared by his owne oblation. &c. Heb. 9. Heb. 9.Heb 9Sixtly, where they pretend to offer the body of Christ dayly: I aske, to whom? They will say to y^e father. Wherfore? To pacifie hys iudgement for sinne. Wherunto I aunswere with the Gospell: that needeth not, forsomuch as the Gospell witnesseth, that the father now iudgeth no man any more, but hath geuen all iudgement to his crucified Christ. Ioh. 5. Iohn. 5.John 5Item, hath geuē to him power of all fleshe. Ioh. 17. Iohn. 17.John 17Item, hath geuē to him all power both in heauen and earth. Math. 28. Math. 28.Matt 28Item, p. 18Christ now draweth all things to him self. Ioh. 12. Iohn. 12.John 12Item, he hath appointed him iudge both of the quicke and of the dead. Act. 10. Act. 10.Acts 10Now if they say, they offer Christes body to Christ him self for remission of sinne, that is absurde and vaine.

And thus much I thought necessary, hauing here to entreate of reconciliatiō, to speake against the sacrifice of y^e Masse, forsomuch as these two cā not consist together, but one must needes destroy the other. For if the reconciliatiō of Gods fauour purchased by Christ once for vsus be perfecte & perpetuall, then this dayly sacrifycing for sinne, is superfluous.Reconciliation, and the daily sacrifice of the Masse, can not stand together. And if the same must needes be continued in the Church as à necessary remedy for appeasing Gods wrath, and for expiation of sinne frō time to time, then must the sacrifice of Christes Priesthode be vnperfect, being of no more power and vertue to reconcile vsus vntounto God, then y^e yearly and daily sacrifices of the Iewes, which euer required new sacrifices to be done for sinne. And where is then the killing of Gods wrath by the bloud of Christ, spoken of? Colos. 1. Where is the pacifying of all thinges both in heauē and earth? Where is y^e difference betwene the old couenaunt and the new? or where is the neuer remembring of our sinnes any more? Where be then y^e goodly feete vponupon the mountaines of them that bring vsus message of peace, of good tidinges, and of saluation? Esay. 52. Esay. 52.Isa 52Where is the day, or what day of Christ was it which Abraham saw and reioyced? or where is the one oblation, & that once offered, which bringeth aeternall redemption? Heb. 9.10. Where is thē captiuity led away captiue? Ephe. 4. Ephe 4.Eph 4Where is the breaking of the Serpentes head?Gene. 3.Gen 3 the ouerthrow of death?Esay. 35.Isa 35 the victory of hell? the hanging vp of the handwriting? Where is the vele broken which separated vsus from God? the euerlasting myrth vponupon the heades of them that be in Sion? or the confident dwelling of them in Ierusalem, promised in Iere. 23. Iere. 23.Jer 23Ezech. 34. Ezech. 34.Ezek 34Zach. 14? Zach. 14.Zech 14or where is the aeternall righteousnesse brought in by the Prophet Daniel, chapt. 9. if this reconciliation be not aeternall?Dani. 9.

Briefly, to bring in any other sacrifices for sin, but onelyonly the oblation of Christes bloud, and that once offered, taketh away the glad message and power of the Gospell,Daily sacrifice in the new Testament for sinne, dissolueth the harmony of the whole Scripture. casteth mens mindes into à doubtfull wauering of their saluation, and finally dissolueth the whole harmony of the Scriptures both Propheticall & Apostolicall. For if the Propheticall Lambe in the olde lawe once slaine on the 14. day of the first monethmonth, and hys bloud sprinckled,Exod. 12.Exod 12 loosed the whole congregation out of the thraldome of Aegypt, so that they were neuer brought into the same againe: so the bloud of Christes crosse (to speake with the wordes of S. Paule) once offered likewise on the 14. day of the sayd first monethmonth, dischargeth his whole vniuersall Church out of the bandes of hell and of the Deuill, and that perpetually, neuer to be reduced thether againe. And yet notwithstanding, as the Israelites being brought out of Aegypt, when they sinned against God, were punished in the desert, and yet the promise of the plentifull land neuerthelesse p. 19still went forward: euen so the elect members of Christes Church after their deliueraunce, when they sinne against God by fragility of weake flesh, their sinnes be punished with temporall scourges in this world, but yet the truth of Gods euerlasting fauour standeth for euer to all them that repent by fayth.

As touching therefore the dayly sacrificing of Christes body, as I proued before, so I repeate againe & in one word conclude, that no sacrifice of Christes body can serue for sinne, but where Christ him selfe is the Priest.The scripture admitteth no sacrifice for sinne, but where Christ is the offerer, where bloud is, and where the hoaste is consumed without the tentes. Neither doth the Scripture admitte any sacrifice propitiatory for sinne, but were bloud is, and where the suffering goeth withall, and where the hoast is consumed without the tentes by the fier of Gods iudgement.

These thinges thus discoursed and proued by the Scriptures, to procede now in our text, seing almighty God so gently offereth vntounto vsus, (as ye hauehave heard good audience) let vsus take that he geueth: seing he calleth so graciously, let vsus come to him: yea seing he prayeth so entirely, let vsus graunt his request: and seing so fatherly he spreadeth to vsus the armes of his reconciliation, let vsus with the lost sonne returne home agayne to our father: briefly seing on his part there is nothing lacking that we can desire, let vsus now for our partes do that he desireth of vsus. What is that? Vt reconciliemini Deo, that ye will for your partes be reconciled vntounto God. &c. How should we be reconciled vntounto God? Come to Christ, submit your selues, and beleue in him with a true fayth, and thus you are reconciled to the father. For so we read: If any man serue me, him will my father honour. Ioh. 12. Iohn. 12.John 12And if ye hauehave not found this sonne,Repentaunce seeketh Christ. Fayth findeth. Obedience holdeth. seeke for him by repentaunce. Seeke (sayth he) and ye shall finde. Repentaunce seeketh, fayth findeth, & if ye hauehave found him, hold him. And how should ye hold him? Obey him, so ye shall hold him, for fayth requireth obedience. Of this obedience we read, Heb. 5. Heb. 5.Heb 5He is made to all men that obey him, cause of eternall saluation. &c. By him God is reconciled to vsus, though we offended. Now being reconciled, let vsus obey & offend no more, lest his wrath agayne be kindled agaynst vsus.

A question.What shall we say then? May we loose againe this reconciliation? And how then standeth this fauour of God perpetuall which I spake of before,Whether mans reconciliation with God may be lost or not. if it may be lost? Truth is, the fauour of God is perpetuall to them, whom he receaueth to reconciliation: and yet albeit this fauour be perpetuall, we must not thinke therefore, that God ceaseth now to be angry with sinne, & that we may liue now as we list. For these thinges, sayth S. Paule, commeth the anger of God vponupon the children of disobedience. &c. Ephes. 5. Ephe. 5.Eph 5And yet neither agayne must we make such a fickle and vnstable thing of this reconciliation of God, as though who soeuer sinneth, by and by were cancelled out of the booke of Gods reconcilement. For how should then the elect be saued, which fall some times as the reprobate do, and yet are not forsaken? Whom the Lord loueth (sayth the Scripture) he loueth to the end: and whom hee receaueth likewise he receaueth to the p. 20end. Or where were then remission of sinnes perpetually promised to the reconciled, if frayltie of sinning do breake the league of reconciliation? Sinne (sayth S. Paule) shal not preuaile ouer you. Rom. 6. Rom. 6.Rom 6Also S. Iohn sayth: And if you do sinne, yet ye hauehave an aduocate with the father, and he is the propitiation for all our sinnes. &c. 1. Iohn. 2.1. Iohn. 2.1 John 2

Here therefore we must make à distinction of sinners.Aunswere by a distinction. Of whom some be repentant and vprysing sinners, some be vnrepentant.Difference betwene the penitent and vnpenitent. The repentant sinner I call him, who when he slideth, doth it with à repugnance of will going before, & with à repentaunce of hart folowing after. The vnpenitent sinner, as he maketh no resistance before sinne, so is he touched w^t no remorse after folowing, but taketh a delyte in that whereof he should lament. The penitent sinner sayth, I hauehave sinned, but by Gods grace I will amende, and commit no more: the other sayth, I hauehave sinned, I do sinne, and I will sinne, who soeuer sayth nay. The voyce of the one is: That good that I would do, Rom. 7.Rom 7that I do not: the voyce of the other is: the euill that I would do, that do I performe. In the flesh of the one sinne dwelleth, which S. Paul calleth peccatum inhabitans: but in the hart of the other sinne raigneth, and beareth the whole rule.

The difference of these two sinners considered, I aunswere now to the doubt, making thys distinction also of reconciliation, that as there be ij. sortes of iustification: one before God, an other before man: so be there two sortes of reconciliation: the one is effectuall with God, which S. Paul calleth secundum propositum: the other is apparent onelyonly before man. Now then as touching the repentant sinner, I say, that sinne in him absolutely breaketh not reconciliation betwene God and man. For els where were remission of sinnes left to the Church for a remedy to keepe thys attonement perpetuall, if sinne did breake reconciliation? He that by vehemence of tentation and infirmity of flesh is fallen, or rather cast downe willing to do better, but not able to do what he would, the infirmity of this Christen penitent obtaineth remission, breaketh not reconciliation, neither loseth grace, but rather doth illustrate grace, as Christ him selfe resoluing thys question, aunswereth to S. Paul: My grace, sayth he, is enough for thee, for in thy infirmity my power is more declared. &c. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Cor. 12.2 Cor 12And againe, the Apostle sayth: Where sinne aboūdeth, Rom. 5.Rom 5there superaboūdeth grace. Rom. 5. meaning that sinne, which is ioyned with repentaunce. But contrariwise, they which presumptuously and ostinatly without remorse or regard of him whō they offend, take à pleasure and make à custome of sinne, and hauehave not (to vse S. Paules wordes) sinne dwelling in them, but they rather dwell in sinne, and not onelyonly do not resist the temptations of Sathan, but rather are tempters & Sathans to other to follow their sinfull appetite: to such wilfull men, whom I account no men, but rather monsters of men, I say not that they in thus doing do lose the reconcilement of God, which they had: but that they neuer had this effectuall reconcilement with God, to lose, p. 21nor neuer shall, vnlesse they through earnest repentaunce, seeke to the sonne of God by fayth for remission of their sinnes, and be truely reconciled vntounto God by faythfull obedience.

By this ye see that such as be sinners,Sinne absolutely doth not breake recōciliation. not wilfull but penitent sinners, though by infirmity they sinne, yet do they not lose the gift of reconciliation. And why? For although they fall, yet they fall not vnderunder the law, but vnderunder grace, that is to say,Rom. 6.Rom 6 though the office of the law is naturally to work wrath: yet forsomuch as the person of the sinner is not vnderunder the lawe, therefore is he not vnderunder wrath, but in stead of wrath standeth reconsiliation, in stead of the law raigneth grace.

Seing therefore such a louelove day (louing brethren) is made betwen God and you through the mediation of Christes Crosse,Reconciliemini Deo. be ye now reconciled vntounto God, as he is to you. And as ye see his fatherly kindnes in offering his reconciliation, you being in all the blame:Vt diligatis inuicem. do you likewise expresse the like gentlenes in reconciling your selues for his sake, neighbour to neighbour, one toward an other. Let all bitternes & wrath be farre from you, and let not the sunne go downe vponupon your anger. When ye were offenders to God,Reconciliation betwene man and man necessary. what he hath done & doth, ye se. So if your neighbours, equals, or inferours hauehave offended you, or you thē: stand not so much in your reputation to disdayne to abase your selues, but either come, or send forth your messengers of peace, not onelyonly to byd him good morow or good euen, but thus say: Neighbour, I hauehave offended you & you me. Come therefore, let vsus be reconciled, and liue in louelove and charitie like brethren in Christ, as Christ hath reconciled vsus both vntounto his father.

And thus as ye see God hath geuen hys owne sonne to death to reconcile you vntounto him: let it not be greuous to you, to geue and forgeue small matters to your neighbour, to nourish amity and agreement betwene him and you, without which agreement I see not how mans lyfe can consist First for so much as in this fragility of mans nature, it can not be auoyded but where society is, offenses will either be geuen or taken: some cause of grudge and variaunce will rise betwene man and man, man and wife, frend and frend, yea brother and brother, that shall set them à sunder.

Sowers of dissention the deuills messengers.Then besides this, commeth in such à multitude of makbates, of flatterers, whisperers, claw backs, backbiters, talecariers, sycophants, and sclaundring tounges, sent out as Sathans messengers, to cary and recary misreportes and false lyes, to sow the seede of dissensiō betwixt one and an other, so that take away reconciliation, and it shall not be for any to liue together one with an other in this world.

Three sortes of men to blame in a cōmon wealth. Light hearing of tales. Light credite to false tales. Light beleuing the first talke, not hearing the second.Some there be which vse to geue light eare to such whisperers & flatterers, and these are much to blame. Others there be as light of credit, that whatsoeuer they heare tolde that they beleue, and so beleue the first tale, that they will not beleue the second, and these one eared men be worse thē the first, worthy to hauehave but one eare on their head, which will not heare with both. But the p. 22third sort is worst of all, who being inflamed by sinister reportes, after they hauehave once conceaued an inward grudge against their frend or neighbour, are so stiffe, so wayward, & so crabbed, that hardly or neuer they will be reconciled after. Such stoicall stomackes & vnsociable natures, which neither liue here like Angels, nor yet remēber them selues to be but men amongest men, are to be sent ad rempublicam Platonis, or to M. Mores Vtopia, either there to liue with themselues, or els where as none may liue to offend them.Luke. 6.Luke 6 With what measure ye meate to other, the same shall be mette againe to you, sayth the voyce of iustice. But here speaketh the voyce of mercy and desireth you, that as God hath measured vntounto you, so ye will measure to other. He is reconciled as you see vntounto you, be you reconciled now one to an other. And if hys reconcilement be aeternall, and in great matters, and for great offences, little can ye do, if in little trifles one of you will not beare with an other.

Obiection. But peraduenture some will obiect and say: Syr, you preach much of recōciliation and agreement to be betwene God and vsus, and that he hath receaued vsus to his perpetuall louelove & fauour. But what reconciliation this is you speake of, I can not tell: thys I know,The manifolde miseries of this life. that I finde here misery and sorrow inough, I sweate, I trauaile, I carke and care. Of the sower bread of heauinesse, and bitter drinke of aduersity I lacke no store, tormoyled in troubles, pinched with pouerty, afflicted in conscience, burdened with sinnes, vexed with temptations, Sathan assaulteth me, hell feareth me, Gods iudgement accuseth me, sickenesse oppresseth me, and at last death consumeth me to dust and nothing: and where then is thys fauour and louelove of God toward me, when I fele nothing here but the wrath of God vponupon me?

Aunswere to the obiection.To aunswere hereunto, I graunt (welbeloued) that thys is à sore obiection in deede to flesh and bloud, being not yet perfectly instructed in the knowledge & consideration of Christes kingdome.Two remedies against weake fayth, and discōfort of weake consciences. Wherein you hauehave neede of two maner of helpes: wherof the one is in your preachers, the other is in your selues. First and especially your preachers had neede here to helpe in setting forth the promises & glory of Christes kingdome:The first remedy. wherby your hearers may bee established in the fayth of his worde,Exhortation to preachers, to preach forth the glad message of the Gospell. and assured in hope of thinges to come. For els great and manifolde be the causes of discomfort dayly rising, inough to beate down à mans hart frō hope of heauenly thinges: et sensus contrariorum (ye know) fortis est et caro in nobis infirma, the sense of contrary thinges is strong in this world, and fleshe in vsus is feble. Besides this, the deuill ceaseth not, hell gapeth, death rageth, conscience accuseth, the lawe threatneth, Gods iustice terrifieth, hys punishmentes and roddes walke still from one to an other: eueryevery day lightly bringeth some example, some spectacle or other of Gods terrible iudgementes before our faces. Here now the hart of man lyeth in great perplexitie, comfortlesse, and distressed on eueryevery side, scarse able to take any breath of comfort, nor knowing welnere whether to turne hym, vnlesse p. 23you which be preachers and spirituall phisitions of the soule, minister to the weake conscience of man some confortatiue, or some cordiall restoratiue out of Gods mighty promises and heauenly message of Christes holy Gospell. Helpe therefore I beseech you, in opening to the people the promises of grace, the worde of life, the glorious treasures and abundant riches, not of this present world here, but layd vp for vsus hereafter in Christ to come: so that the fayth of the people being grounded vponupon the sure rocke of Gods word and promises, may stand firme & vnmoueable against all blastes of worldly temptations, waiting with hope for thinges, not here seene, but onelyonly hoped for, and shall be seene hereafter. And thus much for the ministers of Christes Gospell.

Againe, for you that be the hearers,The second remedy. it is also your part no lesse to geue diligent hearing vntounto your preachers, and harken to the word of God, whereby you may learne to know the difference betwene thinges here present, & thinges to come: betwene thys worlde which here standeth, and the worlde which hereafter followeth: betwene the kingdome of thys world, and the kingdome of Christ. Many there be which beholding the course of things here present, and setting all their delite & study therein, hauehave their cyes fixed vponupon nothing els, being either so blinde that they see not, or els so wilfull that they passe not for things that be to come,Admonition to Atheistes and Epicures. but say either with the foolish Atheist in the Psalme, non est Deus: or els with the fleshly Epicure, say as they were wont in the time of Nazianzen: Nazianzen. in orat. de baptismo.foreign. i. Geue me that is here present, and let God alone with that is to come. &c. These wretched persons are both deceaued.

But they that be true Christians and hauehave regard to their soules, must learne by their preachers, and vnderstand by the Scriptures, that besides this life, besides this worlde, thys kingdome, these thinges here present, there be other thinges and much greater thinges, an other life, an other kingdome, an other, world to be looked for. Which two worldes or kingdomes, as they are contrary in effecte and working, so the times of them must be distincted. For as the lawe hath hys time, so hath grace his time also: and as death hath his time to raigne here: so hath life his time to raigne likewise: and as wrath hath hys working yet à while: so reconciliation shall hauehave his time to worke hereafter: so that in this world remaineth troubles,Distinction necessary to be considered betwene this present world, and the world to come. vexations, toyle, labour, misery, calamity, afflictions inward, afflictions outward, the body subiect to sicknesse, the soule to temptations, the flesh to death, the law yet standing in his force, the same penalty of sinne pronounced against Adam, still taketh hold vponupon vsus. Briefly, the nature of eueryevery thing in the same order, & vnderunder the same malediction wherein Adam left it, still continueth and shall continue touching this outward body, so song as our olde Adam liueth: looke for none other in this world, so perswading your selues, that as there hath ben none heretofore, so is there none of you all here p. 24present but away he shall, die he shall, and shall tast corruption.

And yet all thys notwithstanding, the Christen mā, albeit hys case in this body be miserable, vnderunder wrath and punishment,Man is both vnderunder death, and vnderunder life, vnderunder wrath, and vnderunder grace. death and malediction, yet is it true, that as he is vnderunder death, so is he also vnderunder life: as he is vnderunder wrath, so is he also vnderunder reconciliation: both vnderunder y^e law and vnderunder grace, vnderunder misery and yet in felicity. And this distinction of tymes is good for eueryevery Christen man to consider, which distinction is thys: The wrath of God for sinne toward hys elect cōtinueth but a time,Time of punishment lasteth to the end of this life, promises belong to the life to come. his fauour and reconciliation remaineth for euer, his punishments here be temporall, his promises be aeternall. Ouer night commeth mourning, but in morning riseth myrth: Our going out is with teares, but our returne again into Sion is with euerlasting ioy vponupon our be…des. Esay. 35. Esay. 35.Isa 35Sinne here raigneth, conscience accuseth, the law condemneth, death executeth, the deuill cageth. Thus the state of man here is miserable:The time of the law limited. but the time of this misery lasteth not, but is limited and barred.

Thys barre that cutteth off the time of these miseries is y^e Passion of Christ our Sauiour, who hath purchased for vsus à new life after this,Omnia noua facta funt. à new world after thys world, à new kingdome, à new countrey, new possessions, new mansions, and all thinges new, not as they were before, but after à much better sort. Wherefore we hauing and holding these promises of God,2. Cor. 5.2 Cor 5 and hope of thinges to come, may comfort our soules, and reioyce in Gods fauour, not passing for this world, whether it geue prosperitie or aduersitie. If aduersitie come, let faith hold hope, let hope worke pacience. With thys hope Christ suffred y^e crosse, and so entred into his glory. With thys hope S. Paule with all the Apostles susteined tribulations, and reioysed in afflictions.Mans Passeouer. Through the same hope so many holy Martyrs endured tormētes of death: and thys may be called mans Passeouer. Euen so let vsus also passe ouer the rough waues of this world, neither being deiected by aduersitie,Aduersitie and prosperitie all one with a true Christiā. nor yet puft vp with prosperitie, as men whom neither the euils of the world cā make worse, nor the goods of the world can make better. Whatsoeuer therefore shall betyde vsus in thys worlde, and though we be corrected here for our sinnes (as happeneth most cōmonly to the elect) let vsus not measure the state of our election thereby, nor thinke therefore to be cast out of fauour, or the league of our recōcilement to cease, remembring what the Scripture foretelleth vsus,Psal. 88.Ps 88 saying: If they shall transgresse my preceptes, with roddes and scourges I will visite their iniquities: but my mercy I will neuer remoue away from thē. &c. So long as we cary this old Adam about, the penaltie of Adam followeth vsus, that is, we remaine vnderunder wretchednesse, sinne, curse, of y^e law, death, and vnderunder the dominion of Sathan. But yet all this notwithstanding,Where Sathan endeth, there Christ beginneth. we hauehave an helper aboue them all, who when these hauehave done all they can, and the worst they can, when sinne hath accused, the law hath cōdemned, death hath stricken vsus down, our granes hauehave swalowed vsus, and p. 25the deuill hath shewed his vtmost malice against vsus, then cōmeth he, and where these hauehave ended,Where this world endeth, there Christes kingdome beginneth. there he beginneth to worke and shew forth the power of his kingdome, to iustifie the sinner, to discharge the law, to reuiue the dead, to vanquish the deuill, to wipe all teares away, turning death to life, mortalitie to immortalitie, darknesse to light, mourning to myrth, sadnesse to solace: briefly, to make all thinges newe of nothing, According to the operatiō of his power, Phil. 3.Phil 3wherwith he is able to subdue all thinges to him selfe. Phil. 3.

Thus therefore pondering well the difference betwene this present world and the worlde that is hid in Christ,Let vsus not esteeme what we are, but what we shall be. let vsus not regard so much what we are, but what we shall be: not what we hauehave here, but what we shall hauehave: considering with our selues that the thinges which we looke for, are yet to come, and all that Christ died for, is yet to come, and belongeth not to thys world. For the end of Christes passions was not to make vsus rich in thys earth, that we should become Lordes, Ladies, or Princes here: that we should be made honourable men, noblemen, worshipfull, or gentlemen, or that we should abound in wealth and pleasures of this world. Which of vsus all either here present, or absent,All yet to come that Christ dyed for. that beleue in the passion of Christ, doth florishe thereby any whit more in worldly prosperitie, or is aduaunced in worldly glory, is richer in substance, stronger in body, more beautifull of person, more witty in policie, more prudent in this generation, or hath à peny more of possessions for all the blessed passion of Christ our Sauiour. No, no, the matters that he dyed for are to come: they are not here. My kingdome (sayth Christ) is not of this world. Where is it then? It is in the world to come. There is our kingdome, our countrey and Citie, our occupying, all our shocke and store lieth there. This world here present,The world transitory. which we make so much of, is none of ours nor worthy to be made of. Mundus transit (sayth the louing Apostle) cum cōcupiscentia eius. 1. Iohn. 2.1 John 2i. The world passeth away with all his concupiscence. Also S. Paule, though not in the same wordes, yet agreeing in the same sense, sayth: The figure of this world passeth or vanisheth away, 1. Cor. 7.1 Cor 7&c. meaning by this figure,The figure of this world. the pompe, pride, and glory of the world, the vanitie, wealth, felicitie, brauery, and iollity in this earth and in earthly thinges, with daliaunce, pastime, eating, drinking, and all other sensuall delites and desires seruing to carnall appetite, riches, hie titles, prefermentes, authoritie, actiuitie, policie, worldly giftes and ornamentes, beauty, strength, long life, with such other like thinges, which carnall reason of man so highly estemeth and magnifieth in this world. All which thinges as S. Paule here calleth transitory, so in an other place writing to the sayd Corinthians he accounteth them as olde thinges, as though we would call it à world quondam, The world quondam.not as now vading and fading away, but as à thing past away already, cleane gone, and dispatched. Vetera praeterierunt, 2. Cor. 5.2 Cor 5ecce noua facta sunt omnia. &c. i. The old thinges are past & dispatched, behold (saith he) all thinges are made new. 2. Cor. 5. And what new p. 26thinges be these? New heauen, new earth,Esay. 65.Isa 65 à new world, new life, new bodies, new mindes, new possessions, new mansions, new treasures, and all thinges new, brand new: such as neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath euer heard of before. And all these he sayth not, shall be made new, but that they are made new already: although not yet visibly reueled to our outward sight, yet are they manifestly apparant to the spirituall eyes of our fayth in the scriptures and promises of God:Our flesh hath entred possession of heauen already. and though we do not yet corporally possesse them, as we shall hereafter: yet are they so sure, as if they were in our handes already. Or rather, why may I not say that we hauehave them, and hauehave entred corporall possession,Our succor in heauen. seing our Agent and Factor is there and hath taken possession for vsus? And if our head be there already, how can it be, but the body must follow after?There is neuer a first, but there is also a second. And if Christ be foreign, the first borne of y^e dead, where euer was there à first, but there must needes be à second? Christ is first risen from the dead, so sure is it that we shall rise also.

And thus by occasion touching the times and difference of these two worldes and kingdomes, which belongeth to eueryevery Christian man necessary to consider, to the entent that no man either be to much discouraged with the perturbations of this life if aduersitie come: nor yet to much puffed vp with these vaine and transitory trifles if he liue in prosperity. Which be two perilous rockes,Great prosperitie, and great aduersitie, two perilous rockes. and many make shipwracke thereat. For so commonly it fareth with the most sort of men, that if any scourge of Gods hand do fall vponupon vsus, we weepe & waile, as though there were none other hell. And if we florishe à while in any wealth, we laugh & sing as though there were no other heauen, yea and almost care for no other life. But we that be Christians are taught by the Scriptures an other lesson, whether we be in weale or woe, to turne our mindes from the consideration of thinges here present, and to cheare vp our hartes with the expectation of higher thinges, of better thinges, of aeternall thinges, of thinges to come, and therin to occupy our studies, and exercise our senses, not passing for the olde and dead thinges of this world, which, as S. Paule sayth, are past already. Thinges past, not to be passed vponupon.And what should mē passe then for thinges that be past? what should we care for things that be conquered! Care ye not, sayth Christ: be bolde, I hauehave ouercome the world. &c. or what should we regard things that be none of ours? For what hauehave we to do with the world, which are redemed out of the world! These thinges therfore of the world let vsus leaue to the Turkes, Iewes, Infidels & Pagans, and if ye will also to the proude Pope and cruell persecutors, which be of the world. This world is none of ours, let them hauehave it to whom it belongeth. Our kingdome is there where our king is: our countrey where our head is: our Citie where our freedome standeth.This world our desert. Seing therfore we be here but straūgers, let vsus passe forward as straungers through the desert of thys desolate world. What should we trauailers take long rest in our Innes? And though it should chaūce vntounto p. 27vsus, as it happened to y^e Israelites, to lay our bones here, as they did in the desert, yet let vsus holde the hope fast of the promised land in the generation to come, which I trust in Christ, welbeloued, doth approch apace. And though as yet we hauehave not bodily entred into it,With the eyes of fayth we see the land of promisse a far off. yet with the eyes of our fayth let vsus looke about vsus, & see vpward quae sursum sunt, and beholde the glory of them, at least à farre off. So shall we lightly shake of the louelove and lust of this transitory and conquered desert.

And herein the better to helpe you to some sight therof, let me desire you, with Moses à little to clime vp the hill of Nebo mentioned in the 34. Deut. 34.Deut 34of Deuter. There may ye take à vew of thys your spirituall countrey, & glorious kingdome whereof I preach vntounto you. There shall ye see your Factor and Agent aboue mentioned, Christ Iesus taking possession for you in heauē, yea and which is more then all that can be most, passing all admiration, there shall ye see this our owne fleshe, our owne very fleshe sitting at the right hand of the almighty maiestie of God.Fayth taking a vewe of the promised kingdome. There shall you see our noble and triumphāt Capitaine Iosue, our Sauiour Iesus, with his Priestes and Leuites, and hys people following him, seuen times going about the great Citie Iericho, with trumpets of Iubely in their handes. And I doubt not but he hath gone sixe times about already.Iericho the type of this world blowen downe with the trumpets of Iosue. And when the seuenth blast shall come, then beware great Iericho. Then shall ye see y^e walles of thys world fall downe: then shall ye see the rich men of thys world, with their bagges of gold and siluer come tumbling downe. There shall ye behold the stout Giantes of thys earth, the sonnes of Enachim brought full low: their gay houses, their princely pallaces come ratling downe: the tall trees of Libanus, Esay. 2.Isa 2the mighty okes of Basan, the hye turrets with their defensed munitions, the faire shippes of Tharsis, and whatsoeuer is beautifull & comely in the sight of thys worlde: adde to these also the outgrowen Hose of England come tumbling ouer and ouer:Esay. 40.Isa 40 eueryevery heigh moūtaine brought downe, and lowe valleyes exalted.

Moreouer, there shall ye see the roaring Lion, the venemous Serpent and olde Dragon the Deuill, which hath kept such à sturre here so long, with all hys hellishe rable of bloudy persecutors:Calypha of Damascus is the great Pope of the Turkes, as our Pope is ouer the Christians. also with the great Turke and great Calypha of Damascus, with the great Calypha also of Vetus Roma, and all other cruell tyrannes & potentates of thys world, which hauehave abused their sword to the destruction of Christes Saintes, fall headlong into the perpetuall pitte of perdition. The law shal cease, death shal be destroyed, sinne, hell, malediction, with all other enemies which wrought vsus woe before, shal be vāquished. Briefly there shall ye see the whole worlde with all hys pompe & pride, with adulterers, fornicators, vsurers, and couetous persons dwelling in sinnefull Iericho, with all their force and puissance broken downe to dust:Raab preserued. onelyonly the house of Raab standing safe, that is, those penitent sinners, which receaue Gods message, and repent their sinnes, shall be preserued from the ruine.

p. 28Ouer and besides all this, yet one other sight I will declare to you which will do you good to behold.The fall of this world in the latter day, described. For there ye shall see the proude druncken whoore of Babylon, the triplecrowned Bishop euen y^e great Antichrist & the false horned lambe, which hath so exalted him selfe aboue God & his sonne, with his high moūting Castle of S. Angelo, also with his whole Colledge of Babylonicall strūpets & stately Prelates of Romish Iericho druncken with the bloud of persecution, blowen down with y^e blast of Iosues trumpets, & with the breath of his mouth euen frō y^e toppe of Capitolium, vsus{que} ad infernum. And there shall both the Dragon, the beast, and the false Prophet altogether be tūbled into the lake of fire,Apoc. 14. and 20.Rev 14 that as they hauehave kindled vp the fire of persecution here in this world to burne vp the bodies of Christes people, so they shall hauehave fire & brimstone their bellies full, where y^e smoke of their tormentes shall rise vp in saecula seculorū.

And as these thinges shall fall vponupon Christes enemies contemners of his Gospell, in such sort as y^e Sunne & Moone shal stand still,Iosue. 12.Josh 12 while Iosue our valiant Captaine shall vanquishe xxxj. kinges with all the glory of their worldly kingdomes: so on the contrary side, ye shall see the true Christen Israelites diuide amongest them great spoyles of all their landes and possessions. There shall ye see new Hierusalem the heauēly and Metropolitane Citie of God all garnished with glory,Apoc. 21.Rev 21 like à spousesse prepared for her spouse,New Hierusalem. with glorious mansions, and pleasant tabernacles in it prepared ready to receaue you: euen such tabernacles, as Peter wished in the mount Thabor to be made, when he was rapt with glory, in such sort as he coulde not tell where he was, nor what he spake. Luke. 9. Luke. 9.Luke 9Briefly in that mount Nebo ye shall see, that eye yet neuer sawe,The glory of new Hierusalem vnspeakeable. Paradise without any Serpent to tempt any more, riches without measure, glory without comparison, life without death, day without night, libertie without thraldome, solace without ceassing, ioye without ending, à land flowing with milke and hony. And here to make an end of speaking of those thinges which be endlesse, loking in this mount well about you, ye shall see with your spirituall eye, that Daniell with hys Propheticall eye did see so long before, that the kingdome, Dani. 7.the power, and magnitude of his kingdome, that is or shall be vnderunder heauen, shall be geuen to the people of the highest, which kingdome shall destroy all other kingdomes, and this kingdome shall be euerlasting. To the which kingdome, the aeternall God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which is true in his promises, and glorious in all his workes, both happily and speedily conduct vsus, through the merites of Christ Iesus hys sonne and our euerlasting Sauiour. Amen.

And here an end of the first part of thys my text which I hauehave read to you out of S. Paule. Wherein hath bene declared vntounto you the gracious and ioyfull message sent of God, in the name of Christ, by his Apostles, messengers, and ministers vntounto you. By the which message ye hauehave heard how almighty God not onelyonly is reconciled to you, but also how louingly he entreateth you p. 29to be reconciled vntounto him. Further what this reconciliation of God is, how firme it standeth and perpetuall, what went before it, what variaunce there was betwene him and vsus, and how thys variance was reconciled, and Gods wrath pacified by one oblation once done for euer: moreouer what thinges followe after this reconciliation, with the golden chaine, and principall pointes of our saluation depending vponupon the same, and finally how farre the time of the law and of wrath lasteth, and when the time of grace beginneth, what difference is betwene these two times, and how à Christian is both vnderunder wrath and also vnderunder reconciliation in diuers respectes, of y^e outward mā first, and then of the inward man, with other thinges not vnworthy to be mused vppon, partly is set forth in this former part vntounto you.

Now let vsus pray, as we first began, making our earnest inuocation to almighty God, for the vniuersall state of Christes Church and all other estates, and degrees in order particular, as custome and also dutie requireth. &c.

The Lordes Prayer.