HAuing lately spoken of these wordes; In all thinges giue thankes, and quench not the Spirite: Touching the first, I shewed you, that it is an easier thing to obtaine of God, than to bee thankfull to him; for moe haue gone away speeders,Luke 17, 17. than haue gone away thankers. Then howe the wicked are beholding to God aswell as the iust, and therefore it is saide, that the sunne dooth shine vppon the iust and vniust. Then howe Iaacob came not so bare to Laban,Gen 19, 30. (when he brought nothing with him but his staffe in his hande) as man commeth into this worlde, [Page 4] without strenght or staffe to sustain him, which made the Apostle to aske:1 Cor 4, 7. What haue you which you haue not receiued? Therefore, to teach man to bee thankefull vnto his Ma­ker, he was not made in Paradise, the place of ioye and happinesse; but be­ing made out of Paradise, hee was brought into Paradise, Gen 2, 8. to shew how all his ioy and happinesse came from God, and not from Nature, that hee might knowe where to bestowe hys thankes. Therfore Dauid to perswad all men vnto thankfulnesse, saith: It is a good thing and pleasant to be thank­full. Psal 147, 1. If hee had saide, no more but good, all which loue goodnesse were bounde to be thankfull, but when he saith not onely good, but pleasant too, all which loue pleasure are bounde to bee thankefull: and therefore, as Peters Mother in lawe,Math 8, so soone as Christ had healed her of a feuer, rose vp immediatly to minister vnto him: So we so soone as Christ hath doone any thing for vs, shoulde rise vp im­mediatly [Page 5] to serue him.1 Sam 1. As Annah when she had receiued a sonne from God, did consecrate him to God a­gaine: so what soeuer we receiue of God, we must giue it to God againe; that is, vse it to his glory, and make it one of our meanes to serue him, for all things which wee receiue in this life, are giuen vnto vs, least we should want any meanes to serue God.

Then because the Apostle requi­reth thankes for all thinges, I shewed you, that hee is not thankfull before God, which thanks him only for his benefites, but hee is thankefull in deede, which thankes him for his chastisement. It may bee while the Lord giueth, many will say: Blessed be the name of the Lord: but when the Lord taketh away,Iob 1▪ who will say bles­sed be the name of the Lorde. There is one example thē of Paules doctrine, which is: in all things to giue thankes. There is an other example of Paules doctrine, which gaue thankes to GOD for his rodde: for an obedi­ent [Page] childe dooth not onely kisse the hand which giueth, but the rod that beateth.

After, speaking of these wordes, Quench not the Spirite; I shewed you that the Spirite, doth signifie the gifts of the Spirite: the Spirite in the third of Mathewe,Math 3, is likened to fire, and therefore Paule saieth well, Quench not the Spirite, because fire may bee quenched.

Heere I tooke occasion to speake of zeale, which is the fire of the Spi­rite; shewing you that GOD is plea­sed with zeale, as men are pleased with loue. But as Christ did baptise with fire; Math 3, 11. so Iohn did baptise with water: And, as the holie Ghost de­scended with fire; so hee did descend with a winde that cooleth fire: Acts 2, shew­ing, that our zeale should bee a tem­perate zeale, Esay 58, 2, as our Masters was. E­saiah was commaunded to crye, but not to roare. The Iewes might not gather too much Manna, Exo 16, 18. no more than they might gather too little: as [Page] there is a measure in knowledge, so there is a measure in zeale; that is, be zealous according to discretion, as Paule saith,Rom 12, 3. Bee wise according to so­brietie. The Disciples were com­mended for their zeale, Math 10, 28. when they left all to followe Christ: but Christ reprooued them for their zeale, when they woulde pray for fire fromLuke 9, 55. heauen to consume the Samaritanes. Therefore zeale and discreation vnited togeather, are like the two Lyons which supported the throne of Sa­lomon;1 Reg 10, 20. and hee which hath them both, is like Moises for his mildnes, and like Phineas for his feruencie: therefore, as wine is tempered with water, so let discretion temper zeale. But I neede not bring water, to quenche that fire which is out alrea­dy; I would rather I could say of you, you are too zealous, as Paule tolde the Athenians they were too supersti­tious. Acts 17. 22. But our sicknesse is not a hot sicknesse, but a colde sicknesse; the hotte bodie is distempered, but the [Page] colde bodie is dead.

Then I shewed you, howe the Spi­rite is quenched, as a man dooth quench his reason with ouer much wine: and therefore wee saye, when the wine is in, the wit is out; because before hee seemes to haue reason, and nowe hee seemes to haue none: So our zeale, and our Faith, and our loue, are quenched with sinne. Eue­rie vaine thought, and euery idle worde, and euerie wicked deede, is like so many droppes to quench the Spirite of GOD. Some quench it with the businesse of this worlde: some quench it with the lustes of the flesh: Some quench it with the cares of the minde: Some quench it with long delaies: that is, not plying the motion when it commeth, but cros­sing the good thought with badde thoughtes, and doing a thing when the Spirite saith doe it not: as Acbab went to battaile after hee had con­sulted with the Prophet: therefore Paule saith;Eph 4, 30. Grieue not the Spirite: [Page] shewwing that the Spirite is often grieued before it be quenched, and this is principaly to bee remembred that when a man beginnes to grieue and checke, and persecute the Spi­rite, lightly hee neuer ceaseth vntill hee hath quenched it; that is, vntill he seeme to haue no spirite at all, but walketh like a lumpe of flesh.

After Quench not the Spirite, fol­loweth Despise not Prophecying: In the ende of this Epistle, Paule spea­keth like a Father which is come to the ende of his life, who because hee hath but a while to speake, heapeth his lessons together, which he would haue his sonnes remember when hee is gone: so Paule, as though he were set to giue good counsaile, and had no leysure to speake that he woulde, sendeth the Thessalonians a briefe of his minde, which their meditation should after amplifie and expounde vnto them: His first aduise is, quench not the Spirite: that is, when a good motion commeth, welcome it [Page] like a friende, and crosse it not with thy lustes: for lustes are enemies to the benefite of the Soule.

The second Admonition teacheth how the first should be kept, Despise not prophecying, and the Spirite will not quench, because prophecying dooth kindle it.

The thirde Admonition teacheth howe to make fruite of the second, Try the doctrines of them which pro­phecie, & thou shalt not beleeue er­rour for trueth, but holde the best.

The fourth Admonition is the summe of all, and it commeth last, be­cause it is longest in learning; that is, Abstaine from all apparance of euill. This is the summe of al, for he which can abstaine not onely from euill, but from the apparance of euill, is so perfect a man, as can bee found in this sinfull life.

Place all these together, and it is as if Paule should say, Quench not the Spirite by despising of Prophecying, neither despise Prophecying, because all [Page] doe not Prophecie alike; but rather when you heare some preach one way, and some an other; when you see some follow him, and others fol­lowe him, doe you trye the doctrines by the Scripturs,Acts 17, 11. as the men of Be­roea did, and choose that which is best, and soundest, and truest, hauing alwaies such an eye to the Trueth, that you abstaine from all apparance of errour; so iealous the Holy Ghost would haue vs of our faith, that wee set no Article vpon our Religion, but that which is an vndoubted truth; as Moyses did nothing in the Taberna­cle, but that which was shewed in the patterne set downe before him.

The occasion of these Lessons, seemes to come of this; that there were some among the Thessalonians as there bee among vs, which did for­sake all Religion, because the Prea­chers did not agree, or because the liues of Professors gaue some of­fence, therefore Paule sheweth that there is no cause, why they shoulde [Page] mislike the Word for the Preacher; or why they shoulde despise Religion for the Professour, because the Word & the Religion is not theirs: for they can no more bee polluted by them than God. Then he concludeth, that feeing it is necessarie, that there shall be alwaies errours and heresies, to trye vs; we should also trye them, and thereby bee prouoked so much the more from errour or heresie, that we abstaine euen from the appearance thereof, least wee fall into the sinne; this is the scope of these wordes.

Despise not Prophecying. This Ad­monition is (as it were) the keeper of the former: for by prophecying the spirite is kindled, and without pro­phecying, the spirite is quenched; and therefore after Quench not the spirite, Paule sayth, Despise not Prophecying: shewing, that as our sin dooth quench the spirite, so Prophecying doth kindle it. This you may see in the Disciples that went to Emaus: of whome it is sayde, when Christ preached vnto [Page 13] them out of the Lawe and Prophets, their Spirite was so kindled with his prophecying, Luk 24, 32, that theier heartes waxed hot within them.

This you may see againe in Saules Messengers, which were sent for Dauid,1 Sam 19, 20. when they came among the Prophets, and hearde them prophe­cie, their Spirite was so kindled, that they coulde not choose but prophe­cie also: in so much, that when Saule came after himselfe, and hearing the Prophets, as they did, the Spi­rite came vpon him likewise, and hee prophecied too, where-vpon it was said:1 Sam 19, 23. 24. Is Saul also among the Prophets? This is no maruell that the Spirite of man shoulde bee so kindled, and re­uiued, and refreshed with the word, for the word is called the foode of the soule: Heb 5. take away the worde from the soule, and it hath no foode to eate, as if you should take foode from the bodie, the bodie woulde pine: And therefore Salomon saith, without vi­sions the people perrish: Prou 29▪ 18. that is, without [Page 14] out Prophecying the people famish. Therfore, he which loueth his soule, had not neede to despise Prophecying, for if hee despise Prophecying, then ve­rily he famisheth his owne Soule, and is guiltie of her death.

The Apostle might haue said, Loue Prophecying, or honour Prophecying: But why dooth he forbid, to despise Prophecying? Why did Christ say, The poore receiue the Gospell, Mat 11, 5. but to shewe that the rich did contemne it? Why dooth Paule say, I am not asha­med of the Gospell, Rom 1, 16. but to shewe that manie are ashamed of it? Euen so he saith, despise not Prophecying ▪ shew­ing, that the greatest honour we giue to Prophets, is not to despise them: and the greatest loue which we car­rie to the Worde, is not to loath it. If wee doe not despise the Preachers, then we thinke that we honor them enough; and if we doe not loath the Worde, then we thinke that we loue it enough: therefore the Apostle saith, Despise not Prophecying, for ho­nour [Page 15] Prophecying.

Prophecying heere dooth signifie Preaching,Rom 1▪ 14. as it dooth in Rom 1, 14. Will you knowe why Preaching is called Prophecying? To adde more honour and renowne to the Prea­chers of the Word; to make you re­ceiue them like Prophets, and then Christ saith,Mat 10, 41. you shall haue a Pro­phets rewarde: that is, not such a re­ward as you giue, but such a rewarde as God giueth.

Lastly, if you marke, Paule sayth not Despise not Prophets, but Prophe­cying; signifying, that from the con­tempt of the Prophets, at last wee come to despise Prophecying too, lyke the Iewes, when they were offended with the Prophet, charged him to prophecie no more. Iere 11, 21. Therfore as Christ warned his Disciples, to heare the Scribes and Pharisies,Mat 23, 3. although they did not as they taught, so Paule war­neth the Thessalonians, that if any Prophets among them, do not as they teach, and therefore seeme worthie [Page 16] to bee despised like the Scribes and Pharises: yet that they take heede, that they doe not despise Prophecying, for the Prophets.

Because the Preachers are despi­sed, before the worde bee despised; therefore we will speake first of their contempt. Christ asked his Disci­ples what they thought of him? Mat 16, 13. So I woulde aske you, what you thinke of Preachers? Is he a contemptible per­son, which bringeth the Embassage of God?2 Cor 5, 20, which hath the name of an Angell,Reu 1 20, and all his wordes are Mes­sengers of life? is he a contemptible person? Prophets are of such ac­count with GOD, that it is sayde: God will doe nothing, Amos 7, 3. before hee reueale it vnto his Prophets: so Prophets are as it were GODS Counsellers. A­gaine, Kinges, Priestes, and Prophets, were figures of Christ: all these three were annointed with Oyle,1 Kings 13, 1, to shewe that they had greater graces than the rest, but specially the Pro­phets are called men of God, to shewe [Page] that all which are of God, will make much of Prophets for Gods sake: therefore,1 Cor 14, 34. women are forbidden to take vppon them to prophecie, least that noble calling shoulde become vile and despised, by such vnskilfull handlers of it. Therefore when the Prophet Elisha, would send for Na­aman the leaper, to come vnto him, these were his words:2 King 5, 8. Naaman shall knowe that there is a Prophet in Israell: as though all the glorie of Israell were chiefely in this, that they had Prophets and other had none. Ther­fore, when this Prophet was dead, Ioash the King came vnto his corse, and wept ouer his face, and cryed: O my Father, 1 King 13, 14. my Father, the Charet of Israell and horsemen of the same: shew­ing, that the Chariots and horses, and Souldiours doe not so safegard a Cit­tie, as the Prophets which teach it, and pray for it. Howe ioyfull and glad was Lydea, when shee coulde drawe Paule and Silas to her house: If you thinke me to be faithfull come to Acts 16. 15. [Page] my house: shewing, that neuer any guests were so welcome to her house before. Howe tender was the Shuna­mite ouer Elisha, that shee built an house to welcome him, and to keepe him with her, thinkes all the places in her house too bad for him, shee built him a newe roome, and made him stay.

Howe much did the Galathians make of Paule,Gal 4, 1 [...]. that hee saith, They woulde pull out their owne eyes to doe him good; So, once a Prophet was e­steemed like a Prophet, and hath hee bidde you despise them nowe, which bad you to honour them be­fore? No, Paule chargeth vs to re­ceiue our teachers, as hee was recei­ued himselfe: saying, Hee which la­boureth in the Word is worthy of double honour: 1 Tim 5, 14. That is, the preachers (after a sort) are as well to be honoured as the Ruler.

Aaron and Moyses were brethren. If Aarons Vrim and Thumi woulde haue serued:Exo 28, 30. Moyses rod and staffe [Page 19] should not haue needed. But when the tongue could not perswade, then the rodde did compell.

As Paule sheweth the Thessalo­nians, howe the Preachers of the word should be honoured, so he tea­cheth the Phillippians how to honor their teachers,Phil 2, 29. saying: Receiue him in the Lord with great gladnes, and make much of such: that is, shew your selues so glad of him, that hee may be glad of you. Haue you neede to be taught, why Paule woulde haue you make much of such? because they are like Lampes, which consume themselues to giue light to other: so they con­sume themselues to giue light to you; Because they are like a Henne, which clocketh her chickens toge­ther from the Kite: so, they clocke you together from the Serpent; Be­cause they are like the Shout, Ios [...] 6, 20. which did beate downe the walles of Ieri­cho: so they beate downe the walles of sinne; Because they are like the fiery Piller which went before the [Page 20] Israelits to the lande of Promise, for they goe before you to the lande of promise; Exo 13, 20. because they are like Moises, which stept betweene the plague and the people, because they are like good Andrewe, that shewed his bre­theren the Messias, Iohn 1. 14, so they call you to see the Messias, and therefore make much of such. If wee shoulde make much of Prophets, how much should we make of prophecying? If we should loue our instructers, howe much should we loue instruction?

Simeon keeping in the Temple met with Christ,Luke 2, 28. so, many hearing the Worde haue met with knowledge; haue met with comfort; haue mette with peace; haue met with saluati­on; but without the Word neuer a­ny was conuerted to God: therefore, whensoeuer the word is preached, e­uery one may say to himselfe, as the Disciples saide to the blinde man; Be of good comfort, Mar 10, 49. he calleth thee: Be of good comfort the Lorde calleth thee; But when the word is not prea­ched, [Page] thē euery man may say to him­selfe, Beware the deuill calleth thee. When the Prophets went from Ieru­salem, then sworde, and famine, and pestilence, and all the plagues of God rayned vpon them, euen as the fire came vppon Sodome,Gen 19. so soone as Lot was gone out.

There be two trades in this lande, without which the Realme can not stand; and one is the Queenes soul­diours, and the other is the Lordes souldiours, and the Lordes souldiers are hardly vsed, like the Queenes souldiers; for from the Marchant to the Porter, no calling is so despised, so contemned, so deryded, that they may beg for their seruice: for their liuing is turned to an almes; one saith, Moyses is quis: that is, the Ma­gistrate is some bodie: but Aaron is quasi quis: that is, the Minister is no bodie, because no bodie is despised like him. Receiue a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, nay, receiue a Prophet in the name of an enemie, [Page] as Achab receiued Eliah, Art thou heere myne enemie? 1 King 21, 20. If Paule had li­ued in our dayes, he would not haue saide, Despise not the Prophets, but persecute not the Prophets: for hee shoulde haue seene, not onely despi­sers of the Prophets, but mockers of them; not onely mockers, but slaun­derers of them; not only slaunderers, but hunters, biters, and smiters of them. Charme the Charmer neuer so sweetly, let his song be neuer so plea­sant, yet many Adders are readie to stoppe their eares, and to stoppe his mouth; like a Birde which is smitten in her song, of the Archer whom she singeth vnto; euen as Saule let his speare flye at Dauid,1 S [...]m 19, 10 while he played vppon his harpe to solace and com­fort, and driue the euill spirite from him. Once they did builde houses for the Prophets like the Shunamite,2 Kin 4, 10. but nowe they take their houses from them, and thinke they doe God good seruice, when they make them, and their Wiues, and their Children, and [Page] their Seruants beggars. Once Paule saide to Timothie,1 Tim 4, 12. Let no man despise thy youth: shewing, that Preachers shoulde not bee despised for their youth; but nowe they despise the younge Prophets and the olde too, with great contempt.

Howe is the double honour turned to single honor? Nay, how is our ho­nour turned to dishonour?Mal 1, 3. If I bee a Master (saith God) where is my feare? so, if we be Prophets, where is our re­uerence? Dooth not the contempt of Prophets crye vnto God, as well as the blood of Abell. Gen 4, 10.

When the Messengers which were sent vnto the Vineyeard for fruites, were beaten of them which shoulde haue laden them; then it is said, that the Lorde of the Vineyarde waxed worth, Mat 21, 43. and saide, that hee woulde let the Vineyarde vnto others, which shoulde yeelde vnto him the fruites thereof.

The meaning of this Parable is this, that when the Preachers and Teachers which Christ sendeth to [Page] his Church for fruits, are abused and persecuted, or contemned and scor­ned, by those whom they (by him ap­pointed) doe call vnto the heauenly banquet; then will hee remooue the glorie of their Light, and the sweete comfort of his Gospel to others, which will yeelde him the fruites thereof. Theerfore what may those feare which haue vsed Christs Ambassa­dours, as Ammon vsed Dauids Am­bassadours.2 Chro 10, 4. Ierusalem is left without one Prophet, because shee despised them. Sodom was burned because she dispised Lot: & the whole world was drowned because it despised Noah. And are not these examples written for our warning.

The time came when Saul sought for a Prophet,1 Sam 28. and GOD woulde not aunswere him by Prophets, be­cause hee had despised his Prophets before: so, the time commeth, when you shall aske, Wheere is the Seer? and they shall say, he is rapt away like E­lias; a Prophet was amongst vs, but [Page] when hee was despised in Ierusalem,2 Kings 2, 2, 11. he was sent to Niniuie, Is not iudge­ment begun already? dooth not the Gospell stande at the doore, as if shee were ready to take her leaue: are wee not come from despising of Prophets, almost to the despising of prophecying too? Doe not many walle in the streetes, while wee preach in the Temple.

The beastes came to the Arke toGen 7. 9. saue themselues, and men will not come to the Church to saue them­selues. But we maye crye vnto them as the Children did vnto their fel­lowes in the Market: Wee haue pyped vnto you, Mat 11, 17. and you woulde not daunce, Wee haue lamented vnto you, and you would not mourn. Some come to heare vs, but they come as Naaman came to Elisha,2 Kings 5, 11. when the Prophet had tolde him what hee shoulde doe, hee mocked him for it, and thought that hee knewe a better way than that himselfe. So they come to heare vs, but they thinke they can teach vs. [Page] But they must remember that Paule sayth:1 Cor 1, 27. GOD hath chosen the foolish to confound the wise. Therefore, if they thinke themselues wise, let them thinke vs those fooles whome God hath chosen to confounde them. For although at all other times we are as plaine and simple as Iacob, yet at this time we haue a promise, and it is gi­uen vs for your sake, to speake some­time that which we conceiue not ourselues, because the houre is come when GOD hath appointed to call some of you, as he hath done some of you before: therefore as the Princely spirite came vppon Saule when hee should reigne, to teach him howe he should rule; so the Propheticall spi­rite commeth vpon Teachers, when they should teach, to teach thē how they should speake: therfore Christ was content to be baptised of Iohn, so be you contented to bee instructed of vs; that if wee bee more simple than you, the glorie of God may appeare more in conuerting you by vs.

[Page] Hath not this despising of the prea­chers, made the Preachers almost de­spise preaching? The peoples negle­cting of the Prophets, hath made the prophets neglect prophecying. The di­uell stirres vp this carelesnes in mens hearts, to the intent our ingratitude may moue the Lord to take from vs (as from the Iewes) both our Prophets and our prophecying, & so leaue vs to a sencelesse securitie, that most com­monly fore-runneth destruction.

VVhat mooueth so manie that wold put their hands to the plough, and studie diuinitie, looke backe to lawe, or Phisicke, or trades, or anie other thing, rather then they will en­ter into this contemptible calling, but onelie the consideration of our contempt and beggarie? And is not the Arke then readie to depart from Israell? Nowe if you will knowe, what makes Prophets and Prophecy­ing despised, more fully, you may see first in Ieroboams priests,1 King 15. 26. it is said that Jeroboam made Israell to sinne, that is, [Page] Jeroboam made Israell to contemne Religion, because hee made Priestes of the basest of the people: 1 King 13, 33. therefore, they which make Priestes like Ieroboams Priestes, make the people contemne the Priests and Religion too.

Why might none carrie the Arke of the couenant but the Leuits?Deut 10, 8. was it not, least the Arke, which is a signe of God, should bee despised? there­fore, none shoulde meddle with the Word, which is, the Lawe of God, but they which are fit, least they make it despised.

The second thing which makes Prophets and Prophecying despised, is, the rudenes and negligence of them, which are able to doe well in theyr Ministrie, and yet doe contrarie. It is saide of Hophni and Phineas, 1 Sam 2, 17. that by theyr corrupt sacryficing, they made the people abhorre the sacrifi­ces: so, many by their slubbering of the Word, (for want of studie & me­ditation) doe make men thinke that there is no more wisedome in the [Page 29] Worde of GOD, than they shewe out of it. There is a kinde of Preach­ers risen vp but of late, which shroud and couer, euerie rusticall, and vnsa­uerie, and childish, and absurde Ser­mon, vnder the name of the simple kinde of teaching, like thee Papists Priestes, which make Ignoraunce the Mother of Deuotion: but in deede to preach simply, is not to preach rude­ly, nor vnlearnedly, nor confusedly; but to preach plainely, and perspicu­ously, that the simplyest that dooth hear, may vnderstand what is taught, as if hee did heare his name. But if you will knowe what makes many Preachers, preach so barely, and loos­ly, and simply? It is your owne sim­plicitie which makes them thinke, that if they go on, and say something, all is one, and no fault will be founde, because you are not to iudge in nor out: and so, because wee giue no attendaunce to doctrine as Paule teacheth vs.Math 4. Yea, it is almost come to passe, that in a whole Sermon, the [Page 30] hearer cannot picke out one note more, than he could gather himselfe: In the 48. of Ieremie, there is a curse vpon them which doe the busines of the Lorde negligently: truely I can­not tel whom the Prophet meaneth. These would not haue Prophets and prophecying despised, and yet they are meanes to make both despised themselues.

The last thing which makes Pro­phets & prophecying despised, is the diuersitie of minds, while one holds one way, and an other an other way, some leaue all and will bee of no Re­ligion, vntill both parties agree; as if a patient should pine himselfe & eat no meate at all, because one Phisitian saith, that this meate will hurt him, and an other sayth, that that meate wil hurt him: these are thē the three enemies which makes vs and our la­bours so vulgarly despised.

Nowe what shall wee aunswere to our Despisers? Mica 7. Reioyce not against mee, O my enemie (sayth the Church) for I [Page 31] shall be praised: so, Despise not the Pro­phets, O ye Ismalites, for they shall be honoured.

Peter saith to Ananiah and Sa­phira; You haue not lyed vnto man, Acts 5, 3. but vnto GOD: for you haue not despised man, but GOD. For our Sauiour Christ saith,Luk 10, 16. Hee which despiseth you, despiseth mee: and hee which despiseth me, despiseth him that sent mee.

When sathan slew Iobs seruants,Iob 1, 16. his malice was against Iob: so, when you despise GODS seruants, your pre­sumption is against God; for that which you doe vnto them (saith Christ) you doe vnto mee. VVhy then, if they despise Christ? they shall bee despised of Christ: for he tolde Saul, that hee spurned against the pricke▪ that is, he spurned against that, which woulde spurne against him. There­fore, if you giue vnto Christ whenMath 10, you giue vnto the poore; And if you honour Christ when you honour his Prophets: us you giue vnto the poore for Christes sake, so despise [Page 32] not the Prophets for Christes sake: if for all this we must bee despised still, then this is our remedie, Paule sayth: Whatsoeuer wee are to you, 2 Cor 2, 15. yet we are a sweet sauour to God, both in them which are saued, and in them which perrish. That is, though wee bring him word that you will come to the banquet, yet wee shall bee welcome without you, and so much of that.

After Despise not Prophecying, fol­loweth, T [...]rie all things: as if he should say; Despise not Prophecying, least you beleeue error for truth: for, as among Rulers there be bad rulers, so among Prophets, there be false Prophets, This made Christ warne his Disci­ples, to beware of the leauen of the Pharisies,Mar 8, 25. that is, of their false do­ctrine. This made Iohn say, Trie the Spirites; 1 Iohn 4, 1. and therefore wee reade in the 17. of the Acts, howe the men of Beroea woulde not receiue Paules doctrine before they had tried it,Acts 17, 11, and how did they trye it? It is sayde that they Searched the Scripture: that is, the [Page 33] way which Paul would teach you to trye other, euen as he was tryed him­selfe: wherby you may see, that if you vse to reade the Scriptures, you shall bee able to trie all doctrines, for the word of GOD is the touchstone of e­uery thing,Gen 1, 2. like the Light which God made to illuminate all his creatures, so is the Scripture to decide all que­stions; euery doubt must come to the worde, and all controuersies must be ended at this tribunall: the Scripture must speake, which is right, and which is wrong: which is truth, and which is error: and all tongues must keepe silence to heare it. So GOD hath appointed that the iudge of our controuersies, which he saith in the 12. of Iohn,Iohn 12. 48▪ shall iudge vs in the last day.

Heere a man may aske, if it be so, that God would haue vs trye all our Religion by the Scripture, and not by Fathers, nor by Doctors, nor by Counsels, nor by Angell, nor by Pope: how then doe the Papists say, [Page 34] we must beleeue as the Church be­leeueth, and neuer looke into the Scripture whether our teachers saye as God saith, but take it vpon theyr credite, as a blinde man eateth his meate: a man tryeth his horse which must beare him, and shall he not trye his faith which must saue him?

Peter saith: Let euerie one bee a­ble to giue a reason of his faith. Is this a reason to saye, I beleeue so, because Rome beleeueth so; or rather be­cause the Worde of GOD dooth teach me so? It will not bee an auail­able aunswere for them which dye in heresie, superstition, or blindnesse, to saye, the Priestes taught vs so: no more than it serued the first woman Eue to saye,Gen 3, 13. the Serpent taught her so: for GOD saith, Bee not decei­ued, neither by Serpent, nor by Pro­phet, nor by Angell: Therefore I conclude with the Apostle Paule, Despise not Prophecying, least the Gospell bee taken away from you; and yet trie Prophecying, least you re­ceiue [Page 35] errour for trueth, and mens dreames for doctrine.

As wee are to trye doctrines, so Paule woulde haue vs to trie our thoughts, and speeches, and our acti­ons: therefore hee sayth, Trye all thinges. Hee dooth not bid vs take a taste of all sinnes and vanities, as Sa­lomon did, to trye them, for they are tryed alreadie: but that we shoulde set the Worde of GOD alway be­fore vs like a rule, and beleeue no­thing but that alone which it teach­eth, loue nothing but that which it prescribeth, hate nothing but that which it forbiddeth, and doe nothing but that which it commaundeth: and then wee Trie all thinges by the Worde of GOD. As the Eunuch sayde,Acts 8. 31. Howe shoulde I vnderstande without an Interpreter? so thou maist say, howe shall I trie without the Worde, which is, the touchstone of good and euill.

Nowe, when wee haue tryed by the Worde of God, which is trueth, [Page 36] and which is errour: which is light, and which is darknes: what shoulde we doe then? Keepe that which is best: That is, stay at the trueth, stay at the light, as the wise men that followed the conduction of the bright shining starre from the East,Math 2. stayed when they came to Christ.

We must keepe and holde fast the trueth, euen as a man gripeth a thing strongly with both his hands: that is, defend it with thy tongue: maintaine it with thy purse: further it with thy labour, in daunger, and trouble, and losse, and displeasure: come life, come death; think alwaies, as Christ did seale the trueth of his promise with his blood most preci­ous, so thou must seale the trueth of thy professiō with thy deerest blood; else is it apparant thou doost not keepe it but let it goe. Well therfore dooth Paul put trye before choose; for he which in choise of all things first tryeth, may after his tryall choose the best. But hee which chooseth before [Page 37] he trye, takes oftentimes the worst sooner than he dooth the best.

And in this was exceedingly ma­nifested the notable deceit of sathan by his instrumēts the popish Priests in the dayes of ignorance; who, be­cause the people should take super­stition before Religion, would neuer let them haue the touchstone of the Word to trye their doctrines, but kept them from the Scripture, and lockt it vp from their vnderstanding, in an vnknowne tongue, which they could not skill of, least they shoulde trye their teaching,Acts 17, as the men of Beroea tryed the wholsome doctrine of S. Paule: and by their sleights making all their Religion a craft, as men call their trades; for in no deceiuable trade (howe full of falshood soeuer) could more deceit be harboured than in theirs. Therefore as Iosiah reioy­ced in his time, that the booke of GOD was sound againe: so we may reioyce in these dayes, that the booke of God is found againe; for when the people [Page 38] might not read it nor heare it, it was all one to them, as if they had (for so long time) vtterly lost it.

After this precept of the Apostle, Trye all things and keepe the best: hee addeth: Abstaine from all appearance of euill: as if hee shoulde say, that is like to bee best, which is so farre deuided from euill, that it hath not so much as the appearance of euill: and that is like to bee trueth, which is so farre from errour, that it hath not the shewe of errour: whereby hee sheweth, that nothing should bee brought into the Church, or ad­ded in matters of faith and doctrine to our Religion, but that which is agreeable and consonant to the vn­doubted trueth, and vtterly without suspicion of errour. It is not inough to bee perswaded of our faith, but wee must be assured of it; for our Religion is not built vppon waue­ring and inconstant doubtes, but vp­pon most assured & certaine know­ledge.

[Page] Heere we may maruaile why Paul biddeth vs, Abstaine from all appea­rance of euill, because it is apparant, that sinne, and heresie, and supersti­tion, are hypocrites: and common experience approoueth, that sinne hath the appearance of vertue, & he­resie hath the appearance of Trueth, & Superstition hath the appearance of Religion: but let our wonder heerein be thus aunswered. By this, the Apostle dooth note, that there is no sinne, nor heresie, nor superstiti­on, but if the visour or vaile bee re­mooued, or rather taken away from it, which maketh it seeme vertue, or trueth, or Religion, it will appeare in the right nature to be a sinne, and heresie, and superstition, though at the first sight, the maske or visour doe make it seeme none: because it couers the euill, like a painted Sepul­cher vpon rotten bones.

Heereby we are taught, prudently to iudge of all thinges as they are, and not as in outward appearance [Page] they seeme to bee; and as wee drawe aside the curtaine, before we beholde the picture: so we must remooue (to auoyde our owne preiudice) all opi­nions and surmises, and then behold the thing naked as it is, if wee deter­mine to knowe it indeede: for trueth needes no collours to make it glori­ous.

Heere I might admonish them which seperate themselues from our Church, in such manner as S. Paule admonisheth all men, when he saith: Examine whether you be in the faith; so, examine whether you haue the shewe of errour. Hath it not the shewe of errour, to broach a Religion which was neuer hearde of before these late yeeres?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to retaine an errour, which the Au­thor himselfe hath voluntarily re­canted; euen as yee would sucke vp with greedines the dogs vomite?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to affirme that those Preachers may in [Page] no wise be hearde, which (by their owne confessions) haue first conuer­ted and painfully brought them to the knowledge of God, and daylie conuerteth others.

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to affirme, that the Lordes Prayer may not bee vsed as a lawfull Prayer: which for the excellencie of Chri­stian peticion, and without any con­trouersie (for any thing that wee or they can read) was so vsed from the beginning?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to say, that no man may vse any set prai­er, seing there be many Prayers, and Psalmes, and blessings, and thankes­giuings in the Scripture, which were vsed in that fourme.

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to affirme, that wee haue no Church, and yet to graunt that our Martyrs which dyed in the bloody persecuti­on of tyrannous poperie, were true members of the Catholike Church?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to [Page] affirme, that two or three may ex­communicate all the rest without a Ministerie, seeing the Pastor is the mouth of the Church?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to affirme, that the Church of Christ was neuer inuisible before this age, and that it is such a small flocke, as their number is: and that it hath set foote no where but in England?

Hath it not the shewe of errour, to holde that for sound and good Reli­gion, which is altered euerie day; ad­ding and detracting, as though a man should make a Religion of his owne inuentions, changing and altering so fast as newe conceits come into his idle braine?

Let them thinke that Paule saith vnto them:Rom 12, 3, Be wise vnto sobrietie, and suspect that construction which your selues deuised: for Salomon saith,Pro, 4, 27. There is an errour vppon the right hande as well as vpon the left, that is, as I may call it: The zealous errour. And if this be not that errour [Page] of zeale, I knowe none at all in this lande.

Yet shall not I say, that wee haue not the shewe of euill too? Naye, I would that we were but in the shewe thereof. I may not call euill good, no more than I may call good euill, and therefore let vs pull the Beame out of our owne eyes, as we woulde pull out the moate out of other mens. Let vs amend our sinnes, and then boldly reprooue others.

If Paule woulde haue vs abstaine from euerie appearance of euill, sure he would haue vs abstaine frome he­resie and hypocrisie. and not to sur­fet with the blessings of peace, and then saye: it was neuer merry world since this newe Religion came vp; not to pretende conscience in not comming to Church, and haue no conscience in oppressing the poore, and vndooing the Fatherlesse and widdowes.

Antechrist and all his shauelings, (thankes bee to GOD) are meetly [Page] well rooted out from amongst vs, yet his taile (I feare me) remaines behind in the hearts of a number, which li­uing amongst vs like men of another Nation,Num. 33, 55, are an ill sauour vnto vs, as the remnant of the Cananites were vnto the Iewes. GOD charged his people of Israell, to roote out all the inhabitants of Canaan; yet they spared some, as Saul (disobaying the voice of the Prophet) spared Agag, but that remnant hindered their peace, and neuer suffered them to be in quiet; for they were goades in their sides, & prickes in their eyes: it is with vs likewise to bee feared, that the remnant of Canaan, which nowe contemne Prophets, will be a meane to pull downe Prophecying. But let vs apply this doctrine of the Apostle to the kindling of the Spirite in all feruencie of zeale, and mildenesse of loue: not deferring to imbrace grace when it is offered, least by delay the Spirite bee quenched: and let vs re­uerence Prophets and Prophecying; [Page 45] for despisers, and mockers, may (in their scoffings) mocke at Elisha,2 Kings 2, 23, 24. but the rewarde of their enuye, is a de­uouring ende. Neither let vs forsake the Word, for any inuention of man, but trie all things by the touchstone of the Scriptures, indeuoring to a­uoide all occasion of offence, and to hold of that foundation which is best and soundest, and not to be mooued: Beseeching him that hath taken the euill of Antechristian errour and su­perstition away, to take away also the apparance of the same.