The fyrste braunche of the fyrste Generall, namelye, the callyng of the Gentiles, and of casting off the Iewes.

THe calling of the Gentiles (of the which I am to speak somewhat,The callyng of the Gen­tiles. for that oure Cornelius was a Gentile; as hereafter shall more at large appeare) hath euident and plaine testimonies of holy Scripture in many and sundry pla­ces: amongest the reste, these chieflye:Zach. 9.10. He shall speake peace vnto the Heathen, and his dominion shall be from sea vnto sea, and from the riuer vnto the ende of the lande. Againe:Mich. 1.2.3.4.5. But in the last dayes it shall come to passe, that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the Mountaines, and it shall bée exalted aboue the hylles, and people shall flowe vnto it, yea many na­tions shal come and say: Come, and let vs [Page 6] go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teache vs hys wayes, and we will walke in his pathes. For the lawe shall goe forth of Sion, and the worde of the Lord from Ierusalem. And he shal iudge among many people, and rebuke mighty nations a farre off, and they shall breake their swordes into mattockes, and their speares into sithes: nation shall not lifte vp a sword against nation, neyther shall they learne to fight any more. But they shall sit euery man vnder his Vine, & vn­der his Fig trée, & none shall make thē a­fraid. For the mouth of y^e Lord of hostes hath spoken it. For all people wil walke euery one in the name of his God, & wée will walke in the name of the Lorde our God, for euer and euer. Likewise, yea al Kings shall worship him,Psal. 72.11.17. and all natiōs shall serue him. And againe, all nations shall blesse him, and be blessed in him: Moreouer,Psal. 2.8. aske of me, and I shall giue thée the heathen for thine inheritaunce, and the endes of the earth for thy posses­sion.Esal. 19.18. Furthermore in that day shall fiue [Page 7] Citties in the lande of Egipt speake the language of Canaan, & shal sweare by y^e Lord of Hostes. &c. In like maner,Esai. 42.11.12. let the wildernesse, and y^e Cities thereof, lift vp their voice, the townes that Kedar doth inhabite: Let the inhabitāts of the rocks sing: Let them showte from the toppe of the Mountaines: Lette them giue glorie vnto the Lorde, and declare his praise in the Ilandes.

And to this effect in most comfortable sorte, is almoste the whole .49.The callyng of the Gen­tiles signify­ed by diuers examples in the scripture chapter of this Prophesie. Héereof also haue we in the Scripture manye figures, and examples. For what else doeth the clen­sing of Naaman the Syrian from his le­prosie, by the Prophete Elizeus signifie,Naaman. but that a time shoulde one daye come, when as the heathē by faith in the death and bloude of Christe shoulde be purged of the spirituall Leprosie of their soules, whiche is sinne? What meaneth the sen­ding of Ionas to the great Citie of Ni­niuie,Ionas. but that God is a God of the Assy­rians, as well as of the Iewes: a Sa­uiour of the Gentiles, as well as of the [Page 8] Israelites?Iob. What doe we learne by the incredible faith, and wonderfull patience of Iob, who was a Heathen, but that God, euen among the Heathē, hath those that are of hys Churche? What, that Christe hymselfe concerning the flesh,Christe. vouchsafed lineally to descend of those, of whome some of them were Heathen, as Thamar a Cananite,Thamar. Ruth. of whome were borne, Pharao, and Saram: as Ruth a Moabite, of whome was borne Obed. Doth it not to our great comfort, learne vs that are Gentiles, that Christe is borne a Redéemer, aswell to vs, as the Iewes. In that immediatlye after the byrth of Christ,The wise mē Wise men came from the vttermoste parts of the East to wor­ship him: what are we taught, but that the kingdome of Christe should stretche from the Easte vnto the Weaste, and from the one Sea to the other? Where­as Christe healed the seruaunte of the Centurion,The seruant of y^e Cēturiō. The sonne of the Courtier. cured at Capernaum, the sonne of the Courtier (for the worde [...] signifyeth pertayning or belongyng to the kyng) holpe the daugh­ter [Page 9] of the Canaanitishe woman, posses­sed with a Diuell,The woma [...] of Canaan. The woma [...] of Samari [...] The calling of the Chamberlayne, an [...] of Corneliu [...] called the woman of Samaria, sent Philippe to the Cham­berlaine of Candace Quéene of Ethio­pia, and Peter from Ioppa, to this oure Cornelius, all whiche were Hea­then: doeth not all these sufficientlye proue the calling of the Gentiles? But why in a matter doubtlesse, doe I vse proofes not necessarye?

I come nowe to speake of the casting off of the Iewes,Of y^e casting off of the I whych I wyll handle brieflye, and afterwarde laye before you, what wée may learne of the cal­lyng of the one, and refusing of the o­ther.

In the twentith Chapter of Mathew, Christe sayeth to the Iewes thus: Ther­fore saye I vnto you, The Kyngdome of God shall be taken from you, and shal be giuen to a nation whiche shall bryng forth the fruites thereof. Paule in the .13. of the Actes, speaketh to the obstinate Iewes after this maner: It was neces­sarye, that the worde of GOD shoulde fyrste haue béene spoken vnto you: But [Page 10] séeing you putte it from you, and iudge your selues worthy of euerlasting life: Lo, we turne to the Gentiles. And for confirmation of their so doing, they al­leadge the wordes of the Prophet I say: [...]. 49.6. I haue made thée a light of the Gētiles, that thou shouldest be the saluation vnto the end of the world. And to y^e Romanes he saieth:Rom. 10.29.20.21. I will prouoke you to enuy by a nation that is not my nation, and by a foolish nation I wil anger you. And Isai­as is bolde and saieth: I was founde of them that soughte me not, and haue béen made manifest to them that asked not after me. And vnto Israell he saieth: All the day long haue I stretched oute mine hande vnto a disobedient and gaine-say­ing people. To this purpose maye you reade muche in the .9. and .11. Chapiters of this Epistle. Moreouer the Prophetes euerye where are full of threatnings vn­to the Iewes, that they shoulde be caste oute, and the Gentiles taken into their roomths.

Besides these playne Scriptures, it shall not be néedfull for mée to alleadge, [Page 11] [...]xamples of theyr reiection. For (alas) [...]heir miserable and lamentable dispersi­ [...]n, and scattering abroad ouer the face [...]f the earth at this daye, and greate sla­ [...]erie and bondage that they liue in, in [...]he places where they are scattered, are [...]ufficient testimonies, that GOD his [...]eauie iudgementes are come vppon [...]hem.

And these thinges wil séeme so muche [...]he more wonderfull in oure eies, if wée [...]onsider with how neare a bande of loue [...]nd fatherly kindnesse GOD tyed him­ [...]lfe, as it were vnto his people, & what [...] barre of partition, and mightie wall of [...]paration, he set betwéene them and vs. [...]somuche, that as well in Ceremonies, [...]nd Religion, as in other matters of life common trafficke, they were straight­ [...] forbidden to haue any manner of fe­ [...]wshippe or familiarity with the Gen­ [...]les, so that the very entraunce of one [...]ccirumcised into theyr Temple, [...]as accompted a Prophanation, [...]d also a defyling of the same whyche [Page 12] the Lord himselfe saieth by his Prophet Ezechiel: [...]zech, [...]4.6.7.9. Thus saieth the Lorde God, O house of Israel, ye haue ynough of all your abhominations, séeing that ye haue broughte into my Sanctuarie strangers vncircumcised in hearte, and vncircum­cised in fleshe, to be in my Sanctuarie, to pollute mine house. And by and by af­ter. Thus saieth the Lorde God: No straunger vncircumcised in hearte, nor vncircumcised in flesh, shal enter into my Sanctuarie, of any straunger that is a­mong the children of Israel. And by his Prophet Ieremie,Ierem. 9.25. the Lorde threatneth to punishe euery one, whose foreskinne is not circumcised or cut off. But of the Iewes he sayeth by Moses:Deut. 7.6. For thou arte a holye people vnto the Lorde thy God, the Lorde thy GOD hath chosen thée, to be a pretious people to hymselfe, aboue all the people that are vppon the earth.

Also of Ierusalem he speaketh by the Prophete Isaias: Arise, arise, putte on thy strength,Isaias. 25.1. O Sion, putte on the garmentes of thy beautie, O Ierusalem, [Page 13] the holye Cittie: for henceforthe there shall no more come into thée the vncir­cumcised, and the vncleane. In respect of these great promises, and many more that are in the Scriptures of GOD, his greate good will, and speciall mercy to­wardes them, togyther with the remem­brance of God his miraculous dealyng, for their deliuery oute of the handes of all their ennimies, and the greate glorie and royalnesse of their Temple of whi­che they were wonte so muche to cry:Ierem. 7.4. the Temple of the Lorde: the Temple of the Lorde: the Temple of the Lorde: as wée reade in Ieremy: they vtterlye contem­ned and despised the Gentiles, thinking them to bée wholly debarred from the couenaunte of the LORDE, in so muche that they dydde as greatlye ab­horre and deteste the name of a Hea­then, as wée doe nowe the name of a Iewe or Turke, or shoulde doe the name of a Papiste, so long as they con­tinue in their wicked superstition: yea the Apostles themselues a long season, coulde not be persuaded, that saluation [Page 14] belonged to the Gentiles, so that you reade afterwarde in thys storie of the Actes, [...]ct. 11.2.3. &c. howe Peter was sharpely repro­ued for preachyng the worde to thys oure Cornelius, and others of the Gen­tiles.

The applica­tion of the doctrine of the calling of the Gētiles, and casting off of the Iewes.Forasmuche then as the Iewes to whome (as Paule speaketh) appertay­neth the adoption, and the glorie, and y^e couenauntes, and the giuing of the law, and the seruice of GOD, and the pro­mises, of whome are the fathers, and of whome concerning the fleshe, Christe came, are (as we sée at this day) caste off, and the Heathen wallowing in su­perstition, and Idolatrye, hauyng no Faith, no GOD, no Religion cer­taine: euerye manne runnyng after the fancies of hys owne brayne, are taken in their steade, as hathe appeared by te­stimonye of the worde, and manye ex­amples of the same, and amongest the reste, this of oure Cornelius, whome we maye not amisse terme, of the first fruites of the Gentiles.

What haue we to learne, (for nowe [Page 15] I come to the application of this, hither­to spoken of the receyuing of the Hea­then, and of casting off the Iewes) for oure comforte or admonition, out of this wonderfull dealing of God, bothe to­wards the one and the other?

By the off casting of the Iewes,Ingratitud [...] and disobedi­ence to Go [...] and his wor [...] God alwaie [...] seuerely p [...] ­nisheth. bée­yng the peculiar and chosen people of GOD, wée doe learne fyrste, that ingratitude and disobedience vnto God, and hys word, is a vice so odious in hys sighte, that he will not let it escape vn­punished in any nation whatsoeuer, but will reuenge it with horrible plagues. For if he spared not the naturall braun­ches, truly he wil not spare the vnnatu­rall: if he cut off those of the true Oliue trée, he wil hewe downe also, those of the wilde: if he haue shewed suche tokens of hys Iustice vpon his owne people of­fending, with what scourges will he cha­sten the rebellion of straungers?The synnes of the Iewe [...] And as the sinnes of hys people were maruel­lous great, so was their punishment wō ­derfull fearefull.

They scorned the Prophets of y^e Lord: [Page 16] they themselues are now a cōmon scorne and laughing stocke vnto others. They killed, and persecuted the seruauntes of God sēt vnto them for their health: they themselues to their great woe and mise­ry haue bin slaine, murthered, and killed. They refused Iesus Christe himselfe their Sauioure, solde hym for thirtye pence by the hande of Iudas, and chose rather a cut-throat murtherer, than that they woulde haue Christe sette at liber­tie: and they thēselues haue bin reiected by Christ, and thirty of them at the siege of Ierusalem solde for a penny, and cru­elly slaine by cut-throate and mercilesse murtherers. They cry, his bloud be vp­on vs and oure children: and they hadde their desire at the full, when their Cittie was taken. For their olde menne were slaine in their beddes, their yong men in the streates, yong infants murthered at their mothers breastes, little children dispatched in their nurses lappes: and to be shorte, bloude they asked, and bloude they hadde, in suche abundaunce issuing from the greate multitudes of them that [Page 17] were slayne, that the channels of theyr stréetes ranne with streames of whot [...] [...]reaking bloud (a wofull and lamentable sight to behold) in as great plentie, as you sée them héere vsually wont to do, after a greate shoure of rayne. They shut their eares at y^e pitifull complaynt of the poore, thēselues sinning in excesse of meate, as it is cast in their teth by y^e Prophet, & cōtra­ry to y^e expresse cōmandemēt of the Lord, who streightly charged, that there should be no begger in Israell: they hadde theyr stréetes and high wayes swarming wyth beggers, and themselues afterwardes were so punished with famine, that they were constreyned to eate (sauing youre manner) most lothsome and vile things, as their owne vomite and excrementes, and that whiche is most vnnaturall and barbarous, they did eate their owne chil­dren, and yet could not be let alone wyth thys mercilesse meate, but the vnmerci­full and hungerstaruen Souldiers would breake in, and by force take it frō them. They banished, and draue out of theyr Cities and territories, the Apostles of [Page 18] Christe suffering them to haue no place nor abode amongst them, and they them­selues are nowe driuen and banished from those places, and are become a by­worde and reproche in those places where they in small number dwell, car­rying a note of reproche on theyr gar­mentes, that they may be knowen from other people: and that whiche is most horrible, they refused the word of salua­tion, the foode of theyr soules, and there­fore hathe GOD taken it from them, and bereaued them of the comforte, that they myghte reape by the vnder­standyng of it. For albeit they haue the olde Testamente, yet GOD hathe so fearefully punished theyr dis­obedience, that they vnderstande it not in the Hebrewe tong wherein it is written, and whiche was some­tyme theyr owne mother tong, they vnderstande it not (I saye) one amongst an hundreth, theyr Rabbines excep­ted, but it is vnto them, as the Lattine seruice was vnto vs: yea theyr Rab­bines themselues whyche vnderstande [Page 19] the signification of the wordes, are farre from the knowledge of the mea­ning of the same, and that (as I take it) of malice, especially in the matter of the Messias Chryste Iesus oure Sauioure, whome they vtterlye de­test, and abhorre, lookyng yet styll for another to come to delyuer them: Be­sydes that, they haue horribly corrup­ted the holye Scripture, by their false interpretations, and Iewishe, and olde wyues fables. These horrible vices, deserued thys fearefull reiection, and so muche the rather, for that they contemned the admonitions, and the forewarnings of the Prophetes and Apostles, yea of Iesus Chryste hym­selfe, so that henceforthe in the Sto­rye of the Actes, you shall heare very little mention made of the Iewishe Churche, but to theyr reproche,Let vs lear [...] the punishin [...] of the Iewe [...] to auoyde t [...] like sinnes. for all the glorye thereof, is translated to vs of the Gentiles, GOD make vs thanckefull for it. Lette vs, be­loued, learne wisedome by their harmes, lette theyr stubbernesse and disobedience teach [Page 20] obey, [...]t vs learne [...] the pu­ [...]shment of [...]e Iewes, [...] auo [...]de the [...]e sinnes. let their vnthankefulnesse make vs thankefull, let their negligence make vs carefull, least being partakers with them of their sinnes, wée haue parte also of their punishment. God warned them, he hathe and dothe dayly warne vs. He spake earely and late vnto them by his Prophets, he likewise dayly and hourely calleth vs by his Preachers. Their priuiledges and many blessings a­boue other nations could not priuiledge them from God his vengeance, for theyr great cōtempt, but rather increased their punishmente for abusing them: so shall his great mercies towardes vs English­men, [...]he more [...]enry we [...]ue of God [...]s blessings, [...]e greater [...]ll be our [...]nishment [...] abusing [...]em. aboue manye other nations, make his iudgements more heauie, if we shew not our selues thankefull, and bring forth the frutes of repentance and amendment of life. And to thée I saye, O London, whose saluation in the Lorde I hartily tender, and on whome God hath shewed more tokens of his fauour and loue, than on anye other Towne or Citie of thys land, in blessing thée with plenty of Prea­chers and teachers, sée that thy liuing be [Page 21] answerable to thy knowledge, and thy manners agréeable to thy teaching, o­therwise I assure thée, it shall fall out vn­to thée, as it did vnto these Iewes:God vsually doth great­liest blesse th [...] greater citi [...] with the Preaching his word, a [...] greatiyest plague the [...] ­for the con­tempt of the same. for as it hathe bin a thing at all times vsuall with God, vppon the greatest Cities to shew greatest tokens of his loue, and to enlighten them with greatest knowledge of his word, that from them, other places of the lande, as it were little fountaynes from the great Springs, may drawe good instructiōs, and learne by their examples, to pursue after the like knowledge: euen so he beginneth firste to punish those pla­ces, where he hath shewed most mercy, if they abuse his mercy, and contemne hys graces, yet in such order, that he alwayes giueth them forewarning of the same by his seruants, that if they amend not, their punishment may be the iuster. So before the floud, he sente Noah: before the bur­ning of Sodom and Gomorrah, he sente Lot: before the destruction of Canaan, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob: before the o­uerthrow of Pharao, Moses and Aaron? before the captiuitie of the Iewes many [Page 22] Prophetes: before the euersion of the Ni­niuites Ionas: before the séege of Hieru­salem, and this casting off of the Iewes, (in which I stand the longer, bycause it conteyneth profitable admonitions for our times,) Christ himselfe, and hys A­postles.

We people of Englande haue en­ioyed the Preaching of the Gospell nowe these twenty yeares, and God graunte we may many moe yeares enioy it, we haue hadde, and at this present haue ma­nye Godly, zealous, and learned Prea­chers, the Lorde for his Christes sake, dayly increase the number of them, whiche lay before vs out of the worde, God hys greate blessings bestowed vp­pon vs, and oure greate vnthankeful­nesse for them. And you héere in Lon­don, out of thys place, and others, e­euery foote are admonished, and put in mynde of youre duties, but both we of the Countrey, and you of the Citie, for the most parte, contemne it. We are lyke vnto the children of Israell, we are wée­rie of the Heauenly Manna, the worde [Page 23] [...]f life, the foode of our soules, for the [...]bteyning whereof, whych wée so scorne­ [...]ully despise, manye of oure poore brée­ [...]hren in other Countreys, hazzarde both [...]yfe and goodes. What remayneth ther­fore, but that GOD, if we doe not [...]péedyly repente, shewe tokens of hys wrath vppon vs, as he did vppon the Iewes? And you héere of London, haue good experience of that,England [...]eaty of the word prea­ched. whyche a little before I spake, namely, that as GOD commonlye more plenti­fullye blesseth the greater Cities, so for theyr contempte, they haue more plentifull tast of hys plagues before other places. For t [...]ll mée, I pray you, what contagious sicknesse, or daungerous disease is there, but for the most parte you haue the firste, and the greatest visitation with it? And doe you thynke that we of the Countrey scape scotfrée? yet for al this, what is oure be­hauioure towardes the worde of eter­nall lyfe? Wyll not a fylthye playe,More resorte to playes, thā to Sermons wyth the blast of a Trumpette, sooner call thyther a thousande, than an [Page 24] houres tolling of a Bell, bring to the Sermon a hundred? nay euen héere in the Citie, without it be at this place, and some other certaine ordinarie audience, where shall you finde a reasonable com­pany? whereas, if you reforte to the Theatre, the Curtayne, and other places of Playes in the Citie, you shall on the Lords day haue these places, with many other that I can not recken, so full, as possible they can throng, besides a greate number of other lettes, to pull from the hearing of the worde, of whiche I will speake héereafter. And do you thinke that so long as these enormities are suffered, the plague, and such other like infectious sicknesses, which in the .28. of Deutero­nomie the Lorde threateneth to sende as scourges, for the contempt of his worde, shall ceasse and diminishe amongst you? nay, they be meanes for them to rage more fiercely, and to cause God to sende new plagues among them, for as we are wittie to committe newe sinnes, so the Lord dayly prepareth new punishments to correct vs withall, in so muche, that he [Page 25] [...]isiteth our newe sinnes with such newe and strange diseases, as the names are vnknowen vnto vs, and neuer hearde of of our forefathers, yea our best Phisiti­ons know not which way to turne theyr hands to heale them. I can not but com­mend the laudable policie, and diligente endeuour of the righte Honourable my Lorde Maior, and the worshipful Alder­men his brethren, for the preuenting of infection, by commaundyng mens houses to be kept swéete, and the streates cleane, with other such like wayes.The plague will not be carried out in a Dung-Courte. But beleue me (deare brethren) the plague can not be carried away in a dung curte. What a­uaileth it to haue swéete houses and stin­king Soules? pleasant smelling chābers, and grieuous sauoring mindes? cleane & fayre streates, and foule and filthy hearts and consciences? As I do not dislike these outward clensings, so I beséeche you, let euery one of vs labor for the inward pur­ging and scouring of our Soules: hauing [...]he worde, let vs frame our liues accor­ [...]ing to y^e word, let our godly liuing be a [...]estimonie of our profitable vnderstan­ding, [Page 26] let vs as we be talkers, so like­wise, be walkers: as we be professours, practisers: as speakers, doers: as sayers, followers: and then shal our godly liuing with our right vnderstanding: our chri­stiā walking, with our vertuous talking: our sober practising with our honest pro­fessing: our doyng with our saying: oure following with our speaking, strike vppe such a pleasant harmonie and ioyfull me­lodye in the eares of our GOD, as hée wyll bryng vppon vs in greate mercye all those blessings whiche in the forena­med 28. of Deutronomie he promiseth to those that heare, and also doe all that whiche hée commaundeth: 1 whereas o­therwise if we shal stil with these Iewes continue contemners of his worde, we shall heare with them to our great paine and miserie: Beholde yee despisers, and wonder and vanishe away: For I worke a worke in your dayes, a worke whiche yee shall not beleeue, if a man would de­clare it you. The Lord (I say) for our cō ­tempte will take his worde from vs a [...] [Page 27] he did from the Israelits, and bestowe it on suche as will both make more ac­compte of it, and also be more thanke­full for it, which by this that hath fal­len out to the Iewes, the LORDE for his Christes sake make vs to be.

We haue secondlye to learne out of thys reiection of the Iewes,God is tyed to no place nor person. being (as you haue heard) vnited vnto GOD in suche speciall sorte, as hee neuer dealte so with anye nation, that GOD is not tyed to anye place or person, al­beit they bragge neuer so muche of an­tiquitie, succession, vnitie, vniuersali­tie, or what other glorious or gorgious shewe soeuer they pretende, but that when they scornefullye caste hym off, he [...]ustlye forsaketh them. Let vs not there­ [...]ore be deluded wyth vayne titles, nor [...]orne out with greate wordes. It is not [...]erusalem, Alexandria, Constantinople, [...]or Rome, that GOD is bounde vn­ [...]o. Let the proude Prelate of the sea­ [...]en hilled Citie, with his purple Car­ [...]nalles, and horned Byshoppes, [Page 28] and the whole route of his shorne and greasie rabble come forth, and shewe me if they can for their lyues, the like causes that these Iewes had to glorie off, and yet had they all them and many moe, the greater shoulde be their punishmente in abusing them as they haue done. Hath not the Pope with his adherēts as much boasted of his gaye titles, as euer these Iewes did, and as proudely disdayned the true professours as euer they did the Gē ­tiles? was it not a receiued opinion with­in these fewe yeres, that out of the church of Rome there was no saluation, like as the Iewes thought the Gētiles to be al­togither strangers from the promise? Are not these their common out cries, the Churche, the Churche, the Churche, our most holy father, most reuerende father, most godly father, most learned Doctors, most christian Doctors, most light Do­ctors, moste lighthened, I woulde saye, most Seraphicall Doctours: and againste vs, Lollardes, Heretickes, Schisma­tickes, Hugonots, Lutherans, Zuingli­ans, Caluinistes, Sacramentaries, and [Page 29] what not? haue they not as despightfully and cruellye handled vs, as euer the Iewes did the Prophets of the Lorde? yea haue they not gone beyonde them in forbiddyng vs the readyng of the bookes of our GOD, and for the same bur­ned vs and the worde of oure GOD too? The Lorde therefore in great iustice hath reiected them for all their vaine bo­stings, like as he did the Iewes, and hathe broken the yoake of their Ty­rannie from this and manye other nati­ons, his name be praysed for it, and in the ende, with the breath of his mouth wil vtterly confounde them.

As you haue séene in these Iewes a fearefull example of God his wonder­full iustice in casting them off for their offences:In y^e calling of y^e Gentiles is a notable token of God his gret loue. so in receyuing of the Gen­tiles you haue to consider a notable proofe and experience of hys surpassing loue and vnspeakeable mercie. For what was there in the Gentiles ouer­whelmed with errour, blynded wyth ignoraunce, prone to all kinde of su­perstition and straunge Idolatries, ouer­taken [Page 30] with all sortes of filthynesse, and moste horrible and outragious wicked­nesse, that mighte procure hym to fa­uour them, or to shewe hymselfe so bountious a father vnto them. Of hys loue therefore, of his loue and moste frée fauour was it, that he vouchsaued to call them out of this greate darkenesse, vnto so maruellous light and knowledge of his truth in his sonne Christ Iesus our moste louing God and mercifull Saui­our.

There is not therefore anye cause of boasting of our selues, or of any thing in our selues, for that we are nothing else indéede but a huge masse and heauy lumpe of sinne. Let vs therefore ascribe all the whole glorie of our callyng, vn­to God, that mercifullye hath called vs from errour vnto trueth, from darke­nesse to lighte, from wickednesse to holy­nesse, from condemnation to saluation, frō death to life, yea, frō Hel to Heauen: for vnto all these and a greate manye moe enormities, are we by nature en­thralled. Let vs therefore enter the déeper [Page 31] into a true consyderation of our selues, and into a thorough examination of our owne soules and consciences, and then finding in our selues what indéede wée be of our selues, we shall learne to set lesse by our painted sheathes, and to make better accoumptes of GOD hys infinite and endlesse mercie, who hath thoughte good to place vs in the roome of his owne peculiar and chosen people.

Agayne we sée in the consideration of the manner of GOD his calling vs of the Gentiles to the knowledge of hys Christ,The manner of God hys calling of the Gētiles tea­cheth that we are iusti­fied only by fayth. not requiring at our handes that we shoulde be circumcised, or other­wise tyed to the obseruation of the cere­monies of Moses lawe, but onely that we shoulde repente, and beléeue the Gospel, we sée (I say) euidentlye hereby, that we are not saued by the Lawe, nor yet by the workes of the Lawe, but on­lye by fayth in Christe, accordyng as it is written: The iuste manne shall [...]iue by fayth. And againe: By the workes [Page 32] of the law no flesh can be saued or iusti­fied: by how muche the more so often as I thinke on it (and truely I doe manye times thinke on it) I doe greately mar­uayle, what madnesse hath ouertaken our Arch-Papistes to besotte themsel­ues and others with a vaine and wicked perswasion of their owne righteousnesse, and an arrogante trusting to scale the highe forte of heauen, by the broken and rotten ladder of man hys merytes, and the corrupte workes and inuenti­ons of their owne idle fancies. For if Christe and hys Apostles neuer char­ged anye with the obseruations of the Mosaicall Lawe, as a thing necessarye to saluation: and that (as appeareth in the wrytings of the Apostles) it hath alwayes béene accounted an in­fallible note of false Apostles to pleade workes, and that of GOD hys owne Law, in the matter of iusti­fication, let then this second note drawn from the manner of God hys callyng of the Gentiles without inioyning them the obseruations of hys owne lawe, bée [Page 33] sufficient in a worde to touch the shame­lesse boldnesse of the Catolikes, that dare shuffle in drosse & trumperie of their own forging, to claime righteousnes withal, that I stand no longer to cōuince those, as iniurious to the death and bloudshea­ding of Christe Iesus, who teache that they haue workes sufficient, not only to purchase Heauen for themselues, but al­so a surplus and ouerflow to help others withall, that will pay swéetely for them, in as muche as their owne conscience e­uery nighte when they goe to bed, maye teache them, if they truely examine it, that of themselues they are not able to thinke so much as one good thought, and therefore muste néedes ascribe saluation to the only and alone frée mercie of God in Christe, laide holde on by the sure and strong hand of a constant faith, workes being no maner of cause thereof at all, the whiche Fryer Ferus, a man of theyr owne, writing vpon this tenth Chapiter of the Actes, in moste plaine words, doth confesse, saying: For so in that firste and moste great calling of the Gentiles, they [Page 34] oughte to haue beene made equall with the Iewes without all manner of helpe of the Lawe, that it mighte be now ma­nifestly knowne, that righteousnes com­meth of the onely grace and election of God, and not of workes: than the which, what can be spoken more truely, & more agréeable to the truth. The Lord if it be his wil, open their eies, that in this and all other pointes, they maye bowe and yéelde vnto the trueth.

Thus muche of the reiection of the Iewes, and calling of the Gentiles, by occasion of GOD his calling Corne­lius, being a Gentile, to the knowledge of his trueth.

The seconde [...]raunche of the fyrst part.In the seconde braunche of this firste general, commeth to be considered, Cor­nelius hys profession and trade of life, whiche oure present texte sayeth to bée a Capitaine of the Italian bande at Ce­sarea,The practise of the Ro­manes. for it was an vsuall thing among the Romanes, to place in the gret towns or Citties that they wonne, garrisons of armed men and souldiours, as well to [Page 35] defende them agaynste the inuasions of the Parthians, whome besides manye other ennimyes, they were often and verye daungerouslye encombred wyth­all, as also to wythstande and kéepe vnder rebellion, and tumultuous vp­roares of the Iewes, if at anye tyme they shoulde attempte an insurrection: and further, that if néede shoulde re­quyre, they mighte vppon shorte war­ning, oute of these garrisons placed in e­uerye Towne and Cittie, gather a iuste and ful army, being assaulted, to defend themselues.

These bands consisted some of more and some of fewer Souldioures, some footemenne, and some horsemenne.

The fyrste or chiefe bande contayned commonlye a thousande footemenne, o­uer whych was a Generall, and eue­rye Centurye, or hundreth, hadde be­sides, hys seuerall Capitayne, whyche of the number of Souldiours vnder his conducte, was commonlye called a Centurion, or Capitayne ouer an hundreth menne. Such a one was oure [Page 36] Cornelius, who in that he is termed to be Ruler of the Italian bande, we maye gather, that he was bothe an Italian himself, and also in good estimation with the Emperoure: For as the Romaynes g thered their garrisons out of sundrye Countrie men, of the whyche also they had their names, like as this consisting of Italians is thereof called the Italian band, so likewise did they make greatest accompts, & reposed most confidence in y^e garrisons of their own countreymen, out of which also for y^e most part there were chosen Captaines suche as best liked the Emperoure. It is (I saye) therefore verye likelye, that Cornelius béeyng made Capitayne of the Italian bande, was hymselfe an Italian well lyked of the Emperoure. More than this, both he and his bande were not suche as carri­ed theyr houses on their backes, or were in thys place to daye, and in an other to morrowe, but hadde their fyxed and settled seate and abode at Cesarea,Cesarea. a Citie of Palestina, whiche was a Sea-town not far from the Mount Carmel, [Page 37] and called sometimes Stratoes Castle or Tower, but afterwarde newe buyl­ded by Herode, and in the honoure of Cesar the Noble, called after his name, Cesarea, and at this time chiefliest in­habited of the Iewes, for whose better kéeping vnder awe, Cornelius with hys garrison was there placed, like as in o­ther their Citties in Syria and Palasti­na, for like considerations they hadde ap­pointed to them their seuerall garrisons. I note this, bycause there were besides many other Cities in other Countries, called by this name, as is to be séene in Strabo and Stephanus, the whiche I omitte, as not pertaynyng to my mat­ter.

Nowe if you call to remembraunce the manners and conditions of the soul­diors of that age,The manner of y^e Romane souldiers. and howe farre they were departed from the olde discipline & vsage obserued in wars, God his wōder­ful dealing in callyng Cornelius shal the better appeare. It is wel known to those that are conuersant in histories, that the Romane souldiors, when they went to [Page 38] warre vppon other nations, they hadde no regarde neither of righte nor equitie, or lawe, or honestie, or shame, or consci­ence, but were wholly bente vppon the spoile, as hungrie as Wolues, as grée­dye as Lyons, as mercilesse as Tygres, as subtile as Foxes, as religious as hor­ses, as chaste as Goates, as harmelesse as common Robbers by the highe waye sides. Out of this kinde of men, it pleased GOD for to choose hys Churche, the fyrste fruites of the Gentiles, that looke by how muche theyr life was more vn­orderlye than any other kinde of men, by so muche hys mercye mighte be iudged the greater, in that it pleased him to take them out of their vile filth and stincking puddle of synne, in whiche they wallo­wed, and laye ouerwhelmed and drow­ned, and by his holye Spirite so to renue them, that by the mightye and effectuall working of the same, the corruptions of the olde manne béeyng mortifyed, they mighte deteste those offences, vnto the whyche before they ranne wyth gréedi­nesse.

Cornelius hys vertues therefore so rare in suche licentiousnesse of life, and loosenesse of manners, as at that tyme raigned euerye where, but principallye amongest Souldioures, are bothe to be commended and praised, and highly also to be wondered at: who in suche gréedi­nesse of spoile, was so wel content with his owne: in suche vnmercifulnesse of o­thers, was himselfe more mercifull: in suche rudenesse, so courteous: in suche barbarousnesse, so gentle: in suche irreli­giousnesse, so religious: in such wicked­nesse, so godly: whyche vertues, as he had them not of himselfe, so do they the clearer sette foorthe the grace of GOD in him, who staied him, that he followed not the multitude to do euil, neither was led with the most sort, to do, as most do.

The Doctrines whyche thys second braunche ministreth vnto vs, are dy­uerse, but chieflye these: Firste, that with God there is no respect of persons, but that out of al trades of life, and sorts of men, those that hate sin and delighte in righteousnes, are acceptable to him: so y^e [Page 40] here for oure comforte is set downe, that whiche the Scriptures plentifully other where do teache, before him, there is nei­ther bonde nor frée, neyther riche nor poore, neither wise, nor foolishe, neither man, nor woman, neither Gretian, nor Barbarian, Iewe, nor Gentile, but whosoeuer he be that calleth on the name of the Lorde, shall be saued. In greate mercie he hath receiued Noah the drun­ken, Abraham the Idolater, Lot the in­cestuous, Dauid an adulterer. Mathewe the Publicane, Peter the denier of hys Maister. Paule the persecutor, and Cor­nelius the Capitaine, not to encourage vs boldelye to synne, but for to assure vs (if of infirmitie falling with these, we do with the same by harty repentāce run vnto him) he hath in store for vs the like mercie which he had for thē. As for such as can peruersly alleage the falles of the godlie as bucklers for their wickednesse, their estate is daungerous and almoste desperate, but the LORDE kéepe vs from presumptuous and malicious sinnes.

We sée here again, in that Cornelius [...] Capitaine and Souldioure is called by GOD to the vnderstandyng of hys worde and fayth in Christe, and not bid­den to laye aside armoure, and caste a­way his weapon, and take him to a new [...]rade and profession of life, that the voca­tion of a souldioure is suche, as if it be well and honestlye vsed, displeaseth not GOD, and that it is also lawfull for [...] Christian Magistrate (for suche a one was Cornelius) to vse the sword, either [...]or the defence of the godlye, or for the punishment of the wicked, the whiche Paule at large teacheth in the thirtéenth of the Romaines, and I mention in a worde to ouerthrowe the furie of the A­nabaptistes, which contrary to the scrip­ [...]ures do teache, that it is vnlawfull for [...]he Magistrate to vse the sworde.

We learne further, that vnder vngod­ [...]y persecutors and wicked Tirants, God notwithstandyng hathe alwaies hadde [...]ome that haue feared and serued him: So in the Court of Pharao was Ioseph [...]nder Achab, Obadiah, vnder the Kyng [Page 42] of Aram, Naaman the Syrian: vnder Herode the Ruler at Capernaum: a­mongste the Scribes and Pharisies, that made a lawe to excommunecate Christ, and all those that didde confesse him, the chiefe ruler of the Sinagoge: vnder Ty­berius, or else Caligula, a moste cruell persecuter, this Cornelius. And I no­thyng doubt, but that at this day wythin the gates and pallace of Rome, the Lord hath yet some one good Obadiah or other, that one daye he will vse, as singular instrumēts for the behoofe of his Church.

Yet is there behind one lesson more to be learned oute of thys seconde mem­ber, very profitable, being applyed, for these oure daies and times, that we now liue in, for oute of this that is here saide of Cornelius his being Captaine of the Italian bande at Cesarea, you euidently sée by that whiche hathe béene noted be­fore of Cesarea, namelye, that it was a Towne of the Iewes, but subiected to the Romanes, with all the reste of the Countrey: you sée (I saye,) that manye tymes it commeth to passe, that GOD [Page 43] deliuereth vppe a people that was wont [...]o be gouerned by godlye lawes and or­ders, and vnder godly Princes, vnto Ti­rants and persecutors, for their greate [...]ngratitude and vnthankefulnesse. For who were euer better gouerned, and with more equal and reasonable gouern­ment, than were the people of the Iews: [...]et when they disdained to be ordered, [...]y the gouernement of godlye Princes, whome GOD appointed ouer them, [...]n the ende, he bereaued them of that be­ [...]efite, and gaue them, who knewe not [...]ell to vse the libertie that he had pla­ [...]ed them in, so farre ouer vnto the subie­ [...]ion of others, that they were nowe not [...]ely vnder the rule of Presidentes and [...]eputies, but also hadde in al their Ci­ [...]es, bandes, & garrisons of forrē souldi­ [...]rs, amongest the which, albeit some [...]nes they mette with some one suche as [...]is oure Cornelius, which was a thing [...]oste seldome, yet the miseries that vn­ [...] those other, they suffered, were won­ [...]full, and suche as they can better re­ [...]ēber, y^t sometimes haue liued vnder y^e [Page 44] gripings of the sharpe talants of those ea­gree and gréedy Hawkes, I meane the violence of forraine Souldioures, than I am able to expresse: and the Lorde, if it be his will, graunt, that we Englishmen haue neuer laste, nor experience of the like.

Lette vs therefore here-out learne t [...] be thankefull vnto God for placing ouer vs in great mercie so godly & gratious [...] Quéene,a lesson for Englande. vnder whose most quiet & peaceable gouernment (notwithstandyng y^e wi [...] ­ked foretellings and lying Prophesies o [...] false [...]arted papists of hir maiesties det [...] at the end of this seuen, and that seauen besides their malicious practises, to accomplishe it, for the whiche some of the [...] heades haue bin worthily exalted, as [...] truste the reste, if they maye be know [...] shall be as they well deserue to be.) W [...] haue thus long enioied the cleare shini [...] lighte of the Gospell, and GOD gran [...] hir to his good will & pleasure many yer [...] more to raigne ouer vs stil for the bett [...] and more plentifull furtheraunce of t [...] preaching of his worde, lette vs (I say [Page 45] learne to be thankfull, and not giue oc­ [...]asion throughe oure greate contempte [...]nd disobedience, and godlesse, and farre [...]nchristian liuing, that God in his great [...]rath and hote anger, take hir maiesty [...]waye from vs, and with hir also his [...]orde, as in oure remembraunce for the [...]ke sinnes, he didde oure vertuous King Edward, hir Graces moste deare and [...]odly brother. We were vnworthy of [...]im then, we are vnworthye of hir now: [...]e contemned the worde preached vnder [...]im then: we are wearie of it preached [...]nder hir Maiesty now: there was much [...]aching vnder him then, and small folo­ [...]ing: there is more teaching vnder hir [...]owe, and a great deale lesse following. For oure not folowing then, he tooke frō [...]s oure zealous Iosias, and scourged vs [...]y a Marie: his arme is not shortened, he [...]an againe for oure not following nowe, [...]ake away our vertuous and godly De­ [...]ora, and punish vs with the like: Pray, [...]ray, and most hartily beloued, pray, that [...]e doe it not, as oure sinnes haue wel de­ [...]erued, that he shoulde doe it. For if he do [Page 46] it, as this and farre greater plagues he hathe threatned to those that are con­temners of his worde, by the miseries that heretofore you haue suffered in the late dayes of afflictiō, you may easily ga­ther what shal bée the state of the godlye vnder all wicked Athaliahs, and mer­cilesse Tyrantes, suche as GOD v­seth to sende vppon those that haue not learned to be thankful and obedient vn­to vertuous, gentle, and godly Gouer­noures. Wherefore, if in the former daies of trouble, wyth greate and grie­uous sobbes and sighes, we haue lamen­ted oure vnthankefulnesse towardes the worde, when we had it: Nowe the Lorde to trie vs, hath once againe sent it, lette vs remember to be thankfull: if then in oure miseries, we coulde consider howe greate a plague it was to be punished with a Tyraunte, lette vs nowe weigh [...] howe greate a blessyng it is, to be go­uerned by so gentle & merciful a Quéene if then we longed to be deliuered from the heauie yoke of forraine crueltie: let vs nowe poure oute oure moste harty [...] [Page 47] prayers, for the continuaunce of oure ioyfull libertie, vnder the long and pro­sperous raigne of oure Soueraigne La­dye: if when in times before, we hadde the Gospell, wée broughte foorthe no fruites of the Gospell, lette vs, hauing nowe againe the Gospell, praye to oure GOD, that oure conuersation and liuing may be agréeable to the Gospell, least (as before I noted,) oure hainous offences, worthilye prouoke oure GOD in greate displeasure, to take from vs oure gratious Gouernesse, vnder whose Christian regiment we haue thus long enioyed it, and many yeares longer God graunt we may haue both hir & it, and in a holy and vertuous walking, expresse & followe it, leaste for oure ingratitude we taste of the like sause, that the Iewes did for their disobedience, whiche, as I haue hadde verye fitte occasion, by theyr subiection vnto others to note, so I be­séeche you praye all hartilye to GOD, that wée maye be warned and lear­ned by it. For truely (beloued) vnlesse we bring forth better fruites of Christiani­tie, [Page 48] than hitherto we haue done it, can not be chosen, but that God must néedes punish vs with this, or some other farre greater punishement, if any can be grea­ter. You muse peraduenture to sée mée so fearefull, and I muche more wonder, to sée England so carelesse. If you wil aske of me, why I thinke that GOD wyll visite vs, I answere, for the multitude of oure sinnes and offences, whiche daylye are cōmitted expresly against his word, and for many of them being notorious & suche as he himselfe hathe commaunded to be punished with death,Why God muste needes [...]unishe Eng­ [...]ande. either they are often lette passe vnpunished, or else there is no punishement for them at all, or if there be, it is so toyishe, I had almoste saide Popishe, that it rather cherisheth, than kylleth the sinne. And bycause you shall not thinke my wordes to be as it were but a skar Crow, or that I haue made muche ado aboute nothing, I wil note vnto you in a worde some of them, and leaue to youre iudgement, whether that I haue spoken, that whiche I haue spoken, withoute cause, or no, or also [Page 49] as not appertayning to my matter in hand of the Iewes at Cesarea and other places, being in subiection for their sins to forreine power, that we may auoyde the great sinnes whyche we dayly runne into, for feare of the like or greater pu­nishment, by howe much our knowledge and teaching is greater and clearer than theirs.Swearing. Swearing and blaspheming the name of God, as it is a figure that clear­ly toucheth the honour of God, so in hys worde is it expressely forbidden, and also commaunded to be punished with death, yet how outragiously and commonlye is it vsed amongst all degrées and states of people, from the Lorde to the begger, and from the Courtier to the Carter, yea to the yong chylde of thrée yeares olde: be­sides that I fear me a great number this Fayer and at other times, doe laye their soules to paune to the Dyuell by feareful othes for their gaynes, sometimes but of a pennie in vttering their wares: and what punishmente I praye you is there for it? It is written that the Plague shall neuer departe from the house of [Page 50] the swearer, and thinke you then that it hangeth not ouer the lande in whiche is such terrible swearing in the cleare light of the Gospell, and the offendours not touched with so much as a fillip? if there were no moe but thys, it is not without cause that I put you in minde to leaue it, leaste the Lorde doe plague you. It is set downe by the Prophet for one of the causes of y^e children of Israels being led into captiuity, [...]reach of y^e [...]abboth. for that they kepte not the Lords Sabboth: and what became of him that gathered sticks on that day, I doubt not but you will remember: we notwith­standing on the Lordes daye muste haue Fayers kept, must haue Beare baytyng, Bulbayting (as if it wer a thing of neces­sity for the Beares of Paris gardē to be bayted on the Sunnedaye) muste haue baudie Enterludes, siluer games, dicing, carding, tabling, dauncing, drinking, and what I praye you is the penaltie of the offenders herein, forsooth a flap wyth a Foxe tayle, as if our Sauiour Christe had commen for his day to set vs at ly­bertie to doe what we liste. And truely a [Page 51] lamentable thing it is to tell, but a great deale more lamentable, that it is not pu­nished. I dare boldelye stande to a­uouche it, that there is no daye in the wéeke, wherin God is so much dishonou­red, as on that daye when he shoulde bée best serued. And muste we for these a­buses thinke at the Lordes hand to scape vncorrected:Drunkēne [...] What shoulde I speake of beastly drunkennesse, whiche so far as I can learne, hath no punishmente at all? What of whordome,Whordom [...] by the lawe of the moste vprighte lawe-maker that euer was, being made a Capitall sinne, and whyche the Euangelist Luke in the pa­rable of the séed termeth a thorn, shal we thinke that a thorne will be killed wyth spreading a white shéete ouer it, when it rather craueth an axe? So to think to re­strain it, is as endlesse and fonde a worke as to go aboute to hewe downe a greate thorne with a bull-rushe: the Lord if it be his good pleasure, graunte vs a sharper toole to cut both it and other stinckyng wéedes downe with all, for I assure you, if these vices be thus styll, eyther [Page 52] not at all punished, or else so slightly pu­nished, the Lorde will more sharpely pu­nishe vs, eyther in suche sorte as I haue shewed you he did these Iewes, or in some other more grieuous, as he wan­teth not infinite meanes vnknowen vnto vs, to punishe the contempte of his word, from whēce these vices spring, the which I pray God the chastisemente of these Iewes maye cause vs to shunne.

[...]he third [...]nch of the [...]t generall [...]nte.For the thirde braunche of my firste parte is set down, that Cornelius was a Godly, or a religious and deuoute man, and one that feared God: wher commeth to be handled Cornelius his Godlinesse and vertue. The worde which is commō ­ly translated a deuoute and a religious man, and here attributed to Cornelius, doth properly signifie one that doth true­ly and in suche sorte as he ought to doe, worshippeth GOD, a righte and a true worshipper of God, whereby we learne that Cornelius had nowe forsaken and giuen ouer his olde Heathenish religion, in whiche his father, and fathers fathers in many generations had long cōtinued, [Page 53] worshipping those for Goddes, whome it pleased men so to account. For the case so stoode concerning religion with the Ro­maines then, as it did with vs in the late dayes of Poperie, in which none myghte be taken for a Saincte, but suche as the Pope his holynesse had Canonized for a Saint. For Tertullian in his booke cal­led an Apologie or defence againste the Gentiles. Page. 186. and 587. as is printed at Paris by Paruus, doth shewe, that it was a decrée amōgst y^e Romanes, that none shoulde be made a God by the Emperour, vnlesse he were first allowed of the Senate, in so much that when Ti­berius Cesar hauing hearde of the my­racles of Christe, woulde by prerogatiue of his Emperourshippe haue made him a God, the Senate woulde none of hym, bycause they had not allowed him. The worlde was then growen to a trimme passe, that man must forsooth be good vnto God. For vnlesse God pleases man, he shall be no God, as Tertullian in y^e same place speaketh. By this appeareth howe daungerous it was for Cornelius a pub­like [Page 54] magistrate to embrace Christ his re­ligion, whome the Romayne Senate so scornefully disdayned. And what crueltye they vsed towardes the Christians, the stories of y^e age do sufficiently witnesse, whiche shewe, that the christians were smered ouer with pitch and Rosen aliue, and set on fire with torches to light their cruell Persecuters home from their banckquets in the night. But it was (no doubt) the mightie operation of God his holy spirite, that had armed him against all encombraunces that might fall vpon him, who (no doubt) had prepared himself against displeasure, losse of his office and captaineship, and also losse of life too, the leaste of whiche mighte otherwise haue discouraged him, who amongst y^e Iewes also coulde sée nothing that might harte him on, but rather pull him backe, séeing amongst them so manifolde corruptions & passing ignoraunce of the law of God, a small and slender knowledge whereof was rare to be founde, euen in the thou­sandth man of them, in so much that some thinke, and that very godlye, that it came [Page 55] to passe by the special and singular proui­dence of God, that Cornelius mette with some zealous and learned Iewe, that in­structed him in the true knowledge and vnderstanding of the lawe, by meanes whereof he so muche profited in religion and feare of the Lorde.

1 We learne firste out of this thirde branch,The Lessons of this thirde braunch. in that Cornelius leaueth his old heathenish religion and Idolatrie, which his forefathers folowed, y^t we must not be away from the truth neyther with multi­tude nor prescription of time. It is a cō ­mon argumēnt now adays, what are you better than your forefathers? did not they go to masse, worship Images, runne on Pilgrimage, fall downe before the holye sacrament of the Alter, and to be shorte, obserue all order of holy Church? Why shoulde you therefore be so singular? are you wiser or better learned than they? Al these I saye, and what soeuer else maye be alleaged to like purpose, doeth the ex­ample of Cornelius confute, who for the maintenaunce of his olde Paganisme, might very wel haue recited y^e examples [Page 56] of his forefathers, & the long & auncient continuaunce of the heathenishe religion, by thousandes of yeares more aunciente than it of the Popes, in comparison of his being as it were but an infant of a dayes olde. Let vs therefore after his example in matters of religion set aside the pra­ctise of our forefathers: and let our olde auncient customes vaile their bonnet to the worde of the Lorde. For so are we di­rectly in hys holy worde commaunded: Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do euill. Exod. 23.2. And againe: walke ye not in the or­dinances of your fathers, neyther obserue their maners, nor defile your selues with their Idols. I am the Lorde your God: Walke in my statutes, & kepe my iudge­ments, and do them, &c. Oh that our Pa­pistes had eyes to sée this, and heartes to beleeue it, with earnest mindes also to followe it, then woulde they not be so blinded with these vaine shadowes of fa­thers, times and customes, but woulde measure y^e truth of religion by the square of the word, which the Lorde if it be hys pleasure, graunt them to do.

[Page 57] 2 Secondly we learne out of this place and by this example of Cornelius, in re­ceyuing of true religion, not to tarrie vn­till the chiefe rulers and Magistrates imbrace it, but so soone as God reuealeth it vnto vs, presently to take the occasion offered, and to followe it, otherwise if Cornelius had wayted vpon the Empe­rours receyuing it, he might till this daye haue wallowed in his olde puddle of he­thenishe superstition, like as in manye cuntries at this time, if the people should tarrie the leysure of theyr Princes, they muste still remaine in the filth of Popish Idolatrie. Those Neutres therefore, that if there come an hundreth chaunges, are still iumpe of the Princes religion, are by this example manifestly confuted. Yet hereof doth not followe, that if the ma­gistrate commaunde false religion, that therefore, the subiecte maye with force [...]esist, but rather offering his body to the pleasure of his Prince, for the fréedome [...]f his conscience, saye with the Apostle: Whether it be better to obey God or mā, [...]udge you.

[Page 58] 3 Thirdely, in that the holy Ghoste sayth, that Cornelius was a religious or deuoute manne, is moste apparante that to bée godly and religious appertey­neth not onely to the ministers, but al­so vnto those whome they call secular persons, by which also is beaten downe their vaine distinction, made betwéene them of the ministerie, and the rest of the people, the one of them to be termed the Spiritualtie, and the other, the Tempo­raltie: the one the Cleargie, and the other the Laytie: whiche difference as it came first from Rome, so I woulde to GOD that there it were againe. The onlye good it hath done is this, namely, it hath made a greate manye, and that of those principallye whyche are of greatest cal­lings, to thinke, that it belongeth onlye to those of the ministerie to bée godlye, to bée zealous, to feare GOD, to bée religious, as for themselues they néede take no care nor kéepe of anye suche matter, but rather wyth gréedynesse followe euerye one that whyche best [...] liketh his corrupte affection. But thy [...] [Page 59] example of Cornelius, sayde to be a de­uoute and religious man, sufficientlye confuteth all those whiche so thinke, and withall, learneth euerye perticular person, that hée muste bée carefull to serue GOD, to feare him, to wor­ship him, to pray vnto him, and that reli­giously & deu [...]tly, and that it is not only the part of euery priuate man so to do, but also concerneth as well the Magistrate, for Cornelius was a Magistrate, & ther­fore hereby is also ouerthrowen the most wicked assertion of the vnpure Atheiste Machiauel, Machiauell. who shameth not in most vn­godly manner to teach, that princes néed make no accounte of godlynesse and true religion, but onely to make an outwarde shewe of it: for that (sayth he) is ynough, albeit in minde they abhorre it. And that which is most horrible, he affirmeth fur­ther, that the religiō of christians casteth them down into too much humilitie, aba­teth al courage and towardnesse, and ma­keth thē fit to be wronged & spoiled, wher­as y^e religion of y^e Gentiles maketh them [...]o be of stout courage, & emboldneth them [Page 60] manly to atchiue great matters: yet wyl he forsooth, that Princes pretende reli­gion, the better to kepe their subiectes within the compasse of their dueties, with the feare and reuerence thereof. This poyson and a greate deale more suche filth blusheth not this malaperte and pelting Town-cleark of Florence to spew out, teaching Princes not to make accountes of religion or godlynesse: and yet must this vile beaste in many courtes of other nations be the only Court booke, nay the Alcoram and God of Courtiers, whose diuellish precepts they put in day­ly vre, learning to be godlesse. The Lord graunte he take no place among oure courtiers, and that they rather set before thē y^e examples of this our Cornelius, of Dauid, of Iosias, of Ezechias, & suche like, who were all magistrates, and godly and religious magistrats, and in the scripture highly commended for the same, whose factes and déedes vnto godlinesse, I hum­bly exhorte our nobilitie and gentlemen rather to followe, than the decrées of thys deceyuer, and the furies of this [Page 61] Excetra and venemous serpent vnto A­theisme and vngodlynesse.Excetra w [...] a kinde of [...] nemous S [...] [...]pent. from whom wherone head w [...] cut off, three sprang vp in his stead as they do write of him

Fourthly, Cornelius being a publike Magistrate, and openlye professing re­ligion, not waying the daunger that thereby might insue vnto him, as the displeasure of the Emperoure, the losse of his lyuing, of hys gooddes, and of hys life, teacheth all men, and amongst the reste noble men, boldlye to professe and also expresse religion and godlynesse, and not to stande aloofe for feare of dis­pleasure, and losse of their honour, their roomes, and theyr offices, as a greate manye nowadayes doe, where there is in déede no feare, hauing so Godlye a Prince, vnto whome nothing can bée more ioyfull than to heare that hyr no­bilitye and commons are moste religi­ous and Godly. A greate manye in this cleare light of the Gospell, in which euerye man vnder his owne vine, and vnder hys owne figge trée (as the Pro­phete speaketh) maye boldely sitte and reason of the wordes and wayes of hys GOD, are notwythstandyng so [Page 62] luke warme, or rather in déede key cold, that one can not tell what to make of thē. They are very like the thing called Spō ­gia, the whiche a man can hardely tell whether it haue any life at al, sauing that when it is touched, it draweth it selfe more closelye togyther, and cleaueth a great deale faster, to the thing it hangeth on: so they all these twentie yeares, in whiche the word hath béen preached, are notwithstanding so close to themselues, that you can not by anye meanes knowe their religion, or what they professe: nay. if such as by their calling it lyeth vpon to trye them, and therfore doubting of them wil go about to féele them, to sée whether there be in them any life of the word and any knowlege of God méete for a christi­an, then will they indéede play the righte Spongiaes, & cleane more hardly to theyr rocke of close professiō, shrinking in their selues, and wil not stick to say vnto you: my religion (Sir) nay you must pardō me therin, I kepe that secrete frō my dearest friend: none shal know my conscience, but God & my self. But truely it were great­ly [Page 63] to be wished, y^t the Quéenes Maiestie would take order, that these Spongiaes, of what degrée soeuer they be, may be pulled vp frō this stone of secrete and priuie pro­fession, and the rather, for that it can not be chosen, but y^t they which deale so close­ly towards God in this peace of y^e Gospel, must néeds be as hollowe harted towards hir maiesty, what soeuer they pretende to the contrarie. But these are the warye children, they wil beare thēselues warily and wisely as they thinke, for feare of a chaunge, but the Lorde (I trust) in bles­sing hir maiestie with long continuance of reygne ouer vs, will disappoint them of their purpose, as hytherto he hath done, and cause that before they haue their chaunge, they themselues shall first make a change of life with death, by one meanes or other. In the mean season, the Lorde graunt hir fewe of these doubtfull Spongiaes, and great store of Corneliās, such as do boldlye, but yet truely religi­ouslye and deuoutely serue and feare the Lorde. For in those doth consiste hir su­ [...]este safetie, and those, when so euer [Page 64] she shall haue néede, shée shall finde hir trustiest friendes. For those that truelye worship God, and embrace his religion, will no doubte, most faithfully serue and obey hir. But were it so with vs, as it is with manye of our brethren in other Countryes, that we coulde not serue GOD truely without the daunger of our liues, yet Cornelius, who was in the like daunger, telleth vs what to doe, and so doeth also Daniel, wyth Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago: of the whiche, he chose rather to be caste into the Lyons denne, than he woulde make prayer to anye other than the true God: and they thoughte it better to be thrown into the hote burning ouen, than to worship y^e golden image of Nabucha [...] ­nezer. For this saying of Christ shal stād to the ende of the world true: He that is ashamed to acknowledge me before mē, I wil bee also ashamed to acknowledge him before my father in the kingdome of heauen. But the case is nothing so wyth vs as it was with Cornelius. We maye professe religion, in safetie, he coulde not [Page 65] without daunger: we enioy the worde in peace, he with persecution: we with the liking of oure Prince haue the libertie of our conscience, he could not serue God without the displeasure of the Emperor: we néede not to feare the losse of life nor goodes, he stoode in great hazarde of them bothe: and yet in this greate peace, pros­peritie, quiet, safetie, and libertie, we stand vpon such a nice and tender point, of sauing honour, estimation, credite, fa­uour, loue and liking, that rare is that man that will venter to open his mouth for the furtheraunce of the building of Gods Churche, or speake for the prefer­ring of good and godly causes, wheras in our own causes, if it be for a licence that may tend to oure owne commoditie, or that may enrich our owne coffers, albeit to the great hindraunce of many others, Lorde, how will we labour, toile, trauel, go, run, ride, speake, sue, and sue againe, till we haue obtained it, which argueth in vs great want of zeale, for the glorie of God, which he for his Christes sake stirre vppe, and kindle in vs. We are far [Page 66] vnlike the good Christian Capitaine Te­renti, [...]erentius a [...]b [...]e Capi­ [...]yne. who returning with a ioyfull vi­ctorie ouer his Princes enimies, Valens the Emperour badde aske what benefite he woulde at his hande, for his good ser­uice, and he shoulde haue it, who hauing before his eies, the furtherance of Gods glorie, rather thā the séeking of his own profite, requested, that the Christians which had ventured their liues in Gods cause, might haue a Churche erected to serue God in, aparte from the Arrian Heretikes. The Emperour being much moued at this request, in greate anger tore his supplication in péeces, and threw it on the grounde, bidding him aske some other thing, that might be for his prefer­ment: but he with a heauie countenance gathering vp y^e péeces of his supplicatiō, aunswered: I haue my rewarde, I will aske nothing else. This was indéede a right Cornelius, a deuout mā, & one that feared God. O that al Princes had store of such Terenties aboute them, that did make greter estéem of Gods glorie thā accompts of their own gaine and com­moditie, [Page 67] so shoulde true religion more freshly florishe, than in manye places it doth, the moste parte being busied about their owne profite, whilest it being neg­lected, falleth miserably to decaye and ruine, the Lorde for his mercies sake a­mende it.

As you haue hitherto hearde of such vertues in Cornelius, The fourth braunch in y^e fyrst general as did testifie hys inwarde sinceritie towardes God, name­ly, his religiousnesse and feare of God, so hereafter I wil make plaine vnto you suche outwarde exercises of his, as are sufficiet testimonies of his inward god­linesse, amongest the which is firste hys godly bringing vp of all his familie, bée­ing the fourth circumstaunce of my first generall point, and is contained in these words: He feared God with all his hou­sholde, whiche coulde not be small, he béeyng a Magistrate, and Capitayne of suche countenance, as you haue heard, and therefore his diligence and paines (no doubte) was excéedyng great, which hée tooke, in instructing suche a num­ber in the feare and knowledge of [Page 68] the Lorde, wherein the holy Ghoste wit­nessing, that they all profyted, it appea­reth euidently, that God did wonderfuly blesse his godlye endeuour and faythfull trauaile, by whiche it came to passe, that to his great ioy and comforte (no doubt) he had now a Church in his owne house, as euery true worshipper of God, in hys feare shoulde labour to haue.

Thus you sée, that Cornelius thought if not inough to be godly himself, vnlesse he had his housholde godlye to: he was not content himselfe alone to serue God, but woulde haue his familie also to doe the like: he iudged it his duty, as he him­selfe was religious, so to make holy vnto God all those which were his: he would not his selfe alone walke in the wayes of the Lorde, and suffer his seruants be­longing to his charge, to doe what they liste, to runne (as they say) at randone, to be at their owne libertie, and to liue as strangers from God, but would make them partakers of that knowledge, whi­che he himselfe had learned, whiche as it was a matter of greate paine, so was [Page 69] it also of no mall daunger, the religion of the Iewes being then in a manner v­niuersally hated and disdained, yea, and that whiche more is, of the proude and scornefull Romaynes cruellye persecu­ted.

But Cornelius was not ignorāt, that it was farre better to please God, than men, and that the ignorance of his fami­lie, shold be laid to his charge, if through his negligence and slouthfulnesse to in­struct them, they ran into his ignorance. Therefore not weighing the scorne nor persecution of mē, he walketh vprightly in the dischardge of his duetie, and faith­fully and painefullye teacheth his whole familie, to serue and feare the LORD, and in the end, reapeth the fruite of hys labours, namelye, the profiting of hys whole housholde in the true feare of the Lorde,Lette this whole trea­tise of chil­drens educa­tion, and houshold gouer [...] ment be wel marked. GOD bounteously blessing his godlye care and Christian trauell. We be taught hereby, that it is not ynoughe for euerye man to be deuoute and religi­ous, and to feare God himselfe, vnlesse he also faithfully and diligently laboure [Page 70] to make all his housholde and familie godly and religious to, which cannot bee done without muche paine and trauel, in diligent instructing them in the word of the Lorde, and in the principles of Christian religion, whiche duetie as it oughte of all housholders without anye exception be performed, so is it almost of all without exception neglected, to the high displeasure of almightie God, who hathe straightly and expresly commaun­ded it, and also to the great shame of vs, that haue so fowlie foreslewed it. But bycause this maye séeme vnto some, a straunge doctrine, and I peraduenture be iudged verye precise that woulde laye such a heauie burthen vpon mens necks, I will therefore directly proue vnto you out of the worde of GOD, that it be­longeth generallye vnto all persons, of what degrée and calling soeuer, to in­structe their children and familie in the worde of the LORDE, insomuche, that not the greatest Emperoure nor Monarche of the worlde, can omit this duetie, wythoute highe contempte vnto [Page 71] GOD in neglecte of that whiche hée hath so plainely and earnestly comman­ded, nay I say further, that euerye hou­sholder whatsoeuer, is not onely bound himself to be godly, and to traine vp his housholde in godlinesse, but also to turne out of his house & seruice all suche as are vngodly and tell scorne to learne. And I will not onely saye this, but directlye proue it by the Scripture, and I will doe it, as drawen therevnto by manifeste oc­casion of my Texte, whiche sayth, that Cornelius wyth all hys housholde feared God. For I haue hitherto noted no­thing, neither hereafter meane to doe, but that the godly maye easily sée, that the circumstances of my Text led me e­uidently therevnto: the whiche I speake bycause of scoffing quarellers, who, if the Preacher in greate zeale speake any thing to the rebuking of some notorious synne, althoughe it be neuer so godly spo­ken, yet if it be not bounded within the limites of hys Texte, they by and by flowte at it, and saye it was done for wante of matter, albeit in déede it make [Page 72] no matter, what suche scoffers prate and babble.

Deut. 4.9.In the fourth of Deuteronomie, it is written thus: But take heede to thy self, and keepe thy soule diligently, that thou forget not the thinges whiche thine eies haue seene, & that they departe not out of thine hearte, all the dayes of thy life, but teach them thy sonnes, and thy sons sonnes. Deut. 6.7. Likewise in the sixte chapiter of the same booke: And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children, and shalte talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp. This is againe repeated in the eleauenth chapiter, and a blessing added to those that performe it, in these wordes: That youre daies may be multiplyed, and the dayes of youre children, in the lande, whiche the Lorde sware vnto youre fathers to giue them, as long as the Heauens are aboue the Earth. Psal. 78.6.7. The like you haue in the Psalme, where you find it thus writtē: That the posteritie might know it, & the childrē, [Page 73] which shoulde be borne, shoulde stande vp, and declare it to their children, that they might set their hope on God, and not forget the workes of God, but kepe his commaundements. Ephes. 6.4. To the Ephesi­ans, parentes are commaunded to bring vppe their children in instruction and in­formation of the Lord.Deut. 17.19. In Deuterono­mie, the king himselfe is charged dili­gently to be exercised in the reading of y^e worde of the Lorde, as well for the in­struction of himselfe, as also the better gouernement of his subiects in the feare of the Lorde This thing didde the good King Iosias obserue,2. King. 23.2.3. reading his owne selfe the lawe of the Lorde vnto his sub­iectes, and caused all to make a coue­naunt, that they would walke according to that whiche they vnderstood the Lord to require at their hande. Iosua, the vali­aunte and vertuous Capitaine of the LORDE, didde dayly reade the word of the Lorde, and out of it verye godlye exhorte all the people to feare and serue the Lord.

The Quéene of Sheba greatlye com­mendeth1. King. [...]. [Page 74] King Salomon for his godly or­der in his house & familie. Dauid, whom y^e scriptures reporte to haue bin a King according to God his owne hearte, was not onely godly himselfe, but also care­full to haue all his subiectes, and princi­pallye those of his owne house, vnfained­ly to feare the Lorde, as appeareth in the Psalme. 101. where he sayeth: That he will destroy suche as priuily slaunder their neighbour, that he will not suffer those that haue proude lookes and highe hartes: that those whyche are the faith­full of the lande, shall dwell with hym, and those that walke in the perfect way, shall serue him: that no deceitful person shall dwell wyth hym, nor anye that telleth lyes remaine in his sighte: that he will betymes cutte off all the wicked of the lande, and to be shorte, concerning the gouernement of his house, that hée will walke in the vprightnesse of hys harte, in the middest of his house, where­by, as the wordes following doe de­clare, he meaneth to vse exquisite dili­gence [Page 75] in trayning vppe his housholde in the seruice of the Lord. Helie the Priest of the Lorde, for letting his children runne at libertie, is himselfe charged to haue committed those sinnes, whiche in his sonnes he lette passe vnpunished: be­sides that, God fearefully punished both him and his sonnes, for neglecting hys dutie in this behalfe, for he himselfe fell and brake his neck, his two sonnes were slaine in battell both in one daye, the Arke of the Lord takē by the Philistins, and .3000. people slaine, his sonnes wife vppon the newes sodainelye broughte to bedde before hir time, and dieth in tra­uaile, whiche heauie iudgementes maye learne al men worthily to tremble at the forslewing their duetie, in instructing their families. Abraham is greatly prai­sed for his carefulnesse, in teaching his children & houshold to walk in the waies of the Lord: For thus it is writtē of him: For I know him, Gen. 18.19. that he wil cōmand his sons & his houshold after, that they kepe the way of the Lord, to do righteousnes and iudgement, that the Lord may bring [Page 76] vppon Abraham, that he hathe spoken vnto him. All these bothe commaunde­mentes and examples (do I trust) suffici­ently proue, that it is the part of al men, of what calling soeuer, to vse singular di­ligence and trauaile, to haue their fami­lie, and suche as belong to their charge, to feare the Lorde. As for that I sayde they muste also kéepe none suche in their house as are stubborne, and tell scorne to serue the Lorde, the example of Dauid out of the .101. psalme, who will suffer no wicked person to dwell wyth hym, nor serue him, and therefore none that fea­reth not the Lord, doth sufficiently proue it. But thou wilte saye, Dauid was a King, and I saye vnto thée, so arte thou both a King and Bishoppe to, ouer thy house and familie: a King by gouerne­ment, to kéepe in awe: and a Byshoppe by instruction to teach: & mayst so muche the easier and with lesse daunger, teach and correct thine owne familie, as it is easier and lesse dangerous to deale with a priuate familie, thā w^t a whole realme, & therfore the greater punishmnt shalte [Page 77] thou haue, if herein thou omit thy dutie.

If then the instructing of those vnder oure gouernement in the worde of the Lorde bée suche,The nece [...] ty of instructing those vnder our [...] charge in [...] feare of th [...] Lorde. as by the commaunde­ment of God is laide vppon all: if Kings notwithstanding their many cares and troubles, are not exempted from this du­tie: if Capitaines in warre, who of al o­ther might séeme to be priuiledged, are tied to this charge: If Helie the Priest of the Lord were punished with y^e necke breake for omitting it: if Abraham were greatly praised for the dooing of it: What is he that can chalenge to himselfe frée­dome, from the performaunce of thys, bothe godly and necessarie duetie?Abraham. God fayeth of Abraham, I know he wil teach his children and housholde, to walke in the wayes of the Lorde: But (alas) my beloued, what is the man, or where is his dwelling, of whome we maye saye, I knowe he is painefull in instructing his children and housholde in the wayes of the Lord. Surely suche a one is almoste as rare vpon earth, as a blacke Swan.

It is saide of this oure Cornelius, Cornelius. that [Page 78] he feared God with his whole houshold, but how many housholdes may [...]e [...]nd amongest vs, where the goodman himself maketh no accompts of religion, [...] maruell then, if the reste of his familie be Godlesse? The Lorde by Moses com­maundeth his people, daylye to ins [...] their children in the knowledge of hys worde: but so farre are the moste parte of vs from doing thereof, that we oure selues reade not in a yeare a Chapiter of it.

And whereas euerye man is bounde to catechize his owne familie, a greate many of oure ministers are so ignorant, that they hadde néede to learne. Cate­chismes themselues, whiche, as in re­specte of their ignoraunce, it is very mét they should do, so for the same respecte it were farre better that they were vtterly remoued, and able Pastors put in theyr roomths. [...]uid. Dauid will walke with an vp­righte heart in the middest of his house, and we wil walke in our houses we care not howe loosely. [...] Iosias at once hearing the lawe of the Lorde, immediatlye pre­pareth [Page 79] hymselfe to obey the same, and bindeth all his Subiectes by couenaunte to doe the like. The Lorde putte it into the mynde of oure godly Princesse, that as she is of hir selfe willing to heare the Lawe of the Lorde, so likewise after the example of good Iosias, she may be care­full to cause all hir Subiectes to make a couenaunte, to walke after the com­maundementes of the LORDE: so (I trust) there would be spéedie remedy againste this great neglecting of our du­tie, in the vertuous education of oure families in the feare of the Lorde, the whiche on oure partes being so muche forslewed, it is no maruaile, if manye times wée find small obedience,Howe God punisheth th [...] forslewing o [...] this duetie. at the handes of oure housholde. For so doeth God often leaue manifest tokens of hys wrath, in punishing disobedience wyth disobedience.

Howe canste thou, whosoeuer thou arte, looke to haue thy familie faithfull vnto thée, and thou thy selfe art faith­lesse to GOD? doest thou maruayle that thy seruauntes feare not thée, when [Page 80] as thou fearest not the Lorde, wilte thou stiffely maintaine thine aucthoritie ouer those vnder thy charge, and thy selfe, yeld no obedience vnto the aucthoritie of the eternall? Thinkest thou muche that thy wife and thy children shewe themselues not so obedient vnto thée, as peraduen­ture they oughte, and canste thou not sée howe thy selfe arte a Traytoure and Rebel vnto God, withoute all kéepe or regarde breaking his statutes, and with­out any pricke or remorse of conscience, neglecting and contemning his comman­dementes? Howe shall those vnder thy charge performe their dutie vnto thée, if thou performe no duety vnto God? Nay howe rather shall they fyrste learne to feare God, and then next truly serue thée without instruction in the worde of the Lorde? Is it not expreslye sette downe in the Psalme,Psal. [...]8. [...]. Howe God established a te­stimonie in Iacob, and ordained a Lawe in Israell, whiche he commaunded oure fathers, that they shoulde teache theyr children. And this lawe whiche he spea­keth of, is the commaundement before [Page 81] recited out of Deuteronomie, concerning parentes often and diligent acquainting their children with the word of the Lord. You sée therefore beloued,Al househol­ders ought t [...] be wel seene in the Scriptures. that it greatlye concerneth al you, that are householders, to be very well exercised and practised in the holy Scriptures. For how can it bée possible that one shoulde teache another the thing that he himselfe is ignoraunte in? The father can not teache his sonne that which he himself knoweth not. The maister cannot instruct his seruaunte in y^e word which he neuer readeth. The hus­band (as Paul cōmaundeth he should) can not teache hys wife, himselfe being rude and ignoraunt. The Prince can not de­clare vnto his subiectes the wyll of the Lord, the whiche himselfe hath not lear­ned out of his worde: all these notwyth­standing, being (as you haue heard) char­ged from the Lord, with this duty, it doth hereof necessarily follow, that fathers, maisters, husbandes, yea the prince him­selfe ought diligently to exercise thēselues in the reading of the worde of God, that they maye euerye one seuerally teache it [Page 82] to them of their charge, that they out of it maye learne to feare the Lorde. The Lorde hys blessing the diligence of Cor­nelius in the vertuous education of hys familie, with profyting generallye in his feare, oughte to encourage vs all to followe hys moste godly example, hoping that GOD in his greate mercye wyll graunt vnto our Christian trauayle lyke successe. For it can not be, that eyther the Prince of subiectes, or the father of hys children, or the husbande of hys wyfe, or the maister of his seruauntes, shoulde hope for that subiection, that obedience, that reuerence, that faythfulnesse, which they of right ought to haue, and the other of duetie are bound to perfourme, vnlesse they laboure to teache them the feare of the Lorde. It maye be also that a man faythfullye labouring to bring vp hys familye in the knowledge of GOD, shall haue notwithstanding vngodly and disobedient children, wife, or seruauntes: for Adam had Cain: Noah had Cham: A­braham had Ismael: Isaac had Esau: Ia­cob had of his owne sonnes that woulde [Page 83] [...]ue firste slaine, but afterwarde altered [...]heir purpose, and tolde Ioseph: Helie had [...]ophm & Phinehas: Samuel his sonnes [...]ere vniuste Iudges ouer the people: [...]ob hys wyfe bydde hir husbande curse GOD and dye: Dauid his own son Ab­ [...]alon rebelled agaynste hym: and Iu­ [...]as for money betrayed hys Mayster Christe: yet for all this, muste not we [...]et passe thys duetie of teaching oure [...]ouseholdes, but besides instructyng, [...]se also correctyng,Correction to be vsed as wel as instru­ction. where sinnes bée committed, or else wée shall bée guyltie of those sinnes, whyche we let passe in those vnder our gouernemente vncor­rected, whether we be priuate persons, [...]or Magistrates. For the holye Scrip­ [...]ures layeth vppon Helie the vngodly­nesse of his sonnes whiche was commit­ted with his knowledge, and the children of Israels worshipping of the Golden Calues, is imputed to those kings, which eyther commaunded them, or suffred thē, [...]or else did not destroye them. Paule also to the Romanes saith, that not onely they which committe these sinnes are worthy [Page 84] of death, but those also which consent [...] to them, and I feare me that as many of vs before God shall be founde to consent vnto sinnes, as do not punish them, if it lye in vs, in those that vnder our charge commit them. Wherefore as the Lorde hath layde vpon vs euery one for y^e moste part two persons:God hath layd vpon most men [...] persons. the one of our general calling to be Christians: and the other of that peculiar function that euerye one is appointed vnto: so let vs (beloued) for the Lorde his sake be carefull to discharge them both with a good conscience: let vs not do the one and forslow the other: let vs not thinke it sufficient to haue led the life of a godly christian, and to leaue vn­done the perfourmaunce of those duetyes whych in respect of our seuerall callings the Lord loketh for and requireth at our handes for example: let not the father thinke himselfe discharged that he him­selfe hath liued a Godly man, vnlesse hée also haue liued a godlye father, that is, haue brought vp his children in the in­struction and information of the Lorde. The householder muste not thinke hys [Page 85] duetie aunswered, if for his part he haue walked in the wayes of the Lord, vnlesse [...]e consider that besides a Christian man [...]e is also an householder, and a christian householder ought to be, whyche also hée [...]hall be, if he laboure earnestly that hys familie maye serue and feare the Lorde. The magistrate must not suppose hym­selfe to haue done ynough, if priuately, concerning himself, he haue liued religi­ously and in the feare of God, vnlesse he haue spared no paine nor diligence to bring his subiectes to be godly and religi­ous also. The like (I say) of all callings whatsoeuer, and in this respect am moste humblie and reuerentlye, in the feare of God to request you, right honourable my Lord Maior of this worthy Citie of Lō ­don, wyth the Worshipful Maister She­rifes and Aldermen, as the Lord (besides the generall callings of Christians, the whiche I truste,A request to the L. Mayor and hys bre­thren. and also hartlye praye that you Godly walke in,) hath layde vp­on you y^e persons of publike magistrates, that you will kepe in your seueral wards a carefull and diligente watche to méete [Page 86] with all suche abuses as highly offende God, and are directly againste hir maie­styes lawes, amongst the rest these: filthy Whordome, and beastly Drunkennesse, outragious and vnmeasurable Dicing and Carding, and horrible prophana­tion of the LORDE his daye, in flocking and thronging to baudie Playes by thousandes, whereas they ought to bée occupyed in hearing the worde of the Lord. For as for Whordome, it is cō ­mon: Drunkēnesse is no deynties in eue­rye Tauerne: Dicing and Cardyng in most of your ordinarie tabling places: re­sorting to Playes in the time of Sermōs a thing too manifest. For the other, as I haue them by reporte, so I wishe them false: if they be true, I desire to haue them punished with seueritie, & then shall you shew your selues religious & zealous Cornelians, in lyuing not onely godlye your selues, but also in séeking to bryng others belonging to your charge, to be honest, vertuous, and godlye likewise. Thus doing, the LORDE wil blesse wyth manye blessings both you and [Page 87] your Citye, whyche for Christe hys sake I beséeche him to doe. The same sute I am to make vnto all others in au­thoritye, and wythall to tell them, that y^e higher their calling is, the higher shal their place bée, and greater paynes in Hell, if in thys behalfe they omitte theyr duetie. For the myghtye men shall suffer mightie tormentes, and hée that knoweth hys Maysters will and doeth it not, shall be beaten wyth many stripes.

But bycause I am thus farre entred into thys large and fruitefull fielde of childrens education;That it is the part of al Scholemai­sters to teach their schollers out of y^e word of the Lord. & household gouern­ment, of fathers and householders gene­rally neglected, whilest where they should dayly and continuallye teache their chil­dren and families out of the worde of the Lorde to feare hym, manye of them daylye and nightly are occupyed in Di­cing, Carding and gaming, and yet must néedes be counted Protestants: giue me leaue I beséech you a little to directe my speach vnto those, whom in respect of their office it chiefly concerneth, to bring [Page 88] vp youth, I meane schoolemaisters, for a­mong all the diseases that these our days and times are grieuouslye sicke withall, there is none wherewith they are eyther more generally or more daungerously in­fected, thā with this that the most part of scholemasters, like as fathers and house-holders, thinke it no parte of their duety to meddle with instructing their schollers and pupilles in the worde of the Lorde & principles of christian religion. Wheras without the feare of the Lorde, there is no wisedome, neyther is it possible for youth to go well forwarde in vertue and good manners, things as necessarie as learning, whiche, without these, is but a ring of gold in a swines snoute, if they bée not trained vp in y^e knowledge of y^e word. For most true is that in déede golden say­ing of the Psalmist: Wherewithall shal a yong mā redresse his way? in taking heed thereto according to thy worde. Hear­ken, hearken all you that be Scholemai­sters, there is no other meanes to haue your youth to profite in vertue and god­lynesse, but by taking héede to the worde [Page 89] of the Lorde. And what parent is he that setteth hys sonne to schoole, but that hée woulde haue him as well godly as lear­ned? as well a vertuous childe, as a to­warde scholler? as well instructed vnto saluation, as furthered in prophane lear­ning? For if there be any that haue other endes in putting their children to schole, these being contemned, your schooles wer better to be without them, than combred wyth them. From whence come the gene­rall complaintes of the vngraciousnesse and vnhappinesse of schollers, but from this, that you neuer teache them theyr dueties out of the booke of the Lorde. Some of you, thinke ouer muche gentle­nesse to be the way, and others continual and tyrannicall scourgyng and whyp­pyng to be the way, whereas in déed you are both sortes far and wide out of the waye. For the one with too much leuitie encourageth thē to a leud licenciousnesse and loosenesse of maners: the others thin­king by cruell and butcherly beatyng to wynne reformation, ingender in them such a mislike and lothyng of learning, [Page 90] that they abhorre with as deadly hatred the schoole house, as we doe those things whiche are moste lothsome and noysome vnto vs. I like wel of gentlenesse, if it be such as by it manners be not corrupted & spilled, and on the other side I allowe of reasonable correction, so as it be vsed as the laste remedie, that is, when no other wyll serue. But the first, the best and the chiefest way, is to begin with teaching your youth the feare of the Lorde: For that is, as Salomon sayth, the beginning of Wisdome. But you feare peraduen­ture that it shoulde be to little profite to speake vnto children of religion: I heare you, and thinke of that you saye, as a cloake to hyde your faulte, and couer for your slouthfulnesse, rather than a true cause to staye this duetie. He that hathe sayd, suffer little children to come vnto me and forbidde them not, for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen, wyl no doubte, blesse your labours taken in hande in his feare. Beginne therefore at length and trye: you shal I warrant you, to your comfort, sée your youth profite in [Page 91] vertue and godlinesse. I would haue you, that setting aside all care of religion in your schollers, to make it your only pro­fession to reade them prophane Authors, shewe me the example but of one person, whome, eyther Tullie his Offices, or A­ristotle his Ethickes, or Plato his Pre­ [...]eptes of maners, euer yet made a god­ [...]y and a vertuous man. I am not against [...]he teaching of propha [...]e writers: I [...]nowe they haue their vse. But I vtter­ [...]ye misslike youre preposterous, backe­warde, and euerthwarte care in labou­ [...]ing, chiefely about these, ommitting that whiche shoulde be formoste, namelye in­ [...]truction out of the worde. Take heede [...]hat in respecte ye worthily runne not in­ [...]o the reprehension that oure sauioure Christe vseth towardes the Scribes and Pharises for touching Minte, and Annis, [...]nd Comyn, and leauing the weightye [...]atters of the lawe, as iudgement, mer­ [...]e, and fidelitie: that is, for taking much [...]aines about trifles, and dealing slender­ [...] and sleightly in matters of greate im­ [...]rtaunce. Let the name of God, and of [Page 92] his Christe be hearde often in youre scholes: let it be familiar vnto your schol­lers by continuall beating it into theyr heades. What though it enter in but soft­ly, the water by often dropping pierceth into the harde stone: by much heating the strong yron is made softe: by often put­ting into the fire the toughest stéele is made pliant. And yet in this comparison the case is far otherwise, for we are but the planters and waterers, God is he on­ly that giueth y^e increase. Wherfore this duetie of instructing being especiallye commaunded, being laboured in wyth re­uerence of his holy name and maiestye, he wil vndoubtedly blesse and further it. Nowe is the time that you may do good, forslewe it not. Whilest your schollers be yong you maye frame them as you will. The softe waxe will receyue any print, whereas the harde will take none: yong sciences, will be bowed, whiche waye you wyl haue them, whereas the growe [...] trées wyll rather breake than bende Loke what licoure a vessell is seasone [...] wythall, when it is newe, it will kep [...] [Page 93] a smacke thereof when it is olde. And, teache a childe while he is young what wayes he shall walke, and he will not forgette it when hee commeth vnto yeares.Popish Schole­maisters. This thing doe the Papistes of our time full well vnderstande. And ther­fore haue their picked scholemaisters pri­uately to nousel vp their children in their houses in the Popes religion, that they may tast and smel therof when theyr pa­rentes be dead and rotten. And great pit­tie it is, that the Quéenes enimies should be permitted such libertie. For by thys meanes are many towarde gentlemen o­therwise, vtterly marred & spoiled. Howe (I pray) you falleth it out, y^e you haue at thys day in this lande, many yong gentle­men not aboue 24. yeres olde at the most, that are more obstinate and stubborne Papistes than their fathers: they wyll [...]ome at no Church, at no Sermons, whē [...]s their parents will do both. And if at a­ [...]y time there be processe out for them [...]rom hir maiesties high Cōmissioners, [...]hey finde one meanes or other to haue [...]ackling of it, and then forsooth they must [Page 94] in poste ouer into Fraunce to learne the language, wheras in déed their voyage is not so much to learne the French tong, as to withdrawe themselues from punishe­ment of law, and there at liberty to heare (whē they please) a Latin Masse. And for my parte I wishe that al the Papistes in Englande (without they repent) togither with al the rest of hir Maiesties enimies, were in Fraunce or some other place of bannishmente, without hope euer to re­turne againe, and so should our countrey be in more quiet and safetie. But of thys that I haue sayd it euidently appeareth, that wheras in respect of their yeares, be­ing not past .24. they were at the begin­ning of the princes reigne capable of no religiō, and now be stiffe necked Papists, it can not be chosen, but they must haue it by the education of Popishe schole­maisters, or Popishe parentes or both togyther. And no maruell. For we haue in manye Gentlemens houses, and also in the houses of others in the countrey of hygher callyng, the swéepings of the Vniuersities, I meane, suche rotte [...] [Page 95] Papistes, as by the broome of godly dis­cipline, as vnprofitable duste, haue bin swéeped out thence, are entertayned in the Countrey in priuate houses to teach their children. And there they be as safe, as the Foxe in his borow. For who dare be so bolde as once to enquire wherein they instruct their schollers? besides this, there are huddled togyther olde Popyshe persecuting Masse Priestes, in some houses foure, in some thrée, in some two, in some one, and they (forsooth) vn­der pretence of seruing in seuerall of­fices, as some stewardes, some Caters, and so forth, peruerte whole famylies. For can it possibly be otherwise, that themselues Papistes, and vnder Pa­pistes hauing the gouernement of youth, as men chosen for the purpose, shoulde teach any other than Papistrie. I would to God we coulde learne by the example of the Turke, to vse one pollicie in a good cause which, he practiseth in a bad. The maner of the Turke is, to take frō such Christians as are vnder his tiranny their childrē, so soon as they come to yeres [Page 96] of discréetion, and to put them wher they may be taught his Mahumetish religion, that afterwardes they maye the more faithfullye serue him. So (I say) doe I wish, that the children of our Papistes, so soone as they be capable of lerning, might be taken from them (they notwythstan­ding paying for their educatiō) and be cō ­mitted vnto the gouernement of godlye teachers, that woulde learne them the feare of the Lord: or if their education be permitted to be in the houses of theyr parentes, that order may be taken, that none haue the teaching of them, but such as be well knowen to be zealous in reli­gion: for these Papistes how soeuer they outwardly pretende loue, they do indéede kyll: how soeuer they woulde séeme to cherish, they do in déed corrupt and spill. They resemble very fitly the herbe Co­locynthis, whiche a man might iudge by the outwarde appearaunce of it in cla­sping with hys strings of his roote, other herbes that grow next vnto him, that he would sucker them: but indéede, as many as he toucheth, they neuer prosper. So for [Page 97] al the world fareth it with those whiche come within the embracings of Popishe Scholemaisters, thoughe they make a faire shewe of doing them good, yet doe they indéede infecte them, that they will be the worse for it as long as they liue. Wherefore I earnestlye praye the ho­norable and worshipful of hir Maiesties highe commission,A request to the high commissioners, for the fiftin of Popishe Schoolemasters. to cause priuate Po­pishe teachers, to be sought after and sif­ted as wel to staye the present mischiefe, as also to méete with before hande, the hurte that may by suffering them grow hereafter. And to ende this matter (in whiche, albeit I haue in long, I hope the necessitie and profite of it, shall easily with the godlye procure my pardon) I likewise hartily desire all teachers of youth, not to suffer themselues to be founde lesse diligent in a good cause, than the Papistes in a badde: not to be lesse carefull to instructe their children in the feare of the Lorde, than the Papistes are to traine vp theirs in Poperie: not to be lesse mindeful to teache their schol­lers the true religion, than the Papistes [Page 98] to learne theirs the false. As for the rest of you (beloued that are here present) if any of you with Cornēlius haue labou­red all his familie to feare the Lorde, you haue like obedient children béene carefull to performe that duetie whiche GOD hathe layde vppon you, and so in the Lordes name I exhorte you to go forwarde: and those of you that hither­to for want of knowledge, haue omitted this duetie of instructing your families with Cornelius in the feare of the Lord, nowe that it hathe béene euidentlye pro­ued vnto you, to be youre charge, no per­son of what calling soeuer to be excep­ted: adde not I beséeche you to youre knowledge contempte, but diligent and spéedie practise, and putting it in vre. For it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the Lorde. Take encourage­ment by the example of Cornelius, goe aboute it in the feare of GOD, and earnest calling on his name, so shall you haue to youre greate reioycing, e­uerye man in his owne house a godlye [Page 99] Churche, and with lesse disquieting of your selues with chiding and fighting, you shall haue those vnder youre seue­rall chardges, in singlenesse of consci­ence to performe suche dueties towards you, as in the feare of God to you they doe owe, the which for his sonnes sake I beséeche him to graunte.

In the fifth braunche of this firste generall,The fifth braunche of the firste pa [...] containing a descriptiō of Cor­nelius and his qualities, I haue to speak of his Almes déedes and Prayer, and fyrste of his Almes, bicause that is first mentioned in my Texte. As before wée haue séene by Cornelius religious­nesse, feare of God, and vertuous in­structing his familie, his faith towards God, so nowe by hys almes appeareth, that he bare a godlye and pittifull affe­ction towardes men in relieuing euerye manne as his necessitie séemed moste to require. For where it is saide, that he gaue to all the people, this All is to be restrained to, all the poore among the people: for it hadde béene no almes to [Page 100] haue giuen to the riche, who had ynough alreadie.

Iohn the Baptiste taughte the souldi­oures, that asked of him their duetie, Th [...]t they shoulde strike nor accuse no man wrongfully, but be contente wyth their owne wages. Cornelius hath plaied y^e good scholler, he hath not only perfectly learned that lesson, but hath also taken forth an other, learning besids being cō ­tented with his owne stipend, out of the same, in loue and of a felowe féeling of the miseries of his poore brethren, to con­tribute vnto their necessities, for it cannot be chosen, but in whome soeuer there is true Religion, and the feare of God, in the same also there muste néedes be loue, & a brotherly compassiō, not on­ly to pitie, but also to helpe the wants of those that stande in néede, so farre forth, as by the portion of good, the whiche the Lorde hathe blessed vs withall, he hath enabled vs. And that out of this loue this [...]elow féeling, this compassion, this pitie, did issue in Cornelius his charitable re­lieuing of the poore, y^e very word it selfe, [Page 101] whyche Luke doeth here vse for almes, doth planely shewe. For it properly sig­nifieth Mercie, whiche is an inwarde af­fection and touching of the hearte, rising of the viewe of an other mans miserie, and is here put figuratiuely, for all out­warde dueties of Charitie, whereby we doe good vnto suche as are in pouertie & necessitie. Wherefore in as muche as Cornelius is here said, to haue bestowed much almes amongst all the people, it is euident, that there was in him a righte Christian hearte, and bowels of mercie, whiche didde yerne, and as it were melt at the calamities of his brethren, which did consider the band of vnitie, which ou­ght to be betwéene members of all one heade Christ Iesus: who in this respect did féede, foster, and cherishe, prouide and care for them, as béeing of his own flesh, and had regarde to helpe them, as the very members of his owne body. There is therefore no question, but that Cor­nelius liberalitie and bounteousnesse, springing oute of this fountaine of bro­therly compassion, was no fained coun­terfaite, [Page 102] nor forged, but true, right, and perfecte beneficence, almes and li­beralitie.

[...]t is not y­ [...]ogh to haue [...]e bare and [...]aked name [...] Faith, but his faith [...]uste also be [...]uitefull in [...]ood works.Wée learne firste out of this great almes of Cornelius, that it is not suffi­cient to haue the name of Faith, to be religious, to feare God, vnlesse also thys faith doe fructifie and bring forth good fruites, according to that whyche Iames writeth: What auaileth it, my brethren, thoughe a man (saith he) hath faith, when he hath no workes? can the faith saue him? And againe: But wilte thou vnderstande, O thou vaine man, that the faith which is without workes is deade? And marke withall, I beséeche you, the manner of his speache (for it ma­keth being rightly vnderstoode, verye muche againste the Popishe Iusticiaries of oure time, whiche teache oute of hym that manne is iustified by his workes, whiche wordes in déede he vseth) he doth, not saye, What if a man haue faith, but what if a man say he haue faith, by whi­che appeareth, that he speaketh of hipo­crites and vaine boasters of faith. For [Page 103] the true and liuely faith can be no more without workes, than the fire withoute heate, than water without moisture, the Sunne without brightnesse, the good trée without his good fruite.The place o [...] Iames ex­pounded brieflye. And where hée sayeth that Abraham with Rahab, were iustified by their workes, he meaneth that their outward workes before men, were testimonies of their inwarde faith before God: and not that their workes were the causes of their saluation, for so shoulde he be against all the Scriptures, whiche teache, that Faith onely doth iu­stifie, and so likewise we shoulde make the holye Ghoste contrarye to himselfe, whiche were verye wicked, so muche as to thinke, muche more to speake. Wée therefore teache out of this example of Cornelius, good déedes and suche other lyke vertuous actions of godlye men, togyther with the aucthoritie of the ho­lye Scripture, that it is the parte of a Christian, to doe good workes, yea, that whosoeuer he be that doeth no good workes, he is indéede no more a true Christian, than a deade carcasse, [Page 104] a liuing man.The Papists to vs wrong, [...] gyuyng me, that wee are enimies vnto good workes. Wherefore the Papistes doe vs greate iniurie, in filling the eares of the simple and ignorant people, that our doctrine is a doctrine of libertie, that we teache men to liue looselie and lewde­ly, that we are enimies vnto good works, whereas in very déede, we doe the flatte contrarie. We will menne to beware, that they vse not the libertie of the Go­spell for a cloake of maliciousnesse: wée teache them to serue the Lorde in feare, in holinesse, and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life: We will men to let their light so shine before men, that they séeing their good workes, maye glorifie oure heauenlye father, whiche is in hea­uen.The differēce betweene the [...]a [...]istes and vs, in the do­ctrine of good workes. But herein lyeth the difference betwéene them and vs: we teache, that Works come after Fayth, they, y^t they go before Faith: wée, that they folow him that is alreadye iustified: they, that they goe before him that is to be iustifi­ed: wée, that they are the fruites of faith, they, that they be the trée out of whyche Faith buddeth: we, that faith is the cause of workes, they, that workes are [Page 105] the cause of Faith. And with as muche truth maye they teache, that lighte is cause of the Sunne: that heate, is the cause of fire: that moisture is the cause of water. To be shorte, we teache, that the worde of the Lorde only is the mea­sure by whiche oure workes are to be moten: they, that the wil of manne, and good intent. But howsoeuer they teache, or whatsoeuer they saye, thus sayeth the Scripture, and thus teacheth the worde of God: without Faith, it is impossible to please God. Whereof I conclude, that as after the example of Cornelius, a Christian muste doe good workes, so must he haue Faith before: or else howe glorious soeuer they séeme in the sighte of man, before the Lorde they stincke, and are abhominable. And therefore is it also in this place verye well saide of Cornelius, firste, that he was a religious man, and one that feared GOD: and secondly, that he gaue muche almes to all the people.

Thus you sée, that in hym went firste faith, religion, and the feare of God, and [Page 106] then, that these were not ydle, his good workes and déedes doe declare. And thus lette Papistes saye what they liste, wée teache, that in Christians it oughte to be, and with their owne eies in a greate manye they may sée it for to be, and God graunte, that in all those, that doe pro­fesse hys name and religion, it maye be: I meane, that all suche as doe in worde confesse Christe Iesus to be the Lorde, maye in déede with Cornelius so godlye walke, that by their liuing before the worlde, they maye be taken for Christi­ans.

[...] rule to [...]nowe whe­ [...]her that whi [...]he we giue [...]e almes or [...]o.Secondlye, we haue here a rule gy­uen vs, howe to examine and trie that whiche we giue to the poore, whether it he almes or no. For to haue that whiche is giuen, so to be, doth not consiste in the greatnesse of that whiche is bestowed, but in the minde and disposition of the giuer: for who commonly are so liberall, or rather in very déede prodigall and la­uishe, as are hipocrites that in giuing, gréedily hawk and hunt after the praise & commendation of men, and therefore as [Page 107] Christe sayeth, blow a Trumpet before their almes, but they haue their reward: neyther shall the greate sums that they distribute and bestowe, euer come into this reckning before y^e Lord, that he wil accept and take it for almes, that is, for such a worke as doth please him, bicause it is not done in such sort as he comman­deth. That therefore whiche we giue, shal then goe before the Lord for almes, if it be (as the holy ghost here speaketh of Cornelius his liberalitie) mercie, that is to say, if it procéede of loue, and of a bro­therlye pitying the miserie of him which is in néede, as reckening him to be one of our own flesh, and so in regarde of this neare bande and coniunction, which God hath made betwéen vs, we do (as it wer) out of the vowels of mercie and compas­sion liberallie powre oute vppon hym, as one of our own members for the re­liefe of his necessitie, according to the measure whiche God hathe blessed vs withal. For as Paule speaketh:1. Cor. 13.3. Though I feed the poore with all my goods, and haue not loue, it profiteth mee nothing. [Page 108] And the Lord by his Prophet Isay, [...]al. 58.7. com­maundeth vs, that we hide not oure face from our owne fleshe. So you sée, that if our giuing, issue out of any other heads than out of loue, and a fellowe féeling of the wantes of oure néedie brethren, in that they be oure very owne fleshe, it is as nothing before GOD. [...]hat the [...]er giuings the Pa­ [...]stes is no [...]lmes. Whereof I conclude, that all the large giuings of the Papists, of whiche at this daye ma­ny make so greate bragges, bycause they be not done in a reuerent regarde of the commaundement of the Lorde, in Loue, and of an inwarde being touched with the calamities of the néedie, but for to be well reported of before men, whilest they are aliue, and to be praied for after they are dead, and by the meanes of thē, to be deliuered from the paines of Pur­gatorie, & so to win Heauen, are indéede no almes, but Pharisaicall trūpets, to win a brittle blast of glorie, at y^e hāds of men. They haue therefore (as Christe sayeth) their rewarde, that is to say, the thing they soughte for, to wit, the praise and commendation of mē, as for reward [Page 109] at Gods handes, they neither haue, nor euer shall haue, vnlesse in doing theyr almes they sette before them a reuerent regarde of the Lords commaundement, and in loue and mercie frame thēselues to helpe their néedie brother. Wherefore (deare Christians) I directe my speeche vnto you,An exhortati­on to the ric [...] to be liberal to the poore. whome GOD in great mer­cie hathe blessed with plentifull increase of the riches of this worlde, whereas hée coulde haue made you inferioure to the meanest. Lette Cornelius his example, who gaue much almes to al the people, moue you to be liberall to help the poore: as he by giuing franckly to y^e people of y^e Iews, being none of his natiō, did therby testifie his consēt to their religion, so by your giuing vnto the godly brethrē, and to poore Schollers that stande in néede, giue out testimonie, that you all hope for one saluation in Christe, for whose sake you shewe this mercie, in relieuing his and youre members. Giue not as Hipocrites and Papistes, for praise, or for to merite thereby Heauen: But let that whiche you doe, be done in loue, and [Page 110] in mercie, and so will it be a swéete smel­ling sacrifice in the sighte of the almigh­tie. And truly it cannot be chosen, but if you putte vppon you loue with the ten­der bowels of pitie and compassion, you will be riche in good workes, and plenti­full in giuing vnto the poore: For where there is no giuing, there is no loue, and little giuing sheweth little pitie, where­as greate loue, much mercie, in such as GOD hathe enriched with abilitie bringeth forth greate giuing and muche almes. Deceiue not therefore youre selues with a vaine perswasion of Loue, when ye will departe with nothing. For loue alwayes bursteth forth in­to helying the thing that it loueth, in­somuche, that a man will not suffer hys verye dogge to lacke, if he loue hym, muche lesse his Christian and godlye brother: neither doth it looke what thys man or that man bestoweth, or asketh what shall I giue, or howe much, when shall I giue, or howe often shall I gyue? But by the pitifull viewe of the lamen­table distresse of such as are in miserie, [Page 111] easilye and readilye findeth aunswere a­gainste all these worldlye motions.

Cornelius gaue muche almes to all the people: Wée that are farre beyonde him in wealth and substaunce, thynke wée haue done very well, and ynoughe, if we haue giuen a little vnto a fewe: Cornelius gaue plentifullye whilest hée was aliue, and we giue sparingly, for feare we shall lacke ere we dye. And thys is a greate faulte amongest the wealthie of this worlde,Againste de­ferring to d [...] good. that they defer their almes and other good déedes of cha­ritie, till after they be deade, omitting the present oportunitie to doe good, the whiche GOD hath not onely commen­ded, but commaunded and not onelye re­gardeth, but also in mercie richly rewar­deth. What fondnesse is there in those that would be counted wise, to imagine that theyr executours after they be dead, will be more faythfull in disposing their liberalitie, than they themselues woulde bée beyng aliue? What ex­cuse soeuer we pretende for this defer­ring [Page 112] to do good, it springeth onelie of di­struste in Gods prouidence: the Lorde roote it oute of vs, for in some it wor­keth moste horrible and wicked effectes, insomuch, that they do not only not giue largely, after the example of this oure Cornelius, but bestowe nothing at all: nay that whiche is worse, Couetousnesse (the roote of al euil) springing of thys di­struste in Gods fatherly prouision for them, hath br [...]d in them suche a burning desire of hauing still more, that like vnto the dropsie man, the more he drinketh, y^e more he thirsteth: the more they haue, the more they desire, and therfore, leaste they shoulde lacke, they do not onely not relieue their poore brethren, but also take from them suche liuing, as for their re­liefe hath by others bin giuen vnto thē, cruelly and barbarously deuouring the goodes of the poore, and eating vppe, as it were, their owne fleshe. The Lorde be merciful vnto vs. This only, to end this point, I am to say, if Cornelius hauing but a sparkle of faith, but a little know­ledge in the Christian religion, amongst [Page 113] so many stumbling blockes, lettes and daungers, haue set vp vnto vs so cleare and bright a glasse of godlye almes and Christian charitie, truely we that re­ioyce so much of our knowlege in Christ, and perswade our selues of a maruellous light of fayth, ought worthyly to blushe and be ashamed to come so farre behinde him in brotherly pittying, & louinglye re­léeuing the poore estate of our owne née­die members, and to be so soone colde in y^e exercise of charitye. The Lorde worke in vs bowels of compassion, that wyth Cor­nelius, euery one according to the portiō that God hath bestowed vpon vs, maye indéede féele and be touched inwardlye, wyth the miseries of the néedie, and in consideration of the same, gyue muche almes to all the people: for there wyll a day come, when it shall be sayde vnto vs: Giue accountes of thy Stewardship, for thou shalte bee no longer Stewarde

Now followeth Cornelius his dayly and often praying vnto God.The continu­all exercise of praying in Cornelius. For it is here sayd, that he prayed God cōtinual­ly. As before where the holy Ghost spea­keth [Page 114] of Cornelius his almes, he figura­tiuely vseth that worde, being but one part, for all the kindes of charitie: so here he setteth down his dayly vse of praying for the whole worship of God, as a cer­tain and vndisceauable note of his vnfei­ned godlynesse. For where there is the true feare of God, whych hath bene alre­dy shewed to haue remayned in Corneli­us, there must needs be also a feruent de­sire by earnest prayer to humble our sel­ues before the maiestie of God, to bée by his holy spirit directed in y^e true know­ledge of him, & his Christ, y^t thereby wée may be taught to walke in such ways as are acceptable before him. This desire may appeare to haue bene in Cornelius, by the wordes whiche hereafter the An­gell vseth vnto hym, where hée willeth him to sende for Peter, who shoulde teach him, what he shoulde do. For being in the number of those whyche hadde re­ceyued the true knowledge of GOD, he prayeth that he maye be admitted vn­to a further and a more clearer lighte of vnderstanding, concerning his hope of [Page 115] saluation in the redéemer Christ Iesus, yet not fully reueled vnto him. His pray­er being reported not to be of course or of custome, or seldome, but dayly and often, is a signe vnto vs, that his religion was not builded vpon feyned and coūterfaite trifles, or consisted in outward rites and ceremonies, but that as god is a spirite (as Iohn witnesseth) so Cornelius lyke a true worshipper, did pray vnto him and worship him in spirite and truth, and did not sleyghtly (after the manner of the cō ­mon sort) vse coldly and faintely this ex­ercise of praying in number & measure, but was earnestly, and euē frō the hart, bent often to call vppon God, like as hys manifolde benefites, and vnspeakable mercies daylye towardes him, did con­tinuallye prouoke and call him there­vnto.

Thys example of Cornelius hys dayly praying vnto God,The example of Cornelius ought to moue vs to diligence in prayer. commendeth vnto vs the continual & often vse of pray­er, in whiche he was not so diligente and feruente as we for the moste parte are colde, negligente, too too slacke & slothful, [Page 116] whereas we haue to moue vs therevnto both the example of our Lord and Saui­our Iesus Christ, who not only himselfe prayed often, but also commaunded vs to pray oftē, and hath appointed vs a forme of prayer, which we commonlye call the Lordes prayer, and hath besides promi­sed to heare our prayer made in fayth: we haue not (I say) only his example, but the example of all his Apostles, wyth di­uerse others the godlye Patriarches, fa­thers, and Prophets of the olde testamēt. There be also causes both in respecte of our selues and also of our brethren, that oughte worthily to moue vs to cal vpon God for his assistaunce against our many enimies, as the Diuell, the worlde, and the corrupt lustes and wicked affections of our owne fleshe: this being one of the principall weapons of that spirituall ar­moure whiche Paul teacheth a christian souldiour to be furnished withal, agaynst the greate and strong assaultes of those mightie enimies. For besides the girdle of veritie, the breaste-plate of righteous­nesse, the shoes of the preparation of the [Page 117] Gospell of peace, the shielde of fayth, the helmet of saluation, and the sworde of the spirite, he addeth: And pray alwayes with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit. Againe, if we woulde consider what Abraham, what Isaac, what Ia­cob, what Aaron, Moses, Iosua, Dauid, Salomon, Iosias, Ezechias, Elias, Da­niel, y^e Publicane, the théefe on the crosse, the Apostles, the Churche praying for Peter in prisō, with innumerable others, haue obtayned at the handes of GOD by prayer, the mighty and wonderfull ef­fectes that haue followed of theyr pray­er, must néedes prouoke and stirre vs vp, to the often and vnfeyned exercise of this moste Godly duetie, and cause vs, wyth Cornelius dayly to pray vnto God. But we, al these notwithstanding, either pray neuer, or else very seldome, and euen then for the most parte, of custome, thinke the reading and mumbling vp other godlye mens prayers, howe farre soeuer our heartes be from that which we speake, to be a good prayer before God, and that for thys duetie perfourmed thus, of fashion [Page 118] rather than of hartie and earnest zeale, we haue God euen bounde vnto vs, so that all the daye after we are dispenced withall to doe what we liste, muche like vnto the Papistes, who if they haue once hearde Masse, they haue euen for the worke done (as they terme it,) deserued frée remission for all those offences which all the daye after they shoulde committe. Wel, all that I can saye in this greate slackenesse, and disorder in prayer, is, to wishe you all humblye to praye vnto GOD to roote out of vs thys great neg­ligence, and to graunte vs with Cor­nelius, continuallye and dayly, not with the lippes, but with the hearte, earnest­lye to call vpon him, which if we true­lye loue him, we will assuredlye doe, and by no meanes be letted therefrom. For as he that truely loueth, delighteth in nothing more than in the often talking and conference with him whō he loueth:Where there [...]s true loue [...]here is often praying. euen so where there is true and vnfeyned loue vnto God, there is a burning desire by often prayer to talke wyth GOD, so as no perill nor daunger, no not of [Page 119] [...]osse of life, can staye or hinder it, as may [...]ppeare by Daniel, whome the feare of y^e [...]ions denne coulde not at the comman­ [...]emente of the King Darius kéepe from [...]raying vnto his GOD but the space [...]f thirtye dayes, whiche vnto suche as [...]aue to GOD but a little loue, wyll [...]éeme but a little thing. But true loue [...]yll rather aduenture anye perill, than [...]or to be but for a verye shorte tyme [...]ebarred from this libertie. Yea, and as [...]he more woodde is layde on the fire, the greater is the flame, so is likewise thys continuall talkyng wyth GOD by [...]rayer, a greate increasyng of our loue [...]owardes hym, as on the contrarye, [...]he seldomer we commune wyth hym by [...]rayer, the more doeth our loue toward [...]im from time to time abate and slake, [...]ntill in the ende it be cleane quenched. Let vs therefore (good brethren) often re­payre vnto the Lorde by daylye and vn­ [...]ained calling vppon his name, by whiche our loue maye more and more [...]ncrease towardes hym, and wée [...]lso haue good and perfecte experience [Page 120] howe riche the Lorde is (as Paule spea­keth) to all those that in fayth truely call vppon him, whereof we can neuer haue better trial, thā when by oftē praying vn­to him, according as the necessities either of our selues or others doe require, we finde by hys liberall graunting our ma­nifolde requestes, that hée is in déede riche in mercye, that hathe in stoare to suffise all creatures of the whole worlde that doe praye in faythe with­out wauering, as Iames teacheth vs to do.

To whom we o [...]ght to pray.The seconde note that I drawe out of the praying of Cornelius, is, to whom, when we pray, we oughte to make oure prayer. For hauing here a large scope, & very plentifull matter, if I woulde en­ter into this comon place of prayer, into the whiche my text violently séemeth, as it were to drawe me, wherein I mighte to your profit handle, what causes ought to moue vs to pray: what prayer is: to whom we oughte to make our prayer: when we ought to praye: where we ought to praye: howe he oughte to be affected [Page 121] & disposed that must pray: of what force y^e prayer of a godly man is with God: how many sortes of prayers there are: and af­ter what manner we oughte to praye, with suche like: letting passe the rest, as being at the full handled in the common places of learned and godly men, I will only deale in this matter of prayer, wyth suche circumstaunces as my texte shall plainely leade me vnto, of the whiche ha­uing taught before, that concerning time to pray, we must with Cornelius praye continually (not y^t we should do no maner of thing else but pray, as the Heretiques being of holding this opinion called En­chites or Prayars, do falsely teach: but so often, as our necessities calling vs there vnto, conueniently we maye) I will now briefly shewe to whom we ought to pray, bycause it is here sayde that Cornelius prayed God continually.That we ought to pray to none but only vnto God. If therefore in a worde you wyll knowe who he is to whome wee shoulde praye, it is GOD. And saying, (God) I shutte out al others both men and Angels, and also women from this high honour, whiche beyng the [Page 122] greatest that we can giue vnto God, hée will imparte with no other, according as it is written: [...]eut. 6.13. Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serue. Wherfore calling vpon y^e name of y^e lord being one of his chiefest seruices, it belongeth vnto him alone, & cannot with­out horrible robbery be giuē to ani other. And good reason it is, y^t he only should be prayed vnto for helpe & saluation, who a­lone is able to help, who alone knoweth how to help, who alone is willing to help, vnto whō alone & vnto no other our pray­ers can be made, that they may be heard: who alone can not only by our suite con­ceyue our grief▪ but also according to his infinite wisedome and vnsearchable vn­derstāding, knoweth a great deale better what we lack, than we for our ignorance are able to expresse. According herevnto speaketh the Lord by his Prophete: I, euē I, am the Lorde, and beside me there is no sauiour. And againe: I sayde not in vaine vnto the seede of Iacob: Esay. 43.11. Seeke you mee: I the Lorde doe speake righteous­nesse, & declare righteous things. They [Page 123] haue no knowlege, that set vp the wood of their Idol; & pray vnto a god that can not saue thē. There is no other God be­side me, a iust God, & a sauiour: there is none beside me. Whervpō he inferreth: Loke vnto me, and ye shall be saued: all the ends of the earth shall be saued: for I am God, and there is no other What cā be sayd either more plainly to w^tdraw vs frō praying vnto any other, sith god wit­nesseth y^t no other can help, or more com­fortably to allure vs to cal only vpon the Lord, for as much as himself hath promi­sed y^t séeking to him we shal be saued. If this promise can not serue, we haue also cōmandements,Psalm. 50.15. as in y^e Psal. Cal vpō me in y^e day of trouble: so wil I deliuer thee, & thou shalt glorify me. And come vnto me (saith Christ our sauiour) all ye that are wearie & laden, & I wil ease you. Cōcer­ning Saints & Angels, we read that whē this our Cornelius fel down before Peter & gaue him but only outward reuerence, Peter would none of it,Act. 14.15. but bad him stād vp, saying: for euen I my selfe am a man. And Paul & Barnabas refuse to be sacri­ficed [Page 124] vnto at Lystra, willing the people only to worship god. [...]ca. 19.10. The Angel, also in y^e reuelation, when Iohn fel at his féete to worship him, sayth, See thou do it not: I am thy felowe seruaunt, and one of thy brethrē, which haue the testimonie of Ie­sus. Worship God. And the Angel in the booke of Iudges sayeth vnto Manoah the father of Sampson: Though thou make me abide, I will not eate of thy breade, and if thou wilt make a burnte offering, offer it vnto the Lorde. In the historie of the Euangelistes you shal finde, that Christe moste readilye and louynglye graunted the requestes of all those which humblye in faythe soughte vnto hym, whereas to hys mother requesting hym at the mariage to helpe them, when their wine fayled, he answereth, woman what haue I to do with thee, mine houre is not yet come. And to his Apostles saying of the woman of Canaan: Lord dispatche hir, for she crieth after vs, he saith, he was not sente but to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel. And this no doubt to em­bolden and encourage vs to make oure [Page 125] prayers vnto God by Christe and not by saints, yea the scripture plainly teacheth,The dead [...] Saints [...] vs not. that the dead Saincts haue no knowlege of vs. For it is written in Isaiah. Doubt­lesse thou art our father: though Abrahā be ignoraunt of vs, and Israel knowe vs not, yet thou oh Lorde, arte oure father, & our redeemer: thy name is for euer If then, amongst wise men it be counted fol­ly to pray vnto one that is absent whiche can not heare our prayer: nay if it be I­dolatrie to suppose that the soules of dead men eyther are in all places at once, or beyng but in one place are able to vnder­stande the mindes of al men, in all places (for it is the peculiar propertie of God to knowe the heartes, and therfore are they Idolaters that giue this to anye other) if it be a greate and notorious iniurie vn­to Christ to think any Saint or Angel to be in power or loue equal vnto him, much more superiour: if god only (as it hath bin by the scripture plainely proued, be able, wylling, knowing how to helpe, hearyng our prayers in faith made for helpe, and better vnderstanding how to helpe, than [Page 126] we are able to expresse, if he haue promi­sed to help, if he haue commaunded to sue vnto hym for helpe: & finally if y^e Saints and Angels haue refused outward wor­shippe, and therefore woulde much more refuse inuocation, being a high seruice of God, and carrying also with it a parte of beliefe (for howe shall they call on him, on whom they haue not beleeued?) if the dead Sainctes are ignoraunce of vs and knowe vs not let vs then (beloued) wyth Cornelius pray continually, & only vnto God, y^e knoweth vs, who is not ignorant of vs, & he no doubt for hys Christs sake, in al things wil heare vs y^t we shall aske in his name: so far as they make for the furtherance of his glorie, & benefit of vs y^e aske for them at his handes. For if when through sin, wickednesse & transgression, we were enimies vnto God, & strangers frō righteousnesse, which is by Christ, it pleased God in great mercie, to sende his son to worke y^e attonement betwéen hym & vs. being now by Christ made friendes with God, it can not be chosen, but that he wil graūt vs whatsoeuer we shal aske [Page 127] in hys name according to his word.

Thus haue you séene in Cornelius a godly Gentile, a religious souldiour, a de­uoute gouernor, a Christian captain, one that none of y^e engines & trappes of Satā could so entangle & bewrap, y^t they coulde staye, or withhold him from the exercises of godlynesse, albeit they were, to catche withal, baited on the one side with y^e vain pleasures & delites of this world, wyth promotiō, with honor, with loue, fauour, & liking: on the other side, with persecutiō; with mockes & scornes of y^e wicked, with hatred, disdain, enuie, displeasure of other superiours & the Emperor, & as depēding theron with feare of losse of office, life, & liuing, with which notwithstanding he is not moued, but goeth on boldely in the course of Christian religion, in which hée had begun. Such a one in respect of godli­nesse, religion, & the fear of y^e Lord ought euery one of vs, of what degrée or calling soeuer, for to be. But (alas) dere brethrē, whiche waye might a man take to go to finde y^e house of Cornelius, wherein not only y^e master of the house with his wife [Page 128] is godlye, but hath by his Christian tra­uaile and paintaking in instructing but of the worde, all his householde fearing God. I beséeche you take a little paines wyth me, to search amongst al sortes and kindes of men, for Cornelius, and then will it easily appeare how rare a thing it is to finde him. And firste in the waye of good spéede let vs beginne wyth men of his own profession, and of the same trade of life with him, I meane Captaines, and let vs by conference of their manners & qualities, with his, make a triall, howe neare of kinne the Captaines of our time are with Cornelius, the Captaine of that time.How far the Captaines of [...]ur times for the most part are from the vertues of Cornelius. Captaine Cornelius, his first com­mendation is, for his godlynesse, religion and feare of God: our Captaines thynke these things to be nothing pertayning vnto them, but post them ouer to the mi­nisters, pastoures, and preachers. Cap­taine Cornelius feared God withall hys householde: our Captaines themselues & theyr souldiours make chiefest accountes of suche as setting aside all feare of God and man, haue desperate minds to aduen­ture [Page 129] any hazarde, and suche forsooth haue a Capitaines hearte, and the courage of a souldior.

Capitaine Cornelius gaue muche almes to all the néedie of the people: our Capitaines liue by the spoile and robbe­rie of others, chieflie, if they once get to sea. There God séeth them not, all is fish that commeth to nette, and that shippe whiche they finde loden with richest boo­tie and most pretious marchandize, is al­waies the ship of oure enimie, and there­fore we muste néedes haue the spoile of him, albeit he be neuer so godly, and ma­ny tymes our owne Countryman. Cap­taine Cornelius was daily and continu­allye occupied in prayer vnto God: our Captaines like the parishe the worse the Churche standeth in. Captaine Corne­lius vsed weapon at the commandemēt, and in the obedience of hys lawfull Ma­gistrate, for to withstande the inuasion of enimies, to kéepe vnder, as well the Iewes, as others, that were likelie to rebel, & to maintaine the publike peace: oure Captaines run from place to place, [Page 130] and from realme to realme, hyred for mony, not caring to intermeddle them­selues in warres nothing appertaining vnto them, and there will they serue where they may haue moste wages, bée it vnder the banner, ensigne, or standard of the Pope, the Turke, or the Diuell to, if he were vpon earth to entertaine soul­diors. And so odious vnto thē is y^e name of Peace, that they in manner abhorre & curse it, wishing and praying for war, war, that with the bloude and spoile of o­thers, they may enrich themselues. The qualities whiche were in Cornelius, be­sides his knowledge in feates of warre, were godlinesse, religion, feare of God, Christian trayning vppe of his familie, almes déeds, and prayer, and such should likewise be in the Captains of our time in all places. But howe are men com­monly iudged of in respecte of méetenesse to be Captaines, if he can set his coun­tenaunce sternly, looke biggly, goe proud­ly, walke stately, and sweare roundlye, nay terribly, in such fearefull sorte, that hée woulde make the Diuell, if hée were [Page 131] incarnate, to quake and tremble at the hearing of it, suche a one is a valiaunt and a lustie, and stoute Capitayne. I condemne not in Capitaynes counte­naunce, personage, making, manhoode, I reuerence them well vsed, as the good giftes of God: neyther doe I disallowe the callyng of a Capitayne whiche I confesse to bée néedefull and necessarie, and wherein a manne may serue GOD as this oure Cornelius: I onelye re­proue the disorders of badde Captains, and wishe and praye, that as there bée (no doubte) some godlye and vertuous Capitaines, so that all maye be Corne­lians: for it shall be no shame at all for them, to sette him before them for theyr paterne, nay shame and confusion will it be to them all, if hauyng with Cor­nelius the same profession of life, they haue not also with hym the like agrée­mēt in maners, which God for Christes sake graunte vnto them.

Nowe if we shall séeke for Cornelius among y^e cōmon people, we shal likewise [Page 132] proue it a hard thing there to finde hym, [...]arde to find Cornelius a­ [...]ong y^e com­ [...]on people. for they are so farre from his vertue, re­ligion and godlinesse, that they run grée­dily euerye man after his owne waies, leauing and omitting the wayes of the Lord. And as for instructing their fami­lies after the example of Cornelius to feare God, they are so farre from abili­tie to performe this duetie, that them­selues had firste néede to learne: for of God & his word they know in a manner nothing, & thinke it to be the only office of the Minister, to looke to teaching, yea y^e whiche worse is, they seldome reforte to the place of preaching, where they might learne their duetie, vnlesse it be on the Lords day, on which, if in the fore-noone they haue heard the word of God, in the afternoone they thinke, that without all controlment, they may runne after all kinds of vanitie. [...] notable pra [...]tise of the di­ [...]ell to pull [...]rom hearing [...]f the worde [...]n the Lords [...]aye. Here also on the other side, it is wonderful to consider, the craft and subtiltie of oure common aduersarie the Diuell, who, like the cunning Cooke y^t for his gaine prepareth sundrie swéete and pleasant dishes to procure appetite, [Page 133] when as the stomacke, (as it were) gor­ged alreadie, inuenteth many kinde of vaine exercises for that day, to pul them from hearing of the word, least by it thei might be won from his kingdome, to the seruice of the Lord, & so be brought into a hatred of such kinde of leudenesse. And like as heretofore in this lande he vsed persecution to kéepe vs in Idolatrie, so nowe when as the Lorde in mercie hath sent vs the Gospell with peace & quiet, he vseth pleasure & prosperitie to draw men vnto vanitie. How this way he preuai­leth both in Countrie & Citie our present times aforde too plentiful examples, and the time to come in an other worlde will yéeld vnto y^e frequenters of such leudnes plentiful punishmēt. There be not many places where y^e word is preached besides the Lords day (I woulde to God there were) yet euen that day the better parte of it is horriblie prophaned by diuellishe inuentions, as with Lords of Misserule, Morice dauncers, Maygames, insomuch that in some places, they shame not in y^e time of diuine seruice, to come & daunce [Page 134] aboute the Church, and without to haue men naked dauncing in nettes, whiche is moste filthie: for the heathen that ne­uer hadde further knowledge, than the lighte of nature, haue counted it shame­full for a Player to come on the stage without a slop, and therefore amongest Christians I hope suche beastly brutish­nesse shal not be let escape vnpunished, for whiche ende I recite it, and can tell, if I be called, where it was committed within these fewe wéekes. What should I speake of beastlye Playes, againste which out of this place euery man crieth out? haue we not houses of purpose built with great charges for the maintaināce of them, and that without the liberties, as who woulde say, there, let them saye what they will say, we wil play. I know not how I might with the godly learned especially more discommende the gorge­ous Playing place erected in the fieldes, than to terme it, as they please to haue it called, a Theatre, that is, euen after the maner of the olde heathnish Theatre at Rome, a shew place of al beastly & filthie [Page 135] matters, to the which it can not be chosē that men should resort without learning thence muche corruption. For if hée that behelde but the filthie picture of Iupiter in a shower of golden raine descending vnto Dianae, coulde thereby encourage himself vnto filthinesse: shall we thinke that flocks of as wyld youths of both se­xes, resorting to Enterludes, where both by liuely gesture, and voices, there are al­lurements vnto whordom, they can come awaye pure, and not inflamed with con­cupiscence? I will not here enter this disputatiō, whether it be vtterly vnlaw­full to haue anye playes, but will onelye ioyne in this issue,Againste Playes and Enterludes on the Lords dafe. whether in a Christiā common wealth they be tolerable on the Lords day, when y^e people shold be exer­cised in hearing of y^e word, whiche thing as it hathe béen oftentimes reproued by learned & godly men out of this place, so for y^e discharge of mine own conscience, I am to speake some thing, whiche in fewe wordes is this. If playing in the Theatre or any other place in Londō, as there are by sixe that I know, to many be [Page 136] any of the Lordes wayes (whiche I sup­pose there is none so voide of knowledge in the world wil graunt) then not only it may, but ought to be vsed, but if it be any of the wayes of man, it is no work for y^e Lords Sabaoth, & therfore in no respecte tollerable on that daye. For thus spea­keth the Lorde by his Prophet Isaias: If thou tourne awaye thy foote from the Sabaoth, from doyng thy will on mine holy day, and call the Sabaoth a delighte to cōsecrate it, as glorious vnto the Lord, and shalte honour him, not doing thine owne wayes, nor seeking thine own wil, nor speaking a vaine worde, then shalte thou delight in the Lord, and I wil cause thee to mount vppon the high places of the earth, and feede thee with the heri­tage of Iacob thy father: For the mouthe of the Lorde hath spoken it. As in these wordes is sette downe a blessing to such, as leauing their own waies, and the do­ing of their owne willes on the Lordes daye, sette their delighte to doe the will of God on his holy day (which I thinke is not to goe to a wanton Play) and doe [Page 137] consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord, so the séeking that day to please our own fantasies, and to runne after that which our flesh gréedily delighteth, hathe follo­wing after it the contrarie curse, that I speake not howe little pollicie it is to suffer so muche mony to be so ill spente, whiche might be employed to better v­ses. For reckening with the leaste, the gaine that is reaped of eighte ordinarie places in the Citie whiche I knowe, by playing but once a wéeke (whereas ma­ny times they play twice. and somtimes thrice) it amounteth to .2000. pounds by the yeare, the suffering of whiche waste muste one daye be answered before God, by such as suffer it, and the vnprofitable expence by such as giue it, togither with the losse of time, which Paule willeth vs to redéeme, for that the dayes are euill: & who is he that is so euill, as to affirme two houres spent, in hearing a bawdie play, which shoulde be spent in hearing a Sermon, to be the redéeming of tyme, whiche Paule meaneth. I feare me (be­loued) I feare me, if we shall, notwith­standing [Page 138] the often crying out of the prea­chers againste suche vanities, still with gréedinesse runne to such lewde exercise,P. Sempronius Sophus. that the Heathen shall stande vppe at the day of Iudgement, to condemne vs, of the whiche, some sawe so greate in­conuenience in Playes, that they haue deuorced their wiues, for séeing them withoute their knowledge, the whi­che, as it was too rigorous, so is oure wante of punishement too care­lesse and loose, the LORDE graunte that wée maye in thys case haue at the lengthe some remedye. For, albeit Demetrius the siluer Smith wyth the reste of that occupation, bée neuer so muche offended, yet muste Paule still crye oute againste DIANA of the E­phesians, and albeit suche as by thys trade of playing gette no small gaines, be grieued, yet for that they pull from suche exercise as the LORDE for hys daye hathe commaunded (albeit as they be vsed, they be tollerable on no [...] daye) the Lordes Pastoures muste not [Page 139] be tongue tied in speaking against them. For if ill communication corrupte good manners, ill gestures, and worse words (whereof in them is store) muste néeds, if wée beléeue the holy Ghoste, which so affirmeth, worke the same effect. Wher­fore you of the common people, and you also of all other callings thinke not that ye will be founde Cornelians, if yée re­fuse hearing the worde preached, to runne to Playes, nay if ye wil be in déede Cornelians, as all Christians oughte to bée, you muste haue speciall care to looke that not onely youre selues, but al­so all those of youre chardge, at suche times, as heretofore you haue runne vnto Playes, hereafter you resorte to the Preaching of the worde, which duty the Lorde requireth at your hande. But I maye saye in this case of the common people, with the Prophete Ieremiah. Surely, they are poore, they are foolishe, Ierem 5.4. [...] for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the iudgement of their God: I will get me in to the greate men, and wyll speake vnto them, for they haue known [Page 140] the way of the Lorde, and the iudgement of their God: but these haue altogither broken the yoke, and burste the bands. Euen so fareth it with the great men of oure times, whereas they shoulde know the wayes of the Lorde, and not be igno­rant of the iudgementes of their GOD, by the order and vsage in their houses & families, it shoulde appeare that there raigneth in them, greate ignoraunce of both. [...]ot manye [...]eate men Cornelians. For what? be they thinke you Cor­nelians? doe they themselues feare God with all their housholde, when as the whole daye can not serue them for their Cardes, Dice, Boules, Gluttonie and Drinking, but they muste spende the better part of the night thereinto? [...]udges and [...]awyers. What should I speak of Iudges and Lawyers, were they all Cornelians, suche as in déede themselues were religious, and didde feare GOD, with all their Clearkes, and retinue, they woulde bridle mennes vnruly affections, and not suffer them to go to Lawe for trifles, nor their matter to hang so long in sute, per­swading them of the goodnesse of their [Page 141] cause, so long as they are in hope of the goodnesse of their purse, and as their bag weakeneth, let their sute fainte, vntill the bottome of the purse being tourned vpwarde, the matter in lawe consume to nothing: yea, if they with Cornelius hadde instructed their seruauntes in the feare of y^e Lord,Lawiers ser­uantes. there woulde not so ma­nye amongest them be infected with the disease of Gehazi, who after their Mai­sters haue taken, & takē again, vnlesse al­so they be roundly greased, they wil cause them to stay foure or fiue daies in town more than they néeded, before they shall gette their matters dispatched.Ministers. And I woulde to GOD in those of our own calling, whom for the teaching of others so to be, it principally concerneth to bée Cornelians oure selues, there were not a great number of vs ydle shepheardes, and able to doe nothing, and a greate sorte dumbe dogges, that will doe no­thing, and manye that thinke when they haue once in the wéeke preached to their flocke, that they haue suffici­entlye and throughly done their duetye, [Page 142] makyng no accoumptes with Corne­lius, of priuate instructyng oure owne families, thoughe verye greate, in the worde of the LORDE, wherein ma­nye of oure seruauntes are not halfe so well acquainted howe manye Chapi­ters there are, as they perfectlye can tell howe manye spottes there be in a payre of Cardes, and doe twice in a daye occupie the Tables, or Boules, when as they scarce reade a lease of the Bible twice in a Moneth.

Rom. 15.4.Séeing then that whatsoeuer is writ­ten in the Scripture, is written for oure learning, that we throughe pati­ence, and comforte of the worde, mighte haue hope: this example also of Cor­nelius, muste néedes be written for our instruction, that wée shoulde imitate and followe his godlye vertues: and for as muche as in all estates euerye one shoulde be Cornelius, whereas in no callyng there is scarce anye, it fo­loweth, that in al estates and callings, bothe highe and lowe, bothe riche and poore, bothe greate and small, young [Page 143] and olde, learned and vnlearned, doe examine throughlye their owne consci­ences, and looke howe farre, after due examination and triall, they shall finde themselues in religion, in the feare of GOD, in instructing their fami­lies in the worde of the Lord, in almes déedes, and prayer, to come behinde Cornelius, so muche the more earnest­lye they praye to God to pardon theyr former negligence, and to graunte, that with spéede hereafter they may putte in practise al those qualities, whiche by the example of Cornelius, they haue lear­ned oughte to be in euery true Christi­an, whiche I humbly beséeche God to vouchsafe vs all for to doe vnfainedlye.

¶The second parte.

NOwe I am to handle the speciall parts of my second general, contai­ning the Embassage of y^e Angel to Cor­nelius, which with y^e rest that is behind of the thirde pointe, I wil knitte vp in as much shortnesse as may be, for y^t I haue [Page 144] stoode verye long vppon the doctrines and application of the members of the firste parte. You haue therefore in this seconde pointe fyrste, to consider Gods calling of Cornelius by the ap­pearaunce of an Angell vnto hym in a vision at the ninth houre of the daye, whyche was aboute thrée of the clocke in the after noone, accordyng vnto the reckening of the Iewes, who ac­compt their houres from Sunne to Sunne.

Thys circumstaunce of tyme, by whi­che it appeareth, that the commyng of the Angell vnto Cornelius, was not in a dreame, or by darke in the nighte, (albeit in suche cases the LORDE also imprinted in the hearts and mindes of them, to whome, by suche meanes hée shewed himselfe, alwayes some one cer­taine note and token, or other, by the whyche they mighte manifestly knowe, that it was hys dooyng) but in the fayre and broade daye lighte, is sette downe to declare, that the Lorde dyd neither mocke Cornelius, nor blinde his eies [Page 145] by casting a mist before thē as Iugglers and other false merchauntes to deceiue withall vse to doe, but euidently & plain­ly dealte with him, in suche sorte, that he might easilye perceyue that hys callyng was not from earth, but from heauen, not from man, but from God, whereby also to his great comforte, he might sée howe mercifully God rewards his own giftes in him, that for his further instruction he vsed towardes him the information of an Angel.

We learne out of this point many lessons.Lessons out of the first braunch of y^e second ge­nerall. First that God neuer leaueth thē destitute of a teacher, whych earnestlye, and in a reuerent feare of his name, and a dutifull estimation of his maiestie, cal vpon, him being exercised in the diligent reading, hearing and conferring of hys worde, and heartilye desiring dayly to profit and go forewarde in the vnderstā ­ding of the same, and to grow from time to time, vnto a further knowledge in the waye and doctrine of saluation, so that sometimes by Angels, sometimes by men, sometymes by his own sonne, he ex­traordinarily [Page 146] hath taught those that haue longed to learne, rather than they should want teachers.The godly [...]omen. Thus by Angels he fur­ther instructed the godly womē in the re­surrection of his sonne Christ: by Christ himselfe he fully taught in the same mat­ter the two Disciples going vnto Emaus, The two Disciples. and talking togither of the thynges whyche were done concerning Iesus. To the Chamberlaine vnto the Quéene of the Ethiopians reading the scriptures as he roade in his waggon,The Cham­ [...]erlayne. he sent Phi­lip, to teache him the knowledge of Christe. [...]aule. Paule he directeth to Ananias, for instruction, concerning that Christe, whome before in his members he so e­grely persecuted. [...]imeon. Simeon that good and godlye olde father, longing or he dyed to sée Christ, he moueth by hys spirite at that instant to come into the temple, whē he there founde Christe his desired, and with ioye embracing hym, cryeth out, Lorde nowe let thy seruaunt departe in peace, [...]pollos. for mine eyes haue seene thy salua­tion. He causeth Apollos a religious and a learned, and eloquent Iew, knowing no [Page 147] more but the Baptisme of Iohn, to méete with Aquila and Priscilla, who expoun­ded vnto him the waye of the Lorde per­fectly. This our Cornelius a deuout mā,Cornelius. & one that feareth god, hath first direction by an Angell, and after the holy Apostle Peter, to teache hym what to doe. Let vs therfore, good Christians, be like godlye minded & vertuously occupied with these godly mē, & the Lord, though not miracu­lously as he did vnto them, wil neuer for­sake vs, but appoint vs one godly meane or other, by which we shal grow to knowledge and vnderstanding in his heauenly truth: wheras, if we shal be rather deligh­ted in reding of filthie books,Baudie bookes. as y^e Baudies de Gall, the Amaudis, I trow it be, the great Pallace and the little Pallace of pleasure, with a number moe of suche filthy bookes, wherwyth this Churchyard swarmeth in this cleare light of the Gos­pell: if we shall be occupyed in vayne, wicked, and vngodly talke, so far off shal we be wyth Cornelius from hauing the Angell or Peter to directe vs, that the Deuil of hell wil associate himselfe vnto [Page 148] vs, & créepe at the length so farre into our hearts, that he wyl roote out of vs al care of vertue and godlinesse, and make vs re­ioyce in our owne shame, that we may be the more fit vessels of wrath & dānation.

God hath v­ [...]ed sundry meanes in [...]imes past to [...]eueale hys will vnto [...]en.2 Secondly we sée that God from tyme to time in the ages past hath vsed sundrye and diuerse wayes to speake vnto our forefathers, as sometimes by Angels ap­pearing in the visible shapes of men, as, vnto Abraham, Lot, Gedeon, Manoah, Zachari, Marie, to this our Cornelius and others. Sometimes by Angels in o­ther likenesse, sometimes by dreames, sometimes by the Priestes Ephod, some­times by visions: all whiche meanes as they were extraordinary, so are they also now ceased, and the glorie of our tymes greater, in whiche he hath vouchsafed to speake vnto vs by his owne sonne, as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth testifye, who being long since ascen­ded into heauen, he hath thought good to haue vs hys people to be instructed by the voyce of men, to whiche purpose hée hath appointed vnto vs for teachers, pa­stours, [Page 149] & Doctours, wherwith we muste content our selues, not looking for the mi­nisterie of Angels, or reuelatiōs frō hea­uen, wherof I shal haue occasiō to speake more hereafter. Much myght here be said of Angels & visions, but I loue not: wil­lingly to run into common places. This therfore may suffise, briefly to note, y^t as they are both extraordinary ways, wher­by it pleased God in times past to reueale himself vnto men, so herein hath appeared god his maruellous and wonderful loue towards vs, that when as he might haue déemed vs vnméete and vnworthy of the seruice of the vilest, the meanest, and the verye basest creatures in all the worlde, yet not contented to haue ordey­ned all other things for the vse and bene­fite of man, he hath also appointed hys Angels, sometimes to be instrumentes, by which he would declare his will vnto men, but alwayes to watche ouer them, for their defence and safegarde What a comforte therfore (beloued) is it vnto vs to knowe that the Lorde hathe appoin­ted his Angels for our seruice,A singular comforte. according [Page 150] as it is written in the firste Chapiter of the Hebrewes: Hee maketh the spirites his messengers, and a flaming fire his mi­nisters. Nay how greatly are we bounde to prayse our God, before whom we are in so high account, and ouer whome he is so careful and tender, that he hath not ap­pointed for euery one his seuerall Angell (whiche some haue presumed to teache without the warraunt of the worde) but hath giuen charge and commandement, that vpon euery particular childe of hys, manye Angels shoulde for their safegard attende and wayte.Psalm. [...]1.11. For so are we taught in the Psalme: For he shall giue his An­gels charge ouer thee, to keepe thee in al thy wayes. And to Elizeus seruant were shewed many firie chariotes in a ready­nesse for the defēce of his master. Wher­fore letting passe this heathenishe forge­rie of euery man hauing two Angels, let vs be thankeful vnto God for this inesti­mable & inspeakable goodnesse, who set­teth in watche for the protection of hys Church, the whole army and host of hea­uenly souldiours, and as best pleaseth his [Page 151] endlesse Wisedome, vseth the helpe one while of many thousandes, and another while of one only, for the safetie and de­fence of those which are his.

3 Thirdlie, we haue here to note,God many times applyeth hymselfe to the capacities of men. that God of his fatherly goodnesse applyeth & frameth himselfe many times to our af­fections and dispositions, vsing in calling vs to his knowledge such meanes, ways and instruments, as he knoweth we wil be most moued withall. So he called the wise men by a starre: the Iewes by the aucthoritie of the scriptures, & baptisme of Iohn, the Gentiles by varietie of my­racles. And Christ when he woulde call his Apostles to the preaching of the gos­pel. he broughte them into a great mar­uell and wonder of him, by the taking of an incredible number of fishe at one draught, and so teacheth them of the fi­shing for men. Paule likewise at Athens, by finding an Alter whereon was writ­ten To the vnknowen God, taketh occa­sion of a thing familiar vnto the gētiles, to reason with them of the true worship of God. And in this place it pleaseth God [Page 152] first to vse in the calling of Cornelius the ministery of an Angel, and afterward the seruice of man. Where out we learne, what discretion and iudgemente there ought to be, in those that are teachers of others, to imitate and folowe this exam­ple of God, Christe, and his Apostles, in teaching and winning of men vnto hym, manye times to applye themselues vnto the capacities, wittes, and vnderstanding of their hearers and by things acquain­ted and knowen vnto them, to séeke by little and little to drawe them to the knowledge of things darke and hidden from them.

The seconde [...]raunch of y^e [...]econd ge­ [...]erall.The seconde member of this seconde part conteineth the feare of Cornelius at the sighte of the Angel. For thus it is written in the text: But whē he loked on him, hee was afrayde, and sayde, what is it Lorde. The Angell of the Lorde was sent by God vnto Cornelius for his good, for his benefite, and for his comfort. He came to assure him, that God in mercye had regarde vnto him, that he had hearde his prayers, and remembred his almes, [Page 153] and that he had appointed Peter to be messenger vnto him of the glad tidings of saluation. Cornelius all thys notwith­standing albeit, he were a man that fea­red God, and that there were in hym a great and vehement zeale in religion, yet he is abashed and apailed, he trembleth & feareth at the sight of Gods messenger, which is a token of the weakenesse of mā his nature, whiche hauing a taste of the maiestie of God, quiuereth and quaketh at his presence, considering the highnesse and excellencie of the same, and his own lownesse and vnworthynesse, weying what loue, and what reuerence, it oweth vnto God, what perfectnesse and pure­nesse he requireth at our hand in his law, and what imperfection and vnpurenesse there remaineth in vs, and how little abi­litie to performe that which he comman­deth, and therefore worthyly it humbleth it selfe with feare and reuerence before his maiestie.

First we learn out of this place,Holy men haue always feared at the appearaunce of God his angels. that it hath alwayes bene peculiar vnto the Saintes of GOD, to tremble and feare [Page 154] at the apperance of his Angels, although they haue in déede bene sente for theyr greate ioye and comforte. So Moses feared at the sighte of the Angell in the flaming bushe: Gedeon when he sawe the Angell comming to shewe him that God had appointed him to be the deliue­rer of the Children of Israell out of the handes of the Midianites,Iudg. 6.22. cryeth out, Alas my Lorde God: for bycause I haue seene an Angell of the Lorde face to face, Iudg. 13.22. I shall die. Manoah when the An­gell brought him tydings of the byrth of Sampson,Dan. 10. after hys departure, sayeth vnto his wife, We shal surely die, bicause we haue seene God. Daniel was strykē into such a maruellous feare at the sight of the Angell, that as he sayth hymselfe, there remayned no strength in hym: For his strengthe in him was turned in­to corruption, and he retained no power. Zacharie feared when the Angell decla­red vnto him, the byrth of Iohn the Bap­tisse: so did Marie at the vision of the An­gel, certifying hir, that she shoulde beare Christe. The shepherds were sore afrayd [Page 155] when they saw the Angel bringing them newes that Christ was borne The thrée Disciples in mount Thabor, Mat. 17.6. fel on their faces, and were sore afrayde, at y^e trans­figuration of Christe.Marke. 16.8. The godly women that came to annoint Christ, trembled at the beholding of the Angell which tolde them that he was risen, and they ranne awaye from the Sepulchre sore ama­zed. And in this place Cornelius loo­king on the Angell commyng vnto hys comforte, greatelye feareth. If it be so then,The cōming of Christ to iudgemente, wil be most terrible to y^e reprobate. that to the verye Godlye the sighte of Gods Angels be fearefull and ter­rible, appearing for their profite, and for their better assurance of GOD his especiall fauour & good wil towardes thē, howe terrible then and fearefull shall the commyng of the sonne of man be, to the wicked and reprobate, when at the daye of iudgemente hée shall come in greate glorie, accompanyed with many Millions of Angels to render vnto them theyr pardon, whyche they haue deserued in the lake, that burneth wyth fire and Brimstone? Let therefore those [Page 156] desperate and carelesse persōs that set at nought and contemn Christ, as a merci­full and louing sauiour, feare and trem­ble at him as a sharpe and reuenging iudge, who, if in the tyme of his humility here vpon earth he coulde with one word of hys mouth throwe flat to the grounde all his enimies that came to take him, what shall be hys power comming to iudge with maiesty, to throw down thou­sandes vnto Hell, who, if his Angels coū ­tenaunce haue bene terrible to his owne Saintes and chosen, when they were sent for their comfort, how much more feare­ful shall his angrie countenaunce and frowning lookes be vnto the wicked, whē he commeth to condemne thē: in so much that those, whiche nowe setting all feare aside, or at least séeming so to do, wheras many times they tremble at the shaking of a leafe, they séeme to be so foole hardy, as if they woulde pull God from heauen out of his throne, they shall then be dri­uen into such an horror, feare, trembling, shaking & shiuering, euery veine, limme and ioynte of them, that to saue themsel­ues, [Page 157] they, if they coulde, woulde créepe in­to a mousehole: nay, shal for feare and cō ­fusion say vnto the mountaines, fal vpon vs to hide vs from the terrible wrath of the Lord?

2 Secondly,We ought t [...] feare at the speaking of y^e Lord vnto v [...] out of his worde. we must learne with Cor­nelius to feare and submit our selues at the presence of God and the féeling of his diuine maiestie. For euen vnto the godly is the sight of god terrible, not that God would thereby driue vs into a per­petual abashment and dismaying, or haue vs ouerwhelmed, as it were, & swallowed vp of feare and horror, but that we shold with all méekenesse, lowlynesse, humility and reuerence, cast our selues downe be­fore his maiestie, being with al submissi­on readye to do that which he shal thinke beste to enioyne vs. For the Lord loketh, that those to whom he openeth and shew­eth himselfe by his worde, shoulde be mo­ued with a reuerent feare at the hearing of y^e same, according as he witnesseth by hys Prophete Isaias: Heare the word of the Lord, all ye that tremble at his word. And againe: To him will I loke, euen to [Page 158] him, that is pore, and of a contrite spirite, and trembleth at my words. But what is y^e cause (beloued) that at this day y^e word of the Lord worketh not in vs this effect of reuerence, trembling and feare? for­sooth, bicause we fasten our eyes vpon the person that speaketh, with the basenesse of whome we are nothyng moued, wher­as if we would, as indeede we ought, con­sider that it is GOD whiche speaketh vnto vs in the person of man, then would be driuen into this sluggishe nature of ours, suche a feare and reuerence of the word of God, as ought to be in vs, which I pray God graunt vnto vs.

The answere of Cornelius to the Angel.Thirdly, I cannot let passe the answere that Cornelius maketh to the Angel cal­ling him, wher he saith, what is the Lord? Wheras y^e drossie translation whiche go­eth vnder y^e name of Ierom, & the cōmon translation, & is the Pope his owne dear­ling, hath, who is it Lord? Like as in the first of Samuel, and third chapter, it hath very falsely & rediculously, that Heli hys eyes were dimme and coulde not sée the candle of the Lord, vntil it was put out. [Page 159] And in the .15. of the first to y^e Corinthes, clean contrarie vnto the truth of y^e Gréek text, which sayth, we shal not all die, but we shall all be changed: it sayeth, we shal all dye, but shall not al be chaunged: be­sides a greate many moe filthy corrupti­ons whyche haue often out of this place bene shewed to be in it, that you mighte learne to forsake and leaue it. Al whiche errours, moste of them shewed them by vs,The Papists a long time in steade of y^e holy Ghost, prayed vnto the Diuel. and some of them tolde them by theyr owne men, I doe the lesse maruell that they stil retain, for as muche as of grosse & wilful ignorance in their Latyn portu­ses in stead of Glorie be to the father and to the sonne, and to the holy ghost, they sing daylye, Glorie be to the father, and to the sonne, and to the Diuell. Spiritui paradyto, y^e wicked and infamous spirite, in steade of spiritui paraclêto, the spirite, which is y^e comforter. For y^e, that there is so much differēce betwéen y^e two words, euery boy of the grammer schole can tel. And I woulde fayne learne of some Pa­pist, that holdeth that the church of Rome can not erre, whether this were an error [Page 160] or no, in steade of the holy Ghost to pray to the Diuell. And bycause I were loth to sustaine their ill will for reporting this truth of them, let it for me, rest vpon the backe of him where I haue it, whych is, Polidor Vergil, a man of their own, who in hys fifth booke and thirtéenth Chapter of the finders out of things, too too piti­ously (poore soule) lamenteth, & complay­neth of their waywardnesse, that being tolde of so horrible a faulte, will not leaue nor amende it. Wherefore leauing hym in his sorrowe, and his Popishe Priestes in their frowarde errour, I re­turne to my purpose, and note vnto you, that al the copies, so manye as I euer haue séene or hearde of, haue thys rea­ding, What is it Lord? so that the other, Who is it Lorde? being such as any that in the Gréeke tongue can set the Nomi­natiue case and the verbe togither, might easily auoyde, procéedeth of wilfull igno­noraunce and carelesse negligence, and darkeneth also the meaning of the place, for whyche cause onely I note it. Wher­as this reading, What is it Lord? argueth [Page 161] that Cornelius his minde was touched with a feare, as knowing, that albeit it were onelye the Angell that spake vnto him, yet he had indéede to do with God, whose onelye messenger the Angel was. Therefore, thus saying, he sheweth forth a readie and willing minde, euen before he knoweth, to doe whatsoeuer the Lorde shoulde commaunde hym: whereas we, after that the Lorde hath commaunded and commaunded againe, straine courtesie, and take leysure to per­forme his wil, communing with fleshe and bloude, whether it be good pollicie or no, to doe as the Lord biddeth, & whe­ther it maye not procure vs peril and trouble. But all you that feare the Lord saye with Cornelius, What is it Lorde? and by thy mercifull assistaunce, wée wil performe and doe it.

There followeth the thirde braunche of this second generall, namely,The thirde braunche of the seconde generall. the An­gells speache vnto Cornelius, saying: Thy prayers, and thine almes are come vp into remembrance before God. Now therefore send men to Ioppa, and call for [Page 162] Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lod­geth with one Simon a Tanner, whose house is by the Sea side, he shal tell thee what thou oughtest to doe. These wor­des, as in the beginning I declared, con­taine both a comforte, and a commande­ment vnto Cornelius, which both, with their doctrines, shal be handled in order: firste the comforte, bycause it is firste mentioned, after this maner: Thy pray­ers and almes are come vp into remem­braunce before God. Of these wordes we maye not gather, that GOD, who séeth all thinges, and before whose eies are manifeste those thinges whiche are done in greatest secret, doth at any time forget the doings of men, but the holye Ghost in this place, as in manye other, speaketh of God as of a manne, for our better vnderstanding. And for bicause if God deferre at the firste to graunt our requestes, our dul nature conceiueth no better of him, thā of a man that is deafe, therefore, that Cornelius might knowe, that his praiers were hearde, and hys almes déedes accepted, the Angell assu­reth [Page 163] him, that GOD hathe in remem­braunce both the one and the other, that is, that God will reward them with the full lighte and knowledge of his Gospel. And so in manye other places, doth the worde Remember, béeyng spoken of the dealing of God towardes man, carrie with it a signification of rewarde. So God remembred Noah, and the floude ceased: he remembred Abraham, and de­liuered his kinsman Lot out of Sodom: he remēbred Rachell, and gaue hir chil­dren: he remembred his promisse, and deliuered the children of Israell oute of Egipte. So we reade that the thiefe on the Crosse saide vnto Christe: Lorde re­member me when thou commeste into thy Kingdome, and he aunswereth: this day shalte thou be with me in Paradise. And in the Psalme it is saide, He remē ­bred vs in oure humilitie, and then follo­weth, he redeemed vs. And therfore you shall finde, that Dauid often prayeth to the LORDE, to remember hym. In thys place therefore Gods remem­braunce of the prayers and almes déeds [Page 164] of Cornelius, teacheth him, that he will reward them, not for their worthinesse, but of his mercie.

[...]he do­ [...]es.1 Many lessons issue oute of this fruit­full place, which deserue large discour­ses: but I will runne them ouer in a worde, hoping that the straightnesse of time, wherewith I am ouertaken, shal obtaine pardon for my shortnesse. First therfore, once againe, to stop the mouths of the quarrelling Papists, we teache, y^e this place is a mightie encouragement, and a sharpe spurre, to pricke forwarde this dull nature of ours, vnto good wor­kes, in which we are so colde and slouth­full: for here we plainelye sée, that our godlye exercises, oure Christian déedes and good workes be not onelye suche as doe please GOD, with whiche he is muche delighted, and the whiche hée greatly liketh and verye well accepteth, but that he doeth also beautifie and gar­nishe them with thys noble reward, that being vsed to his honour and glorie, and the benefite of his Churche, he doeth moste plenteouslie and liberally encrease [Page 165] them with a large heape of other giftes, blessings, and graces. For vnto him that hath, shall be more giuen, and the faith­full seruaunte that is trustie in few thin­ges, and putteth oute his maisters talent vnto gaine, shall be sette ouer manye thinges, and be made Ruler ouer manye Cityes, like as in this place Cornelius, bicause God hearde his prayers, and ac­cepteth of his almes, he directeth hym vnto Peter, for full instruction of the Gospell, and knowledge of Saluati­on.

2 Secondly, for asmuche as it is here saide, that Cornelius his prayers and almes déedes were accepted before God, it muste néedes followe, that Cornelius had faith. For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne. And without faith it is impos­sible to please God. It were blasphemy to affirme, that GOD is delighted with sin, but God is delighted with the pray­er and almes of Cornelius: if therefore they were not sinne, then were they done in faith, and therefore Cornelius hadde nowe alreadie faith. God is saide to bée [Page 166] wel pleased with them, it followeth ther­fore inuincibly, that they procéeded of Faith. Cornelius therefore hadde faith, yea, and also faith in Christe, for with­out Christe, if we beholde the bare Ma­iestie of God, we shal be so farre off from receiuing any comforte, or féeling anye taste of his goodnesse, that we shall haue oure eies dazeled with the brightenesse thereof, and oure selues ouer-whelmed with the glorie of the same. And I praye you, can it be, that without Christe, Cor­nelius coulde be enlightned with the spi­rite of Christe, I meane the Spirite of regeneration, or newe birth? manifeste and euident tokens, whereof are his re­ligion and feare of God. For God cha­lengeth in Ezechiel this honoure vnto himselfe, [...]zech. 11.19. & [...].26. to frame the harte to his feare & godlinesse, to make it new, and to driue out the stone hardnesse of it, to cause it to walke in his statuts, and to do his iudge­ments and kéepe them. The fame there­fore of the Messias being then so rife a­mongest all the Iewes, yea and among other nations also farre off, it cannot be [Page 167] but that Cornelius his faith hadde some grounde on him, albeit not in suche ful­nesse as it pleased God afterwarde to reueale vnto him. Wherefore lette the Papists lay their hand vpō their mouth,Againste the Papists abusing this place. whiche abuse this place shamefully twoo wayes, the one, to proue, that before Faith, a manne maye doe good works, whyche maye serue as preparatiues vnto Faith: and secondlye, that oure workes doe deserue at the handes of GOD, encrease of hys good giftes and graces in vs, according vnto the seuerall merites of euerye one of vs. For the fleshlye manne is so farre off from preparing himselfe of hys owne power, to winne the grace of GOD,1. Cor. 2.14. that hée doeth not perceiue the thyngs of GOD, neither can doe. And as for deseruing, the Scripture playne­lye teacheth, that Faith it selfe, from whence all other good workes do spring, is the onely gifte of GOD, and there­fore muste Workes, the fruites of the same, be so likewise. Wherefore if we [Page 168] haue nothing but that we haue receiued. Why doe we boaste, as if it were oure owne, and not receiued? Yet when they haue prated for their merits, vntill their tongues ake, and cried out for their de­seruings, till their throates be hoarse a­gaine, they bring nothing that maye stir vp a man to doe well, but leaue vs al­wayes in doubte whether oure workes please God or no: nay they flatly affirme that it is highe arrogancie, and greate presumption, for a man to assure himself of saluation, whereas we denying, that oure workes can deserue any thing, and yet teaching, that there is a rewarde laide vp for them of mercie, which faith taketh hold on in Christ, do by this mea­nes stirre vppe and pricke forwarde the godly to good works, whē as they knowe they shall not lose their laboure, the re­compence whereof (albeit it please the Lorde in many places of the Scripture, to terme by the name of a Rewarde, yet hereof cannot be concluded deserte, but it is rather a speciall token of Gods greate fatherlye loue, that thus crow­neth [Page 169] in vs his owne good giftes, who o­therwise dooing oure vttermoste, are no­thing else in deede, and in oure owne selues and nature, but vnprofitable ser­uauntes.

3 Thirdly, wée maye gather of the nature of contraries, that as God re­wardeth the religion, feare of God, god­lye bringing vppe of his houshold, pray­er, and almes déedes of Cornelius, with more plentifull abundaunce of spirituall giftes and knowledge of his Gospell (as he vseth in his children daily, by a newe and verye sensible increase, to multiplye his graces, as it were by degrées, vntill he bring them to perfection) so the little store of heauenly vertues, that this day is to be founde amongest vs, oure slow­nesse in prayer, oure slackenesse in the déedes of Charitie, oure vnwillingnesse to laboure for the edifying one of an o­ther, our wearinesse in hearing the word of God, and our lesse profiting after the preaching of the Gospell, are manifest tokens of Gods iuste reuenge of oure greate vnthankefulnesse, so that if wée [Page 170] shall still goe on in hiding in the ground oure Maisters talent, it shall in the end be taken from vs, and giuen vnto those that haue vsed their talentes to gaine, and we for oure deseruings be caste out into vtter darkenesse.

[...]harge vn­ [...] Cornelius [...]tructing [...]n what to [...]e.In the seconde parte of this speache of the Angell vnto Cornelius, is sette downe a charge and commaundement for hys instruction, what hée oughte to doe, in whiche, hée is tolde the place whither to send, Ioppa: to whom there to sende, vnto one Simon a Tan­ner: for whome to sende, for one Si­mon, surnamed Peter: to what ende hée should send for hym, namely, that he mighte teach hym what to do, or as it is in some readings, speake wordes vnto hym, whereby hée shoulde bée saued, and his whole house. Where­in appeareth the greate goodnesse of GOD towardes Cornelius, in easing hym of all the burthen and trouble of the iourney, and laying it vppon Pe­ter, whome he hadde appoynted for [Page 171] hys teacher. And whereas reason and duetie woulde, that the Scholler shoulde goe vnto the maister, yet héere suche is the gentlenesse of GOD, that hée wyll haue the Mayster take paines to come vnto the Scholler, letting Cor­nelius tarry quietlye at home, whilest Peter sustaineth and endureth al the en­combraunces and troubles of the waye in trauailin vnto him.

1 You haue firste to note,The do­ctrines. oute of thys fauorable dealing of GOD with Cornelius, that suche is his louing na­ture towardes mankinde, and so careful is he for their saluation, that he daylye thrusteth forth Ministers for the instru­ction of hys people, when as they them­selues are in a manner vnwilling to haue them, nay, that he is many times founde of them whyche soughte hym not, and offereth himselfe to them that aske not after him: yea, when we haue runne from him, that he hath come vnto vs:

So, when our first Parentes Adam & Eue had hidden themselues for shame of [Page 172] their transgression among the trées of the garden, GOD séeketh and findeth them oute, and assureth them of comfort in the promised séede. So he calleth A­braham out of Vr of the Chaldeis, when he wallowed in Idolatrie. Lot he dra­weth (as it were) violently, and against hys will, out of the destruction of So­dom. Dauid sléeping almost a whole yere in securitie, and béeing touched with no remorse of hys filthye adulterie, and o­ther haynous offences, he awaketh, by his Prophet Nathan. Paule he con­uerteth in the middest of his heate, and rage of persecutiō, going to Damascus. And Peter after thrice deniall and for­swearing him, he friendly admonisheth of his faulte and fall, by a looke. But in this case of Cornelius, GOD in let­ting hym tarrye at home, and causing Peter to come vnto him, had (no doubt) a further respecte, than vnto Corneli­us his owne ease, and that was, that all his whole housholde, togither wyth a greate manye of hys friendes and [Page 173] acquaintaunce, might receiue the know­ledge of the Gospel, and the glad tidings of saluation, as well as hée. For as he is the GOD of all, so woulde hée as well haue those that be seruaunts, saued, as those that be Maisters, of whose instruction also, if wée be care­lesse, wée haue one daye an heauye accoumptes and reckenyng to make for it.

2 Secondlye, in that GOD instru­cteth not Cornelius by himselfe, nor by the Angell, whiche bothe he coulde haue done, but appointeth hym ouer vnto Peter, as before hée dyd Paule vnto Ananias. And the Chamber­layne of the Quéene of the Ethiopians vnto Philippe: Wée sée here a plaine and euident place for the cōfirmation of the outwarde preaching of the word, and the ministerie of the Churche, for in as muche as, Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the worde of GOD, and none can preache, vnlesse he be sent: whosoeuer he be, that looking for other reuelations, meanes, and wayes, des­piseth [Page 174] and contemneth the worde prea­ched by the mouth and ministerie of man, despiseth the meanes which GOD hathe ordained for his saluation, and to worke in him faith by, and sheweth him selfe plainely to be none of Christes dis­ciples, nor to haue care to be lightened with the light of the heauenly wisedome, in as muche as he refuseth the voice of man, whiche CHRIST vseth as an instrument, vnto the whyche, hée will haue oure faith tyed: wherefore hée will not take at the handes of anye man, the contempte of this order, that I speake not with what horrible exam­amples GOD hathe punished the bold and wicked attemptes, and practises of the Anabaptistes, and Enthusiaste He­retikes of oure tymes, that casting a­side the preaching of the worde, will haue all done by Reuelations. GOD graunt, that the wonderfull errours and wickednesses, whiche they haue fallen into, maye be admonitions vnto vs, to make much of Gods constitutions and ordinances.

[Page 175]3 Thirdly, as this place commendeth the dignitie of the preching of the word, so also, in y^t y^e Angell reporteth of Peter vnto Cornelius, that he shold teach him what to doe, it also instructeth vs what maner of person he ought to be, which is to be admitted into this high & honorable function of y^e ministerie, namely, suche a one, as can tel Cornelius what to do for to attaine vnto saluation, that is, suche a one, as is able to teach them of his cure & charge their dueties vnto the Lord: for Paule vnto Titus,Tit. 1.9. willeth that he whi­che is a Minister, be suche a one as hold­ding fast y^e faithful word according vnto doctrine, maye be able to exhorte with wholsome doctrine, & to improue those y^e speak against it. And vnto Timothie, he wil not haue one made a Minister, whi­che is a yōg Scholler, least he being puf­fed vp, fall into the condemnation of the Diuel. What woful daies therfore (beloued) are these dayes of ours, in whiche thousāds of our Ministers, are not onely not yong schollers, but also no schollers at al: not only not able to exhort w^t whol­some [Page 176] doctrine, but also not to reade di­stinctly and plainely, suche as in whome there is no manner of worthinesse, that ought to be in a Minister, but suche as their gréedie Latrones, Patrones I woulde saye, allowe of, in giuing them liuing, I meane their worthy paying for it, and then a Quare impedit, againste the Bishop, that shall deny him institu­tion. And hereof commeth it to passe, that oure Churches are full of Ieroboams Priests, I meane the very refuse of the people, suche as in their conscience ab­horre the ministerie, and take it onely, bicause they know no other way to liue, being manye of them vnméete to haue the charge of oure shooes, muche lesse to be trusted with the cure of oure soules. The Lorde graunte vnto those, whome it concerneth to redresse this foule abuse, bowels of pitie and compassion, with our Sauioure Christe to yearne at the greate ignoraunce of the people in the Countrie, for lacke of able teachers: in somuche, that in some Parishes it were no hard matter to finde many, that other­wise [Page 177] than after the manner of Parats mumbling vp the words of their beliefe without all vnderstanding, are not able to tell whether there be anye GOD or Christ, or no. And you (deare brethren) of this Citie, whom God hath blessed with stoare of good teachers, whose number I pray to be increased dayly: pray for vs of the countrey, that the harueste wyth vs being maruellous great, & the labourers wonderful fewe, it would please the Lord of the haruest to thrust out into his har­uest painfull labourers and faithfull Pe­ters in great numbers, that may be able to teach Cornelius what to do. For lacke of instructions in manye places of theyr dueties vnto God, they clean forget their dueties vnto man, yea and manye times take weapon againste their lawfull and Godlye Prince, whyche if they were well instructed in the word of the Lord▪ there is very good hope, they would feare to do.

4 Fourthlye, where it is sayde that Cornelius should heare of Peter at Iop­pa at the house of one Simon a Tanner, [Page 178] we do learne of what sortes of men God commonly vseth to gather his Churche, namely of the meanest and lowest estate of the people, for the most parte. For not many wise, not manye strong, not ma­ny noble according to the fleshe. And God hath chosen the folish, the weak, the despised, to cōfound the wise, the strong, and the esteemed. Simon the Tanner must entertain Peter, and the poore Shu­namite kéepe a chamber for Elizeus: and the widowe of Sareptha in the time of fa­mine, giue a little bread vnto Elias: Mat­thewe the publican must bid Christ, yea, many times the caues of Obadiah muste hide the Prophetes of the Lorde by fiftye and fiftye, when as the greate men of Ioppa, contemne Peter: when Ahaziah by hys Captain ouer fiftie wil set Elias before hym, if he tel him he shall die: whē Achab wyll séeke ouer all realmes and countries for the life of Elias, when He­rode vnder the pretence of worship wyll haue Christe diligentlye soughte after, that he maye slaye him: when as Iesa­bell will kill the Prophetes of the Lord, [Page 179] and saue aliue the Priestes of Baal. But God hath hadde at all times, and in all places, and hath at this time, and in this land, many of the greate men, that make accountes of Peter, and the Lord multi­plye them continuallye for his Christes sake, and graunt that they maye all haue God his faithfull and paineful ministers and preachers in a reuerent regarde and good accounte. For it is to little purpose to féede vs wyth liuyng, and suffer vs of euerye one to be contemned, whyche wyll one daye be the ruine and decay of the Churche. Besides that, it is a greate token in what person soeuer, and of what countenaunce soeuer, that doeth not wyth Simon the Tanner make muche of Peter, that there is in hym little feare of GOD. Nay it is playne­lie set downe for one of the properties that muste bée in hym that shal dwell in the LORDES Tabernacle and reste on his holye hyll, that he must not onelye estéeme well of the Prea­chers, but of all other the Godlye whatsoeuer. In whose eyes (sayeth the [Page 180] Psalmist) a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that feare the Lord. Those therfore that do the cleane cōtra­rie, that is, secretly maintain wicked Pa­pistes, and make accountes of bad and lewde persons, contemning the godly, and preachers of the Lord, I had rather leaue it to your owne consideration, than my selfe declare, in whose Tabernacle they shall dwell, and on whose hill they shall rest.

The thirde parte.

NOw aword or two of the third part, and so I will ende. In this part ge­nerallie is shewed the willingnesse and obedience of Cornelius, with spéede to performe that whych the Angell charged hym withall. For (saith the texte) When the Angel was departed, he called two of his seruauntes, and a souldiour that feared God, one of them that wayted on hym, and tolde them all things, and sent them to Ioppa. Where firste commeth to be noted, a commendation of the faith of [Page 181] Cornelius, that all delayes, reasons,A commendation of the fayth of Cornelius. and excuses, set a part, withall spéede prepa­reth himselfe to do that, whych the An­gell had tolde him to be the will and ple­sure of the Lorde. He standeth not to de­bate what trouble his newe religion might worke him, whether that it were likelye, that the house of a poore Tanner shoulde receyue so singular a teacher as Peter was, or rather, whether Peter were not some obscure and bad fellowe, that lay lurking and hyding himselfe in such a base place, whereas if he were of such excellencie, he shoulde séeme to be ta­ken forth amongst the great men of those times and places. These and suche like, woulde the wisdome and pollicie of man haue layde vnto hym, to haue withhol­den him from yéelding obedience vnto the commaundemente of God. But ouer all these fayth easily got the victory, and causeth him with diligence for to sub­mitte himselfe, to the fulfilling of the Lordes pleasure. Let vs therfore learne, in the Lords matters, not to plead policy, but when the Lord commaundeth with [Page 182] all spéede to shewe obedience. You know howe Saule spedde beyng commaunded without any mercye shewed, to roote out the Amalekites with all theirs, from man, vnto beaste, who setting his owne wisedome, before the wisedome of the Lorde, is called foole for his laboure, and certifyed, that his kingdome shall be ta­ken from him, and giuen to suche a one as shoulde be readie for to do the wyll of the Lorde. The children of Israell, when God had streightlye charged them to de­stroy all the nations, into whose lande he woulde bring them, and shewed the in­conuenience that would come vnto them by sauing them: they for sauing them, founde them thornes and prickes vnto theyr flesh, in so much that manye yeares they liued in theyr slauerye and subiecti­on, as the booke of Iudges doeth plenti­fully witnesse. The Prophete that con­trarie to God his commaundement did eate bread, and drinke water in the house of the olde Prophete, as he roade home­warde was deuoured of a Lion. And he that commaunded by the worde of God [Page 183] to stryke the Prophet, refused it, a Lion also did slaye him. Al these preferred their owne wisedome, pollicie, and carnal rea­sons, before the wisdome, and expresse preceptes of the Lorde, and the fruites that thereof they reaped, were their own destruction. God graunt that their exam­ples may make vs wise, that with Cor­nelius, in al things that we shall learne of the worde of the Lord to concerne vs, we maye spéedily prepare our selues to perfourme it without commoning about the doyng of it, with fleshe and bloude. For before our GOD, obedience is far better, and of greater accountes than sacrifice.

The second lesson of this thirde parte is,What fruite Cornelius reaped by y^e vertuous bringing vp of his house­holde. the fruit that Cornelius reaped by his godly instructing of his familie, namelye therby he hath gained thus much, that he hath nowe faithful and trustie seruaunts whome he maye sende on his errande in this graue & weyghtie matter, concer­ning the saluation of him and his. All you that be masters, learne out of this, to be careful to plant in your seruaunts the [Page 184] feare of the Lord, and then shal you finde them faythfull vnto you, as Abraham had his seruaunt, as we reade in the 24. of Genesis. And those, that forslewe this duetie, it is no marueyle, if bycause they will not yéeld vnto God their duetie, they finde their owne seruauntes faithlesse and trustelesse, lyars, filchers, stealers, stub­borne, disobedient, blasphemers, swea­rers, and altogither giuen ouer to al sin & vngodlynesse. Yea, magistrats also, must be careful to haue their subictes taughte their duetyes vnto God, or else they shal finde them negligente in theyr obedience vnto them, yea tumultuous, seditious and rebellious.

Religiousnes in souldiers.The laste note of thys thyrde point, and of this whole scripture, is, that with two of his seruantes, Cornelius sent al­so a souldiour that waited vpon him, who feared GOD. Where we learne, that no trade nor profession of life is to bée preuiledged from the seruice of GOD, sith that souldiours, who the further they are from it, the more hardie of the grea­ter number they are accounted, haue in [Page 171] the scripture their commendatiō for this duetie. Nay,Deut. 23.9. the Lord in Deuteronomie describing the qualities of souldiers, wyl haue them not only to be frée frō al wic­kednesse, but also from al manner of out­ward pollutions. And therfore I do ma­ny times maruel, how the practise of our times, in sēding forth into y^e wars théeues and murtherers, can be warranted by y^e word. For sure I am, that the Israelites could not prosper at the siege of Ai, vntill Achan the théefe was found out & execu­ted. And the lord in Numbers, saith, that no recompence is to be taken for the life of the murtherer, nay y^t the land can not be clensed of bloud, but with y^e bloude of him that shed it. Let murtherers ther­fore, if they be proper & hādsome felows, be properly and handsomely hanged, and honest mē, be sent to war in their steads.

And al you that be noble men and gentle­mē for Gods sake I pray you,A good lesson for noble men and gentle­men. learn this one point of Cornelius: let not any waite nor attende vpon you, but suche as feare the Lord, and then shal you not néed in the countrey, such a train to followe you with [Page 172] long poles in their neckes, nor in y^e Citie to wait vpō you, with lōg blades by their sides, with flashing and cutting, & ruffiāly quarelling, & for neuer so little a worde speaking, imitating y^e spéeche of y^e Diuell vnto our sauiour Christ: If thou be a mā of thy hāds, come mete me in Smithfield.

Here I brokenly make an end, without any repetition, hauing as I coulde, & not as I would, run ouer euery part of thys text, vsing only for proues y^e warrant of y^e Scripture, bycause the testimonie of mā may be refused, but it neuer goeth forth but vnto saluation or condemnatiō. If I haue bin somewhat long, I pray forgiue me this faulte, and pardon me this iniu­rie: I haue done it onely for your further edifying, and for my farewell, doe in Christ Iesus hūbly pray you al thorow­ly to consider of that whiche I haue spo­ken, being all togither within the com­passe of y^e world, that you put it in spéedy practise and execution, especially the dili­gent trauayle to instruct your children & families in the word of the Lord. For the Diuell that now will goe about in with­holding [Page 173] you from this duetie, to tell you that it is not yours, but the ministers of­fice, wil at your liues end, to condemne you for forslewing your duetie, lay vnto your charge, that God hath cōmaunded you to teach diligently his word to your children & families: The Diuel that now to excuse you, wil alleage that it wil hyn­der your seruants worke, wil at your dy­ing day, to accuse you, plead that Martha in being busye aboute the affaires of the house, was not so wel occupyed as Marie in hearing of Christ. The diuel that now sayeth vnto you, that for thus doing you shall be mocked and scorned, will at your last breath and gaspes, for not doing it, rehearse vnto you, it is better to please God than men: and they that please mē are not the seruantes of God. Wherefore my brethren, concerning this, that either I or anye other of Gods ministers shal in his word speake vnto you, out of this place, let not the saying of the lord by the prophet Ezechiel be verified in you, wher he writeth thus: Also thou sonne of mā, the children of thy people that talke of [Page 174] thee by the walles, and in the dores of houses, and speake one to another, euery one to his brother saying, come, I praye you, and heare what is the worde that commeth from the Lord. For they come vnto thee, as the people vseth to come: and my people sit before thee, and heare thy wordes, but they will not doe them. For with their mouthes they make iests, and their heart goeth after their coue­tousnesse? And lo, thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voyce, and can sing well. For they heare thy wordes but do them not. And when this cōmeth to passe, (for lo, it will come) then shal they know that a prophet hath bene among them. The Lorde therefore make vs to be wise harted, that wyth Cornelius, we may be readie with all di­ligence to doe what soeuer the Lorde out of his holye worde shall commaunde vs for Christe his sake, to whiche Chryste with the father and the holy Ghost, be all prayse, honour, glorie, and Do­minion, both nowe and for euer. Amen.