The first propertie of the aduersaries.

1 Touching the first, that they did back­bite our sauiour Christe, it is plaine in that they came priuily to his Disciples and asked them in secret, Why their maister, &c. They came not before his [Page] face, but crept behinde his backe, and there spake their pleasures of him. And here you may note one of the qualities and properties of the aduersaries of Christ, which is, a great delight that they haue to feede their malitious humours in deprauing Christ and his worde. The swine delyte not more to wallowe in the myre, neither the dogge too returne too his vomite, neither the lyon to teare in pieces his pray, then these brute beastes, led with sensualitie, doe in backebiting Christ and his members. But what de­lite or pleasure so euer the aduersarie takes in it, it is one of the bitterest cros­ses that followes the profession of the Gospel: euen a malitious deprauing tongue. 1 For why? Doth it not most vio­lently teare in pieces the fame and good name of the godly. An olde writer vppon the Psalme, saieth that the tongues ofCassiodorus. backbiters may rather bee called teeth then tongues? Quia sicut dentes ciborum partes demunt, ita detractores famam ho­minum corrodunt.

2 Doth it not vexe and tormente the minde euen as the flames of hell fyre. [Page] S. Iames in the 3. chapter saith painly.Iames 3. The tongue is fire and a world of wic­kednes, so is the tounge sette among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hel. 3 To be short, doth not a spitefull tounge cut & wound the soule of the Godly as it were a swoord. Dauid, Psalme. 57. complay­ningPsal. 57. of the inhabitants of the Desert of Zeph sayth. Their tounge is a sharpe sword: and in the 62. psalme bewaylethPsal. 62. the destruction of Abimelech and the rest of the Priestes, which was wrought by the priuie slaunder of Achitophel and others, sayth, They haue whet their tongues like a swoord, whereby it may appeere y^• the persecution of an il toung is a sore persecution, euen because it woundeth the godly like a sword.

The Catholike Pharisees of Rome saye, that their holy Father hath and ought to haue two swoordes, by reason that the disciples sayd to Christ, Behold Lord heere are two swords. Luke, 22. Luke 22. In deede I am of that opinion, that the Pope hath now, and long hath had twoo swoords: The sword of Tyranny and the [Page] sword of Infamy. His sword of Tiranny wherwith he diuides the [...]ead from the shoulders was bequeathed vntoo him by his ancesters Caine Esau, Pharao, He­rod, Nero, Iulian. &c. with this sworde he hath had hi [...]full stroke at the Saintes of God heere in England, and would e­uen now l [...]t driue at vs again, if by Gods good prouidence we were not to farr out of his reach. The Lorde so keepe vs: The lord for his name sake so keepe vs. His other sword of Infamy, wherewith he wounds the godly by deprauing their good names, came to him by the like dis­cent: For after that Semei, Doeg, Achi­tophel & others had played their partes with it against Dauid, the Scribes and Pharisees had it in their vse, & what depe wounds they gaue with it to Christ & his Disciples you can not be ignorant. Now out of their hands Antichrist at his com­ming snatch it, and euer since hath hol­den it fast as the scepter of his kingdom. With this sword euen now hee layes a­bout him in England & strikes more des­perately at all estates then euer hee did: for al our hold Recusants, al our quondā priests, al our harpers vpon a change, all our [Page] lookers for a golden daye, all our priuie whisperers, and subtile surmisers which we haue in Englande, what els are they but the Popes souldiers, and their tongs his swordes wherewith hee strikes most fiersly, though priuily, at her Maiestie, at her most honourable Counsaile, at her faithfull people, yea and at Christe him selfe as these Pharisees did. Christ him selfe I say, they backbite and blaspheme in two respectes, in his worde, and in the messengers of the same woorde. In his worde, when they tell the people in their eares vnder the colour of friendly coun­sayle, that the worde of God is hard and obscure, that it is a dumb schoolmaister, and a dead letter, that it is a nose of waxe and a shipmans hose, seruing too euery purpose, and therefore aduise them in no case to reade it. Doe they not most dispitefully discredit and slaunder Christ him selfe? doe they not matche these in blasphemy those proude Iewes which called the Gospell in contempt Ouangi­lion. that is, Reueled sinne, or Ougelion, that is, The reuelation of vanity.

Nowe in the messengers of the same [Page] worde they backebite Christ whiles they reuile vs in their sleues, and call vs He­retikes, Hypocrites, Apostataes, Blas­phemers, Vowebreakers, Peacebrea­kers, Filthy lecherers, accursed hel­houndes, &c. which bitter reproches and reuilinges, when they come too our eares, woulde wounde vs as it were a sworde, were it not for the same blessed shield which Iesus Christ him selfe hath giuen vs: Mat. 5. Blessed are you, &c. Matt. 5. Therefore let them spue out their repro­ches vntill their heartes burst in pieces, and strike at vs with their cankred sworde of slaunder vntill their tongues cleaue to the roofe of their mouthes, they shall not discourage, but rather make vs the more dutifull. For euē as the enemy of Iason Phileus thought to wounde him with his sworde, but in deede healed him by opening his impostume, so they shall finde that when they haue saide the worst they can, they doe but lanche our impo­stumes of negligence and securitie, and so make vs the more diligent in our cal­ling, which God graunt. And thus much of the first note.

The second propertie of the aduersaries.

Once againe let vs looke into this question of theirs, and wee shall see that which secondly I noted. I meane howe subtely they began to discourage the dis­ciples. Why eateth, &c. As if they had said in flat and plaine speeches: you silly Disciples, doe you not perceiue and see what a one your Maister is, for whose sake you haue left all that you had: he for­beares not too eate and drinke with the wicked, euen Publicans and sinners: An honest man I warrant you, and you haue made a faire hand too betake your selues to such a Maister. Marke well I be­seech you their profound subtletie. They would faine discourage the Disciples. And why? To make them forsake their maister. And what then? Thē would the people leaue him, & so he should be as an abiect & as one forlorne, you haue no like­lihoode of a more cunning deuise at any time, then to vse the Disciple as an in­strument to confounde the maister, and yet you may note it for an other of the accustomary qualities of the aduersaries of the Gospell. For how had these Pha­risees [Page] knowne which had bin Christe, if they had not made Iudas for money too giue them a signe? And if you reade the 14. of Actes, you shall finde the very selfeAct. 14. same practise put in vre by the Iewes, which to supplant the Disciples in their laboures, corrupted the minds of certain Gentiles, which had bin their auditors, & so did much harme. Againe since Christ An. 178. in that same famous persecuti­on which was then in Fraunce, as ap­peereth in the Ecclesiasticall history, theEusebius. persecutors vsed the like tretchery to­wards Atalus & Alexander, twoo noble professors of the Gospel, for their owne seruants which had bin Ethnikes were subuerted to auouch opēly that their mai­sters liued by mans flesh: that they offred infants to the deuil: that they committed incest, with other such like blasphemies, more bitter then death it self. And Iulian Ruffinus. lib. 1. cap. 32. the Apostata to pluck vp by the rootes al that euer Athanasius that good old father of Alexandria, had planted in the Lords vinyard, called the Christiās, which were his hearers, & heaped kindnes vpō them, & gaue them libertie at wil, because they should shrink frō their pastor & professiō.

And what thinke you ot Antichriste that Archenemie of the Gospel: hath the Deuil him selfe a cast beyond him to vn­dermine Iesus Christe: One while hee thundreth and lightneth against vs, with Bell, Booke, and Candle: and an other while he smiles & fawnes vppon vs with his Bulles, Pardons, and Indulgences, and all to withdrawe vs from our Lorde and maister Iesus Christ. So that thus you see that this subtile deuise of these Pharisees is an ordinary practise of the Aduersaryes, and dooth no small harme in the Church of God, and therefore I thought good too make you acquainted with it, because you may the sooner es­chewe it, if at any time it shall be practi­sed towards you.

The third propertie of the aduersaries.

But returne to the Pharisees, Chird­ly in their question they iustifie thēselues: that is, they doe beare the Disciples in hand that they are men of such singular honestie and perfecte holines, that they abhorre al Publicanes and sinners, yea and cannot abide those which kepe them company, and all to bring their purpose [Page] the sooner about. A notable point of hy­pocrisie, vnder the visard of honestie and holinesse to worke mischiefe and villany. and a familiar practise of the aduersaries of the Gospel, which hath made vs great Shepheards of the word of God, no one thing the like: for whilst they couer their inwarde villany with the faire Cloke of honestie and good meaning, who can es­cape their snares? surely very fewe at al. For albeit that experience hath giuen forth these rules: That all is not Golde that glisters: That a rusty blade may haue a painted sheath: That none talkes more of honest dealing, then a common Cousoner: That none offers fayrer play, then a false Iugler: that many a one too haue his purpose, will light a candle be­fore the Deuil. And albeit that the scrip­ture hath giuen forth these notes, that hy­pocrites are like painted Sepulchres, full of deade mens bones: that they are Wolues in Sheepes clothing: Welles without water: and Cloudes without raine, & that the greatest grace and glory of an Hypocrite is, too seeme that hee is not, and that Satan can chaunge, &c. [Page] yet such is their cunning in coūterfait­ting, and such are their conueiaunces in canueising, that they are neuer almoste forseene til it be to late and past remedy. Wherfore hypocrites may be compared to the tricksie minion mentioned in the Pro. 5. Her lips (saith the wise man) drop as an hony combe, and her mouth is more soft then oyle, but the end of her is as bitter as wormewood, and sharpe as a two edged sworde. And surely so it fareth with an hypocrite most cōmonly: his golden pretence is neuer lightly with out a bloody end. Potolome had a gol­den pretence, when hee inuited olde Si­mon & his two sonnes to a feaste but his drift was too dispatch them, and so hee did.

Herod had a golden pretence when hee willed the wyse men too bring him woorde where the Childe was, that hee might come and worshippe, but his ende was to kil him.

Iudas had a golden pretence when he came to his Maister Iesus Christ & sa­luted him, and embraced him, and kissed [Page] him, but his ende was to betray him.

These Pharisees had a golden pre­tence when they curried fauour with the Disciples, and asked them by way of friendship, why eateth, &c. but their end and purpose was to seduce them.

Let al Symons bee aduised how they come too Ptolomaeus feast: Let all wyse men foresee Herods deuotion: Let allMachab. maisters reuoke Iudas kisse: Let all disciples take heede of the Pharisees driftes: and let all good and godly men haue an eye too hypocrisie, the beautye and continuance of the aduersaries of the Gospel, which can seeme a sainct, and be a Diuel, and in toungue professe a good woord, but in harte hatch and harboure a mischiefe, and so much of the thirde note.

The fourth property of the aduersaries.

The fourth thing which I haue no­ted in this question is, that they did rashely condemne their poore brethren, calling them Publicanes and sinners, [Page] pronouncing sentence vppon them, as it they had beene then as they were before. That is, such catchpoules and cutthrotes as none could be worse: where as they poore soules were at vtter defiance with their former wayes, and sought by all meanes to become regenerate in Christe Iesus. Heere I am to put you in minde of a fourth qualitie of the aduersaries of the Gospel which is, Rashe iudgement, forbidden by our Sauiour Iesus. Mat. 7. Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged, condemne not, &c.

This rash iudgement goeth hedlong to work and condemnes a man without regarde of circumstaunce or perfect vn­derstanding of the matter, whereof there is a notable example, Actes 28. When Paule hadde gathered a number of stickes, &c.

Backbiting and priuy slaunder is a greeuous crosse, heare it who shall. The subtile supplanting of the head by the foote is a Diuilish pollicie, who euer doth practice it. The counterfaite com­passes of Hypocrisie are alwayes mis­chieuous, how beautifull soeuer they ap­peere: [Page] but yet rash iudgement is worst of all. And therefore bylike the charitable Pharisees of Rome wil seeme to bee far from this question, and euen for S. Cha­rities sake not to iudge the worst one ofDecret. an other. Pope Leo the fourth, made a decree, that if the Pope him selfe were seene committing murther, it should bee excused as the murthers of Sampson: and if hee were seene playing the adulterer, it shall be cloked as the Adultery of Ia­cob: and if hee were seene dooing a rob­bery, it should be couloured as the rob­bing of the Egiptians, and all to auoyde rash iudgement. The same holy father made an other decree to the same ende in the behalfe of his clergie: that if one of the Cleargie were seene imbracing a woman, it should be saide that hee did it to blesse her. And besides the charitable decrees, their Legends setting forth the wonderfull charitie of S. Frauncis: re­corde that when hee sawe twoo wantons dallying and kissing togither, hee fell down vpō his knees & held vp his hands and praysed God that there was some charitie to be seene in the worlde. Haue [Page] you heard of the lyke charitie? woulde you wishe more aduised iudgement, and yet none liuing more headlesse or head­long in iudgement: For if you marke this geare wel, you shal perceiue that all was because they woulde not haue the worlde too iudge of them, as they were indeede: For let them see a mote in our eyes, and they will not let too condemne vs for very firebrandes of Hell.

Our discorde about Cappe and Sur­plesse is but a mote, in comparison of their great beames about the principall articles of Christian fayth: and yet they condemne vs for Schismatickes.

Our Christian liberty too take suche meate in woorth as comes before vs, with thankes too GOD and without grudge of conscience: what is it to their beastly licentiousnesse, too doo what they list without remorse of conscience? and yet they condemne vs for Liber­tines.

Our godly loue too prouide honestly for Wife and Children, is nothing in [Page] comparyson of their vnsatiable greedi­nesse too scrape togither for their Strumpetes and Bastardes, and yet they doe condemne vs for couetous Gos­pellers.

Our brotherly compassion to pardon sometimes small offences, is but a very Mite in regarde of their monstrous Ca­mell of Blasphemie to pardon alwayes whatsoeuer offences, and yet they con­demne vs for Anabaptists.

Good GOD then where is their Charitie become, whereof they makeso greate boaste? belike they keepe it all to thēselues: for to vs they shew nothing else but Buchery crueltie, and tyranny, behauing them selues like the Souldi­ers of that Captaine whose badge they beare.

Our infirmities they lay open to the worlde, as damnable enormityes: their owne Blasphemyes and detestable he­resies, they cloke and couer with the backeslydinges of the godly Patriarks. My conclusion is therefore, howe dain­tily and howe nice so euer they seeme too [Page] make it to iudge one another, be the mat­ter neuer so euident: yet they are moste despytefull in condemning vs, bee the cryme neuer so vnlikely. And thus in the Pharisees you haue heere the qua­lities and conditions of the aduersaries of Christ his Gospel.

But nowe it may bee that some one or other will beginne too doubte because of this the Pharisees question, whither it be lawful to keepe company or too enter into familiarity with the wicked, yea or no. For the resolution wherof this I say: It is not onely lawful, but also behouefull for the good minister of Christ too keepe company and too haue familiarity with those wicked ones in whom ther is good hope of amendement. For these are too bee brought home as stray sheepe vppon their shoulders, and the worste that can come of it is but the repining of a mali­tious Pharisee saying, Lo hee is a friend too Publicans and sinners.

But for any man that feares God and professeth the Gospel, to ioyne in entire amitie with the aduersaryes of the same, that is impossible, it is vngodly, it is dan­gerous. [Page] 1 It is impossible, because twoo contraryes can not agree togither, yee cannot drinke of the Cup of the Lorde, and of the cup of Diuels: yee cannot be partakers of the table of the Lorde, and of the table of Diuels. Bee not vnequally yoaked with Infidels. And why? For what fellowship hath righteousnes with1. Cor. 10. vnrighteousnes? Or what cōmunion hath light with darknesse? what concord hath Christ w^t Belial? Or what part hath the beleeuer with the infidell? Or what a­greement2. Cor. 6. hath the Temple of God with Idols? Once for all. It cannot be that the aduersaryes of the gospel, shoulde be freendes vnfaigned with the true profes­sors of the same: For so longe as their hearts rest on this pinne, that a solemne vowe is not to be performed vnto a Gos­pelle [...], let vs neuer looke but for patched and botched amitie at their hands. And as it is impossible to finde freendship at their hands, so it is vngodly too seeke it: 2 for Gods word doth forbid it. Take hede Exod. 33. 3 [...] too thy selfe that thou make no com­pact with the aduersaryes of the land whither thou goest, lest they bee the [Page] cause of ruine among you.

And heere is the danger to be noted to, least they be the cause &c. Heereby wee may see that ruine and destruction hang ouer their heads which are in ami­tie with Gods professed enemyes. Iosa­phat did but goe with Achab for com­pany, It had almoste beene his ouer­throwe. And that the Prophet told him at his comming back. The same ac­count let euery one of vs make, whenso­euer wee shake handes with Gods ene­myes. So that thus the case stands: If there be hope of amendment, then keepe company with the wicked: But if their harts be indurate, and their necks stiffe­ned, then beware lest they because of ru­ine. So farre of the first parte.

The first Aunswere.

First he saith, The whole neede not &c. As if hee had sayd, I am like vnto a Phisitiō, you are like vnto whole men: These Publicans are like vnto sick men. Nowe you knowe by common sense and reason, that the whole neede not the Phi­sition, but the sick, therefore I eate with them and not with you. In which saying we haue to note the comparison, and to consider how fitly they are made. Firste he compareth him selfe vnto a Phisition: secondly, the Pharisees vnto whole and sound men: Thirdly the Publicanes vn­to sick persons.

The first Comparison.

Two thinges are especially requisite in euery good Phisition: First that hee be able to cure his patient: next that hee be willing: otherwise he is no perfecte Phisition.

That Christ Iesus can heale our despe­rate diseases of sin: What better proofe is there then the notable cures which he [Page] hath already doone. Reade no more but the Chapter wherehence these woordes are taken, and you shall finde that hee cured Matthew a sinfull Publicane: He cured the Rulers daughter: Hee cured the woman of her bloody issue of twelue yeeres continuance: He cured two blinde men: Hee cured the dumbe man which was possest with a Deuill: In so much that the blessed Euangelist concluds the chapter with this testimonie: Iesus went about all Cities and townes, teaching in their Sinagogues and preaching the Gospel of the kingdome, and healing euery sicknesse and euery disease a­mong the people. Yea, and his com­ming is so greate that it surpasseth the skill of all other Phisitions what so euer. For whome (hee onely excepted) can take away the principall cause of all di­seases, I meane Sinne? Did not he heale the Palsey man by forgiuing his sinne. It is a common rule among Phisitions: Cessante causa cesset & effectus. Sinne is the originall and fountaine of all di­seases in man: therfore he that was able to remoue that, cannot chuse but haue [Page] power ouer all the effectes thereof.

It is a worlde to see, howe faire the Pope would be thought to be a cunnyng Phisition, and of abilitie to cure the dis­ease of sinne: He made our Churches his Apoticary shoppes, wherein he solde all maner of Drugges, Salt, Creame, and Oyle for one purpose: Masse & Dirige for an other: Tapers and Torches for an other: Bulles and Pardons for an other: Reliques and Shrines for an other: and yet all would not serue to purge the least sinne that is: Therefore more Antichrist he to pretende it. No, no, it is the blood of Christ which purgeth all sinne, and cu­reth all maner of wickednes. Who was euer so diseased through mischieuous thoughtes as Paule, which breathed out threatninges and slaughters against the Disciples of Christ, and yet the blood of Iesus Christ healed him? Who was euer so diseased in word, as Peter which deni­ed his Maister with an othe, & yet Christ healed him? Who was euer so diseased in villainous deedes, as the thiefe vppon the Crosse, which was hanged for his robberyes, and yet Christ healed him? [Page] And all this is too teach vs that whether we be sick in thought, word or deede, hee is a Phisition able to heale vs. And what a shielde is this against the terrible as­saultes of Desperation. Shall the mur­ther of Caine force men to say, My sinne is greater then that it can be forgiuen: Or shall the trechery of Iudas, swallowe vp all hope of saluation in me: Or shall my sinne seeme so incurable to mee, that Christe cannot heale it, no I am bolde: I cannot be so sicke, but he can make mee whole.

2 The other propertie of a good Phi­sition is, that he be willing to heale his patient: For vnlesse he be willing to doe good, it skilleth not what his abilitie is. But that Christ Iesus was at any time vnwilling too saue sinners it can by no meanes appeare. For did he not moste louingly call vs vnto him, Come vntoo me, and promise vs saying, I will re­fresh you? And did hee not weepe ouer Ierusalem, and all because he came wil­lingly to visite her, & she would not know the time of her visitation. But see and be­holde a plaine testimony of his goodwill [Page] to heale sinners. 3 He was well assured that the salue wherewith he was too cure the most deadly diseases of sinne, coulde not be made to any purpose without the shedding of his moste pretious blood, and the losse of his life: and yet hee neuer grudged at the matter, but was well con­tent it should be so.

Oh Compassion without Compari­son! What Pharisee woulde euer haue doone that for his patient, which Christe Iesus hath most willingly doone for vs. They are willing too finger our money, and they can make vs beleeue well: But they will not launce their least finger if one drop of blood woulde saue our liues. But Christ Iesus taketh nothing of vs, and yet he hath suffred his owne hearte bloode too bee launched, that it might gushe out to heale vs. Canne you tell mee of a Pharisee that was so wil­ling too cure his Patient, that he re­fused not too bee beaten and buffeted whilest hee made the medicine. And the Prophet Esay in the 53. Chapter telsEsay. 53. you that Christe Iesus was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our [Page] iniquities.

They tell you that the thinges which they minister vnto you, are deere and costely: Noe, Noe, deerely beloued, that is a deere Salue too the Phisition which costes him his life, with many a heauy grone, with many a deepe sigh▪ with many a bloody teare, and many a bitter pangue besides.

And heere you haue a mightie Bul­warke againste the roaring stormes of your ghostely enemyes, The Lawe, Sinne, Death, and Hell. For what if they draw togither and conspyre a­gainste thy soule, and proue vntoo thee by recorde of thine owne Conscience, that thy sinnes are in coulour as red as Scarlet, or in number as the sandes of the Sea, or in waight as the masse of the whole Earth, and therefore beare thee in hand that thy disease is so rotten and festered in thy bones, that Christe Iesus thy Phisition will not once seeme too meddle or haue any thing to do with thee, nor seeke any meanes too cure thy malady or sende remedy to any such as thou art? [Page] What hope, what comfort hast thou thē? Euen this, that he that was willing too purchase a medicine to heale sinne with the losse of his life, will at all times bee willing to minister the same to the glory of his name. Therefore, oh my soule, be of good comfort, and cheere thy selfe in the Lord, for if thou maist but touch the hemme of his vesture by faith, thou shalt be whole. And this deerely beloued, is one of the benefites and blessed Try­umphes which we inioy through Christe and his Gospel. That he is our Phisiti­on, which is bothe willing and able too heale all our diseases of sinne, be they ne­uer so greeuous, which indeede is a bene­fite without comparison: The Lorde make vs thankfull for it, and open our eyes that wee may see it cleerely in the cloudy dayes of desperation.

The seconde comparison.

The seconde comparison heere to bee noted, is that the Pharisees be lykened to whole men: which kinde of compari­son we must so much the more diligently [Page] marke how much the more straungely it is made. For he calles them whole, not because they were so indeede, but in deri­sion, because they were so perswaded of them selues: smoothing vp their foule faultes with selfe loue and selfe lyking.

In the like sense Elias called the ab­hominable Idol Baal God, not that hee was so, but because his Priestes did so account of him. Likewise Paule calleth Satan the God of this worlde, not that he either made, or redeemed, or ruled the worlde, but because worldlings serue him more duely then the liuing God.

After the same manner our Sauiour in the third answere calles the Pharisees righteous, euen because they were so be­witched with the workes of their owne hands, that they made no accounte of the righteousnesse of God. There cannot be a more especiall token of reprobation, then when the Lorde falles to laughing and scorning his enemyes, as you shall finde in perusing the 2. Psalme.

A man that had seene these Pharisees outwardly, woulde haue thought that our Sauiour had beene in good earnest when [Page] he cōpareth them to whole or sound men. For none had more regarde of Moyses law then they, they would not abrogate one ceremony there commaunded. None fasted more then they, twise in the weeke was the least. None prayed more then they: in euery street they went babling & mumbling their prayers. None gaue almes more then they: they soūded trum­pets to haue the greater resort of y^e pore. None payd tithes better then they: they left nether Mint ne Cūmin vntiched: yea if you looked in their handes you shoulde see scrowles wherein the lawe was writ­ten. If you looked in their forheads you might see the law written. If you looked vpon their doore postes, ye might see the Lawe written. If you looked in their garments, you might finde thornes and needles, too make them remember the the Lawe written, They had alwayes in their mouthes, Templum Domini, Templum Domini. You coulde no soo­ner aske them of their Proginie, but they would be ready to answere Pater noster Abraham. And when any inquired of their inheritance, they would tel him. Nos [Page] haeredes terrae promissionis. What a won­derfull matter was this? were not these men whole and sounde? Indeede to the outward appeerāce they were: but what they were inwardly those manifold woes which our sauiour Christe pronounced a­gainst thē. Mat. 22. may at large testifie. And now you may see that it is one thing for a man to be whole in the sight of God, & an other thing in the sight of the world. He is whole in the sight of god which be­leeueth that Iesus Christ is able & wil­ling to heale his disease of sin: But he is whole in the sight of the worlde, which thinks that the works of his owne hands do make him sound. And this is such a kind of health, as I pray God neuer any good christian haue: set the Pope neuer so greate store by it, assuredly it is farre worse then any sicknesse in the worlde: If the rules of Phisicke be true: That there is no disease like too that, when a man thinkes him selfe whole, and yet is hearte sicke.

I might heere stande in comparison betweene the Pope and the Pharisees, and shewe you that they bothe are alike [Page] whole sound, but it is no matter of such importaunce as I haue to speake: there­fore to the thirde comparison.

The thirde comparison.

The third comparison is, of the Pub­licanes and sinners vnto sick men, which haue neede of the Phisition. These Pub­licanes had beene as very cut [...]hrotes and Catchpoules as euer lyued: But as he goes farre that neuer returnes, so they at the length, hearing our sauiour preach repentance and remission of remission of sin, had remorse of conscience, in so much that their disease had cleaued faste vnto their bones, had they not hearde of a Phisition, which was bothe willing and ready to helpe them. The panges of sinne pricking the conscience, are euen as the fittes of sicknesse gryping the heart: causing many a deepe sigh and many a pitious grone. Dauid beeing in the ago­nie of sinne, bemones him selfe after this manner: Haue mercie vppon mee, O Lorde for I am weake: O Lorde heale Psal. 6. me for my bones are vexed. My soule [Page] is also soretroubled, but Lorde howe long wilt thou delay? And Paule was no sooner griped at the hart with the re­membraunce of his sinne: but hee cryed mainly out saying, O miserable mā. &c Yea and all the godly, considering howe many wayes God hath blessed them, and howe vnthankfully they haue behaued themselues: considering againe their dayly trespasses and offences, and howe long the Lorde hath looked for their a­mendment, and how often he called them to repentance: by and by they fall sicke, & grone so rufully that you would lament too heare them. O my tender Father whome I haue displeased: O my sweete redeemer Christe Iesus whome I haue crucified againe: O my soueraigne com­forte, the holy Ghoste whome I haue greeued: O the time that I haue mis­pent: O the grace that I haue dispised: O the creatures of God that I haue a­bused: Wo worth my vncleaue thoughts: Woe worth my idle wordes: Wo worth my damnable workes: O howe bitter is the cursse of the lawe? Howe heauy is the burthen of my sinne? Howe horrible [Page] is y^• sight of death. How intollerable are the paines of hel. Ah my soule begins to faint, therfore help me to a phisitiō, or els I perish, I dye. Do you not think deerly beloued, that a Phisitiō should not be wel­come, & well intreated among such sicke soules as these? yes, neuer hart so thristed after the Riuers of waters, as they long after Iesus Christ. Such men haue nede of the Phisition, and therefore they will seeke vnto him, as these Publicanes did, yea and because of their necessitie, they will honor him likewise in calling him to their houses, & biding him to their feasts: they are so desirous of health & saluation. In whome wee haue a notable president how to behaue our selues in our sicknesse of sin. First that we must seeke our Phi­sition. Secondly, we must honor him the best we can. This president is but mean­ly followed in most places in England, God knowes? For so far foorth as Christ will feede their bellyes, they will fol­lowe him through thicke and thinne: And they are so farre from honouring him, at their feastes, that they will not stick too say, they cannot be mery at their meate, [Page] when a Preacher is at their Table. But there is good cause, the Citie of London should become an other Thessalonica, in seeking and honouring our Phisition Christ Iesus. There is so much Prea­ching, and so diligent hearing, that needs there must be some following. If Lon­don haue stopped her eares, and shutte her doores against Christe and his mes­sengers, there were iust cause why shee should tremble and quake in the guilti­nesse of her owne conscience: But if shee haue played the sicke Publicane in see­king and honouring Christe her Phisiti­on, let her not faint, but in the testimony of a good conscience pluck vp her harte, in these dreadfull times and dayes of pe­rill: For the Lorde will be founde of those that seeke him, & he wil not for­sake those that feare him. If Sodom, or Gomorrha, or Samaria, or Ierusalem, or Antwerpe could haue pleaded for them­selues no more but that they sought the Lord, & honored his Christ, euen as sicke men do their Phisition, I am sure their confusion had beene farther from them, then the Easte is from the west.

Therfore, London, seek thou thy Phi­sition Christ Iesus, beleeue in him, pray to him, serue him in singlenesse of heart, as thou oughtest to do, and he wil not de­liuer his power into captiuitie, nor his beautie, I meane his Gospell, into the enemyes hand.

The Sacrifice of the Masse.

But what shall wee say of the Sa­crifice of the Masse? Is not that holy sa­crifice [Page] to be numbred among those which the Lord will haue? When the Church of Roome, and all her Catholike chil­dren make so great accounte of it, which is of force to releace the tormented soules in purgatory: and to chace away Deuils from the possessed in Earth: which whoso euer heareth, as long as he heareth, it he shall neuer wax olde: which preserueth yong children in their mothers wombes, & deliuereth both olde and young from al imminent perils and daungers.

No, I auouche and protest that the Lord will not haue it, strugle the Catho­licks neuer so mightely, shuffle they ne­uer so cunningly, for the magnifying of their Idol: The Lorde will not haue it. It is a worlde to see how euē of late they began to set vp their crests, and to clapp their wings, as if they would crowe the Pope day againe into England: & all be­cause they imagine that their golden day begins to spring, wherein the masse shal shine againe. Yea they begin to looke vpon vs, as if the Deuil should look ouer Lincolne: and doe account it halfe here­sie to speake to any man that is a known Gospeller: They passe by vs humming & [Page] mumming: and whether they wishe out heads in their dishes, or their swords in our bellyes wee cannot tell yea or noe: But let them knowe that their sacrifice of the Masse is too full of Idolatrie, abo­mination and blasphemie for the Lord to heare it. And doe they thinke that her maiestie, the Lords annoynted, wil heare it? God be thanked by the space of one and twentie yeeres, shee hath bin a nur­sing and a naturall mother to the gospel, and now will shee become a stepmother, and fancy the Masse? No, it hath cau­sed too many conspiracies and rebellions against her most noble persō, for her ma­iestie euer to brooke it: euen in pollicie.

And whereunto serue the Prayers of Gods children her faithfull subiects, but euen to beseech God to continue her ma­iesties godly proceedings: that shee may be so farre from backsliding, as to growe from grace to grace, & from faith to faith that as shee hath planted & nourished the Gospel, so she may not be ashamed of the Gospel, which is saluation to euery one that beleueth. She had neuer more faith­ful subiectes, and I dare vndertake shee neuer had more feruent Prayers, for her [Page] prosperitie in gouernment & constancie in Gods woorde. And as vile sinners as they note vs to be, we doubt not but God wil heare our Prayers in his good time.

And this I say to the confusion of all bloodthristie Massemungers, that it was neuer sene yet, but what rekoning so euer the wicked made, the cōtrary followed.

Pharao thought him selfe sure of his pray vpon the Israelites, when hee had them at the brinke of the red sea, but the Sea swallowed him vp hoste and all.

What accounte made Achitophel of promotion and preferment, when he con­spired against his maister Dauid? but when he sawe it would not be, did hee not hang him selfe?

Those wicked Iudges which falsely accused that chaste matron Susanna, litle thought that they should haue beene sto­ned to death them selues.

Haman made a paire of Gallowes, and there was no way but poore Mar­docheus must be trusted vppe, but you knowe who had the first bansel.

Therefore let our aduersaries know, that they cannot so lay their snares for vs, but they may be taken therein them [Page] selues: They cannot so digge their Pittes for vs, but they may fall there­in them selues: The Roddes they make accounte shall beate our tayles, maye scourge their owne: And their Golden day, their Dommes day. And this the Lorde can doe for his Church, yea this hee will doe, if wee pray vnto him, and repose our selues vppon him: There­fore whiles our Aduersaryes harpe and hope vppon our destruction, let them quake and tremble for feare of their owne: For the Lorde is nigh vnto all those that call vppon him. As for the sacrifice of the wicked, hee will not haue it come in his presence. And thus farre of Sacrifice.

The thirde aunswere.

As if hee should say, Why shoulde you mistyke because I eate with Publi­canes and Sinners? I tell you truely I came not too call such holy men as you are, but miserable sinners as they bee to repentaunce. An excellent saying▪ and able too renewe and quicken any sinnefull soule, how longe soeuer it hath beene deade in the graue of Sinne. [Page] All the world is not able to shew the like Mithridate and souerain preseruatiue a­gainst the bitter curse of the lawe. Hel it selfe doth repine at this saying, and mur­mure that euer man should haue so great an aduantage against her. And I am ve­rely perswaded that if the deuil had fore­cast that such an answer should be giuen to the Pharises, he would rather haue caried them headlong into the sea, and haue drowned thē as he did the heard of swine, then they shoulde once haue mooued the question. For why? doth it not most liuely shew and set forth vnto vs the benefite of al benefits, I meane our calling in christ which Paule tearmeth a holy calling, for that it was not for our merits, but of gods2. Tim. 1. tēder loue. There cannot be a greater en­couragemēt to a Christiā man to animate him in doing good works, thē to consider that Christ came to cal him: & therfore the Apostle telleth thē that they are called in Iesus Christ, that is, adopted in Christ.Rom. 1. What a singular prerogatiue this benefit hath aboue al other, as S. Paule Ro. 8. We Rom. 8. know (saith Paule) that al things work togither for the best vnto thē that loue God, euen to them that are called of [Page] his purpose. And what a mightie proofe doth he bring to assure and warrant the faythful, that it is true which he hath spo­ken to their comfort: For those which he fore knewe, he also predestinate to bee made like to the Image of his son, that he might be the first borne among many. Moreouer whom he predestinate, them also he called, and whom he cal­led, them also he iustified, and whome he iustified, them also he glorified.

Therfore he that wil become strong & inuincible against aduersitie, let him bee mindful of his calling in Iesus Christ.

This soueraine benefit of our calling in Iesus Christ wil appeare in your sight to be the greater and more worthy benefit, if you marke wel the circumstance wher­with our sauiour Christ doth set it foorth. I come not to cal, &c. In which words we are to note the circumstances.

First the meanes of our calling, which is Christ comming. I come not, &c.

Secondly the parties which are called that is, sinners: I come not to call the righteous, but sinners. Thirdly the end and purpose wherevnto he calleth: To re­pantance.

The first circumstance.

The more often I call to mind the mi­serable plight of man through sinne and disobedience, the lesse able do I finde my selfe to shewe and see foorth vnto you the infinite goodnesse of God, our heauenly Father, in appointing so worthy a mean to call vs out of the bottomlesse pit of de­struction, as his owne onely sonne: who notwithstanding he was of the very sub­stance, and God eternall with him: yet by the power of the holy Ghoste was made man, to the end that both natures ioyned togither in one, hee might in the fleshe take away the filthinesse of the fleshe, and fulfill Gods lawe, which man had so of­ten broken, and beare the wrath and hea­uie indignation of his Father against sinne, whose comming was promised at the first by God himselfe: hoped for by all the faithfull Patriarkes: Figured & foreshewed vnder the sacrifice of gods law: often foretold and prophecied by all the Prophets: & at the length performed vnto our fathers and vs, vpon whom the ends of the world are come, and all to call vs to repentance and so to bring vs to e­uerlasting life. And this hath he himselfe [Page] often beaten into our heads, if we had the grace to consider of it. This is the wil of Iohn. 6. him that sent me, that euery mā which seeth the sonne, and beleeueth in him, should haue euerlasting life. Againe, So Iohn. 3. God loued the world. &c. Also, I came to seeke & to saue that which was lost. Mat. 15. And I am not sent, &c. Nowe whether Christ by his comming doth cal vs to re­pentaunce, yea or no, searche diligently & you shall easily finde.

His birth in suche base and vyle ma­ner without harbour, without necessarie furniture, without reuerence or regarde, without fourme or shape (as Esay sayth) and not without hatred and daunger of spightfull Herode, doeth it not touche or mooue our haughtie stomacks? doeth it not pull downe our Peacockes tayles? doeth it not make vs sorrie and asha­med that our sinnes should make God to thrust his onely and beloued sonne out of his bosome to such beggerly state of re­proch and miserie.

Then looke you vpon his life, which as it began in such perfect humility, so it cō ­tinued in true fasting, dayly prayer, often watching, wreping, sighing, patience [Page] righteousnes, innocēcie, & holines: which because it is a liuely patterne for all chri­stians to follow, doth likewise call vs to repentance and amendment of life. Lastly his death conspired by his owne disciple, pursued by his owne nation, purposed by his owne father, & purchased by our sins, without any desert of his own: doth it not strike our hearts, and wound our consci­ences with remorse? Those bloody tears: those piteous grones, those cruell scour­gings, those reprochfull buffetings, those bitter tauntings and raylings which hee put vp in al patience as the due rewards for our sins: shal they not make vs morne and lament, when they made the vayle of the temple to rent in sunder: the gates to open the dead bodies to arise: the earth to quake and tremble, and the sunne to waxe darke? If an earthly prince shuld punish euery rebellion, treason, conspira­cy, contempt, offence and default, which his subiects make, vpon his beloued son: would they not in pitie be ashamed, & so­ry too? Our heauenly father punished the sinnes of the whole worlde vppon Iesus Christ his only begotten sonne, hanging him vpon the crosse. Oh then, where is [Page] our sorrowe? why are we not ashamed to heape sinne vpon sinne? and to nayle him to the crosse againe? Thus is Christes cōming the meanes of our calling, wher­in are included other more special means, as ye shal heare in the next circumstance.

The second circumstance.

Moreouer in these wordes we are gi­uen to vnderstande: who they are which Christ came purposely to cal. I come not to cal the righteus, but sinners, &c Yea and this circumstance may stirre vs vp to magnifie the benefite of our calling as much as any. For here we see plainly that he renounceth al those which think better of themselues then sinners: as these Pha­rises who dreamed that their owne righ­teousnes was sufficient to fulfill the lawe without Christ. But what is the matter that he doth so flatly deny that hee came to cal the righteous? It is wel worth the noting. For whom doth he cal righteous, but those which trust onely in their owne righteousnes and make no account of the righteousnesse of Christ. Nowe these he doth renounce. First because it was the determinate wil & purpose of his father which sent him, that whosoeuer wil make [Page] himself righteous, & is his owne Christ, & his own Iesus, shal lye stil in blindnes, & sleep in his own cōfusion. An other cause may be, that forsomuch as he came pur­posely to seeke & to saue that which was lost: & the righteous imagin that they ne­u [...]r went astray: therefore he lets them be as they are. An other reason may yet be taken of the setting forth his fathers glo­ry: for that there shalbe more ioy in hea­uen ouer one sinner that repenteth, then ouer ninety and nine iust persons, which need no repentance. And no doubt if hee had offred to cal them, he had but lost his labour: For had he said to them, as he did to Matthewe, Come & folow me: they would haue answered by and by, We fo­low Abraham our father: we folow Moses our Prophete: wee followe the lawe of God: we haue ceremonies: we haue traditions: wee haue prescriptions: wee haue our inuentions to followe: we looke for another maner of Messias to followe then such a beggerly outcast as thou art: Therefore go where thou wilt, we will not follow thee.

Wherfore dearely beloued, beware howe you stand vpon your owne righteousnes, [Page] because of a few good workes: surely you haue no more portion in Christ then the veriest Pharisie that euer was: For if our Sauiour Iesus will be found faithfull in his Messiaship, he must renoūce you and say: I came not to call the righteous: Not the righteous? whom then? sinners? sinners. Beholde dearely beloued, if you thinke to reape the benefites of Christes comming, you must humble your selues, and become sinners: But how, or in what maner doeth he call sinners? The callyng of Christ is of two sorts: the one is cōmō wherwith we are in deed stirred vp after a sort, but not effectually boūd & brought to the purpose, for that they are not plea­sed with the meanes: as Gods worde, the Sacraments, Sermons, &c: and this is common to the reprobate & righteous, as wel as to y^e elect & sinners. Now the other is a conuenient and a mightie calling, wherby the minds of sinners are touched and thorowly charged: For in this very manner hee doeth call sinners to repen­tance.

First hee soundeth in their eares by the voyce of his Lawe the greate daunger of death and dampnation wherein they [Page] stand because they haue so wilfully trans­gressed his cōmandements: & this striks them in such horror of their sinnes & feare of his vengeance, that they would be glad to be reconciled to God the father, lest he shuld poure vpon them their deserued pu­nishment. Then he sends them the sweete comfort of the gospel, which shews them, that Iesus Christ is become their medi­ator & aduocate: & if they beleeue in him, they shalbe safe & sure: whervpō he giues thē faith, & plants it so fast in thē, that no­thing can drawe them from Christ. And lest this faith shuld be Idle & frutlesse, he sends them the holy ghost: the spirit of a­doptiō to work in their hearts according to their calling. And thus you see how Ie­sus Christ calleth sinners to repentance. If you should question farther with me & enquire of the time when hee calleth sin­ners: That is counsaile to vs. For there is no time excepted: there is no time to be in this world. Therefore let no man dispair: For hee cannot bee called so late into the Lords vineyard, but he shal haue his pe­ny wel & truely paide him. Lastly if you yet question further with me, and enquire the cause why he calleth sinners and not [Page] righteous: I must either hold my peace, or els with Paule exclaime, saying: O the deepnes of the riches both of the wis­dome Rom. 11. & knowledge of God. How vn­searchable are his Iudgements, and his wayes past finding out? Who hath knowen the mind of the lord? or who was his counsailor? &c. For dearly beloued, be it knowen vnto you, & heauen & earth shal beare me witnes that the Lord in his doings is neither vniust, nor vnmerciful: No, he is most iust and most merciful. Is not hee most iust which hath punished w^t extreme rigor the offences of al those sin­ners whom he calleth, vpon his own dear son Iesus Christ: yea and wil no: vou [...]safe to receiue them into his glory, vntill hee hath perfectly iustified and sanctified thē in Christ? & is he not most mercifull, who hath elected and called those which had neither worke nor meat, but onely a liue­ly faith in the blood of Christ which hee himself had giuen them? Therefore let al sinners reioice in the Lord againe and a­gaine, for Christ came to cal them, &c.

The third circumstance.

Lastly we see here to what end & pur­pose we are called in Christ to repētance. [Page] To call sinners to repentance, is to work two things in them: that is, to make thē knowe their owne miserie, and too giue them faith whereby they may see their great felicitie in Iesus Christ.

Repentaunce is tearmed Vinum An­gelorum, August ad. Romanos. the wine of Angels, for that the teares of a sinner more reioyce the An­gels in Heauen, then any Wine doth the heart of man. To repent, as sayth Au­gustine, is to bee sory for sinnes commit­ted, & not to commit the like againe. In deede Repentance hath the rod of sorowe in one hand, wherwith she scourgeth her selfe when she calles to minde her former sinnes: But in the other she hath the An­cour of Faith, wherewith she taketh sure holde fast in the rock Iesus Christ: other­wise her owne teares would drowne her in the Seas of desperation.

Repentaunce in this place includeth Iustification, and is indeede the true and direct meanes to Iustification: For when the sinner is called to an inwarde sorrow for his sinnes, once Iesus Christ for his cōfort giues him faith, which faith brin­geth to him by a heauenly violence al the merits of Christ, & applyeth them to the [Page] sinful soule. And this it is deerly beloued, which makes repentance of that prero­gatiue, that At what time soeuer a sin­ner repenteth, the Lord will put al his wickednes out of his remēbrāce, & that there shalbe more ioy in heauen, &c. O Lord Iesus Christ make vs partakers of this priuiledge, & cal vs to repentance that we die not in our sins. It is hie time, it is hie time I say, dearely beloued, for England to pray for the priuiledge of re­pētance & pardon in Iesus christ. For let England make the best of her self she can deuise, she is but like a speckled leopard, which hath fiue black spots, for one whit. And to speake generally and truly, what wickednes is there from which England may wash her hands & say: I am not defi­led with any such.

The glorious gospel of Iesus Christ, which should be our shield in al extremi­ties, we tread it vnder our feete, as a vile thing. Prayer which should be our sword of defence alwayes, lieth rusting in the scaberde of securitie. The olde sinne of Damascus is renued in Englande. She threshed Gilead with iron flayles: we thresh the poore with the siluer flayles of Vsurie, which is al one.

[...] [Page] [...] [Page] The wickednes of Israel is now twise done and committed in England. Shee solde the R. for olde shoes, we sell iu­stice for rewards which is all one.

In Israel a man and his father would go in vnto one womā: which is, the father defloureth a maid, & to make her amends marieth her to his owne sonne, which is all one. Yea euen the abominations of Sodome are multiplied in our dayes. Pride, Fulnes of Breade, Idlenesse and Contempte of the poore: For the which the plague of Sodome hanges ouer our heades, & would out of hand consume vs, were it not for those tenne righteous ones, which God be thanked we haue a­mong vs, for whose sakes the mercie of God entreateth his iustice to spare the whole Realme. Therfore it is high time I say once againe for vs to praye for the priuiledge of Repentaunce: That so wee may weepe bitterly with Peter: & washe our sauiours feet with the vnfained tears of Repentance with Mary Magdaline.

Wherefore we beseeche thee, O hea­uenly father, be merciful vnto vs, & bout­safe vs thy deare sonne Iesus Christ too cal vs from the danger of thy displeasure, [Page] and the vncleannesse of our sinnes, vnto vnfained repentance, that so in sorrow of heart and liuelinesse of faith, we may re­ceiue the spirit of Adoption: wherby we cry Abba Father. And that the same spi­rit may certifie our spirit, that we are the sonnes of God, albeit called, iustified, and glorified in Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour in whom grant vs the frui­tion of thy glorious pleasure, with Aun­gels and Archangels in thine euerlasting kingdom: where thou raign [...]st in al Ma­iestie, with Iesus Christ sitting at thy right hand, and the holy ghost the spirite of grace. To whom three persons and one God be all glory and ho­nour, now and for euer, Amen.