vices and fuperftitions. Chrift commanded) to efchew all our Pharifaical and Papiftical leaven of man's feigned religion: which, although it were before God most abominable, and contrary to God's commandments and Chrift's pure religion, yet it was praised to be a moft godly life, and higheft ftate of perfection: as though a man might be more godly, and more perfect, by keeping the rules, traditions, and profeffions of men, than by keeping the holy commandments of Other de- God. And briefly to pafs over the ungodly and counterfeit religions, let us rehearfe fome other kinds of Papistical fuperftitions and abuses, as of Beads, of Lady Pfalters, and Rofaries, of fifteen Oes, of St. Bernard's Verfès, of St. Agathe's Letters; of purgatory, of maffes fatisfactory, of ftations and jubilees, of feigned relicks, of hallowed beads, bells, bread, water, palms, candles, fire, and fuch other; of fuperftitious faftings, of fraternities or brotherhoods, of pardons, with fuch like merchandize, which were fo efteemed and abufed to the great prejudice of God's glory and commandments, that they were made moft high and most holy things, whereby to attain to the everlasting life, or remiffion of fin: yea alfo vain inventions, unfruitful cere-. monies, and ungodly laws, decrees, and councils of Rome, and decre- were in fuch wife advanced, that nothing was thought Decrees tals. comparable in authority, wifdom, learning, and godlinefs, unto them; fo that the laws of Rome, as they said, were to be received of all men as the four Evangelifts, to the which all laws of princes muft give place: and the laws of God alfo partly were left off and lefs efteemed, that the faid laws, decrees, and councils, with their traditions and ceremonies, might be more duly kept, and had in greater reverence. Thus was the people through ignorance fo blinded with the goodly fhew and appearance of those things, that they thought the keeping of them to be a more holiness, a more perfect fervice and honouring of God, and more pleafing to God, than the keeping of God's commandments. Such hath been the corrupt inclination of man, ever fuperftitiously given to make new honouring of God of his own head, and then to have more affection and devotion to keep that, than to fearch out God's holy commandments, and to keep them. And furthermore, to take God's commandments for men's commandments, and men's commandments for God's commandments, yea, and for the highest and most perfect and holy of all God's commandments. And fo was all confufed, that scant well learned men, and but a fmall number of them, knew, or at the least would know, and durst affirm the the truth, to separate or fever God's commandments from the commandments of men. Whereupon did grow much error, superstition, idolatry, vain religion, overthwart judgment, great contention, with all ungodly living. God's com God's com mand Wherefore, as you have any zeal to the right and pure An exhorhonouring of God, as you have any regard to your own tation to the fouls, and to the life that is to come, which is both with- keeping of out pain and without end, apply yourselves chiefly above mandall things, to read and to hear God's word, mark diligently ments. therein what his will is you fhall do, and with all your endeavour apply yourselves to follow the fame. First, you A brief remust have an affured faith in God, and give yourselves hearsal of wholly unto him, love him in profperity and adverfity, and dread to offend him evermore: then, for his fake, love all ments. men, friends and foes, because they be his creation and image, and redeemed by Chrift, as ye are. Caft in your minds, how you may do good unto all men unto your powers, and hurt no man. Obey all your fuperiors and governors; ferve your masters faithfully and diligently, as well in their abfence as in their prefence, not for dread of punishment only, but for confcience fake, knowing that you are bound fo to do by God's commandments. Difobey not your fathers and mothers, but honour them, help them, and please them to your power. Oppress not, kill not, beat not, neither flander, nor hate any man; but love all men, fpeak well of all men, help and fuccour every man as you may, yea, even your enemies that hate you, that speak evil of you, and that do hurt you. Take no man's goods, nor covet your neighbour's goods wrongfully; but content yourselves with that which ye get truly; and alfo beftow your own goods charitably, as need and cafe requireth. Flee all idolatry, witchcraft, and perjury; commit no manner of adultery, fornication, or other unchafteness, in will nor in deed, with any other man's wife, widow or maid, or otherwife. And travailing continually (during your life) thus in keeping the commandments of God, (wherein ftandeth the pure, principal, and right honour of God, and which wrought in faith, God hath ordained to be the right trade and path-way unto heaven,) you fhall not fail, as Chrift hath promifed, to come to that bleffed and everlasting life, where you fhall live in glory and joy with God for ever: to whom be praise, honour, and impery, for ever and ever. Amen. A SERMON OF Chriftian Love and Charity. What charity is. The love of God. Matt. x. OF all things that be good to be taught unto Chriftian people, there is nothing more neceffary to be spoken of, and daily called upon, than charity; as well for that all manner of works of righteoufnefs be contained in it, as also that the decay thereof is the ruin or fall of the world, the banishment of virtue, and the cause of all vice. And forfomuch as almost every man maketh and frameth to himself charity after his own appetite, and how detestable foever his life be both unto God and man, yet he perfuadeth himself ftill that he hath charity: therefore you shall hear now a true and plain description or fetting forth of charity, not of men's imagination, but of the very words and example of our Saviour Jefus Chrift: in which defcription or fetting forth, every man (as it were in a glass) may confider himself, and fee plainly without error, whether he be in the true charity or not. Charity is, to love God with all our heart, all our life, and all our powers and strength. With all our heart; that is to fay, that our heart, mind, and study be set to believe his word, to trust in him, and to love him above all other things that we love beft in heaven or in earth. With all our life; that is to say, that our chief joy and delight be fet upon him and his honour, and our whole life given unto the fervice of him above all things, with him to live and die, and to forfake all other things rather than him: for he that loveth his father or mother, fon or daughter, house or land, more than me, faith Chrift, is not worthy to have me. With all our powers; that is to fay, that with our hands and bour. and feet, with our eyes and ears, our mouths and tongues, and with all our parts and powers both of body and foul, we should be given to the keeping and fulfilling of his commandments. This is the firft and principal part of charity; but it is not the whole: for charity is alfo to love The love of every man, good and evil, friend and foe; and whatfoever thy neighcause be given to the contrary, yet nevertheless to bear good will and heart unto every man, to use ourselves well unto them, as well in words and countenances, as in all our outward acts and deeds; for fo Chrift himself taught, and fo alfo he performed indeed. Of the love of God he taught in this wife unto a doctor of the law, that asked him, which was the great and chief commandment in the Law: Love thy Lord God, faid Chrift, with all thy heart, Matt. xxii. with all thy foul, and with all thy mind. And of the love that we ought to have among ourselves each to other, he teacheth us thus: You have heard it taught in times paft, Matt. v. Thou shalt love thy friend, and hate thy foe: but I tell you, Love your enemies, fpeak well of them that defame you and Speak evil of you, do well to them that hate you, pray for them that vex and perfecute you, that you may be the children of your Father that is in heaven: for he maketh his fun to rife both upon the evil and good, and fendeth rain to the juft and unjuft. For if you love them that love you, what reward fhall you have? Do not the publicans likewife? And if you speak well only of them that be your brethren and dear beloved friends, what great matter is that? Do not the heathen the fame alfo? These be the very words of our Saviour Chrift himfelf, touching the love of our neighbour. And forafmuch as the Pharifees (with their most peftilent traditions, and false interpretations and gloffes) had corrupted and almoft clearly ftopped up this pure well of God's lively word, teaching that this love and charity pertained only to a man's friends, and that it was fufficient for a man to love them which do love him, and to hate his foes; therefore Chrift opened this well again, purged it and fcoured it by giving unto his godly law of charity a true and clear interpretation, which is this; That we ought to love every man, both friend and foe, adding thereto what commodity we shall have thereby, and what incommodity by doing the contrary. What thing can we with fo good for us, as the eternal heavenly Father to reckon and take us for his children? And this fhall we be fure of, faith Chrift, if we love every man without exception. And if we do otherwife, faith he, we be no better than the Pharifees, Publicans, and Heathen, and fhall have our reward with them, E 2 that John v. that is, to be fhut out from the number of God's chofen children, and from his everlasting inheritance in heaven. Thus of true charity, Chrift taught that every man is bound to love God above all things, and to love every man, friend and foe: and thus likewife he did ufe himself, exhorting his adverfaries, rebuking the faults of his adversaries; and when he could not amend them, yet he prayed for them. First, he loved God his Father above all things; fo much, that he fought not his own glory and will, but the glory and will of his Father. I feek not, faid he, mine own will, but the will of him that fent me. Nor reMatt. xxvi. fused he to die, to fatisfy his Father's will, faying, If it may be, let this cup of death pass from me; if not, thy will be done, and not mine. He loved not only his friends, but alfo his enemies, which (in their hearts) bore exceeding great hatred against him, and in their tongues spake all evil of him, and in their acts and deeds purlued him with all their might and power, even unto death: yet all this notwithstanding, he withdrew not his favour from them, but ftill loved them, preached unto them of love, rebuked their false doctrine, their wicked living, and did good unto them, patiently taking whatsoever they fpake or did against him. When they gave him evil words, he gave none evil again; when they did ftrike him, he did not fmite again; and when he fuffered death, he did not flay them, nor threaten them, but prayed for them, and did put all things to his Father's will. And as a fheep that is led unto the fhambles to be flain, and as a lamb that is fhorn of his fleece, maketh no noise nor resistance; even fo went he unto his death without any repugnance, or opening of his mouth to say any evil. Thus have I fet forth unto you what charity is, as well by the doctrine as by the example of Chrift himself, whereby alfo every man may without error know himfelf, what ftate and condition he standeth in, whether he be in charity (and fo the child of the Father in heaven) or not. For although almost every man perfuadeth himself to be in charity, yet let him examine none other man but his own heart, his life and converfation, and he shall not be deceived, but truly difcern and judge whether he be in perfect charity or not. For he that followeth not his own appetite and will, but giveth himself earnestly to God, to do all his will and commandments, he may be fure that he loveth God above all things; and elfe, furely he loveth him not, whatsoever he John xiv. pretend: as Chrift faid, If ye love me, keep my commandments. For he that knoweth my commandments, and keepeth Ifa. liii. them, |