BRethren beloued in Christ I haue chosen these wordes chiefly out of that Epistle of S. Peter, which are accu­stomed to bee reade vnto the people this day, because, that whereas I must preache in Latine according to the custome of this place and time, the same in mine opinion seemed to belong proper­ly to this assembly. The which, that they may be plainlier and better vnderstande of you all, I must repeate a fewe wordes from the beginning of this whole Epi­stle. Wherefore we must call to mynd, [Page] because in those firste tymes, christian Religion was shutte out euerye where, as pernitious to mens soules, and an in­fection of common wealthes, and that it seemed greate godlinesse to roote oute the bringers in of newe Religion, least (I saye) that Christian men and those that were Godlye, shoulde in that sea­son vtterlye bee discouraged, and caste awaye all hope: Saynt Peter doeth so instructe them with this Epistle, that they shoulde consider no newe or vn­wonted thing to haue happened, that Christe himselfe hath suffered farre bit­terer and vnworthyer thinges, that they shoulde not be faynte harted, lastlye that the waye to glorye is by afflictions and crosses.

And to that purpose hee warneth the people by themselues and the Bishoppes also, what belongeth to eache of them to take heede of. Concerning that whiche belongeth vnto the people, he sayth, that they haue spente tyme ynough before vp­on wickednesse, and that now they ought to chaunge their life with their Reli­gion.

[Page]That godlinesse is placed, not in out­warde shewe and titles, but in sound­nesse of life, and innocencie of man­ners. That it is an ill thing with mouth and tongue onelye to worshippe GOD, and to gyue oure mynde and soule to (worshippe) the Deuill, and to disagree from Idolators, not in life and manners, but in wordes and profes­sion (onely.) And because they hadde de­parted from the moste aunciente Or­dinaunces and lawes of their forefa­thers, and that they being but a few had stirred all kinde of menne agaynste them, hee warneth them that they yet woulde in all kynde of duetyes pra­ctyse charitie among themselues, one towarde another, leaste they shoulde bee deuyded at any tyme by any dis­sention of myndes or studyes. That this is onelye the token of Iesus Christe, whereby the bondestaues of the Deuill maye bee knowne from the Children of GOD. That so it shall come to passe shortelye, that [Page] all the whole worlde shall imbrace the Gospell and the heauenly doctrine, and that the enemies and the haters of the crosse of Christ, whome godlines coulde not mone, may through shame be ouer­come, and returne to themselues. And the Bishops hee warneth that in those moste harde times, they see to their office with all diligence and care, and that they looke about them diligently that y ^e Con­gregation take no harme. And that it is not a sporting matter, but a very greate burthen that they haue taken vpō them. And therfore if they preache at any time to the people, that they speake as the wordes of God, and that they so behaue themselues, that others which heare thē, may thinke that they heare not men, but the messengers and interpreters of the word of GOD. This is the portion of scripture that I iudged most fit for this time and place. For because therefore that partely we are entred into the holy ministerie, & partly, as I hope, we haue alreadie directed the course of our stu­dies to that point, we shall be taughte in this place, how this heauenly office is to [Page] be garnished, that our labor may in time to come be very profitable to the churche of God, and the holy Gospell bee moste largely spread abroade. But that this may be done the more orderlye, and leaste I should wander or go out of course in my speaking, I thinke it good to touche these three poyntes in few words: First, That a Preacher should speake: second­lye, What he shoulde speake: Thirdly, How he should speake: that it maye bee vnderstanded. First, that hee is scantly a good preacher, which neuer speaketh a­ny thing to the Congregation, secondly, that a Preacher must set forth vnto the people, not old wiues fables, but y ^e worde of God, and last of al that that same word of God must be handled reuerently, and worthilye, according to the dignitie of the matter. But that God almightye woulde lighten all your hartes and my voice with his holy spirite, and that some fruite may come hereof vnto vs all, I de­sire of you that you wil helpe my weake­nesse with your deuoute prayers.

First of all I commend vnto your de­uotion, the vniuersall Church of Christ [Page] dispersed throughout the whole worlde, and as now it falleth out, in many places miserably afflicted, and namely this our Church of England and Irelande, and in the same for our noble King Edward his Maiestie, his most noble Sisters Marie and Elizabeth, the priuie Counsayle, the rulers ecclesiasticall and politicall, and all the people of England, both Vniuer­sities, & chiefly this Vniuersitie of Ox­enforde, the Chauncelor, y ^e Vicechaunce­ler, the Proctors, Robert Noruent Pre­sident of Corpus Christi Colledge, Do­ctor Raynald, Maister of Merton Col­ledge, and all the scholers in both these Colledges. Ye shall giue thankes vnto God almightie, for King Henry the se­uenth and Henry the eight, Kings of no­ble memorie, for Humfrey Duke of Glo­cester, &c. that of his infinite goodnesse he hath kindled those lightes to the nou­rishing of good letters and spreading a­broade of Religion: And ye shall praye that it woulde please him to raise vp o­thers hereafter like vnto these, & to ga­ther vs all to their societie into the bo­some of Abraham.

[Page] Let him that speaketh speake as the wordes of God. To the end that the pith of these wordes may be the better vnder­standed, because I must intreate both of Pastors and before Pastors, I haue vsed this diuision, To shew first that a Pastor should speake often, next of all that hee should speake out of the holy scriptures, last of al, That he should speake grauely and modestly according to the worthines of the matter. And surely concerning the office of Pastors, as yet I see not suffici­ently what I shold speake or not speak. For to speake that which hath bene be­fore so often spoken, were not only hate­full, but out of season: and to speake no­thing of so great slouth, and dastardie of our times, I am much afrayde mighte seeme to shew a sluggard and a dastarde. Truely, in this case if the voyce of the immortall God might be hearde, there were no neede at this time of my voyce. For that I maye saye nothing beside, all the scriptures doe sufficiently warne vs of our duetie, God himselfe hath com­maunded nothing at any time, eyther more often, or else with more weightie [Page] wordes, than that his people shoulde be instructed to know him, themselues, and godlinesse. Thou son of man, sayth God, in Esay, Crie and cease not, crie oute a­loude, lifte vp thy voyce as a Trumpet, and shewe vnto my people their wicked­nesse. How oft doth Christ crie▪ Go yee, Teache ye, Preache ye the Gospell to e­uerie creature. Wo vnto mee sayth the Prophet, because I haue kepte silence. Wo vnto me, sayth Paule, if I preache not the Gospell. But such is either our securitie or daintinesse, beside that wee haue stopped our eare against wholesome counsaile, that we account it as a repro­che, if a man warne vs of our dutie. Ne­uerthelesse whatsoeuer it seemeth to vs, this hath seemed to God a helpe both ve­ry firme and verye great to the making vp of his Church. For so hath GOD brought vs out of darkenesse into light, so hath he restored vs being deade vnto life, so hath he broughte vs being priso­ners and captiues out of hel into heauen, so hath he broken the powers of the Di­uell, so hath he broughte vs back agayne into his owne power and dominion, so [Page] hath he spreade abroade the fame of his name into all landes. For if Christ, if the Apostles, if the Prophets had held their peace, in what case had we now bene in? what religion had there ben any where? what worship of God hadde there bene? That we beholde the light, that we haue escaped out of bondage, that wee are ac­counted, and be, the sonnes of God, all that (I saye) wee owe vnto the preaching of the worde of God. Let vs not deceaue our selues brethren, let vs not deceaue our selues. Our matters are not so firm­ly established, that they cannot fall. Ex­cept we take heede, excepte we looke a­bout, except we put to studie & diligence, all thinges will easily slide and fall into their former estate. A lampe, excepte you put oyle oft in it, will soone be out. The victorie is kept euen by such meanes as it is gotten. For what engines doth not the deuill now vse, what craftes doth hee not practise, what way doth he not take, to ouerthrow the Churche of God? Hee keepeth scoutwatch alwayes, he is neuer weried, hee hath broughte in so many vi­ces, so much ignoraunce, so great blinde­nesse, [Page] that there is no place in whiche a Preacher ought to be idle. And as, if the sunne were taken away from the world, all thinges should be left darke, dispark­led and confounded, so if the voyce of the Pastor bee taken out of the Church, religion is left at sixe and seuen, it is left blinde, troubled, all thinges are mingled with error, susterstition and Idolatrie: of so great weight is it to be a stewarde of the house of God. The Gospel, religion, Godlinesse, the health of the Churche de­pendeth of vs alone. This is our office, this we take vpon vs, & this we professe. And excepte wee doe this, wee doe no­thing, wee serue to no vse. It is not y­nough to knowe I wote not what lear­ning. The Deuils perhappes knowe more then any of vs all. It belongeth vnto a Pastor not so muche to haue lear­ned many thinges, as to haue taughte muche. Lette it shame vs, that the basest kynde of men, euen Coblars and Porters doe that whiche belongeth vnto them, and wee whiche oughte to giue light to al other are idle and do nothing. [Page] For God would not haue vs idle bellies, but hee woulde haue vs both bee inter­preters of his minde, ministers of Iesus Christe, Atturneyes of the people before the Lorde of Sabaoth, the lighte of worlde, salte, Angels, and the sonnes of GOD, and so to bee called: And we are appoynted to gouerne, not dumme Cattell, not wylde Beastes, but the flocke of the Lorde, but the sonnes of GOD, but the brethren of Christ. If any of these shall perishe thorowe our de­fault, his blood shall be required at our handes. If these thinges alone were stil set before vs, in oure eyes and myndes, wee woulde not so caste from vs care­leslye and vnaduisedlye the safegarde of our Bretheren and of our selues, wee woulde not so cast from vs the blood of Christ. There is no cause why anye shoulde saye: Wee speake to them that are deafe, the people giue no eare, wee la­boure for them whiche are vnthanke­full, we preuayle not, we cast that whiche is holye vnto Dogges, Wee giue Pearles to Swine. Wee knowe that otherwhile these thinges are truely [Page] spoken, and it greeueth me exceedingly, that they may be so truly spoken against those that be Christian men. Yet for all this we may not therfore hold our peace, but speake so much the oftener, so muche the sharper, so much the hotter. For looke how muche the disease is more perilous, so much the more needeth there a Phisi­tion. Neyther can wee iustly complayne of the peoples stubbornesse, while we our selues doe all the while nothing. Let vs doe our indeauor, and leaue the successe vnto the Lorde. Then shall they, if they be of so frowarde a minde, that they will not heare, die in their owne sinne. But there is no cause why we shoulde bee in dispayre of the peoples saluation. God himselfe husbanded the Vine, which for Grapes broughte out wilde Grapes. GOD himselfe hath all the daye long stretched out his handes to a rebelious and ouerthwarte people. Howe ofte hath Christ himselfe sayde: Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how oft woulde I haue ga­thered together thy Children, as the henne gathereth together her Chic­kens, whereas they turned awaye their [Page] eares and would not heare? This mala­die will easily be taken away, if the me­dicine therefore bee vsed. Let vs bring forth the light, and God will open their eyes: let vs beate at their eares, and god will giue them a hart of flesh: Lette vs giue the worde, and God will giue the spirite: let vs plante and water, and god in due time will giue the increase. For as it is our duetie to instructe the people with wordes, so it belongeth to God to ioyne vnto his wordes, fayth and force. Such is the strength of the word of God that to worke nothing or to profite none, it is not possible. Much will fall into the bushes, into the beaten waye, and among stones, yet some will fall into good groūd and bring forth fruite. For looke as the rayne commeth downe from heauen, and returneth not thither againe, but moyst­neth and watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth, and giueth seede to the sower, and bread to him that eateth: so my worde, sayth the Lord, whiche goeth forth out of my mouth, shall not returne empty vnto me, but shall doe whatsoeuer I will.

[Page]But because it is not ynough to speak, let vs now consider that which in the se­conde place I haue promised, namelye, what is to bee spoken. For some other­while speake, who had bene better haue helde their peace, othersome while they make a noyse and crie out with greate contention, speake to no purpose. Wher­fore regard must be had, that we neyther speake vnfruitefullye ne yet hurtfullye. For all thinges are not to be hudled out in a sermon before the multitude. Wee muste take care what the Religious silence of the people, what the reuerence of the place, what the greatnesse of our office doe require. The truth muste bee spoken, not lies: the Scriptures, not fa­bles: the preceptes of the highest God, and not the dreames of men: For religi­on is to be ordred not by our iudgement, but by the worde of GOD. Wherein if we shall hearken to Moses, or to the Prophets, or the Apostles, or Christe, or the Father himselfe, wee shall not much goe oute of the waye. For Moses, whatsoeuer was to be sayde or done in so great a wildernesse, when he ledde the [Page] people being banished and wandering, by a sauage and desert region, alwais as­ked counsaile at y ^e Lord, he neuer brought thē any thing of his own head. The Pro­phets always say, the word of y ^e Lord, the vision of y ^e Lord, the voice of y ^e Lord: this saith the Lord, heare the Lord. I, sayth Paule, haue receaued my Gospell not of man, neyther by man: & agayne, I know nothing but Iesus Christ, & the same cru­cified. And again, If an Angell frō heauē shall teach another gospell then y ^t which you haue lerned, let him be cursed, christ sayth, al thinges which I haue heard of my father, I haue deliuered vnto you: &, preach you, sayth he, not whatsoeuer shal come in your head, but y ^e Gospel to al cre­atures: &, whē as y ^e Pharises & Saduces had moued the questions of diuorcement, & the resurrection of the dead vnto life, he neuer had recourse vnto the Rabins, but alwaies to the word of the Lord. God the father crying from Heauen, This, saith he, is my dearelye beloued Sonne: He sayeth not, Heare your Fathers, your Graundfathers, or your great Graund­fathers, but he sayeth, Heare him, euen him. For our heauenly Father woulde [Page] haue his sonne & his word to be taughte, and to bee beate into mens heades in all places. And certainly it may not be dou­ted of by any man, but that that, whiche the most excellent, most wise, and most li­uing father hath giuen vnto vs for our cause, is most excellent, most wise, and to our reasons most profitable. This is that riuer of water flowing abrode into life e­uerlasting. This is that flesh, this is that blood of Iesus Christ, this is that onely both most delicate & most wholsome foode of our soules, with this only sworde the deuill is ouercome, with this onely stone Goliah is layde along, with this onelye Maule the roughnesse and hardnesse of hartes is softened and ouercome. And were it not for this, neither could religi­on florish, nor faith bee confirmed, or the Churche kepte within the limites of her duetie. Call to remembrance, I beseech you for the Lordes sake, that as oft as the worde of the Lorde languished, howe of­ten and into how many greeuous errors, and how great a breakenecke euill did the whole people fall into, how oft despi­sed they the mightiest and moste louing [Page] God their preseruer and Father, how oft worshipped they Astaroth, Beliall, the Sonne, the Moone, Calties and beastes, and turned away themselues from all re­ligion and godlinesse, & put their whole hope and confidence in thinges most vain and filthie. For when as euery one hat­ched out of his owne mind a religion and holynesse vnto himselfe, superstition and such a multitude of new Gods, increased so sodainly, that the Prophet was enfor­ced to crie out, your Gods are in number as many as your cities. For whē as they had forsaken the truth, life, and religion, what remayned, but that they should fall hedlong into lies, into destruction, into vngodly worshippinges? I had rather make mention of these olde thinges, than to bring in examples which are fresh and in memorie. There is none of vs that e­uer was so blinde, that he saw not, or so blockish that he vnderstoode not the cala­mitie of former tymes. We haue far gon beyonde, not only the superstitiō and va­nitie of the Iewes, but also of the Egip­tians and Grecians. For when the au­thoritie of Councels, and the conspiracie [Page] of a few Bishops and Monkes, was pla­ced aboue y ^e scriptures, when it was dou­ted whether y ^e Romish bishop were a man or a God, and whether he could sin, when all thinges were referred to the constitu­tions of men, & nothing to the knowledge of Christ, when sales of pardons, vowes and masses, were made openly & without al shame, when y ^e sacramentes were mise­rably torne in peeces, when the worde of God was condemned of fraude & heresie, when nothing was left found & pure from superstition, when error possessed all things, and the truth could not be heard, where then, or what Church of God was there? It was heresie in those dayes, not y ^e disagreede from the scriptures, but frō that which liked a few Bishops. For the gospell was thrust into corners, nothing was left to the iudgement of Christ. Our gods were not then according to the nū ­ber of our cities, but they were as manye as we had streats, yea almost houses. So were all thinges vtterly out of frame, for that religion depended not on the worde of God, but on the wil of man. These hor­rible cases, bretheren, may warn vs, that [Page] we neuer vnaduisedlye departe from the word of God. And thereof it is that al the scriptures doe mooue vs so often & so di­ligently, that we neither ad any thing to the word of God, nor take ought therfrō, nor that we bow to the right hand or the left. Neither would the Lord y ^t we shold be Princes and Iudges, but messengers & ministers of his worde. For looke what serueth to our saluation, & vnto godlines al that hath God himself set downe in his lawes. For the holy scripture, as Paule saith inspired by God, is profitable to do­ctrine, to reproue, to correctiō, to instruc­tion, y ^t the man of God may be perfect, in­structed to euery good work: y ^t the man of God saith he, may be perfect & sound, & as far as is requisite either to godlinesse or maners, y ^t he shold in euery respect be perfectly furnished▪ & now I pray you what shold God his embassador bring forth vn­to god his people, rather then the word of God? He that is an Embassador in ciuile affairs, if perhaps he say any thing beside y ^t which is cōmaunded him, he is accused that he hath not don his embassade right­ly, he is called to his triall he is araigned [Page] vpon life and death, and why doe not we with like fidilitie handle the worde of God? But too too, good God, too too se­cure a mynd, my brethren, too too secure a mynd be wee of. And as though men a­lone could not be deceaued, so do we hold so doe we defende that alonely, which is come from our forefathers. There were among the Iewes manye Murtherers, theeues and adulterers, and yet did not Christe enuey eyther more often or more bitterlye againste any than againste the Phariseis & Scribes, you breake, sayth he the commaundement of God for your owne traditions. In vayne doe you wor­ship me, teaching doctrines and the pre­ceptes of men. They are blind guides of the blinde Harlots and sinners shall goe into the kingdome of God before you. How often▪ and with what wordes, doeth the Lorde in the Prophets complayn of this? Be astonished yee Heauens, saith he, My people haue done two euils, they haue forsaken me the fountayne of liuing water, and haue digged vnto themselues broken Cesternes, which canne holde no waters. What is chaffe compared with [Page] Wheate? what is the rashnesse of men compared with the eternall will of God? For Basill doth say, that that man, which dareth put to or take away any thing frō the scriptures of God, is eyther a feeble Christian, or a notable arrogant fellowe. To put to the word of God the inuenti­ons of men, what other thing may it seeme, thā to mingle new wine, not with olde wine, but with wine that is deade, and with lees or dregges? and to ioyne light with darkenesse, a wilde beast with a man, a man with God? My thoughtes are not your thoughts, nor my ways are not your wayes, sayeth the Lorde: for looke how farre the heauen is from the earth, so farre are my wayes from your wayes, and my thoughtes from your thoughtes. Nay rather looke how farre a man is distaunt from God, so farre is the vnderstanding of man distaunte from the word of God.

For although very much by the iudge­ment of all men is to be giuen to the Fa­thers, yet were they men, and also might erre, Truelye, to speake nothing else of them, they did oftentimes verye ill agee [Page] mong themselues, about verye great and weighty matters. But the word of god is sure, & firme, & certayn, & appointed for e­uery time. Peter would haue this kind of learning to be deliuered vnto y ^e people in a sermō. And he y ^t wil haue doings (her in) with the people, must first bee instructed himselfe with the word of God, y ^t he may vtter the word as inspired with an heauē ­lye power. O if Peter were nowe aliue. What would he say, or rather what wold he not say, seing that religion, godlinesse, the scriptures, are all passed into the in­uentions & dreames of men? That is on­ly in question at these dayes, whether the customes of mē are rather to be retained, or y ^e lawes of God: That alone hath mo­ued these turmoiles, that hath stirred the whole world, whether more credite is to be giuen vnto a man, or vnto god. I know y ^t these thinges seeme new to the most of you, & not to be beleued: but put frō you, I beseech you, your affectiōs, & y ^e opinion of things which you haue alredy cōceiued, & you shal well perceaue, y ^t I faine nothing for the times sake, but that I speake the thing it self. Christ hath ordeined the holy [Page] Communion in remembraunce of him­selfe: men doe neither retayne anye re­membrance of Christ, nor yet Cōmuniō, but haue chaunged all the whole matter into a gay shew, and almost a stage play. Christ sayth, Yee shall haue the poore al­wayes with you, but me ye shal not haue alwaies, I leaue the world and go to my father: It is expedient for you that I go away: and Christ spake this, not of his Godhead, wherewith he was equal to the father, or of his heauenlye nature, but of his body: Men saye, that Christe neyther hath with his body left the world, nor yet gone from hence to his father. Paul saith that Christ is in heauen at the right hand of the father, Peter sayth in the Actes of the Apostles, Heauen must hold him vntil the time that al things are restored: Men say, That the body of Christ is in heauen and in earth both at once, and is dispear­ced into an infinite multitude of places at one time. Paule saith, y ^t Christ hath once entred into the holy places, & hath with one only sacrifice, & one oblatiō, made perfect al things: Men say, that they can sa­crifice christ himself again euery day, not [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] only for remembraunce sake, but in very deede, and that in infinite places. Christe sayth, Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God, and him only shalt thou serue: Men worship the Eucharist, alack the while, being neyther Lord nor God, but a sacra­ment of the Lorde, without authoritie of the scriptures, or exāple of the Apostles, and that as God. For, by the liuing God I beseeche you, consider in your myndes bretheren, who euer, I will not saye of the Apostles, but of the holy fathers hath either worshipped the Sacrament him­selfe, or hath shewed it forth to bee wor­shipped of others? I see that I speake these things not before the cōmon sort of men, but before them who are profound­ly learned, I appeale to all your consci­ences, I will vse in this matter youre owne testimonie. Christ hath commaun­ded y ^e Sacramēt to be deliuered whole: Men haue torne the same after a misera­ble maner, Christ willed that nothing shoulde bee added to his lawe: Men doe not only adde many thinges, but y ^e same they preferre before the worde of God. But why shoulde I recken vp more? [Page] This onely will I speake, and that in a worde, they whiche broughte in transub­stantiations, masses, calling vpon saints, sole life, purgatorie, images, vowes, trifles, follies, bables, into the Churche of God, haue deliuered new thinges, and whiche the scriptures neuer hearde of. Whatsoeuer they crie or crake, they bring not a iote out of the worde of God. And these, as I haue sayd, are the things wherewith the Church of God at these dayes are disquieted. Vppon these lieth the watche and warde of the Churche. These they honour in steede of the scrip­tures, and force them to the people in steede of the worde of God: vppon these: men suppose their saluatiō, & the summe of religion to be grounded. And y ^t which is much more greuous, notwithstanding at this present by the great goodnesse of God, religion is restored almost to her former dignitie and light, yet poore and pitiful soules they set great store by these thinges, they to them againe, and teache them, as though without thē the Church could not be in safetie. O if the worde of the Lorde might be heard, among so ma­many [Page] clamours, and in so great a hurlye burly. If we would suffer God himselfe, to sitte as iudge in his own case, the mat­ter woulde bee passed ouer with lesse tu­multe a greate deale, and more easilye mighte wee agree about the whole mat­ter. Wherefore if all the worship of GOD, all godlinesse, all religion, bee to bee sought out of the word of GOD, If the institutions of men, haue miserab­ly peruerted all thinges in all times, let vs, my bretheren, vnto whome the office of teaching is alotted, consider how dan­gerous a thing it is to speake more: and lette all, who will be, and wil haue them­selues accounted to bee Christians, re­member how daungerous a thing it is to beleeue more. And if there bee anye of this whole number, whiche hath giuen himselfe to anye other kinde of life, yet let him consider that these things belong vnto him, so that if he neither can, nor wil teach, yet let him diligentlye and atten­tiuely, heare him that speaketh, and giue God thankes y ^t he hath happened on those times, in whiche he maye heare the word of God freely and purely. Let vs not bee [Page] wedded to much to our own wit, let vs not be wedded too much to the Fathers & forfathers. Let vs not vnaduisedly think that men are so luckily borne, that what­soeuer they say, they cannot erre. When we shall bee placed before that dreadfull iudgement seate, when all thinges shall burne, and the Angels of God shall trem­ble, to what Fathers, to what decrees of our forefathers, shall we wretches than appeale? We shall than haue refuge to Christ alone, than shall wee vse the ayde and worde of Christ alone. Wherefore let vs not be of so secure a minde in so great a matter. Our life, our soule, our saluati­on is the thing in hande. The heauenlye father offreth himselfe vnto vs, and of his own accord meeteth vs, Iesus Christ crieth out, and calleth euery one of vs: Come vnto mee all yee whiche are gree­ued and I will refresh you. How blind be we if we see not, howe blockish if we vn­derstande not, how miserable if we runne from this? Where shall the worde of Christ be heard, if it cannot bee hearde among Christians? If it cannot bee heard among Christians where shall it [Page] be heard? Let vs once yet open, brethe­ren, let vs open our eyes, that it may not be spoken against our stubbornesse, ther­fore you heare not, because you bee not of God: and that that saying of Esayas be not conueniently applied against vs, The hart of this people is waxen grosse, and they haue hardlyheard with their eares, and they haue closed their eyes, least they shoulde at any time see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnder­stande with their heart, and they shoulde be conuerted, and I shoulde heale them. And what I should speake more, before christian men and the Children of God, concerning the worde of GOD, I see not.

Now remaineth that whiche was put in the last part, namelye howe the scrip­tures are to be taught. For not only wis­dome and fidelitie, but also wisedome and foresight is to be vsed. Therefore sayeth Peter, let him not speake onelye, but let him speake as the wordes of God. Nor yet is it sufficient to professe onlye, and outwardly to shew, that it is the worde of God which we teache, and with a faire [Page] face and earnest countenaunce sing. The worde of the Lord: For the Iewes and Turkes and false Prophets doe so, they al crie out that Christ is theirs, and they all restraine true religion (as belonging) vnto themselues. The Phariseis and Scribes of these dayes, when they con­firme their owne inuentions, and referre all thinges to the Apostles as their au­thors, and doe wreste the worde of God, yet doe they crie nothing eyther oftener, or more importunately, than, The worde of the Lord. But Christ hath not taught dissimulation and hipocrisie. Hee rather teacheth this, that Pastoures maye haue in minde that they represente the person of Christ▪ y ^t they being induced through the greatnesse and worthinesse of y ^e thing it selfe, may so reuerently do their office, that all men may perceaue, that it is a heauenly businesse whiche they haue ta­ken vpon them▪ For the image of God himselfe must shine in him that is the mi­nister of God. And if the Apostles hadde not so vsed themselues, they had neuer laied the foundations of Religion: there would neuer any haue lefte their alters, [Page] their Sacrifices, their Fiers, and their Gods themselues, to haue bene of the o­pinion of a fewe fishers. They counted all that they hadde as nothing, in compa­rison of Christe Iesus. When they were taunted, they taunted not agayne, when they were condemned to Prisons, and Fyers, they neuer ceased to giue thankes, they alwayes greatly reioyced. for that they were afflicted with all ma­ner of punishmentes, for Christe his sake. There was in them suche vprightenesse of heart, suche modestie, suche vertue, that whatsoeuer they sayde▪ others were ashamed to speake agaynst it. Euen so bretheren our life ought to [...]yue, that as oft as we speake, wee maye seeme to speake the wordes of GOD. For we are the salte of the earth, wee are the lighte of the worlde, wee are that Ci­tie set vpon the Hill, all mens eyes are fastned on vs, whatsoeuer we do, straight waye example is taken to doe the like. It is a burden of greate difficultye and weighte that wee haue taken vppon vs. Which if we would all well weighe, the [Page] course of the Gospell would not be so hin­dered, the word of God would not bee so muche neglected. For when as we pro­fesse God with our mouth, but denie him with our deedes, we fraye awaye the vn­learned multitude by our example from religion, and the thing that of all other is moste diuine, we defile, not with vnpure handes, but with vnpure maners. So for our sakes is godlines despised for our sake is the truth contemned, for our sake is the maiestie of God empayred. These things, brethern, are diligently to be considered, and earnestly to be regarded of vs. For if we liue filthily and wickedly, and bringe into the pulpit nothing but a rolling of the tongue and impudencie, whatsoeuer we speake, we speake it not, either as it shold, or else as the wordes of God. But to the ende the worde of the Lorde may be hand­led according to the worthinesse thereof, two thinges principallye are by vs to bee taken heed of: the one y ^t we be not weake­ned nor feebled by feare, y ^e other, that out of the Gospel we reape no iote or peece of praise vnto our selues. A preachers minde muste be prepared and diligentlye fens [...] [Page] against eyther of these. For the Gospell and the word of God, except it be stiflye and manfully vpholden and mainteyned, neither wil serue the gospel▪ nor the word of GOD. For error is fearefull, base, and quaking, it feareth all thinges it dreadeth all thinges, it flyeth sight, and light: but the truth, and the truth of the Gospel of Iesus Christe, neuer abaseth it selfe, neuer flattereth any, dissembleth nothing▪ fayneth nothing, is vnfearefull, free, bolde to shewe her face, and high. Wherfore as long as we speak the truth, let not the force or authoritie of any man make vs afrayde. Let vs call to mynde that wee are the messengers and Em­bassadors of God, Let vs call to mynde that God hath giuen vs power to speake. For what courage doth not Christ make vs, when he promiseth that he will be the reuenger of the iniurie done vnto vs? he, saith he, that despiseth you, despiseth me, he whiche hurteth you, hurteth the sight of myne eye, wherfore let vs speake, not dissemblingly, not darkely, as did the Phariseis, but freelye and playnlye as hauing authoritie, as meete it is that the [Page] Wordes of God should be vttered. But neuerthelesse moderation must be v­sed, that we doe not vnseasonably touche or spot the good name and fame of others For then we shal seeme to taunt or raile, and to handle our owne cause, rather then to teache the worde of the Lorde. But it becommeth tht seruaunte of the Lorde to be modest and circumspecte, not to blabbe out any thing rashly or cockishlye: leaste wee maye seeme to speake not out of the holy pulpit, but out of the carte, neither yet to haue cited the Gosple, but to haue brought vp again the olde maner of Com­modies.

The nexte thinge is that a preacher haue not to greate a conceite of him selfe, but that he think that that function and office hapened vnto him from aboue from God, that he shoulde discharge his duetie dili­gently and with verye great feare, and that he shoulde thinke that he is occupied not in his owne businesse but in Gods bu­sinesse. So Paule sayth hee is nothing: Iohn crieth that he is vnworthy to pull of the shoes of Messias: And therefore to a­bate arogancie, they are in the holy scrip­tures [Page] called not Princes, not Magi­strates, not Rulers, not Kinges, but ste­wardes, bailiffes, preachers or cryers, ministers, seruauntes, to the end that for­as muche as we doe this geare in the be­halfe of another, we shold not grow proud for another bodyes praise. For the Lord hath not therefore committed his talent vnto vs, that we shoulde conuert it to our owne commoditie. For he would not haue vs preachers and criers of our owne wit and skill, but of his will, neather doe we for any other cause cary aboute this trea­sure in Earthen vessels, than for that it should be the brightnesse and cleare light of the power of God.

I will not staye you with any more wordes. Yee haue heard that a Preacher must speake both oft, and out of the worde of God, and also grauelye and modestlye. We bretheren, eyther are Preachers or will be Preachers: let vs beare in minde that these thinges belong to vs, and that saynt Peter saith to vs, He that speaketh let him speake as the wordes of GOD. There is neede not only of our diligence but also of prudencie and fidelitie. Wher­fore [Page] whatsoeuer wee are able by nature, whatsoeuer by counsayle, whatsoeuer by wit and cunning, lette vs bestow it all to serue the Church of God. We are y ^e stew­ardes of the house of God: let vs not dis­sipate and scatter the housholde of God. If we be the Apostles of God, let vs shew Apostolike mindes. If we be the brethren of Christ, let vs heare Christ, let vs feede his Lambes, let vs feede his sheepe, let vs go, let vs preache, let vs teache. The vniuersall worlde seemeth a good while since to trauayle of Christ, lette vs cast a­bout our eyes bretheren. How greate is the Haruest euery where, how few be the Reapers? And this I speake vnto them of whome there is some good hope. If there be any that laugh at these thinges, or mocke them, why shoulde I hope that they will heare me, who will not heare Christ himselfe. Let the calamitie of our bretheren mooue vs, let the curse of God mooue vs [namelye] Cursed is hee that doth the worke of the Lord negligentlye. let that most greeuous threatning moue vs (namely) Their blood will I require at thy hand. Let vs prepare our selues to [Page] that most sweete voice & speeche of Christ (namely) Well done seruaunt, Goe in. Let vs speake in season and out of season, let vs speake the word of the Lord, let vs speake as the wordes of the Lorde, that Gods prayse may be set forth in al things by Iesus Christ, vnto whome bee glorye and imperie for e­uer and euer. Amen.