THe moste comfortable doc­trine of y ^e building of Gods Temple, is expressed in many places of the olde Testa­ment, as a notable example how the godly endeuoured themselues, to set vp that place wherein the name of the Lord should alwaies be glorified, and hys lawes exercised: not that the same place should simply be the Temple made wyth [Page 10] lime and stone wherin God should dwell, for God dwelleth not in Temples made with stone, but because God had ordeyned that a place should be erected for that pur­pose, wherin his Lawes should bee read, published, learned, established, and by God himselfe heard and allowed. And for thys cause many the godly kings, as Salomon, Cyrus, Darius, Iosias, Zerubbabell, &c. endeuoured with all study to accomplyshe and erecte it, and which God hath special­ly commaunded, hauing relacion princi­pally vnto that Temple, wherein indéede his name ought to be glorified, his lawes established, and wherin himselfe as chéefe patron, is alwaies resident, which is our bodye, which by the vertue of our heade Christ, is called the Temple. Nowe for asmuch as the people of GOD in those dayes, were specially knowen by theyr great zeale, paine, and trauel, in erecting that holye Sanctuary, as hauing an one­ly care for the furthering of holy thinges, (least they might otherwise bee drowned with prophane and worldly matters) euery good and godly man endeuoured to sētt his hand to the building, by which occasi­on, the godly were discerned and knowen [Page 11] from the vngodly: but sithence that tyme through the weakenes of mannes iudge­ment, and the diligence of Sathan, the vngodly, (hauing no other credite to afoorde Sathans marchandise, and sathan hauing no better meanes but by woorking hys slights and deceipt in the vngodly) they I say, haue vnder the pretence of holines, wrought sathans purpose, and deceyued many séely yong ones in these dayes, as appereth by thys text which I haue now in hand, wherein is shewed, howe the ad­uersaries of the Church would haue buil­ded with the people of God, 2. verse. and how they sought the Lord God, and how they hadde doone sacrifice vnto him, which profession of theirs, and ioyning themselues to the people of God to build with them, was but a slight to bring their deuilish practi­ses to passe, as appereth in the fourth verse following. Their pur­pose. Where it is declared that they discouraged the people of God, troubled them in their building, and hired counsellers to hinder theyr deuise. A com­mon practise amonge the vngodly, to pre­tende some mischiefe & wickednes vnder the colour of holines, such hath béene the pollicies of all the wicked and vngodlye [Page 12] from the beginning, to credite theyr wyc­ked pretences vnder the colour of sancti­mony. As in these appeared, who sayde first, that they woulde builde with them, that is to say, with the godly. This is a notable policy of sathan, to cause the wic­ked to bring their purpose to effect, the ra­ther to deceiue the weaker sort by counterfeyting holines, and by making thēselues as it were seruaunts of one houshold, and shéepe of one flock: for this cause doth sa­than himselfe, sometimes transforme him selfe into an Angell of light, because by y ^e glorious shape he wil y ^e rather beguile and deceiue, allure and confound, the simple true meaning sorte, euen as the Wolfe by putting on a shéepes skyn, may the ra­ther haue accesse to the flocke to murther and deuoure at his pleasure. After the same sort dyd Iudas salute and kysse hys maister Christ, which kisse and salutati­on was a signe and token of loue, but it hatched hatred and treason The gest without a wedding garment that thrust in among the bidden gests shew­ed the like effect. I may ve­ry well liken them to a great many in these dayes, which vnder the colour of comming to the Church, and frequenting the company of good men with fréendly faces, and bountifull gifts, doo further theyr [Page 13] wycked pretences, in ouerthrowing the e­state, and confounding religion. In whom hath treason appeared strongest of late yeeres here in England, but in those that haue béene admitted into fauour. After that they had protested great loyalty and fréendship? the old saying is verified. In trust is treason, and in the fayrest rose is soonest found a canker. Vnder the coloure of a fréendly quaffyng, King Iohn was poysoned by pledging a Fryer, such are colours of dissemblers, whose affections are farre from their outward shew. Py­late in a fayre shew of Iustice & fauoure, could wash his hands from condemning the giltles blood of Christe, and yet gaue sentence on him, such counterfeyted fauor is ioyned in stéede of fréendship, and such abhomination in stéede of holines, that we may say, the wood which they bring is wormeaten, and the stones they builde withall is as rubble, not fit for so glorious a sanctuary as the Lords Temple. They haue made estimation of their owne hou­ses more then the Temple of the Lorde, Agge. 1, 9, which lieth waste, and yet they say, they will ioyne with the true and godly buil­ders, furdermore they say, that they sought [Page 14] the Lorde, but as they did after a dissem­bling sort ioyne with the godly, offering to build with them, & purposing nothing lesse, euen so now do they say, that they haue sought the Lorde, whose diligence and industry is iudged the weaker, be­cause they haue not founde him, for no doubt the Lorde is not so doubtfull to bée found, nor so strange to be spoken withal, but that if they had sought him with faith, and with a harty desire, they might haue found him. As our sauiour Christ hym­selfe sayth. Querite et inuenietis, séeke and ye shall find, and as the Prophet Da­uid fayth, Psal. 119, 2, Blessed are all they that keepe his testimonies, and seeke him with their hole hart, Deu. 4, 29. and as Moyses sayth. If from thēce thou shalt seeke the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seeke him with al thy hart: but peraduenture if they sought him, it was (as Christe saith) with their lips, but their hart was far of, wher­fore if we behold both their actions that is to say, to ioyne with the builders, and to bring nothing to the buidling, and to seke the Lorde and not to finde him, sheweth their bad pretences. Their reli­gion. But now sée further and behold their profession and relygion, which was, that they had doone sacrifice [Page 15] vnto the Lord, in the which profession and religion of theirs, they expresse howe de­uoutly and orderly they shewed them­selues, in as much as they take theyr ori­ginall from Esar Haddon, otherwise cal­led Sardanapalus, who was Senahcrib, his sonne who worshipped the Idoll Nis­roch as his God. 2. Re. 17.26 It doth appeare in the booke of the Kyngs, how this people at their first enterance into Samaria, and possessing the Citties thereof, they feared not the Lorde, wherfore God sent Lyons to deuour them. Then they told the Kyng what happened, who commaunded that one of the priestes of the country shoulde teache them what to doo, how be it, euery nation made them their Gods, and put them in the houses of the high places. And this séemeth was their sacrifice vnto their Gods, that they thēselues had made, euen a sacrifice agréeable to their professi­on, which was altogether as I said before in dissimulation, they were glad that they had caught the verye bare worde sacrifice, because it was the profession of the priests of the law, instituted by God, as a figure of Christes priesthoode, which significati­on, was as farre from their knowledge, [Page 16] (I meane of the true vse of the sacrifice) as their religion was from good deuotion, or as farre as Iudas differed from an ho­nest disciple, yet as Iudas gloried of the title of a Disciple, though he vsed not him selfe as a Disciple, so these spake of sacri­ficing, 2. Kin, 17. Esra. 4, 4, yet knew not the vse thereof, as appered by theyr Idolatrye and dissimulati­on, enuy, interruption, trouble, and hindering the godly buildings: but as I sayde before, so I say still, all the vngodly from the beginning, haue had some shewe of godlines, the rather to vtter theyr deui­lish purposes. The maner of the Scor­pion is, to smyle and shew a louing countenance, to them that he wyll sting vnto death. Honny many times beguileth hym that is poysoned, so it happeneth alwayes with double consciences, whose conscience is wicked and profession good.

The priestes of Baal and Elias, dyd both sacrifice, but not alike, nor with the like conscience, for the priests of Baal dyd it in Idolatry and superstition. Elias did it in good deuotion, and with a pure hart vnto the almightie: therefore the old say­ing is true, The hoode maketh not the Monke. Hence is it that pure religion is [Page 17] grounded vppon a spirituall profession, and not a ceremoniall shew, and hence is it, that we shoulde beholde the Lorde in trueth, and vnderstand him in righteous­nes, not in a profession whose signification we know not, otherwise we might reason well, to say the papists did well to vse the worde of God in the Latine tongue, be­cause it was the worde of God, but that could not be, because the knowledge and vse, and necessity therof was hidden from men. But so is the sleight and subtilty of the deuill, to colour in the wicked theyr wickednes, and deuilish pretences, wyth godly titles or godly names, or godly ceremonies, without the true vse and signifi­cation of them. The Ammonits Ammonits did offer and vse sacrifice, but howe? moste filthily and abhominably, when they offered their sonnes and daughters to Moloch. 1. Kin. 11. The Iewes did put their truste in their Tem­ple, saying: Templum domini, the Tē ­ple of the Lord, and not in the liuing lord himselfe, and that with a faithfull harte, as Dauid did in many places, and as is required of all the godly. This is to be noted, that betwixt the godly and the vngodly, the matter is all one, but the manner [Page 18] differeth, for trust being required of all, is found in all, but not alike, for the vngodly trust in their Idols, and in stocks and stones, and the godly in the lyuing Lord, who is theyr maker, preseruer and gouernour. Israelites. Iere, 7, 18, Likewise the Israelites did worship, but whom did they worshyp? not y ^e hygh and mighty Iehouah, but the Quéene of heauen, that is, the Sunne & the Moone. Why? because say they, then hadde wee plenty of victuales, Iere, 44, 17. we were wel and felt no euill. Such was the illusion of sathan, to feede their adoration with a worldly sauour of security, as though the true bles­sednes did consist in the peace and plenty of this worldly life.

Also the Pharesies did obserue y ^t whole Law in outward shewe, Pharisies, they fasted, they truly tythed mynt, annise, and commin, what could the world sée in them, but the whole body of godlines, but yet Christe, who knoweth the secrets of all harts, said they were hipocrits & dissemblers. Who were more deuoute, Math, 23, and more gyuen to fasting then the Manichies, Maniches. which gaue straight order for the obseruing thereof, and refrained from the eating of fleshe, and yet concerning all other cates and [Page 19] deynties, they so porred themselues, that they cracked.

And I pray you what greater shewe of godlines, charity, humility, chastity, &c was there séene in our Papists, Papists. in al their actions here in England, and els where, they were ful of prayers, night watches, Dirges, and solemnities, but in what straunge tongue, and straunge deuise, and in what deuotion, the world know­eth, they were so full of chastitie, that none of them woulde marrye, and yet few but had his Curtisan: they were full of charity, and yet Tyrants, yea such Wolues, as did daily sucke the bloode of Christ his flocke, they gaue almes plenti­fully, but they had politike deuises to ex­tort it from others: they ordeyned & ob­serued many holy dayes, which bredd and hatched many idellers, Idolaters, feasters gamsters in all sorts, dauncers, inconti­nent match-makers, and such like abuses great store, scarce was there one y ^t coulde make account of hys fayth, for the com­fort of the Gospell was hydde from them, and all good & godly exercises, in asmuch, as if euer the kingdome of ignorance raigned, it florished in theyr dayes.

And now in these last daies, wherin the Gospell (God be thanked) florisheth, Protestants and the word of God is dayly preached, we sée a great many lip Gospellers, which haue the word of God in theyr mouth, euen from the téeth forward, how they wil dis­pute daily of it, how they wil make choise of theyr companies, & yet by their workes ye shall know them, for some of them are great slanderers, backbiters, and scornfull dispisers of other men, many of thē great enemies to the poore, such hold the gospell sometimes, for the fauour they beare to theyr fréends, sometime, for the malyce they bere to others, some are so couetous, that they are become priuy vsurers, and open extortioners. It is a lamentable world, to sée, in this present age, the verye picture of the yong man, that wold learne to enter into the kingdome of heauen, but would not forsake and sell all that hee had to follow Christ. An other sorte you shall sée, to be like Cleophas, to goe with Christ and yet not to know him, these are lyke such as S. Paule speaketh of, that wyll come in the latter dayes, hauing a shewe of godlines, 2, Tim. 3, but denying the vertue ther­of, and as the Apostle sayeth in an other [Page 21] place. They say that they know God, whē as they déeme him in theyr déedes because they are themselues abhominable. The Prophet Esay doth sharply reprooue such hypocrits, saying: Esay, 48, 1.2 Heare ye this O house of Iacob, which are called by the name of Israell, and are come out of the waters of Iuda, which sweare by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Is­rael, but not in trueth nor in righteous­nes, for they are called of the holy cittye, and stay themselues vpon the God of Is­rael, whose name is the Lord of hostes.

The very like hipocrites doth y ^e Pro­phet Ieremy recite, saying: Run to and fro by the stréetes of Ierusalem, Iere. 5.1, 2, and be­hold nowe and knowe, and enquire in the open places thereof, if yee can find a man, or if there be any y ^e executeth iudgment, and séeketh the trueth, and I wil spare it, for though they say the Lorde liueth, yet they sweare falsely. Thus may yee sée in this briefe discourse, the heape of ad­uersaries, which the church alwaies hath had, and yet hath, woorking vnder the co­lour of holines, by reason whereof, they haue not onely brought their mischiuous purposes the sooner to passe, as it is sayde [Page 22] before, in hindering the building of true holines, but by this meanes the credite and honor of the godly, hath béene emba­sed, and oftentimes hadde in suspition, yea condemned amongst a great many of in­different worldlings: wherefore that the one may the better be known from the o­ther, euen as I haue before layde downe the maner and behauiour of the wycked, and theyr hypocrisie, so wyll I, as my text leadeth me, lay downe the conuersation and behauiour of the godly, with theyr profession, y ^t as the one is séene & knowne by hypocrisie, so the other may bee seene and knowen by constancy.

In Zerubbabell, otherwise called Ba­rachias, together with Ieshua & the reste, fathers of Israell was founde this godlye disposition.

1 That they refused the aduersaries offe­red helpe, lothing to ioyne with them.

2 They professed themselues to build to­gether.

3 Vnto the God of Israel.

In the first fruit of their good profession & constancy, it appeareth, that they allowed not of the offered helpe and assistaunce of the aduersaries, although indéede the [Page 23] present occasion of newe repayring theyr Citty, Anno mun. 3419. and laying the foundation of theyr Temple, requyred al helpe and assistance, yet (theyr purpose and labor considered) they meant nothing les (beeing the chil­dren of God) then themselues to doo it, that as the Temple was a place of holye exercises, and a mistery of an euerlasting sanctuary, so it shoulde be erected by none but such as were vnfainedly the Lordes workmen, wherefore this séemed to bée a godly purpose in the children of God to refuse these aduersaries, and not to estéeme of theyr labours for two causes. First, for that they wexed not faynte nor weary in the trauell & performance of good thinges, dedicated to the Lord. Secondly, that they refused to ioyne themselues to the wicked knowing the inconueniences of a wicked participation, in the which two considera­tions, if Gods people doo well consider, of this president so long layde before theyr eyes as a good example, it cannot chuse but be a fruitful patterne, for in that they shrinked not at so great a labour, but were wylling to doo it themselues, it is notable for vs to learne, specially in these dayes, to doo our godly exercises, & labors [Page 24] (especially which are dedicated to y ^e lord) our owne selues, without the care of our owne paynes, or the trust wee shoulde re­pose in others, and then wee shoulde see howe the Byshop sometimes woulde re­fuse hys Register, the Iustice hys Clark, the pastor hys seruing priest, the Sherife hys arrant Baylyues, the master hys ser­uant, and so foorth of many other professi­ons of great charge, wherein the notable building of religion, and of a common wealth standeth at a stay, (nay at decay) for lacke of those that should take paynes themselues, and not estéeme the care of the trauell, whereby the building myghte goe forwarde, for if Zerubbabel and Ie­shua with the Elders of Israell, had béene lazy themselues, and committed the buil­ding to others being Infidels, the woorke had neuer béene brought to passe, and surely I am perswaded, the small care & great ease that our chéefe builders haue, is the cause that the worke goeth not forwarde, I meane that christian religion is not substantially erected, and the common welth sufficiently stayed, but true it is that the labourer, that maketh more account of his wages, then of the performance of hys [Page 25] workmanship is so hasty in his labor that the woorke oftentimes shameth his ma­ster, but in stéede of shame & care in these dayes, is planted couetousnes and stout­nes, the one desireth inordinatly, and the other defendeth impudently. And yet no man can iustly charge any Prelate, Magistrate, patron or vsurer in these dayes, for bribery, extorcion, simony, or vsury, and why? because they themselues committe none of these offences, but yet they haue factors and dooers for them, therefore in­déede this is their fault, if the building be good, they shold doo the worke themselues, for if the worke be Gods, none is too good to doo it, for that cause whom the Quéenes Maiestie hath thought good, eyther for the roome of a Counseller, Bishop or Iustice, is committed to the same place, to vse it and discharge it himselfe, and not by séelie substitution. O howe bothe our common weales would florish, if our chéefe menne wold by the example of good Zerubbabell and Ieshua, labour themselues, and not faint at it. And againe, I wold they wold follow the other example of them, in refu­sing of them, then no doubt, that muste néedes be a pleasant Cuppe of wyne vnto [Page 26] the drinker, whose dregges are purified & clensed, so that gouernment especially (because in them consisteth the chéefest build­ing) must néedes bee good and profitable, which doo seperate themselues from bry­bers, extortioners, factors, and wicked en­ticers, which many times corrupteth a whole country, & hindereth many a good minde. The Lord in any wise would not haue his people to ioyne wyth Infidels, least that by touching of pytch they might be defiled. Eccle. 13, 1 The Prophet Dauid said, with the wicked thou shalt bee wicked, & wyth the frowarde thou shalt learne froward­nes. It is dangerous to lay towe by the fire, or to ioyne the Lambe to the Wolfe, for the wycked doo alwaies more forcibly infect, and corrupt, then the good doo or may change or alter, And what felowship hath Christ with Belial, therefore it is the part of all good and godly men, vtterly to refuse the company of the wycked, al­though they wyll offer their labors, and counterfeyte their simplicity, I meane such as are giuen ouer to worke wicked­nes, and in whom there is no hope of re­conciliation and amendment, of whome S. Paule speaketh of saying: 1. Cor, 59, 11 But nowe I haue written vnto you, that ye cōpany [Page 27] not together, if any that is called a bro­ther, &c. An other good and godly example they doo shew in their second disposition, Second dis­position. when they will build together themselues in the which is most notably séene & lear­ned the vnity of the builders, in that they wyl ioyne together among themselues, when they goe about a godly purpose, and not the one to drawe backward while the other goeth forward, the one to stand styll while the other laboureth, the one to slepe while the other watcheth, and so forth, for that is y ^e spynning of Penelope her webb, which was neuer brought to good ende. Hence is it that the wiseman commēdeth the vnity of brethren, Eccl. 25.1 because it is y ^e foun­tayne of a good disposition, and it is the pricke that setteth forwarde euery good worke, it is the cause that religion is pro­fited, the common welth profited, and eue­ry good and vertuous action commended. For this cause is it that S. Paule com­maundeth, Ephe. 4, 3. That euery one endeuour to kéepe the vnity of the spirit, for by so doo­ing, the worke shalbe both the better and the sooner brought to good passe, for wher­as there are seuerall sortes of facultyes in building, as the Mason, the Carpenter. [Page 28] the Tyler, and so foorth, with many other assistants, euery one of them conferring hys owne profession with the residue, in a full entent to further the building, shall make the building the better, and bring it the sooner to an ende, wheras they shall louingly consent together in vnity, euen so, among Gods people we haue many or­ders, as the Minister, the Lawier, the phi­sition, the Magistrate, the priuate hous­holder, and so forth, and euery one of them a workman, to helpe further the building of the Sanctuary. If all these doo not con­sent together in the vnity of fayth, in the hand of charity, in the study of godlinesse, not preferring worldly causes before hea­uenly, they cannot further the buildyng with a beautifull shew, nor hasten it to a spéedy perfection, & therfore these wordes VVe wyll build together, be of great im­portance, and doo giue a good example to y ^e godly, to consent and agrée together, for o­therwise, as the Mason and Carpenter dissenting, wyll neuer build well, nor bring the worke to a good ende, euen so, e­uery man in his vocation & calling, some in preaching true religion, some in refor­ming manners, some in teaching a godly [Page 29] life, and euery man in shaping something or other for the building of true holines, if they vary or fall at square, they doo great­ly hinder the building: wherfore, as the armes, legs, eyes, féete &c, in one body doo consent in theyr seuerall offyces, to the seruing of one bodye, euen so euery cal­ling shoulde in his seuerall vocation, serue in the vnity of spyrite to the buildinge of Gods holie Temple, but as I sayde, if one bee quicke, and an other sloe, if one buylde vppe, and an other plucke downe, that workmanshyp wil hardly be brought to good passe, no more can it bee wyth true religion, if one be of thys mynde, and an other of that, if one goe forth and an other goe backe. What is it but as S. Paule sayth, a denying of Christe, and a hinderance to knowledge. An enuious mynde, and selfe wyl, be great hinderers in these dayes, which in déede, doo laye theyr foundation vpon affection and selfe loue, and therefore the buildyng can not be good. Wherefore they that wyll bee sounde, and sufficient builders, must laye theyr foundation vpon Gods worde, and that is the building that is founded vpon the rocke, and wyll not fall by stormes or [Page 30] tempests, as our sauiour Christ sayth. It is the same foundation that shall stande when heauen and earth shall fayle, Math. 7. and therefore, all the Prophets, Apostles, and Martirs, builded their knowledge & pro­fession therevpon, some calling it Deu. 4, wis­dome, some a Psa 119 light, some the Rom, 1 power of God, and some Eph, 6 a sword, according to the mighty working and power there­of, from the which foundation, if any man flée, following his owne wyll or the inuentions of men, let him be perswaded that his workmanship is in vaine, for his building will not stande. The third and last disposition of these godly men, The thyrd disposition of the god­lye. differed far from the purpose of the vngodly, as appe­reth euen in the plaine words, for the ad­uersaries sayd vnto Zerubbabell, and the rest, We seeke and doo sacrifice vnto the Lord your God, and Zerubbabell & the rest sayd, Wee will builde vnto the Lorde our God, in the which let vs sée euen the confession of y ^e vngodly, in y ^t they haue not the power to name y ^e Lord their God, and againe, the confession of the godly in that they hold a firme faith & assurance to cal y ^e Lord their God, nowe in y ^t they are direc­ted, the one by Ezer Haddon an Idolater, and the other by Cirus a worthy and no­ble [Page 31] King, it dooth appeare that the one fa­uoured Idolatry, and the other true reli­gion, for in that Zerubbabel with y ^e reste builded together vnto their God, which they farder interpreted to bee the God of Israel, they shewed a good, a deuout, and a godly & christian profession, for as indéede we ought to offer y ^e sacrifice vnto God, and put our trust in God, as the prophet sayth so ought we to haue a spirituall care to vnderstand what he is, Psal. 4, 5. & whether of right all honor appertaineth vnto him, which we shall easily perceiue, by beholding hys maiesty, his power, his strength, his mer­cy, his loue, his omnipotencye, in creating vs and all the worlde, in gouerning vs & ruling all things, in defending vs, in re­déeming vs, in sanctifying vs, and in cal­ling vs, and in giuing all things necessa­ry for vs, in lightning our minds with vnderstanding, in refreshing our consciences with good things, whereas on y ^e other side, (for y ^e iudgment of Idolatry) we finde not the like vertues & consolations in y ^e workmanship of mans hands made, to be hono­red & worshipped as a god, no nor in any y ^e creaturs vnder heauē, nor in heauē, as the sun, moone, stars, woods, stons, calfs, hylls, [Page 32] gold, siluer, &c. Wherfore this name God, being an vnspeakable name among the Iewes, dooth minister vnto the godly, so many powers and operations, that when they shal say, Our God, they haue a heape of comforts and consolations in their hart which doth worke many godly knowled­ges and exercises, and extinguishe many ignoraunt and Idolatrous opinions. As for example, if we shold reason this wyth our selues, who hath made vs? and he­therto preserued vs? God, who sustaineth the heauens to giue light, and to powre downe dewes for y ^e comfort of the earth? God, who giueth encrease on the earth for our sustenaunce? God, who giueth all things necessary for vs here on earth? God, who hath redéemed vs, from the bondage of sathan? God, who hath prepared for vs the kingdome of heauen? GOD, the same God with hys mightye power, worke so in the heartes of all good belée­uers, that they may so learne him, know him, & follow him in this world, y ^e in y ^e world to come, euen in y ^e kingdome of heauen, they may haue life euerlasting, to the which, I beséech God y ^e father, the son and holy ghost, to send vs all. Amen.

THe Temple which is con­secrated, and dedicated to an holy vse, for the learning and exercising of holy thin­ges, for the reading of the Lawe, couenant, and promises of GOD, and for the enriching of our selues in the true knowledge of Gods worde, and y ^e vse of the Sacraments, finally, for all godly v­ses and exercises, is the same place where in all the congregation dooth méete toge­ther, in a deuout minde and pure hart, to call vpon God, the creator and maker of all things, to whom he dooth in the power of hys spirit appeare, which place is there­fore called the Temple or his house, be­cause of the holy exercises, and godly ser­uices [Page 34] which are there doone, and for those exercises sake, & because it is called Gods house, it ought to be kept cleane, and not defiled, neyther ought it to be reserued for any other vse, then for the exercise of ho­ly thinges: Ioh. 2.15. and for that cause our Saui­our Christ did cast out the buiers and sel­lers out of the Temple, yet buying & sel­ling is a lawfull trade among men. How­beit, because of the place it was not allowed, but shaply and with expulsion reproo­ued by our sauiour Christ himselfe. But now, the Apostle speaketh not of a Tem­ple made of stones, lyme, and sande, in this place, but of our bodyes which he calleth a Temple, because of the vse and ex­ercise which ought to be therein vsed, and daily exercised, which is godlines, & there­fore it is called the Temple, or tabernacle of the holy ghost, wherin the holy ghost as a patron & president of Gods power dwelleth.

And as on the one side, euery manne and woman, should in hys hart, reade, learne, exercise, and dayly vse godly me­ditations, godly lawes, and godly obser­uations, and also yéelde the Sacrifice of thanksgiuing, and the offering of righte­ousnes, [Page 35] and dayly strengthen the same with a féeling conscience, a faithfull hart, a charitable mind, and an humble deuoti­on. So on the other side hath God gyuen hys holy spirit to be resident therein, as a pledge of his loue, which dayly worketh in vs, knowledge, desire, chéerefulnes, ioy­fulnes, patience, loue, & al heauenly riches assuring our spirits, that we are the chil­dren of God, to our great and endles com­fort, for which occasions sake, we are wyl­led by the Apostle, not to gréeue the same spirit of God, by the which we are sealed vnto the day of redemption, for in that hée is dwelling in vs, and remayning as in an house among vs, wee trouble & greeue him, when we prophane and abuse his ta­bernacle or dwelling, eyther with pryde, whoredome, drunkennes, enuy, theft, murther, idlenes, filthy talke, surfeyting, or like, because they are not exercises agrée­able for the Temple of God, and then, yf buying and selling, which is lawfull, bee prohibited the Temple, in respect of the materiall Temple, much more these fil­thy abuses, ought to bee caste out of the Temple, in respect that it is our bodyes, being of greater price and estimation then [Page 36] the building of stone. Herevpon the Apo­stle spake in this place, of the abuse of fil­thy fornication, and incestuous incontinencye, that it was such a great spot, as greatly defiled and polluted the whole body of the malefactor, which was the Temple ordeined for godly exercises, and therfore gyueth this sentence a little before, That he that shall defile the Temple of GOD, Cap, 3, 17 him shall God destroy: because wee are called, not to vncleanenes, but to holines, not to fulfill the desires of the fleshe, nor to satisfie the lusts of our carnal minde, but to purge our corruptible man of them, and to adorne the Temple with godly or­naments, that like as the Temple of Sa­lomon, Hagge, 2, and the Temple of Zerubbabell were garnished, the one with godly orna­ments, and the other with peace, so our Temples, I meane our bodyes, should bée decked, and furnished with ornamentes, méete for such an inhabitant as the holye Ghost is, and the ornaments méete for this Temple of ours, is fayth, loue, truth, mercy, pitty, chastity, knowledge, wise­dome, and so foorth, which vndoubtedly are already sent downe by God to vs, to garnish this his Temple in vs, if by our [Page 37] owne disobedience and wickednes, we doo not defile them, and banishe them, but I am afrayd, and it doth partly appeare by this present age of ours, that we so gréeue the holy Ghost with worldly affections, and filthy delights, that wee banish bothe the holy Ghoste, and also defile those noble vertues which are giuen vs, as ornamēts to pollish our Temple, so that both fayth, truth, mercy, loue, honesty & al, are gon to heauen to chalenge the celestiall roome, for that the harte of man is so defiled with sin and wickednes, that all the whole worlde is corrupted and ouerflowed with iniqui­ty, and the inhabitants that now do holde the hart of mā as a dwelling place, which are, discorde, selfe-loue, carnall pleasure, and worldly loue, haue vtterly expelled and quite banished, these former noble vertues from the mind and hart of man, in so much that if we behold them as they are, they worke a great confusion, and o­uerthrow of all christian order, and cor­rupteth euery good conuersation, and are set vp as Idols in the Temple of God, for if you looke into the first of these inhabi­tants or Idols, Discord. which is discorde or vari­ance, that is to say, the iarring and secrete [Page 38] malice among housholders, citties, pro­uinces and kingdomes, yea euen within themselues, one detracting and slaunde­ring an other, one eating vp an other, one ouerthrowing an other, one taking away from an other, one robbing from an other, one murthering an other, and one vndoo­ing an other, it is euen an hel to sée it, and a lamentable matter to sée the renting a sunder of Christes poore members, & the putting of loue and charity to flight, mise­rable is that estate, that shall sée such an exile. Sathan dooth worke so mightily by flatterers, and mens eares are so ready to heare them, that discorde and variance be­ing quickly sowen, maketh a speedy har­uest, and it is so contagious, that it hath almost infected all the worlde, in somuch, that it is to be demaunded, who is frée from a hatefull harte? or from a dysdain­full and malicious stomacke? and our na­ture is such, that wee can hardly sustayne it, it is a token that we are voyde of good affection, for when our neighbour or bro­ther hath offended vs, or trespassed vs a small matter, to the value of one grote, is not our nature ready to spende twentye shyllinges, or twenty nobles to be reuen­ged [Page 39] by extreame Lawe, thys procéedeth not frō Iustice, to be restored our wrong, or from patience, as the Apostle sayth, to forbeare one an other, for then we would looke but for a bare recompence or restitution, according to the measure of the da­mage, yea and that with patience, but it appeareth that we are hatefull and mali­cious, when we can not endure a grote damage, and yet can afoorde the spending of twenty shyllings, thys procéedeth alto­gether from the rankor of stomacke. Be­sides all thys, the manner of thys present world, is to stomacke at the happy estate of others, who are eyther promoted to wealth, or lyfted into fauour, contem­ning them with a malicious hart, iudg­ing themselues (euery man in hys owne opynion) to be as worthy of the same happines, as they that haue it. In this thyng, they obserue their malice, and looke not into the distribution of Gods purpose, gy­uing to whom he wyll, and taking away from whom he wyll. God grant that these discordes doo not admitte our aduersa­ries boldnesse and courage, to our ouer­throwe, for if it shoulde come to passe, I feare mee a greate manye woulde [Page 40] pray vppon their stomacked neyghbours, bending their enuious harts, rather then theyr country quarrel. The great citty of Numantia, being very strong and populous, was besieged of Scipid, and he layde siedge vnto it a long time, and neuer could ransacke it, in the ende, the Cittizens fell out among themselues, and were at vari­aunce, then theyr force weakened, and themselues drew not together, by means whereof, Scipio easily tooke the Citty, to theyr great spoyle and ouerthrow. Sa­lust sayth, Concordia, res paruae crescunt, discordia magnae chlabuntur. By concord small things doo encrease, and through discorde, Math, 18. great things come to decay. Our Sauiour Christ sayth. Euery kingdome deuided against it selfe, can not endure. Wherfore, as the prophet Dauid saith, O howe good and ioyful a thing it is for bre­thren, Psal, 133, to dwel together in vnity, for that vnity is so swéete & comfortable vnto thē, as the dewe that falleth vppon Hermon, and as the hils haue no other comfort but the dewe of heauen, for it hath no run­ning Ryuers to comfort the grasse there­of, euen so, nothing dooth make a more prosperous estate among men, then vni­tie, [Page 41] as it is a fit ornament for the Temple of God, euen so is discorde a foule polluti­on, and a filthy spotte in the members of men. An other inhabitant or Idoll, Selfe loue. that is placed in the Temple of God, I meane in the hart of man, is selfe loue, a quality or disposition, altogether purposed to vn­fettell good order, and to vnioynt the soci­ety of man, and to extoll himselfe, and to throw downe others, this happeneth first in those that doo insatiably scratch & heape vnto themselues, although they take from others to theyr vtter decay, these men are vayd of pitty, hard of conscience, not fea­ring God, nor forcing the Lawe, if they chance to be touched with the Lawe, they wil alwayes haue a shift, eyther to cosen the Law, or to blind the Iusticers of law, or to bribe y ^e ministers of law, and what­soeuer they doo among the common sorte of people, in company, pleasure, solace, or trauell, they wyll be sure, if they be dea­ling of nutts, How yee shall know them. they will reserue the ker­nels to their owne share. These men are knowen, sometimes by a fayre flatteryng face, as a Scorpion, sometimes by gro­ning, and making themselues sicke, as A­chab did, sometimes by a suddaine fitte of [Page 42] vnusuall liberality, in giuing a cuppe of drinke, but then beware the Fox. I haue heard it reported, that the Fox will tom­ble and make sporte before the Connies when he goeth about to catch one. Some­times, by a rare fayre salutation, as the Iewes that came to take Christe, sayde, Hayle master, but alwayes ye shal know them by the parting blowe, for though the Cat play and dally with the Mouse, yet in the ende, she grypeth him to death, and aboue all the markes that I haue spoken of, to know this sort of selfe-louers, I hold this the chéefest, that is, they vtterly hate and contemne those men, that they be perswaded they can get nothing of.

An other sorte of selfe-louers, are such as cary a proude and a lofty mind, accoun­ting themselues the singuler menne of the world, dishabling others, and discrediting others, to be best accounted of themselues, these haue a kinde of secrete enuy in theyr harts, for if you commend this mā, or that man, eyther for wisedom, honesty, welth, pollicy, manhoode, comelines, vertue, lear­ning, or any other good quality, straight­way he will finde one occasion or other to dishable some of these qualities or vertues you shall quickly espye these kind of selfe-louers, [Page 43] either by their séelines, or by theyr silence, their séelines I account, a slender wysedome, or a sickly conueiance in theyr talke and communication, howbeit, they are full of iolity, and floe with such strang phrases as they themselues haue but bor­rowed, and are not acquainted withal, the other triall is silence, which you shall ap­prooue by consenting wyth his dislikyng, and discommending of al men, in those former qualities and vertues, but then you must commend it in hym, & so if you finde him either to stammer or to bee silent vp­on your commendation, then thinke no other but you haue found y ^e foole, for Tul­ly doth so call them saying. Qui innititur suae prudentiae stultus est, he that stādeth vpon his owne wisedome, is a foole.

Both of these sorts of selfe-louers are fil­thy and abhominable Idols, vnséemly for the decent temple of god, howbeit, y ^e whole world almost is combred with thē in these present daies. 2, Tim. 3, S. Paule himselfe speaketh of them that such shall come in the latter daies, as shalbe louers of thēselues & vn­naturall An other most horrible Idol that doth much defile & prophane y ^e temple of y ^e holy ghost, is, carnal plesure, Carnall pleasure. which is such [Page 44] detestable desire of the flesh, as corrupteth knowledge, defileth the conscience, defor­meth the soule, imprisoneth the mynde, and polluteth the members. It is that de­uilish motion, which doth wholy carry vs from God, and swalloweth vs vppe in shame, I say vnto you, it is that thing, as if it were shaped, nothing would seeme more ougly or monsterous, for it transla­teth men into the forme of beasts, and in­to the nature of deuils, and therefore, an vnfit ornament for the Temple of God, whose reward is most horrible, eyther wyth shame, or with most odious and in­tollerable diseases, or with extreame po­uerty, or with the blotting out of a poste­rity, or with eternall damnation, the A­postle sayth. The adulterer and fornica­tor shal not inherite the kingdome of hea­uen. I beséech thée O Lorde God of hea­uen, to gyue little Englande repentant harts, and féeling consciences, to purge their Temples of this filthy sin, Amen.

Worldly loue.There is an other Idoll in this Tem­ple of ours, to whom all honour in these dayes is attributed, and which doth onely take away the honor due vnto God, and doth most abhominably pollute our harts, [Page 45] which is, the loue of the world, Thys I­doll doth so mightily allure, and so strong­ly prouoke, that it doth wholly rauish mēs harts, and altogether withdrawe theyr mindes, from the true loue of God, from the estimation and dignity of hys worde, from the Law of nature, from mutuall loue, from the Kingdome of heauen, and from all other good and godly estimations. In so much, that we may say with y ^e Po­et, Quid non mortalia pectora cogit au­ri sacra fames? What doth not the cur­sed desire of mony prouoke? It made Iu­das sell his master Christ, and in these dayes, it maketh not onely a great many to sell their master Christ, but vtterly to forsake him, it is the prouoker of displea­sure betwixt man an man, it is the ingen­derer of theues, it hatcheth cosoners, extorcioners, vsurers, pillers, pollers, periu­rers, murtherers, flatterers, sycophants, it maketh offycers and magistrats blinde, that they cannot sée notorious offenders, it causeth many to make y ^e ministry theyr refuge, to the perishing of many a soule by their ignoraunce, it hath disordered the noble estate of matrimony, prouoking many to marry for muck, and to like for ly­uing, [Page 46] wheras afterward in hart they hate all dayes of their life. A great many harts it defileth with dissimulation, contempte, enuy, vncharitablenes, hardnes, and so forth. It maketh the sonne to wyshe and expect the fathers death in respect thereof. It maketh men to buy offices, and seeke for dignityes, onely to haue the world, not regarding Iustice or reformation, but cō ­modity, and aduantage, which greatly de­cayeth a common welth. It causeth many a conscience to shutte vppe his compassion from the poore, and it is the onely Porter in rich mens gates, to barre fast the doore. Many a man setteth his sonne to schoole, not for vertues sake, but for the worldes sake, many a one preferreth hys Sonne to the ministry, not for to preache, but to haue lyuing, many a one preferreth hys Sonne to be a Lawyer, not so much to doo equity as to get the world, and so of euery faculty, all is for the world.

Howe many bee there that purchase Heauen for theyr children, and brynge them vppe in such order as they may god­lye behaue themselues, as meete mem­bers for the kyngdome of heauen, nay ra­ther they séeke by all meanes to purchase [Page 47] the earth for them, howe many séeketh to enrich themselues with the treasure of the kingdome of heauen? Euery man séeketh by al meanes to possesse the earth, and yet they sée not this difference, the one bringeth ioy, the other sorrowe, the one giueth life, the other death, the one ioy and felicity, the other penury, mise­ry, sicknes, and calamity.

What reward had the rich man in the Gospell for all his abundance of treasure, lands, lyuinges, goods and delicate fare, Luke, 16, yet in the ende he was rewarded wyth a miserable death, at which instant, hee had thrée attendantly that gréedily gaped for hys death, that is, The rich man his ex­ecutors. the executor for hys goods, the wormes for hys carkas, and de­uil for his soule, & this was y ^e end and fruit of hys worldly gréedines and insatiable desire, such men must néedes runne to a bad ende, whose beginning and continu­ance is naught, howe can that mann haue hys part among the godly, that hath al­waies fauoured infidelity. It is impossible to serue God & Mammon, they haue ser­ued Mammon, therfore his seruants they are to whom they obey, whether it bée of [Page 48] sinne vnto death, or of obedience vnto righteousnes. Thus I haue briefly shew­ed you, howe that wee are the Temple of God, and what Idols we haue set vppe in the same, to the great confusion of our sel­ues, if we repent not in time.

Second parte.Nowe, as in the first part I haue shew­ed you what we are, so in this second part I purpose to shewe whose we are. The text sayth, Ye are not your owne, & bryng­eth in the reason, for ye are bought for a price. In these wordes are many excel­lent & comfortable consolations. In that (our vnworthines, and state of damnati­on considered) wee are translated from darknes to light, from death to lyfe, from mortality, to immortality, from a misera­ble world, to an euerlasting worlde, reple­nished with all ioy and consolation.

Againe, so much the more is our com­fort, in that we are no more our owne, or resting in our owne power, for if wee were, such were our weakenes, that wée should fall againe to damnation, and such were our insufficiency, that we could not ryse agayne of our selues, but shoulde bée vtterly lost, wherefore, wee are nowe hys that can sustaine and vphold vs, that wyll [Page 49] preserue and kéepe vs, and who in this life hath sealed vs with grace, and in the world to come with life euerlasting, and none els can doo it, or could doo it, but y ^e on­ly & blessed God which already hath doon it And againe, in that we féele the force of shine alwaies working in our bodies, and continually suffer the tyranny of sathan, howbeit, it shall not bee imputed vnto death, for the blood of Christ Iesus, hath taken away the force of the Law, and the sentence of guiltines, into whom wee are now graffed and vnited. So that nowe to sée our translation, out adoption & estate to be changed into the sonnes of God, and we our selues as children in his seruice, are in a most comfortable estate, in y ^t wee are his who will not lose but preserue vs.

Now, in that the Apostle sayth, Ye are not your owne, but that wee are bought for a price, it doth appeare whose we are, and who hath bought vs, for we are as I sayd, the sonnes of God, and members of Christ Iesus, purchased by his precious bloodshedding, as appeared to the Ephesi­ans. But now in Christ Iesus, yee which once were farre of, Eph 2.13.14.15, 16. are made néere by the blood of Christ, for hee is our peace, which [Page 50] hath made of both one, and hath broken the steppe of the partition wall in abroga­ting through his flesh the hatred, that is the Law of commandements, which stan­deth in ordinances for to make of [...] one nowe [...]an in himselfe, so makyng peace, and that he might reconcile bothe vnto God in one body by his crosse, and [...]t hatred thereby. And as touching that we are not our owne, neyther haue [...]wer [...] our selues but translated into a better estate and into a surer safegarde, it dooth most comfortably appeare in Saint Paule to the Romaines, Rom, 14, 9 where he sayth. Christ therefore [...] and [...]ose [...]e, and reuiued, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the [...]ui [...]ke, so that our seruice and all that euer we haue, bee in [...]ere­ly bought by his precious bloode, is subiecte to his dominio [...] and rule, wherin we may (to our great comfort) behold our safety; in that we are im [...]ked in so strong [...]a­ [...]tell and defence, as he is, against whome the power of hell, cannot preuaile. And in that we are alienated & changed from our accusable and damnable estate, to become (by y ^e righteousnes of Christ,) the accepta­ble children of God, in thys co [...]isteth our [Page 51] honour & nobility aboue all the creatures that God hath made, which chaunge, we find in y ^e Apostls words to y ^e Galathians, saying, Wherfore y ^e art no more a seruant but a Sonne, yf thou be a sonne, Gal, 4, 7, thou art also the heyre of GOD through Christ. It is a most excellent comfort, where this alienation or chaunge is founde among men, especially where God himselfe doth it, for he doth it alwayes for the better.

Wee finde that the name of Abram, was changed into the name of Abraham, the name of Iacob, into the name of Isra­ell, and the name of Saule, into the name of Paule, the significations of whych named, are bettered in their exchaunge.

And so dooth it happen in vs, in that our exchange is for the best, for nowe we are beautified wyth grace, that were deformed by the accusation of the Lawe, and for that wee are the sons of God, the riches of grace is bestowed vpon vs, as S. Paule saith, By whome, (that is by Christe) wée haue accesse through faith vnto thys grace wherein we stande, Rom, 5. [...] for thys occasions sake, we are called the temple of god, because we are incorporated by [Page 52] grace into Christ Iesus, who is the very pure and vndefiled Temple in whom his father is truely glorified, we had béene a filthy and polluted temple, if we had stoode of our selues, and depended on our owne power without this gift of grace, but be­cause we haue accesse through faith into this grace, hauing apprehended grace, the spirit of God doth worke mightily in the faithfull beleeuer. Therefore it is a neces­sary doctrine procéeding out of this text of ours, Ye are not your owne. For vs to learne and sée, first what y ^e power of man is, and what frée wil he hath, and thē what merite he deserueth before God. In the which considerations, wee shall finde so great knowledge of our imperfection, that by the view thereof, we shal attribute the more honor, glory, and thanks vnto God, who worketh all in all. As touching our power, it is so small & so slender, that wee are not able of our selues to thinke one good thought, wee are not able to doo any good thing, wee can not strengthen our weakenes, we cannot make our selues to grow, we cannot lengthen our dayes, nor yet can we resist death, neither purchase vnto our selues life. As the Prophet Ie­remy [Page 53] sayth, Iere, 10, 23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himselfe, neyther is it in man to walke and direct his steps, and as S. Paule sayth, 1, Cor. 11, what hast thou that thou hast not receiued. If man hath any good thing in him, it procéedeth from aboue, as the Apostle Iames sayth, Iam, 1. Euery good and perfit gift commeth from aboue, whether it be knowledge, life, strength, fayth, ho­nesty, &c, it is all from God, and by God. Iob. 7, 1, Iob speaking of mans time, sayth. Is ther not an appointed time to mā vpon earth? and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hyreling? Our Sauiour Christ sayth, we cannot adde one ynche vnto our stature. And therfore, as we haue no power of our selues, to doo what wee list, as appeared by Balam, Numb. 22. who was hyred by Balake to curse the people of God, and he and hys Asse were interrupted by the way, and were not able to go forth. And as s. Paule in his blindnes of minde, was strokē with blindnes, and inhibited to persecute Gods people, wherein his power was weake­ned, and the strength of hys wyll was dis­couraged, there is it that Christ sayth, Ioh. 5. Without me ye can doo nothing. Euen so haue we no wyll of our selues, that is a­ualiable [Page 54] to doo any thing, vnlesse it be gy­uen from aboue, Math, 16, 17. as appeared by Peter, when he made his confession of Christe; it was told him by Christ, that flesh & bloode had not reuealed that vnto him, but hys heauenly father. Likewise, in the tenth of Mathew, Mat, 10, 20, our sauiour Christ sayth. It is not yee that speake, but the spirite of your father which speaketh in you And in a great many more places in y ^e scriptures it appeareth that mann hath no power or will at all of himselfe to doo any thing, vn­les it be gyuen him from aboue, and it standeth in great reason, and to the godlye séemeth very comfortable, for if we should haue wil, A reason why we haue not free wyll, we must be free from sin (which cannot be) whereby our wyll might tend vnto good, or els in this state of sin where­in we stand, how can wee but yéelde sinne and wickednes, according to the originall of nature, and then is our wyll polluted, and the effect nothing worth, therfore wée haue the helpe of Gods spirite, which worketh in vs by y ^e vertue of our head Christ, who hath sent the same spirit vnto vs, by the which spirite, we worke goodnes ef­fectually, and necessary it were, that God shoulde haue hys prerogatiue of working [Page 55] in vs, because he knoweth what wee haue néede of before we aske, and he giueth better then eyther we can desire or deserue, and his grace is not in vaine in vs for his [...] neither ought we to vse it in vaine for our parte, and therefore we may bee assured of the best neerest and right, when we hold of God and not of our selues, I [...] is sayde that one heare of our heade shall not perysh, which vndoubtedly is spoken because God preserueth vs, and therefore is God, among many of his vertuous names, called Adon, in the Hebrewe, which is custos, or seruator, a kéeper or preseruer.

It wee hee that preserued. Dani­niell from the hungry Lyons, & Sydra [...]. Misac, and Abednago, from the hote O­uen: when the Martir Stephen hadde much a do, Acts. 6, 10, and great disputation with the Libertines and Cirenians, and them of Alexandria and Cicilia and Asia. These aduersaries were not able to resiste the wisedome and the spyrits, by the which he spake, and thus to our greate comforte wee sée that the worthiest worketh, & that is effectuall, if we should worke our wyll, it woulde he so weake and so wycked, as [Page 56] would be accounted nothing worth. And therefore is it, that to our comfort it is spoken, that we are not our owne, but his that careth for vs, and hath the ability to prouide for vs, euen the best. Now there­fore let vs examine our selues farther, Mans me­rites. and sée our merits & deserts before God, which many haue preached and allowed to the great ouerthrowe of the estimation of Christ his death and passion, as though there were an ability in men to deserue any thing at Gods hands, which is contrary to the Apostles doctrine, who sayeth, When we haue doone all that we can doo, yet we are vnprofitable seruants. But for the better tryall hereof, let vs examine all our déedes, be they neuer so good, as conti­nuall prayer, vnfayned loue, pitty, dayly feeding of the poore, the preseruing of our bodies in chastity and honesty, forsakyng the world, the flesh and the deuill, or what els may be commendable in a man, is it able to match one of Gods gyfts? as our vnderstanding, our sight, our health, our sound lymmes, our nourishment, our lyfe, our children, our peace, wyth a great many moe blessings, can it deserue any of these, nay rather doth not one of these bles­sings, deserue and require all those good [Page 57] déedes at mans hands? yes no doubt, how say ye then to a greater blessing then all this? who hath giuen Christe Iesus to shed his precious blood, to purchase vnto vs the kingdome of heauen, and lyfe euer­lasting? euen he vndoubtedly, that can ne­uer be iustly recompenced by a sinful mās obseruation, and conuersation, be it neuer so holy, and therefore is it that wee are al­waies in debt vnto the Lord, and for that cause is it that our Sauiour Christe hath taught vs to desire God in our prayer, that he will forgiue vs our debts, as wee forgyue our debters, and then howe can we deserue any thing at Gods hands, whē we can not make recompence for the sma­lest things that we haue had already, and doo dayly receiue. Wherefore it séemeth to be a very comfortable doctrine vnto vs, in that wee are not our owne, and in that wee are boughte for a price, for if wee were our owne, we should perish as men that are wicked sinners, and as men that can doo no good thing, nor deserue any good thing, therefore of all creatures wee are happy that wee are bought by his bloode, who hath made vs acceptable before hys father, and by whom and in whom, the fa­ther [Page 58] is well pleased, and h [...] whose onely meanes the kingdome of heauen is pur­chased for vs.

Wherefore this laste parte remay­neth for vs, Our duety and is required at our hands, as duety, that wee glorifie God, which is as much to be vnderstanded, that we attribute not onely the power, superi­ority, and excellency vnto God alone, but also that we serue him, loue him, thanke him and obey him, according to his wor­thines, and that vndoubtedly, is so much as can neuer be fully performed at our handes, how be it, so farre we must en­deuour our selues, and so farre stretch our selues, as the measure and ability of Gods spirite is giuen vnto vs, and because wée should neyther be weakelings in the pow­er of the holy ghost working in vs, nor yet dissemblers, in outward holines, hauing no inward tast, we are wylled to be ser­uaunts, both in spirite and in body, be­cause they are both Gods, that is, God hath purchased them both to set forth hys glory in them, as in a holy place or Tem­ple, and to glorify God, is (aswell in spy­rite as in body) to giue the excellence, or superiority vnto him, and therevppon in [Page 59] the same spirit and body to all things that are required at our hands, and are best a­gréeable for our calling, which is far more to be apparant in vs, then in any other creatures, by how much we are more ex­cellent then they. The prophet Dauid sayth. Psal, 19, The heauens declare the glorye of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy worke, which is asmuch to say, as these creatures, that is, the heauens and firma­ment, doo shew their order, course & effect, as is appointed them by God, and they do their obedience according to his wyll and pleasure, the sunne, moone, and starres doo shine and keepe their order and course, and haue doone from y ^e beginning, the clowdes haue powred out their moysture, and yet these are not reasonable creatures, but ordeined as seruants vnto man, and be­cause God hath appointed them in theyr seuerall offyres, they haue performed it according to his wyll. Nowe much more shold man setforth the glory of God, that is to say, to performe that which God willeth to be doone in him, namely, to shewe the effects of hys creation, and the effects of his vocation, for he is made a manne, hee shoulde not behaue hymselfe as a [Page 60] beast that hath no vnderstanding, eyther in filthy lust, as y ^e swine, or in deuouring one an other, as the Wolfe, or in subtilty, as the Fox, or in enuy, as the dogge, or in flattery, as the Scorpion, or in hypocrisy, as the Crocodile, or in slothfulnes, as the Asse, but to vse himselfe as a man, which is a state aboue all these creatures, and as we are endued with reason, so we shoulde vary from the brute beastes in the difference of things, that is, to vse the good and refuse the bad, and especially because wée are called by God, redéemed by hys sonne Iesus Christ, and sanctified by hys holye spirite, we should therefore shewe our ef­fects of Gods power working in vs, that as the Sunne is made to shyne, and in shyning doth glorifie God, because he per­formeth the effect and ende of hys creati­on, so should man performe and doo the ef­fect of his creation and vocation, the ra­ther because he hath the power of sanctifi­cation, and is made the vessell of holines, and this effect is to liue godly, not onely in outward shewe, (as I sayde) least hee might dissemble, nor alone in inwarde shewe least he myght be fruitles, but as well in body as in spirit, that y ^e one might [Page 61] be doone in knowledge & vnderstandinge, and the other in facto, for if the inwarde spirite haue no vnderstanding or know­ledge, how shall the dum and senceles bo­dy, which is but a corrupt thing, vtter a­ny thing els but corruption, wherfore, the glorifying of God in man, dooth consist in true knowledge, in sure fayth, in perfitte mortification, and in a godly conuersati­on, that so we might behaue our selues in duety to God, in loue to our neighbours, in honest and godly conuersation amonge our selues, that so much we should surpas all other creatures in our duety, behaui­our, and calling. By howe much we haue a superiority aboue them. Math. 5, 16 Our Sauiour Christ sayd, Let your light so shine before men, that they may sée your good workes, and glorifie your father which is in hea­uen. 1, Pet, 2, 22 And likewise the Apostle Peter sayth. Haue your conuersation honest a­mong the Gentils, that they which speake euill of you, as of euill dooers, may by your good works which they shall sée, glorifie God in the day of the visitation. So that now, to acknowledge God as he is, and to behaue our selues godly and honestly, according to Gods will, is to glorify God, [Page 62] and to beautify hys temple, in which doo­ing, as we shall shewe our selues meete tabernacles and tempels for y ^e holy ghost, so I beseech God, with the strength of the same his holy spirit, to clense and purge our inward man, from al corruptible mo­tions, and desires, and strongly to defende it from all fantasies, and illusions of sa­than, that exercising all godly and honest conuersations and studies: we may onely be setled and established to sette foorth the glory and excellency of almighty GOD, that in y ^e ende we may be rewarded wyth the crowne of glory, in the glorious king­doms of God, vs the which I beseeche God the father, sonne, and holy Ghost in send vs all. Amen.