Was not this common also in England in the papists' mouths, when the gospel was preached, to deface the truth: "Who are your preachers now, but young men, unlearned and not skilled in the doctors? And who teaches the other old learning, but my lord bishop, master doctor, ancient bachelors in divinity, and prove it by the ancient writers?" These are gay glorious words indeed, if they had been true: but although young men did teach, yet their doctrine was most wholesome and approved by the scriptures and all good writers; which is most to God's glory, that opened the mouths of younglings, to confound the doting of old fools. Simple men confirmed with their blood and constant deaths Papists that which before both master doctor and my lord bishop the world. also allowed and taught with mouth and hands subscribing, until contrary rulers arose: but then, for flattery and their belly, they destroyed the same with all their might and power that they taught before.

change with

The elder must not

learn and hear his

fault of the younger.

Rom. iv.

So, when and how often soever the world shall change, the most of them, as men without conscience, will be ready to do the like, and make a face as though they believed the same to be true; but not one of them will adventure his body to be burned for the dirty dregs of popery: and yet are they not ashamed to teach and maintain the same with fire and sword, so long as the world is on their side.

There is scarce a more certain argument of an obstinate disdain to papist, than to look how simple a man he is that preaches, and not to believe his doctrine for the simpleness of the man; nor to look at the thing which he teaches, how true it is and spoken by God. Let all Christians hear and be content with Christ's holy word, as most and only sufficient doctrine to save our souls; and disdain none that brings it, be he never so simple. St Paul saith, "Christ died for our sins, and rose for our righteousness:" and where this is one of the greatest treasures that we have by Christ, to be made righteous by him, mark who were the first preachers of it. Luke xxiv. Mary Magdalene and the other women, which went early in the morning with ointments to the sepulchre, they see Christ first of all other after his resurrection, and were sent to teach it to the apostles and Peter. Should we not believe this resurrection, because that women taught it first?

Apollo, a mighty learned man in the scriptures, submitted himself to be further taught in true religion of Priscilla Acts xviii. and Aquila, a simple man and his wife. Timothy and John the evangelist were both very young when they were call- 1 Tim. iv. ed to be preachers. Peter the elder apostle is content to Galat. ii. be rebuked of Paul his younger. Judith, that good woman, Judith viii. corrected the elders, priests and rulers in Bethulia, mistrusting God's help and providence for them, when they would yield up the city. David, a man according to God's 2 Sam. xii. own heart, hears most willingly the prophet Nathan rebuke him, who was of much less estimation than he. Ezechias heareth Esay rebuke him of his faults. such other examples be written to teach us, that the elder, in what authority soever he be, or by what name soever he be called, should willingly suffer the just rebuke of the younger, bringing the word of God for him.

And king

These and 2 Kings xx.

Further, where he adds this twice, saying, "The Lord their God, the Lord their God;" it is very comfortable for all sinners that have long lien in sin, that they should not despair of God's mercy, but speedily turn by repentance. The long-suffering of God is far above our deserts, and had suffered this people thus long to lie in sin, and yet had not cast them off; but doth vouchsafe to send his prophet to them, to rebuke them and stir them up to their duties, calling himself their God, which had forgotten and forgiven all Mercy is ready to all their former disobedience; who now was and would continue repentant. their good, gracious, and merciful Lord and God still. Who can despair to obtain grace and pardon for all his great offences, seeing set before him the loving gentleness of our good God and Master, which offereth undesired his mercies so plentifully to so hard a hearted and disobedient people, his free pardon a pœna et culpa, from all pain due to sin or the guilt thereof; which also calls himself their God, and by continual earnest crying of this his prophet awakes them out of this dead sleep of sin, wherein they had lien so long, and left his house unbuilded? "It is commonly said,” saith Jer. iii. Jeremy, "if a man put away his wife for adultery, will he take her again? yet thou", saith God to his people, "although thou hast played the harlot with many whores, yet turn unto me, and I will receive thee again, saith the Lord thy God,"

Rev. iii.

Ministers must not thrust themselves in office.

O merciful Lord, praised be thy holy name for thy gentle offers and liberal promises offered unto us in thy Son Christ Jesu our Lord. Thou standest at the door of our conscience, knocking to be let in, offering thyself to dwell with us if we would receive thee. There is no time so long that a man hath run from God in, nor any time so short to ask forgiveness, but if he will turn, God is ready to forgive him. The Gentiles had lien in sin above four thousand years from the beginning of the world to the death of Christ, without any true teaching or knowledge of God: and yet, when they received the gospel by the preaching of the apostles, they were most gently received of Christ into the number of his people. The thief hanging on Christ's right hand on the cross, asking mercy in the hour of death, obtained it. So that neither the greatness of sin, nor the long time that man hath continued in it, nor the shortness of time to ask forgiveness in, can stop the great unspeakable mercies of God, to pardon the sins of the whole world. Why should we then mistrust the goodness of our God, seeing he is the maker of the same law whereby we shall be judged, and also able to dispense withal, and pardon the breakers of the same law, if he will; who also shall be judge and executor of the same law, as pleases him?

But that the people should rather believe his word, he saith, the Lord their God sent him; no strange God, but the mighty God of hosts, and the living God of Israel: nor he ran not before he was sent, but soberly looked for the calling of God, and then did his message faithfully.

This is an example for all ministers to follow, that they do not with bribery or flattery thrust themselves into any office, but patiently tarry the calling of the Lord their God, which can and will call them at such time as he judges them necessary to serve him. Who would be so bold to buy a benefice, or flatter for a bishoprick, if he did think them to be offices in God's house, and that they must make account to God for his people? He that comes before he be sent for, oftentimes comes before he be welcome: and he that climbs in at the window is a thief; for the door is made to come in by. But because these popish prowlers seek not the profit of the flock, but to fill their bellies, they care not how they come by it, so they may have it; and think they

have done God good service, and the people well content, when they teach them never a word of scripture, but have said mass, made conjured water, or sung an antiphone of our Lady. If they had this true stedfast opinion of God, as they ought to have, that he was a loving Father to his household, and a wise Master that could and would set wise stewards over his house, and that whosoever presumed to take any office in his house uncalled, were a thief, and should be sharply punished; a man could not hire them for money, to take any cure of teaching God's people, until they were inwardly moved of God to do it for love to the people, and not for their own gain. They would also provide to be ordinarily called by man, lest he which should teach and see others keep good order, should be proved the first breaker of all good laws and orders. If a stranger should violently thrust in himself to be the shepherd of thy sheep, thou wouldest ask him who sent for him, what he had to do there; and thou wouldest rather think him to be a thief and a murderer of thy sheep, than a trusty servant: so surely, if thou come to take charge of God's people, before he inwardly move thy conscience to pity his people, and outwardly by order call and place thee where he thinks good, he will judge thee a thief, a wolf, a devourer, and not a feeder.

After they heard that the word of God was sent unto them by Aggeus, and had weighed and considered diligently how true his sayings were, that so many years they had suffered so great plagues; they began to fear, and believe that the threatenings following would also prove true: and then they humbled themselves in the sight of God, and were afraid indeed. This profit had they by hearing the word of God, that they acknowledged their own sins, that they had offended the gracious goodness and majesty of God in not regarding his house so many years; and for fear then they began to take in hand again that work wherewith they were so straitly charged.

Thus faith comes by hearing the word of God; and by hearing and giving ear to his threatenings, our slow and sluggish dulness is raised up to take in hand God's work, and build his house. How necessary fear is, David teaches, [So the first edition: the second, inward moved. ED.]

Psal. cxi. saying, "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

1 John iv.

The law is to be preached.

Gal. iii.

Job ix.

Fear goes before, and

now, when they feared these threatenings, they waxed wise and turned to the Lord. Truth it is, that the anger of God is not always to be taught, and that it brings not a man to perfection for David calleth the fear of the Lord' but the beginning of wisdom, and not the perfection thereof; and St John saith, "Perfect charity casts out fear." But yet it is the ordinary way to pull down proud stomachs, and to bring them to know their own vileness; and it also stirs up slothful minds to be more diligent to do their duties. St Paul saith, "The law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ;" that where we see ourselves justly condemned by God's righteous law, and that we be not able to stand in judgment with him, nor answer one thing for a thousand that shall be laid against us, we should run to Christ for pardon, confessing our faults, and ask mercy.

Thus they had the right use of the law, not bringing them to despair with all these threatenings, but comforting them to go to God and confess their sins, and hope for mercy in Christ. St Augustine compares fear to the bristle, which love follows. is on the shoemaker's thread: the bristle goeth through the hole first, but it draws a long and a strong thread after it: so the fear of God's vengeance first goeth before, and throws down a man in his own sight; and then followeth the long thread of God's mercies in Christ offered to the whole world.

Psal. xix.

Fear for love, and

fear to escape pain.

The scripture teaches two sorts of fear: The one which is godly, when we fear our God with love and reverence, and would not displease him for the love we bear him; and this remains for ever, as David says, "The holy fear of the Lord continues for ever." Another kind of fear is, not to do well for the love of God and goodness itself, but that we may escape punishment; as the thief will not steal, not for love of any righteousness or reverence to God, but to escape the gallows. This is that fear which cannot stand with perfect Fear is like charity, but is cast out. Fear in a man's mind is like the thunder in the air: for as when the air is covered with clouds, the sun darkened, tempests begin to arise, lightnings and fire fly from heaven, rumbling and noise is in the air, the clouds burst, and the thunder-crack comes, the rain falls, [Both editions have fear of the God. ED.]

the thunder.