A SERMON Preached at Paul's Cross on Barthelmew day, being the 24. of August. 1578. Wherein, besides many other profitable matters meet for all Christians to follow, is at large proved, that it is the part of all those that are fathers, householders, and Schoolmasters, to instruct all those under their government, in the word and knowledge of the Lord.  
By JOHN STOCKWOOD Schoolmaster of Tunbridge.  Psalm. 119. verse. 104. 
By thy precepts I have gotten understanding, therefore I hate all the ways of falsehood.  
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Henry Bynneman for George Bishop.   

¶ To the Worshipful the Master, the Wardens, and Assistants of the worshipful Company of Skinners in London, JOHN STOCKWOOD, Schoolmaster of their free Grammar School in Tunbridge, wisheth prosperity in this life, and everlasting felicity through Christ our saviour in the life to come.  
Being myself (Right worshipful) earnestly requested of many that fear GOD, and sundry of my friends, being laboured by others of the godly to persuade with me, for the publishing such doctrine, as it pleased God to give me to utter at Paul's Cross not long sithence, I have at length yielded unto their earnest suit, not being ignorant how many sharp censures will pass upon this my doing, nor yet what divers judgements shall be given of this my travel. But howsoever men judge or think, as touching myself, 
1. Cor. 4.3.  I say with Paul, I pass very little to be judged of them, or of man's judgement, not, I judge not mine own self. There is a God that judgeth, who knoweth my singleness in this behalf, and that the only mark I shoot at in the putting it to print, is his glory, and the further profiting of his Church, and greater edifying of his people: for if it pleased him in great mercy to grant such success unto that which was then spoken by mouth unto a few, that they were thereby instructed to amendment of life, I doubt not, but of like goodness he will grant, that the making hereof by wrighting common unto many, as it will longer and more surely remain settled in their memories, so it will also work more fruitfully, to their putting it in daily ure and practice. And as all the virtues which are here set down to be in Cornelius, are such, as aught of every good Christian to be followed: so the godly bringing up of all his family in the fear of the Lord, being on our parts after his example faithfully performed, the Lord will in like sort bless this needful travel in us, as he did in him. Wherefore I am humbly in Christ's name, to request all your Worships, with the rest of Cornelius his virtues, chief to be careful to practise this, of training up your children and families in the word & knowledge of the Lord, and so shall you have them godly, obedient, gentle, trusty, and faithful, like as otherwise you will found them wicked, unruly, stubborn, pickers and stealers, untrue and unfaithful. Now concerning my purpose, of offering this my simple labour and travail, such as it is, unto your worship's favourable acceptation, there be many causes and reasons moving me thereunto, but chiefly that this way I might leave unto the world a testimony of a dutiful and thankful mind for your good wills towards me, in placing me Schoolmaster of your free School of Tumbridge, honourably founded by that worthy Knight Sir Andrew jud, sometime Lord Mayor of your famous City of London, and worshipfullye and liberally to your great costs and charges maintained, against the bad attempts of those that went about to have made it their own private possession, which fact of him, the honourable founder, and you the worthy maintainers & defenders, I trust the L. will use as good examples, to move others to do the like, for the training up of youth in the fear of God, which duty I beseech him to grant me faithfully to perform towards your Scholars, under my charge, to his glory, your joy and comfort, and the benefit of his Church in time to come: and that finally according to his good pleasure, he would long bless and prospero your Worships, to the maintenance of all good learning & godliness. Far you well. From your free School at Tunbridge this .4. of Septem. 1578.  
Your Worship's most humble in the Lord to be commanded, john Stockwood.   

¶ An Admonition to the godly and gentle Reader.  
THE earnest suit, and often calling upon of certain godly brethren (most gentle and friendly Reader) hath at the length won at my hands, the publishing of this Sermon in print, concerning the which, I am thus much briefly to admonish thee, namely, that albeit there be more here set down, than in deed was uttered at the Cross, yet was the whole ment there to have been spoken, had not time cut off so much of it as was handled at another place in the afternoon. Having therefore the testimony of a good conscience, e that herein is nothing avouched, which may not well by the word be warranted, I have thought good to set down the whole, and the rather, for that both the second and third parts, as well as the first (which only was entreated at the Cross) contain profitable admonition for these our times: at the which, although the evil disposed may quarrel: and the wicked being galled, winch and kick (for I have not learned to sow soft pillows under their elbows, to lull them asleep in their sin) yet those, that are well given, and godly minded, may (I doubt not) learn many lessons, which being put in practice, will turn to their profit and amendment of living. As for those that are offended (if there be any such) the cause is not in me, but in themselves, which, if they can see (as I pray GOD heartily they may:) I hope they will be careful, to reform such things in themselves, as they are here blamed for, and their own consciences crieth out unto them to be amiss: Nay there is no estate or condition of men, not not of the very best and most godly, but that Cornelius may be a glass unto them, in which they may see most clearly represented, such virtues as ought to be in a true Christian, the want whereof, as it is in a great many, yea, earnest professors, to be found, so I pray GOD, that after the diligent view of them in this glass how comely they are in a true Christian, and how well they do beseem a right godly man, they may with speed be careful to express them in a godly life, and holy conversation. Farewell, and make thine earnest and hearty prayers unto GOD, to bless his Church with a rich store of faithful teachers, and a most plentiful increase of godly, learned, and diligent Ministers, that may open unto his people, the true meaning and understanding of his holy and heavenly word, and that the people may live there unto accordingly, for his Christ's sake.  
Thy poor brother in Christ JOHN STOCKWOOD.   

¶ A Sermon preached at Paul's Cross the .24. of August .1578.  ACTS. 10. 
verse 1 furthermore, there was a certain man in Caesarea, called Cornelius, a captain of the band called the Italian Band.  
verse 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his household, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed God continually.  
verse 3 He saw in a vision evidently (about the ninth hour of the day) an Angel of God coming into him, and saying unto him: Cornelius.  
verse 4 But when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said: What is it Lord? and he said unto him: Thy prayers, and thine alms are come up into remembrance before God.  
verse 5 Now therefore sand men to joppa, & call for Simon, whose surname is Peter.  
verse 6 He lodgeth with one Simon, a Tanner, whose house is by the sea side: He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.  

●e shall speak ●rdes, whereby ●ou shalt be sa●d, and all thine ●i●e.  verse 7 And when the Angel which spoke unto Cornelius, was departed, he called two of his servants & a soldier, that feared God, one of them that waited on him.  
verse 8 And told them all things, and sent them to joppa.  
THis Scripture (right honourable, worshipful, & dearly beloved in the Lord) offereth unto your consideration, generally these three points: first a description of one Cornelius, a captain, called from Paganism, or Heathenishnes, to the true knowledge of Christ: secondly, the Angel his appearance, and embassage unto him: & thirdly, his willing and speedy obedience in performing that, which the Angel from the Lord charged him withal.  
Every one of these generals have springing and growing out of them, their several and particular branches. The first general hath these special points to be noted: the first, God his wondered and merciful kindness, in calling the Heathen from error to the truth, and his most fearful, but yet righteous judgement, in casting off for their great unthankfulness, his own peculiar and chosen people of the jews. The second, Cornelius his trade, 
Cornelius.  and kind of of life. The third, his virtue & godliness. The fourth, his christian training up of his family and household. The fifth, his Alms deeds & Prayers.  
The second general hath these speecially. First, God his calling of Cornelius by the Angel. The second, containeth the fear of Cornelius at the calling of the Angel. The third, the speech of the Angel unto Cornelius which standeth of two parts, the one is a comfort unto his longing and careful mind, where he assureth him, that his alms & prayers are come up into remembrance before God: The other is an instruction what he aught to do.  
In the third general point are to be considered. first, an evident token of Cornelius his faith:  
secondly, what profit he reaped by godly instructing of his household:  
Thirdly, the religionnesse of the soldier, which he sent with his servants on this message.  
I will use no fore-spéech or entrance, garnished and set out with some Rhetorical flourish, to win at your hands, heedful hearkening unto that, which upon these places in the fear of God I am to deliver unto you, or to purchase your favourable bearing with my plain and simple handling of this Text, without curious and picked out words & terms. For the cause being, not Man's, but Gods worthily ●ba●engeth the greatest attention: and as for painted, laboured, and of purpose sought for eloquence, I leave it unto them, that seek rather the praise of men, than the glory of God, knowing that the word of the Lord simply and plainly handled, is able without the help of the persuading speech of man's wisdom, to pierce even to the heart, & to divide between the thoughts and the reins, which effect, I pray him for his Christ's sake, to grant unto that, which in his name I am to speak.  

The first branch of the first General, namely, the calling of the Gentiles, and of casting off the jews.  
THe calling of the Gentiles (of the which I am to speak somewhat, 
The calling of the Gentiles.  for that our Cornelius was a Gentle; as hereafter shall more at large appear) hath evident and plain testimonies of holy Scripture in many and sundry places: amongst the rest, these chiefly: 
Zach. 9.10.  He shall speak peace unto the Heathen, and his dominion shall be from sea unto sea, and from the river unto the end of the land. Again: 
Mich. 1.2.3.4.5.  But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the top of the Mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow unto it, yea many nations shall come and say: Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of jacob, and he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke mighty nations a far off, and they shall break their sword into mattocks, and their spears into scythes: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn to fight any more. But they shall sit every man under his Vine, & under his Fig tree, & none shall make them afraid. For the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his God, & we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, for ever and ever. Likewise, yea all Kings shall worship him, 
Psal. 72.11.17.  and all nations shall serve him. And again, all nations shall bless him, and be blessed in him: Moreover, 
Psal. 2.8.  ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. 
Esal. 19.18.  Furthermore in that day shall five Cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, & shall swear by the Lord of Hosts. etc. In like manner, 
Esai. 42.11.12.  let the wilderness, and the Cities thereof, lift up their voice, the towns that Kedar doth inhabit: Let the inhabitants of the rocks sing: Let them shout from the top of the Mountains: Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the Islands.  
And to this effect in most comfortable sort, is almost the whole .49. 
The calling of the Gentiles signified by divers examples in the scripture  chapter of this prophesy. Hereof also have we in the Scripture many figures, and examples. For what else doth the cleansing of Naaman the Syrian from his leprosy, by the Prophet Elizeus signify, 
Naaman.  but that a time should one day come, when as the heathen by faith in the death and blood of Christ should be purged of the spiritual Leprosy of their souls, which is sin? What meaneth the sending of jonas to the great City of Niniveh, 
jonas.  but that God is a God of the Assyrians, as well as of the jews: a Saviour of the Gentiles, as well as of the Israelites? 
job.  What do we learn by the incredible faith, and wonderful patience of job, who was a Heathen, but that God, even among the Heathen, hath those that are of his Church? What, that Christ himself concerning the flesh, 
Christ.  vouchsafed lineally to descend of those, of whom some of them were Heathen, as Thamar a Cananite, 
Thamar. Ruth.  of whom were borne, Pharaoh, and Saram: as Ruth a Moabite, of whom was borne Obed. Doth it not to our great comfort, learn us that are Gentiles, that Christ is borne a Redeemer, aswell to us, as the jews. In that immediately after the birth of Christ, 
The wise men  Wise men came from the uttermost parts of the East to worship him: what are we taught, but that the kingdom of Christ should stretch from the east unto the west, and from the one Sea to the other? Whereas Christ healed the servant of the Centurion, 
The servant of the Centurion. The son of the Courtier.  cured at Capernaum, the son of the Courtier (for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth pertaining or belonging to the king) holp the daughter of the Canaanitishe woman, possessed with a Devil, 
The woma● of Canaan. The woma● of Samari●● The calling of the Chamberlain, an● of Corneliu●  called the woman of Samaria, sent Philippe to the Chamberlain of Candace Queen of Ethiopia, and Peter from joppa, to this our Cornelius, all which were Heathen: doth not all these sufficiently prove the calling of the Gentiles? But why in a matter doubtless, do I use proofs not necessary?  
I come now to speak of the casting off of the jews, 
Of the casting off of the I  which I will handle briefly, and afterward lay before you, what we may learn of the calling of the one, and refusing of the other.  
In the twentieth Chapter of Matthew, Christ sayeth to the jews thus: Therefore say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a nation which shall bring forth the fruits thereof. Paul in the .13. of the Acts, speaketh to the obstinate jews after this manner: It was necessary, that the word of GOD should first have been spoken unto you: But seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life: Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. And for confirmation of their so doing, they allege the words of the Prophet I say: 
●●. 49.6.  I have made thee a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be the salvation unto the end of the world. And to the Romans he saith: 
Rom. 10.29.20.21.  I will provoke you to envy by a nation that is not my nation, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. And Isaias is bold and saith: I was found of them that sought me not, and have been made manifest to them that asked not after me. And unto Israel he saith: All the day long have I stretched out mine hand unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. To this purpose may you read much in the .9. and .11. chapters of this Epistle. Moreover the Prophets every where are full of threatenings unto the jews, that they should be cast out, and the Gentiles taken into their roomths.  
Besides these plain Scriptures, it shall not be needful for me to allege, ●xamples of their rejection. For (alas) ●heir miserable and lamentable dispersion, and scattering abroad over the face ●f the earth at this day, and great sla●erie and bondage that they live in, in ●he places where they are scattered, are ●ufficient testimonies, that GOD his ●eauie judgements are come upon ●hem.  
And these things will seem so much ●he more wonderful in our eyes, if we consider with how near a band of love ●nd fatherly kindness GOD tied him●●lfe, as it were unto his people, & what 〈◊〉 bar of partition, and mighty wall of ●paration, he set between them and us. ●somuche, that as well in Ceremonies, ●nd Religion, as in other matters of life common traffic, they were null forbidden to have any manner of fellowship or familiarity with the Gentles, so that the very entrance of one ●ccirumcised into their Temple, ●as accounted a Profanation, ●d also a defile of the same which the Lord himself saith by his Prophet Ezechiel: 
czech, ●4. 6.7.9.  Thus saith the Lord God, O house of Israel, ye have enough of all your abominations, seeing that ye have brought into my Sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my Sanctuary, to pollute mine house. And by and by after. Thus saith the Lord God: Not stranger uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my Sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. And by his Prophet jeremy, 
jerem. 9.25.  the Lord threateneth to punish every one, whose foreskin is not circumcised or cut off. But of the jews he sayeth by Moses: 
Deut. 7.6.  For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, the Lord thy GOD hath chosen thee, to be a precious people to himself, above all the people that are upon the earth.  
Also of jerusalem he speaketh by the Prophet Isaias: Arise, arise, put on thy strength, 
Isaias. 25.1.  O Zion, put on the garments of thy beauty, O jerusalem, the holy City: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised, and the unclean. In respect of these great promises, and many more that are in the Scriptures of GOD, his great good will, and special mercy towards them, together with the remembrance of God his miraculous dealing, for their delivery out of the hands of all their enemies, and the great glory and royalnesse of their Temple of which they were wont so much to cry: 
jerem. 7.4.  the Temple of the Lord: the Temple of the Lord: the Temple of the Lord: as we read in jeremy: they utterly contemned and despised the Gentiles, thinking them to be wholly debarred from the covenant of the LORD, in so much that they did as greatly abhor and detest the name of a Heathen, as we do now the name of a jew or Turk, or should do the name of a Papist, so long as they continued in their wicked superstition: yea the Apostles themselves a long season, could not be persuaded, that salvation belonged to the Gentiles, so that you read afterward in this story of the Acts, 
●ct. 11.2.3. etc.  how Peter was sharply reproved for preaching the word to this our Cornelius, and others of the Gentiles.  

The application of the doctrine of the calling of the Gentiles, and casting off of the jews.  Forasmuch then as the jews to whom (as Paul speaketh) appertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of GOD, and the promises, of whom are the fathers, and of whom concerning the flesh, Christ came, are (as we see at this day) cast off, and the Heathen wallowing in superstition, and idolatry, having no Faith, no GOD, no Religion certain: every man running after the fancies of his own brain, are taken in their stead, as hath appeared by testimony of the word, and many examples of the same, and amongst the rest, this of our Cornelius, whom we may not amiss term, of the first fruits of the Gentiles.  
What have we to learn, (for now I come to the application of this, hitherto spoken of the receiving of the Heathen, and of casting off the jews) for our comfort or admonition, out of this wonderful dealing of God, both towards the one and the other?  
By the off casting of the jews, 
Ingratitude and disobedience to Go● and his wor● God always severely punisheth.  being the peculiar and chosen people of GOD, we do learn first, that ingratitude and disobedience unto God, and his word, is a vice so odious in his sight, that he will not let it escape unpunished in any nation whatsoever, but will revenge it with horrible plagues. For if he spared not the natural branches, truly he will not spare the unnatural: if he cut off those of the true Olive tree, he will hew down also, those of the wild: if he have showed such tokens of his justice upon his own people offending, with what scourges will he chasten the rebellion of strangers? 
The sins of the Iewe●  And as the sins of his people were marvelous great, so was their punishment wonderful fearful.  
They scorned the Prophets of the Lord: they themselves are now a common scorn and laughing stock unto others. They killed, and persecuted the servants of God sent unto them for their health: they themselves to their great woe and misery have been slain, murdered, and killed. They refused jesus Christ himself their saviour, sold him for thirty pence by the hand of judas, and chose rather a cutthroat murderer, than that they would have Christ set at liberty: and they themselves have been rejected by Christ, and thirty of them at the siege of jerusalem sold for a penny, and cruelly slain by cut-throat and merciless murderers. They cry, his blood be upon us and our children: and they had their desire at the full, when their City was taken. For their old men were slain in their beds, their young men in the streets, young infants murdered at their mother's breasts, little children dispatched in their nurse's laps: and to be short, blood they asked, and blood they had, in such abundance issuing from the great multitudes of them that were slain, that the channels of their streets ran with streams of whot●●reaking blood (a woeful and lamentable sight to behold) in as great plenty, as you see them here usually wont to do, after a great shower of rain. They shut their ears at the pitiful complaint of the poor, themselves sinning in excess of meat, as it is cast in their teeth by the Prophet, & contrary to the express commandment of the Lord, who straightly charged, that there should be no beggar in Israel: they had their streets and high ways swarming with beggars, and themselves afterwards were so punished with famine, that they were constrained to eat (saving your manner) most loathsome and vile things, as their own vomit and excrements, and that which is most unnatural and barbarous, they did eat their own children, and yet could not be let alone with this merciless meat, but the unmerciful and hungerstaruen Soldiers would break in, and by force take it from them. They banished, and drove out of their Cities and territories, the Apostles of Christ suffering them to have no place nor abode amongst them, and they themselves are now driven and banished from those places, and are become a byword and reproach in those places where they in small number devil, carrying a note of reproach on their garments, that they may be known from other people: and that which is most horrible, they refused the word of salvation, the food of their souls, and therefore hath GOD taken it from them, and bereaved them of the comfort, that they might reap by the understanding of it. For albeit they have the old Testament, yet GOD hath so fearfully punished their disobedience, that they understand it not in the Hebrew tongue wherein it is written, and which was sometime their own mother tongue, they understand it not (I say) one amongst an hundredth, their Rabbins excepted, but it is unto them, as the Latin service was unto us: yea their Rabbins themselves which understand the signification of the words, are far from the knowledge of the meaning of the same, and that (as I take it) of malice, especially in the matter of the Messiah christ jesus our saviour, whom they utterly detest, and abhor, looking yet still for another to come to deliver them: Besides that, they have horribly corrupted the holy Scripture, by their false interpretations, and Jewish, and old wives fables. These horrible vices, deserved this fearful rejection, and so much the rather, for that they contemned the admonitions, and the forewarnings of the Prophets and Apostles, yea of jesus christ himself, so that henceforth in the Story of the Acts, you shall hear very little mention made of the jewish Church, but to their reproach, 
Let us lear● the punishing of the Iewe● to avoid t●● like sins.  for all the glory thereof, is translated to us of the Gentiles, GOD make us thankful for it. Let us, beloved, learn wisdom by their harms, let their stubbornness and disobedience teach obey, 
●t us learn 〈◊〉 the punishment of ●e jews, 〈◊〉 auo●de the ●e sins.  let their unthankfulness make us thankful, let their negligence make us careful, lest being partakers with them of their sins, we have part also of their punishment. God warned them, he hath and doth daily warn us. He spoke early and late unto them by his Prophets, he likewise daily and hourly calleth us by his Preachers. Their privileges and many blessings above other nations could not privilege them from God his vengeance, for their great contempt, but rather increased their punishment for abusing them: so shall his great mercies towards us Englishmen, 
●he more henry we ●ue of God ●s blessings, ●e greater ●ll be our ●nishment 〈◊〉 abusing ●em.  above many other nations, make his judgements more heavy, if we show not ourselves thankful, and bring forth the fruits of repentance and amendment of life. And to thee I say, O London, whose salvation in the Lord I heartily tender, and on whom God hath showed more tokens of his favour and love, than on any other Town or City of this land, in blessing thee with plenty of Preachers and teachers, see that thy living be answerable to thy knowledge, and thy manners agreeable to thy teaching, otherwise I assure thee, it shall fall out unto thee, as it did unto these jews: 
God usually doth greatliest bless th● greater citi● with the Preaching his word, a● greatiyest plague therefore the contempt of the same.  for as it hath been a thing at all times usual with God, upon the greatest Cities to show greatest tokens of his love, and to enlighten them with greatest knowledge of his word, that from them, other places of the land, as it were little fountains from the great Springs, may draw good instructions, and learn by their examples, to pursue after the like knowledge: even so he beginneth first to punish those places, where he hath showed most mercy, if they abuse his mercy, and contemn his graces, yet in such order, that he always giveth them forewarning of the same by his servants, that if they amend not, their punishment may be the juster. So before the flood, he sent Noah: before the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, he sent Lot: before the destruction of Canaan, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob: before the overthrow of Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron? before the captivity of the jews many Prophets: before the eversion of the Ninivites jonas: before the siege of Jerusalem, and this casting off of the jews, (in which I stand the longer, because it containeth profitable admonitions for our times,) Christ himself, and his Apostles.  
We people of England have enjoyed the Preaching of the Gospel now these twenty years, and God grant we may many more years enjoy it, we have had, and at this present have many Godly, zealous, and learned Preachers, the Lord for his Christ's sake, daily increase the number of them, which lay before us out of the word, God his great blessings bestowed upon us, and our great unthankfulness for them. And you here in London, out of this place, and others, every foot are admonished, and put in mind of your duties, but both we of the Country, and you of the City, for the most part, contemn it. We are like unto the children of Israel, we are weary of the Heavenly Manna, the word ●f life, the food of our souls, for the obtaining whereof, which we so scornfully despise, many of our poor brothers in other countries, hazzarde both ●yfe and goods. What remaineth therefore, but that GOD, if we do not ●péedyly repent, show tokens of his wrath upon us, as he did upon the jews? And you here of London, have good experience of that, 
England ●eaty of the word preached.  which a little before I spoke, namely, that as GOD commonly more plentifully blesseth the greater Cities, so for their contempt, they have more plentiful taste of his plagues before other places. For t●ll me, I pray you, what contagious sickness, or dangerous disease is there, but for the most part you have the first, and the greatest visitation with it? And do you think that we of the Country scape scotfree? yet for all this, what is our behaviour towards the word of eternal life? Will not a filthy play, 
Moore resort to plays, than to Sermons  with the blast of a Trumpette, sooner call thither a thousand, than an hours tolling of a Bell, bring to the Sermon a hundred? nay even here in the City, without it be at this place, and some other certain ordinary audience, where shall you find a reasonable company? whereas, if you reforte to the Theatre, the Curtain, and other places of Plays in the City, you shall on the Lord's day have these places, with many other that I can not reckon, so full, as possible they can throng, besides a great number of other lets, to pull from the hearing of the word, of which I will speak hereafter. And do you think that so long as these enormities are suffered, the plague, and such other like infectious sicknesses, which in the .28. of Deuteronomie the Lord threateneth to send as scourges, for the contempt of his word, shall cease and diminish amongst you? nay, they be means for them to rage's more fiercely, and to cause God to send new plagues among them, for as we are witty to commit new sins, so the Lord daily prepareth new punishments to correct us withal, in so much, that he ●isiteth our new sins with such new and strange diseases, as the names are unknown unto us, and never heard of of our forefathers, yea our best Physicians know not which way to turn their hands to heal them. I can not but commend the laudable policy, and diligent endeavour of the right Honourable my Lord Mayor, and the worshipful Aldermen his brethren, for the preventing of infection, by commanding men's houses to be kept sweet, and the streets clean, with other such like ways. 
The plague will not be carried out in a Dung-Courte.  But believe me (dear brethren) the plague can not be carried away in a dung curte. What availeth it to have sweet houses and stinking Souls? pleasant smelling chambers, and grievous savouring minds? clean & fair streets, and foul and filthy hearts and consciences? As I do not dislike these outward cleansings, so I beseech you, let every one of us labour for the inward purging and scouring of our Souls: having ●he word, let us frame our lives according to the word, let our godly living be a testimony of our profitable understanding, let us as we be talkers, so likewise, be walkers: as we be professors, practisers: as speakers, doers: as sayers, followers: and then shall our godly living with our right understanding: our christian walking, with our virtuous talking: our sober practising with our honest professing: our doing with our saying: our following with our speaking, strike up such a pleasant harmony and joyful melody in the ears of our GOD, as he will bring upon us in great mercy all those blessings which in the forenamed 28. of deuteronomy he promiseth to those that hear, and also do all that which he commandeth: whereas otherwise if we shall still with these jews continued contemners of his word, we shall hear with them to our great pain and misery: Behold ye despisers, and wonder and vanish away: For I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall not believe, if a man would declare it you. The Lord (I say) for our contempt will take his word from us a● he did from the israelites, and bestow it on such as will both make more account of it, and also be more thankful for it, which by this that hath fallen out to the jews, the LORD for his Christ's sake make us to be.  
We have secondly to learn out of this rejection of the jews, 
God is tied to no place nor person.  being (as you have heard) united unto GOD in such special sort, as he never dealt so with any nation, that GOD is not tied to any place or person, albeit they brag never so much of antiquity, succession, unity, universality, or what other glorious or gorgeous show soever they pretend, but that when they scornfully cast him off, he justly forsaketh them. Let us not therefore be deluded with vain titles, nor ●orne out with great words. It is not ●erusalem, Alexandria, Constantinople, ●or Rome, that GOD is bound vn●o. Let the proud Prelate of the sea●en hilled City, with his purple Car●nalles, and horned bishops, and the whole rout of his shorn and greasy rabble come forth, and show me if they can for their lives, the like causes that these jews had to glory off, and yet had they all them and many more, the greater should be their punishment in abusing them as they have done. Hath not the Pope with his adherents as much boasted of his gay titles, as ever these jews did, and as proudly disdained the true professors as ever they did the Gentiles? was it not a received opinion within these few years, that out of the church of Rome there was no salvation, like as the jews thought the Gentiles to be altogether strangers from the promise? Are not these their common out cries, the Church, the Church, the Church, our most holy father, most reverend father, most godly father, most learned Doctors, most christian Doctors, most light Doctors, most lighthened, I would say, most Seraphical Doctors: and against us, Lollards, Heretics, schismatics, Hugonots, Lutherans, zwinglians, calvinists, Sacramentaries, and what not? have they not as despitefully and cruelly handled us, as ever the jews did the Prophets of the Lord? yea have they not gone beyond them in forbidding us the reading of the books of our GOD, and for the same burned us and the word of our GOD too? The Lord therefore in great justice hath rejected them for all their vain bosting, like as he did the jews, and hath broken the yoke of their Tyranny from this and many other nations, his name be praised for it, and in the end, with the breath of his mouth will utterly confound them.  
As you have seen in these jews a fearful example of God his wonderful justice in casting them off for their offences: 
In the calling of the Gentiles is a notable token of God his great love.  so in receiving of the Gentiles you have to consider a notable proof and experience of his surpassing love and unspeakable mercy. For what was there in the Gentiles overwhelmed with error, blinded with ignorance, prove to all kind of superstition and strange Idolatries, overtaken with all sorts of filthiness, and most horrible and outrageous wickedness, that might procure him to favour them, or to show himself so bounteous a father unto them. Of his love therefore, of his love and most free favour was it, that he vouchsafed to call them out of this great darkness, unto so marvelous light and knowledge of his truth in his son Christ jesus our most loving God and merciful Saviour.  
There is not therefore any cause of boasting of ourselves, or of any thing in ourselves, for that we are nothing else indeed but a huge mass and heavy lump of sin. Let us therefore ascribe all the whole glory of our calling, unto God, that mercifully hath called us from error unto truth, from darkness to light, from wickedness to holiness, from condemnation to salvation, from death to life, yea, from Hell to Heaven: for unto all these and a great many more enormities, are we by nature enthralled. Let us therefore enter the deeper into a true consideration of ourselves, and into a thorough examination of our own souls and consciences, and then finding in ourselves what indeed we be of ourselves, we shall learn to set less by our painted sheaths, and to make better accounts of GOD his infinite and endless mercy, who hath thought good to place us in the room of his own peculiar and chosen people.  
Again we see in the consideration of the manner of GOD his calling us of the Gentiles to the knowledge of his Christ, 
The manner of God his calling of the Gentiles teacheth that we are justified only by faith.  not requiring at our hands that we should be circumcised, or otherwise tied to the observation of the ceremonies of Moses law, but only that we should repent, and believe the Gospel, we see (I say) evidently hereby, that we are not saved by the Law, nor yet by the works of the Law, but only by faith in Christ, according as it is written: The just man shall ●iue by faith. And again: By the works of the law no flesh can be saved or justified: by how much the more so often as I think on it (and truly I do many times think on it) I do greatly marvel, what madness hath overtaken our Archpapistes to besotte themselves and others with a vain and wicked persuasion of their own righteousness, and an arrogant trusting to scale the high fort of heaven, by the broken and rotten ladder of man his merits, and the corrupt works and inventions of their own idle fancies. For if Christ and his Apostles never charged any with the observations of the Mosaical Law, as a thing necessary to salvation: and that (as appeareth in the writings of the Apostles) it hath always been accounted an infallible note of false Apostles to plead works, and that of GOD his own Law, in the matter of justification, let then this second note drawn from the manner of God his calling of the Gentiles without enjoining them the observations of his own law, be sufficient in a word to touch the shameless boldness of the Catolikes, that dare shuffle in dross & trumpery of their own forging, to claim righteousness withal, that I stand no longer to convince those, as injurious to the death and bloodshedding of Christ jesus, who teach that they have works sufficient, not only to purchase Heaven for themselves, but also a surplus and overflow to help others withal, that will pay sweetly for them, in as much as their own conscience every night when they go to bed, may teach them, if they truly examine it, that of themselves they are not able to think so much as one good thought, and therefore must needs ascribe salvation to the only and alone free mercy of God in Christ, laid hold on by the sure and strong hand of a constant faith, works being no manner of cause thereof at all, the which Friar Ferus, a man of their own, writing upon this tenth Chapter of the Acts, in most plain words, doth confess, saying: For so in that first and most great calling of the Gentiles, they ought to have been made equal with the jews without all manner of help of the Law, that it might be now manifestly known, that righteousness cometh of the only grace and election of God, and not of works: than the which, what can be spoken more truly, & more agreeable to the truth. The Lord if it be his will, open their eyes, that in this and all other points, they may bow and yield unto the truth.  
Thus much of the rejection of the jews, and calling of the Gentiles, by occasion of GOD his calling Cornelius, being a Gentle, to the knowledge of his truth.  

The second branch of the first part.  In the second branch of this first general, cometh to be considered, Cornelius his profession and trade of life, which our present text sayeth to be a captain of the Italian band at Caesarea, 
The practice of the Romans.  for it was an usual thing among the Romans, to place in the great towns or Cities that they won, garrisons of armed men and soldiers, as well to defend them against the invasions of the Parthians, whom besides many other enemies, they were often and very dangerously encumbered withal, as also to withstand and keep under rebellion, and tumultuous uproars of the jews, if at any time they should attempt an insurrection: and further, that if need should require, they might upon short warning, out of these garrisons placed in every Town and City, gather a just and full army, being assaulted, to defend themselves.  
These bands consisted some of more and some of fewer soldiers, some footmen, and some horsemen.  
The first or chief band contained commonly a thousand footmen, over which was a General, and every Centurye, or hundredth, had beside, his several captain, which of the number of Soldiers under his conduct, was commonly called a Centurion, or captain over an hundredth men. Such a one was our Cornelius, who in that he is termed to be Ruler of the Italian band, we may gather, that he was both an Italian himself, and also in good estimation with the Emperor: For as the Romans g thered their garrisons out of sundry Country men, of the which also they had their names, like as this consisting of Italians is thereof called the Italian band, so likewise did they make greatest accounts, & reposed most confidence in the garrisons of their own countrymen, out of which also for the most part there were chosen Captains such as best liked the Emperor. It is (I say) therefore very likely, that Cornelius being made captain of the Italian band, was himself an Italian well liked of the Emperor. Moore than this, both he and his band were not such as carried their houses on their backs, or were in this place to day, and in an other to morrow, but had their fixed and settled seat and abode at Caesarea, 
Caesarea.  a City of Palestina, which was a Sea-town not far from the Mount Carmel, and called sometimes Stratoes' Castle or Tower, but afterward new builded by Herode, and in the honour of Cesar the Noble, called after his name, Caesarea, and at this time chiefliest inhabited of the jews, for whose better keeping under awe, Cornelius with his garrison was there placed, like as in other their Cities in Syria and Palastina, for like considerations they had appointed to them their several garrisons. I note this, because there were beside many other Cities in other Countries, called by this name, as is to be seen in Strabo and Stephanus, the which I omit, as not pertaining to my matter.  
Now if you call to remembrance the manners and conditions of the soldiers of that age, 
The manner of the Roman soldiers.  and how far they were departed from the old discipline & usage observed in wars, God his wonderful dealing in calling Cornelius shall the better appear. It is well known to those that are conversant in histories, that the Roman soldiers, when they went to war upon other nations, they had no regard neither of right nor equity, or law, or honesty, or shame, or conscience, but were wholly bent upon the spoil, as hungry as Wolves, as greedy as Lions, as merciless as Tigers, as subtle as Foxes, as religious as horses, as chaste as Goats, as harmless as common Robbers by the high way sides. Out of this kind of men, it pleased GOD for to choose his Church, the first fruits of the Gentiles, that look by how much their life was more unorderly than any other kind of men, by so much his mercy might be judged the greater, in that it pleased him to take them out of their vile filth and stinking puddle of sin, in which they wallowed, and lay overwhelmed and drowned, and by his holy Spirit so to renew them, that by the mighty and effectual working of the same, the corruptions of the old man being mortified, they might detest those offences, unto the which before they ran with greediness.  
Cornelius his virtues therefore so rare in such licentiousness of life, and looseness of manners, as at that time reigned every where, but principally amongst soldiers, are both to be commended and praised, and highly also to be wondered at: who in such greediness of spoil, was so well content with his own: in such unmercifulness of others, was himself more merciful: in such rudeness, so courteous: in such barbarousness, so gentle: in such irreligiousness, so religious: in such wickedness, so godly: which virtues, as he had them not of himself, so do they the clearer set forth the grace of GOD in him, who stayed him, that he followed not the multitude to do evil, neither was led with the most sort, to do, as most do.  
The Doctrines which this second branch ministereth unto us, are diverse, but chiefly these: first, that with God there is no respect of persons, but that out of all trades of life, and sorts of men, those that hate sin and delight in righteousness, are acceptable to him: so the here for our comfort is set down, that which the Scriptures plentifully other where do teach, before him, there is neither bond nor free, neither rich nor poor, neither wise, nor foolish, neither man, nor woman, neither Grecian, nor Barbarian, jew, nor Gentle, but whosoever he be that calleth on the name of the Lord, shall be saved. In great mercy he hath received Noah the drunken, Abraham the Idolater, Lot the incestuous, David an adulterer. Mathewe the Publican, Peter the denier of his Master. Paul the persecutor, and Cornelius the captain, not to encourage us boldly to sin, but for to assure us (if of infirmity falling with these, we do with the same by hearty repentance run unto him) he hath in store for us the like mercy which he had for them. As for such as can perversely allege the falls of the godly as bucklers for their wickedness, their estate is dangerous and almost desperate, but the LORD keep us from presumptuous and malicious sins.  
We see here again, in that Cornelius ● captain and Souldioure is called by GOD to the understanding of his word and faith in Christ, and not bidden to say aside armour, and cast away his weapon, and take him to a new ●rade and profession of life, that the vocation of a souldioure is such, as if it be well and honestly used, displeaseth not GOD, and that it is also lawful for ● Christian Magistrate (for such a one was Cornelius) to use the sword, either ●or the defence of the godly, or for the punishment of the wicked, the which Paul at large teacheth in the thirteenth of the romans, and I mention in a word to overthrow the fury of the anabaptists, which contrary to the scriptures do teach, that it is unlawful for ●he Magistrate to use the sword.  
We learn further, that under ungodly persecutors and wicked Tyrants, God notwithstanding hath always had ●ome that have feared and served him: So in the Court of Pharaoh was joseph ●nder Achab, Obadiah, under the King of Aram, Naaman the Syrian: under Herode the Ruler at Capernaum: amongst the Scribes and pharisees, that made a law to excommunecate Christ, and all those that did confess him, the chief ruler of the synagogue: under Tiberius, or else Caligula, a most cruel persecuter, this Cornelius. And I nothing doubt, but that at this day within the gates and palace of Rome, the Lord hath yet some one good Obadiah or other, that one day he will use, as singular instruments for the behoof of his Church.  
Yet is there behind one lesson more to be learned out of this second member, very profitable, being applied, for these our days and times, that we now live in, for out of this that is here said of Cornelius his being Captain of the Italian band at Caesarea, you evidently see by that which hath been noted before of Caesarea, namely, that it was a Town of the jews, but subjecteth to the Romans, with all the rest of the Country: you see (I say,) that many times it cometh to pass, that GOD delivereth up a people that was wont ●o be governed by godly laws and orders, and under godly Princes, unto Tyrants and persecutors, for their great ●ngratitude and unthankfulness. For who were ever better governed, and with more equal and reasonable government, than were the people of the jews: ●et when they disdained to be ordered, ●y the government of godly Princes, whom GOD appointed over them, ●n the end, he bereaved them of that benefit, and gave them, who knew not ●ell to use the liberty that he had pla●ed them in, so far over unto the subie●ion of others, that they were now not ●●ely under the rule of presidents and deputies, but also had in all their Ci●es, bands, & garrisons of foreign souldi●rs, amongst the which, albeit some ●nes they met with some one such as ●is our Cornelius, which was a thing ●oste seldom, yet the miseries that vn●●● those other, they suffered, were wonderful, and such as they can better remember, that sometimes have lived under the gripings of the sharp talants of those eagree and greedy Hawks, I mean the violence of foreign soldiers, than I am able to express: and the Lord, if it be his will, grant, that we Englishmen have never last, nor experience of the like.  
Let us therefore here-out learn t● be thankful unto God for placing over us in great mercy so godly & gracious 〈◊〉 Queen, 
a lesson for England.  under whose most quiet & peaceable government (notwithstanding the wi●ked foretellings and lying Prophecies o● false ●arted papists of her majesties det● at the end of this seven, and that seven besides their malicious practices, to accomplish it, for the which some of the● heads have been worthily exalted, as ● trust the rest, if they may be know● shall be as they well deserve to be.) W● have thus long enjoyed the clear shini● light of the Gospel, and GOD gran● her to his good will & pleasure many yer●● more to reign over us still for the bett●● and more plentiful furtherance of t● preaching of his word, let us (I say learn to be thankful, and not give occasion through our great contempt ●nd disobedience, and godless, and far unchristian living, that God in his great ●rath and hot anger, take her majesty ●waye from us, and with her also his ●orde, as in our remembrance for the ●●ke sins, he did our virtuous King Edward, her Grace's most dear and ●odly brother. We were unworthy of ●im then, we are unworthy of her now: ●e contemned the word preached under ●im then: we are weary of it preached ●nder her Majesty now: there was much ●●aching under him then, and small following: there is more teaching under her ●owe, and a great deal less following. For our not following then, he took fronts our zealous josias, and scourged us ●y a Marie: his arm is not shortened, he ●an again for our not following now, ●ake away our virtuous and godly De●ora, and punish us with the like: Pray, ●ray, and most heartily beloved, pray, that ●e do it not, as our sins have well deserved, that he should do it. For if he do it, as this and far greater plagues he hath threatened to those that are contemners of his word, by the miseries that heretofore you have suffered in the late days of affliction, you may easily gather what shall be the state of the godly under all wicked Athaliahs', and merciless Tyrants, such as GOD useth to send upon those that have not learned to be thankful and obedient unto virtuous, gentle, and godly governors. Wherefore, if in the former days of trouble, with great and grievous sobs and sighs, we have lamented our unthankfulness towards the word, when we had it: Now the Lord to try us, hath once again sent it, let us remember to be thankful: if then in our miseries, we could consider how great a plague it was to be punished with a Tyrant, let us now weigh● how great a blessing it is, to be governed by so gentle & merciful a Queen if then we longed to be delivered from the heavy yoke of foreign cruelty: let us now pour out our most heartily prayers, for the continuance of our joyful liberty, under the long and prosperous reign of our Sovereign Lady: if when in times before, we had the Gospel, we brought forth no fruits of the Gospel, let us, having now again the Gospel, pray to our GOD, that our conversation and living may be agreeable to the Gospel, lest (as before I noted,) our heinous offences, worthily provoke our GOD in great displeasure, to take from us our gracious Governess, under whose Christian regiment we have thus long enjoyed it, and many years longer God grant we may have both her & it, and in a holy and virtuous walking, express & follow it, least for our ingratitude we taste of the like sauce, that the jews did for their disobedience, which, as I have had very fit occasion, by their subjection unto others to note, so I beseech you pray all heartily to GOD, that we may be warned and learned by it. For truly (beloved) unless we bring forth better fruits of Christianity, than hitherto we have done it, can not be chosen, but that God must needs punish us with this, or some other far greater punishment, if any can be greater. You muse peradventure to see me so fearful, and I much more wonder, to see England so careless. If you will ask of me, why I think that GOD will visit us, I answer, for the multitude of our sins and offences, which daily are committed expressly against his word, and for many of them being notorious & such as he himself hath commanded to be punished with death, 
Why God must needs punish Eng●ande.  either they are often let pass unpunished, or else there is no punishment for them at all, or if there be, it is so toyish, I had almost said Popish, that it rather cherisheth, than killeth the sin. And because you shall not think my words to be as it were but a scar Crow, or that I have made much ado about nothing, I will note unto you in a word some of them, and leave to your judgement, whether that I have spoken, that which I have spoken, without cause, or not, or also as not appertaining to my matter in hand of the jews at Caesarea and other places, being in subjection for their sins to foreign power, that we may avoid the great sins which we daily run into, for fear of the like or greater punishment, by how much our knowledge and teaching is greater and clearer than theirs. 
Swearing.  Swearing and blaspheming the name of God, as it is a figure that clearly toucheth the honour of God, so in his word is it expressly forbidden, and also commanded to be punished with death, yet how outrageously and commonly is it used amongst all degrees and states of people, from the Lord to the beggar, and from the Courtier to the Carter, yea to the young child of three years old: beside that I fear me a great number this Fair and at other times, do say their souls to pawn to the devil by fearful oaths for their gains, sometimes but of a penny in uttering their wares: and what punishment I pray you is there for it? It is written that the Plague shall never depart from the house of the swearer, and think you then that it hangeth not over the land in which is such terrible swearing in the clear light of the Gospel, and the offenders not touched with so much as a fillip? if there were no more but this, it is not without cause that I put you in mind to leave it, least the Lord do plague you. It is set down by the Prophet for one of the causes of the children of Israel's being led into captivity, 
●reach of the ●abboth.  for that they kept not the Lord's Sabbath: and what become of him that gathered sticks on that day, I doubt not but you will remember: we notwithstanding on the lords day must have Fairs kept, must have Bear baiting, Bulbayting (as if it were a thing of necessity for the Bears of Paris garden to be baited on the Sunnedaye) must have bawdy Interludes, silver games, dicing, carding, tabling, dancing, drinking, and what I pray you is the penalty of the offenders herein, forsooth a flap with a Fox tail, as if our Saviour Christ had comen for his day to set us at liberty to do what we list. And truly a lamentable thing it is to tell, but a great deal more lamentable, that it is not punished. I dare boldly stand to avouch it, that there is no day in the week, wherein God is so much dishonoured, as on that day when he should be best served. And must we for these abuses think at the lords hand to scape uncorrected: 
Drunkenness  What should I speak of beastly drunkenness, which so far as I can learn, hath no punishment at all? What of whoredom, 
Whoredom  by the law of the most upright lawmaker that ever was, being made a Capital sin, and which the Evangelist Luke in the parable of the séed termeth a thorn, shall we think that a thorn will be killed with spreading a white sheet over it, when it rather craveth an axe? So to think to restrain it, is as endless and fond a work as to go about to hew down a great thorn with a bullrushe: the Lord if it be his good pleasure, grant us a sharper tool to cut both it and other stinking weeds down with all, for I assure you, if these vices be thus still, either not at all punished, or else so slightly punished, the Lord will more sharply punish us, either in such sort as I have showed you he did these jews, or in some other more grievous, as he wanteth not infinite means unknown unto us, to punish the contempt of his word, from whence these vices spring, the which I pray God the chastisement of these jews may 'cause us to shun.  

●he third ●nch of the ●t general ●nte.  For the third branch of my first part is set down, that Cornelius was a Godly, or a religious and devout man, and one that feared God: where cometh to be handled Cornelius his Godliness and virtue. The word which is commonly translated a devout and a religious man, and here attributed to Cornelius, doth properly signify one that doth truly and in such sort as he aught to do, worshippeth GOD, a right and a true worshipper of God, whereby we learn that Cornelius had now forsaken and given over his old Heathenish religion, in which his father, and father's fathers in many generations had long continued, worshipping those for Gods, whom it pleased men so to accounted. For the case so stood concerning religion with the romans then, as it did with us in the late days of Popery, in which none might be taken for a Saint, but such as the Pope his holiness had Canonised for a Saint. For Tertullian in his book called an Apology or defence against the Gentiles. Page. 186. and 587. as is printed at Paris by parvus, doth show, that it was a decree amongst the Romans, that none should be made a God by the Emperor, unless he were first allowed of the Senate, in so much that when Tiberius Cesar having heard of the miracles of Christ, would by prerogative of his Emperourshippe have made him a God, the Senate would none of him, because they had not allowed him. The world was then grown to a trim pass, that man must forsooth be good unto God. For unless God pleases man, he shall be no God, as Tertullian in the same place speaketh. By this appeareth how dangerous it was for Cornelius a public magistrate to embrace Christ his religion, whom the Roman Senate so scornfully disdained. And what cruelty they used towards the Christians, the stories of the age do sufficiently witness, which show, that the christians were smeared over with pitch and Rosen alive, and set on fire with torches to light their cruel persecutors home from their banckquets in the night. But it was (no doubt) the mighty operation of God his holy spirit, that had armed him against all encumbrances that might fall upon him, who (no doubt) had prepared himself against displeasure, loss of his office and captainship, and also loss of life too, the least of which might otherwise have discouraged him, who amongst the Jews also could see nothing that might heart him on, but rather pull him back, seeing amongst them so manifold corruptions & passing ignorance of the law of God, a small and slender knowledge whereof was rare to be found, even in the thousandth man of them, in so much that some think, and that very godly, that it came to pass by the special and singular providence of God, that Cornelius met with some zealous and learned jew, that instructed him in the true knowledge and understanding of the law, by means whereof he so much profited in religion and fear of the Lord.  
1 We learn first out of this third branch, 
The Lessons of this third branch.  in that Cornelius leaveth his old heathenish religion and Idolatry, which his forefathers followed, that we must not be away from the truth neither with multitude nor prescription of time. It is a common argumennt now adays, what are you better than your forefathers? did not they go to mass, worship Images, run on Pilgrimage, fall down before the holy sacrament of the Altar, and to be short, observe all order of holy Church? Why should you therefore be so singular? are you wiser or better learned than they? All these I say, and what soever else may be alleged to like purpose, doth the example of Cornelius confute, who for the maintenance of his old Paganism, might very well have recited the examples of his forefathers, & the long & ancient continuance of the heathenish religion, by thousands of years more ancient than it of the Popes, in comparison of his being as it were but an infant of a days old. Let us therefore after his example in matters of religion set aside the practice of our forefathers: and let our old ancient customs vail their bonnet to the word of the Lord. For so are we directly in his holy word commanded: Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. 
Exod. 23.2.  And again: walk ye not in the ordinances of your fathers, neither observe their manners, nor defile yourselves with their Idols. I am the Lord your God: Walk in my statutes, & keep my judgements, and do them, etc. O that our Papists had eyes to see this, and hearts to believe it, with earnest minds also to follow it, than would they not be so blinded with these vain shadows of fathers, times and customs, but would measure the truth of religion by the square of the word, which the Lord if it be his pleasure, grant them to do.  
2 Secondly we learn out of this place and by this example of Cornelius, in receiving of true religion, not to tarry until the chief rulers and Magistrates embrace it, but so soon as God revealeth it unto us, presently to take the occasion offered, and to follow it, otherwise if Cornelius had waited upon the emperors receiving it, he might till this day have wallowed in his old puddle of hethenishe superstition, like as in many countries at this time, if the people should tarry the leisure of their Princes, they must still remain in the filth of Popish Idolatry. Those Neutres therefore, that if there come an hundredth changes, are still jump of the Prince's religion, are by this example manifestly confuted. Yet hereof doth not follow, that if the magistrate command false religion, that therefore, the subject may with force ●esist, but rather offering his body to the pleasure of his Prince, for the freedom ●f his conscience, say with the Apostle: Whether it be better to obey God or man, ●udge you.  
3 thirdly, in that the holy Ghost saith, that Cornelius was a religious or devout man, is most apparent that to be godly and religious appertaineth not only to the ministers, but also unto those whom they call secular persons, by which also is beaten down their vain distinction, made between them of the ministery, and the rest of the people, the one of them to be termed the spirituality, and the other, the Temporalty: the one the Clergy, and the other the laity: which difference as it came first from Rome, so I would to GOD that there it were again. The only good it hath done is this, namely, it hath made a great many, and that of those principally which are of greatest callings, to think, that it belongeth only to those of the ministery to be godly, to be zealous, to fear GOD, to be religious, as for themselves they need take no care nor keep of any such matter, but rather with gréedynesse follow every one that which best● liketh his corrupt affection. But thy● example of Cornelius, said to be a devout and religious man, sufficiently confuteth all those which so think, and withal, learneth every particular person, that he must be careful to serve GOD, to fear him, to worship him, to pray unto him, and that religiously & devoutly, and that it is not only the part of every private man so to do, but also concerneth as well the Magistrate, for Cornelius was a Magistrate, & therefore hereby is also overthrown the most wicked assertion of the unpure Atheiste Machiavelli, 
Machiavelli.  who shameth not in most ungodly manner to teach, that princes need make no account of godliness and true religion, but only to make an outward show of it: for that (saith he) is enough, albeit in mind they abhor it. And that which is most horrible, he affirmeth further, that the religion of christians casteth them down into too much humility, abateth all courage and towardness, and maketh them fit to be wronged & spoiled, whereas the religion of the Gentiles maketh them ●o be of stout courage, & emboldeneth them manly to achieve great matters: yet will he forsooth, that Princes pretend religion, the better to keep their subjects within the compass of their duties, with the fear and reverence thereof. This poison and a great deal more such filth blusheth not this malapert and pelting Town-cleark of Florence to spew out, teaching Princes not to make accounts of religion or godliness: and yet must this vile beast in many courts of other nations be the only Court book, nay the Alcoram and God of Courtiers, whose devilish precepts they put in daily ure, learning to be godless. The Lord grant he take no place among our courtiers, and that they rather set before them the examples of this our Cornelius, of David, of josias, of Ezechias, & such like, who were all magistrates, and godly and religious magistrates, and in the scripture highly commended for the same, whose facts and deeds unto godliness, I humbly exhort our nobility and gentlemen rather to follow, than the decrees of this deceiver, and the furies of this Excetra and venomous serpent unto Atheism and ungodliness. 
Excetra w● a kind of ●nemous S●●pent. from whom wheron head w● cut off, three sprang up in his stead as they do writ of him   
Fourthly, Cornelius being a public Magistrate, and openly professing religion, not weighing the danger that thereby might ensue unto him, as the displeasure of the Emperor, the loss of his living, of his goods, and of his life, teacheth all men, and amongst the rest noble men, boldly to profess and also express religion and godliness, and not to stand aloof for fear of displeasure, and loss of their honour, their rooms, and their offices, as a great many nowadays do, where there is in deed no fear, having so Godly a Prince, unto whom nothing can be more joyful than to hear that her nobility and commons are most religious and Godly. A great many in this clear light of the Gospel, in which every man under his own vine, and under his own fig tree (as the Prophet speaketh) may boldly sit and reason of the words and ways of his GOD, are notwithstanding so lukewarm, or rather in deed key cold, that one can not tell what to make of them. They are very like the thing called Spongia, the which a man can hardly tell whether it have any life at all, saving that when it is touched, it draweth itself more closely together, and cleaveth a great deal faster, to the thing it hangeth on: so they all these twenty years, in which the word hath been preached, are notwithstanding so close to themselves, that you can not by any means know their religion, or what they profess: nay. if such as by their calling it lieth upon to try them, and therefore doubting of them will go about to feel them, to see whether there be in them any life of the word and any knowledge of God meet for a christian, then will they indeed play the right Spongiaes', & clean more hardly to their rock of close profession, shrinking in their selves, and will not stick to say unto you: my religion (Sir) nay you must pardon me therein, I keep that secret from my dearest friend: none shall know my conscience, but God & myself. But truly it were greatly to be wished, that the queens Majesty would take order, that these Spongiaes', of what degree soever they be, may be pulled up from this stone of secret and privy profession, and the rather, for that it can not be chosen, but that they which deal so closely towards God in this peace of the Gospel, must needs be as hollow hearted towards her majesty, what soever they pretend to the contrary. But these are the wary children, they will bear themselves warily and wisely as they think, for fear of a change, but the Lord (I trust) in blessing her majesty with long continuance of reign over us, will disappoint them of their purpose, as hitherto he hath done, and cause that before they have their change, they themselves shall first make a change of life with death, by one means or other. In the mean season, the Lord grant her few of these doubtful Spongiaes', and great store of Cornelians, such as do boldly, but yet truly religiously and devoutly serve and fear the Lord. For in those doth consist her su●este safety, and those, when so ever she shall have need, she shall find her trustiest friends. For those that truly worship God, and embrace his religion, will no doubt, most faithfully serve and obey her. But were it so with us, as it is with many of our brethren in other Countries, that we could not serve GOD truly without the danger of our lives, yet Cornelius, who was in the like danger, telleth us what to do, and so doth also Daniel, with Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago: of the which, he chose rather to be cast into the lions den, than he would make prayer to any other than the true God: and they thought it better to be thrown into the hot burning oven, than to worship the golden image of Nabucha●nezer. For this saying of Christ shall stand to the end of the world true: He that is ashamed to acknowledge me before men, I will be also ashamed to acknowledge him before my father in the kingdom of heaven. But the case is nothing so with us as it was with Cornelius. We may profess religion, in safety, he could not without danger: we enjoy the word in peace, he with persecution: we with the liking of our Prince have the liberty of our conscience, he could not serve God without the displeasure of the Emperor: we need not to fear the loss of life nor goods, he stood in great hazard of them both: and yet in this great peace, prosperity, quiet, safety, and liberty, we stand upon such a nice and tender point, of saving honour, estimation, credit, favour, love and liking, that rare is that man that will venture to open his mouth for the furtherance of the building of God's Church, or speak for the preferring of good and godly causes, whereas in our own causes, if it be for a licence that may tend to our own commodity, or that may enrich our own coffers, albeit to the great hindrance of many others, Lord, how will we labour, toil, travel, go, run, ride, speak, sue, and sue again, till we have obtained it, which argueth in us great want of zeal, for the glory of God, which he for his Christ's sake stir up, and kindle in us. We are far unlike the good Christian captain Terenti, 
●erentius a ●b●e Capi●●yne.  who returning with a joyful victory over his Prince's enemies, Valens the Emperor bad ask what benefit he would at his hand, for his good service, and he should have it, who having before his eyes, the furtherance of God's glory, rather than the seeking of his own profit, requested, that the Christians which had ventured their lives in God's cause, might have a Church erected to serve God in, apart from the Arrian Heretics. The Emperor being much moved at this request, in great anger tore his supplication in pieces, and threw it on the ground, bidding him ask some other thing, that might be for his preferment: but he with a heavy countenance gathering up the pieces of his supplication, answered: I have my reward, I will ask nothing else. This was indeed a right Cornelius, a devout man, & one that feared God. O that all Princes had store of such Terenties about them, that did make greater esteem of God's glory than accounts of their own gain and commodity, so should true religion more freshly flourish, than in many places it doth, the most part being busied about their own profit, whilst it being neglected, falleth miserably to decay and ruin, the Lord for his mercy's sake amend it.  
As you have hitherto heard of such virtues in Cornelius, 
The fourth branch in the first general  as did testify his inward sincerity towards God, namely, his religiousness and fear of God, so hereafter I will make plain unto you such outward exercises of his, as are sufficiet testimonies of his inward godliness, amongst the which is first his godly bringing up of all his family, being the fourth circumstance of my first general point, and is contained in these words: He feared God with all his household, which could not be small, he being a Magistrate, and captain of such countenance, as you have heard, and therefore his diligence and pains (no doubt) was exceeding great, which he took, in instructing such a number in the fear and knowledge of the Lord, wherein the holy Ghost witnessing, that they all profited, it appeareth evidently, that God did wonderfuly bless his godly endeavour and faithful travail, by which it came to pass, that to his great joy and comfort (no doubt) he had now a Church in his own house, as every true worshipper of God, in his fear should labour to have.  
Thus you see, that Cornelius thought if not enough to be godly himself, unless he had his household godly to: he was not content himself alone to serve God, but would have his family also to do the like: he judged it his duty, as he himself was religious, so to make holy unto God all those which were his: he would not his self alone walk in the ways of the Lord, and suffer his servants belonging to his charge, to do what they list, to run (as they say) at random, to be at their own liberty, and to live as strangers from God, but would make them partakers of that knowledge, which he himself had learned, which as it was a matter of great pain, so was it also of no mall danger, the religion of the jews being then in a manner universally hated and disdained, yea, and that which more is, of the proud and scornful Romans cruelly persecuted.  
But Cornelius was not ignorant, that it was far better to please God, than men, and that the ignorance of his family, should be laid to his charge, if through his negligence and slothfulness to instruct them, they ran into his ignorance. Therefore not weighing the scorn nor persecution of men, he walketh uprightly in the discharged of his duty, and faithfully and painfully teacheth his whole family, to serve and fear the LORD, and in the end, reapeth the fruit of his labours, namely, the profiting of his whole household in the true fear of the Lord, 
Let this whole treatise of children's education, and household government be well marked.  GOD bounteously blessing his godly care and Christian travel. We be taught hereby, that it is not enough for every man to be devout and religious, and to fear God himself, unless he also faithfully and diligently labour to make all his household and family godly and religious to, which cannot be done without much pain and travel, in diligent instructing them in the word of the Lord, and in the principles of Christian religion, which duty as it ought of all householders without any exception be performed, so is it almost of all without exception neglected, to the high displeasure of almighty God, who hath straightly and expressly commanded it, and also to the great shame of us, that have so foully foreslewed it. But because this may seem unto some, a strange doctrine, and I peradventure be judged very precise that would say such a heavy burden upon men's necks, I will therefore directly prove unto you out of the word of GOD, that it belongeth generally unto all persons, of what degree and calling soever, to instruct their children and family in the word of the LORD, insomuch, that not the greatest Emperor nor Monarch of the world, can omit this duty, without high contempt unto GOD in neglect of that which he hath so plainly and earnestly commanded, nay I say further, that every householder whatsoever, is not only bound himself to be godly, and to train up his household in godliness, but also to turn out of his house & service all such as are ungodly and tell scorn to learn. And I will not only say this, but directly prove it by the Scripture, and I will do it, as drawn thereunto by manifest occasion of my Text, which saith, that Cornelius with all his household feared God. For I have hitherto noted nothing, neither hereafter mean to do, but that the godly may easily see, that the circumstances of my Text led me evidently thereunto: the which I speak because of scoffing quarrelers, who, if the Preacher in great zeal speak any thing to the rebuking of some notorious sin, although it be never so godly spoken, yet if it be not bounded within the limits of his Text, they by and by flout at it, and say it was done for want of matter, albeit in deed it make no matter, what such scoffers prate and babble.  

Deut. 4.9.  In the fourth of Deuteronomie, it is written thus: But take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, that thou forget not the things which thine eyes have seen, & that they depart not out of thine heart, all the days of thy life, but teach them thy sons, and thy sons sons. 
Deut. 6.7.  Likewise in the sixth chapter of the same book: And thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. This is again repeated in the eleventh chapter, and a blessing added to those that perform it, in these words: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land, which the Lord swore unto your fathers to give them, as long as the Heavens are above the Earth. 
Psal. 78.6.7.  The like you have in the Psalm, where you found it thus written: That the posterity might know it, & the children, which should be borne, should stand up, and declare it to their children, that they might set their hope on God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments. 
Ephes. 6.4.  To the Ephesians, parents are commanded to bring up their children in instruction and information of the Lord 
Deut. 17.19.  In Deuteronomie, the king himself is charged diligently to be exercised in the reading of the word of the Lord, as well for the instruction of himself, as also the better government of his subjects in the fear of the Lord This thing did the good King josias observe, 
2. King. 23.2.3.  reading his own self the law of the Lord unto his subjects, and caused all to make a covenant, that they would walk according to that which they understood the Lord to require at their hand. josua, the valiant and virtuous captain of the LORD, did daily read the word of the Lord, and out of it very godly exhort all the people to fear and serve the Lord  
The Queen of Sheba greatly commendeth 
1. King. ●●.  King Solomon for his godly order in his house & family. David, whom the scriptures report to have been a King according to God his own heart, was not only godly himself, but also careful to have all his subjects, and principally those of his own house, unfeignedly to fear the Lord, as appeareth in the Psalm. 101. where he sayeth: That he will destroy such as privily slander their neighbour, that he will not suffer those that have proud looks and high hearts: that those which are the faithful of the land, shall devil with him, and those that walk in the perfect way, shall serve him: that no deceitful person shall devil with him, nor any that telleth lies remain in his sight: that he will betimes cut off all the wicked of the land, and to be short, concerning the government of his house, that he will walk in the uprightness of his heart, in the midst of his house, whereby, as the words following do declare, he meaneth to use exquisite diligence in training up his household in the service of the Lord. Helie the Priest of the Lord, for letting his children run at liberty, is himself charged to have committed those sins, which in his sons he let pass unpunished: besides that, God fearfully punished both him and his sons, for neglecting his duty in this behalf, for he himself fell and broke his neck, his two sons were slain in battle both in one day, the Ark of the Lord taken by the Philistines, and .3000. people slain, his sons wife upon the news suddenly brought to bed before her time, and dieth in travail, which heavy judgements may learn all men worthily to tremble at the forslewing their duty, in instructing their families. Abraham is greatly praised for his carefulness, in teaching his children & household to walk in the ways of the Lord: For thus it is written of him: For I know him, 
Gen. 18.19.  that he will command his sons & his household after, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that he hath spoken unto him. All these both commandments and examples (do I trust) sufficiently prove, that it is the part of all men, of what calling soever, to use singular diligence and travail, to have their family, and such as belong to their charge, to fear the Lord. As for that I said they must also keep none such in their house as are stubborn, and tell scorn to serve the Lord, the example of David out of the .101. psalm, who will suffer no wicked person to devil with him, nor serve him, and therefore none that feareth not the Lord, doth sufficiently prove it. But thou wilt say, David was a King, and I say unto thee, so art thou both a King and Bishop to, over thy house and family: a King by government, to keep in awe: and a bishop by instruction to teach: & mayst so much the easier and with less danger, teach and correct thine own family, as it is easier and less dangerous to deal with a private family, than with a whole realm, & therefore the greater punishmnt shalt thou have, if herein thou omit thy duty.  
If then the instructing of those under our government in the word of the Lord be such, 
The nece●ty of instructing those under our● charge in 〈◊〉 fear of th● Lord.  as by the commandment of God is laid upon all: if Kings notwithstanding their many cares and troubles, are not exempted from this duty: if Captains in war, who of all other might seem to be privileged, are tied to this charge: If Helie the Priest of the Lord were punished with the neck break for omitting it: if Abraham were greatly praised for the doing of it: What is he that can challenge to himself freedom, from the performance of this, both godly and necessary duty? 
Abraham.  God faith of Abraham, I know he will teach his children and household, to walk in the ways of the Lord: But (alas) my beloved, what is the man, or where is his dwelling, of whom we may say, I know he is painful in instructing his children and household in the ways of the Lord. Surely such a one is almost as rare upon earth, as a black Swan.  
It is said of this our Cornelius, 
Cornelius.  that he feared God with his whole household, but how many households may ●e ●nd amongst us, where the goodman himself maketh no accounts of religion, 〈◊〉 marvel then, if the rest of his family be Godless? The Lord by Moses commandeth his people, daily to ins●●●●●● their children in the knowledge of his word: but so far are the most part of us from doing thereof, that we ourselves read not in a year a Chapter of it.  
And whereas every man is bound to catechize his own family, a great many of our ministers are so ignorant, that they had need to learn. Catechisms themselves, which, as in respect of their ignorance, it is very mét they should do, so for the same respect it were far better that they were utterly removed, and able Pastors put in their roomths. 
●uid.  David will walk with an upright heart in the midst of his house, and we will walk in our houses we care not how loosely. 
 josias at once hearing the law of the Lord, immediately prepareth himself to obey the same, and bindeth all his Subjects by covenant to do the like. The Lord put it into the mind of our godly Princess, that as she is of herself willing to hear the Law of the Lord, so likewise after the example of good josias, she may be careful to 'cause all her Subjects to make a covenant, to walk after the commandments of the LORD: so (I trust) there would be speedy remedy against this great neglecting of our duty, in the virtuous education of our families in the fear of the Lord, the which on our parts being so much forslewed, it is no marvel, if many times we found small obedience, 
How God punisheth th● forslewing o● this duty.  at the hands of our household. For so doth God often leave manifest tokens of his wrath, in punishing disobedience with disobedience.  
How canst thou, whosoever thou art, look to have thy family faithful unto thee, and thou thyself art faithless to GOD? dost thou marvel that thy servants fear not thee, when as thou fearest not the Lord, wilt thou stiffly maintain thine authority over those under thy charge, and thyself, yield no obedience unto the authority of the eternal? Thinkest thou much that thy wife and thy children show themselves not so obedient unto thee, as peradventure they ought, and canst thou not see how thyself art a traitor and Rebel unto God, without all keep or regard breaking his statutes, and without any prick or remorse of conscience, neglecting and contemning his commandements? How shall those under thy charge perform their duty unto thee, if thou perform no duty unto God? Nay how rather shall they first learn to fear God, and then next truly serve thee without instruction in the word of the Lord? Is it not expressly set down in the Psalm, 
Psal. 28. ●.  How God established a testimony in jacob, and ordained a Law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should teach their children. And this law which he speaketh of, is the commandment before recited out of Deuteronomie, concerning parents often and diligent acquainting their children with the word of the Lord. You see therefore beloved, 
All householders aught t● be well seen in the Scriptures.  that it greatly concerneth all you, that are householders, to be very well exercised and practised in the holy Scriptures. For how can it be possible that one should teach another the thing that he himself is ignorant in? The father can not teach his son that which he himself knoweth not. The master cannot instruct his servant in the word which he never readeth. The husband (as Paul commandeth he should) can not teach his wife, himself being rude and ignorant. The Prince can not declare unto his subjects the will of the Lord, the which himself hath not learned out of his word: all these notwithstanding, being (as you have heard) charged from the Lord, with this duty, it doth hereof necessarily follow, that fathers, masters, husbands, yea the prince himself aught diligently to exercise themselves in the reading of the word of God, that they may every one severally teach it to them of their charge, that they out of it may learn to fear the Lord. The Lord his blessing the diligence of Cornelius in the virtuous education of his family, with profiting generally in his fear, ought to encourage us all to follow his most godly example, hoping that GOD in his great mercy will grant unto our Christian travail like success. For it can not be, that either the Prince of subjects, or the father of his children, or the husband of his wife, or the master of his servants, should hope for that subjection, that obedience, that reverence, that faithfulness, which they of right aught to have, and the other of duty are bound to perform, unless they labour to teach them the fear of the Lord. It may be also that a man faithfully labouring to bring up his family in the knowledge of GOD, shall have notwithstanding ungodly and disobedient children, wife, or servants: for Adam had Cain: Noah had Cham: Abraham had Ishmael: Isaac had Esau: jacob had of his own sons that would ●●ue first slain, but afterward altered ●heir purpose, and told joseph: Helie had ●ophm & Phinehas: Samuel his sons ●●ere unjust judges over the people: ●ob his wife bid her husband curse GOD and die: David his own son Ab●alon rebelled against him: and Iu●as for money betrayed his Master Christ: yet for all this, must not we ●et pass this duty of teaching our households, but besides instructing, ●se also correcting, 
Correction to be used as well as instruction.  where sins be committed, or else we shall be guilty of those sins, which we let pass in those under our government uncorrected, whether we be private persons, ●or Magistrates. For the holy Scriptures layeth upon Helie the ungodliness of his sons which was committed with his knowledge, and the children of Israel's worshipping of the Golden Calves, is imputed to those kings, which either commanded them, or suffered them, ●or else did not destroy them. Paul also to the Romans saith, that not only they which commit these sins are worthy of death, but those also which consent 〈◊〉 to them, and I fear me that as many of us before God shall be found to consent unto sins, as do not punish them, if it lie in us, in those that under our charge commit them. Wherefore as the Lord hath laid upon us every one for the most part two persons: 
God hath laid upon most men 〈◊〉 persons.  the one of our general calling to be Christians: and the other of that peculiar function that every one is appointed unto: so let us (beloved) for the Lord his sake be careful to discharge them both with a good conscience: let us not do the one and foreslow the other: let us not think it sufficient to have led the life of a godly christian, and to leave undone the performance of those duties which in respect of our several callings the Lord looketh for and requireth at our hands for example: let not the father think himself discharged that he himself hath lived a Godly man, unless he also have lived a godly father, that is, have brought up his children in the instruction and information of the Lord. The householder must not think his duty answered, if for his part he have walked in the ways of the Lord, unless ●e consider that besides a Christian man ●e is also an householder, and a christian householder aught to be, which also he ●hall be, if he labour earnestly that his family may serve and fear the Lord. The magistrate must not suppose himself to have done enough, if privately, concerning himself, he have lived religiously and in the fear of God, unless he have spared no pain nor diligence to bring his subjects to be godly and religious also. The like (I say) of all callings whatsoever, and in this respect am most humbly and reverently, in the fear of God to request you, right honourable my Lord Mayor of this worthy City of London, with the Worshipful Master Sheriffs and Aldermen, as the Lord (besides the general callings of Christians, the which I trust, 
A request to the L. Mayor and his brethren.  and also hartlye pray that you Godly walk in,) hath laid upon you the persons of public magistrates, that you will keep in your several wards a careful and diligent watch to meet with all such abuses as highly offend God, and are directly against her majesties laws, amongst the rest these: filthy Whoredom, and beastly Drunkenness, outrageous and unmeasurable Dicing and Carding, and horrible profanation of the LORD his day, in flocking and thronging to bawdy Plays by thousands, whereas they aught to be occupied in hearing the word of the Lord. For as for Whoredom, it is common: Drunkenness is no dainties in every Tavern: Dicing and Carding in most of your ordinary tabling places: resorting to Plays in the time of Sermons a thing too manifest. For the other, as I have them by report, so I wish them false: if they be true, I desire to have them punished with severity, & then shall you show yourselves religious & zealous Cornelians, in living not only godly yourselves, but also in seeking to bring others belonging to your charge, to be honest, virtuous, and godly likewise. Thus doing, the LORD will bless with many blessings both you and your City, which for Christ his sake I beseech him to do. The same suit I am to make unto all others in authority, and withal to tell them, that the higher their calling is, the higher shall their place be, and greater pains in Hell, if in this behalf they omit their duty. For the mighty men shall suffer mighty torments, and he that knoweth his masters will and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.  
But because I am thus far entered into this large and fruitful field of children's education; 
That it is the part of all Schoolmasters to teach their scholars out of the word of the Lord  & household government, of fathers and householders generally neglected, whilst where they should daily and continually teach their children and families out of the word of the Lord to fear him, many of them daily and nightly are occupied in Dicing, Carding and gaming, and yet must needs be counted Protestants: give me leave I beseech you a little to direct my speech unto those, whom in respect of their office it chief concerneth, to bring up youth, I mean schoolmasters, for among all the diseases that these our days and times are grievously sick withal, there is none wherewith they are either more generally or more dangerously infected, than with this that the most part of schoolmasters, like as fathers and householders, think it no part of their duty to meddle with instructing their scholars and pupils in the word of the Lord & principles of christian religion. Whereas without the fear of the Lord, there is no wisdom, neither is it possible for youth to go well forward in virtue and good manners, things as necessary as learning, which, without these, is but a ring of gold in a swine's snout, if they be not trained up in the knowledge of the word. For most true is that in deed golden saying of the Psalmist: Wherewithal shall a young man redress his way? in taking heed thereto according to thy word. Hearken, hearken all you that be Schoolmasters, there is no other means to have your youth to profit in virtue and godliness, but by taking heed to the word of the Lord. And what parent is he that setteth his son to school, but that he would have him as well godly as learned? as well a virtuous child, as a toward scholar? as well instructed unto salvation, as furthered in profane learning? For if there be any that have other ends in putting their children to school, these being contemned, your schools were better to be without them, than cumbered with them. From whence come the general complaints of the ungraciousness and unhappiness of scholars, but from this, that you never teach them their duties out of the book of the Lord. Some of you, think over much gentleness to be the way, and others continual and tyrannical scourging and whipping to be the way, whereas in deed you are both sorts far and wide out of the way. For the one with too much levity encourageth them to a lewd licentiousness and looseness of manners: the others thinking by cruel and butcherly beating to win reformation, engender in them such a mislike and loathing of learning, that they abhor with as deadly hatred the school house, as we do those things which are most loathsome and noisome unto us. I like well of gentleness, if it be such as by it manners be not corrupted & spilled, and on the other side I allow of reasonable correction, so as it be used as the last remedy, that is, when no other will serve. But the first, the best and the chiefest way, is to begin with teaching your youth the fear of the Lord: For that is, as Solomon saith, the beginning of Wisdom. But you fear peradventure that it should be to little profit to speak unto children of religion: I hear you, and think of that you say, as a cloak to hide your fault, and cover for your slothfulness, rather than a true cause to stay this duty. He that hath said, suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for unto such belongeth the kingdom of heaven, will no doubt, bless your labours taken in hand in his fear. Begin therefore at length and try: you shall I warrant you, to your comfort, see your youth profit in virtue and godliness. I would have you, that setting aside all care of religion in your scholars, to make it your only profession to read them profane Authors, show me the example but of one person, whom, either Tully his Offices, or Aristotle his Ethics, or Plato his Precepts of manners, ever yet made a god●y and a virtuous man. I am not against ●he teaching of profane writers: I ●nowe they have their use. But I vtter●ye misslike your preposterous, backward, and everthwarte care in labouring, chiefly about these, ommitting that which should be foremost, namely instruction out of the word. Take heed ●hat in respect ye worthily run not in●o the reprehension that our saviour Christ useth towards the Scribes and pharisees for touching Mint, and Annis, ●nd cumin, and leaving the weighty ●atters of the law, as judgement, mer●e, and fidelity: that is, for taking much ●aines about trifles, and dealing slenderly and slightly in matters of great importance. Let the name of God, and of his Christ be heard often in your schools: let it be familiar unto your scholars by continual beating it into their heads. What though it enter in but softly, the water by often dropping pierceth into the hard stone: by much heating the strong iron is made soft: by often putting into the fire the toughest steel is made pliant. And yet in this comparison the case is far otherwise, for we are but the planters and waterers, God is he only that giveth the increase. Wherefore this duty of instructing being especially commanded, being laboured in with reverence of his holy name and majesty, he will undoubtedly bless and further it. Now is the time that you may do good, forslewe it not. Whilst your scholars be young you may frame them as you william. The soft wax will receive any print, whereas the hard will take none: young sciences, will be bowed, which way you will have them, whereas the growe● trees will rather break than bend Look what liquor a vessel is seasone● withal, when it is new, it will kep● a smack thereof when it is old. And, teach a child while he is young what ways he shall walk, and he will not forget it when he cometh unto years. 
Popish Schoolmasters.  This thing do the Papists of our time full well understand. And therefore have their picked schoolmasters privately to nousel up their children in their houses in the Pope's religion, that they may taste and smell thereof when their parents be dead and rotten. And great pity it is, that the queens enemies should be permitted such liberty. For by this means are many toward gentlemen otherwise, utterly marred & spoiled. How (I pray) you falleth it out, the you have at this day in this land, many young gentlemen not above 24. years old at the most, that are more obstinate and stubborn Papists than their fathers: they will ●ome at no Church, at no Sermons, whē●s their parents will do both. And if at a●y time there be process out for them ●rom her majesties high Commissioners, ●hey find one means or other to have ●ackling of it, and then forsooth they must in post over into France to learn the language, whereas in deed their voyage is not so much to learn the French tongue, as to withdraw themselves from punishment of law, and there at liberty to hear (when they please) a Latin Mass. And for my part I wish that all the Papists in England (without they repent) together with all the rest of her majesties enemies, were in France or some other place of banishment, without hope ever to return again, and so should our country be in more quiet and safety. But of this that I have said it evidently appeareth, that whereas in respect of their years, being not past .24. they were at the beginning of the princes reign capable of no religion, and now be stiff necked Papists, it can not be chosen, but they must have it by the education of Popish schoolmasters, or Popish parents or both together. And no marvel. For we have in many gentlemen's houses, and also in the houses of others in the country of higher calling, the swéeping of the Universities, I mean, such rotte● Papists, as by the broom of godly discipline, as unprofitable dust, have been swéeped out thence, are entertained in the Country in private houses to teach their children. And there they be as safe, as the Fox in his borrow. For who dare be so bold as once to inquire wherein they instruct their scholars? beside this, there are huddled together old popish persecuting Mass Priests, in some houses four, in some three, in some two, in some one, and they (forsooth) under pretence of serving in several offices, as some stewards, some Caters, and so forth, pervert whole famylies. For can it possibly be otherwise, that themselves Papists, and under Papists having the government of youth, as men chosen for the purpose, should teach any other than Papistry. I would to God we could learn by the example of the Turk, to use one policy in a good cause which, he practiseth in a bad. The manner of the Turk is, to take from such Christians as are under his tyranny their children, so soon as they come to years of discréetion, and to put them where they may be taught his Mahumetish religion, that afterwards they may the more faithfully serve him. So (I say) do I wish, that the children of our Papists, so soon as they be capable of learning, might be taken from them (they notwithstanding paying for their education) and be committed unto the government of godly teachers, that would learn them the fear of the Lord: or if their education be permitted to be in the houses of their parents, that order may be taken, that none have the teaching of them, but such as be well known to be zealous in religion: for these Papists how soever they outwardly pretend love, they do indeed kill: how soever they would seem to cherish, they do in deed corrupt and spill. They resemble very fitly the herb Colocynthis, which a man might judge by the outward appearance of it in clasping with his strings of his root, other herbs that grow next unto him, that he would sucker them: but indeed, as many as he toucheth, they never prospero. So for all the world fareth it with those which come within the embracings of Popish Schoolmasters, though they make a fair show of doing them good, yet do they indeed infect them, that they will be the worse for it as long as they live. Wherefore I earnestly pray the honourable and worshipful of her majesties high commission, 
A request to the high commissioners, for the fiftin of Popish Schoolmasters.  to 'cause private Popish teachers, to be sought after and sifted as well to stay the present mischief, as also to meet with before hand, the hurt that may by suffering them grow hereafter. And to end this matter (in which, albeit I have in long, I hope the necessity and profit of it, shall easily with the godly procure my pardon) I likewise heartily desire all teachers of youth, not to suffer themselves to be found less diligent in a good cause, than the Papists in a bad: not to be less careful to instruct their children in the fear of the Lord, than the Papists are to train up theirs in Popery: not to be less mindful to teach their scholars the true religion, than the Papists to learn theirs the false. As for the rest of you (beloved that are here present) if any of you with Cornenlius have laboured all his family to fear the Lord, you have like obedient children been careful to perform that duty which GOD hath laid upon you, and so in the lords name I exhort you to go forward: and those of you that hitherto for want of knowledge, have omitted this duty of instructing your families with Cornelius in the fear of the Lord, now that it hath been evidently proved unto you, to be your charge, no person of what calling soever to be excepted: add not I beseech you to your knowledge contempt, but diligent and speedy practice, and putting it in ure. For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. Take encouragement by the example of Cornelius, go about it in the fear of GOD, and earnest calling on his name, so shall you have to your great rejoicing, every man in his own house a godly Church, and with less disquieting of yourselves with chiding and fight, you shall have those under your several charges, in singleness of conscience to perform such duties towards you, as in the fear of God to you they do own, the which for his sons sake I beseech him to grant.  
In the fifth branch of this first general, 
The fifth branch of the first pa●  containing a description of Cornelius and his qualities, I have to speak of his Alms deeds and Prayer, and first of his Alms, because that is first mentioned in my Text. As before we have seen by Cornelius religiousness, fear of God, and virtuous instructing his family, his faith towards God, so now by his alms appeareth, that he bore a godly and pitiful affection towards men in relieving every man as his necessity seemed most to require. For where it is said, that he gave to all the people, this All is to be restrained to, all the poor among the people: for it had been no alms to have given to the rich, who had enough already.  
john the baptist taught the soldiers, that asked of him their duty, Th●t they should strike nor accuse no man wrongfully, but be content with their own wages. Cornelius hath played the good scholar, he hath not only perfectly learned that lesson, but hath also taken forth an other, learning besides being contented with his own stipend, out of the same, in love and of a fellow feeling of the miseries of his poor brethren, to contribute unto their necessities, for it cannot be chosen, but in whom soever there is true Religion, and the fear of God, in the same also there must needs be love, & a brotherly compassion, not only to pity, but also to help the wants of those that stand in need, so far forth, as by the portion of good, the which the Lord hath blessed us withal, he hath enabled us. And that out of this love this ●elow feeling, this compassion, this pity, did issue in Cornelius his charitable relieving of the poor, the very word itself, which Luke doth here use for alms, doth plainly show. For it properly signifieth Mercy, which is an inward affection and touching of the heart, rising of the view of an other man's misery, and is here put figuratively, for all outward duties of Charity, whereby we do good unto such as are in poverty & necessity. Wherefore in as much as Cornelius is here said, to have bestowed much alms amongst all the people, it is evident, that there was in him a right Christian heart, and bowels of mercy, which did yearn, and as it were melt at the calamities of his brethren, which did consider the band of unity, which aught to be between members of all one head Christ jesus: who in this respect did feed, foster, and cherish, provide and care for them, as being of his own flesh, and had regard to help them, as the very members of his own body. There is therefore no question, but that Cornelius liberality and bounteousness, springing out of this fountain of brotherly compassion, was no feigned counterfeit, nor forged, but true, right, and perfect beneficence, alms and liberality.  

●t is not ynogh to have ●e bore and ●aked name 〈◊〉 Faith, but his faith ●uste also be ●uitefull in ●ood works.  We learn first out of this great alms of Cornelius, that it is not sufficient to have the name of Faith, to be religious, to fear God, unless also this faith do fructify and bring forth good fruits, according to that which james writeth: What availeth it, my brethren, though a man (saith he) hath faith, when he hath no works? can the faith save him? And again: But wilt thou understand, O thou vain man, that the faith which is without works is dead? And mark withal, I beseech you, the manner of his speech (for it maketh being rightly understood, very much against the Popish justiciaries of our time, which teach out of him that man is justified by his works, which words in deed he useth) he doth, not say, What if a man have faith, but what if a man say he have faith, by which appeareth, that he speaketh of hypocrites and vain boasters of faith. For the true and lively faith can be no more without works, than the fire without heat, than water without moisture, the Sun without brightness, the good tree without his good fruit. 
The place o● james expounded briefly.  And where he sayeth that Abraham with Rahab, were justified by their works, he meaneth that their outward works before men, were testimonies of their inward faith before God: and not that their works were the causes of their salvation, for so should he be against all the Scriptures, which teach, that Faith only doth justify, and so likewise we should make the holy Ghost contrary to himself, which were very wicked, so much as to think, much more to speak. We therefore teach out of this example of Cornelius, good deeds and such other like virtuous actions of godly men, together with the authority of the holy Scripture, that it is the part of a Christian, to do good works, yea, that whosoever he be that doth no good works, he is indeed no more a true Christian, than a dead carcase, a living man. 
The Papists to us wrong, 〈◊〉 giving me, that we are enemies unto good works.  Wherefore the Papists do us great injury, in filling the ears of the simple and ignorant people, that our doctrine is a doctrine of liberty, that we teach men to live loosely and lewdly, that we are enemies unto good works, whereas in very deed, we do the flat contrary. We will men to beware, that they use not the liberty of the Gospel for a cloak of maliciousness: we teach them to serve the Lord in fear, in holiness, and righteousness all the days of their life: We will men to let their light so shine before men, that they seeing their good works, may glorify our heavenly father, which is in heaven. 
The difference between the ●a●istes and us, in the doctrine of good works.  But herein lieth the difference between them and us: we teach, that Works come after Faith, they, that they go before Faith: we, that they follow him that is already justified: they, that they go before him that is to be justified: we, that they are the fruits of faith, they, that they be the tree out of which Faith buddeth: we, that faith is the cause of works, they, that works are the cause of Faith. And with as much truth may they teach, that light is cause of the Sun: that heat, is the cause of fire: that moisture is the cause of water. To be short, we teach, that the word of the Lord only is the measure by which our works are to be moten: they, that the will of man, and good intent. But howsoever they teach, or whatsoever they say, thus sayeth the Scripture, and thus teacheth the word of God: without Faith, it is impossible to please God. Whereof I conclude, that as after the example of Cornelius, a Christian must do good works, so must he have Faith before: or else how glorious soever they seem in the sight of man, before the Lord they stink, and are abominable. And therefore is it also in this place very well said of Cornelius, first, that he was a religious man, and one that feared GOD: and secondly, that he gave much alms to all the people.  
Thus you see, that in him went first faith, religion, and the fear of God, and then, that these were not idle, his good works and deeds do declare. And thus let Papists say what they list, we teach, that in Christians it ought to be, and with their own eyes in a great many they may see it for to be, and God grant, that in all those, that do profess his name and religion, it may be: I mean, that all such as do in word confess Christ jesus to be the Lord, may in deed with Cornelius so godly walk, that by their living before the world, they may be taken for Christians.  

〈◊〉 rule to ●nowe whether that which we give ●e alms or ●o.  secondly, we have here a rule given us, how to examine and try that which we give to the poor, whether it he alms or no. For to have that which is given, so to be, doth not consist in the greatness of that which is bestowed, but in the mind and disposition of the giver: for who commonly are so liberal, or rather in very deed prodigal and lavish, as are hypocrites that in giving, greedily hawk and hunt after the praise & commendation of men, and therefore as Christ sayeth, blow a Trumpet before their alms, but they have their reward: neither shall the great sums that they distribute and bestow, ever come into this reckoning before the Lord, that he will accept and take it for alms, that is, for such a work as doth please him, because it is not done in such sort as he commandeth. That therefore which we give, shall then go before the Lord for alms, if it be (as the holy ghost here speaketh of Cornelius his liberality) mercy, that is to say, if it proceed of love, and of a brotherly pitying the misery of him which is in need, as reckoning him to be one of our own flesh, and so in regard of this near band and conjunction, which God hath made between us, we do (as it were) out of the vowels of mercy and compassion liberally power out upon him, as one of our own members for the relief of his necessity, according to the measure which God hath blessed us withal. For as Paul speaketh: 
1. Cor. 13.3.  Though I feed the poor with all my goods, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. And the Lord by his Prophet Isay, 
●al. 58.7.  commandeth us, that we hide not our face from our own flesh. So you see, that if our giving, issue out of any other heads than out of love, and a fellow feeling of the wants of our needy brethren, in that they be our very own flesh, it is as nothing before God. 
●hat the ●●er givings the Pa●stes is no ●●lmes.  Whereof I conclude, that all the large givings of the Papists, of which at this day many make so great brags, because they be not done in a reverent regard of the commandment of the Lord, in Love, and of an inward being touched with the calamities of the needy, but for to be well reported of before men, whilst they are alive, and to be prayed for after they are dead, and by the means of them, to be delivered from the pains of Purgatory, & so to win Heaven, are indeed no alms, but Pharisaical trumpets, to win a brittle blast of glory, at the hands of men. They have therefore (as Christ sayeth) their reward, that is to say, the thing they sought for, to wit, the praise and commendation of men, as for reward at God's hands, they neither have, nor ever shall have, unless in doing their alms they set before them a reverent regard of the Lords commandment, and in love and mercy frame themselves to help their needy brother. Wherefore (dear Christians) I direct my speech unto you, 
An exhortation to the ric● to be liberal to the poor.  whom GOD in great mercy hath blessed with plentiful increase of the riches of this world, whereas he could have made you inferior to the meanest. Let Cornelius his example, who gave much alms to all the people, move you to be liberal to help the poor: as he by giving frankly to the people of the jews, being none of his nation, did thereby testify his consent to their religion, so by your giving unto the godly brethren, and to poor Scholars that stand in need, give out testimony, that you all hope for one salvation in Christ, for whose sake you show this mercy, in relieving his and your members. Give not as Hypocrites and Papists, for praise, or for to merit thereby Heaven: But let that which you do, be done in love, and in mercy, and so will it be a sweet smelling sacrifice in the sight of the almighty. And truly it cannot be chosen, but if you put upon you love with the tender bowels of pity and compassion, you will be rich in good works, and plentiful in giving unto the poor: For where there is no giving, there is no love, and little giving showeth little pity, whereas great love, much mercy, in such as GOD hath enriched with ability bringeth forth great giving and much alms. Deceive not therefore yourselves with a vain persuasion of Love, when ye will depart with nothing. For love always bursteth forth into helying the thing that it loveth, insomuch, that a man will not suffer his very dog to lack, if he love him, much less his Christian and godly brother: neither doth it look what this man or that man bestoweth, or asketh what shall I give, or how much, when shall I give, or how often shall I give? But by the pitiful view of the lamentable distress of such as are in misery, easily and readily findeth answer against all these worldly motions.  
Cornelius gave much alms to all the people: We that are far beyond him in wealth and substance, think we have done very well, and enough, if we have given a little unto a few: Cornelius gave plentifully whilst he was alive, and we give sparingly, for fear we shall lack ere we die. And this is a great fault amongst the wealthy of this world, 
Against deferring to d● good.  that they defer their alms and other good deeds of charity, till after they be dead, omitting the present opportunity to do good, the which GOD hath not only commended, but commanded and not only regardeth, but also in mercy richly rewardeth. What fondness is there in those that would be counted wise, to imagine that their executors after they be dead, will be more faithful in disposing their liberality, than they themselves would be being alive? What excuse soever we pretend for this deferring to do good, it springeth only of distrust in God's providence: the Lord root it out of us, for in some it worketh most horrible and wicked effects, insomuch, that they do not only not give largely, after the example of this our Cornelius, but bestow nothing at all: nay that which is worse, Covetousness (the root of all evil) springing of this distrust in Gods fatherly provision for them, hath br●d in them such a burning desire of having still more, that like unto the dropsy man, the more he drinketh, the more he thirsteth: the more they have, the more they desire, and therefore, least they should lack, they do not only not relieve their poor brethren, but also take from them such living, as for their relief hath by others been given unto them, cruelly and barbarously devouring the goods of the poor, and eating up, as it were, their own flesh. The Lord be merciful unto us. This only, to end this point, I am to say, if Cornelius having but a sparkle of faith, but a little knowledge in the Christian religion, amongst so many stumbling blocks, lets and dangers, have set up unto us so clear and bright a glass of godly alms and Christian charity, truly we that rejoice so much of our knowledge in Christ, and persuade ourselves of a marvelous light of faith, aught worthily to blush and be ashamed to come so far behind him in brotherly pitying, & lovingly relieving the poor estate of our own needy members, and to be so soon cold in the exercise of charity. The Lord work in us bowels of compassion, that with Cornelius, every one according to the portion that God hath bestowed upon us, may indeed feel and be touched inwardly, with the miseries of the needy, and in consideration of the same, give much alms to all the people: for there will a day come, when it shall be said unto us: Give accounts of thy Stewardship, for thou shalt be no longer Steward  
Now followeth Cornelius his daily and often praying unto God. 
The continual exercise of praying in Cornelius.  For it is here said, that he prayed God continually. As before where the holy Ghost speaketh of Cornelius his alms, he figuratively useth that word, being but one part, for all the kinds of charity: so here he setteth down his daily use of praying for the whole worship of God, as a certain and undisceavable note of his unfeigned godliness. For where there is the true fear of God, which hath been already showed to have remained in Cornelius, there must needs be also a fervent desire by earnest prayer to humble our selves before the majesty of God, to be by his holy spirit directed in the true knowledge of him, & his Christ, that thereby we may be taught to walk in such ways as are acceptable before him. This desire may appear to have been in Cornelius, by the words which hereafter the Angel useth unto him, where he willeth him to send for Peter, who should teach him, what he should do. For being in the number of those which had received the true knowledge of GOD, he prayeth that he may be admitted unto a further and a more clearer light of understanding, concerning his hope of salvation in the redeemer Christ jesus, yet not fully revealed unto him. His prayer being reported not to be of course or of custom, or seldom, but daily and often, is a sign unto us, that his religion was not builded upon feigned and counterfeit trifles, or consisted in outward rites and ceremonies, but that as god is a spirit (as john witnesseth) so Cornelius like a true worshipper, did pray unto him and worship him in spirit and truth, and did not slightly (after the manner of the common sort) use coldly and faintly this exercise of praying in number & measure, but was earnestly, and even from the heart, bend often to call upon God, like as his manifold benefits, and unspeakable mercies daily towards him, did continually provoke and call him thereunto.  
This example of Cornelius his daily praying unto God, 
The example of Cornelius aught to move us to diligence in prayer.  commendeth unto us the continual & often use of prayer, in which he was not so diligent and fervent as we for the most part are cold, negligent, too too slack & slothful, whereas we have to move us thereunto both the example of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, who not only himself prayed often, but also commanded us to pray often, and hath appointed us a form of prayer, which we commonly call the lords prayer, and hath beside promised to hear our prayer made in faith: we have not (I say) only his example, but the example of all his Apostles, with diverse others the godly patriarchs, fathers, and Prophets of the old testament. There be also causes both in respect of ourselves and also of our brethren, that ought worthily to move us to call upon God for his assistance against our many enemies, as the Devil, the world, and the corrupt lusts and wicked affections of our own flesh: this being one of the principal weapons of that spiritual armour which Paul teacheth a christian soldier to be furnished withal, against the great and strong assaults of those mighty enemies. For besides the girdle of verity, the breaste-plate of righteousness, the shoes of the preparation of the Gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, he addeth: And pray always with all manner prayer and supplication in the spirit. Again, if we would consider what Abraham, what Isaac, what jacob, what Aaron, Moses, josua, David, Solomon, josias, Ezechias, Elias, Daniel, the Publican, the thief on the cross, the Apostles, the Church praying for Peter in prison, with innumerable others, have obtained at the hands of GOD by prayer, the mighty and wonderful effects that have followed of their prayer, must needs provoke and stir us up, to the often and unfeigned exercise of this most Godly duty, and 'cause us, with Cornelius daily to pray unto God. But we, all these notwithstanding, either pray never, or else very seldom, and even then for the most part, of custom, think the reading and mumbling up other godly men's prayers, how far soever our hearts be from that which we speak, to be a good prayer before God, and that for this duty performed thus, of fashion rather than of hearty and earnest zeal, we have God even bound unto us, so that all the day after we are dispensed withal to do what we list, much like unto the Papists, who if they have once heard Mass, they have even for the work done (as they term it,) deserved free remission for all those offences which all the day after they should commit. Well, all that I can say in this great slackness, and disorder in prayer, is, to wish you all humbly to pray unto GOD to root out of us this great negligence, and to grant us with Cornelius, continually and daily, not with the lips, but with the heart, earnestly to call upon him, which if we truly love him, we will assuredly do, and by no means be letted therefrom. For as he that truly loveth, delighteth in nothing more than in the often talking and conference with him whom he loveth: 
Where there ●s true love ●here is often praying.  even so where there is true and unfeigned love unto God, there is a burning desire by often prayer to talk with GOD, so as no peril nor danger, not not of ●osse of life, can stay or hinder it, as may appear by Daniel, whom the fear of the ●ions den could not at the commandment of the King Darius keep from ●raying unto his GOD but the space ●f thirty days, which unto such as ●aue to GOD but a little love, will ●éeme but a little thing. But true love ●yll rather adventure any peril, than ●or to be but for a very short time debarred from this liberty. Yea, and as ●he more wood is laid on the fire, the greater is the flame, so is likewise this continual talking with GOD by ●rayer, a great increasing of our love ●owardes him, as on the contrary, ●he seldomer we common with him by ●rayer, the more doth our love toward ●im from time to time abate and slake, ●ntill in the end it be clean quenched. Let us therefore (good brethren) often repair unto the Lord by daily and vn●ained calling upon his name, by which our love may more and more ●ncrease towards him, and we also have good and perfect experience how rich the Lord is (as Paul speaketh) to all those that in faith truly call upon him, whereof we can never have better trial, than when by often praying unto him, according as the necessities either of ourselves or others do require, we find by his liberal granting our manifold requests, that he is in deed rich in mercy, that hath in store to suffice all creatures of the whole world that do pray in faith without wavering, as james teacheth us to do.  

To whom we o●ght to pray.  The second note that I draw out of the praying of Cornelius, is, to whom, when we pray, we ought to make our prayer. For having here a large scope, & very plentiful matter, if I would enter into this common place of prayer, into the which my text violently seemeth, as it were to draw me, wherein I might to your profit handle, what causes aught to move us to pray: what prayer is: to whom we ought to make our prayer: when we aught to pray: where we aught to pray: how he ought to be affected & disposed that must pray: of what force the prayer of a godly man is with God: how many sorts of prayers there are: and after what manner we ought to pray, with such like: letting pass the rest, as being at the full handled in the common places of learned and godly men, I will only deal in this matter of prayer, with such circumstances as my text shall plainly lead me unto, of the which having taught before, that concerning time to pray, we must with Cornelius pray continually (not that we should do no manner of thing else but pray, as the Heretics being of holding this opinion called Enchites or Prayars, do falsely teach: but so often, as our necessities calling us there unto, conveniently we may) I will now briefly show to whom we aught to pray, because it is here said that Cornelius prayed God continually. 
That we aught to pray to none but only unto God.  If therefore in a word you will know who he is to whom we should pray, it is GOD. And saying, (God) I shut out all others both men and Angels, and also women from this high honour, which being the greatest that we can give unto God, he will impart with no other, according as it is written: 
●eut. 6.13.  Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Wherefore calling upon the name of the lord being one of his chiefest services, it belongeth unto him alone, & cannot without horrible robbery be given to any other. And good reason it is, that he only should be prayed unto for help & salvation, who alone is able to help, who alone knoweth how to help, who alone is willing to help, unto whom alone & unto no other our prayers can be made, that they may be heard: who alone can not only by our suit conceive our grief▪ but also according to his infinite wisdom and unsearchable understanding, knoweth a great deal better what we lack, than we for our ignorance are able to express. According hereunto speaketh the Lord by his Prophet: I, even I, am the Lord, and beside me there is no saviour. And again: I said not in vain unto the seed of jacob: 
Esay. 43.11.  Seek you me: I the Lord do speak righteousness, & declare righteous things. They have no knowledge, that set up the wood of their Idol; & pray unto a god that can not save them. There is no other God beside me, a just God, & a saviour: there is none beside me. Whereupon he inferreth: Look unto me, and ye shall be saved: all the ends of the earth shall be saved: for I am God, and there is no other What can be said either more plainly to withdraw us from praying unto any other, sith god witnesseth that no other can help, or more comfortably to allure us to call only upon the Lord, for as much as himself hath promised that seeking to him we shall be saved. If this promise can not serve, we have also commandments, 
Psalm. 50.15.  as in the Psal. Cal upon me in the day of trouble: so will I deliver thee, & thou shalt glorify me. And come unto me (saith Christ our saviour) all ye that are weary & laden, & I will ease you. Concerning Saints & Angels, we read that when this our Cornelius fell down before Peter & gave him but only outward reverence, Peter would none of it, 
Act. 14.15.  but bade him stand up, saying: for even I myself am a man. And Paul & Barnabas refuse to be sacrificed unto at Lystra, willing the people only to worship god. 
●ca. 19.10.  The Angel, also in the revelation, when john fell at his feet to worship him, saith, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and one of thy brethren, which have the testimony of jesus. Worship God. And the Angel in the book of judges sayeth unto Manoah the father of Samson: Though thou make me abide, I will not eat of thy bread, and if thou wilt make a burnt offering, offer it unto the Lord. In the history of the Evangelists you shall find, that Christ most readily and lovingly granted the requests of all those which humbly in faith sought unto him, whereas to his mother requesting him at the marriage to help them, when their wine failed, he answereth, woman what have I to do with thee, mine hour is not yet come. And to his Apostles saying of the woman of Canaan: Lord dispatch her, for she crieth after us, he saith, he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And this no doubt to embolden and encourage us to make our prayers unto God by Christ and not by saints, yea the scripture plainly teacheth, 
The dead● Saints 〈◊〉 us not.  that the dead Saints have no knowledge of us. For it is written in Isaiah. Doubtless thou art our father: though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel know us not, yet thou o Lord, art our father, & our redeemer: thy name is for ever If then, amongst wise men it be counted folly to pray unto one that is absent which can not hear our prayer: nay if it be Idolatry to suppose that the souls of dead men either are in all places at once, or being but in one place are able to understand the minds of all men, in all places (for it is the peculiar property of God to know the hearts, and therefore are they Idolaters that give this to any other) if it be a great and notorious injury unto Christ to think any Saint or Angel to be in power or love equal unto him, much more superior: if god only (as it hath been by the scripture plainly proved, be able, willing, knowing how to help, hearing our prayers in faith made for help, and better understanding how to help, than we are able to express, if he have promised to help, if he have commanded to sue unto him for help: & finally if the Saints and Angels have refused outward worship, and therefore would much more refuse invocation, being a high service of God, and carrying also with it a part of belief (for how shall they call on him, on whom they have not believed?) if the dead Saints are ignorance of us and know us not let us then (beloved) with Cornelius pray continually, & only unto God, the knoweth us, who is not ignorant of us, & he no doubt for his Christ's sake, in all things will hear us that we shall ask in his name: so far as they make for the furtherance of his glory, & benefit of us the ask for them at his hands. For if when through sin, wickedness & transgression, we were enemies unto God, & strangers from righteousness, which is by Christ, it pleased God in great mercy, to send his son to work the atonement between him & us. being now by Christ made friends with God, it can not be chosen, but that he will grant us whatsoever we shall ask in his name according to his word.  
Thus have you seen in Cornelius a godly Gentile, a religious soldier, a devout governor, a Christian captain, one that none of the engines & traps of Satan could so entangle & bewrap, that they could stay, or withhold him from the exercises of godliness, albeit they were, to catch withal, baited on the one side with the vain pleasures & delights of this world, with promotion, with honour, with love, favour, & liking: on the other side, with persecution; with mocks & scorns of the wicked, with hatred, disdain, envy, displeasure of other superiors & the Emperor, & as depending thereon with fear of loss of office, life, & living, with which notwithstanding he is not moved, but goeth on boldly in the course of Christian religion, in which he had begun. Such a one in respect of godliness, religion, & the fear of the Lord aught every one of us, of what degree or calling soever, for to be. But (alas) dear brethren, which way might a man take to go to find the house of Cornelius, wherein not only the master of the house with his wife is godly, but hath by his Christian travail and paintaking in instructing but of the word, all his household fearing God. I beseech you take a little pains with me, to search amongst all sorts and kinds of men, for Cornelius, and then will it easily appear how rare a thing it is to find him. And first in the way of good speed let us begin with men of his own profession, and of the same trade of life with him, I mean Captains, and let us by conference of their manners & qualities, with his, make a trial, how near of kin the Captains of our time are with Cornelius, the Captain of that time. 
How far the Captains of ●ur times for the most part are from the virtues of Cornelius.  Captain Cornelius, his first commendation is, for his godliness, religion and fear of God: our Captains think these things to be nothing pertaining unto them, but post them over to the ministers, pastors, and preachers. Captain Cornelius feared God withal his household: our Captains themselves & their soldiers make chiefest accounts of such as setting aside all fear of God and man, have desperate minds to adventure any hazard, and such forsooth have a Captains' heart, and the courage of a soldier.  
captain Cornelius gave much alms to all the needy of the people: our Captains live by the spoil and robbery of others, chiefly, if they once get to sea. There God seeth them not, all is fish that cometh to net, and that ship which they find laden with richest booty and most precious merchandise, is always the ship of our enemy, and therefore we must needs have the spoil of him, albeit he be never so godly, and many times our own Countryman. Captain Cornelius was daily and continually occupied in prayer unto God: our Captains like the parish the worse the Church standeth in. Captain Cornelius used weapon at the commandment, and in the obedience of his lawful Magistrate, for to withstand the invasion of enemies, to keep under, as well the jews, as others, that were likely to rebel, & to maintain the public peace: our Captains run from place to place, and from realm to realm, hired for money, not caring to intermeddle themselves in wars nothing appertaining unto them, and there will they serve where they may have most wages, be it under the banner, ensign, or standard of the Pope, the Turk, or the Devil to, if he were upon earth to entertain soldiers. And so odious unto them is the name of Peace, that they in manner abhor & curse it, wishing and praying for war, war, that with the blood and spoil of others, they may enrich themselves. The qualities which were in Cornelius, besides his knowledge in feats of war, were godliness, religion, fear of God, Christian training up of his family, alms deeds, and prayer, and such should likewise be in the Captains of our time in all places. But how are men commonly judged of in respect of méetenesse to be Captains, if he can set his countenance sternly, look biggly, go proudly, walk stately, and swear roundly, nay terribly, in such fearful sort, that he would make the Devil, if he were incarnate, to quake and tremble at the hearing of it, such a one is a valiant and a lusty, and stout captain. I condemn not in Captains countenance, parsonage, making, manhood, I reverence them well used, as the good gifts of God: neither do I disallow the calling of a captain which I confess to be needful and necessary, and wherein a man may serve GOD as this our Cornelius: I only reprove the disorders of bad Captains, and wish and pray, that as there be (no doubt) some godly and virtuous Captains, so that all may be Cornelians: for it shall be no shame at all for them, to set him before them for their pattern, nay shame and confusion will it be to them all, if having with Cornelius the same profession of life, they have not also with him the like agreement in manners, which God for Christ's sake grant unto them.  
Now if we shall seek for Cornelius among the common people, we shall likewise prove it a hard thing there to find him, 
●arde to found Cornelius a●ong the common people.  for they are so far from his virtue, religion and godliness, that they run greedily every man after his own ways, leaving and omitting the ways of the Lord. And as for instructing their families after the example of Cornelius to fear God, they are so far from ability to perform this duty, that themselves had first need to learn: for of God & his word they know in a manner nothing, & think it to be the only office of the Minister, to look to teaching, yea the which worse is, they seldom reforte to the place of preaching, where they might learn their duty, unless it be on the Lord's day, on which, if in the forenoon they have heard the word of God, in the afternoon they think, that without all controlment, they may run after all kinds of vanity. 
● notable practice of the devil to pull from hearing ●f the word ●n the Lords ●aye.  Here also on the other side, it is wondered to consider, the craft and subtlety of our common adversary the Devil, who, like the cunning Cook that for his gain prepareth sundry sweet and pleasant dishes to procure appetite, when as the stomach, (as it were) gorged already, inventeth many kind of vain exercises for that day, to pull them from hearing of the word, lest by it they might be won from his kingdom, to the service of the Lord, & so be brought into a hatred of such kind of lewdness. And like as heretofore in this land he used persecution to keep us in Idolatry, so now when as the Lord in mercy hath sent us the Gospel with peace & quiet, he useth pleasure & prosperity to draw men unto vanity. How this way he prevaileth both in Country & City our present times afford too plentiful examples, and the time to come in an other world will yield unto the frequenters of such lewdness plentiful punishment. There be not many places where the word is preached besides the Lord's day (I would to God there were) yet even that day the better part of it is horribly profaned by devilish inventions, as with Lords of Misserule, Morice dancers, May-games, insomuch that in some places, they shame not in the time of divine service, to come & dance about the Church, and without to have men naked dancing in nets, which is most filthy: for the heathen that never had further knowledge, than the light of nature, have counted it shameful for a Player to come on the stage without a slop, and therefore amongst Christians I hope such beastly brutishness shall not be let escape unpunished, for which end I recite it, and can tell, if I be called, where it was committed within these few weeks. What should I speak of beastly Plays, against which out of this place every man crieth out? have we not houses of purpose built with great charges for the maintenance of them, and that without the liberties, as who would say, there, let them say what they will say, we will play. I know not how I might with the godly learned especially more discommend the gorgeous Playing place erected in the fields, than to term it, as they please to have it called, a Theatre, that is, even after the manner of the old heathenish Theatre at Rome, a show place of all beastly & filthy matters, to the which it can not be choose that men should resort without learning thence much corruption. For if he that beheld but the filthy picture of jupiter in a shower of golden rain descending unto Dianae, could thereby encourage himself unto filthiness: shall we think that flocks of as wild youths of both sexes, resorting to Interludes, where both by lively gesture, and voices, there are allurements unto whoredom, they can come away pure, and not inflamed with concupiscence? I will not here enter this disputation, whether it be utterly unlawful to have any plays, but will only join in this issue, 
Against Plays and Interludes on the Lords dafe.  whether in a Christian common wealth they be tolerable on the Lord's day, when the people should be exercised in hearing of the word, which thing as it hath been oftentimes reproved by learned & godly men out of this place, so for the discharge of mine own conscience, I am to speak some thing, which in few words is this. If playing in the Theatre or any other place in London, as there are by six that I know, to many be any of the lords ways (which I suppose there is none so void of knowledge in the world will grant) than not only it may, but aught to be used, but if it be any of the ways of man, it is no work for the lord's Sabaoth, & therefore in no respect tolerable on that day. For thus speaketh the Lord by his Prophet Isaias: If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabaoth, from doing thy will on mine holy day, and call the Sabaoth a delight to consecrated it, as glorious unto the Lord, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor seeking thine own will, nor speaking a vain word, then shalt thou delight in the Lord, and I will 'cause thee to mount upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of jacob thy father: For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. As in these words is set down a blessing to such, as leaving their own ways, and the doing of their own wills on the lords day, set their delight to do the will of God on his holy day (which I think is not to go to a wanton Play) and do consecrated it as glorious unto the Lord, so the seeking that day to please our own fantasies, and to run after that which our flesh greedily delighteth, hath following after it the contrary curse, that I speak not how little policy it is to suffer so much money to be so ill spent, which might be employed to better uses. For reckoning with the least, the gain that is reaped of eight ordinary places in the City which I know, by playing but once a week (whereas many times they play twice. and sometimes thrice) it amounteth to .2000. pounds by the year, the suffering of which waste must one day be answered before God, by such as suffer it, and the unprofitable expense by such as give it, together with the loss of time, which Paul willeth us to redeem, for that the days are evil: & who is he that is so evil, as to affirm two hours spent, in hearing a bawdy play, which should be spent in hearing a Sermon, to be the redeeming of time, which Paul meaneth. I fear me (beloved) I fear me, if we shall, notwithstanding the often crying out of the preachers against such vanities, still with greediness run to such lewd exercise, 
P. Sempronius Sophus.  that the Heathen shall stand up at the day of judgement, to condemn us, of the which, some saw so great inconvenience in Plays, that they have divorced their wives, for seeing them without their knowledge, the which, as it was too rigorous, so is our want of punishment too careless and lose, the LORD grant that we may in this case have at the length some remedy. For, albeit Demetrius the silver Smith with the rest of that occupation, be never so much offended, yet must Paul still cry out against DIANA of the Ephesians, and albeit such as by this trade of playing get no small gains, be grieved, yet for that they pull from such exercise as the LORD for his day hath commanded (albeit as they be used, they be tolerable on no● day) the lords pastors must not be tongue tied in speaking against them. For if ill communication corrupt good manners, ill gestures, and worse words (whereof in them is store) must needs, if we believe the holy Ghost, which so affirmeth, work the same effect. Wherefore you of the common people, and you also of all other callings think not that ye will be found Cornelians, if ye refuse hearing the word preached, to run to Plays, nay if ye will be in deed Cornelians, as all Christians ought to be, you must have special care to look that not only yourselves, but also all those of your charged, at such times, as heretofore you have run unto Plays, hereafter you resort to the Preaching of the word, which duty the Lord requireth at your hand. But I may say in this case of the common people, with the Prophet jeremiah. Surely, they are poor, they are foolish, 
jerem 5. 4.●  for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgement of their God: I will get me in to the great men, and will speak unto them, for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgement of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bands. Even so fareth it with the great men of our times, whereas they should know the ways of the Lord, and not be ignorant of the judgements of their GOD, by the order and usage in their houses & families, it should appear that there reigneth in them, great ignorance of both. 
●ot many ●eate men Cornelians.  For what? be they think you Cornelians? do they themselves fear God with all their household, when as the whole day can not serve them for their Cards, Dice, Bowls, Gluttony and Drinking, but they must spend the better part of the night thereinto? 
●udges and ●awyers.  What should I speak of judges and Lawyers, were they all Cornelians, such as in deed themselves were religious, and did fear GOD, with all their clerk, and retinue, they would bridle men's unruly affections, and not suffer them to go to Law for trifles, nor their matter to hung so long in suit, persuading them of the goodness of their cause, so long as they are in hope of the goodness of their purse, and as their bag weakeneth, let their suit faint, until the bottom of the purse being turned upward, the matter in law consume to nothing: yea, if they with Cornelius had instructed their servants in the fear of the Lord, 
lawyers servants.  there would not so many amongst them be infected with the disease of Gehazi, who after their Masters have taken, & taken again, unless also they be roundly greased, they will 'cause them to stay four or five days in town more than they needed, before they shall get their matters dispatched. 
Ministers.  And I would to GOD in those of our own calling, whom for the teaching of others so to be, it principally concerneth to be Cornelians ourselves, there were not a great number of us idle shepherds, and able to do nothing, and a great sort dumb dogs, that will do nothing, and many that think when they have once in the week preached to their flock, that they have sufficiently and thoroughly done their duty, making no accounts with Cornelius, of private instructing our own families, though very great, in the word of the LORD, wherein many of our servants are not half so well acquainted how many chapters there are, as they perfectly can tell how many spots there be in a pair of Cards, and do twice in a day occupy the Tables, or Bowls, when as they scarce read a lease of the Bible twice in a month.  

Rom. 15.4.  Seeing then that whatsoever is written in the Scripture, is written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the word, might have hope: this example also of Cornelius, must needs be written for our instruction, that we should imitate and follow his godly virtues: and for as much as in all estates every one should be Cornelius, whereas in no calling there is scarce any, it followeth, that in all estates and callings, both high and low, both rich and poor, both great and small, young and old, learned and unlearned, do examine throughly their own consciences, and look how far, after due examination and trial, they shall find themselves in religion, in the fear of GOD, in instructing their families in the word of the Lord, in alms deeds, and prayer, to come behind Cornelius, so much the more earnestly they pray to God to pardon their former negligence, and to grant, that with speed hereafter they may put in practise all those qualities, which by the example of Cornelius, they have learned ought to be in every true Christian, which I humbly beseech God to vouchsafe us all for to do unfeignedly.   

¶ The second part.  
Now I am to handle the special parts of my second general, containing the Embassage of the Angel to Cornelius, which with the rest that is behind of the third point, I will knit up in as much shortness as may be, for that I have stood very long upon the doctrines and application of the members of the first part. You have therefore in this second point first, to consider Gods calling of Cornelius by the appearance of an Angel unto him in a vision at the ninth hour of the day, which was about three of the clock in the after noon, according unto the reckoning of the jews, who account their hours from Sun to Sun.  
This circumstance of time, by which it appeareth, that the coming of the Angel unto Cornelius, was not in a dream, or by dark in the night, (albeit in such cases the LORD also imprinted in the hearts and minds of them, to whom, by such means he showed himself, always some one certain note and token, or other, by the which they might manifestly know, that it was his doing) but in the fair and broad day light, is set down to declare, that the Lord did neither mock Cornelius, nor blind his eyes by casting a mist before them as jugglers and other false merchants to deceive withal use to do, but evidently & plainly dealt with him, in such sort, that he might easily perceive that his calling was not from earth, but from heaven, not from man, but from God, whereby also to his great comfort, he might see how mercifully God rewards his own gifts in him, that for his further instruction he used towards him the information of an Angel.  
We learn out of this point many lessons. 
Lessons out of the first branch of the second general.  First that God never leaveth them destitute of a teacher, which earnestly, and in a reverent fear of his name, and a dutiful estimation of his majesty, call upon, him being exercised in the diligent reading, hearing and conferring of his word, and heartily desiring daily to profit and go forward in the understanding of the same, and to grow from time to time, unto a further knowledge in the way and doctrine of salvation, so that sometimes by Angels, sometimes by men, sometimes by his own son, he extraordinarily hath taught those that have longed to learn, rather than they should want teachers. 
The godly ●omen.  Thus by Angels he further instructed the godly women in the resurrection of his son Christ: by Christ himself he fully taught in the same matter the two Disciples going unto Emaus, 
The two Disciples.  and talking together of the things which were done concerning jesus. To the Chamberlain unto the Queen of the Ethiopians reading the scriptures as he road in his wagon, 
The Chamberlain.  he sent Philip, to teach him the knowledge of Christ. 
●aule.  Paul he directeth to Ananias, for instruction, concerning that Christ, whom before in his members he so eagerly persecuted. 
simeon.  Simeon that good and godly old father, longing or he died to see Christ, he moveth by his spirit at that instant to come into the temple, when he there found Christ his desired, and with joy embracing him, crieth out, Lord now let thy servant depart in peace, 
●pollos.  for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. He causeth Apollo's a religious and a learned, and eloquent jew, knowing no more but the Baptism of john, to meet with Aquila and Priscilla, who expounded unto him the way of the Lord perfectly. This our Cornelius a devout man, 
Cornelius.  & one that feareth god, hath first direction by an Angel, and after the holy Apostle Peter, to teach him what to do. Let us therefore, good Christians, be like godly minded & virtuously occupied with these godly men, & the Lord, though not miraculously as he did unto them, will never forsake us, but appoint us one godly mean or other, by which we shall grow to knowledge and understanding in his heavenly truth: whereas, if we shall be rather delighted in reading of filthy books, 
Bawdy books.  as the Baudies de Gall, the Amaudis, I trow it be, the great Palace and the little Palace of pleasure, with a number more of such filthy books, wherewith this Churchyard swarmeth in this clear light of the Gospel: if we shall be occupied in vain, wicked, and ungodly talk, so far off shall we be with Cornelius from having the Angel or Peter to direct us, that the Devil of hell will associate himself unto us, & creep at the length so far into our hearts, that he will root out of us all care of virtue and godliness, and make us rejoice in our own shame, that we may be the more fit vessels of wrath & damnation.  

God hath used sundry means in ●imes past to reveal his will unto ●en.  2 Secondly we see that God from time to time in the ages past hath used sundry and diverse ways to speak unto our forefathers, as sometimes by Angels appearing in the visible shapes of men, as, unto Abraham, Lot, Gedeon, Manoah, Zachari, Marie, to this our Cornelius and others. Sometimes by Angels in other likeness, sometimes by dreams, sometimes by the priests Ephod, sometimes by visions: all which means as they were extraordinary, so are they also now ceased, and the glory of our times greater, in which he hath vouchsafed to speak unto us by his own son, as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews doth testify, who being long since ascended into heaven, he hath thought good to have us his people to be instructed by the voice of men, to which purpose he hath appointed unto us for teachers, pastors, & Doctors, wherewith we must content ourselves, not looking for the ministery of Angels, or revelations from heaven, whereof I shall have occasion to speak more hereafter. Much might here be said of Angels & visions, but I love not: willingly to run into common places. This therefore may suffice, briefly to note, that as they are both extraordinary ways, whereby it pleased God in times past to reveal himself unto men, so herein hath appeared god his marvelous and wondered love towards us, that when as he might have deemed us unmeet and unworthy of the service of the vilest, the meanest, and the very basest creatures in all the world, yet not contented to have ordained all other things for the use and benefit of man, he hath also appointed his Angels, sometimes to be instruments, by which he would declare his will unto men, but always to watch over them, for their defence and safeguard What a comfort therefore (beloved) is it unto us to know that the Lord hath appointed his Angels for our service, 
A singular comfort.  according as it is written in the first Chapter of the Hebrews: He maketh the spirits his messengers, and a flaming fire his ministers. Nay how greatly are we bound to praise our God, before whom we are in so high account, and over whom he is so careful and tender, that he hath not appointed for every one his several Angel (which some have presumed to teach without the warrant of the word) but hath given charge and commandment, that upon every particular child of his, many Angels should for their safeguard attend and wait. 
Psalm. ●1. 11.  For so are we taught in the Psalm: For he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. And to Elizeus servant were showed many fiery chariotes in a readiness for the defence of his master. Wherefore letting pass this heathenish forgery of every man having two Angels, let us be thankful unto God for this inestimable & unspeakable goodness, who setteth in watch for the protection of his Church, the whole army and host of heavenly soldiers, and as best pleaseth his endless Wisdom, useth the help one while of many thousands, and another while of one only, for the safety and defence of those which are his.  
3 thirdly, we have here to note, 
God many times applieth himself to the capacities of men.  that God of his fatherly goodness applieth & frameth himself many times to our affections and dispositions, using in calling us to his knowledge such means, ways and instruments, as he knoweth we will be most moved withal. So he called the wise men by a star: the jews by the authority of the scriptures, & baptism of john, the Gentiles by variety of miracles. And Christ when he would call his Apostles to the preaching of the gospel. he brought them into a great marvel and wonder of him, by the taking of an incredible number of fish at one draft, and so teacheth them of the fishing for men. Paul likewise at Athens, by finding an Altar whereon was written To the unknown God, taketh occasion of a thing familiar unto the gentiles, to reason with them of the true worship of God. And in this place it pleaseth God first to use in the calling of Cornelius the ministry of an Angel, and afterward the service of man. Where out we learn, what discretion and judgement there aught to be, in those that are teachers of others, to imitate and follow this example of God, Christ, and his Apostles, in teaching and winning of men unto him, many times to apply themselves unto the capacities, wits, and understanding of their hearers and by things acquainted and known unto them, to seek by little and little to draw them to the knowledge of things dark and hidden from them.  

The second ●raunch of the ●econd general.  The second member of this second part containeth the fear of Cornelius at the sight of the Angel. For thus it is written in the text: But when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, what is it Lord. The Angel of the Lord was sent by God unto Cornelius for his good, for his benefit, and for his comfort. He came to assure him, that God in mercy had regard unto him, that he had heard his prayers, and remembered his alms, and that he had appointed Peter to be messenger unto him of the glad tidings of salvation. Cornelius all this notwithstanding albeit, he were a man that feared God, and that there were in him a great and vehement zeal in religion, yet he is abashed and apailed, he trembleth & feareth at the sight of God's messenger, which is a token of the weakness of man his nature, which having a taste of the majesty of God, quivereth and quaketh at his presence, considering the highness and excellency of the same, and his own lowness and unworthiness, weighing what love, and what reverence, it oweth unto God, what perfectness and pureness he requireth at our hand in his law, and what imperfection and unpureness there remaineth in us, and how little ability to perform that which he commandeth, and therefore worthily it humbleth itself with fear and reverence before his majesty.  
First we learn out of this place, 
Holy men have always feared at the appearance of God his angels.  that it hath always been peculiar unto the Saints of GOD, to tremble and fear at the appearance of his Angels, although they have in deed been sent for their great joy and comfort. So Moses feared at the sight of the Angel in the flaming bush: Gedeon when he saw the Angel coming to show him that God had appointed him to be the deliverer of the Children of Israel out of the hands of the Midianites, 
judg. 6.22.  crieth out, Alas my Lord God: for because I have seen an Angel of the Lord face to face, 
judg. 13.22.  I shall die. Manoah when the Angel brought him tidings of the birth of Samson, 
Dan. 10.  after his departure, sayeth unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. Daniel was stricken into such a marvelous fear at the sight of the Angel, that as he saith himself, there remained no strength in him: For his strength in him was turned into corruption, and he retained no power. Zacharie feared when the Angel declared unto him, the birth of john the Baptisse: so did Marie at the vision of the Angel, certifying her, that she should bear Christ. The shepherds were sore afraid when they saw the Angel bringing them news that Christ was borne The three Disciples in mount Thabor, 
Mat. 17.6.  fell on their faces, and were sore afraid, at the transfiguration of Christ. 
Mark. 16.8.  The godly women that came to anoint Christ, trembled at the beholding of the Angel which told them that he was risen, and they ran away from the Sepulchre sore amazed. And in this place Cornelius looking on the Angel coming unto his comfort, greatly feareth. If it be so then, 
The coming of Christ to judgement, will be most terrible to the reprobate.  that to the very Godly the sight of God's Angels be fearful and terrible, appearing for their profit, and for their better assurance of GOD his especial favour & good will towards them, how terrible then and fearful shall the coming of the son of man be, to the wicked and reprobate, when at the day of judgement he shall come in great glory, accompanied with many Millions of Angels to tender unto them their pardon, which they have deserved in the lake, that burneth with fire and Brimstone? Let therefore those desperate and careless persons that set at naught and contemn Christ, as a merciful and loving saviour, fear and tremble at him as a sharp and revenging judge, who, if in the time of his humility here upon earth he could with one word of his mouth throw flat to the ground all his enemies that came to take him, what shall be his power coming to judge with majesty, to throw down thousands unto Hell, who, if his Angel's countenance have been terrible to his own Saints and chosen, when they were sent for their comfort, how much more fearful shall his angry countenance and frowning looks be unto the wicked, when he cometh to condemn them: in so much that those, which now setting all fear aside, or at lest seeming so to do, whereas many times they tremble at the shaking of a leaf, they seem to be so fool hardy, as if they would pull God from heaven out of his throne, they shall then be driven into such an horror, fear, trembling, shaking & shivering, every vein, limb and joint of them, that to save themselves, they, if they could, would creep into a mousehole: nay, shall for fear and confusion say unto the mountains, fall upon us to hide us from the terrible wrath of the Lord?  
2 Secondly, 
We aught t● fear at the speaking of the Lord unto v● out of his word.  we must learn with Cornelius to fear and submit ourselves at the presence of God and the feeling of his divine majesty. For even unto the godly is the sight of god terrible, not that God would thereby drive us into a perpetual abashment and dismaying, or have us overwhelmed, as it were, & swallowed up of fear and horror, but that we should with all meekness, lowliness, humility and reverence, cast ourselves down before his majesty, being with all submission ready to do that which he shall think best to enjoin us. For the Lord looketh, that those to whom he openeth and showeth himself by his word, should be moved with a reverent fear at the hearing of the same, according as he witnesseth by his Prophet Isaias: Hear the word of the Lord, all ye that tremble at his word. And again: To him will I look, even to him, that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my words. But what is the cause (beloved) that at this day the word of the Lord worketh not in us this effect of reverence, trembling and fear? forsooth, because we fasten our eyes upon the person that speaketh, with the baseness of whom we are nothing moved, whereas if we would, as indeed we aught, consider that it is GOD which speaketh unto us in the person of man, than would be driven into this sluggish nature of ours, such a fear and reverence of the word of God, as aught to be in us, which I pray God grant unto us.  

The answer of Cornelius to the Angel.  Thirdly, I cannot let pass the answer that Cornelius maketh to the Angel calling him, where he saith, what is the Lord? Whereas the drossy translation which goeth under the name of jerom, & the common translation, & is the Pope his own darling, hath, who is it Lord? Like as in the first of Samuel, and third chapter, it hath very falsely & rediculously, that Heli his eyes were dim and could not see the candle of the Lord, until it was put out. And in the .15. of the first to the Corinth's, clean contrary unto the truth of the Gréek text, which saith, we shall not all die, but we shall all be changed: it sayeth, we shall all die, but shall not all be changed: besides a great many more filthy corruptions which have often out of this place been showed to be in it, that you might learn to forsake and leave it. All which errors, most of them showed them by us, 
The Papists a long time in stead of the holy Ghost, prayed unto the Devil.  and some of them told them by their own men, I do the less marvel that they still retain, for as much as of gross & wilful ignorance in their Latyn portuses in stead of Glory be to the father and to the son, and to the holy ghost, they sing daily, Glory be to the father, and to the son, and to the Devil. Spiritui paradyto, the wicked and infamous spirit, in stead of spiritui paraclêto, the spirit, which is the comforter. For thee, that there is so much difference between the two words, every boy of the grammar school can tell. And I would fain learn of some Papist, that holdeth that the church of Rome can not err, whether this were an error or not, in stead of the holy Ghost to pray to the Devil. And because I were loath to sustain their ill will for reporting this truth of them, let it for me, rest upon the back of him where I have it, which is, Polidor Vergil, a man of their own, who in his fifth book and thirteenth Chapter of the finders out of things, too too piteously (poor soul) lamenteth, & complaineth of their waywardness, that being told of so horrible a fault, will not leave nor amend it. Wherefore leaving him in his sorrow, and his Popish Priests in their froward error, I return to my purpose, and note unto you, that all the copies, so many as I ever have seen or heard of, have this reading, What is it Lord? so that the other, Who is it Lord? being such as any that in the Greek tongue can set the Nominative case and the verb together, might easily avoid, proceedeth of wilful ignonoraunce and careless negligence, and darkeneth also the meaning of the place, for which cause only I note it. Whereas this reading, What is it Lord? argueth that Cornelius his mind was touched with a fear, as knowing, that albeit it were only the Angel that spoke unto him, yet he had indeed to do with God, whose only messenger the Angel was. Therefore, thus saying, he showeth forth a ready and willing mind, even before he knoweth, to do whatsoever the Lord should command him: whereas we, after that the Lord hath commanded and commanded again, strain courtesy, and take leisure to perform his will, communing with flesh and blood, whether it be good policy or not, to do as the Lord biddeth, & whether it may not procure us peril and trouble. But all you that fear the Lord say with Cornelius, What is it Lord? and by thy merciful assistance, we will perform and do it.  
There followeth the third branch of this second general, namely, 
The third branch of the second general.  the angels speech unto Cornelius, saying: Thy prayers, and thine alms are come up into remembrance before God. Now therefore sand men to joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner, whose house is by the Sea side, he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. These words, as in the beginning I declared, contain both a comfort, and a commandment unto Cornelius, which both, with their doctrines, shall be handled in order: first the comfort, because it is first mentioned, after this manner: Thy prayers and alms are come up into remembrance before God. Of these words we may not gather, that GOD, who seeth all things, and before whose eyes are manifest those things which are done in greatest secret, doth at any time forget the doings of men, but the holy Ghost in this place, as in many other, speaketh of God as of a man, for our better understanding. And for because if God defer at the first to grant our requests, our dull nature conceiveth no better of him, than of a man that is deaf, therefore, that Cornelius might know, that his prayers were heard, and his alms deeds accepted, the Angel assureth him, that GOD hath in remembrance both the one and the other, that is, that God will reward them with the full light and knowledge of his Gospel. And so in many other places, doth the word Remember, being spoken of the dealing of God towards man, carry with it a signification of reward. So God remembered Noah, and the flood ceased: he remembered Abraham, and delivered his kinsman Lot out of Sodom: he remembered Rachel, and gave her children: he remembered his promiss, and delivered the children of Israel out of Egipte. So we read that the thief on the Cross said unto Christ: Lord remember me when thou commeste into thy Kingdom, and he answereth: this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. And in the Psalm it is said, He remembered us in our humility, and then followeth, he redeemed us. And therefore you shall find, that David often prayeth to the LORD, to remember him. In this place therefore God's remembrance of the prayers and alms deeds of Cornelius, teacheth him, that he will reward them, not for their worthiness, but of his mercy.  

●he do●●es.  1 Many lessons issue out of this fruitful place, which deserve large discourses: but I will run them over in a word, hoping that the straightness of time, wherewith I am overtaken, shall obtain pardon for my shortness. First therefore, once again, to stop the mouths of the quarreling Papists, we teach, the this place is a mighty encouragement, and a sharp spur, to prick forward this dull nature of ours, unto good works, in which we are so cold and slothful: for here we plainly see, that our godly exercises, our Christian deeds and good works be not only such as do please GOD, with which he is much delighted, and the which he greatly liketh and very well accepteth, but that he doth also beautify and garnish them with this noble reward, that being used to his honour and glory, and the benefit of his Church, he doth most plenteously and liberally increase them with a large heap of other gifts, blessings, and graces. For unto him that hath, shall be more given, and the faithful servant that is trusty in few things, and putteth out his masters talon unto gain, shall be set over many things, and be made Ruler over many Cities, like as in this place Cornelius, because God heard his prayers, and accepteth of his alms, he directeth him unto Peter, for full instruction of the Gospel, and knowledge of Salvation.  
2 Secondly, for asmuch as it is here said, that Cornelius his prayers and alms deeds were accepted before God, it must needs follow, that Cornelius had faith. For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And without faith it is impossible to please God. It were blasphemy to affirm, that GOD is delighted with sin, but God is delighted with the prayer and alms of Cornelius: if therefore they were not sin, than were they done in faith, and therefore Cornelius had now already faith. God is said to be well pleased with them, it followeth therefore invincibly, that they proceeded of Faith. Cornelius therefore had faith, yea, and also faith in Christ, for without Christ, if we behold the bore Majesty of God, we shall be so far off from receiving any comfort, or feeling any taste of his goodness, that we shall have our eyes dazzled with the brightness thereof, and ourselves overwhelmed with the glory of the same. And I pray you, can it be, that without Christ, Cornelius could be enlightened with the spirit of Christ, I mean the Spirit of regeneration, or new birth? manifest and evident tokens, whereof are his religion and fear of God. For God challengeth in Ezechiel this honour unto himself, 
●zech. 11.19. & ●●. 26.  to frame the heart to his fear & godliness, to make it new, and to drive out the stone hardness of it, to 'cause it to walk in his statutes, and to do his judgements and keep them. The fame therefore of the Messiah being then so rife amongst all the jews, yea and among other nations also far off, it cannot be but that Cornelius his faith had some ground on him, albeit not in such fullness as it pleased God afterward to reveal unto him. Wherefore let the Papists lay their hand upon their mouth, 
Against the Papists abusing this place.  which abuse this place shamefully two ways, the one, to prove, that before Faith, a man may do good works, which may serve as preparatives unto Faith: and secondly, that our works do deserve at the hands of GOD, increase of his good gifts and graces in us, according unto the several merits of every one of us. For the fleshly man is so far off from preparing himself of his own power, to win the grace of GOD, 
1. Cor. 2.14.  that he doth not perceive the things of GOD, neither can do. And as for deserving, the Scripture plainly teacheth, that Faith itself, from whence all other good works do spring, is the only gift of GOD, and therefore must Works, the fruits of the same, be so likewise. Wherefore if we have nothing but that we have received. Why do we boast, as if it were our own, and not received? Yet when they have prated for their merits, until their tongues ache, and cried out for their deservings, till their throats be hoarse again, they bring nothing that may stir up a man to do well, but leave us always in doubt whether our works please God or no: nay they flatly affirm that it is high arrogancy, and great presumption, for a man to assure himself of salvation, whereas we denying, that our works can deserve any thing, and yet teaching, that there is a reward laid up for them of mercy, which faith taketh hold on in Christ, do by this means stir up and prick forward the godly to good works, when as they know they shall not loose their labour, the recompense whereof (albeit it please the Lord in many places of the Scripture, to term by the name of a Reward, yet hereof cannot be concluded desert, but it is rather a special token of God's great fatherly love, that thus crowneth in us his own good gifts, who otherwise doing our uttermost, are nothing else in deed, and in our own selves and nature, but unprofitable servants.  
3 Thirdly, we may gather of the nature of contraries, that as God rewardeth the religion, fear of God, godly bringing up of his household, prayer, and alms deeds of Cornelius, with more plentiful abundance of spiritual gifts and knowledge of his Gospel (as he useth in his children daily, by a new and very sensible increase, to multiply his graces, as it were by degrees, until he bring them to perfection) so the little store of heavenly virtues, that this day is to be found amongst us, our slowness in prayer, our slackness in the deeds of Charity, our unwillingness to labour for the edifying one of an other, our weariness in hearing the word of God, and our less profiting after the preaching of the Gospel, are manifest tokens of Gods just revenge of our great unthankfulness, so that if we shall still go on in hiding in the ground our masters talon, it shall in the end be taken from us, and given unto those that have used their talentes to gain, and we for our deservings be cast out into utter darkness.  

charge vn● Cornelius ●tructing ●n what to ●e.  In the second part of this speech of the Angel unto Cornelius, is set down a charge and commandment for his instruction, what he ought to do, in which, he is told the place whither to sand, joppa: to whom there to send, unto one Simon a Tanner: for whom to send, for one Simon, surnamed Peter: to what end he should sand for him, namely, that he might teach him what to do, or as it is in some readings, speak words unto him, whereby he should be saved, and his whole house. Wherein appeareth the great goodness of GOD towards Cornelius, in easing him of all the burden and trouble of the journey, and laying it upon Peter, whom he had appointed for his teacher. And whereas reason and duty would, that the Scholar should go unto the master, yet here such is the gentleness of GOD, that he will have the Master take pains to come unto the Scholar, letting Cornelius tarry quietly at home, whilst Peter sustaineth and endureth all the encumbrances and troubles of the way in travailin unto him.  
1 You have first to note, 
The doctrines.  out of this favourable dealing of GOD with Cornelius, that such is his loving nature towards mankind, and so careful is he for their salvation, that he daily thrusteth forth Ministers for the instruction of his people, when as they themselves are in a manner unwilling to have them, nay, that he is many times found of them which sought him not, and offereth himself to them that ask not after him: yea, when we have run from him, that he hath come unto us:  
So, when our first Parents Adam & Eve had hidden themselves for shame of their transgression among the trees of the garden, GOD seeketh and findeth them out, and assureth them of comfort in the promised seed. So he calleth Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldeis, when he wallowed in Idolatry. Lot he draweth (as it were) violently, and against his will, out of the destruction of Sodom. David sleeping almost a whole year in security, and being touched with no remorse of his filthy adultery, and other heinous offences, he awaketh, by his Prophet Nathan. Paul he converteth in the midst of his heat, and rage of persecution, going to Damascus. And Peter after thrice denial and forswearing him, he friendly admonisheth of his fault and fall, by a look. But in this case of Cornelius, GOD in letting him tarry at home, and causing Peter to come unto him, had (no doubt) a further respect, than unto Cornelius his own ease, and that was, that all his whole household, together with a great many of his friends and acquaintance, might receive the knowledge of the Gospel, and the glad tidings of salvation, as well as he. For as he is the GOD of all, so would he as well have those that be servants, saved, as those that be Masters, of whose instruction also, if we be careless, we have one day an heavy accounts and reckoning to make for it.  
2 secondly, in that GOD instructeth not Cornelius by himself, nor by the Angel, which both he could have done, but appointeth him over unto Peter, as before he did Paul unto Ananias. And the Chamberlain of the Queen of the Ethiopians unto Philippe: We see here a plain and evident place for the confirmation of the outward preaching of the word, and the ministery of the Church, for in as much as, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of GOD, and none can preach, unless he be sent: whosoever he be, that looking for other revelations, means, and ways, despiseth and contemneth the word preached by the mouth and ministery of man, despiseth the means which GOD hath ordained for his salvation, and to work in him faith by, and showeth himself plainly to be none of Christ's disciples, nor to have care to be lightened with the light of the heavenly wisdom, in as much as he refuseth the voice of man, which CHRIST useth as an instrument, unto the which, he will have our faith tied: wherefore he will not take at the hands of any man, the contempt of this order, that I speak not with what horrible examamples GOD hath punished the bold and wicked attempts, and practices of the anabaptists, and Enthusiaste Heretics of our times, that casting aside the preaching of the word, will have all done by Revelations. GOD grant, that the wonderful errors and wickednesses, which they have fallen into, may be admonitions unto us, to make much of God's constitutions and ordinances.  
3 Thirdly, as this place commendeth the dignity of the preaching of the word, so also, in that the angel reporteth of Peter unto Cornelius, that he should teach him what to do, it also instructeth us what manner of person he aught to be, which is to be admitted into this high & honourable function of the ministery, namely, such a one, as can tell Cornelius what to do for to attain unto salvation, that is, such a one, as is able to teach them of his cure & charge their duties unto the Lord: for Paul unto Titus, 
Tit. 1.9.  willeth that he which is a Minister, be such a one as holdding fast the faithful word according unto doctrine, may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine, & to improve those the speak against it. And unto Timothy, he will not have one made a Minister, which is a young Scholar, lest he being puffed up, fall into the condemnation of the Devil. What woeful days therefore (beloved) are these days of ours, in which thousands of our Ministers, are not only not young scholars, but also no scholars at all: not only not able to exhort with wholesome doctrine, but also not to read distinctly and plainly, such as in whom there is no manner of worthiness, that aught to be in a Minister, but such as their greedy Latrones, patrons I would say, allow of, in giving them living, I mean their worthy paying for it, and then a Quare impedit, against the Bishop, that shall deny him institution. And hereof cometh it to pass, that our Churches are full of jeroboams Priests, I mean the very refuse of the people, such as in their conscience abhor the ministery, and take it only, because they know no other way to live, being many of them unmeet to have the charge of our shoes, much less to be trusted with the cure of our souls. The Lord grant unto those, whom it concerneth to redress this foul abuse, bowels of pity and compassion, with our saviour Christ to yearn at the great ignorance of the people in the Country, for lack of able teachers: in somuch, that in some Parishes it were no hard matter to find many, that otherwise than after the manner of Parats mumbling up the words of their belief without all understanding, are not able to tell whether there be any GOD or Christ, or no. And you (dear brethren) of this City, whom God hath blessed with store of good teachers, whose number I pray to be increased daily: pray for us of the country, that the harvest with us being marvelous great, & the labourers wondered few, it would please the Lord of the harvest to thrust out into his harvest painful labourers and faithful Peter's in great numbers, that may be able to teach Cornelius what to do. For lack of instructions in many places of their duties unto God, they clean forget their duties unto man, yea and many times take weapon against their lawful and Godly Prince, which if they were well instructed in the word of the Lord▪ there is very good hope, they would fear to do.  
4 fourthly, where it is said that Cornelius should hear of Peter at joppa at the house of one Simon a Tanner, we do learn of what sorts of men God commonly useth to gather his Church, namely of the meanest and lowest estate of the people, for the most part. For not many wise, not many strong, not many noble according to the flesh. And God hath chosen the foolish, the weak, the despised, to confounded the wise, the strong, and the esteemed. Simon the Tanner must entertain Peter, and the poor Shunamite keep a chamber for Elizeus: and the widow of Sareptha in the time of famine, give a little bread unto Elias: Matthew the publican must bid Christ, yea, many times the caves of Obadiah must hide the Prophets of the Lord by fifty and fifty, when as the great men of joppa, contemn Peter: when Ahaziah by his Captain over fifty will set Elias before him, if he tell him he shall die: when Achab will seek over all realms and countries for the life of Elias, when Herode under the pretence of worship will have Christ diligently sought after, that he may slay him: when as jesabel will kill the Prophets of the Lord, and save alive the Priests of Baal. But God hath had at all times, and in all places, and hath at this time, and in this land, many of the great men, that make accounts of Peter, and the Lord multiply them continually for his Christ's sake, and grant that they may all have God his faithful and painful ministers and preachers in a reverent regard and good account. For it is to little purpose to feed us with living, and suffer us of every one to be contemned, which will one day be the ruin and decay of the Church. Besides that, it is a great token in what person soever, and of what countenance soever, that doth not with Simon the Tanner make much of Peter, that there is in him little fear of GOD. Nay it is plainly set down for one of the properties that must be in him that shall devil in the lords Tabernacle and rest on his holy hill, that he must not only esteem well of the Preachers, but of all other the Godly whatsoever. In whose eyes (sayeth the Psalmist) a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord Those therefore that do the clean contrary, that is, secretly maintain wicked Papists, and make accounts of bad and lewd persons, contemning the godly, and preachers of the Lord, I had rather leave it to your own consideration, than myself declare, in whose Tabernacle they shall devil, and on whose hill they shall rest.   

The third part.  
NOw aword or two of the third part, and so I will end. In this part generally is showed the willingness and obedience of Cornelius, with speed to perform that which the Angel charged him withal. For (saith the text) When the Angel was departed, he called two of his servants, and a soldier that feared God, one of them that waited on him, and told them all things, and sent them to joppa. Where first cometh to be noted, a commendation of the faith of Cornelius, that all delays, reasons, 
A commendation of the faith of Cornelius.  and excuses, set a part, withal speed prepareth himself to do that, which the Angel had told him to be the will and pleasure of the Lord. He standeth not to debate what trouble his new religion might work him, whether that it were likely, that the house of a poor Tanner should receive so singular a teacher as Peter was, or rather, whether Peter were not some obscure and bad fellow, that lay lurking and hiding himself in such a base place, whereas if he were of such excellency, he should seem to be taken forth amongst the great men of those times and places. These and such like, would the wisdom and policy of man have laid unto him, to have withholden him from yielding obedience unto the commandment of God. But over all these faith easily got the victory, and causeth him with diligence for to submit himself, to the fulfilling of the lords pleasure. Let us therefore learn, in the Lords matters, not to pled policy, but when the Lord commandeth with all speed to show obedience. You know how Saul sped being commanded without any mercy showed, to root out the Amalekites with all theirs, from man, unto beast, who setting his own wisdom, before the wisdom of the Lord, is called fool for his labour, and certified, that his kingdom shall be taken from him, and given to such a one as should be ready for to do the will of the Lord. The children of Israel, when God had streightly charged them to destroy all the nations, into whose land he would bring them, and showed the inconvenience that would come unto them by saving them: they for saving them, found them thorns and pricks unto their flesh, in so much that many years they lived in their slavery and subjection, as the book of judges doth plentifully witness. The Prophet that contrary to God his commandment did eat bread, and drink water in the house of the old Prophet, as he road homeward was devoured of a Lion. And he that commanded by the word of God to strike the Prophet, refused it, a Lion also did slay him. All these preferred their own wisdom, policy, and carnal reasons, before the wisdom, and express precepts of the Lord, and the fruits that thereof they reaped, were their own destruction. God grant that their examples may make us wise, that with Cornelius, in all things that we shall learn of the word of the Lord to concern us, we may speedily prepare ourselves to perform it without commoning about the doing of it, with flesh and blood. For before our GOD, obedience is far better, and of greater accounts than sacrifice.  
The second lesson of this third part is, 
What fruit Cornelius reaped by the virtuous bringing up of his household.  the fruit that Cornelius reaped by his godly instructing of his family, namely thereby he hath gained thus much, that he hath now faithful and trusty servants whom he may send on his errand in this grave & weighty matter, concerning the salvation of him and his. All you that be masters, learn out of this, to be careful to plant in your servants the fear of the Lord, and then shall you find them faithful unto you, as Abraham had his servant, as we read in the 24. of Genesis. And those, that forslewe this duty, it is no marvel, if because they will not yield unto God their duty, they find their own servants faithless and trustelesse, liars, filchers, stealers, stubborn, disobedient, blasphemers, swearers, and altogether given over to all sin & ungodliness. Yea, magistrates also, must be careful to have their subictes taught their duties unto God, or else they shall find them negligent in their obedience unto them, yea tumultuous, seditious and rebellious.  

religiousness in soldiers.  The last note of this third point, and of this whole scripture, is, that with two of his servants, Cornelius sent also a soldier that waited upon him, who feared GOD. Where we learn, that no trade nor profession of life is to be previledged from the service of GOD, sith that soldiers, who the further they are from it, the more hardy of the greater number they are accounted, have in the scripture their commendation for this duty. Nay, 
Deut. 23.9.  the Lord in Deuteronomie describing the qualities of soldiers, will have them not only to be free from all wickedness, but also from all manner of outward pollutions. And therefore I do many times marvel, how the practice of our times, in sending forth into the wars thieves and murderers, can be warranted by the word. For sure I am, that the Israelites could not prospero at the siege of Ai, until Achan the thief was found out & executed. And the lord in Numbers, saith, that no recompense is to be taken for the life of the murderer, nay that the land can not be cleansed of blood, but with the blood of him that shed it. Let murderers therefore, if they be proper & handsome fellows, be properly and handsomely hanged, and honest men, be sent to war in their steads.  
And all you that be noble men and gentlemen for God's sake I pray you, 
A good lesson for noble men and gentlemen.  learn this one point of Cornelius: let not any wait nor attend upon you, but such as fear the Lord, and then shall you not need in the country, such a train to follow you with long poles in their necks, nor in the City to wait upon you, with long blades by their sides, with flashing and cutting, & ruffianly quarreling, & for never so little a word speaking, imitating the speech of the Devil unto our saviour Christ: If thou be a man of thy hands, come meet me in Smithfield.  
Here I brokenly make an end, without any repetition, having as I could, & not as I would, run over every part of this text, using only for proves the warrant of the Scripture, because the testimony of man may be refused, but it never goeth forth but unto salvation or condemnation. If I have been somewhat long, I pray forgive me this fault, and pardon me this injury: I have done it only for your further edifying, and for my farewell, do in Christ jesus humbly pray you all thoroughly to consider of that which I have spoken, being all together within the compass of the world, that you put it in speedy practice and execution, especially the diligent travail to instruct your children & families in the word of the Lord. For the Devil that now will go about in withholding you from this duty, to tell you that it is not yours, but the ministers office, will at your lives end, to condemn you for forslewing your duty, lay unto your charge, that God hath commanded you to teach diligently his word to your children & families: The Devil that now to excuse you, will allege that it will hinder your servants work, will at your dying day, to accuse you, pled that Martha in being busy about the affairs of the house, was not so well occupied as Marie in hearing of Christ. The devil that now sayeth unto you, that for thus doing you shall be mocked and scorned, will at your last breath and gaps, for not doing it, rehearse unto you, it is better to please God than men: and they that please men are not the servants of God. Wherefore my brethren, concerning this, that either I or any other of God's ministers shall in his word speak unto you, out of this place, let not the saying of the lord by the prophet Ezechiel be verified in you, where he writeth thus: Also thou son of man, the children of thy people that talk of thee by the walls, and in the doors of houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother saying, come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord. For they come unto thee, as the people useth to come: and my people sit before thee, and hear thy words, but they will not do them. For with their mouths they make jests, and their heart goeth after their covetousness? And lo, thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can sing well. For they hear thy words but do them not. And when this cometh to pass, (for lo, it will come) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them. The Lord therefore make us to be wise hearted, that with Cornelius, we may be ready with all diligence to do what soever the Lord out of his holy word shall command us for Christ his sake, to which christ with the father and the holy Ghost, be all praise, honour, glory, and Dominion, both now and for ever. Amen.