the Son of God, all fhadows, figures, and fignifications are utterly gone, all vain and unprofitable ceremonies, both Jewish and Heathenifh, fully abolished. And therefore our churches are not fet up for figures and fignifications of Meffias and Chrift to come, but for other godly and neceffary purposes; that is to fay, that like as every man hath his own houfe to abide in, to refresh himself in, to rest in, with such like commodities; fo Almighty God will have his house and palace, whither the whole parish and congregation fhall refort, which is called the church and temple of God, for that the church, which is the company of God's people, doth there affemble and come together to ferve him. Not meaning hereby, that the Lord, whom the heaven of heavens is not able to hold or comprife, doth dwell in the church of lime and ftone, made with man's hands, as wholly and only contained there within, and no where elfe; for fo he never dwelt in Solomon's temple. Moreover, the church or temple is counted and called holy, yet not of itself, but because God's people reforting thereunto are holy, and exercife themselves in holy and heavenly things. And to the intent ye may understand further, why churches were built among Chriftian people, this was the greatest confideration; that God might have his place, and that God might have his time, duly to be honoured and served of the whole multitude in the parish: first, there to hear and learn the bleffed word and will of the everlafting God. Secondly, that there the bleffed facraments, which our Lord and Saviour Chrift Jefus hath ordained and appointed, should be duly, reverently, and decently miniftered. Thirdly, that there the whole multitude of God's people in the parifh fhould with one voice and heart call upon the name of God, magnify and praise the name of God, render earnest and hearty thanks to our heavenly Father for his heap of benefits daily and plentifully poured upon us, not forgetting to beftow our alms upon God's poor, to the intent God may blefs us the more richly. Thus ye may well perceive and understand wherefore churches were built and fet up amongft Chriftian people, and dedicated and appointed to thefe godly ufes, and wholly exempted from all filthy, profane, and worldly ufes. Wherefore all they that have little mind or devotion to repair and build God's temple, are to be counted people of much ungodlinefs, fpurning against good order in Chrift's church, defpifing the true honour of God, with evil examples offending and hindering their neighbours, other wife well and godly difpofed. The world thinketh it but a trifle to fee their church in ruin and decay. But whofo doth not lay to their helping hands, they fin against God and his holy congregation. For if it had not been fin to neglect and flightly regard the reedifying and building up again of his temple, God would not have been fo much grieved, and fo foon have plagued his people, because they builded and decked their own houses fo gorgeoufly, and despised the house of God their Lord. It is fin and thame to fee so many churches fo ruinous, and fo foully decayed, almoft in every corner. If a man's private house, wherein he dwelleth, be decayed, he will never cease till it be restored up again. Yea, if his barn, where he keepeth his corn, be out of reparations, what diligence ufeth he to make it in perfect ftate again! If his ftable for his horse, yea, the fty for his fwine, be not able to hold out water and wind, how careful is he to do coft thereon! And fhall we be so mindful of our common bafe houses, deputed to fo low occupying, and be forgetful toward that houfe of God, wherein be miniftered the words of our eternal falvation, wherein be entreated the facraments and myfteries of our redemption! The fountain of our regeneration is there prefented unto us, the partaking of the body and blood of our Saviour Chrift is there offered unto us; and fhall we not efteem the place, where fo heavenly things are handled? Wherefore, if ye have any reverence to the fervice of God, if ye have any common honefty, if ye have any confcience in keeping of neceffary and godly ordinances, keep your churches in good repair, whereby ye fhall not only please God, and deferve his manifold bleffings, but alfo deferve the good report of all godly people. The fecond point, which appertaineth to the maintenance of God's houfe, is to have it well adorned, and comely and clean kept: which things may be the more eafily performed, when the church is well repaired. For like as men are well refreshed and comforted, when they find their houfes having all things in good order, and all corners clean and fweet; fo when God's house, the church, is well adorned, with places convenient to fit in, with the pulpit for the preacher, with the Lord's table for the miniftration of his holy fupper, with the font to chriften in, and alfo is kept clean, comely, and sweetly, the people are more defirous and the more comforted to refort thither, and to tarry there the whole time appointed them. With what earneftnefs, with what vehement zeal Q 3 Matt. xxi. zeal did our Saviour Chrift drive the buyers and fellers out of the temple of God, and hurled down the tables of the changers of money, and the feats of the dove-fellers, and could not abide that any man fhould carry a vessel through the temple! He told them, that they had made his Father's houfe a den of thieves, partly through their fuperftition, hypocrify, falfe worship, falfe doctrine, and infatiable covetoufnefs, and partly through contempt, abus ing that place with walking and talking, with worldly matters without all fear of God, and due reverence to that place. What dens of thieves the churches of England have been made by the blafphemous buying and felling the most precious body and blood of Chrift in the mass, as the world was made to believe, at diriges, at months minds, at trentalls, in abbeys and chantries, befide other horrible abuses, (God's holy name be bleffed for ever,) which we now fee and understand. All these abominations they that fupply the room of Chrift have cleanfed and purged the churches of England of, taking away all fuch fulfomeness and filthinefs, as through blind devotion and ignorance hath crept into the church these many hundred years. Wherefore, O ye good Chriftian people, ye dearly beloved in Chrift Jefus, ye that glory not in worldly and vain religion, in fantaftical adorning and decking, but rejoice in heart to fee the glory of God truly fet forth, and the churches restored to their ancient and godly ufe, render your moft hearty thanks to the goodness of Almighty God, who hath in our days ftirred up the hearts, not only of his godly preachers and ministers, but alfo of his faithful and moft Chriftian magiftrates and governors, to bring fuch godly things to pafs. And forafmuch as your churches are fcoured and swept from the finful and fuperftitious filthinefs, wherewith they were defiled and disfigured, do ye your parts, good people, to keep your churches comely and clean; fuffer them not to be defiled with rain and weather, with dung of doves and owls, ftares and choughs, and other filthinefs, as it is foul and lamentable to behold in many places of this country. It is the houfe of prayer, not the house of talking, of walking, of brawling, of minftrelfy, of hawks, of dogs. Provoke not the difpleasure and plagues of God, for defpifing and abufing his holy house, as the wicked Jews did: but have God in your heart, be obedient to his bleffed will, bind yourselves every man and woman to your power toward the reparations and clean keeping of your church, to the intent that ye may be par takers takers of God's manifold bleffings, and that ye may be the better encouraged to refort to your parish-church, there to learn your duty towards God and your neighbour, there to be present and partakers of Christ's holy facraments, there to render thanks to your heavenly Father for the manifold benefits, which he daily poureth upon you, there to pray together, and to call upon God's holy name, which be bleffed world without end. Amen. AN HOMILY OF Good Works. And firft, of Fafting. THE life which we live in this world, good Christian people, is of the free benefit of God lent us, yet not to use it at our pleasure, after our own fleshly will, but to trade over the fame in those works which are befeeming them that are become new creatures in Christ. These Eph. ii. works the Apostle calleth good works, faying, We are God's workmanship, created in Chrift Jefus to good works, which God hath ordained, that we should walk in them. And yet his meaning is not by these words to induce us to have any affiance, or to put any confidence in our works, as by the merit and deferving of them to purchase to ourselves and others remiffion of fin, and fo confequently everlasting life; for that were mere blafphemy against God's mercy, and great derogation to the bloodfhedding of our Saviour Jefus Chrift. For it is of the free grace and mercy of God, by the mediation of the blood of his Son, Jefus Chrift, without merit or deferving on our part, that our fins are forgiven us, that we are reconciled and brought again into his favour, and are made Aug. de Di- heirs of his heavenly kingdom. Grace, faith St. Auver. Quæft. guftine, belongeth to God, who doth call us; and then lib.i.quæft. hath he good works, whofoever receiveth grace. Good ad Simpl, 28. works then bring not forth grace, but are brought forth by grace. The wheel, faith he, turneth round, not to the end that it may be made round; but because it is first made round, therefore it turneth round. So, no man doth good works, to receive grace by his good works; but because he hath first received grace, therefore confe quently |