A fruitful sermon preached at Occham, in the countie of Rutland, the second of Nouember. 1583. By Thomas Gybson.

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TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Lorde, FRAƲNCES, Earle of BEDFORD, and one of her Maie∣sties most honourable priuy Councell, Knight of the Noble order of the Garter: VVith the right honorable, Sir VVALTER MILDMAY knight, Chancellour of the Queenes Maiesties Court of Exchequer, and one of her highnesse most ho∣nourable priuy Counsell: Grace, Mercy, and peace be multiplied from God our heauenly father, and from our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe.

THE blessed & holye Euange∣list Saint Luke, (Right Hono∣rable) penning and publishing the Heauenlye story and bles∣sed Gospell of Iesus Christ, doth also dedicate the same to one Theophilus, a Noble and famous man, of singular credit and authority. The reason and

cause that mooued him thereto, is because in those times, the purenesse of the Gospell was hindred, and per∣secuted, whereby manye erroures be∣gan to be spreade and allowed: and therefore in great Wisdom it pleased the holy Ghost, not onely to wryte a faithfull, sure, and perfect storye: but also to offer and present the custodye and defence of the same, to one of Religion and povver. The verye same cause partly, hath mooued mee at this time, to be so bolde as to offer and Dedicate this poore and simple testimonie of my trauaile to your Honours. For although I doe confesse, vve lyue vnder a Gracious Prince (whome the Lorde long con∣tinue to his glorye, to the shame and confusion of his enemies, and to the dayly profit of his Church) although (I say) we liue in so peaceable, happy, and gratious a time, vnder the flo∣rishing state of the Gospell: yet true∣ly the dearest Children of God, and the sinceritie of religion, is subiect to bitter persecution. These wordes at

the first maye seeme very greeuous, hard and haynous, and yet they are most certaine & true. The holy Apo∣stle S. Paule, writing to the Galatians. 4 29. speaketh on this maner: As he that was borne after the fleshe, persecuted him that was borne after the spirite: euen so is it now: he speaketh of Ismaell and Isaac, and yet we doe not reade in the scripture of any persecution be∣tweene them, neither did Ismael per∣secute his brother Isaac, with hande or swoorde, but that which is worse, proudly & arrogantly, he raised him∣selfe againste him, mocking him, and as it were, treading vnder feete the promise of God. And this dealing by the Apostle is called a persecution, & in deede there is not any persecution more greeuous to the Children of God then this. Now who doth not dayly see, that the best Christians, and the purenesse of religion are greatly persecuted, by Papistes, Atheistes, and Hipocrites, as Isaac was by his Bro∣ther Ismaell. And of all matters of re∣ligion, I thinke there is scarce anye in

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these dayes more generally hated of such kind of men, then that, which is most altogether, & almost only hand led in this simple Sermō. For these & such like men, many of them can bee content vvith a common ordinarye profession, to heare Mattins and Euensong, and sometimes a Sermon, by such men as they like off, but that there should be any continuall course of the pure preaching of the worde of God, they can in no wise allowe or like of. This I say, is hated, reiected and persecuted so farre as may bee, of the greater sorte, and therefore not without cause haue I attēpted to de∣dicate this my labor, to your honors as special patrons, & defendors of the Lords cause, and tried Friends and fa∣uorers of God and his truth. But yet this attempt may seeme very rash and needles: For who am I, that I shoulde take vppon mee to set foorth and to publish any thing? The vnworthiest I confesse of many hundreths, and the vnablest of many thousands, and yet seeing many things more simple, lesse

needefull and profitable, are not only suffered, but alowed to come abroad: I am not altogether discouraged: nei∣ther hath anye man iuste cause to ac∣cuse me in this my simple enterprise. I know these be dayes of knowledge & learning, there be greate stoore of fa∣mous and learned diuines in our land (whom I beseech the Lorde to blesse, that they may assist their weake bre∣thren, in the defence of this, and such good causes,) and yet the two mites of the poore widow cast into the tre∣sury, amongest the great giftes of the wealthy, are not to be refused. I know your Honours be dayly hearers of fa∣mous and learned men, both in your houses and abroad: you are acquain∣ted with the sermons of profound & deepe diuines, and such as are mighty in the scriptures: notwithstanding ha∣uing in my selfe sufficient trial & expe¦rience of your honors most curteous, humble, & fauorable dealing towards me, and also of some liking of my simple and poore trauelles in prea∣ching heretofore: I am not ashamed

or afrayd after such triall and proofe, to offer this so small and simple a thing vnto your honours. The great necessitye of the matter I deale with∣all, the care of Gods glory, the zeal of his house, the benefit that his church may haue by it, hath especially moo∣ued me that it should be published & come abroade. Let not therefore hy∣pocrites bee too rashe in iudging, the Lorde the searcher of the hearts and reynes, knoweth my purpose and af∣fection, in preaching and publishing this matter. The cause that hath mo∣ued me to present it to your Honors, rather then to other, is the lōg proof and acquaintance of your honoura∣ble courtesies, and friendly good∣will towards me, which for my part, I am neuer able to requite, for the which I thinke my selfe as long as breath is in me, most bounde and in∣debted to your Honours. And here I offer this poore fruite of my trauaile▪ as some testimony of goodwill and thankfulnesse. And whereas we are wont commonly to offer and present

to our dearest friendes, some gyftes, as tokens of good will, or else of spe∣ciall duety: Amongst many great and prescious presentes, which are no doubt giuen and presented to your honours, I also offer this simple mite, and yet I hope more pleasant and ac∣ceptable to the receiuers, then thou∣sands of gold or siluer, or any earthly thing whatsoeuer. And in deede, can there be any matter more sweete and pleasaunt, to the cheefe Patrons and defenders of the Godly preachers, & the worde of God, then to heare of the necessitie, profite, and excellen∣cye of preaching: which things are set foorth plainely & largely in this little sermon. For howsoeuer manye men hate & abhorre this matter, and can in no case disgest it: yet your honors zeale, c••••rage, liking, good will and countenance, to this and other good causes, is comonly known and spread abroad. A further reason why I pub∣lishe this Sermon, is because there is some matter in it, for the which I haue beene in the country where I dwel, o∣penly

slaundered and euill spoken off, and therefore to cleare my selfe from such false reports, to satisfie my friends which are ready to answere in my cause: to let the enemies knowe, I haue spoken nothing wherof I am a∣shamed, but dare put it to the witnes∣sing and testimonie of the Christian reader▪ and also to resolue moreful∣ly, the weaker sort, in such thinges as at the first seeme strange and absurde: For these and such like causes, I saye, I am content and willing, that this my trauell come to light: although the whole or most part of this Sermon is vnsauorie & vnpleasaunt to the grea∣ter sort, and specially to the ignorant people, to the hipocrite, to the idol or dumb minister: yet this is that, which chiefly misliketh and greeueth them: because, both in the place where I preached this Sermon, and also else where, I sayd & affirmed, that the mi∣nister which preacheth not, and hath not those giftes which the lord requi∣reth in his Ministers, that such a one is no Minister, approoued of GOD,

neyther hathe any right and autho∣ritie from the Lorde, to minister his Sacramentes. Which matter, hovve straunge and absurde soeuer it seeme to ignoraunte and carnall men: yet I hope it is heere sufficiently confir∣med by authoritye and examples of the holy Scripture. I coulde alleadge further, the allowaunce and iudge∣ment of moste famous and pure Di∣uines, and such as are generally recei∣ued and allowed of all true Christi∣ans. Master IOHN CALVIN, aboute the latter ende of his Cate∣chisme, which is allowed by her Ma∣iesties authority, saythe in playne wordes, that the ministration of the Sacramentes belongeth to them, who haue the charge to preache openlye in the Church. For the preaching of Gods word, and the ministration of the Sacraments, be things ioyntly belonging to one kind of office: these be his very words which are as plaine as may be. M. Rodolphus Gualter in his 118. Homely vpon Mark, speaking of the institution of the Lordes supper,

and of the right order in ministring that sacrament, amongst other things sayth on this maner. Peccant qui coe∣naem abs{que} verbi predicatione peragunt, a∣deo{que} illam huic praeferunt, quasi vel ad dei cultum, uel ad salutem plus conferat, quam verbum, cum tamen huius maiorem, quam sacramentorum rationem habuerunt Chri∣stus & Apostoli. They sinne against the institution of Christ, which doe mini∣ster the Supper without preaching of the worde, and so preferre the Sa∣crament before preaching: as though that auayled more to saluation and seruice of God, then the worde prea∣ched: whereas notwithstanding, both Christe and the Apostles esteemed more the preaching of the Worde, then the Sacrament. These are his wordes. I might alleadge many other testimonies for this cause, not onely from the moste worthye, Godly, and learned diuines, both old and new of other nations: but also from famous Martyrs and Byshoppes in this our land, in their sermons and writinges, published and priuiledged by autho∣rity.

I hope then there is no cause, why this doctrin shold not receiue a fauo∣rable intertainment & allowaunce, as of your honors, so of all faithful chri∣stians, hauing such warrant from so pure and learned men, and from the testimony of the holy worde. What soeuer I spake in deliuering and vt∣tering this sermon, I haue here set it down (so neare as I could remember) both in forme and matter. To con∣clude, I moste heartely desire in the Lord, the christian reader, & especially your honors, to accept this my poore trauel. I am bold to ioyn you both in one, not onely because the Lord hath ioyned you together in the bonde of friendship, and in a care of my good estate: but also, that which is greatest of all, in a zeale of Gods glory & fur∣therance of his religion. Now the ve∣ry God of peace sanctify you through out: and I pray God that your whole spirites & soules, and bodyes, may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen.

Your Honours in the Lord; THOMAS GYBSON.