The art or skil, well and fruitfullie to heare the holy sermons of the church written first in Latin, by a godly minister named Gulielmus Zepperus ; and now truly translated into English by T.W. ...

To the Christian Reader, grace and peace from God the Father, and from his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord, &c.

WE that now liue (brethren) may truly say, both that our times are good, and yet that our daies are naught. If any will demaund how this can be so, seeing it implieth a flat con∣tradiction, the answere is easie, readie, and right also. For if we consider God,* 1.1 the onely giuer of euerie good and perfect gift: or weigh his blessed bountie in all sorts of graces, or respect the long continuance of these singular fauours, we can∣not but plainely perceiue, and openly confesse the truth and certainety of the first part of this sentence. For first touching God, we may speake it, and that truly also, to the glory of his great name, that he hath opened his hand,* 1.2 and filled with his blessing all sorts and degrees amongest vs. No mans sight (as I take it) is so bleared, or his heart so brawned, or his mouth so stopped vp, but that he must of necessitie euidently see, sensibly feele, and freely lay out the same. And for his graces generally, we may safely acknowledge as the Prophet in a certaine place doth: they are so many, that none can count his thoughts towards vs, yea though we would declare and speake of them,* 1.3 yet are they more than we are able to conceiue in our vnderstanding (so much are our hearts straitned within vs, and therefore greater also, than we are able to expresse

by speech. Now particularly, if we could consider as we ought outward and bodily blessings, either for the number or varietie of them, haue we not iust cause to say, that God hath bountifully vouchsafed vs, that which the Prophet heartily desired might be giuen to his people,* 1.4 namely, that peace is within our walles, and prosperitie within our palaces? And that he hath powred that vpon vs, which Izhac wished vnto his sonne: He hath giuen vs of the dewe of hea∣uen,* 1.5 and the fatnesse of the earth, and plentie of wheat and wine, and so forth as it followeth in the Patriar∣ches words? And touching spirituall graces, we may doubtlesse speake no lesse liberally, than the faith∣full doe in another Psalme: He sheweth his word vn∣to Iacob▪ his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel: he hath not dealt so with euerie nation,* 1.6 neither haue they knowne his iudgements or as it is in another Prophet, I will poure out my spirit vpon all flesh: and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie:* 1.7 your old men shall dreame dreames, and your young men shall see visions. And also vpon the seruants, and vpon the maydes, will I in these daies poure cut my spirit: yea they shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord.* 1.8 And concerning the continuance of them, we must acknowledge, vnlesse we will rob God of his praise, and other men of great good, and our selues of speciall comfort, that we haue had the Lord, not onely forbearing vs a yeare, two, or three together, but digging round about vs, yea dig∣ging and dressing vs, not three or foure yeares, as in the parable of the figtree planted in the vineyard is de∣clared,* 1.9 but full fortie yeare at the least, be hauing not only made our wheat and wine to abound all that while,* 1.10 but daily lifting vpon vs the light of his countenaunce:

On the other side, if we weigh either how blind we haue been in these blessings, not seeing them at all: or consider how carelesse to performe duties for them after light receiued: or else regard how hypo∣criticall we haue been in the seruices which we made shew to accomplish, we shall then euidently see in others, and sensiblie feele in our selues the truth of the latter part of that sentence. For how many be there in the land, who (whether they deli∣uer it of ignorant malice, or malicious ignorance, we will not stand now to determine it) say as the people did in the time of the Prophet Ieremie.* 1.11 The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord, we will not heare it of thee. But we will doe what∣soeuer thing commeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense to the Queen of heauen, & to poure out drinke of∣ferings vnto her, as we haue done, &c. Other some a∣gain there are amongst vs (and I feare me there is no small number of them) who, whether they doe it of carelesnesse and carnalitie of heart in themselues, or presuming before hand,* 1.12 that notwithstanding ini∣quitie, God will be gracious vnto them, the Lord best knoweth) abusing Gods mercy, and turning his grace into wantonnes,* 1.13 do in themselues despise the riches of his bountifulnes, patience & long suffering, forgetting that the bountifulnesse of the Lord should lead them to repentance, and so from God heape vp vnto themselues, as if it were treasure, wrath against the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God. Besides what swarmes of hypocrites be there in the lap and bosome of the Church, of whom we may iustly say, either as the Apostle doth, they haue a shew of pietie,* 1.14 but haue denied the power thereof, or else serue him for bread and water, wool and flax, oyle and drinke, corne,* 1.15

wine,* 1.16 gold, siluer, &c. as the idolaters did their Idols in Hosea his time: or at the best, as our Sauiour him∣selse saith out of Isaiah, touching the age in which he liued: This people draweth nigh vnto me with their mouth,* 1.17 and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is farre from me? By all which we may not onely clearely behold the truth of our first sentence, in both the parts of it affirmatiue and negatiue, but may further see and learne, that it is verie apparant, that we haue many waies giuen the Lord iust cause not onely to exclame, or complaine of vs, as in some of the Prophets he doth touching the nation of the Iewes, saying, O my people, what haue I done vn∣to thee?* 1.18 or wherein haue I grieued thee? And againe, what could I haue done any more to my vineyard, that I haue not done vnto it? but also as it is in another Pro∣phet, to write a bill of diuorcement, to put it into our hands, and to cast vs off, euen for euer and euer, wee are then carefully to cōsider, what is now to be done this dounge of our iniquities being cast in our faces, our sinnes also being thus set in order before vs: and the fierce wrath of the Lord being so iustly & sharp∣ly also kindled against vs. Shall we persist and hold on in a course of euill? So Sathan in his malice a∣gainst vs would suggest, that is not to be doubted. And so wicked ones would teach vs, both by their perswasion and practise, as the Apostle sheweth, say∣ing:* 1.19 Shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound? Yea it may be the corruption and naughtinesse of nature would easily yeeld to it, as to a poynt plea∣sant to flesh and blood. But this and all such like wicked conceits and assaults, from whence, or from whom soeuer they come, we must cast farre from vs, and speedily and vnfeignedly returne vnto the Lord,

who graciously calleth vs, saying:* 1.20 Returne and cause others to turne away from all your transgressions: pre∣sently after shewing, how and in what sort we should come vnto him: Cast away from you all your transgres∣sions whereby ye haue transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit, for why will you die, O house of Israel? which also Saint Iames expresseth notablie, saying: Submit your selues to God, resist the diuell, and he will flie from you. Draw neere to God,* 1.21 and he will draw nigh to you. Clense your hands ye sinners, and purge your hearts ye double minded men, &c. But herein alwaies we must take heed of, and according to our vtter∣most, seeke to auoid two dangerous, yea deadly rockes. The first is delay and putting off from time to time, which as in other things, so here is verie pe∣rillous. Which also the holy Ghost insinuateth, by stirring vs vp, whilest it is called to day,* 1.22 to harken vnto his voice, and assaieth to cause vs more plainely to vnderstand it, whilest in another place he prouoketh vs, to redeeme the season, because the daies are euill.* 1.23 And Christ verie earnestly presseth it, saying: walke whi∣lest ye haue the light, adding therto for a better incou∣ragement this reason, least the darkenesse come vpon you, and verie perspicuously in another place of that Gospell mencioning the like, saying:* 1.24 the night com∣meth when no man can worke. All which plainely be∣wraieth our strong inclination to this great euil, and how hard a thing it is to recouer vs therefrom; o∣therwise it had been sufficient, by a word and away to assaied to reclaime vs. The second is a con∣ceit which we haue, that Gods great holinesse, and our grosse iniquities, will well stand together, men many times supposing that God either doth not re∣gard things, or sinne done vpon the earth: or hareth

them not, as is pretended he doth: or cannot, or will not punish according vnto demerit. But if we knewe the truth of God, as it is contained in the scriptures of God, and how mightily there and else where, it op∣poseth it selfe against the same, we would quickly al∣ter our mind. What? Shall not he that hath plan∣ted the eare,* 1.25 heare? or he that hath formed the eie, shall hee not see? or he that chastiseth the nations, shall hee not correct? hee that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?* 1.26 Againe: God loueth not wickednesse, neither shall euill dwell with him. Nay which is more:* 1.27 He is of pure eies, and cannot see euill, or behold wickednes. And in another place: In the hand of the Lord is a cup,* 1.28 and the wine is red: it is full mixed, and he powreth out of the same: Surely all the wicked of the earth shall wring it out, and drinke the dregs therof: All which we must acknowledge, vnlesse we will with the A∣theists blasphemously denie God to be, or with the Epicures grossely suppose him to fit idlely in heauen: or with the prophane, carnall, and carelesse, presume of his mercy before hand. But this we must assure our selues of, that if we foster these & such like con∣ceits within vs, as the wicked continually carie about with them, it cannot be auoided, but liuing their life, we must die their death, and that as we haue been fellowes with them, and followers of them in their transgressions, so also we must become partakers with them in their punishment. Which if we would be sure indeed to auoid, we must carefully do that that Saint Iames earnestly prouoketh vs vnto, namely: To be doers of the word,* 1.29 and not hearers onely, deceiuing our owne selues and others also: and to labour to haue our hearing mixed with faith, which because the people in former time had not regard of,* 1.30 that which they

heard profited them not, as the Apostle sheweth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes. For your helpe therefore (deare Christians) that way, and furtherance in other good works also, there commeth out now, and is pub∣lished in print, this worthie worke and godly treatise following. Concerning which, I will say no more but this, that if you will read it reuerently as you should, labour rightly to vnderstand it as ye ought, and in∣deuour religiously to practise it in all the parts of it, as in dutie and conscience you are bound, you shall find, not onely a gracious redresse of those things that either in times past haue been, or presently are a∣misse in you, but also feele, a preuenting power, of and against future euils: yea I dare assure you in the word, not of man, but of God, that you shall be caried a∣long by the hand in the spirit,* 1.31 to delight in the law of God, as in regard of your inward man, and to be inabled by the mightie working of the same blessed spirit,* 1.32 no more to do that euill which you hate, but to accomplish those good things which you vnfainedly loue: that so being filled with the fruits of righteousnes & religiō,* 1.33 which are by Iesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God, you may euen here in your hearts continually feele, and else where, in the life that is to come, particularly and comfortably also heare, that sweet sentence from our Sauiour Christs owne mouth:* 1.34 Come ye blessed of my father, take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. What shall I say more? What am I able to doe else?* 1.35 It is God that must worke in you both the will and the deed according to his good pleasure. For my part, I can but exhort you to well doing: I can but pray for you, that you may beginne, continue and increase in the same. In these duties I haue not beene wanting according

to such measure of mercie,* 1.36 as I haue receiued from God. It lieth in you, that haue been bles∣sed from him, with the first fruites of the spirite, and the beginnings of regeneration, not onely to suf∣fer with patience the words of exhortation, but to profit by them. And God it is that of his free fauour onely towards vs in Christ, must grant the requests and desires of his seruants. Wherein surely he will not faile vs,* 1.37 if we be not wanting to him & to our selues. Now I beseech euen him that is the God of peace, and that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus, the great sheepheard of the sheepe through the blood of the euerla∣sting couenant, to make you perfect in all good workes to doe his will, be working in you that which is pleasant in his sight, through Iesus Christ, to whom be praise for euer and euer. London the xij. of December. 1599.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iam. 1.17.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 14••.
• * 1.3

  Psal.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 122.7
• * 1.5

  Gen. 27.28.29
• * 1.6

  Psal. 147.19 20.
• * 1.7

  Ioel. 2.28.29
• * 1.8

  Iere. 31.34.
• * 1.9

  ••. 13.6.7
• * 1.10

  ••. 6.7.
• * 1.11

  Iere. 44.16.17.
• * 1.12

  Deut. 29.19
• * 1.13

  Rom. 2.5.6
• * 1.14

  2. Tim. 3.••
• * 1.15

  Hos. 2.••
• * 1.16

  Hose. 2.5. &c.
• * 1.17

  Mat. 15.8.
• * 1.18

  Micah. 6.3. Esay. 5.4.
• * 1.19

  Rom. 6.1
• * 1.20

  Ezech. 18.30, 31.
• * 1.21

  Iam. 4.7.8.
• * 1.22

  Hebr. 3.7.
• * 1.23

  Ephes. 5.16. Iohn. 12 35.
• * 1.24

  Iohn. 9.4.
• * 1.25

  Psal. 94.9.10.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 5.4.
• * 1.27

  Habba. 1.13.
• * 1.28

  Psal. 75.8.
• * 1.29

  Iam. 1.22
• * 1.30

  Hebr. 4.2.
• * 1.31

  Rom. 7.22.
• * 1.32

  Rom. 7.15.
• * 1.33

  Philip. 1.11
• * 1.34

  Mat. 25.34.
• * 1.35

  Phil. 2.13.
• * 1.36

  Hebr. 13.22
• * 1.37

  Hebr. 13.20 21.