A20540:311
Three godly and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Master John DodThree godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod
Three godly and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Master John Dod: the last by Master Robert Cleaver. Whereunto are annexed, five propositions, or points of doctrine, comprehended in three other sermons, by the same authorThree godlie and fruitful sermons; the two first preached by Maister Iohn Dod: the last by Maister Robert Cleauer. Whereunto are annexed, fiue propositions, or points of doctrine, comprehended in three other sermons, by the same author
London: printed by N. Okes and F. Kingston for William Welby, 1610
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Doct. 4 Our wretched nature is never so forward unto 1any thing, as unto that which is sinful and utterly unlawful. All men are naturally exceeding slack in attempting & executing that which ⟨p. 142⟩is good: but very swift in setting upon, and going through with, that which is evil. Therefore is it said of all the sons of Adam without exception, that their feet are swift to shed blood. Many there2 are, who if they should be pressed to fight in lawful war for God and their country, would be fearful and dastardly, and if they could with any credit or safety, they would betake them to their heels: and yet the same men in a private quarrel, or in robbing by the high ways side, or in stealing somewhat out of their neighbours grounds, will be very forward and swift to shed blood. Again, there are divers that are exceeding slow in going to a Sermon, or to any such holy exercise, or service: but to run to a Bullbaiting, or a Bear-baiting, or to a Whitsun-ale, none shall rise more early, nor hasten more speedily then they▪ Examples will make this point yet more clear. When Nebuchadnezzar was minded to pass an unjust sentence of death upon the Chaldeans and Astrologians, for that they could not3 bring to his mind his dream, which he himself had forgotten, he made great speed in the matter, in so much that he adjudged all to die, not only those that had bin examined, but all such as were of that profession, yea not only those that were Sorcerers and Conjurers indeed, but Daniel and his companions, that were but only supposed to be such, whereas they did in truth abhor all those unlawful and devilish Arts. If it had bin some matter tending to Gods glory, or the good of his ⟨p. 143⟩Church, he would not have been so ready to yield unto it, and if such a sentence had been past, there would have been many objections and oppositions, so that the execution thereof would hardly have followed so speedily, as this here did, in which regard Daniel taketh exception against it, saying, Why is the sentence so hasty from the King? The like forwardness was there in the unbelieving Israelites unto the foul and abominable