and by his prouidence gouerneth the same when also the doctrine is expounded concerning the thrée persons the properties of euery person of the church of the law of sin of the gospell of repentaunce of faith of charytie of hope of the sacraments of the resurrection of the dead of eternall lyfe c. These and such lyke places are frequentlye founde in the Scriptures explaned in a iust method and after the popular mener of teaching Redargution or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no other thinge then a destruction or confutation of false and eronious opinions which are obtruded of the enimies of truthe to deceue the ignoraunt and vnlearned For it is necessary that theyr mouthes be stopped by thautority of gods word for which cause the Apostle would haue him to be a Byshoppe or teacher of the church that coulde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say reproue and conuince the gaynâ—speakers Thou shalt sée not seeldome times in the Sermons of the Prophetes of Christ and thapostles the phantasticall surmises of the Gentiles of the false prophets Pharisies and such lyke grieuously assaulted and vtterly ouerthrowne Furthermore Institution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnderstand to be that whereby the lyfe and maners are informed vnto Godlines The holy Scriptures doe abounde with precepts and exhortations of this kinde into whiche sufficiently tedyous and prolixe euery man slippeth euen without occasion and intending some other matter Correction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is after a contrary order occupyed in reprouing of corrupt maners and of those crimes where vnto many men are perceiued to be giuen The Prophets Apostles in their Sermons are in nothyng more busye then inueyinge against their sinnes and wickednesse whom they couet to traine to repentaunce and to haue them become honest and vertuous Last of all vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Consolation what oughte to be vnderstoode there is no man that can be ignoraunt seeing euery one of vs beynge daily conuicted of our owne iniquitie doe feele by experyence how greatly we stand in neede of consolations prepared for all euents And surely of comfortes and consolations which may assuredly stay erect vp afflicted mindes the sacred scripture is a most plentifull storehouse If therefore we will heare S. Paule what soeuer thinges may profitably be spoken out of the scriptures it is requisite that they be referred to these fiue ends or chapters Why then may we not say that accordinge to these same chapters all kindes of sermons ought to be distincted and deuided Herevnto is added that there is no treaty that hapeneth any where in the sacred scriptures which may not be placed vnder some one of these chapters as vnder a certayne captayne and guide It were no long work to demonstrate in the volumes of the Prophetes and Apostles iust Sermons the arguments and titles wherof might most aptly be prefixed after the sayde Chapters a proofe of which matter we wyll bringe in the sequell hereof and especially in the second Booke where shal be noted diuers and sundry examples And what if all thinges necessary to be knowne to a man carefull of his saluation are founde to be layde vp aboundantly in the same chapters for what things soeuer pertayne to sincere religion and christian piety are referred either vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say knowledge or science or els vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is action or doyng The author of this particion least any maÌ„ should finde fault therwith we haue the Apostle Paule which prayeth vnto God that all the godly may be filled as well with the knowledge of the misteries and will of God as also that after the measure of knowledge which fell vnto them they might fructifie in all good workes And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verely is then made perfect when as those things are perceiued and allowed which bene true and agreeable to the first truthe manifested by the holy ghost and agayne those thinges be reiected which are false and vntrue Here then are eftsoones perceiued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doctrine and râ—dargution But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaning vpon actitons or works is altogither in this continually that it may shew forth worthy examples of honesty and vnfeigned holynes and as for thinges filthy and reprochefull shonne them with all indeuour In the meane while in that one poynt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or institution bewrayeth it selfe In this other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or correction Where as if againe it chaunceth any man eyther in these thinges which are referred vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in those that perteyne vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doubt wauer or feare in such sort that some great daunger of falling séemeth to hange ouer his head then must seasonable remedy bée applyed by ministringe apte consolations It is playne therefore that the order of comfortinge in the fift place ought in this wyse of necessitie to bée adioyned vnto the premisses Moreouer thrée thinges by the consent of all men are determined to be of themselues most worthy in which the spirituall lyfe of man doth wholely consist namely Fayth Charitie and Hope For when these things be in any man the diuine oracles testify that he shal neuer perishe And surely Fayth stickinge fast to the certeyne rules of the holy Ghost is susteyned and fortefied with doctrin and redargution Charitie busily applying to good workes is furthered and holpen forward with Institution and Correction Lastly Hope is nourished and cherished with swéet consolation and comfort Yea in thorder of these Chapters may al those thinges bée disposed also which the Rhetoricians doe comprehende in the thrée sayde common kyndes of Cases But on the other side not all the thinges agayne that are comprised in those Chapters can haue place vnder those kyndes of cases For those thinges that amonge the Oracles are ascribed to the kynde Iuditiall may conueniently bee handeled in redargution or correction Of which that one is applied to the state definit and this other to the state of qualytie But those thinges which are attributed to the kyndes delyberatiue and demonstratiue bée very aptelie placed vnder institution touching which matter we shall haue an other place agayne else where to entreate of But if thou shouldest requyre of the Rhetoritians a kynde of case to the which doctrin or consolation might be referred they coulde giue none at all as those that haue euermore set ouer the whole practise of Teachinge and comfortynge to the Philosophers of Vniuersities and thin-habitauntes of Scoles giuinge themselues to ouer muche ease and idlenesse in the meane tyme But hée that will followe the course and direction of those fiue Chapiters or fountaynes shall pretermit no order of Teaching which maye serue any thinge at all to the furtheraunce and information of the myndes of wretched men Which thinges séeinge they bée so it is very méete and
the Corinthes and homilie 5. vppon the first to the Thessalonians Now let vs distinguish and sorte out the kindes of men to the intent it maye appere and become euident vppon whom chiefely the dartes and dint of rebukes ought of right most frequently to be throwne XVI As it is apparaunt that there is no state or degrée of men voide of lustes or frée from sinne so the Preacher shall in no wise let to blame and accuse the enormities of all men without exception To which effecte it perteineth that the apostle writinge as well vnto Timothy as to Titus so prouidently teacheath them how and after what sort they should behaue themselues in oxhorting reproouing of al sortes of men And againe the same hath generally coÌ„maunded that those which offend should openly be reprooued to the terrour also of others That in like maner is vniuersally to be taken which long before to the prophet Ezechiell cap. 3. god him selfe said If thou shalt not warne the vngodly nor speake vnto him to disswade him from his wicked way that he might liue I will require his bloude at thy hande But if thou doest admonishe him theÌ„ hast thou delyuered thine owne soule Wherefore to come to that which I was about to say the Teacher of the people shall iudge all his hearers indifferently in this behalfe to be accompted in the selfe same order and that ther is none amonge them all whiche ought not to be subiecte to Ecclestasticall discipline XVII But in the meane time there appéereth to bée some difference made of holy Teachers in reproouinge comptrollinge of persons The prophetes doe in their wordes both more often and also more bitingely stinge the Iewes vnto whom had shined plentifully the knowledge of gods will then the Gentiles drowned in the diepe gulfe of ignoraunce Againe the apostle Paule more seuerely chideth the Galathians then he doth the Corinthians or any other beside The same admonisheth Titus that he shoule sharpely reproue the Cretensians And this he doth truely not as though they should thincke it méete to haue regarde onely of the crimes themselues but also of their qualities and kindes Moreouer wee sée the Prophetes Apostles and CHRIST chiefe Capteyn of the preaching schole to be accustomed as most coÌ„monly so also most grieuously to assault the vngodly priestes Doctors Scribes Pharyseis the authors of false opinions and that for this cause inespecially in that settinge out their externall and counterfet rightuousnesse they sought meanes to haue the internall and true rightuousnes in déede to be vtterly buryed vnder foote and agayne for the they preferred mens traditioÌ„s before the law of god With lyke lyberty of speach doe the prophets oft times shake vp the corrupt Iudges terming them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppressors of the poore againste all righte and equitie And peraduenture for this cause doe they assayle both the sortes that is to saye one while the priestes an other while the Iudges for the of these two kindes of men depeÌ„d the safety of the whole citie séeinge that from them sins and vices are soone deriued into all the people and againe these being brought into order it is an easy matter to reduce all the rest of their subiectes to the obedience of lawes What néede many wordes we may gather out of these things that how much the more fowlely any are fallen or be of more obstinate dispositions or hurt more through their offences then others so much the more studiously and seuerely are they to be corrected xviii But in noting and reproouinge the vices of maiestrates there is néede of singular iudgement For some potentates there be which wyll suffer themselues to be rebuked of some men but not of euery man some againe will admit no teacher or instructer at all Sainct Ambrose as it is recorded in the Tripartite history lib. 9. cap 30 trusting to the goodnes of his cause which he had in hand vnbashfully reprooued the Emperour Theodosius and he so worthy a prince tooke wel at worth the reprehension of so worthy a doctor although it were bytter publique For vnto Ambrose was known right wel the notable towardnes of the Emperour and the feruâ—t zeale of his minde enclyned to equitie againe Theodosius had perfect trial experience of the wisdom integrytie of Ambrose And certes where the preacher himselfe leadeth a pure and vnspotted lyfe the maiestrate for his part vnfeignedly imbraceth iustice there doe the holsome endeuours of the minister of the Gospell aspire to most happy successe Iohn Baptist doubted not openly to repâ—oue the wicked kinge Herod he againe as the Euangelist witnesseth feared and reuerenced Iohn Christ Luk. 12 ouerthwartly pinched Herode calling him fox Nathan séemed to vse as it were a certaine stratageme or fine poleey when intending to reprooue kinge Dauide he sodeinly deuised a parable of two men the one riche the other poore Neither is it a straunge thing to obserue other parables also put foorth of the prophets in hard and difficult matters as Esay 5. Iere. 24 c. To be short it is plaine and euident that maiestrates are to be reprooued in time and place as ofte as they depart from the path of rightuousnesse but with what foresight and prouision that is expedient to be done no man canne certeinly demonstrate by rules but it is necessarye that euery man according to his owne discretion doe partely out of the sermons of the prophets and of Christ partely out of the kinde causes circumstaunces of matters incident gather and deuise with him selfe Neither truely doe I knowe very well how it commeth to passe that in the Sermons of the Apostles wee finde not any thing ouer hardly spokeÌ„ against any maiestrates but rather there occurre many thinges whereby subiects are admonished to obey them yea though they be euyll and wicked But I suppose two causes may be rendred of that matter One for the al gouerners of coÌ„mon weales at the time were euery where ethnicks vnbeléeuers and therfore not as yet receiued into the societie of the church whervnto the Apostles knew right wel that their authorytie only stretched For those that were without they left vnto GOD alone to be iudged The other that forasmuch as the doctrine of the gospell was euery where euill spoken off of a great nuÌ„ber also flaundered as seditious and tending to the decay of common weales the Apostles iudged it very vntimely to exasperate them with the ouer sharp controlment of their priuate vices whoÌ„ being stirred vnto wrath they knewe would forthwith séeke by all meanes possible to hinder and stop the course of the gospell Where I might adde that the apostles peraduenture enstructed by the holy ghost saw before that in reproouing the princes of that age whoÌ„ God as yet vouched not safe to call they shoulde loose all their labour and trauaile But the processe of our talke groweth further then wee think for XIX Certes that we
be feared Certaine it is that if we which haue longe since receyued the light of the gospell doe not procéede to bringe forth fruites worthy of the gospell otherwise then hitherto we haue done God will soner then we be aware take him kingdome away from vs and giue it to a nation that will bringe forth worthy fruites in déede When will ye â—wake O ye stubburne and stiffenecked people oppressed with continuall sléepe XI and XII Institution and Consolation With what force and power all wiches hypocrites false teachars heretickes and tyrauntes haue to this presente day withstoode our sauiour and redéemer Christe from the time that he was fyrst manifested in the fleshe may partly out of the Euangelicall history Actes and writinges of the Apostles partly out of the Ecclesiasticall stories inough and to much appere And surely in Christ which is in many thinges set forth to vs for an example shineth a type or figure of the christian lyfe and euen of the whole Church Wherefore séeinge Christ himselfe hath alwayes susteyned contradictions and controlementes it is not to bée meruayled at if the godly also bée oftetymes and in many thinges spoken againste For contradiction or persecution we may knowe to bée as a sure token whereby the true Church of Christ is discerned from the sinagoge of Sathan For so it is prouyded that as many as will liue godly in Christe Iesu muste suffer persecution And as hee that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirite euen so is it nowe And our Lorde Christe hymselfe vnto his disciples If yee were of the worlde saith he the worlde woulde loue his owne If they haue persecuted mee they will also perâ—ute you But let vs be of a good courage and comfort our selues in aduersitye by the example of Christe goinge before vs. We knowe well ynoughe that seruauntes can not be in better place then their lorde is in wherefore let vs valyauntly susteyne the lot that God hath appointed vs in the confession of the Gospel nothing doubting But that if we suffer and be humbled heere with Christ we shall also with him be exalted and haue the fruitioÌ„ of eternal glory And moreouer the sworde shall pearce the soule that the thoughtes of many hartes may be opened XIII Doctrine The blessed Virgin hir selfe sufferd no doubt excedinge much griefe and anguishe for Christes cause For what hart had she may we thincke I say not when for feare of Herode she was driuen to flye into Aegipte and there liue longe time an exull nor wheÌ„ afterwarde beinge loste by the way she fought hir sonne very carefully in euery company but when she sawe him hanging on the crosse and distressed with al kinde of contumelies There is no doubte but that she was then vehemensly troubled and had almost thought that he was not the true Messias whom afore she beleued of whom she had conceiued a most certaine hope Such an offendicle therefore or at least such inwarde heauines is noted by the Metonimye of a sworde bringinge sorowe with it Howebeit héere we may learne that no man is so perfect but that nowe and then he suffereth some offence vaynquished by the infyrmitie of the fléesh by reason of Christ or the Gospell For euen the Saintes also doe oftetimes complaine that their féete are well nie caused to slide whiles they behold the godly here on earth to bée afflicted and the wicked to florishe in sprosperitie But so it is God helpeth his chosen in due tyme and by streatchinge forth as it were his hande lifteth them vp whom he perceyueth to be in daunger Temptations are not perpetuall neither doth God suffer any to bée tormoyled with them aboue their strength XIIII Institution Let vs acknowledge therefore our owne weakenes and if at any tyme it chaunceth vs to wauer and fayle either in doctrine or déedes let vs remember that we are not better then the residue of the Saintes and with all let vs require and expecte at gods hande that he woulde confyrme vs in the trueth XV. Doctrine Ruine or vprisinge as they happen for Christes cause are not light or hidden such as manye be apprehended onely by thoughts but very graue sharpe vehement and such as are apparaunt and open so that all men haue power to iudge of them For all maner of offences doe first springe in the harte where the thoughts doe accuse or also excuse one an other and as ye would saye striue and conflicte amonge themselues notwithstanding a litle while after they breake forth into wordes or else into manifest déedes So lurked the offence of CHRIST some whiles in the hart of Peter whylest he priuily thought That Christ whom the Iews so spitefully entreated was in no wise the true Messias But in short space aster his thoughtes were disclosed when he openly reuolted from Christ yea and flatly denyed that euer he knewe him Wherefore howe Christ was to him an occasion of ruine or fallinge euery manne myght then easily iudge Contrarywise they that beléeue doe fyrst in their harte beléeue vnto rightuousnesse and afterward with their mouth make confession to saluation Which whilest they doe all men maye iudge howe CHRIST is to them a resurrectyon or vprisynge againe XVI Institution Seing therfore the cace standeth thus that euery offence is first conceyued in the hart and after commeth abrode into light It be honeth vs truely to pray vnfeignedly to God that he would vouchsafe so to purge and fortify our hartes with his spirite that no offenses take any roote in them Or if at any time we beginne to wauer and doubte as touching the dignity of Christ or excellency of the Gospell then that he would by his holy spirite and word strengthen vs before such cogitations come to light whereby extreme destruction should of nessitye folowe And there was one Anna a prophetisse the daughter of Phanuell of the tribe of Aser she was of a great age and had liued with an husband seuen yeres from hir virginitie And she had bene a widowe about fower score and fower yeres which departed not from the temple but serued god with fastinges and prayers night and daye XVII Doctrine In this seconde parte touchinge the confession of Anna where many thinges are rehearced attributed to hir persone as the name of Anne the gifte wherewith shée was adorned prophesie hir parentes tribe age hir former state of life hir widdowehoode place she departed not out of the temple hir exercise or maners she serued GOD with fastinges and praiers night and daye these thinges I say thus attributed vnto hir wee shall perceyue to bée heaped together to the amplifyinge and augmentinge of hir dignitie by reason whereof the autoritie of hir testimonye or confession which she made of Christe is of necessitie also illustrated and increased Herevpon wée haue to consider that there is no estate or degrée of men which God refuseth but that euen to all so
as it were certayne steppes and degrées whereby the godly are brought vnto true and perfect knowlege Which thinge how it may with ease be accomplyshed I will in few words rehearce and as ye would saye with certayne poyntes added declare They talked together I The first degrée to come to an absolute knowledge of the trueth as touching Christ and the will of God is constituted in holy and godly meditations and in a feruente desyre of perceiuing the trueth Whiche desyre or study GOD hymselfe other whiles graffeth in the mindes of men ministringe of hys owne accord occasion of godly meditations like as those thinges that were done at Hierusalem gaue cause to the disciples to talk and common of Christ And Iesus himselfe drew neere II Assoone as any doe earnestly begin to applye theyr minde to thatteynement of diuine knowledge God hymselfe vouchsafeth to be present with them and to fauour their godly desyres Wherefore they easely perceyue their mindes to be wonderfully and in a certaine secrete maner inflamed their counsayls to vs directed and a meane wherby they may profyt to be opened By meanes whereof we may learne that the second step or degrée whereby the way is laide open to the knowledge of thinges diuine consisteth in the sincere callinge vppon the name of GOD and in the present aide and helpe of the same There is no cause why any maÌ„ should perswade himself that he can happily attempte the study of holy thinges if he first implore not humbly the diuine ayde and féele the same to be present with hym And for this cause doth Iames cap 1. grauely admonish vs that we should aske spirituall wisdom of him that giueth it namely god c. One of them aunswered whose name was Cleopas III The third degrée of profyting in thinges spiritual is the diligent conferrence with others especiallye with the learneder sorte And God is wont alwayes to those that with all their harte long after the knowledge of heauenlye thinges to minister apt helps and instruments of all sortes For the holy ghoste commaundeth Phillip to approche more néere to the chariot wherin the Eunuche quéene Candaces chief gouernour was caryed to the intent he might cléerely interpret the scriptures read but not vnderstanded God by an angell willeth Cornelius the Centurion to send spéedily to Ioppa for SimoÌ„ Peter of whom he mighte be instructed in the doctrine of true religyon And héere in this place Christ himselfe commeth forth in this owne person rather then those his disciples shoulde be destitute of a faithfull instructor What that a place very profytable to the commendation of the heauenly doctrine falleth in where it is sayde That Iesus of Nazreth was a prophete mightye in deede and in worde before God and all the people Truely very notable effects of the celestiall doctrine are héere set forth before our eyes Yea and certaine women amonge vs. IIII They that couet to profyt in sound holy doctrine what time they haue diligently conferred as touchinge the trueth with other godly menne of all sortes and degrees in the forrth place they shal exactly weigh and perpende all mens opinions sayings interpretations disputations yea they shall marke also visions reuelations dreames of whiche the Prophete Ioell speaketh capi 2. signes and wonders and of al these thinges so farre forth as in them lyeth they shall prudently shewe their iudgement Finally they shall trie all thinges as the Apostle sayth 1. thess. 5. and holde that which is good But that all sorts of men ought worthily to employ their endeuor to the doctrine of piety it is plaine and euident forasmuche as we sée the care and dutie euen of women also toward Christ crucifyed dead and buryed to be héere vehemently praysed and set forth They found it euen so as the women had saide There is good hope that the godlye may there verye well profyt and goe forwarde where as consent and agréement is founde in sounde doctrine which alone is of great importance to the establishing of Gods church and to the amplyfying therof And he saide vnto them O yee fooles V Ater the opinions of other men heard and prudently weighed there remayneth an other marke or fyft step whiche the disciples must climbe That is that the iudgement of the Scriptures themselues which is most perfect and aboue all other may alwayes be harkened vnto For vnto these must of necessitie be referred whatsoeuer is at any time produced as touchinge the doctryne of trueth We sée how Christ and the Apostles doe fortyfye all their assertions with the testimonies of the lawe the prophets how much more méete is it therefore that we stick fast for the authorytie of the lawe 〈◊〉 thee 〈◊〉 be set Christ and Apostles vpon this foundation whatsoeuer is builts that shal be certaine sound and stable in the churh and he shall be iudged to haue more profyted others whosoeuer shal build in this sort Againe it can nothe chosen but that it muste néedefull whatsoeuer is taken from any at 〈◊〉 and obtruded for sound 〈◊〉 And they drew 〈◊〉 to the towne VI 〈…〉 all times the thankfulnes their 〈…〉 God that distributeth to euery 〈◊〉 hys gift◠〈◊〉 measure as pleaseth hym as also to 〈…〉 by which they know and confesse themselues to be holpen for 〈…〉 For to those that are thankfull and doe rightlye vse the gifts graunted vnto them â–ª God willinglye 〈◊〉 more and committeth vnto them as it were new tallents But from the vnthankfull and those that either knowe not or wyll not vse them aright are taken a waye agayne such those that they haue already gotten And their eyes were opened Truely they that are thankfull do féelâ— in themselues manifest increasements of knowledge God vndoubtedly augmenting and be wâ—ifying his gifts in them And in this behalfe we sée the Apostle Paule praying with great effect to God the father that the loue of all his heaters might yet more and more abounde in knowledge and in all spirituall vnderstanding c. And they rose vp the same howre and returned VII Moreouer when a man is come to the exact knowledge iudge of the 〈…〉 shall 〈…〉 â—â—ught to 〈◊〉 but shall indeâ—â—◠〈…〉 all 〈◊〉 possible to bring others also to 〈…〉 Therfore we shall fréely and â–ª but a 〈…〉 confesse the knowen trueth he shall labour to 〈…〉 other both priuate and publickly 〈…〉 forth as oportunitie will serue 〈…〉 and friendly confer with other learned men moued not so much with desyr of teaching as of learning and fynally in al his actions hee shall set before his eyes both the edyfying of his hearers and increasement of the church For to thèse â—â—des most thief 〈…〉 God giueth to the faithful the 〈…〉 of thinges spirituall with these â—â—tion the 〈…〉 good will towardes God and men by this 〈…〉 concorde and agréement in doctrine in nourished in all Churches and to be shorte by such diligence is the Church of God confirmed encreased
where it is described what maner of person the sayde Anna was how godly and vnblameably she lyued very oportunely next after those wordes briefelye declared shall be added that wheresoeuer the confession of faith taketh place ther ought also manifest fruits of faith and manifold exercises of pietie to be seene Finally that confession is known to be perfect which on the one syde is accompanied with the perils of temptations perfecution and on the other side with the notable fruites of faith With suche a confession God is delighted the rest of the godly are strengthened the enemies are directed and discouraged the Diuell hymselfe is discomfited and subdude Fourthly Anna is reported to haue confessed lyke wise and agreeing in al poynts with SimeoÌ„ to haue spoken 〈◊〉 so of Christ to al the looked for redemption Not without cause therfore shall be declared in the last place how it behoueth the a confession in al the partes members therof be agreeable with the worde of god further the it remayne apparaunt franck firme and constant euen to the ende of lyfe And thus the whole sermon very neere shall be spent about one common plate touching the making of a confession of faith But I feare least ther be some that wil cry out and accuse me to be ouer tedious wherfore I forbeare to adde any more examples Further there is no cause why any man shoulde suppose the héere are digested allegorical interpretations For the state is alwaies drawen forth out of certaine words apparauntly placed in the narration Neither is digressioÌ„ made in the explication of the parts from the natiue sygnifycation of the words which in euery allegory is accustomed to be done Besydes there is no other thing sought for héere then that the interpretation of the parts may both be directed to one fountaine or common place also conuerted to the coÌ„mon instruction of life in rightuousnes For if somtimes out of doctrines yet for the most parte we sée al this order of interpreting to be gathered out of institutions which otherwise according to that forme that I haue exhibited in the thirde chapter may be excerpted out of the same meÌ„bers And now theÌ„ there happeÌ„ such narratioÌ„s as séeme to minister very little matter to teache wherefore it is no lesse requisite then profytable that the partes thereof be expounded after this sort as touching some certaine common and large stretching place Thefore truely a man may more rightly terme all this kind of â—narration instructiue or morall then allegorycall And to be true that we saye we will shewe it by an example taken out of Christom For he in his homilie 67. vpon Mathew séeking occasion to prouoke his hearers to deserue well of the poore selecteth two partes out of the text of the euangelical histore which he interpreteth of one the same coÌ„mon place procéeding in the like order that wee haue done and so longe taryeth he in them as he iudgeth to be most fyt conuenient The one part is of Christ the king méeke poore whiche was contented to be caried vpon a she Asse wherin Chrisostom teacheth that those things are only of vs to be sought for which the necessary vse of lyfe doth require and that pouerty is to be taken in good part of al men The other wherein it is sayd that some layde their garments vpon the Asse some spread them in the way this Chrisostom explaneth as touching helping and clothinge of the poore Therefore to the commending and setting forth of the poore tendeth the explications of the cause of the two partes and standinge somwhat long vpon either of them with great sharpenes of speache setting abroche all the engings of arguments he exhorteth vrgeth soliciteth impelleth all men to indeuour to be benefyciall to the poore Nowe that héere are to be séene allegorycall interpretations no man being in his right minde will affirme but all men may easely perceiue them to bee playne instructions Howbeit in the same sermon Crisostom there rather vseth an allegory where he auoucheth that by the Asse is sygnifyed the Iewish people accustomed to beare the burthen of the lawe and by the Colte the Gentiles which liued alwayes without the law without burthen without the discipline of Gods commaundements That the Asse like wise and hir Colts were brought of the disciples forasmuch as the Apostles by the preaching of the word ought to conduct both the peoples vnto Christ That Christ moreouer rode vppon either beast as theyr Lord for that he gathered to himselfe of either people an obedient Church and that the Gospell is paciently heard of their both That no man forbad the beasts to be brought vnto christ bicause it lyeth not in the power of any man to stop the course of the Gospel In the Colt so sodenly admitting one to take his 〈◊〉 without kicking to be shewed the prompt ready minde of the Gentiles in receiuing of the Gospell Agayne whilest the Asse commeth after the Colte to be signifyed that after Christ hath drawen vnto hym all the Gentiles the Iewes also will one day with greate zeale follow after By the disciples putting their clothes vpon the beasts that Christ might the more conueniently syt to he mente the teachers of the Gospell which ought not vnwillingly to bestow all that euer they haue yea euen their bodye and soule so that their hearers may be furthered and the glory of Christ more and more set forth And thus muche welnigh hath Chrisostom in that place But yet there is no man that séth not the interpretations to be very discrepant where one sayeth that forasmuche as Christe was contented to be caryed on an Asse and hir Colte we are taught that wee ought to liue contented with a fewe thinges and pacientlye to beare our necessetie and agayne for that Christe was caried vppon an Asse and hir Colte to bee signified twoe peoples to wit the Iewes and Gentiles that shoulde acknowledge Christ to be their Lord and receyue his gospell Agayne there is founde no smal difference in case where the disciples are reported to haue layed their garmentes vpon the beastes whereon Christ ought to sitte it be one while added that all men are there admonished willingly to giue clothes and other necessarys to the poore an other while it be sayde to signifye howe it behoueth the Preachers of the Gospell to bestowe all that they haue yea euen their body and soule for their flock Certes those former interpretations are excerpted out of the natiue sense of the words standing in the text and be perspicuously referred to the institution of lyfe whiche thing is the cause why Chrisostom discusseth them with a more plentifull discourse but in the later interpretacions digression is made from the proper signifycation of the wordes wherefore that they are allegorycall and for that cause the lesse profitable to the information of lyfe and mouing of affections there is no man that canne well dissemble
it was also conuenient to the intent all men might clerely vnderstande that Esay prophesied simply without any ambiguitie of Christ himselfe and of that very state of thinges which then was And albeit the applicatioÌ„ as Christ did exhibit it be not committed to writinge but onely the summe or state thereof expressed yet that it was very fitly and congruently prepared it appereth sufficiently by the wordes that the Euangelist addeth And all saith he gaue witnes vnto him and marueled at the grace of his wordes which proceeded out of his mouth Moreouer when the vngodly scoffers and deriders harde the Apostles speake with diuers tongues they were not ashamed to say that Thapostles were droncke and ouerladen with wine But Peter remoueth the vice of dronkeÌ„nes both from himselfe and from the rest of the Apostles and as the case then required interpreteth the prediction of Ioell the prophet to be fulfilled These are not droncke as yee doe suppose seeing it is but the thirde hower of the daye but this it is that was spoken by the prophet Ioel And it shall bee in the later daies sayth God I will poure out my spirit vppon all fleshe c. And so a litle after he applyeth them vnto those thinges that had happened sayinge Yee men of Israell here these wordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you in miracles in signes and wonders which God did by him in the middest of you as you your selues also know him by the determinate counsell c. And againe Hee beinge therefore axalted on the right hande of God and hauinge receyued of his father the promise of the holy ghost hath shed forth this which ye now see heare c. But least any man should obiecte and saye that those prophesies were in such sort vttered in times past of Esay and Ioel as that they could not be expounded of any other thinges then those the happened in the time of Christ I will produce other examples that stretche further and may not vnaptly be referred to all times Saint Paule entending to shew how that men are iustifyed by faith without the workes of the law taketh a most strong and valyaunt reason of the example of Abraham whom the scripture pronounceth to be iustified by faith saying Abraham beleeued in God it was counted vnto him for rightuousnes And after diuers sundry reasons deduced out of the same testimonye he applyeth the very order of iustification to all sorts of men vniuersally of euery age and time in these words It is not written saith he for him onely that it was imputed vnto hym but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeue in hym that raysed vp our Lord Iesus froÌ„ the dead Agayn to the Rom. xi Thapostle confirming that God hath not vtterly forsakeÌ„ the people of the Iewes whoÌ„ he knew before but that alwayes some of them shall be saued Knowe ye not saith he what the scripture saith of Elias How he maketh intercessioÌ„ to god against Israel saying Lord they haue killed thy prophets subuerted thine altars I am left alone they ly in await for my life But what saith the answer of God vnto hym I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousand men that haue not bowed their knees to the image of Baal So therfore eueÌ„ at this time also are some left according to the election of grace And we sée the same example to be transferred of writers to the elect and true Church of all times But a most proâ—er and elegant forme of appilcatioÌ„ Saint Paule hath left vnto vs i. Corin. x. where he affirmeth that the fathers in the olde Testament vsed in déede holy misteries which might worthily be compared with oures but when they abstayned not from wickednes they were seuerely punished according as thei had deserued and were ouerthrowen in the wildernesse And these were figures saith he to put vs in remembraÌ„ce least we should couet after euill thinges as some of theÌ„ coueted And least wee should be worshippers of images as some of them were as it is writen The people sate downe to eate drinck and rose vp to play And that we should not be defyled with fornication as some of them were defyled with fornication and fell in one day three and twenty thousand And that we should not tempt Christe as some of them tempted and were killed of serpents Neyther murmer as some of them murmured were destroied of the destroyer Al these thinges happened vnto them by figures But they are writen for our learning vpon whoÌ„ are come the ends of the worlde Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heede least he fall c. These therfore and many other examples moe in like maner handeled we may perceiue to be applied to exhort and perswade men of all ages which through a certayne confydence they haue that they are once registred in the Church of God and doe vse in common the Sacraments are séene to become the more boulde vnto all kindes of sinne With no lesse diligence the Apostle to the entent hée might proue them the beléeue the Gospell and are iustified by faith to be frée from the burdens of the law declareth that it was long time before signified by an exquisyt type or figure of the two sonnes of Abraham the one borne of a bondmaid the other of a frée woman Of whom neuerthelesse he we omit many thinges for breuities sake betokening the law and those that séeke to be iustified by the lawe is commauÌ„ded with his mother to be cast out but to this imbracing the Gospel is the inheritaunce giuen to enioy He applyeth those wordes to his purpose in the beginnng saying Tell mee yee that will be vnder the law doe ye no heare the law For it is writen that Abraham had two sonnes c. Very wittely doubtles and pythyly to make them attent Againe in the ende Wherfore brethren we are sonnes not of the bondwoman but of the free womaÌ„ Stand therfore in the lybertie that Christ hath purchased for vs and bee not againe tangeled in the yoke of bondage Thapostle likewise by the way in serteth somwaht touchinge the vnquencheable haters and contentions of the same brethren and transferreth it to his yea and to our times and to all the posteritye of the Church saying Like as then he that was borne after the flesh percecuted him that was borne after thâ— spirite euen so it is nowe But ther is no néede that any thinge should further bée added séeinge euery man nowe may easely perceiue how and after what sort it behoueth vs to followe and imitate holy and diuine writers Howbeit if any man be desirous to knowe what maner of sayings chiefely out of the scriptures may and ought to be applied vnto things present and matters incident We briefely make him this answere that what thinges soeuer are occurrent in the canonicall Scriptures are rightly and duely to bée vsed so that as
ought more modestlye to deale sometimes with those that supply any publicke charge and are placed in the degrée of worshippe or dignitie the apostle séemeth to insinuate where vnto Timothy he saieth Rebuke not an Elder but exhort him as a Father And we may doubtles prosecute the cause of religion and of the Church with great feruentnes and may also vrge the seuerity of ecclesiastical discipline but yet this whole busines requireth a certaine moderation and discretion Wherefore of some is improoued the sharpnes of Chrisostom in his correctory Homilie entituled against Eutropius of which sée the Tripartite histo lib. 10. cap. 4. The like iudgment haue a number giuen of the homily wherin the same Chrisostom by reason of Eudocia the Empresse whom he knew to be grieuously displeased and to practise wiles against him displaied and layed open the vngraciousnes of women Like wise of an other against the saide Eudocia the beginning where of is Herodias once againe waxeth mad and is troubled shee longeth once againe to gette Iohns head in a dish XX But howsoeuer we prepare a Sermon to reproue our fuperiours we must take diligent héede leaste wee vnaduisedly powre foorth any thing wherby the vngodly may snatch occasion either to vtter or attempt any thing seditiously So to secke to take away offences that greater offences grow thereby séemeth to be the part of an vnaduised or rather of a mad man And vndoubtedly euery Ecclesiastical reprehension ought to tende to amendement not vnto tumult to edification not to destruction XXI And albeit so oft as any degrées of men are touched by way of rebuke it be expedient to refrayne from their names yet when entreaty is made of such persons as procure destruction to the whole multitude of whiche sort inespecially are the authors of sects and open rebels then is it lawful to vtter their names or to paint foorth their persons in their coolours For so doth Paule the Apostle 1. Timothy 1.2 Timoth. 2. call Himenaeus Alexander and Philetus hetitickes by name and willeth them to be auoyded Againe in the same Epistle cap. 4. he toucheth Alexander the copper Smith But least any man shoulde alledge and saye that this is done in an epistle writen priuately to one looke Esay cap. 22. openly preaching against Sobna the scribe xxii Thou must not think much to reproue the selfe same crimes often times and in diuers sermons and truly so long till thou shalt perceiue some amendement to follow Touching this thing Chrisostō admonisheth in a certaine homily entituled of Dauid and Saule and of tolleration or sufferaunce The same also hath left vnto vs notable examples especially where hee inueigheth against swearing wrath c. xxiii Now and then also he that hath the ouersight of the Church doth wisely threaten those that declare by euydent proofe that they wyll by no meanes forsake theyr vycious lyuinge howe hee wyll exclude them according to Christes institution from the holy table of the Lord that is as they vse to speake excommunicate them especially where the crimes be such that they minister reproche to the Church onely where they are committed and be supposed to require such a remedye or medicine Which thing we may sée Chrisostom to doe with a stout and valiaunt courage in his tome v. homilie 26. 28. where he entreateth against those that vsed vnaduisedly to sweare XXIIII Neither is this ynough The Preacher shal admonish also and exhort the christian maiestrate to put to his helpinge hande to the suppressinge of sinne and vice Which thing truely he may easely bring to passe in case he will but inioyne a certaine ciuyll penaltye to those that dispise or deride the worde of GOD and the censures of the Church For what shall the Preacher of the Gospell preuaile with brutish and degenerate people though he stoutly set forth things profitable comptrole the contrary if so be the maiestrate doth not acknowledge it also to bee a parcell of his charge to aide and assist him Truely there shall neuer be any common weale established worthy the name of christian where it commeth to passe that how much the teachers of the Churche doe build vp through their trauaile in declayming continualy against vices so much againe the ciuil maiestrates doe pluck downe through their negligence in neuer séeinge execusion done vpon those that be offenders XXV But in all the order of reprouinge of sinnes it is very necessary that the minister of the worde doe studiously teach by what meanes sinnes and the custome of sinning may best be auoyded of euery man. Chrisostom in his tome v. homily 5. doth skilfully show a way how the wicked custome of swearinge might be eschewed Ezechiel whilest cap. 34. hee reprooueth euill pastors by the same diligence declareth what the office of a good sheapheard is xxvi I had almost forgotten this Vnto euery bitter and vehement rebuke shall be adioyned some temperature of comfort and that chiefely by propoundinge vnto them that repent certayne and assured hope of mercy which god accustometh bountifully to exhibit to all those that vnfeignedly craue it at his handes The maner is among the Phisitions of bodies to put to their simple purging medicines when by their sharpenosse they molest the stomack or other parts of the bodye certaine thinges to allay their strength yea and with all bitter medicines least the mouth should be brought out of fast to intermedle swéet thinges We sée therfore that this deuise hath lyked also the prophets the Phisitions of soules whose perpetuall fashion in a maner is vnto rebukes to ioyne consolations and vnto threatnings to add promises And why it ought so to be this is the reason The preacher must with all diligence bende him selfe to this that he bring sinners not onely to sorrow of minde or contrition as they call it but also vnto faith for in these two partes that is to say contrition or mortification faith is repentaunce accomplished and that for this cause least such as finde themselues gilty of euerlasting dampnation being cast downe by the seuerytie of Gods iudgement should be driuen headlong into desperation xxvii At length when the preacher féeleth and perceyueth that by his fidelity and diligence by his timely and vntimely entreatings pursuinges cryings twitchinges instigations some are brought to amendement of lyfe he shall at some conuenient time prayse them and comfort them either publikely all in generall or some also priuately as much as lieth in him shall be the author vnto them of perseueringe in their good and godly purpose Which thing also we may perceiue the prophets to haue done oft times whilst they commende and set foorth the felicitie of them that reuoltinge from the tents of vngodlynesse do repayre to the Ensignes of fayth and repentaunce And it commeth to passe truely by this meanes that they doe not lightly returne againe to the filth of their former life neither can iustly be touched with these prouerbes The dog
sure and certaine hope both of a place to teach in and also of liberall entertainement Therefore when Iohn Ficinus Chauncelor to our most noble prince a man for his notable vertue worthy of eternal memory was returned from the CommissioÌ„ or parliament of Rentzburgh Nouiomagus labored with him as touchinge Hyperius Nouiomagus affyrmed that since the méeting was at Henaulde Anno 40 â–ª where he beinge sent froÌ„ our prince was present he could neuer haue his health neither was he able to endure those paines in teachinge which before he had suffered And therfore required that Hyperius might be appointed in his roome who for somuch as he through his infyrmitie was not of power sufficient might take vpon him to reade Ficinus mislyked not the good counsell of Nouiomagus but incontinently calleth Hyperius vnto him exhorteth him to abide still at Marpurge and to shewe forth some token and triall of his learninge For it would come to passe that in case he gaue foorth any notable testimony of his learninge an honest stripend should be appoynted him for his paines Hyperius being with these other such like reasons perswaded abode stil at Marpurge within a smal time after dieth master Nouiomagus the x. of Ianuarie in the yere following in whose place next by thauthority of the masters of the profissioÌ„ succeeded Hyperius and looke what Epistles of S. Paule Nouiomagus had vsed before to interprete the same began he also to expounde And when he had by the space of two yeres and more single as he was trauayled in this trade and function of teachinge he resolued with himselfe to marrye for somuch as he suppose that 〈◊〉 coulde not conueniently pâ—sse his dayes without a wife and the rather bycause he was not greatly sounde as touchinge bodily health Hée tooke to wise therfore in the yere 1544. the xxvii daye of Februarye Katherine Orthia Daughter of Lodowick Orthius somtimes Treasorer of Marpurge whom Iohn Happelius an honest Citizen had left a widowe with two children Of this his wife whom hée alwayes loued most derely he begat sixe sonnes and sower daughters whereof onely two sonnes and thrée daughters doe still remaine aliue But how and in what order he hath nowe by the space of these xxii yeres behaued himselfe amoÌ„gest vs as wel in teaching publikely the holy Scriptures as also priuately the liberall Sciences wée haue now next of all to consider In which office and function of teachinge there séeme vnto mée these fower thinges chiefely to be required First a singuler learninge ioyned with much readinge and experience of thinges next a substanciall power and faculty of teachinge then fidelitie and diligence and last of all grauitie and constancye of life and conuersation And that learninge is required in a Teacher and the vse of many thinges there is no man that doubteth For who is he that euer could well bée taught and reape any fruite of learning of an vnlearned man No more truely can a man perceyue anye thinge that good is of one that is vnlearned than of a stone he can learne to flye But as learning is very requisite and necessary so it is in no wise alone sufficient for a man that is occupied in the Scoles vnlesse the power also of teachinge be ioyned with it Thou maist finde many men very well learned and cunning in the knowledge of thinges which neuerthelesse forsomuch as they are destitute of this power in teaching yeelde no fruit at all neither to Scholes nor Churches Wherevpon the Apostle also requireth such a one to be the Bishop of a Church as is Didacticos that is to say indued with the gift and faculty of Teachinge Neither must fidelitie and diligence bée sundered from these twayne which if it bée absent neither then also wil any fruite redounde to the hearers though the man bée otherwise both learned and eloquent And in him especially that wil professe the holy Scriptures is this faithfulnes which wée speake off of necessitie required Wherevpon likewise Thapostle to the Corinthians as touching the ministers of the worde speaketh in this wise Let a man so esteeme of vs as of the ministers of Christ and disposers of the misteries of God amonge whom this especially is required that they bee founde faithful But no lesse necessary also is this last poynte namely that to doctrine and erudition the life and maners may bée agréeable A fowle shame it is For him that doth teach When the thing he findes fault with Against himselfe doth preach And our beloued Paule requireth a Bishop to bée vnreproueable not stubborne not wrathful not giuen to wine no fighter not giuen to filthy lucre but a keeper of hospitalitie a louer of vertue modest vpright holy sober For what doe those Teachers profyte their herers that do pluck down by their naughty liuing that which they builded vp by their wel teaching that by their liues dayly maners shewe theÌ„ selues to dislike greatly of those things which they prescribe vnto others to bée folowed With what I wil not say authoritie but with what face can the teacher reproue vices in the Schole as dronkennes riotousnes couetousnes incontinency such like which is himselfe I will not say oft times drâ—nke but alwayes druncke not onely giuen to riot but also lyues so wickedly in all superfluitie that he supposeth gods maiestie to be of no power at all which is so couetous that of euery fylthy occasion he gapeth after vnsatiable gaine who finally hath so wallowed in scurrilitie and vncleanes al his life long that he doubteth also whither he may account these heinous sinnes and enormities for sinnes and vices or no All the pointed therefore which we haue spoken off are required in a Teacher which if we shall diligeÌ„tly consider in what measure they haue bene in this our Hyperius we shall find to haue bene very great And first verily as touchinge the singular learning of this man what shall I saye I may speake the more fréely most excellent fathers of the dead forsomuch as I shall not now séeme to flatter him béeing dead that I neuer fawned vppon béeinge aliue Great was the knowledge that this man had of the tongues more great of the liberall artes and of philosophy but of the holy Scriptures and Ecclesiasticall histories and of all the olde and auncient Church most great of all That which I speake to be true you your selues know most learned fathers and can very well testifye who haue heard him publikely teachinge who haue heard him disputinge with great commendation who haue heard him familiarly talkinge with his friendes Many other witnesses there be thoroughout all Germanye and other nations men famously learned which either resorted to his Scoles or other wise were more familiarly acquainted with him His bookes are witnesses that he wrote and published which are of great learned men esteemed and read amonge the workes of the best learned writers as those short Scolies vppon the Epistle to the Romaynes as the
allowed of god that the gospel should bee committed vnto vs euen so wee speake not as though wee entended to please men but God which trieth our hartes Neyther was our conuersacion at any time with flattringe wordes as ye well know neither in cloked couetousnes God is recorde neither sought wee praise of men neither of you nor yet of any other when we might haue bene in authoritie as the Apostle of Christ but we were tender amonge you euen as a Nurse cherisheth hir children so our affection beeinge toward you our good will was to haue delte to you not onely the gospel of God but euen our owne soules also because yee were deere vnto vs Yee remember bretheren our labour and trauaill for wee labored day and night bicause were would not be burâ—henous to any of you and preached vnto you the gospell of god Ye are witnesses and so is god how holily iustly and vnblameably wee behaued our selues amonge you that beleue as ye know how that we exhorted and comforted and besought euery of you as a father his children that ye would walke worthy of God which hath called you to his kingdome and glory Which wordes if they were so exactley weighed considered as méete it were they should do euidentlye declare the the apostle taught in spirite power albeit those yet that immedialy folow touchinge the notable effecte of his Sermons doe more perfectly proue and illustrate the same Wherefore saith he we thancke God without ceasinge bicause that when yee receiued of vs the word whereby ye learned god ye receiued it not as the worde of man but euen as it was in deed the worde of God which worketh in you that beleue The like will the like study and the like feruency we may perceiue in that oratiÌ„o which the apostle had to that Elders of the church at Ephesus a little before hée trauayled to Ierusalem But we may not coueniently least we should be ouer tedious repeate the same at this prelente Therefore we saide not without cause that the spirite power in teaching is both nourished and conserued with an ardent study of procuring the health saluacion of the hearers But as touching al these points I meane lerning innocency of life spirit or power in teaching the reader may obserue muche more matter in the epistles to Timothy Titus which verili forsomuch as they séeme altogether prepared to expres the whole office of a precher whosoeuer taketh vpon him the charge of teching the people may worthily read yea often read them agayn Thus much we thought good to premise to thinteÌ„t we might make it plaine apparant that the office of teching the people in the church is of far more difficulty weight then a number suppose it to be and that it ought not rashly vnaduisedly to be takeÌ„ in hand of euery one much lesse greedily to be inuaded No smal nuÌ„ber there be the atteine to the gouernment of churches yea that I may vse the words of Iere. make hast to run before they be sent yet are touched in the meane time with very litle or no care at al of obteining of god his spirit power in teaching Bishoppes therefore aboue all men ought to be circumspect in this behalfe that they commit not rashely this reuerende function to euery one that will sue for the same especially to younge men whoÌ„ neither knowledge of the holy Scriptures nor the vse and experience of thinges or any earnest study and zeale of religion doe commende and set forth Neyther was it without good cause spoken of the Apostle that wyse workeman in the church of God where he sayeth Lay no handes hastely vppon any man neyther be partaker of other means sinnes ¶ The ende of a Preacher what it is Cap. III. BVt what the ende of a Preacher is may partely be perceyued by those thinges that we haue next before touched His worke and labour chiefely consisteth in this that with all study and inforcement he aduaunce and set forth those thinges that conduce to the saluation and reconciliation of man vnto god Whervnto it perteyneth that the Gospell is called the worde of health and by which men obteyne remission of sinnes And wysely sayeth the Apostle It seemed good vnto God by the folishnesse of preachinge to saue them that beleue In the same Epistle also Cap. 9. I became all thinges to all men that I might saue at the leaste some God gaue vnto vs the ministery of reconciliation and put in vs the worde of atonement In effecte syth the office of a Preacher is by the ayde of the holy Scriptures to accomplyshe all thinges we doubt not to affyrme that to be the ende appoynted to a Preacher which the holy ghost by the mouth of the Apostle hath prescribed in the sacred Scriptures The holy Scripture sayth he is able to make thee wyse to saluation Then therefore doth the Preacher giue apparaunt significatioÌ„ that he with his whole hart and power is bent to promot aduaunce the spirituall profit and vtilitie of men When as he handleth and confirmeth true and holsome opinions reproueth and grauely confuteth thinges erronious and hurtfull when he dilygently inculketh and inferreth those thinges that are requisite to the godly and due information of lyfe agayne seuerely controlleth those that offende labouryng to bryng them into the right way Lastly when he exhorteth beséecheth blameth the sluggishe and dull and comforteth the afflicted fynally pretermitteth no iote of those thinges whereby hée trusteth the mindes of hys audytors maye bee trayned and drawne vnto Christe our Sauiour ¶ That many thinges are common to the Preacher with the Orator and of the office of the Preacher cap. IIII. THat many thinges are common to to the Preacher with the Orator Sainct Augustine in his fourth Booke of Christian doctrine doth copiously declare Therfore the partes of an Orator whiche are accounted of some to be Inuention Disposition Elocution Memory and Pronounciation may rightlye be called also the partes of a Preacher Yea and these thrée to Teache to Delight to Turne Likewise againe the thrée kyndes of speakying Loftye Base Meane Moreouer the whole craft of varienge the Oration by Schemes and Tropes pertaineth indifferently to the Preacher and Orator as Sainct Augustine in the same booke doth wittily confesse and learnedly proue To be short whatsoeuer is necessarie to the Preacher in disposition Elocution and Memorye the Rhetoritians haue exactlye taught all that in their woorkhouses wherfore in my opinion the Preachers may most conuenientlye learne those partes out of them Certainly he that hath béene somdeale exercised in the Scholes of the Rhetoritians before he be receiued into the order of Preachers shall come much more apte and better furnished then many other and may be bolde to hope that he shall accomplish somwhat in the Church worthy of prayse and commendation Whiche thinge
to bée true the excellent institution in the faculty of well speaking of the most famous men Cyprian Chrisostome Basilius Gregorius Nazianzenus and other doth aboundantly argue who being not a little furthered with the furniture of oratorycall arte became easely of all other the most notable Preachers But pronounciation for as much as it is now far otherwyse vsed then it was in times past and that all thinges ought with greater grauitie yea maiestie to bee done in the Temple then in the courte to the whiche onely the Rhetoritians somtime informed theyr Disciples agayne syth euery Prouince and euery language hath hys proper decorum and comelynesse both in Pronounciation and gesture which in an other place woulde not so well bee lyked off It shall be good for the Preacher not to searche the arte of Pronouncinge out of the Scholes of auncient Orators but to endeuour hymselfe rather to imitate those Maisters whom hee perceiueth aboue the residue to bee commended for their excellent grace and dexteritie in Pronounciation and behauiour especially in theyr owne natiue Countrye and region By all these thinges it may appeare that the Preacher hath many poyntes chiefely in Inuention wherein he differeth from the Orator Whiche thinge séeinge it is so it shall be our part in opening of Inuention to employ a specyall labour and dilygence Albeit in the meane time if wee shall perceiue any thing to happen by the way as touching disposition néedful to be marked we wyll in no wyse dissemble it ¶ What matter the Preacher shall choose to handle and entreate off Cap. V. CHriste in one place sayeth that the Ecclesiasticall teacher is lyke vnto an housholder which bringeth out of his treasury thinges both newe and olde And the Apostle calleth the same a faithfull and wyse stuarde or Dispensator in the house of GOD. Wherefore the Preacher shall with all dylygence and fydelytie applye hymselfe vnto this that as â—fte as he is purposed in his minde to teache and to exhybite some specyaltie of hys wysedome hee chose and selecte suche matter as may bée Profitable Easye and Necessarye Whiche how and after what sorte it ought to bée vnderstoode it is requisite that wee declare more at large The vniuersall doctrine of the Gospell is no doubt verye profitable but it falleth out how I knowe not that that is founde to engender most ample commodities especially with the rude people whereby Faith properly is nourished whereby men are prouoked to charytie and good woorkes and lastly whereby the hope as well of the true beléeuers as also of the good dooers is strengthened confirmed For the whole man as wel internell as externall hath néede to bee enstructed and taught not onelye as touching the duties of this lyfe present whereof some are towardes God and other some towards men but also as touching the expectation of the lyfe to come For thorowe the knowledge and righte vse of these thinges man fynallye is made perfect and procureth to himselfe an entryce to the true and euerlastinge felycitie And surely the doctrine of Faith and Loue or Charytie doth most duly teach and instruct this present lyfe when as faith agréeing to the inwarde man sheweth schiefelye what we owe vnto god loue enforming the outward maÌ„ teacheth what we owe not only vnto god but also to men But hope with the things that cleaue thervnto do certify vs of those benefits of the lyfe to come with the expectation whereof we ought to sustaine and proppe vp our languishing mindes weryed and laden with misery Wherfore the Preacher shall wholly be occupyed in handlyng and discoursing of these places most chiefly which are conteined vnder Faith Loue and Hope Now to Faith belong these places of the goodnes and power of God of the frée mercy of God towarde vs of the benefites purchased by Christ of the merit and effect of the death and of all the actions of Christe of the giftes of the holy ghost of repentaunce and true mortification of faith and spirituall viuification of the remission of sinnes of the iustification of man thorow faith in Iesus Christ of the right inuocation of the name of GOD of the daylye exercise of prayer of thankes giuinge of the sincere worshippinge of God as namely in what points it consisteth of the dignitie effect and the loue of the worde of God of the promises of God of confession of the knowne veritie of constancye in faith Lykewise against the abusers of the name of God against othes and swearing against sondry supersticions against rites of Idolatrie against new spronge vp heresies Also those first articles of relygion contayned in the Symboll of the apostles called the Creede are to be placed in this tribe or forme To the order of Loue perteine these places of the amendement of lyfe of the integritie of maners of chastitie of modestie of avoyding of offences of kyndnes and lyberalytie of almes and other good déedes of pacience of bearing the crosse of forgiuinge of those that hurte vs of praying for all men euen for our enimies of humilytie of obedience to magistarates Also of those thinges that become euery man in his callyng and trade of lyfe Moreouer against yâ—e against drounkennes against slaundryng and detraction against fornication against superfluitie in apparel other things against filthy idlenesse against vsurers against euill and noysome customes against al kinde of viâ—es which from time to time doe créepe in amongst vs Lastly to these ought to be added the declaration of the Decaloge especially the commaundements of the seconde table Now the doctrine of the churche of the communion of the Church of the authorytie of the Church of ecclesiastical discipline of the sacramentes of the institution and right vse of the same is wholy applyed to the exercise of faith and loue ioyntly together Last of all to Hope are these places to be referred of eternall life in the kingdome of heauen of the glory of the soules and bodyes after this lyfe with Christe sittinge at the right hand of God the father of the resurrection of the body of the last iudgement to be executed by Christe of the rewarde of good works in the world present and to come of the assured deliueraunce of the godly out of daungers of the paines and sondrye calamities of the wicked of the euerlasting condemnation of the vngodly But who is able to recken vp and rehearce all places in order These verely are the chiefe and principal which haue euery where in the sacred scriptures in the sermons of the Prophetes of Christ and the Apostles most plentifully expressed and that most holesomly are propounded and set foorth to the multitude in the Church and of which the teachers of the people shall neuer at any time sufficientlye neuer out of season entreate And that we haue rightlye and properlye recited and digested these said places this may be a proofe that the Apostle writinge to
retourned home or whersoeuer els they wyl repeate the principall partes and Chapters by hart Truly there is nothyng more vnséemely nothing more perilous then if a man presume to teach in the Church ex tempore and without premeditatioÌ„ or rather rashly without choice to powre out euery thing Wherefore also the most excellent Doctors of the church furnished thorowlye as well with the knowledge of the diuine Scriptures as also with the vse and experience of very many thinges had a customeâ— in times past to write out their whole Sermons made and digested with great diligence before they shoulde come to the sacred assembly That they dyd not onelye bicause they were oft times present in the multitude of hearers learned men and such as were expert in the holy scriptures which marked obserued euery lytle thing that was spoken and in caâ—e any trippe were committed coulde by and by note it and put it vp but also for so muche as all thinges were with great fidelitie diligence receiued of the Notaries by reason of aduersaries namely either ethnicks or hereticks which afterwarde hatefully and disdaynefully reasoned of those thinges that were spoken of the Preachers Some againe declared in writing certayn chapters or els vsing the help of Notaries or Clerkes expounded those things that they had premeditated before Such a Notary had Cyprian being a very stripeling named Paulus Concordiensis such to the number of seuen more were giuen to Origen by Ambrose a learned welthy man as witnesseth Ierom in his worke of Ecclesiasticall writers Augustine declareth in his preface to the .118 Psalme that he had expounded for the most parte all the Psalmes partly by preaching partely by rehercinge to the people There is no doubte therefore but that he committed to remembraunce at home those thinges by wryting that be minded afterward opeÌ„lâ— to vtter Certes we may gather out of the words of Gregory in a certayne homily had vpon the holy day of Easter touching the women that came to the Sepulchre of Christe that euen in that age it was a common matter with most Preachers to wryte their interpretations for good orders sake and the helping of their memoryeâ— and then oute of wrytinge to recite them openly before the multitude of the faithfull Let all Preachers therefore vnderstande that it is theyr partes after the example of these most famous men studiously to digest into papers what soeuer things they haue determined to speake in sacred assemblies to the profyte and furtheraunce of their hearers and at all times let them repute with themselues that in euery frequent audytory are alwayes some present that be more redy to reproue then to allow or follow and that will many times call into question Censorlike euen those things that are welt and most warely spoken Whervpon as the Apostle chargeth Timothy being notablye exrcised in the affayres of the Church to giue attendaunce to readyng exhortation and doctrine Euen so the Byshops of our tyme shall worthyly giue in charge to all those that they preferre to the sacred function of teaching that they also apply themselues to wrytinge that is to saye that they with serious meditation excogitate and searche out those thinges that pertaine vnto Sermons to be hard before the people when they haue found them out reduce them into order and lastly hauynge aptlye disposed them comprehende them in wryting Whiche thing then wyll these men dilygentlye do and accomplish when as the Byshoppes at such time as they yéerely visyte and surueye theyr seuerall Churches shall some what sharpely chastice all those that they perceiue to be negligeÌ„t in this behalfe This dilygence and industrye of the Byshoppes wyll styrre vp and procure diligence in the Preachers whiche will successiuely bring forth incredible profite and vtilyty to all churches ¶ How many kindes of diuine Sermons there bee howe manyfolde the state is and of two sortes of theames Cap. VII THose thinges that haue hytherto bene spoken euery man may perceiue to be agréeable and concordaunt indifferently to all sacred Sermons Now it is requisyte that we distinguishe and poynte oute certayne kindes of Sermons to thintent we may further note what oughte chiefly so be marked and obserued in euery one of them and that wee gather together so farre as may be apt and meete precepts of each of them seuerally apart Sith therfore the action of a Preacher in the Churche of God is much discrepant from the action of a Rhetoritian in the guyld hall I fréely confesse that I can in no wise fancy theyr iudgement that endeuour to bringe those thrée kindes of cases I meane Demonstratiue Delibratiue and Iudiciall oute of the prophane market place into the sacred and reuerend Churche and set them forth vnto preachers to be immitated and folowed Who knoweth not that both the name and action of cases as they are deuided into those kyndes are properly as well of all Orators as also of Lawyers referred to the place of common plea called Forum and that of those very cases sprange the name of Casepleaders But as vnfytting as the name of Casepleader is to hym that deliuereth publykelye vnto the chosen people of God the doctrine of Christian religion euen so absurde and inconuenient a thinge it were that Sermons of diuine matters holden in â—acred assemblies shoulde be called cases We sée moreouer how greatly some labour and toyle and what euill successe they haue whilest they go aboute to wrest and after a sorte to ioyne all the formes of diuine Sermons to the thrée kindes of cases afore rehearced Neither can wee any otherwise iudge then that Diuinitie of all other disciplines the chiefe is moste grieuouslye iniured of those men that suppose hir faculties to be so slender and bare as though she had not furniture and implements sufficient especially for th'ecclesiasticall function in hir owne proper house at home With most soueraigne right therefore shall we endeuour our selues to draw out of the entrailes of the scriptures both what and howe many kindes of diuine Sermons there bée The Apostle Paule of all Preachers the Lode star affyrmeth that al the holy scripture is most chiefly profitable to fyue thinges that is to say to doctrine to redargution to correction to institution and to consolation For thus we reade 2. Timothy 3. All scripture inspired of God is profitable to learning to reprouing to correction to instruction which is in rightuousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte prepared to euery good worke Moreouer to the Rom. 15. What soeuer thinges are written before are writteÌ„ for our learning that thorow patience consolatioÌ„ of the scriptures we might haue hope Doctrine or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the tractation and confirmation of all true principles and opinions as when with arguments taken out of the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles it is proued that there is but one GOD omnipotent eternall iust mercyfull that God made all thinges
taught of the Rhetoritians masters of well speakinge doe appertayne and belonge vnto him Howbeit our purpose is not to speake any thinge at all touchinge the formes of argumentes of Schemes or Tropes forasmuch as we doe gather these thinges onely for their sakes vnto whoÌ„ we supppose all those thinges to bee already verye well knowen But neuerthelesse we will note somwhat touchinge amplification for that we perceyue many of the holy Fathers to haue bene studiously occupied in handelinge of the same Yea and somwhat otherwyse to vsurpe amplifications and to alledge also other maner of arguments theÌ„ the Orators are accustomed For the Preacher doth not vse amplification to the intent to bring to passe that the matter might appere either greater or lesser then it is of it selfe or as it is fayed that of a flye might bee made an Elephante or agayne of an Elephante a flye in which point the Rhetoritians doe most chiefely laboure couetinge withall to corrupte the iudgement of the hearers and to withdrawe them from the right scope but to the ende it may bee acknowledged of all men to bee suche and so greate as is meete and requisite that it shoulde bee in deede which verily is no other thing theÌ„ to reclayme men erring from the truth to a prudent and sincere iudgement And herevppon we maye also gather when and at what time the practise of amplification ought most conueniently to be vsed For if at any time thou happenest vppon those places of which it is likely that the bearers cannot iudge sufficiently aright then by adding to amplifications we must labor to bringe them to this point that they may be able to conceaue both what and howe great euery thinge is And oft times it commeth to passe that certaine sinnes for asmuch as they are commnoly and euery where without controlmente committed be by the iudgement of the common people supposed not to be so haynous as they are in déede of whiche sorte are concupiscence hatred of our neighbour reuilements periurie brawlings dronkennes offences giuen c. Of these therfore when the Preacher shall fortune to entreat he shall not without good cause by vsinge of amplyfications goe about to declare the greatnesse of the same In respect wherof Esay Cap. 1. doth very artificially amplyfye certaine sinnes of the Iewes by comparisons and suche lyke places Christ in like maner Math. 5 amplifieth diuers and sondry offences as namely reproche of our neighbour concupiscence periury and proueth them to be much more grieuous then a great number did suppose Agayne some there be that estéeme certayne thinges more highly then they ought to be estéemed as for example we may sée some men to attribute so much vnto ceremonies rights mens traditions c. that they are not affrayd to prefer them before the very commaundements of god Therfore when it shall be for the behoofe of the hearers to entreat of these thinges the Preacher shall prudently extenuate al obseruations or traditions yea and with necessary and probable argumeÌ„ts so much as lieth in him conclude that they are by no meanes to be compared with the preceptes of Gods law Christe Mathew 15. and Mark. 7. doth grieuously reproue the preposterous iudgementes of men in this behalfe And Paule in his epistle to the Colossians dothe with wonderfull dexteritye shake vp and bringe into conteÌ„pt the vphoulders and maynteyners of traditions Sometimes it so falleth out that certaine notable vertues are neglected or be not estéemed as they are worthy wherefore throughe amplifications they shall bee aduaunced to the dignitye whiche of right they ought to haue In respecte whereof the Apostle to the Rom. 4. doth amplyfye the faithe of Adraham by the causes and circumstaunces thereof to the intent that all men might perceiue that the faith wherby Abraham so greatly pleased god was accepted of him and wherby also men ought to be iustified was not colde and light but vehement notable and very wonderfull Who contrary to hope sayeth hée beleeued in hope that hee should be the father of many nations accordyng to that whiche was spoken So shall thy seede bee And hee faynted not in the fayth nor consydered hys owne bodye now dead whon hee was almost an hundred yeares olde neither yet the barennesse of Saraes wombe Hee staggard not at the promise of God through vnbeleefe but was stronge in fayth giuinge glorye to GOD and beinge full certifyed that what he had promised he was able also to performe And therefore was it reckoned vnto hym for rightuousnesse There is extant also a graue amplyfycation of the same Apostle touchynge the wrath of God to be feared of all those that wyll not acknowledge Christ to be the true Messias Take heede my brethrne sayeth he least at any tyme there bee in you an euill harte of vnbeleefe to departe from the lyuing God but exhort yee one an other daylye while it is called to day least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne For wee are made pertakers of Christe if wee keepe sure vnto the ende the beginninge of the substaune and so foorth as it is in the texte For the place is longe Moreouer the Preacher may vse all the furniture of amplyfyinge that the Schole of Orators ministreth vnto hym Wherefore as touchinge that whiche pertayneth vnto woordes hee may mingle together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expolition definition description distribution heapinge vppe of matter encreaâ—ement As touchinge the things themselues he may transferre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye passe from a question definite to a question infinite or common place hee may examine so farre foorth as the nature of the argument wyll suffer the causes to witte the matter forme effecte ende Moreouer the circumstaunces as the personne time place maner instrument occasion and so foorth Then thinges happening or signes whereof some be antesedeÌ„ts some subsequentes other some annixed to the busines it selfe also comparisons similitudes contentions contraries and whatsoeruer thinges els are in this kynde set forth of the Rhetoritians Againe further the Preacher may borrowe many poyntes of amplifying out of Theologye it selfe whiche hath no small number of peculyar places apt and correspondent to euery kynde of argumente as well as any other discipline beside lyke as we shall a little after declare Therefore hee that teacheth the people doeth ofte times frame his amplyfication Ab attributis Dei that is of the properties of God as that God searcheth the harte that hee can not bee deceyued Of the Commaundement of God Of the Promises set foorth Of the Threatninge of punishmentes Of the Callynge of Manne to the knowledge of the trueth Of Electinge into the Churche of God Of Spirituall giftes receyued Of a Generall sentence in Diuinitie Of the Predictions of the Prophetes Of that that they bee thinges spyrytuall Of the tyme of the Lawe Of the Tyme of the Gospell Of the Signe
Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sitte on my right hande If Dauid calleth him Lorde howe is he then his sonne 3 Of the significatioÌ„ of the wordes to the sentence or meaninge of the speaker It behoueth this most chiefely to be obserued in figuratiue spéeches albeit euen where no figures bée at all yet some obscuritie may séeme to lurke Nowe this must bée remoued by searchinge the authors mynde out of the circumstaunces or out of the thinges either antecedent or consequent 4 Of wordes goinge afore and comminge after This also is a helpe in no wyse to be neglected For where it séemeth good out of some place of Scripture to confirme a doctrin or sentence it is requisite forthwith to marke as well the wordes antecedent as consequent and out of them to declare the sentence to bée true which wée proponed 5 Of a generall sentence in Diuinitie Such a one is this Deut. 10. God is no respecter of persons Therfore Peter Act. 10 gathereth herevppon that the Gentiles also in cace they feare God and giue themselues vnto rightuousnesse may bée accepted with God. 6 Of the thinges atributed to god God is true therfore will he performe his promyses proue vs to be liers God is rightuous wherefore of him shall the worlde be iudged 7 Of the signe to the thinge signified We are baptised therefore are we clensed from our sinnes by the bloode of Christ 8 Of one tyme to an other or of the tyme of the lawe to the tyme of the Gospell Rom. â—â— it is shewed how at all tymes some are elected by the grace of God to saluation and therefore that we ought not to cast away all hope touching certayne of the Iewes to be saued and that by this argument out of the â— Reg. 19. Knowe yee not sayth he what the Scripture sayth of Elias Howe he crieth vnto God agaynst Israell sayinge Lorde they haue killed thy prophetes and broken downe thyne altars and I was lefte alone and they lye in awayte for my lyfe But what aunswere maketh God vnto him I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thowsande men that haue not bowed their knees to Baall Euen so in this tyme also haue some remayned according to the election of grace 9 Of one tyme to all tymes I will haue compassion on whom I haue compassion and I will haue mercy vpon whome I haue mercy It is knowen that these wordes were thus spoken of God when he threatened destructioÌ„ to the Israelites by reason of their vprore in the absence of Moyses their worshippinge of the golden calfe But the Apostle doubteth not to vsurpe those wordes which God then pronounced in his anger for the cause about-sayde to proue that God at all tymes choseth some and of his mercy when it pleaseth him willingely saueth them 10 Of the head to the members Christ the sonne of God hath receyued an heauenly inheritaunce the same therefore shall those also receyue that beléeue which truly by adoption are the sonnes of God. 11 Of the members to the head Some thinges that bée attributed in the body of the Church to the members are not vnaptely transferred also to Christ the heade of the Church Heb. 4. and 5. The highe Priestes that be chosen of men forsomuch as they are compassed aboute with infirmitie are moued also with the feelinge of other mens infirmities The man Christ therefore beinge made an highe Prieste and tempted in all thinges is moued with the feelinge of our infirmities But in no wyse may humayne matters bee applyed vnto Christe in which is to bee séene the corruption of sinne 12 Of a thinge corporall to a thinge spirituall The promyses made of GOD to our fathers touching temporall benefites caused them to laye holde vppon spirituall and euerlasting benefites Inasmuch as these carnal things are after a sort shadows tiâ—es of things spiritual eternal By faith AbrahaÌ„ departed into the lande of promise as into a strange couÌ„try whan as he dwelled in tabernacles with Isaac and Iacob coheires of the same promise For he loked for a citie hauinge a sure foundation the buylder and founder whereof is God. Of which place this is the summe By fayth Abraham wente out of his owne Couutrey and came to the lande of promise therefore by fayth likewyse must we come to heauen or to the heauenly Citie 13 Of a thinge spirituall to a thinge corporall Esaye Cap. 59. the Lorde sayth My house shal be called the house of prayer amongest all people That mention is there made of the spirituall house of God that is to say of the Church or congregation of the faythfull whom it behoueth continually to worship God a right and truly to call vpon the name of the Lorde it is manifest by other things which in that place doe both goe before and also followe after And certes Christ whilest he throweth the byers and sellers out of the materiall Temple of Hierusalem applieth the same wordes to his purpose and argueth in this sorte In the Church or spirituall house of God it is meete that inuocation of the Lordes name be exercised without ceassinge Ergo therefore in the materiall Temple also it behoueth prayers continually to be made Séest thou not therefore howe that is deduced to a thinge corporall which before was simply spoken of a thinge spirituall 14 Of a thinge earthly to a thinge heauenly The author of the Apocalypes Cap. 7. transferreth the words which Esay the Prophete had vsurped Cap. 49. touchinge the felicitie to followe when the Gospell shoulde bée divulged into all the prouinces of the worlde to celebrate the reste and glory which the Sainctes that dye for the confession of the truth doe obteyne in the lyfe to come in heauen The wordes are these They shall not honger nor thirste any more neither shall the Sunne rise or fall vppon them nor any heate For the Lambe which is in the myddes of the throne as one that pitietâ—e them shall leade them forth to the comfortable springs of water The wordes therefore spoken of these thinges that ought to be done in earth are translated to those that come to pas in heauen This forme of reasoninge doth not much differ from that which a little before we intituled of a thinge corporall to a spirituall 15 Of the threatning of God to the effect thereof Thapostle affirmeth the time to be at hande wherein the Iewes ought to be reiected and excluded from the church of God and the Gentiles to be called and to succéede the Iewes addinge to a grieuous communication published of God in time past touchinge that matter I will prouoke you to enuy by a people which is no people by foolishe nation will I stirre you vnto wrath That which God hath once determined coÌ„cerning the punishment of wicked men muste of necessitie be accomplished except peraduenture some condition be either openly or pryuily adioyned to the threatning 16 Of the promise of God to the effect
therof Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through incredulitie but being made strong by faith gaue the glory to God conceiuing a certaine perswasion that he which had promised was able also to performe So is it read Rom. 4. we may therfore argue in this sorte God hath promised ergo hee will vndoubtedly performe Héere also must héede be taken whether any maner of condition be annexed to the promise 17 Of a prophesy or propheticall prediction The Euangelistes doe very frequently commend vnto vs this place of inuention so oft namely as they shew this or that thing to be therfore accomplished in or by Christ forsomuch as it was necessary those thinges shoulde be fulfilled which were spoken before of the Prophets touchynge the same 18 Of the truth of a diuine or propheticall determination The thinges that are once pronounced and decreed of God or of some notable Prophet by Gods commaundement those thinges must of necessitie be accounted certain and sure He that vnderstandeth how to argue conueniently of a generall sentence shall also well perceiue the vse of this place 19 Of the person of one good man to the person of all the godly So gathereth the Apostle Rom. 4 Abraham was iustified by faith therefore shall all that beléeue lykewise be iustifyed by faith It is not written saith he for his cause onely that it was imputed vnto him but also for our sakes to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeue c. 20 Of the person of one vngodly man to all The hardeninge of Pharao came of God therefore commeth the hardenyng of all other wicked persons of GOD likewise 21 Of a type or figure to the truethment thereby The bones of the lambe that was eaten at Easter might not be diminished ergo neither ought the legges of Christe hanging on the Crosse to be broken And the tipes of the prophet Ionas and of the brason serpent erected in the wildernesse Christ interpreteth of hymselfe So then we may elegantly gather they that behelde the serpent in the desart were healed ergo those also that beléeue and hope in CHRISTE shall obtayne saluation 22 Of an allegory to the thing signifyed The prophet Esay Cap. 54. by an allegorye and in many wordes teacheth how wonderfully the Churche encreaseth Reioyce thou baren saith he that bearest no Children breake foorth and cry thou that trauailest not for shee that is desolat hath many mo children then she which hath an husband And the Apostle intending to demonstrat that albeit the Iewes raged neuer so much yet it would come to passe that the churche collected of the Gentiles should be increased and amplyfyed yea euen then when by reason of troubles and contentioÌ„s if should be supposed to be vtterly destroyed applyeth the same allegâ—ry very fifly and saith If she that was baren despised as Sara doth yet bring forth children and hir posteritie encreaseth beyonde all mens expectation why shoulde we not beleeue that the Church though small and abiecte receiueth dayly encreasement also These places therefore if not alwaies all yet at the least a greate sorte of them and one while these an other while those doe they rightly vse that haue to speake in sacred assemblies And then verily do they vse them when as they shall entreate either of a certaine place or sentence of holy Scripture or of busines offred by occasion of time or else of a theame simple or compounde like as afterward we will once againe admonishe when wée shall come to the addinge to of some peculiar examples They haue néede vndoubtedly of a right iudgement and of some wisdome and experience in this behalfe gotten by the continuall readinge and â—earinge partly of the Scriptures partly of some faithfull and probable interpreters He truely shall beste prouide for himselfe and may at the length be able to performe some thinge worthy of prayse and commendation who so will dilligently obserue the profes and reasons extant in the didascalick Sermons of the prophetes Christ and Apostles and will enserch the places out of which they are taken and deduced and fynally beinge night and daye studious of imitation will endeuour after hys power and abilytie to practise the same Now vnto this kinde forsomuch as it is weighty and diffyculte and no small wisdome is required therein wée will worthely adioyne like as wée vndertooke to doe certayne Cantions whereby euery man may bée premonisshed to vse dilligent héede and circumspection in his procedings Which wée haue in lyke maner determined to doe in the other kindes followinge I In doctrines or princyples of relygion to bée taught before the people it is very requisite to be considered what maner of persons the hearers are how far forth traded in the knowledge of diuine matters For it is necessary that all the order of teaching so oft I saye as it is thought good to examine any sentence be tempered accordinge to their capacitie Christ himselfe that we should be circumspectâ— in this behalfe hath admonished vs when as he said to his Apostles I haue many thinges to saye vnto you but ye can not beare them away now And the apostle I could not speak vnto you brethren as vnto spirituall but as vnto carnal as vnto babes in Christ I haue nourished you with milke and not with meate For ye could not as yet away with it neither can yee as yet It is certayne therfore that the thinges whiche are true vndoubted and taken out of the worde of God are to be taught and set forth vnto all men And albeit a man taketh in hand one and the selfe same doctrine to handle and entreate off yet truly ought he to attempt all thinges far otherwise among the hearers and Citizens of an ample citie hauing now of long time ben accustomed to hare men excellinge in learninge and eloquence then in an obscure place where men of rude wits and maners can neuer attayne to any thing but that which shall very grosly be inculked and beaten into their heades To whiche effecte well nere S. August hath somewhat in his treatise 98. vpon the gospell of Iohn II What hearers soeuer shall betide let the tractation of those poyntes be eschewed and pretermitted whiche doe smally conduce vnto godlynesse and the inquifition and knowledge whereof doe make the hearers rather curious then godly disposed Whervnto pertayneth that whiche Thapostle writinge in diuers places vnto Timothye and Titus forbiddeth any place to be giuen in the church to doctrine which is not after godlynesse to foolishe and fantasticall questions to contencions and striuings about the law which are vnprofitable and superfluous and which do rather procure deuision then edifiyng III After thou hast chosen out suche a sentence or assertion as is holsomelye to bee handled and entreated off it is requisyte that thou dilligently enserche and perpende the doctrine contayned in the bookes of the prophetes and Apostles touching the same whiche onely is
the foundation of the truth and the rule that all men ought of necessity to follow Then shalt thou wisely examine also the sentences iudgements of other diuines which in their commentaries doe explane the scriptures and the assertions contayned in thē and shalt with iudgement accommodate and inserte into thy Sermons all the notable pointes comprised therein Which labour shall redounde to thy double commodytie For fyrst thou maist bebolde without bashement or feare of reprehension to determine and defyne vpon all matters albeit thou namest no authors openly Where if it lyketh thée afterward to name the authors themselues thou shalt declare by that meanes the consent of the churches and of the learned men in the same touchinge that assertion With which consent truely it can not be spoken how greatlye the hearers will be moued not so muche with folded armes as they saye to imbrace sounde doctrine as with stiffe and obstinate mindes to defende and mayntaine the same IIII Accordyng to the weight or vtilitie and dignyfie of the thinges digested as well out of the sacred scriptures as also out of the commentaries of learned writers thou shalt take aduice whether it be expedyent briefely to run ouer the sentence or to handle it at large But how soeuer it shall like thée to doe in this behalfe thou must bee sure and certaine of an apt method such a one as the nature of the sentence to be declared admitteth and such as most chiefly agréeth to the times places capacities of the hearers For an other sentence requireth to be handeled in an other method And this séemeth to be that which the Apostle meaneth saying vnto Timothye Study to yeelde thy selfe approued vnto God a woorkman not to be dispised duly deuiding the word of truthe V All good men doe consent that to the establishinge of a principle of christian religion reasons and foundations ought not to be required from any other place then out of those bookes which are ackowledged of all men to be canonicall As touching which matter looke Ireneus lib. 1. Cap. 1. Augustine against Faustus the Maniche Liber 11. cap. 5. De natura et gratia cap. 61. epist. 19. ad Hieronymum VI Dilligent heede must be taken lest any proofes or resons appeare to be hardly wrested or ouer farre fet For where as the hearers doe perceiue but euen one of these there they lesse estéeme of the rest and begin foorthwith to suspect the Preacher yea and to accuse him priuily eyther of deceit or ignoraunce VII That proofe shall alwayes be of most importaunce which is drawne out of the simple meaninge and singnyfycation of the wordes For the truth is delighted with playnnes and simplicitie and more simplicytie canne not be vsed then where all tropes and figures layd aparte wordes are taken in their natiue and proper sence By this meanes all thinges shall be sounde certayne and to the purpose wherwith the assertion shal be proued VIII Herevpon it followeth that similitudes oughte scarcely and sparingly tipes and allegories verye séeldome or neuer to be vsed in confirmation of assertions as out of which arguments are deriued by the opinion of all men scarce firme and effectuall Neither is it in déede méete for euery artificer to shape allegories wherefore to a younge practicioner that he should much comber himselfe in deuising hereof I would not become the author Of whiche thing we haue admonished the studious younge men in the second booke and fiue and thirtye Chapter of our worke de Theologo Where if thou thinkest good notwithstanding to practise any part of this kinde be it so trulye but with this condition whilest other argumentes hauinge more pith and strength in them doe procéede as wee may sée the Apostle Paule Galathians 4. at the ende of his disputation to vse an allegory or rather a type of two brethren whiche he sayth to signyfye two Testaments IX Moreouer due regarde must be had least we interlace any thing in any place that by reason of the difficultye or obscuritie therof or by reasō of the indirect maner of speaking may be drawen by the wicked sorte simple vnlearned or other what soeuer to the establishement of a false opinion or to the defence of mischife and impietie After which sort Saint Peter sayde there were some vnlearned and inconstant men that wrested certayne thinges to their owne perdicion whiche Paule the Apostle had faithfully and sincerely taught in his epistles So far forth doe men rauishe euen those thinges also that are very well spoken of most excellent and holy writers to an other ende then they wrote them for And surely it can not be denyed but that the Preachers themselues doe oft times giue occasion of euill speakinge How commonly I pray you are complaints heard in these dayes of a nūber which taught in déede doctrin both profitable necessary but that the hearers did not eft soones allow it and receiue it the Preachers themselues were the cause whilest they vsed suche formes of speakynge as all menne for the most parte abandoned as foolishe and prophane I was my selfe on a time present in a companye assembled at a sermon where one entreated in suche wise of good workes as if he had bene resolued to disswade his hearers from them hee coulde not haue done it more conueniently any other way Howbeit this inconuenience for the most parte may be remedied two maner of wayes The one is if thou endeuorest thy selfe to speake alwayes aduisedly and properlye and doest with dilligence premeditate euery thing at home But the surest waye when there is daunger in the formes of speakinge is to sticke faste in the phrases of holy scripture it selfe The other is that when thou priuily suspectest that any thing may maliciously be obiected the exhibit in time certaine preoccupations whereby the occasion of sinister interpretation and detraction may be preuented and taken away Which thing we may perceyue to be studioufly and euery where obserued of the Apostle Paule X After a sentence either briefely or more at large declared let admonitions neuer at any time be neglected touchinge the true vse therof as well publiekly perteyninge to the whole Church as also priuatly to bée referred to euery mannes conscience Of the doctrine whose vse lieth hidd the knowledge is vayne and in a manner superfluous For so S. Paule to the arguments wherby he had proued that all those which bée baptised are dead vnto sinne and ought afterward to liue onely vnto rightuousenes addeth an exhortation wherein he admonissheth that they would dilligently endeuoure to doe that thinge Let not sinne therfore sayeth he raigne in your mortall bodies c. In some part of the 4. chapter and also of the fyft to the Galathians the apostle techeth how they that are graffed in christ through baptisme are deliuered from the law neither ought they to looke to bee iustified thereby and by and by he addeth that whiche declareth the righte vse of the same doctrine saying
the deuises of mannes wisdome But assone as they perceiue themselues to be conuinced as well by the Scripture as by naturall reason they knowe not in the worlde which way to turne them Wherefore they conuert themselues to deceites and wiles and when they are fully bent in their mindes vppon mischiefe and in the meane time stand in doubte of all thinges they séeme as though they were moued with some fauour and zeale of the truth but in very déed they imagine nothinge els then howe to deface and oppresse it But at the length their malyce one way or other brusteth forth in such wise that the godly may both eschew them and auoide their snares pryuily prepared xxxi Institution All the godly therefore are admonished to béeware and circumspecte and to obserue diligently so far forth as may be the tokens whereby they may finde out the fraude and impietie of those men with whom they haue to doe Those that goe about to oppresse the truthe some are tirauntes some hipocrites of either of them we may beholde the image and paterne in Herode alone and goe no further Both of them at the first coulloure their deuises yea and fame themselue to séeke with the godly to promote the sincere worshipping of God as Herode saith here that hee will worshippe Christ But surely those affections of the mindâ— shime not forth neither doth that spirite appeare to bee in them which otherwise is to bee founde in the godly sort but rather alwayes there are noted in them either some wordes or déedes out of which it is no harde matter to gather their contempte and hatred of pure religion Such a one is this where Herode héere not without disdayne calleth Christ a childe sayinge Serch diligently for the younge childe Neither truely can the wicked any otherwise doe then extinuate the dignitie of Christ the worde of God the Church the ministery of the gospell and one while openly an other while ouerthwartly giue some signifycation of their malignante minde especially when they feare either that it will come to passe that their enormites shal bée disclosed and reproued or els their credite and commoditie any thinge empayred There is no doubt but that the Iewes perceiued some such signes in them which after they were brought out of Babilon into Iury would haue ioyned themselues as inhabitauntes vnto the Iewes returned out of captiuitie in buildinge of the Temple Howbeit Zorobabell would not admit them and that for good cause For albeit they auouched themselues to worshippe together with them one and the same GOD yet notwithstaÌ„ding sone after they declared many wayâ—s how cruel vnmercyful enemies they were of pure sincere religioÌ„ And loâ— the Starre which they had seene in the Easte went before them tyll it came and stoode ouer the place where the childe was XXXII and XXXIII Doctrine and Institution The iudgement of the Scriptures is heard the common incklinge engrauen in the mindes of all men likewise naturall causes are considered and that to the intente all those thinges so farre forth as may bée beinge compared amonge themselues bothe our Faith might be confirmed and also the knowledge of spirituall thinges chiefely of the rightuousnesse goodnesse mercy and power of God myght growe and encrease in vs. To which ende and purpose God himselfe oft times is accoustomed els where to adioyne eftesones vnto his worde and doctrine notable workes and effectes Let vs not contemne therefore the reasons and naturall causes which doe illustrate and set forth vnto vs the knowledge conteyned in the woorde of God and wonderfully helpe forwarde our weake vnderstandinge XXXIIII Doctrine There was néede of a Starre which shoulde shewe not onely the Citye but also the house yea and the childe himselfe It is very lykely that all thinge there were so vile and abiecte that no man woulde haue thought Christ the king to bée there Albeit the Scripture be a faithfull wytnes testifyer of the truth yet is it néedefull for vs to learne many thinges of men of causes naturall of signes and other of the same kinde which are ordynary and allowed of God and so be made certaine of many particular thinges necessary to be knowne And when they sawe the starre they reioyced exceedingly with greate ioye XXXV Institution The doctrine touchinge spiritual matters by which we are directed vnto Christ doo profite in Christ we ought to imbrace with gladd ioyfull minde and also to giue thanckes vnto God for the same Which thinge truely they gladly wil doe that haue any vnderstandinge at all what great vâ—iliâ—ie and profyte commeth of sounde doctrine And entring into the house they founde the young childe with Mary his Mother and fell downe and worshipped him and openinge their treasures they presented vnto him giftes Gode and Frankensence and Myrhe XXXXVI and XXXVII Doctrine and Institution Faith fyxed on the promises of God is not dcceiued but like as god that promiseth is true so the faith also of the belieuer fyndeth at the length the trueth by experience and perceyueth in déede the large fruites of fayth By fayth the wise men were drawen out of farre Countries into Bethlem for howe shoulde they haue taken vppon them so longe difficulte and daungerous a iorney the way being altogether vnknowne vnto them except they had bene incensed with a wonderfull Fayth there then they founde in very déede that which afore they beléeued Therefore let vs also lokinge vppon the promises of god touchinge the benefytes as well of the life present as to come neuer caste away our faith but by the example of the faithfull Abraham beyond hope beléeue vnder hope nothinge doubtinge but that God will performe his promises if not for our cause which verely are vnworthy of his benefytes yet for his owne sake xxxviii Doctrine The wise men whilest they honour Christ with that honour which is due to God alone doe confesse Christ not onely to be man but also true and perfecte God. Which thing they fyrst learned in Persia by reuelation from heauen afterwarde in Iury by the oracles of the Prophetes XXXIX and XL. Redargucion and Doctrine Here are conuinced all heretikes as the Ebionites Cerinthians and such like which contended that Christ is onely pure man and not god But much more grieuously are confuted the Iewes which when they had heard partly of the wise men partly out of the Scripture many and most certaine testimonies touchinge Christ yet would they not adioyne them selues to the wise men to the intent to worshippe him as neyther they will be perswaded to this daye to worshippe and ackonwledge Christ to be true god Howe much better had it bene neuer to haue had any knowledge of Christ at all for vndoubtedly looke how much more manifestly Christ is declared vnto them so much more grieuously shall they be punished whiche refuse to beléeue in him beinge knowne But in déed those thinges ought to be fulfilled which God longe before by his Prophetes
shoulde come vnto Iohn and by hym be commended to the people And sayth Beholde the lambe of God that taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde IIII. Doctrine The fyrst reason whereby Iohn declareth Christ not onely to be man but also God deriued of the type to the truth and of the propheticall predictions to the thinge present In times past it was presignifyed and foretolde partly by diuers sacrifyces and rites and partly by the oracles of the holy prophets that there would one day come a lambe with whose bloud the synnes of the whole worlde shoulde be clensed And certes that Lambe is this whiche wee fee Christ Christ therefore expiateth the synns of the world with his blood and death Howbeit by blood and death is noted the humanytie of Christe whiche is playnely expressed Heb. 2. Againe heerevpon it followeth that Christe forsomuch as hée purgeth sinnes is also very god For no man can deny that by his owne proper power and vertue to expiat take away and remitte sinnes belongeth onely vnto God. But as touching that which perteyneth to sacrifices or rites â—he Scripture most apparauntly entreateth as of the Paschall Lambe Exod. 12 of the two Lambes to be offered dayly continually Exod. 29 and Num. 28. finally of the Lambe to be giuen after certaine dayes of clensinge for euery childe newe borne Leuit. 12. To these tipes and figures the Iohn directed the force and sharpnes of his minde no man standeth in doubt The prophesye if we requiyre Christ Esay 53. is depainted described in the likenes of a Lambe holding hir peace when she is leade awaye to the place of slaughter Therfore that Lambe both God man which the tipes and predictions of the prophetes foretould should come Iohn affirmeth to be present and that it ought to be acknowledged in Christ And what other thing séemeth to be signified by the particle Ecce Behoulde then a difference betwixte the lawe and the Gospell In the time of the lawe were inculked in the Churche figures and prophesies of the Lambe to come but vnder the Gospll the Lambe it selfe is openly séene Wherfore here vppon maye easely be gathered the certaintye and excellensye of the Gospell and of the euangelicall doctrine before the lawe As touching which thinge also 2. Corinth 3. We haue here then a double doctrine declared at once V. and VI. Doctrine and Institution The power and goodnes of our sauiour Christ is not a littell amplyfied when as Iohn very aptly saith that by him are taken away the sinnes of the world For it is signified that there can not bée so many or so greate sinnes at any time committed but that the bloud of Christ is sufficient to make satisfaction for them Which amplification Iohn expressed also in his first Epistle Cap. 2. saying He is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sinnes and not for our sinnes only but also for the sinnes of the whole worlde And certes it is true if the will of God and of Christ be considered the fruit of his bloud sufficeth and is applied vniuersally to all men but if regarde be had to the will of men there commethe oftetimes an impediment therefrom whereby they can not be pertakers of spirituall benefites VII Redargution They are greatly deceyued that séekâ— for remission of sinnes any other waye then by Christ There is no other Lambe that hath power to forgyue sinnes but this alone to whom Iohn willeth all men spedily to come Be thine owne workes neuer so excellent and presume neuer so much with god after thine owne deseruing yet must thou néedes graunt of necessitye vnto this lambe the right and power of pardoninge thy sinnes VIII Institution Where if we feele then our selues to be oppressed with the greuous burthen of our sinnes for we must all confesse of necessitie the cace so to stande with vs Let vs flye vnto this our aduocate redemer Christ and praye humblye to God the father being iustly offended with vs that it would please him to be pacified for the blood of his innoceÌ„t sonne for somuch as he also is the paschall Lambe offered vp for vs and not impute vnto vs any more our sinnes For what shall it profyt vs to haue Christ appointed the Lambe by whose death the sinnes of the worlde shoulde be taken away if in the meane tyme those thinges which wee haue committed be not done awaye To the ende thereof the benefytes and merites of Christe may bee applied vnto vs albeit vnworthy it is our partes and duties both day and night to praye vnto God our heauenly father with a pure and constant faith IX Consolation With what thinge maye doubtfull and carefull consciences more fortifie and confirme themselues then when they vnderstand that by this meanes the vndefiled Lambe Iesus Christ is set forth vnto theÌ„ through whose intercession as many as beinge moued with repentauÌ„ce of their former offences beleeue in him doe obteyne ouerlastinge saluation X. Institution Wée ought to yelde continual thankes vnto God the father who hath giuen vs to liue at those times in which the Lambe so long before promised and loked for of the holy fathers is exhibited in the flesh and hath with his pretious bloude and death as with a raunsome giuen made satisfaction for the sinnes of all men Many Kinges and Prophetes haue bene desirous to se the thinges that you see and haue not sene them and to heare the thinges that you heare and haue not hearde them c. This is he of whom I sayd After me commeth a man which wente before mee For he was before mee and I knewe him not but that he shoulde be declared to Israell therefore am I come baptisinge with water The seconde reason prouinge Christe to be GOD taken of his eternitie Christ came after me to witte as touchinge the fleshe and his humaine nature and yet went the very same before mee in respecte of his dyuinitye But if Christ be eternall it is plaine that he is also very GOD. And in deede Christ was simplye before Iohn in the beginninge and from euerlastinge as the maker and creator of the same Iohn But yet in takinge of manes nature he is knowne to be after Iohn namely by the space of Syâ—e monthes or thereaboutes as the angell Luc. 1. doth wytnes XI Institution Iohn in auouchinge himselfe fo haue borne the same recorde of Christ before that he heareth now admonisheth vs that we ought neuer at any time to be beterred either with any feare or shamefastenes from the confession of the Gospell but rather whensoeuer occasion is offered that we shoulde clerely and vnbashefully pronounce whatsoeuer wée thincke of Christe and of all the Euangelicall doctrine A good songe though it be oftetimes repeated accordinge to the prouerbe is alwayes gratefull to the hearers Add moreouer that in this place is commended the constancye and perpetuall consente of godly teachers in sound wholsome doctrine Iohn confesseth still the same thinge nowe in
the presence of Christ which he had pronounced before of Christ being absente Nothinge is to be altred or transposed in the substance of doctrine or foundation of faith The doctrine that hath once bene sounde and true must of necessitie alwayes be true like as God himeselfe also of whom all sounde doctrine doth procéede is altogether immutable XII Doctrine Here is a notable confession of the two natures in Christ when as Christ is described by the one to haue bene before Iohn and by the other to haue come after Iohn Therfore Iohn sheweth Christ openly and commendeth him takinge awaye the sinnes of the worlde as he is one person in which two natures are ioyned together For truely it behoueth vs that wee vnderstande Christe to haue accomplisshed accordinge to eyther nature the thinges that pertayne to our saluation For in cace Christ ought to haue executed the busines of our saluation onely after his diuine nature then it had in no wise bene néedefull for him to haue put on humaine flesh XIII Redargution By what meanes shall they defende their cause which affirme That the Worde or Sonne beinge the seconde person in the diuine essence did then first take his beginning when hée tooke vppon him mannes fleshe Iohn very wisely confesseth that he was before him God vndoubtedly begotten of God before all worldes in which respect Christ also himselfe said that he was before Abraham was borne XIIII Institution Of some peraduenture might be suspected so diligent and ofte repeted a coÌ„mendatian of Christ by Iohn as though thorough a certaine humaine affectioÌ„ perhaps for kinredes sake Inasmuch as Elyzabeth Luc. 1. is accounted to be Maries cousin the one fawned vppon the other Iohn aunswereth How should I either by reason of flattery or any other sinister affection commend Christ when as I neuer before this time had any kinde of acquayntaunce with him neyther dyd I euer sée him till nowe I saith he knewe him not And it is very likely that Christ was vnknowe to Iohn not only bycause Iohn kept in the Countreye and in the defart far off and Christ lyued alwayes in townes néere to Hierusalem but also for that Christ vntill that present time wherein he was baptised had as yet gotten himselfe no name and renowne by reason of any myraâ—les But then did Iohn beginne to know Christ when he came to be baptised of him at what time Iohn was taught by diuine reuelation that Christe was present whiche had bene promised a redeemer to the fathers and of whom he longe before had begonne to preach Wherefore here are all men admonished and especially those that teach in the Church or that are occupied by any meanes about th affayres of religion that they both speake warely and deale wisely and put forth nothinge after the corrupte affection of minde Where if they smell any offendicles to be imminente then that they prudently turne them awaye with some Preoccupation or preuention by premonishinge all their hearers in time and finally that they labour by all meanes possible to bring to passe that all men may vnderstande that they sincerely and vprightely doe accomplyshe their dutie And let them in the meane season goe forwarde stoutly to execute the office ioyned them of GOD as Iohn also saith when he was commaunded to baptise he was then likewise coÌ„maunded to celebrate and preche Christ to the intent he might become knowen vnto all Israell For so was Iohn appointed by the prouidence of God that he shoulde informe the mindes of all men to the doctrine of Christ and also to the sacrament by Christ after to be instituted XV. Correction Woe therfore vnto them that bothe speake and doe all thinges after their owne fantasye and affection to the greate offence of all good men that I say nothing of the huge losse and detriment of Churches and of the corruption of pure religion that doth follow therevppon Those that can not saye of them whom they commende I knewe them not do not well prouide doubtlesse for the behouse of the Church For I speake chiefely of them that are placed in the ecclesiasticall function albeit euen in the ciuile state also we maye perceye ouer many things to be determined and done after the corrupte affections of men which no doubt deserue sharply to be reproued XVI Doctrine Vocation to a certaine office is the gift of god Neither is any man apte to teach the Gospel or to accomplishe any thing as it ought to be excepte God himselfe will first call him For he assone as he calleth ministreth gifts also by which a man becommeth méete for his callinge And here vpon truely it commeth to passe that those men that thrust in themselues before they be called doe hardely proue euer fytte for the turne or at leaste doe féele by experience no happy successe to follow of theyr doinges XVII Institution They therefore that perceyue themselues to be called of God and especially to the function of preachinge the gospell let them take dilligente héede that they omitte not to doe those thinges that are beseminge for them In all their sermons and actions let them declare themselues to be desirous of nothinge more then that Christ may bee manyfested to Israell that is to say to the Church of God. Neither let them suffer themselues either by threateninges or flatteries of any men to be letted and sequestred from their godly purpose XVIII Correction They incurre reprehension that either doe not their office committed vnto them at all or els doe it neglygently neyther preache Christ but themselues and doe séeke more carefullye after the thinges that are their owne then after the thinges that are Iesus Christes Against which hipocrites the Apostle oftetimes very sharpely as they are worthy inueigheth XIX Doctrine These offyces are ioyned together to manifest Christ to Israell and to baptise with water that is to say to preach the worde and administer the sacramentes For doctrine and the sacramentes rightly ministred are two markes declaringe the true Church and of necessitie where Christ beareth rule there either office is dilligently exercysed with out intermissyon as Iohn also confesseth both of them to be committed vnto him of God. But there is moreouer in the words water a certaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy to be obserued For Iohn signifieth that he is not the author of any new doctrine or baptisme but onely the minister of eyther of them and that the inwarde workinge therof is to bee loked for of an other more worthy namely of Christ himselfe true and very God which alone as it is saide a litle after baptiseth with the holy Ghost and ought alone to bee acknowledged the authoure as well of the Euangelycall Doctrine as also of the Sacramente of Baptisme â–ª Therefore by thys meanes Iohn maketh it knowen that he doth all thinges not after his owne arbitremente but by the commaundement of God himselfe Which thinge let al men worthily endeuoure to followe that
receyued by the Lawe Of which thing he rendreth also in the causes For where the lawe is there imediately followeth transgression for such is our imbecilitie and weakenes that wee can neuer exactely fulfyll the lawe And where transgression is what I beseech you is to bee loked for but the wrath of god By the lawe therfore or by workes wee can by no meanes atteyne vnto rightuousnes But to the intent he might the more easyly perswade the same thinge he inserteth two inconueniences which if rightuousnes were not to be loked for but by the lawe should of necessytie follow If rightuousnes or the inheritaunce of spirituall benefytes shoulde then onely be receiued when the law were of vs throughly fulfilled our faith no doubt should be void the promise of god of none effect But that it is a very absurde matter in cace any should auouch it thus to be euery man perceyueth For GOD vndoubtedly performeth that which he promiseth as he that neuer ceasseth to be true and iust of his worde And where as is the certaine fyrme infallible promise of God ther our faith ought in no wise to wauer or doubt Let these thinges therfore he taken in steade of the eight argument But nowe againe the Apostle stayeth somewhat at this that the holy scripture testyfieth that the promises belong not onely vnto Abraham but also vnto an his séede In which consideration beinge occupyed he remembreth that in the olde Testament the Gentiles also are conteined in the séede of Abraham For it was saide vnto Abraham Gen. 17. I haue appointed thee to be the father of many nations Wherfore herevpon also he produceth an other argument which is framed in this sort The promised spirituall benefyts shal redound also to the seede of Abraham But the Gentiles are knowen to be the seede of Abraham Ergo the promised benefits shal come in like maner to the Gentiles though destitute of the lawe and voide of good works Be this therfore the ninth argument taken of the proper signification of the worde Gentiles or Nations and it belongeth to the places of inuention of whiche mention was made in the fift obseruation X The tenth argument is added to deriued of the nature of the things themselues which kind of proofes we shewed to be méete and requysyte in the fourth obseruation Abraham saieth he aboue hope beleeued vnder hope that hee shoulde be the father of many nations according to that which was spokeÌ„ to him So shal thy seede be And he not weake in the faith considered not his owne body c. The apostle in déede describeth the nature force of the faith which is imputed for rightuousnes and sheweth that it was very excellent in AbrahaÌ„ and far greater then any man could beléeue He saith the true and perfect faith doth assuredly vndoubtedly lay hold vpon those things that excéede mans reason the by no menes are iudged to be hoped for besids that it neglecteth dispiseth vtterly remoueth al things that are thought to be a let or hindraunce vnto it For it alwaies leaneth vpon God to when nothinge is impossible to be done Such and so great a faith therefore seeinge it shined forth in AbrahaÌ„ it pleased god with merciful eyes to behold it before al other works to impute it for rightuousnes XI Last of all the holy Apostle going about to bring his explanation to all end auoucheth that the same meane or way that Abraham was iustified by ought also to be applyed vnto vs for therefore were those thinges writen of Abraham to the ende we might know that we in like maner by the example of Abraham shoulde without workes be iustified by faith And thus much touching the interpretation of one short sentence The seconde example being no lesse notable then the first is extant Galat. 3. where euery word of the most knowen promise made vnto Abraham Gene. 22. In thee all nations shall bee blessed is so expounded and declared that it likewise teacheth that men are iustified before God not by the workes of the law but by faith sBut yet far away surmounteth the third example which occurreth Heb. 5. 7. where euery member of the fourth verse of the Psalm 110 The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec is with such great arte industrye grace opened and explaned that I néede not doubt to affirme that no mans wit without the speciall direction of the holy ghost is able to immitate the like For truely the apostle with many diuers proofes takeÌ„ out of the one testimony of scripture plainly teacheth in the same chapter in the thrée following first that Christ is the true priest after the order of Melchisedec and the the said prophesie of the Psal. 110. doth most chifely agrée vnto him secondly that the priesthod of Christ is far more excelent theÌ„ the priesthod of the law which was after the order of Aaron or Leuiticall thirdly that by the priesthod of Christ appointed established through the patefaction of the Gospell the priesthode of Aaron is abolished fourthly that by the priesthod of Christe once constituted and confyrmed the olde ceremonies and sacrifices yea and the law it selfe take an ende What man would haue thought that out of one verse or clause might haue bene drawen matter of so many weighty poyntes of Christian doctrine and so diuers and sâ—ndry proofes for euery poynte But thus it is to whom the holy ghost becommeth a scholemaster vnto those all things are easye playne penetrable and ready The thing it selfe speaketh that all that are placed in the Ecclesiasticall ministerye are not so far for the enstructed of the holy ghost that they may be counted equal with the Apostles or other pillers of the Church wherfore it is very requisite that the study diligence of immitation should appéere and shine forth in them and when they perceyue themselues not able to atteine the vertue and maiesty of the Apostolike phrase of speaking then let them diligentlye next after the Apostles follow the steppes of the holy fathers whiche we know with great laude and fruite in the kinde didascalick to haue explaned sentences or single places of scripture in the Church Chrisostom in his first Tome learnedly expoundeth in a iust homilie those words of Gene. 3. I will put enmitie betwixt thee and the woman betweene thy seede and hyr seede c. There is also an homilie as touchinge these words of the Psalm 9. I will declare all thy wonderous works Another of the words out of the Psalm 25. Leade mee in thy trueth and teache mee Agayne of the wordes out of the Psalm 27. The Lorde is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare Moreouer of these wordes out of the Psal. 85. Be not angry with vs O Lord for euer Item out of the Psalm 122. Peace be within thy walles and plentiousnesse
as it is required of vs that we should expound a parte of an holy boke or also some certaine place taken out of the holy Scripture it is by all meanes very requisite that we expresse the state or summe of those thinges whereof wée will entreate in one theame compounde And that the like thinge happeneth somtimes when entreatie is made of an entier booke of Scripture wée haue already by examples brought as touchinge Ecclesiastes Cantica Salomonis and the Gospell after Iohn aboue declared Besides when any thinge falleth out by occasion to be talked off in the pulpit it is necessary that the same be propounded in a theame compounde Of this sorte it is if I say Honger or drouth is paciently and quietly of vs to be endured God by his iust iudgement sent the calamitie that fell through haile Of the one Theame Basilius Magnus most grauely entreateth of the other Gregorius Nazianzenus Now hereby it maye plainely appeare that the vse of those thinges which are to bée touched in this Chapter is of very great importance in the Church of god In the meane time it shall be lawfull briefely to absolue these thinges forasmuch as very many pointes doe accorde herevnto which are sufficiently at large discussed in the former Chapters I. Where if so bée therefore thou be determined to handle a theame compounde when a whole booke is taken in hande to be declared or a part out of any booke of scripture is proposed to the multitude there is no man that seeth not the very text of the diuine wordes which are recited in the sacred assembly to minister and suggest by it selfe many and diuers things which may both godly and relygiousely be vttered and through euery part thereof be aptly dilated and amplified It shall then therefore be best to imitate followe some one of those orders of expoūding which we haue comprised in the 3.4.5.6 chapters of this present boke II. But where as no reading or lecture of holy Scripture ouer longe shall goe before but onely either a briefe sentence or a place out of some sacred booke shall be taken in hande or els no wordes at all be premised out of the scriptures thē truely it shall be expedient thoroughly and exactly to consider all those thinges in order which we haue in certaine obseruations comprehended noted in the seauenth Chapter as touchinge the maner of handelinge one place or sentence of scripture For it is conuenient that the same consideration be had as well of a sentence as of a theame compounde A proufe hereof is this that oftentimes those that are purposed to declare a theame compound doe gladly borrowe some sentence out of the scriptures which may be agreable to their purpose doe prefixe it before their Sermon or in any wise insert it The Apostle to the Romaynes 4. intendinge to proue that man is iustified by faith taketh that sentence out of Gene. 15. Abrahā beleeued god it was imputed vnto him for rightuousnes In the Epistle to the Galathians handeling the same matter he produceth out of Geneses 22 the promise of god made vnto Abraham In thee or in thy seede shal al the nations of the earth be blessed Moreouer in the two sayd Epistles in that to the Hebrues is prefixed a theame compounde or briefe sentence out of the prophet Abacuc 2. The iust man shall liue by fayth That the same craft or cunning therfore is aptly to be applied to the tractatiō of a theame cōpound which a litell before we shewed to be requisit to the discussing of a sētence or place of holy scripture ther is no cause why any man should doubte III. And forasmuch as wée then also admonished that it is somtime very necessary in case a resolution of a sentence or place taken out of the Scriptures be had and all the partes therof examined a parte it shall be profitable also to vse the like experience in the tractation of a theame compounde When this thinge is to be done it shall be conuenient not onely to goe that waye to worke which we haue shewed to bee open vnto vs in the holy Scriptures and that truely very excellent but also wée shall gette furniture of teachinge both substanciall and plentious out of those thinges whiche in the former Chapter bée of vs declared as touchinge the explanation of simple theames For certes the places which deuided into two formes or orders we shewd to be attributed to the kinde didascalicke doe giue occasion of deuising and finding out great and weightie thinges of euery theame that is offered Wherfore wee shall not without cause require ayde and succoure of them As touching all which thinges here to repeate againe with many wordes that which hath bene already sayd would bée very superfluous IIII. And surely séeinge the multitude and varyetie of thinges is infinite that are treated off in the Church so ofte as the vse and order of time doe require there can no better counsaile or aduice be giuen then that euery man haue a speciall regarde vnto their Sermons which haue most aptely and holily handeled theames compound and that he endeuour so far forth as lieth in him to render and expresse in his sermons that which he perceyueth to haue most force and grace in them Such Sermons are with great care and exacte iudgement to be pervsed to the intente thou maist examaine euery thinge occurrent in them and that which is best to bee liked choycely digest and put in order as things to be adioyned to thy household stuffe to be vsurped as thine owne when time and occasion shall serue To make any futher declaration it is not necessary But examples wherein theames compounde of the kinde didascalick are most learnedly explaned these inespecially be commended in the sacred Scriptures In the Epistle to the Romaynes the Apostle declareth at large that men are iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Againe cap. 9.10.11 That the Iewes are reiected of god and the Gentiles called to be the people or Church of god In the first Epistle to the Corinthes cap. 15. it is proued by stronge argumentes that the deade doe all rise or reuiue againe In the Epistle to the Galathyans it is againe confirmed that men are iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe in the last part of the second Chapter and also in the 3.4 and some parte of the 5. Chapters In the Epistle to the Ephesians Thapostle teacheth in thrée Chapters that men by the onely grace of God in Christ are elected called iustified and glorified The author of the Epistle to the Hebrues in two Chapters declareth with wonderfull perspicuitye that Christ is true God and true man. In the same Epistle cap. 7.8.9.10 out of one sentence of scripture are drawen fower distinct theames compounde and euery one of thē is with certaine and assured reasons established and explaned whereof the first is that Christ is a preist after the order of Melchisedec
fountaines of scripture obseruing there all thinges that either goe before or followe after what causes or circumstaunces hange together agayne what driftes of reasons or arguments there be what force they be off determine finally with thy self whether they be agréeable to thy purpose or no. And by the same paynes taking that thou must of necessitie sustayne in this behalfe thou thy selfe mightest as wel after thine owne lykement deuise a new and entier sermon according to the state of thinges present But to draw to an ende be it so that those straunge and forreine Sermons be in all respects perfect and sounde and that there is nothing as touching either matters or wordes wanting in them yet art thou very much deceyued which supposest that thou shalt with as good a grace sette foorth the doyngs of an other man as thou vtterest thine owne made at home in thy house Labour striue enforce thy selfe so far as thy wittes wyll suffer and yet truely will there neuer appere in thée that voyce that plyauntnes of sounde that moderation of gesture and mouing that grauitie that ardent affection that power and vehemency in words which were found in the first author Euery man is the best and most graue reciter of his owne doyngs And the chiefe part of a Preacher teaching with commendation is absent when he wanteth pronounciation I omitte to tell that if it shall fortune any of thy hearers to haue the very same author at home of whō thou borrowest in a maner all thinges it will come to passe that in short space thou shalt procure to thy selfe great haterd and contempt amongst all men I could my selfe wil they say make as good a Sermon as our Preacher I can read at home at my house euery day in the wéeke al the he preacheth neither is there any cause why I should after this resort to the church And by this meanes is engēdred in their minds a certein contempt of holy assembelies and by litle and litle all ecclesiasticall actions and the whole ministery of the Church begin to waxe vile and lothsom Verily I beléeue that those which doe alwayes thus vse yea rather abuse the labours of other men bring forth litle or nothing of their owne are of Gregory Nazianzenus well and thriftely taunted and taken vp where as in his Apologeticus he saith If there be any peraduenture that haue learned two or thrée sermons out of the auncient writers and that haply more by hearing then by reading Or in case we haue kanned a few Psalmes héere and there out of Dauid afterward doe vse them by apparelling them with a more fulsome and well plighted vesture or if we can bragge and vaunt of Phylosophy euen to the starres counterfettinge a certaine shewe of godlynesse and disguising our face with such like inuentions we will now in all the haste be praysed and had in admiration we thinke now forthwith to be placed ouer some peoples we séeme in our owne fantasy euen from our cradels to be some consecrated Samuels We will also be counted wise and teachers of diuine misteries yea and set our selues amonge the Scribes and Doctors of law c. And certes it is to to be lamented that the labours of most excellent men replenished with no lesse learninge then godly zeale shoulde be racked to a far other end and purpose then the authors when they put them forth looked they should haue come For we sée how shamefully both the vnlearned and learned do abuse them alike Those verily when by the helpe of them they craftely and deceitfully intrude themselues into the ecclesiastical function for the which they are vnméete and these for that assoone as they haue gotten them they become all together sluggishe and slouthfull they neglect to peruse the holy scripture and other godly bookes they are not carefull neither doe they once thinke any more to frame sermons by their owne with and labour And yet it is most certaine that the scope and meaninge of those good men was not to aduaunce and promote vnto dignitie any impudente vnlearned and shamelesse persons or to maintaine the slouth vnlustines of any meane schollers and of all other they ment least to withdrawe any from the readinge of the canonicall Scriptures But this rather they alwayes wished and hoped by all meanes it woulde come to passe that the Lucubrations which they consecrated to the whole Church and submitted to the iudgement thereof should redounde also to the profit and vtilitie of all the whole Congregation And amongest other their desire was chiefely to profite those that being called to the ecclesiasticall ministery beginne with commendation to exercise themselues therin to the intent doubtlesse they might out of their most sacred workes gette a ready and familiar methode of popular teachinge to the intent they might learne apte and vsuall phrases the maner of findinge and disposinge all maner of proofes of chosinge and applyinge common places and to be shorte the order of mouinge of affectious againe to the intent they might by their example be stirred and prouoked to the continuall readinge of the prophetical and Apostolick books to the collection of apt reasons and argumentes out of the same and to the diligent deuisinge and framinge of sacred Sermons For like as those mē that sell Sinamon Galingale nutmigs cloues and mace and such like straunge and precious spices doe vse to giue a peéce of euery of them for a taste to the commers by to the intent they might the raher be allured to bye Euen so they that haue put forth bookes of holy sermons haue wished and desired nothinge more then by giuinge as ye would say a certaine taste of diuine matters to excite all men to the reading of holy bookes and to encrease their diligence in the study of imitatiō Now hitherto doe al these things tende We couit to perswad al those the haue already applied their mind to the ministery of the Church yea and we beséech them in Christ Iesus that first formest they would withall possible diligence peruse and turne ouer the sacred Scriptures conteined in the body of the holy Bible that they would make them to be most familiar vnto them whiles they may haue out of them sondry and manifoulde matter of heauenly doctrine prepared against all euentes purposes then after that they would with as great endeuour as they can enure themselues to make and describe godly Sermons after the patterne and examples of the Sermons of Christ the prophetes and Apostles and lastely that they would aptly and conueniently apply to their busines in hande those things that they shall finde in other doctors of the Church whither they be Greekes or Latines to be profitable for their vse directinge in the meane time all thinges to the glory of God alone and to the edifyinge of their hearers And so finally by this meanes shall they be iudged and that truely by the verdicte of the authors themselues rightly
inuentione entreatinge of reprehension and Fabius Quintilianus in his fifte booke cap. 13. touchinge confutation doe teach some thinges not to be refused In which notwithstanding the preacher must prudently disâ—earne what may rightly by introduced into the Church where all things ought to be accomplished with great reuerence and without the breach of charitie and what is to be left to the brabbelinge pleadinge place VIII Diuinitie sheweth also certaine formes of solutinge or assoylinge peculiar in a maner to it selfe and very much vsed and frequented Chiefely and principally the iudgement of God is oft times set against the iudgement of men or the sayinge of the superior against the sayinge of the inferior In which respecte verily Christ Math. 15. infringeth the opinion and tradition of the Pharises by opposinge against them the worde assertion of god him selfe when he proueth them guilty by reason they transgressed the commaundement of God through their owne traditions IX The true and natiue interpretation of the Scripture is alleadged against that which was of other peruorstly put forth Christ Math. 4. vnto that that the diuell saide If thou be the sonne of God cast thy selfe downe headlonge For it is writen he shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee and with their handes they shal beare thee vp least at any time thou hurt thy foote against a stone answereth eftesâ—nes by bringinge a true interpretation It is writen saith he Thou shalt not tempt the Lorde thy God. X. To the sentence by an other alleadged is sometime added or opposed that which in the same matter is chiefely to be considered When the diuell had sayd vnto Christ If thou be the sonne of God commaund that these stones be made bread Christ maketh aunswer Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. As who sayth Christ addeth that wherevppon dependeth chiefely the sustentation and preseruation of our lyfe and opposeth and preferreth spirituall nourishment to that which is corporall XI Necessitie requireth often times the a concilement of the places outwardly repugnant be vsed made as touching which matter Augustine hath copiously entreated in his bookes de consensu EuaingelistaruÌ„ likewise against Adimantus the disciple of Maniches we also haue briefely touched some thinges in our second booke de Theologo coÌ„cerninge the order of diuine study XII And moreouer the same places may stand vs in great stead be oft times applied to redargution which in the preceeding chapter we recounted fit to the confirmation of true doctrine The diligent reading and examining of confutations which doe here there occurre in the sacred scriptures will euidently demonstrate many moe thinges perteyning to this effect XIII And like as to the solutions of argumentes and reasons are very opportunely and fitly added those thinges that may stirre vp and prouoke the mindes of men to assent euen so at the ende of that part or whole Sermon which is ordeyned to reproue shall not vnprofitably be heaped togither certen perswasiue or rather dehortatory reasons wehreby men may be deterred froÌ„ embracing false assertions premonished to take diligent héed of the infection of hipocrites Such are reasons deriued of the study scope of false teachers after which sort Christ and the Apostles doe oft times forewarne the belieuers lykewise of the unprofitablenes of the unrightuousnes of the perill and daunger of the thing c. Whereby are declared the dammages inconueniences which out of errors and dissentions doe redounde as well publikly to the Church as also priuately to euery mans conscience In which behalfe may some thinges lawefully be entermedled méete for the mouinge of affections But like as in the former kinde so in this also are certaine Cantions very requisite and necessary I. The preacher shall endeuour himselfe with all industry and diligence to bringe to light the subtill sophistry and fraudulent workinges of the aduersaries but with such pollicie and discretion that he againe be not thought to vse like sophisticall dealinge The talke of truth ought to be playne and simple For in case thou doest nothinge els then subtelly inueigh against subteltie thy tale will be as much suspected and disliked as their tale whom thou impugnest and the hearers will iudge none other but that there is come before them som noble payre of sophisters as if they behelde Protagoras and Euathlus on a day appointed brauling in the brabbelinge consistory II. Howbeit neither is it necessary nor expedient publikely to ensearch and narrowely to examaine all thinges which are produced of the authors of false assertions whither they bée Ethnickes or heretickes leaste verily whilest we goe about to withdrawe men from error wee minister occasion to some amonge the hearers especially to the curious to enquire more scrupulously after them and by this enquiry as it commonly commeth to passe to slide and fall into erroure Counsell not much vnlike to this giueth S. Augustine who in this booke de catechizandis rudibus cap. 7. hath these wordes Then is mannes infirmitie to be enstructed and encouraged against temptations and offences whither they be without or in the Church it selfe without against the Gentiles or Iewes or heretickes within against the chaffe of the Lordes floore Not that discourse shoulde bee made agaynst all kindes of frowarde and peruerse menne nor that all their crooked and fantasticall opinions should by questions propounded be refelled but it is to be declared according to the shortnesse of time that it was so sygnified before and what the profit of temptations is in teachinge of the faithfull and what holsome medicine there is in the example of Gods pacience who hath determined to suffer these things to the end That whiche Augustine therefore thought good to be done in teaching the elder sort that I suppose in consideration of our times wyll be profytable to the whole multitude in which no doubte a number may be founde more rude and ignoraunt then those rude and simple of whom he maketh mention III Moreouer the Preacher shall take diligent héede least he be thought to vtter and pronounce any thinge of a corrupt affection of which sort it is in case he immoderately flattereth himselfe or those that fauour his opinion if he commendeth all his owne stuffe more then is méete or if so bee hee inueigheth ouer bitterly against any of his aduersaries as though he were more incensed with hatred of the persons then with desyre of defendinge the trueth In déede he may touch the persons sometimes also sharpely after which sorte we sée the Pharisies to be handeled of Christ but â—e must in no wise pretermitte grauitie wherevnto it behoueth a godly zeale to be ioyned and that as the Apostles speaketh accordinge to knowledge finally thorough loue he ought to auoyde all offence giuinge IIII Againe in the whole Sermon behoueth great moderation to be vsed whereby all men may be giuen to vnderstande that their saluation and repentaunce is ernestly
authors of great and publike offences c. We will shew a compendious way how these thinges may be brought to passe I No small number of reasons may chiefely be deryued from those places which we sée to be in vse with the Orators as Of the honesty Of the cause or matter Of the iustice and equitie Of the cause or matter Of the goodnesse Of the cause or matter Of the profitablenesse Of the cause or matter Of the surety Of the cause or matter Of the comlynes cōmendation Of the cause or matter Of the necessitie Of the cause or matter Of the easines or possibilytie Of the cause or matter II To declare any thing to be iust godly praise worthy necessary many grounds and proofes may be drawen out of the most plentifull storehouse of the sacred Scriptures whiche thou mayste dispose in what order thou wilte Of the commaundement of God. Of the promises of God. Of the counsell of the holy prophets or Apostles whiche séeme to perswade some such lyke thing Of the examples and déedes of the holy Saints Of the profit and vtilitie which wyl redound to the mindes of the faithfull or to the whole church Of the illustration of Gods maiesty and glory when namely we shew the to the settyng forth of Gods glory to the sanctyfying of his name vpon earth the thing that we speake off wil wonderfully auayle Of the edifying of others when we declare that the same déede wil be profytable to a great number of other to the end they may be confirmed in godlynes For these and such lyke places moe be as ye woulde say domesticall and companyon lyke to diuinitie but to the Orators they are straunge and vnaccustomed if so bee I meane they be handeled after the same maner that we sée them to be handeled in the holy scriptures Now if thou be disposed to exhort or admonish thou hast in this behalfe also certaine places at hand I And worthily in the first place shalt thou put before thée those thinges that may be taken out of Diuinitie as a treasury by it selfe very ritch and plentifull Argumentes are deriued Of the prayse of the thing wherof entreaty is made or also of the persons which we desyre to admonish For so the Apostle doth oftetimes through praysing stirre vp mens mindes Of the hope of the successe For God fauoreth gladly helpeth the endeuorus of the faithfull Of the publike expectation of other brethren or congregations Of the glory to be looked for as well with God as with men For to require a testimony of the trueth of honest good men is an honest poynt And all men ought to labour in this that they may to all euery where bee a good sauour of Christe It behoueth all men to profit a lyke both by good reporte and euill report and to promote the thinges that are Jesus Christes But yet shall no good man couet ouer much to séeke after glory with men much lesse shal he rest in it being gotten and that for this cause least whilest be obteyneth temporall glory of men he be spoyled of a more ample glorye to wit immortall which he should haue enioyed of the immortall God. Of the feare of ignominye or reproche For it may be obiected vnto them that they profit not in Christ but rather reuoult from Christ as we sée the Galathians to be taunted of the Apostle whom he doubteth not to call foolysh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of the certaintie and greatnesse of the rewards which remayne for vs as well in this lyfe as also in the lyfe to come For there be promises of both kyndes put foorth vnto vs. II And héere againe be effectuall those places that a litle before I reherced to wit Of the commaundement of God Of the promises of God Of the threatnings of God Of the counsell of holy men Of the examples and déedes of the same Of comparisons c. III What shall I saye that of causes moreouer and circumstaunces may no slender argumentes be taken when as in these oft times lye hid many thinges which minister no small force to the styrring vp of mindes IIII Neither shall héere be pretermitted the craft or cunning of mouing of affections For in case thou desyrest to induce the multitude to the loue of vertue to the hatred of vice to compassion towardes the oppressed with wronge to indignation against the despisers of vertuous exercises to the seruēt study of any thing it shal be thy part to set abroch all the engins of art and grace in speaking Hitherto finally do pertaine also communications obsecrations contestations and such like figures as we sée oftentimes the prophets and apostles to haue vsed Furthermore he that wyll prayse eyther a person or déede or thing shall vnderstand that he must somwhat otherwise frame his talke in the Church then the company of Rethoritians is accustomed at the barre or in the Scholes For these truely when they prayse any person doe prefixe before their eyes these places the nation countrey lygnage wounders or miracles that went before the natiuitie name ornamentes of the body as fauour strength comlines moreouer education studies artes also the goodes or ornamentes of the minde as witte docilitye sharpnes of sight prudence gentilnes sobrietye grauitye constancy fortitude godlines zeale of religion then the kinde of life state or condition likewise the benefites of fortune as riches friendships possessions enheritaūces againe the actes done both publickely and priuately afterward the rewardes of the actes done as honours offices triumphes last of all the thinges accomplished in the olde age death end of life opinion after death signes or wonders going before or following after death After this sort I saye are the Orators wont to run through all the degrees of age But somtimes they distribute those places in this order the first they speake of the gifts of the body next of the gifts of fortune and finally of the giftes of the minde But verily the preacher in all this busines vseth somuch vnlike practise I. First truely the Churche hath not bene accustomed to prosecute with prayses those that be a liue still subiecte to all kindes of tempations and sinnes as the Orators haue done in puttinge forth their Panegyricall and plausible Orations vttered in prayse and commendatiō of men as who saith iudgeinge that to be either the propertie of flatterers or of such as prepare a triumph before the victory Of whom that the doinges of those are shamefull of these fonde and folishe it is plaine and manifest But it prayseth and extolleth those onely whom all good men trust assuredly to be now translated into the felowshippe and societie of Saintes II. Againe the Preacher that will celebrate the praises of any good holy man dealeth very slenderly with those places which wée reherced yea so far is it off that he taketh matter of prayse of the benefites of the body and of fortune that he scarce
be so many masters hast thou excelling in this craft Againe such as these be a number of Christes sermons wherein he reprooueth the vngraciousnes as well of the rude multitude as also of the Scribes and Pharisees Looke Math. cap. 11.12.16.21.23 Mark. 2.8.11 And further to this ende ought to be referred the histories or actions tendinge to the extirpation of vices as that touchinge the castinge out of the Temple those that bought and solde Neither want there examples in the Epistles to the Galathians and Corinthians For 1. Corinth 5. the Apostle expostulateth against those that had committed offence and willeth them to be chastened by the censure of the Church Cap. 6. he inueigheth against brawelinges in lawe and wisheth rather iniury to be suffered In the same Chapter he speaketh against sondry vices but especially against leachery and sensualitie Cap. 11. against the custome whereby men prayed in the sacred assembly with their heads couered and women with their heads bare Likewise against those that came not soberly and â—â—aritably to the Lordes Supper Cap. 12. against strifes raysed by reason of spirituall giftes and chiefely through prophesy and tongues To the Galat. 6. he teacheth how spirituall brethren ought to be haue themselues towardes those that are fallen In Chrysostome are extant diuers and sondry Sermons against the detestable custome of swearinge and periury whereof some be wholly applied vnto this ende alone as the 27. and 28. other some haue onely certaine pointes mixed here and ther to that effect as homilie 5.6.7.8.9.10 11.12.13.14.15.16.19.26.28 Of which in some thou mayst finde also certaine thinges scattered against backe biting Against that vice are the homilies 29.30.31 against ambition the 43. against enuy 44.45.53 Against dronkennes and riot 54.55 against such as come vnworthily to the holy misteries in the Lordes Supper 60. 61. also that we giue no offence to any man that we followe not the concupiscence of the fleshe against slouthfulnes in well doing against the desire of vayne glory aginst leachery and other pleasures c. Moreouer it is be noted that vnto these two kindes of Sermons the Instructiue I meane Correctiue may iustl be added those thinges which the Rethoritians in the kinde iudiciall doe affirme to make statum qualitatis seu iuridicialem the state of the qualitye or the state iuridiciall For when entreatye is made of déedes and it is called into question whither a thing be done lawfully or iniuriously or whether a déede be iust or vniust to the doing truely of those thinges that be iust men are admonished and prouoked or if they be don already praised and commended but the thinges that be vniust men are deterred and diswaded from or it they be already committed blamed and coÌ„dempned and the verily by the groundes and reasons taken out of those very places which to these two kindes instructiue and correctiue we haue sayde to be accommodate Of the kinde Consolatory or Comfortatiue Cap. XIIII THat all mortall affayres are tossed and turmoyled euermore with the tempestuous waues of innumerable daungers and that we bee all the sort of vs borne in that state and condition that as well through the offence of our first parentes Adam Eue as also through our owne corrupt nature we are continually oppressed with sondry aduersities and calamities it is not néedfull to be declared in wordes séeing the dayly euents the happen doe much more euidently then were to be wished verify and demonstrate the same For truely we sée by experience that the greatest number of men is miserably vexed and distressed one while with warre or besiegement or sedition an other while with dearth and scarcitye of victuals as hauinge thei corne fildes destroyed through vnseasonable weather somtimes wiâ—thâ—â—stilence and other contagious disseases sometime with ouerflowinge of waters somtime with the rage of fire and burning of villages or some part of the citye sometime with eruell persecution for the confession of faith He therfore that in these publike calamities can lift vp those that be downe comfort the sorowfull confirme tho weake and wauering shall be thought verily to deserue well of all men and to haue fulfilled the dutye both of a good pastor and also of an expert phisition But as touching the Rhetoritians they haue vtterly cast from theÌ„ this part leauinge it to the Philosophers the masters of lyfe and maners Howbeit none in very déede can handle adorne it more excellently then Diuines as the profession of whom like as it doth far awaye surmount excell all others so is it peculiarly ordeyned to the easing and asswaging of soro we and griefs Wherfore whosoeuer is destrous to comfort the afflicted must first of all borrow certaine rules or proofes out of the places of the kinde instructiue with which we vse either to perswade or disswade For what is it els to comfort but to disswade froÌ„ griefe Then shall he procéede to places of Diuinitie Of the first sort therfore be these places I. Of the honesty of the cause It is the part of a wise man with a strong and inuincible courage to stand stedfast in euery daunger It becommeth men chiefely to imbrace all manhood and prowesse but especially constancye II. Of the iustice and equitye of the cause It is méete and conuenient to lay a side mourning especially séeing we are more fauourably dealt withall then our desertes doe require III. Of the profit or disprofit What profiteth it thée to lye tumbling in deformitye to wast and consume thy selfe with sorrowe Thou art grieuous both to thée and thine thou disquietest both thy body and minde in vaine IIII. Of the comelines and commendation All the be of a sound iudgement doe thincke it very vncomly and womannishe to lament without measure to take so impaciently the chaunce that happeneth All thinges doe inuite thée to pacience V. Of the easines Thou so oft procurest to thy selfe a freshe newe heauines as oft as thou procéedest to bewayle thy case VI. Of the necessitie What meanest thou Thou must bears and not blame that which cannot be remedied These rules also bée taken out of the frontiers the Philosophers VII Of the kinde of euills which wée suffer to witte that they are not so gréeuous as they be commonly taken yea that they bée rather benefites then euiles as being certaine prouokementes vnto vertue Againe that they bée not neither can bée continuall that they molest the body onely and not the minde which is frée from all dammage and detriment that they bée common to vs with many that they are recompensed with other commodities that in respect of many other inconueniences they are very small that wée haue before valiantly susteined the like and also greeuouser thinges Nowe to the places of the other sort Truely there bée conueighed alongest the féeldes of Diuinitie very pleasaunt and delectable riuers of Consolations when as it appéereth to bée giuen of GOD vnto mankinde especially to this ende I meane to
meanes for I entende not to touch any more it is brought to passe that if there bee many ministers of Churches in one Citie they heinously vary and contend one with an other to the great offeÌ„ce doubtlesse not onely of their next neighbours but euen of straungers also and such as dwel a great way off from them but if there bée not many ministers of Churches together in one place yet doe the rest of the states of the common weale and the whole people exercise most bitter iarres and priuy hatreds amonge themselues Thus the small foundations of discord and dissension being once layed no man can lightlye expresse in wordes how greatly the mischiefe groweth and how far in short space it spreadeth abrode For sodenly from one place or other do breake foorth new deuisors of peritous treacheries with whom it is but a sport or pastime to set simple and plaine dealinge men together by the eares to minister féedinge to the flames of discorde and as it is saide in the prouerbe to put fire to the match or oyle in the furnace But by litle and litle the mischiefe créepeth further and first goe to hauocke those thinges that are placed in the Church for good orders sake then next is troden vnder foote the doctrine of religion and except politike prouision bée had in time the whole Church is at length vtterly subuerted and ouerthrowen Seeing then so many and great inconueniences do budde foorth out of very smal beginninges of dissensions and all truely bée ascribed to some one rashe and temerarious Preacher Yée perceiue I doubte not my déere brethren as many as are aduaunced to the excellent founction of Teaching the people that yée haue with all your possible power and enforcement to labour and endeuour your selues studiously to imbrace nourish peace and concord It behooueth you ofte times to consider and to imprint déepely in your mindes that in case ye shall doe otherwise all men will foorth with crye out euery where with seditious voyces that you are the great disturbers and hinderers of humaine societie that you are the common distroyers and murtherers of men that from and through you whose duty it was chifely to prouide salue for euery fore infinit euils and mischiefes do redounde to the perill and decay of wretched Citizens It shall be requisite therefore for euery Preacher to bee very carefull and proâ—iâ—elite least that being surprised with his owne inordinate loue he so blinde and deceiue himselfe What doth not selfe loue and the ambitions desyre of 〈◊〉 â—usorce 〈◊〉 or tall to doe It is the â—oynt of one that to hast all 〈◊〉 â—unoberately like Thraso to 〈…〉 but he seemeth to be most foolish that â—â—tteth his confidence in value glory They that 〈◊〉 so please the worlde can not be the seruaunts of Christ It is one thing for a man to sake the glory of Christe an 〈◊〉 thing to 〈◊〉 after his owne glory Further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Striuings about words vaine speaches and new found phrases they that teach the people shall auoyde and detest worse then a dogge or Snake remembringe that they haue longe beefore beene admonished of this thinge Againe how greatly not onely ecclesiasticall Teachers but also euen as many as are entred in the sacred rules of our religion ought to abhorre froÌ„ the assertion of false and erronius doctrine the authors of holy books do euery where inculkate and declare Moreouer that he is farre from a wise man which is as her hastye of credit and will beleoue euery prater and backbiter besides that there rise innumerable inconueniences of detraction although the wise Salomon had helde his peace and the Prophetes and Apostles sayde nothinge at all yet might it very well bee knowen and perceyued euen out of the Ethnicke writers which haue published many learned sentences touchinge the same thing Futhermore that light and vile persons also idle Dames and Huswines in matters specially appertaining to the Church be in no wise to be heard and harkened vnto euery man I suppose is perswaded sufficiently in his owne minde or conscience albeit truely we are by many proofes and experiments taught in these daies how meete and conuenient it is What shall we further saye All good men ought assuredly to be perswaded of this that hée which causeth trouble and perturbation in the Church but chiefely he that is the first breaker of peace beginner of discorde doth more grieuously offend shal more sharpely be punished at Gods hande then be that hath committed those heynous crimes so commonly detested I meane murder theft adultrye felonye or such lyke Whosoeuer shall once giue occasion of schisme and dissention in the Chruche may thinke continually that all those thinges are spoken of and against him which are mentioned of the holy Prophetes and Apostles against false teachers and fantasticall authors of sectes He néede not hope to aspire to the heauenly Hierusalem wherein alone is the eternall fruition of eternall peace to be bad which will not learne how happye and ioyfull a thing it is for brethren of this earthly Hierusalem in the Lordes house to dwell together in vnitie But an end I must make there is no remedy To the suppressing therfore of al these perils inconueniences the most spéedy and effectuall remedy and moste soueraigne preseruatiue is if all as well the Preachers as the people doe before euery sermon with as great deuotion as they can humbly call vpon God their heauenly father and require these thrée thinges to be giuen vnto them Fyrst that he woulde vouchsafe to puryfye and illustrate with his holy Spirite all theyr hartes in generall Seconde that he woulde giue vnto the Preachers themselues both the will and power fréely to set foorth all thinges profytable and wholesome and also that hee woulde guide and gouerne their lippes tongue members and all their whole action least they vtter any thing which is vnséemely and vncomely Thirdly that he woulde againe vouchsafe to furnish and enstruct all their harts and mindes together as wel with desyre of procuring and preseruing of peace as also with an ernest indeuour of profyting in true godlynes and fynally that he would make them all stedfast and constant in their holy and godly purpose Wherfore that Preacher may trust assuredly to haue good and fortunate successe in Teachinge which will duly consyder and remember those thinges that haue now of vs beene sayde Soli Deo honor et gloriae ¶ FINIS 1. Cor. 4.1 â— 1. Timo. â— 2.3 I. Tvvo vvayes of interpreting the scriptures and certaine pointes proper to theÌ„ both A collation of the order of teaching in Scholes in Churches 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Popular Scholasticall Transition The proposition The partition of this work II. The excelency of the Preachers office Of the name 1. Cor. 3. Philipp 2. Cor. 4. Of the dignitie of the thing Marc. 16. 1. Cor. â— 1. Timoth. 5. Daniell 12. Thre thinges needefull in a
Timothy and Titus whom he had ordayned bishops and teachers in the Churches of of God inculketh euery where the same and with lyke diligence vndoubtedly commandeth them to be vrged and inculked of others And to Titus 3. he willeth generallye all foolish and vnprofitable questions by all meanes to bee auoyded and eschewed Thus much therefore concerning the profit and vtylitie of matter We saide in the seconde place that an easye matter ought to be chosen And that for these causes Amonge the multitude the greatest parte is rude and vnlearned or if there be any in place that are learned in déede yet where is one amongst them all that is expert in divine matters or how many shalt thou finde in the multitude that be diuines and such diuines as can rightly attaine to matters hard and difficult which thing syth it is so in vaine shall those thinges be proposed in a Sermon that either none at al or els very few may vnderstand He must remember what soeuer he be that teacheth in the church that he serueth the turne of the multitude and that he ought to prouide rather for many then a few And what if by handling of hard and difficult places some perill commeth rather to be feared then profit and commoditie to be looked for for in déede when some curious hearers begin once to cast in their minds how with study and dilygence they may perceiue the misteries of diuine matters this commonlye commeth in vre that by long and much searching they fal into errours and whilst they call to remembraunce diuers and sundry interpretations they conceiue straunge and phantasticall opinions whiche immediatelye after they obstinatly holde and defende and to the great hurt and disturbance both of them selues also of others yea of the whole church they delight to dispearce them amonge the vnlearned For this cause therfore the apostle oft times warneth vs to auoyde all kinde of doctrine that conduceth not to godlynesse that maketh men proude and hye minded yea curious and supertitious rather then godly disposed that stirreth vp strif brawling and debate and that edifieth few or none at all And the Apostle Peter in his last epistle Cap. 3. In the epistles saieth he of our brother Paule are some thinges harde to bee vnderstoode which the ignoraunt and vnconstant doe wreste like as other also of the Scriptures to their owne destructiō Eunomius byshop of Cyzicene by the report of Sozomenus whilst he discussed on a tune hard places to the people of the substāce of god of the knowledge of god adhibiting also captious and intrycate reasons of Logick ministred occasion of an vprore in which he was expelled both from the citie and also from his byshoprick And we in our time haue harde how some mouing diuers darke and perplexed questions haue giuen occasion of much euill inconuenience but of very little or no good at al. Where if peraduenture in the booke or part of the booke which is expounded some difficult place do offer it selfe that can not conuenientlye be pretermitted then my counsell is that this moderation be vsed The place shall in deede be opened but soberly and in few wordes then simply and plainely lastly with an exhortation added concerninge the true and right vse of the same doctrine By these thrée meanes it is forséene and prouided that no scrupulus and superfluous questions and disceptations shall arise and remaine among the people Which trade of teaching we may ascribe to the apostle who hath shewed the same vnto vs Among the Thessalonians were some that with many words verye curyously and diuersly disputed of the comminge of our Lorde Iesus Christ to the last iudgement which controuersy the Apostle being desyrous to dissolue and breake vp fyrste briefly vseth in maner of a preface and admonisheth them that they would not immoderatly be terrified or mooued with the words of false teachers moreouer mindinge to signifi that the time of Christs second comming was not yet to be looked for he heapeth not togither many arguments or prophesies out of the Prophets but with one onely reson deriued of the signe or token he proueth them to erre that went about to vphold the contrary For before the Lorde come that wicked man Antichriste must be reuealed wherefore séeing he is not yet in sighte it is not to be beléeued that the comming of the Lorde is at hande Then fortwith as pertaining to the demonstration of the right vse of the same doctrine he exhorteth them that they would be of good comfort and giue thanks vnto God that vouched safe to elect them to saluation neither would suffer them to be of their number that shoulde be seduced by Antichrist howbeit that this one thing remained namly that they would abide constant in faith and with all their endeuour flye and eschew false teachers The same Apostle where to the Romaines 9. in his disputation of the reiection of the Iewes and callinge of the Gentiles he falleth into a very hard place concerning predestination and frée election coueting to declare that God whether he electeth or reiecteth dealeth alwayes iustelye and vprightly first veryly inferreth one or two examples of Iacob and Esau then of Pharao and forth with a similitude of the Potter for these are proofes very fit to teach the rude and ignoraunt people afterwarde as one terryfied with the difficulty of the cause he breaketh off as yée would say the continuaunce of his tale Either of whiche his dooyngs no doubt is very wel to be lyked for the one was profitable to the plainnes and perspicuitie of the matter the other very necessary for breuities sake and the avoyding of errour Finally in the cap. 11. shettinge vp his whole disputation he teacheth very learnedly to the Gentiles the true vse of his whole doctrine when as he putteth them in minde that they shoulde not be proude for this cause that being taken out of the wilde Oliue trée thou hast yet an other similitude they are grafted into the true Oliue for that it might come to passe that they should againe be cut off And at the length as though he had waded further then he would he endeth with an exclamation O the deepenesse saieth he of the riches and wisdome and knowledge of God. So I say he is wise and the same also worthy the name of an Apostle that is well exercised in the interpretation of the sriptures wherfore let it not repent vs to folow and imitate the example of so worthy ◠doctor in hard and difficult places Last of all the Preacher ought to choose matter necessarie and as the Apostle willeth omit superfluous I vnderstand that to be necessary which is most agréeable to the time and place and whiche the present multitude can not wel be without There be in deede a nūber of diuine places very profitable but yet not al méete to be expoūded in euery place time Some people haue their
But they are conuinced by those thinges which we reade Luke 1 When the angell had declared vnto Mary that she should beare a childe How can this thing be so saith she seing I know not a man The angell aunswered forthwith The holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thee And therefore the holy one that shall bee borne shall be called the sonne of God. And Simeon blessed them IIII. and V. Institution and Correction It is our duty in lyke maner to wish well and congratulate with those whom God voucheth safe to adorne with his spyrituall benefits yea and we ought also to giue thankes and sing prayses vnto God for them The angell Gabriel and Elizabeth called the virgin Mary in semblable wise blessed and happy aboue al women But those the doo not reioyce in other mens gifts and graces especially spirituall but enuy and disdayne them declare themselues sufficiently not to be Christes disciples neither to acknowledge the benefits of God in his saints Wherefore as of enuy and hatred so also deserue they to be accused of ingratitude And sayde vnto Marye his Mother Beholde this childe is set to bee the fall and vprisinge againe of many in Israel for a signe that is spoken against VI Doctrine Simeon calleth to minde the oracles of the Prophets as touching Christ and chiefely that of Esay 28 The worde of the Lorde shall bee to them an offence that they may goe on and fall backward and be broken in pieces And after a few words Beholde I lay in Sion a stone an approued stone a corner stone a precious stone a sure foundation he that beleeueth let him not be to hastye Which place Peter also Act. 4. likewise in his fyrst Epiâ—â—le cap. 2. interpreteth after the minde of Simeon saying Christe is a stone sette to bee an offence and ruine of them that will not beleeue and to be an vprising againe of the beleeuers To the same effect also speaketh Sainct Paule Rom. 9. who againe 2. Cor. 2. doubteth not to pronounce the verye gospell to be a swéet smell vnto god to those verily that are saued the fauour of life vnto life But to them that perish the sauour of death vnto death Heere vpon it followeth that whether men be saued or damned it dependeth chiefely of Christ For they that beeleeue in hym obtaine saluation but those that wil not beléeue are damned like as Christ himselfe also defyneth Marc. 16. Who then perceiueth not the most ample dignitie of Christ to be heere celebrated and set forth Furthermore as those the are saued ought to ascribe the benefyt of their saluation onely to God and to his goodnesse séeinge namely they receiue also the very power of beléeuing freely of God for faith is the gifte of God euen so those that perishe perishe onelye through their owne defaulte whilest they refuse to beléeue and to receiue the benefyts offred Which thing the Apostle Rom. 10 out of the same prophet Esay obiecteth to the vnbeléeuing Iewes All the day long saith he haue I stretched out my handes to a people that beleeueth not and that speaketh against me Therefore not vnto God but to our owne malice and wickednesse ought our damnation to be imputed VII Redargution Like as Christe by him selfe and simply is the cause of the risinge vp of many and not the cause of ruine or falling but accidentally or by occasion So the Gospell also by it selfe is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beléeueth but if debate sedition or any publique calamities doe arise that commeth to passe onely by occasion whiche vngodlye men hypocrits couetuous misers tirauntes and such lyke doe séeke and procure For assoone as they perceiue that by the Gospell their incredulitie and corrupte maners are reproued and drawne to the tribunall seate of God and there condemned they leaue no stone vnturned to the intent they may oppresse it and vtterly extinguish it Let therefore those maliparte and subtill deceyeurs holde their tougues which in these dayes falslye slaunder the Gospell and moste cruelly molest all good men with false accusations as though Christe were the ruine and fall of a great number by hymselfe as though the Gospell dyd nothinge els then destroye and marre all and lastely as though the godly teachers were the authours of dissentions sectes seditions tumults c. When as in verye déede they wishe well euen from the botome of their harte to all sortes of men and labour by all meanes to erecte edifie saue and traine all men to a better lyfe in CHRIST Iesu But what doest thou Suche complayntes of the vngodlye haue beene hearde euen from the fyrste beginninge as in the time of Elias Ieremye and Micheas the Prophetes in the time of the Apostles and in all ages hereafter shall the eares of menne be troubled and disquieted with such slaunderous voyces But how these are to be resisted and their mouthes to be stopped euery man may learne out of Tertulian cap. 4..41 of his Apologeticus out of Cyprian against Demetrianus Augustines bookes of the Citie of God and the hystory of Orosius VIII Institution Let vs pray continually vnto god our heauenly father that he wil not leade vs at any time into temptacion nor suffer vs to stomble at the offendicles which of the humilitie of Christ or of the doctrine of the Gospell or of the conditioÌ„ of the ministers or of some other lyke cause may séeme to arise Where if by reason of our infirmitie or also by the iust iudgement of God for our sinnes it chaunceth vs at length to fall then that he wâ—ulde by his mercy and for the glory of his name erect and lyft vs vp againe IX and X. Doctrine and Institution That Christâ— was an offence to a great number of the Iewishe nation the Apostle Rom. 9.10.11 plainly sheweth where he disputeth of the reprobation of the Iewes calling of the Gentiles Againe 1. Corinth 1. We preache Christ crucified to the Iewes an offence and to the Gentiles folishnesse Paule also and Barnabas to the Iews To you first say they it behoued the word of God to be spoken but forasmuch as ye repell it and iudge your selues vnworth of eternall lyfe beholde we are turned to the Gentiles Likewise Peter in the seconde chapter of his first epistle doth not obscurely reason of this matter Wherefore all men are admonished and especiallye those whom GOD hath vouchsafed to illustrate more then other with the knowledge of his sincere doctrine to ponder deeply with themselues what maner of example is in the Iewish nation set foorth vnto all that are graffed into the church of God. That people was peculiarly well beloued of GOD and of them alone God gathered to hymselfe an holye Churche but yet for theyr ingratitude they were reiected They therefore that now stande in faith let them not be proude thereof knowings the theire ruine is at all times likewise to