THE CHRISTIAN DIVINITIE Contained in the Divine Service of The Church of ENGLAND Summarily and for the most part inâ—â—â—â—â—â— according as point on point dependeth conâ—â—â—ded and with the holy Scriptures plainly and plentifully confirmed Written for the furtherance of the Peoples understanding in the true Religion established by publike Authoritie And for the increase of Vnitie in that godly truth eternall BY EDMVND REEVE Bachelour in Divinitie and Vicar of the Parish of Hayes in Middlesex IER 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules AVGVSTINVS Vtile est de iisdem quaestionibus plures à pluribus fieri libros diverso style non diversa fide LONDON Printed for Nicolas Fussell and Humphrey Mosley at the signe of the Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1631. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES By the Grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. MOST dread Soveraigne The holy Fathers of the Church out of their due consideration of the defects of these times having in the liturgie for the late Fast taught to pray O Eternall God and most gratious Father wee confesse that by our manifold transgressions we have deserved whatsoever thy Law hath threatned against sinners Our contempt of thy Divine Service is great and wee heare thy word but obey it not Our charity to our neighbour is cold and our devotion to thee is frozen ReligioÌ„ is with us as in too many places besides made but a pretence for other ends then thy Service and there hath beene little or no care among us to keepe truth and peace together for the preserving of our Church and State Forgive us O Lord forgive as these and all other our grievous sinnes c. Have thereby signified to all Pastours and Ministers of the Church that they should doe their part towards the repairing of those decayes in many peoples mindes conversations The which most necessary signification beeing proceeded from them who in the Clergie are endued with the amplest understanding in all matters of Religion hath incited me though the most unworthy amoÌ„g the labourers in the Lords harvest unto greater accuration in my function and therto through helpe of the Divine grace for to compile this worke The which now with all humility I present unto your most sacred Majestie And although it is for the most part but as it were a collection of sentences out of the Divine Service Bookes of the Church for to put the common people in more remembrance and consideration of what therein is delivered concerning the principall points of Christian Divinity and a quotation of Scriptures witnessing the same yet unto all which unfainedly endeavour to know the will of God for to live obediently unto it and will unpartially read through and seriously consider every delivery therein it will appeare to be a worke profitable for to make more knowne unto the laity the established Doctrine of the Church to further them in learning their duty towards God your Highnesse and their neighbours Yea it will awake many out of their sleepe of ignorance and cause all such as are upright of heart to say Surely the Lord is in this place and we knew it not The everlasting truth of the Eternall God is abundantly delivered in the publike prayers exhortations and Homilies of the Church of England and we tooke none or but little notice of it Notwithstanding there will not be wanting spirits of disobedience which will calumniate the work and me by reason of the same Wherefore I humbly crave of your most sacred Majesty that since things of this quality are subject to the censures of persons ill-meaning and wise in their owne eyes it may receive patronage from your most gracious Highnesse Your Majesties father a Prince of most worthy ever blessed memory all the time of his happy Reigne over us shewed most pious zeale towards maintaining the Divine Service of the Church and for confirmation thereof caused the Proclamation made for the authorizing and uniformitie of the Booke of CoÌ„mon Prayer to be used throughout the Realme to bee printed with the said booke and also the booke of Homilies to be reprinted The like most godly care to conserve maintaine the Church in the unity of true religion your Highnesse in that most divine and ever most memorable declaration afore the Articles of the Church of England hath unto the great comfort of all your Majesties loyall religious people manifested testified The Lord of heaven and earth blesse your Highnes with many happy yeares That as his heavenly hand hath enriched your Majesty with many singular extraordinary graces So your Highnes may be the mirrour of the world in this latter age as most truly it already is for the prudent and zealous defending of the true Catholike and Apostolike faith unto the honour of that great God and the good of his Church through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Your Majesties most humble and devoted subject EDMVND REEVE To the Reader HAving composed a summe of Divinitie out of the bookes of the Divine Service of the Church of England Whereas â—n tius work thore is often mention maâ—e of the Church therby wheresoever it is used for to signfiâ— those unto whom all people owe most faithfull obediencâ— is to be understood the Church representative where of the 139. Canon faith â—hosoever shall hereafter â—â—fâ—iâ— me that the sacred Synode of this Nation in the name of Châ—â—â—â— and by the Kings Authority assembâ—ed is not the true Church of England by representation let him bee excommunicated and not restored untill her repent and publikely revoke his wicked errour And Canon 140. saith Whosoever shall affirme that no manner of person either of the Clergy or Laity not being themselves particularly assembled in the said sacred synode are to be subject to the deâ—rces thereof in causes Ecclesiasticall made and ratified by the Kings Majesties Supreme Authority as not having given their voyces unto them let him be excommunicated and not restored untill hee repent and publikely revoke that his wicked errour it is necess for mee in some wise to declare their Authoritie that they with whom the said bookes are not in due account may have no just cause either of undervaluing the deliveries taken forth of them or of light esteeming this worke a collection of the same If all the authorized writings of a godly and learned Divine are much to be regarded then how much more are those writings to bee esteemed which are set forth by publike Authority as of the Royall Majesty of the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the representative Church of England are assented unto by all the rest of the Clergy and are confirmed by Act of Parliament That the booke of Common prayer is thus established the Act for
unburthening of his conscience and to receive spirituall consolation and ease of minde from him We doe straightly charge and admonish him A Priest may not reveale any sinne confessed in private before him unlesse it bee such a one as for concealing whereof his owne life may be called in question by the Lawes of this Realme that he doe not at any time reveale and make knowne to any person whatsoever any crime or offence so committed to his trust and secrecie except they bee such crimes as by the Lawes of this Realme his owne life may be called into question for concealing the same under paine of irregularity In the * T. 2. p. 135. Homily concerning Common Prayer and Sacraments it is said Although absolution hath the promise of forgivenesse of sinne yet by the expresse word of the new Testament it hath not this promise annexed and tyed to the visible signe which is imposition of hands For this visible signe I meane laying on of hands is not expresly commanded in the new Testament to bee used in absolution as the visible signes in baptisme and the Lords Supper are and therfore absolution is no such Sacrament as Baptisme and the Communion are The Church hath ordained speciall confession to bee made for the committing of sundry crimes as for committing adultery for giving a blow in Church or Church-yard c. The Lord in his Law hath said And it shall be when hee shall bee guilty in one of these things that he shall o Lev. 5.5.6 confesse that he hath sinned in that thing c. And the Priest shall make an attonement for him concerning his sinne Againe it is written Speake unto the children of Israel when a man or a woman shall commit any sinne that men commit to doe a trespasse against the Lord and that partie be guilty then they shall p Numb 5.6 7 8. confesse their sinne which they have done and hee shall recompence his trespasse with the principall thereof and adde unto it the fift part thereof and give it unto him against whom hee hath trespassed But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespasse unto let the trespasse bee recompensed unto the Lord even the Priest beside the ramme of atonement whereby an atonement shall bee made for him Forasmuch as the Lord knew how his lawes given from his eternall wisdome and delivered by Moses would be by many slighted yea nothing at all regarded therefore said the Lord Iesus Thinke not that I am come to q Matth. 5.17 18 19. destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill But verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Whosoever therefore shall breake one of these least CoÌ„mandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven but whosoever shall doe and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heaven It is to be ever remembred that of every Law written by Moses whereof the ceremony is ceased the r Rom. 8.4 righteousnesse and equity intended thereby remaineth continually The Lord Iesus abolished not confession of sinne to bee made unto his ministery but in saying to his ministers Whose soever sins ye Å¿ Iohn 20.23 remit they are remitted unto them whose soever sins ye retaine they are retained necessarily implyeth that people are to make confession unto them according as the wisedome of his t Luk. 10.16 Church now prescribeth and requireth Iohn the Baptist who came in the way of righteousnesse and not with ceremonies during but a time had the people come to confession as it is written And they were baptized of him in Iordan u Mat. 3.6 Mark 1.5 confessing their sinnes Saint Iames saith Is any sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him c. and the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shal raise him up and if he have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him w Iames. 5.14 15 16 17 18. Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed And then hee sheweth how effectuall the Prophet Elias his prayer was CHAP. 64. Of Penance IN the beginning of the Service of Commination it is said Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a godly discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious offenders were put to open penance and punished in this world that their soules might be saved in the day of the Lord and that others admonished by their example might be the more afraid to offend In the stead whereof untill the said discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to bee wished c. In the Service for Consecration of Bishops it is said by the Archbishop unto the Elected Bishop Will you maintaine and set forward as much as shall lie in you quietnesse peace and love among all men and such as be unquiet disobedient and criminous within you Diocesse correct and punish according to such authority as ye have by Gods Word as to you shall be committed by the Ordinance of this Realme Out of which delivery it appeareth that the Superiour Ministery hath power for to cause transgressors for to doe penance or to undergoe penalties And did not the Royall Majesty and the Law of this Realme most graciously grant such authority unto the Clergy the licentiousnesse of these times considered as the 113. Canon expresly speaketh and had not the Superiour in the Clergy a Lordly power to restraine the violent course of evill wherein many would runne and to constraine the obstinate unto a Christian conformay or else to inflict penalty on them the streame of impietie would grow exceeding great yea in these dangerous dayes as the beginning of the commination service mentioneth it would so much overflow as that the publike profession of Christian religion according as it is prescribed in the Divine Service bookes of the Church could not consist So x Rev. 20.7 8 9 10. great hath beene and still is the malice of Satan against the Apostolicall Doctrine and Discipline maintained in this Kingdome by the publike authority Saint Paul saith God hath set in his Church y 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arâ—bs exp suit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpes in Governments And can any government bee administred without punishing the disobedient Hee saith also to the Corinthians Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use z 2. Cor. 13.10 sharpnes according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction In another place he saith What will yee shall I come unto you with a a 1 Cor. 4.21 rod or in love and in the spirit of meeknesse In the second part of the
the uniformity of Common prayer set in the beginning thereof testifieth Also every one which entreth into the Ministery of the Church of England first subscribeth That the booke of Common prayer containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully so bee used and that hee himselfe will use the forme in the said booke prescribed in Publike prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other As it is in Canon 36. That the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons is likewise ratified the six and thirtieth Article of the Religion established declareth saying The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the sixt and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth containe all things necessarie to such Consecration and ordering neither hath it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that booke since the second yeare of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered That both the bookes of Homilies now printed in one Volume and distinguished into two Tomes are approved by the whole Clergy it is manifest by every ones subscription unto the third Article to be subscribed unto afore receiving any order or degree in the ministery whereof the words are That he alloweth the book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Archbishops In Canon 36. and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergie in the Convocation holden at London in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand five hundred sixtie and two and that he acknowledgeth all and every the Articles therein contained being in number nine and thirty besides the Ratification to be agreeable to the Word of God And in the five and thirtieth Article therof it is said The second booke of Homilies the severall titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth containe a godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former booke of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the sixt and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may bee understanded of the people The Eleventh Article concerning the justification of man referreth unto the Homily of Iustification wherein the most wholesome Doctrine thereof and very full of comfort is more largly expressed In the booke of Common Prayer in the Rubrick after the Nicene Creed the Homilies are mentioned It is required that the booke of Homilies be in every Church Canon 80. And Canon 49 requireth Ministers not allowed Preachers to reade the said Homilies For the confirmation of be true saith and for thâ—â—â—â—d â—â—strâ—â—lâ—â— and 〈◊〉 disication of the people The great authority of the Homilies may also appeare out of the Titles of both Tomes of them The Title of the first Tome is Certaine Sermons or Homilies appointed to bee read in Churches in the time of the late Queene Elizabeth of famous memory And now thought fit to be reprinted by Authority from the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Title of the second is The second Tome of Homilies of such matters as were promised and entituled in the former part of Homilies set out by the Authority of the late Queenes Majesty and to be read in every Parish Church agreeably There are no writings of any Author whatsoever whereunto the Church ascribeth so much authority as to the Bookes of Divine Service having ordained them only together with the holy Scriptures to bee publikely read in every congregation of the Land Now some will say It appeareth by these relatings that great is the respect which we owe unto the said bookes of the Church but yet we are to receive no delivery in them but what we know agreeth with the Word of God In which saying of many of these times there is contained a greater defect than all doe observe therein For first by so saying they attribute not such authority as is due unto the Church their Mother they duely acknowledge not her loyalty unto Christ her Head S. Paul propoundeth the Church her fidelity or faithfull obeience to be a patterne for imitation where he saith As the Church is subject unto Christ Eph. 5.24 so let the wives bee to their owne husbands in every thing Put case that in that her fundamentall Doctrine there were some deliveries not in all respects so perfect as are the Scriptures of God our Father yet it is against her loving nature and prudence to propound unto us any matter for our hurt Yea what we suppose to be imperfect wee may make that use thereof for which it was by her intended and be much benefited thereby Secondly by that their limitation they imply that they have an ability to judge the understanding and wisdome of their mother And if they bee demanded whence they have received so great an extraordinary abilitie as to judge of their mother the Church her knowledge and Doctrine The common answer is by their reading the holy Scriptures They not seriously considering what is written in them also Acts 8.30 31. That how can one reading the holy Scriptures understand them except some man guide him Malachi 2.7 And that the Priests lips is to keepe knowledge and the people is to seeke the Law at his mouth The Clergie of the Church is to teach the common people of the same The lay people in their understanding and applying the Scriptures are to be guided by the Priesthood or Clergy And before it hath beene declared that the universall Clergy with one mouth and consent have borne witnesse That there is not any thing in the Booke of Common Prayer which is contrary to the Word of God And that the booke of Homilies doth containe a godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times to bee understanded of the people Seeing then all the guides in the Church all the ordained keepers of knowledge all such from whom the people are appointed to seeke the Law or spirituall instruction and teaching doe testifie together the truth and profitablenesse of the bookes of the Divine Service can any one justly accept against any deliverie in them unlesse he doe assume unto himselfe for to outsee the whole Clergy of the Church of England The Lord Iesus Christ hath so greatly confirmed the authority of his Church that he hath said Mat. 18.17 Whoso neglecteth to heare the Church let him or her be unto his people as an Heathen and a Publicane Wherefore it is our bounden duty most diligently to heare read and meditate on every particular delivery in those fundamentall bookes composed by the perfectest wisdome of the Church our mother and to frame our mindes and lives according to every prescription
in all In all the Sacred Song of the Church which is to be sayd or Sung in the Ordering of Priests which also is commonly set afore the Psalmes in Meeter what the Holy Ghost is and what his gifts and workings are it is very Divinely deliuered and remarkablely it is sayd in the second Staue thereof Thou art the very o Iohn 14.16 Comforter in all woe and distresse The Heauenly p Luke 11.13 gift of God most high which no tongue can q 2 Cor. 12.4 as in margent expresse The fountaine and the liuely spring of r 1 Thes 1.6 ioy Celestiall The n = s Acts 2.3.4 fire so bright Omnes quod sumus ac vigemus inde est Regnat spiritus ille sempiturnus à Chriso simul et parente missus intrat pectora candidus pudica qua Templi vice consecrata videÌ„t Post quam combiberint deuÌ„ medullis Sed siquid vitij dolive nasci inter visceraiam dicata sensit ceu spurcum refugit â—eler satellum Et nonnullis interjectis Hic pastui anima est saporque verus Poâ—â—â— prâ—dentiâ—â— the t Rom. 5.5 loue so cleare and u 1 Ioh. 2.20.27 vnction Spirituall And now concluded be these Collections concerning the Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity with that of the Prayer to the Holy Ghost to be sung before the Sermon All glory to the Trinity that is of mighties most The liuing father and the Sonne and eke the holy Ghost As it hath beene in all the time that hath beene heretofore As it is now and so shall be henceforth for euermore CHAP. 6. Of certaine Attributes vnto God IN the beginning of sundry Prayers and in other places of the Divine Service Of Gods Eternity for the more expressing of the glory of God there are added vnto his name sundry Attributes As it is sayd oftentimes O euerlasting God O euerliuing God And in the Athanatian Creede hee is sayd to bee the One Eternall Moses in his Prayer which is in the Booke of the Psalmes doth in like manner confesse the Eternity of God saying Before w Psal 9â— 2 the Mountaynes were brought foorth or euer thou hadst formed the earth and the VVorld euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art God The Euerlasting is in the Booke of Baruch mentioned as one of Gods names where it is sayd Let them x Baruch 4 14. that dwell about Syon come and remember yee the Captivity of my Sonnes and Daughters which the Euerlasting hath brought vpon them God is also sayd to be Infinite or Incomprehensible Of Gods infinitenesse or immensity as in the first part of the * 2 T. p. 221. Homily for Rogation VVeeke where it is sayd He is y Iob 9.11 invisible euery where and x Acts 17.27.28 in enery Creature and a Ieremia 2 3.24 fulfilleth both Heauen and earth with his presence In considering whereof Dauid said Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit Or whether shall I flee from thy Presence if I goe vp into Heauen thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the Wings of the morning and dwel in the vttermost parts of the Sea euen there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me b Psal 139.7.8.9.10.13 Thou hast possessed my Reines thou hast couered me in my mothers Wombe In the Booke of Wisedome it is sayd The c Wisd 1.7 Spirit of the Lord filleth the World and that which contayneth all things hath knowledge of the Voyce And d Wisd 12.1 thine incorruptible spirit is in all things Of Gods Almightinesse Moreouer God is often called Almighty as in the prayer to be sayd in the time of Warre O Almighty God King of all Kings and Gouernour of all things whose power no Creature is able to resist The Almighty power of God is liuely expressed in the end of the Visitation of the sicke where it is sayd The Almighty Lord which is a * Pro. 18.10 strong Tower to all them that put their trust in him to whom all things in Heauen in Earth and * Phil. 2 9.10 vnder the Earth doe bowe and obey be now and euermore thy defence and make thee know and feele that there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in whom and through whom thou mayest receiue health and saluation but only the name * Act. 4.12 of our Lord Iesus Christ The Prophet Dauid sayth The c Psalm 103.19 Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heauens and his Kingdome ruleth ouer all Esay sayth Behold f Esay 40.15.17 the Nations are as the drop of a Bucket and are counted as the small dust of the Ballance Behold he taketh vp the Iles as a very little thing All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity Incomparable Wisdome is also ascribed vnto God as in the first part of the * 2. T. p. 219. Sermon for Rogation VVeeke Of Gods Wisdome where it is sayd I do not take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable Wisdome of Almighty God as though I would haue you beleeue that it might be expressed vnto you by Words And in the second part of that Homily it is sayd Page 224. His sight looketh through Heauen and Earth and seeth all things presently with his eyes Nothing is too darke or hidden from his Knowledge not the priuy thoughts of mens mindes Dauid sayth Great g Psal 147.5 is our Lord and of great power his vnderstanding is infinite The Apostle to the Hebrewes sayth there is not any h Heb. 4.13 Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and opened vnto the eyes of him with whom we haue to do Againe concerning Gods Wisedome Dauid sayth O i Psal 104 24. Lord how manifold are thy Works in Wisedome hast thou made them all Of Gods goodnesse Goodnesse also is attributed vnto God euen through out all parts of the Divine Seruice In the first part of the * 2. Tom p. 217. Homily for Rogation Weeke there is amply declared the goodnesse of God towards mankind in sundry particulars Wherein Holy Church doth as the Scripture sayth aboundantly k Psal 145 7.9 vtter the memory of Gods great goodnesse The Lord is good to all Of Gods Ivstnesse Iustnesse also is ascribed vnto God as in the Prayer to be sayd in time of Warre where it is written To God it belongeth iustly to punish sinners and to be mercifull to them that truely Repent Dauid saith The O Lord is righteous in all his wayes And m Psal 62.12 thou rendrest vnto euery one according to his workes Nehemiah sayd vnto God Thou n Nehem. 9.33 art iust in all that is brought vpon vs for thou hast done right but we haue done wickedly Zephaniah sayth
as the Leviticall had t Heb. 8.5 and 10.1 shaddowes of the same Melchizedec Priest of the most high God bringing foorth bread and Wine vnto Abraham ministred vnto him therein u Pro. 9.5 bread and Wine euen the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ The mystery whereof Melchizedec knew and all Priests that were of his Order if there were any thereof afore or after him Saint Paul sayd to the Corinthians That w 1 Cor. 10.2 3.4 the Fathers were all Baptized vnto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea And did all eate the same Spiritual meat and did all drinke the same Spirituall drinke For they dranke of that Spirituall Rocke which followeth them and that Rocke was Christ Also all the people of God that liued after the fall vntill the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ had their Faith in that Seed which was promised that it should bruise the Serpents head and x Rom. 16.20 bruise Sathan vnder their Feete y Heb. 13.8 Iesus Christ according to his eternall Divine nature the same yesterday and to day and for euer CHAP. 14. Of the Arke which Noah built and of other things in the Story of the olde Testament IN the first Prayer for publicke Baptisme the Church sayth Almighty and Euerlasting God which of thy great mercy diddest saue Noah and his Family in the * Genesis 7.23 Arke from perishing by Water and also diddest safely leade the children of Israel thy people through the red sea figuring thereby thy holy baptisme and by the baptisme of thy well beloued Sonne Iesus Christ diddest sanctifie the floud * Mar. 1.9 Iordan and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of sinne c. And in the first part of the * Tom. 1. p. 69. Homily concerning good order and obedience to Rulers and Magistrates it is sayd Where there is no right order there reigneth all abuse carnall liberty enormity sinne and Babylonicall confusion By which deliueries and sundry other of like nature in the Diuine Seruice Holy Church doth teach vs not onely to beleeue the truth of the histories in holy Writ but also to learne that spirituall matters were figured forth by them Saint Paul hauing mentioned to the Corinthians the Israelites Fathers passing through the sea out of Egypt into the Wildernesse towards the land of Chanaan and what befell sundry in the wildernesse addeth z 1. Cor. 10.11 Now all these things happened vnto them for * Or Types as in the margent In 1. Cor. 10.6 it is sayd Now these thinges were our examples or figures as in the margent ensamples and they are written for our admonition vpon whom the ends of the world are come Likewise he writing to the Galatians concerning Abraham Sarah Isaac Hagar and Ismael sayth a Gal. 4.24 Which things are an Allegory or whereby other things are also meant for these are the two * Or the two Testamenâ—s as it is read in the margent Couenants c. Saint Peter sayth b 1. Pet. 3.20.21 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein a few that is eight soules were saued by water The like figure whereunto euen Baptisme doth also now saue vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answere of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Saint Iohn sayd also of Gods two witnesses slaine That their c Reuel 11.8 dead bodies should lye in the streetes of the great Citty which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified Yea and sundry of Moses Lawes besides the Leuiticall ceremonies had a further meaning than the grammaticall or literall sense onely as Paul sayd It is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not d 1. Cor. 9.9.10.11 muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Doth God take care for Oxen Or saith he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written That he which ploweth should plow in hope and that he which thresheth in hope should be partaker of the hope If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we shall reape your carnall things In the aforesayd Prayer and Homily The words Arke Babylonicall Red sea sloud Iordan and Land are intimated to haue a spirituall signification Dauid in the Psalmes and euen all the Prophets doe in their writings often vse Moses his words in a mysticall sense as e Psal 143.10 Leade mee into the land of vprightnesse And f Psal 116.9 I will walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing And g Psal 89.15 With Num. 10.6 Whitherto the marginall quotation referreth See Num. 23.21 Blessed is the people that knoweth the ioyfull sound They shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance CHAP. 15. Of Circumcision IN the * T. 2. p. 134. Homily concerning Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd Circumcision was a Sacrament which preached vnto the outward senses the inward cutting away of the fore-skinne of the heart and sealed and made sure in the hearts of the circumcised the promise of God touching the promised seed that they looked for It was first prescribed vnto Abraham as it is written h Gen. 17.11.13 Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skinne and it shall be a token of the couenant betwixt you and me And my couenant shall be in your flesh for an euerlasting couenant The which Sacraments signification Moses taught the Iewes exhorting them saying i Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the fore-skinne of your heart and be no more stiffe necked Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes k Rom. 4.11 Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had yet being vncircumcised Also he saith l Rom. 15.8 That Iesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promise made vnto the Fathers And to the Colossians the Apostle further sayth m Col. 2.11 In Christ yee are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ To the Romans he declareth n Rom. 2.28 29 That he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outwardly in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God There is a memorable sentence concerning circumcision in an ancient booke of the Iewes called Zohar wherein it is sayd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We haue learned that at what time soeuer when any one shall be marked with this holy sealing or signing of this signe of circumcision from that time he hath a sight of God and the holy soule is vnited with him This
euery yeare did seruice in the most Holy The house of the Lord which Solomon built consisted likewise of three parts The k 1. Kings 6.3 Porch answering to the Court of the Tabernacle The l 1. Kings 6.5 Temple answering to the holy Place and the Oracle answering vnto the most holy Place Concerning the signification of the Temple it is deliuered in the first part of the Homily of the right vse of the Church and also in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 127 T. 2. p. 2. P. 209. Homily concerning the place and time of Prayer Indeed the chiefe and speciall Temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and most delighteth to continue and dwell in are the bodies and minds of true Christians and the chosen people of God according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture declared in the first Epistle to the Corinthians m 1. Cor. 3.16 17. Knowe yee not saith Saint Paul that yee bee the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy which yee are And againe in the same Epistle n 1 Cor. 6.19.20 Know yee not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you whom yee haue giuen you of God In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 68. Homily against the perill of Idolatry there is cited a memorable Sentence of Saint Ierome That it is the Temple of the Lord wherein dwelleth true Faith godly conuersation and the company of all vertues Reade there also his interpretation of the goodly ornaments of the Temple built by Salomon which Exposition is very remarkable To Conclude this point Although God would haue our inward man to bee a Tabernacle or Temple for the o Pro. 23.26 Ephe. 3.17 1 Peter 3.4 2 Cor. 6.16 dwelling of his holy Spirit Yet all this notwithstanding as it is sayd in the first part of the * Tom. 2. p. 2. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church The materiall Church or Temple is a place p 1 Chron. 28.11.12 Psal 74 8. Luke 4.16 appoynted aswel by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the old Testament as in the New for the people of God to resort together vnto c. CHAP. 20. Of Saint Iohn Baptists Preaching IN the Collect for Saint Iohn Baptists day it is said That by Gods prouidence he was wonderfully borne and sent to prepare the way of Iesus Christ our Sauiour by Preaching of Pennance That the Birth of Iohn the Baptist was wonderfull it may appeare by the Words of Zacharias to the Angell fore-telling of Iohns birth saying q Luke 1.18 Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in yeares That hee was sent to prepare the way of the Lord may appeare also from the Angels Words saying r Luke 1.15.16.17 Hee shall be filled with the Holy Ghost euen from his mothers Wombe And many of the children of Israel shall hee turne to the Lord their God And hee shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the Disobedient to the wisdome of the iust for to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And that this preparing was by Preaching of Pennance or Repentance it is testified by St. Luke who sayth Å¿ Luke 3.3.4.5.6 Iohn came into all the Countrey about Iordan Preaching the Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes As it is written in the Booke of Esaias the Prophet saying t Esay 40.3.4.5 According it is read in the Epistle for St. Iohn Baptists day Hoc ita distinguendum esse ostendit Hebraea distincti comparatio sequentis membri Iunâ—us in annot ad Esay 40 30. MysteriuÌ„ in hac Historia à Propheta Esaia olim praedicta et tanto studio à sanctis Euangelistis ad notata latere aliquiâ— majus suspicor quam aut capere ipse satis aâ—t satis queaÌ„ admirari Causa bonus in Annal Bar. A voyce cryed in the Wildernesse Prepare the way of the Lord in the Wildernesse make straight the pathe of our God in the Desart Let all Vallies bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill bee layd low VVhat so euer is crooked let it be made straight and let the rough bee made plaine fields For the glory of the Lord shall plainely appeare and all flesh shall at once see and behold it The which Doctrine is called by Saint Marke the u Marke 1.1 beginning of the Gospell of Iesus Christ And the Prophet Malachy thus Preached it w Mal 3.1 Behold I will send my Messenger and hee shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom yee seeke shall suddainly come to his Temple euen the Messenger of the Couenant whom yee delight in behold hee shall come sayth the Lord of Hosts Great was the Ministery of Iohn the Baptist as it may appeare out of the words of Zacharias his Father who Prophesied of him saying x Luke 1.76.77.78.79 And thou childe shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes to giue knowledge of Saluation vnto his people by the remission of their sinnes To giue Light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of Death and to guide our feet into the way of peace Christ himselfe testified of him that y Mat. 11.11 among them which are borne of Woemen there hath not risen a greater than Iohn the Baptist And that all the Prophets and the Law were z Luke 16.16 Mat. 11.13 vntill Iohn So great a one hee was that hee had a Luke 11.1 Disciples after a speciall manner differing from the Clergy of Iewry in his time Hee was not onely the b Mat 3.1 first Minister of the Sacrament of Baptisme but also hee that c Math. 3.13.14 15.16 Baptized the Lord IESVS CHRIST And therefore hee is in an especiall manner more than any other Minister as it were surnamed the Baptist or the Baptizer CHAP. 21. Of the Holy Incarnation and Natiuity of our Lord Iesus Christ IN the Preface to be Read vpon Christmas day it is sayd That God did giue Iesus Christ his only Son to be borne as this day d Esay 9.6 for vs who by the operation of the e Math. 1.20 Holy Ghost was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his mother and that without spotte of sinne io make vs f Ephe. 5.25.26.27 cleane from all sinne And in the * T. 2. p. 173. Homily of the Nativity it is deliuered That hee made all them which would g Iohn 1.12 receiue him truely and beleeue his Word good h Esay 61.3 trees and i Esay 32.15 16 and 51.3 good ground fruitfull and pleasant k
otherwise it is of no strength at all whilest the Testatour liueth Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without bloud It was therefore necessary that the patternes of things in the heauens should be purified with these but the heauenly things themselues with better sacrifices than these And in another place the same Apostle sayth m Heb. 2.9.10 We see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for euery man For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sonnes vnto glory to make the Captaine of their saluation perfect through sufferings For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the diuell And Christ signified the same vnto the two men going to Emmaus saying n Luke 24 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory The Prophets o Psal 2â— Dauid p Isa 53. Isaiah and q Dan. 9.24.25.26 Daniel foretold expresly of his death And r 2. Esdras 7.29 Esdras hath mentioned the same CHAP. 23. Of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ IN the * T. 2. p. 189. Homily of the Resurrection of our Sauior Iesus Christ it is sayd So great surely is the matter of this Article and of so great waight and importance that it was thought worthy to keepe our Sauior still on earth forty dayes after he was risen from death to life to the confirmation and establishment thereof in the hearts of his Disciples Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians Å¿ 1. Cor 15 14.1â— If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vaine yea and wee are found false witnesses of God because we haue testified of God that he hath raised vp Christ And if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine yee are yet in your sinnes The Church deliuereth also in the aforesayd * P. 191. 192. Homily It had not beene enough to be deliuered by his death from sinne except by his Resurrection wee had bene t Rom. 4.25 endowed with righteousnesse And it should not auaile vs to be deliuered from death except he had risen againe to open for vs the gates of Heauen to enter into life euerlasting He died to destroy the rule of the Diuell in vs and he rose againe to send downe his holy Spirit to rule in our hearts to endow vs with perfect righteousnesse The second Antheme to be sayd on Easter day is u 1. Cor. 15.20.21 Christ is risen againe the first fruites of them that sleepe For seeing that by man came death by man also commeth the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all men doe dye so by Christ all men shall bee restored to life Therefore sayth the Church in the Preface to be read on Easter day Chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord for he is the very w 1. Cor. 5.7 Paschall Lambe which was offered for vs and hath x Ioh. 1.29 taken away the sinne of the world who by his y 1. Cor. 15.54.55 death hath destroyed death and by his rising to life againe hath restored to vs life z 1. Thes 4.14 Iohn 5 24.28.29 Rom. 8.11 Ioh. 6.33 1. Cor. 15.23 euerlasting Also by his rising againe he was manifested to be God as it is written And declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of Holinesse a Rom. 1.4 by the Resurrection from the dead Reade diligently the Homily of the Resurrection wherein the Doctrine thereof and the vse which we are to make of it is in most Diuine manner deliuered Now concerning Christs Ascension it is signified in the * T. 2. p. 189. Homily of the Resurrection That he ascended vp to his Father into the heauens there to receiue the b Ioh. 20.17 Iohn 17.5 1. Iâ—eâ— 3.22 glory of his most triumphant conquest and victory And in the Preface to be read vpon the Ascension day it is sayd that Iesus Christ our Lord after his most glorious Resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles and in their c Acts 1.9.10.11 sight ascended vp into Heauen to prepare a place for vs that where he is thither might we also ascend and reigne with him in glory That Christ was glorified being ascended into Heauen Dauid declareth saying d Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captiuity captiue thou hast receiued gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord might dwell among them Saint Paul sayth e Heb. 12.2 That Christ for the ioy which was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God That hee also ascended to f Iohn 14.2.3 prepare in Heauen a place for his true Disciples hee testifieth by his VVordes saying In my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I g Iohn 17.24 Iohn 12.26 am there yee may bee also The Apostle to the Hebrewes writting concerning the Ascension sayth also h Hebr. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are figures of the true but into Heauen it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for vs. And to the Ephesians hee sayth i Ephe. 4.10 Hee that descended is the same also that ascended vp farre aboue all Heauens that he might fill all things CHAP. 24. Of the comming downe of the Holy Ghost HOly Church in most Diuine manner in the Sacred Letany mentioneth together all the great things done and suffered by Christ for Mankinde teaching vs to pray that by all and euery of them we in particular may be deliuered saying By the Mystery of thy Holy Incarnation by the Holy Natiuity and Circumcision by the Baptisme Fasting and Temptation Good Lord deliuer vs. By thine Agony and Bloody Sweate by thy Crosse and passion by thy precious death and buriall by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the comming of the Holy Ghost Good Lord deliuer vs. Wherein we are taught to consider that the comming of the Holy Ghost is a matter pertaining to our deliuerance or saluation and now here to be meditated on In the Preface to be read on Whitsunday it is sayd That according to the most true promise of Iesus Christ our Lord the Holy Ghost came downe this day from Heauen with a suddaine great sound as it had beene a mightie wind in
the likenesse of fiery k Acts 2.2.3.4 tongues lighting vpon the Apostles to teach them and to leade them to all l Ioh. 16.13 Truth giuing them both the gift of diuerse Languages and also boldnesse with feruent Zeale constantly to preach the Gospell vnto all m Mar. 16.15 Nations whereby wee are brought out of darknesse and errour into the cleere n 1. Pet. 2 9. Math. 4.16 light and true knowledge of God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ It is sayd in the first part of the * Tom. 2. p. 208.209 Homily for Whitsunday As there are three seuerall and sundry persons in the Deity so haue they three seuerall and sundry offices proper vnto each of them The Father to create the Sonne to redeeme the Holy Ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Whereof the last the more it is o Ioh. 3 4. hidde from our vnderstanding the more it ought to moue all men to wonder at the secret and mighty working of Gods Holy Spirit which is within vs. For it is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth p Ioh. 6.63 quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their heartes which are agreeable to the will and Commaundement of God such as otherwise of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they should neuer haue The power of the Holy Ghost is to regenerate men and as it were to bring them foorth anewe so that they shall bee q 2. Cor. 5.17 nothing like the men that they were before Neither doth hee thinke it sufficient inwardly to worke the spirituall and new birth of man vnlesse hee doe also dwell and abide in him r 1. Cor. 3.16 and 6.19 Knowe yee not sayth Saint Paul that yee are the Temple of God and that his Spirit dwelleth in you Knowe yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is within you Againe he sayth Å¿ Rom. 8.9 You are not in the flesh but in the spirite For why The Spirite of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the Doctrine of Saint Iohn writing in this wise The t 1. Ioh. 2.27 Annoynting which yee haue receiued hee meaneth the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you And the Doctrine of Saint Peter sayth the same who hath these wordes The Spirite u 1. Pet. 4.14 of glory and of God resteth vpon you O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian to thinke that the Holy Ghost w Rom. 8.9.10 11. dwelleth within him In the second part of the aforesayd * P. 212. Homily it is also sayd That our Sauiour Iesus Christ departing out of the world vnto his Father promised his Disciples to send downe x Ioh. 14.16 another Comforter which should continue with them for euer and direct them into all truth Neither must we thinke that this Comforter was either promised or else giuen only to the Apostles but also to the * 1. Cor. 12.3.13 Vniuersall Church of Christ dispersed through the world for vnles the Holy Ghost had bin alwayes present gouerning and preseruing the Church from the beginning it could neuer haue sustained so many and so great brunts of affliction and persecution with so little damage and harme as it hath Saint Paul sayth y Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Hereby then it is euident and plaine to all men that the Holy Ghost was giuen not onely to the Apostles but also to the whole body of Christs Congregation although not in like forme and Maiestie as he came downe at the Feast of Pentecost The Lord hath sayd by his Prophet Isaiah z Isa 59.20.21 The Redeemer shall come to Sion and vnto them that turne from transgression in Iacob As for me this is my couenant with them sayth the Lord My Spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede sayth the Lord from henceforth and for euer The need we haue of Gods holy Spirit is signified in the Collect to be read on the fift Sunday after Easter where it is sayd Lord from whom all good things doe come graunt vs thy humble seruants that by thy holy inspiration we may a â—hil 2.13 thinke those things which be good and by thy mercifull b Psal 143.10 Psal 25.5.9 guiding may performe the same through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise in the Collect to bee read afore the ten Commandements Almighty God vnto whom all hearts be c Acts 1.24 open all desires knowne and from whom no secrets are hid cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit that we may perfectly loue thee and worthily magnifie thy holy Name through Christ our Lord. The holy Ghost commeth downe into the spirite of Gods people in sundry measures and degrees It is in some measure receiued in Baptisme and therefore in the Seruice for Baptisme it is prayed that the party to be baptized may be baptized with water and the d Mat. 3 11. Holy Ghost c. It is also receiued in e Acts 8.15.16.17 Bishopping or Confirmation And therefore in the seruice thereof it is prayed Strengthen them we beseech thee O Lord with the Holy Ghost the comforter And in the act of Confirmation when the Bishop layeth his hand on the party to bee Confirmed it is sayd Defend O Lord this child with thy heauenly grace that hee may continue thine for euer and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more vntill he come to thine euerlasting Kingdome It is also receiued in the Communion as sayth the * Tom. 2. p. 192 Homily of the Resurrection Thou hast receiued Christs body to haue within thee the Father Sonne and Holy f 1. Cor. 12.13 Ghost for to dwell with thee and to endow thee with grace to strengthen thee against thine enemies and to comfort thee with their presence And in the same * Pag. 193. Homily it is sayd How can we find in our harts to shew such extreame vnkindnesse to Christ who hath now so gently called vs to mercy and offered himselfe vnto vs and he now g Ioh. 6.56 entred within vs Yea how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost For where one is there is God all whole in Maiesty together with all his power wisedome and goodnesse By other ordinances of God the holy Ghost is more and more receiued as by Prayer c. according as Christ saith h Luke 11.13 Your heauenly Father will giue the Holy Spirit to them that aske him And likewise S. Peter with the other Holy Apostles hath declared to what conditioned people God doth send downe his Holy Spirit more and more where hee sayth i Acts 5.32
we shall also liue with him If we suffer we shall also reigne with him If we deny him he also will deny vs. Saint Iohn sayth f 1. Iohn 1.7 If we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne To the Hebrewes the Apostle sayth g Heb. 5.9 Christ is the Author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him And hereto may be added that saying of Dauid vnto Solomon h 1. Chro. 28.9 And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Of childrens partaking of Christs merits As concerning infants that they partake of the efficacie of Christs passion and oblation The Church in the first part of the * Tom. 1. p. 1â— Homily of saluation thus deliuereth Infants being baptized and dying in their infancie are by the sacrifice of Christ washed from their sinnes See chap. 51. following brought to Gods fauour and made his children and inheritors of his Kingdome of Heauen And now this point be concluded with the words of the Church in the second * T. 2 p. 168. Homily of the passion The Lord for his mercy sake graunt that we neuer forget the great benefit of our saluation in Iesus Christ but that we alwayes shew our selues thankfull for it abhorring all kind of wickednesse and sinne and applying our minds wholly to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commandements CHAP. 27. Of Christs Priesthood IN the second part of the * T. 2. p. 116. Homily concerning Prayer it is sayd Christ sitting in heauen hath an euerlasting Priesthood and alwayes praieth vnto his Father for them that be penitent obtaining by vertue of his wounds which are euermore in the sight of God not onely perfect remission of our sinnes but also all other necessaries which we lacke in this world In the second part of the * To. 2. p. 162. Homily of Almes deedes it is sayd The godly do learne that when the Scriptures say that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour we are taught then to know what Christ by his intercession and mediation obtaineth for vs of his Father when we be obedient to his will Yea they learne in such manner of speaking a comfortable argument of Gods singular fauour and loue who attributeth that vnto vs and to our doings which he by his Spirit worketh in vs and through his grace procureth for vs. In the first * T. 2. p. 180. Homily of the Passion it is likewise sayd Christ sitteth on the right hand of God his Father as our Proctour and Atturney pleading and suing for vs in all our needs and necessities Wherefore if we want any gift of godly wisedome we may aske it of God for Christs his sake and we shall haue it The Prophet Dauid speaking of Christs euerlasting Priesthood sayth i Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest * Riblia vulgata habent in aeternum aeternitas omnium temporum complexu describitur vt quod suit est crit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pluraliter in Eccles. 1.10 tempus prateritum denotat for euer after the order of Melchisedee The Apostle sayth to the Hebrews k Heb. 2.17.18 In all things it behooued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining vnto God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted hee is able to succour them that are tempred l Heb. 7.23 And they truely were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because he continueth for euer hath an vnchangeable Priesthood Wherfore he is able to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them m Heb. 10.11.12.13.14 And euery Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for euer sate downe on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foote-stoole For by one offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified n Rom. 8.26.27 His Spirit saith the Apostle to the Romanes helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Concerning the Priesthood of the Lord Iesus Christ reade Isaiah 53. CHAP. 28. Of Christs Prophetship IN the third part of the * T. 2. p. 228.229 Homily for Rogation weeke it is sayd By Iesus Christ our heauenly Mediatour do we know the fauour and mercy of God the Father by him know we his * Iohn 15.15 will and pleasure towards vs. For he is the * Heb. 1.3 brightnes of his Fathers glory and a very cleare image and patterne of his substance It is hee whom the Father in heauen delighteth to haue for his well beloued Sonne whom he authorized to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying * Maâ— 17 5. Heare him Moses sayd vnto the Fathers as Peter relateth o â—euâ— 1â— 15 Acts 3.12.23 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise vp vnto you of your brethren like vnto me him shall ye heare in all things whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you And it shall come to passe that euery soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among that people The first text whereon Christ preached declared his Propheticall office wherein it is sayd of him p Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospell vnto the poore he hath sent me to heale the broken harted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and recouering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord. S. Iohn said of him q Iohn 1. â— That he was the true light which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world He sheweth to all men that be in errour the light of the truth to the intent they may returne into the way of righteousnesse as it is deliuered in the Collect for the third Sunday after Easter He teacheth through his Ministers as Paul sayd r 2. Cor. 13.3 Since
Christ For it is written As I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall confesse vnto God So then euery one of vs shall giue account of himselfe to God And to the Saints of Corinth he said c 2 Cor. 5.10 11. Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receiue the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord wee perswade men And vnto Timothy Saint Paul said d 2. Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome c. Himselfe hath also said The Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall he e Mat. 16.27 reward euery man according to his workes Againe f Mat. 25.31 32.33.40 When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard diuideth the Sheepe from the Goates and he shall set the Sheepe on his right hand but the Goates on the left c. And these shall goe away into euerlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians g 2 Thâ— 1.7.8.9 The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Wherefore sayth Saint Peter h 1 Pet. 1.17 If yee call on the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning here with feare And sayth the Apostle to the Hebrewes i Heb. 1228.29 wherefore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot bee moued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare For our God is a consuming fire The which Apostle also sayd k Heb. 10.30.31 The Lord shall iudge his people And it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God CHAP. 32. Of the Church of Christ IN the Nicene Creed we are taught to beleeue and confesse one Catholicke and Apostolike Church In the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 213 Homily for Whitsunday the Church of Christ is thus described The true Church is an vniuersall congregation or fellowship of Gods faithfull and elect people l Eph. 2.20 built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or markes whereby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine The Sacraments ministred according to Christs holy institution and the right vse of Ecclesiasticall discipline This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the ancient Fathers so that none may iustly finde fault therewith Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes concerning the mysticall vnion of the Church m Rom. 12.4 5. As we haue many members in one body and all members haue not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one members one of another And to the Corinthians he sayth n 1. Cor. 12.12 As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ That they are faithfull people or true beleeuers in Iesus Christ it appeareth in that they are called the o Gal 6.10 houshold of faith Also they are faithfull vnto God as it may appeare out of Saint Pauls words to the Ephesians saying Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the p Eph. 1.1 faithfull in Iesus Christ Likewise to the Collossians hee sayth To the Saints and q Col. 1.2 faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse They are also faithfull each to other and faithfull towards all people as it is sayd vnto seruants concerning maisters Let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather doe them seruice because they are r 1. Tim 6.2 faithfull c. Siluanus a member of the Church of Christ is sayd to be a Å¿ 1. Pet. 5.12 faithfull brother vnto those to whom Saint Peter wrote So Saint Iohn testified of Gaius saying Beloued thou doest t 3. Iohn 5. faithfully whatsoeuer thou doest to the brethren and vnto straungers So Saint Peter shewing the dealing of the true members of Christ and how they to whom he wrote were to behaue themselues among the vnbeleeuers sayth u 1. Pet. 2.12 Hauing your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation So Saint Paul to the Thessalonians prescribeth w 1 Thes 5.15 Euer follow that which is good both among your selues and to all men They are also elected of God as Saint Peter sayth x â— Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirite vnto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Likewise Saint Paul to the Thessalonians signifieth saying y 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth And to the Ephesians he sayth z Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him from before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue The Church also professeth pure and sound doctrine as Christ signifieth saying a Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Againe b Ioh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Saint Iohn sayth c 1 Ioh. 4.6 He that knoweth God heareth vs. Saint Luke recordeth of the Christians d Acts 2.42 That they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers St. Paul sayth to Timothy e 1 Tim 3 15. That the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God is the pillar and ground of the truth Moreouer the Church of Christ hath the Sacraments ministred according to his holy institution as the Church of Corinth receiued f 1 Cor. 1.14.16 Baptisme and celebrated the g 1 Cor. 11.2.20 Lords Supper In the Acts of the Apostles it is sundry times mentioned that when any beleeued they were h Acts 8.12 Baptized Also it is recorded that the Disciples or Baptized ones j came together to
Acts 15.13 In the second part of the Homily of Repentance it is sâ—gnified that Iames was only Bishop of the Church â—â—erusalem See Act. 12.17 Acts 21.18 Gal. 2.9 Tom. 2. p. 266. abide in the land of Iewry ouer-seeing and looking to the Church there which Iesus Christ the first Å¿ Heb. 3 1. Apostle from God his Father had planted If he or some other Apostle or Apostles did then the Apostolicall gift or grace was also to be employed in a Church already planted and not to cease when Churches were planted It is also here to be noted that the name Apostle vsed in the new Testament doth imply two degrees Whence it is thought meete to translate it sometimes by the word t Phil. 2.25 2. Cor 8.23.1 2. Cor. 11.5 Gal. 2.9 messenger And whereas there is in Scripture mention of the chiefest Apostles it implyeth that there was some disparity among the Apostles And what degree or order is that inferiour if it be not that w 2. Tim. 4.5 Euangelistship which is aboue the Pastorship which Timothy had who was also called Bishop yea * Phil. 1.1 Bishop not onely ouer lay people but ouer y 1. Tim. 1.3 Ministers Priests Elders or Pastours also Truely therefore and properly in the Diuine Seruice are Bishops signified to be the Apostles of Christs Church as where it is sayd in the Seruice of Confirmation We make our humble supplications vnto thee for these children vpon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we haue laide our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy fauour and gracious goodnesse toward them So in the Diuine Seruice for the consecration of Bishops where it is sayd by the Archbishop Brethren it is written in the Gospell of Saint Luke that our Sauiour Christ continued the z Luke 6.12.13 whole night in prayer or euer that hee did choose and send foorth his twelue Apostles It is written also in the Acts of the Apostles that the Disciples which were at Antioch did a Acts 13.2.3.4 fast and pray or euer they laide hands vpon or sent forth Paul and Barnabas Let vs therefore b 1. Cor. 11.1 following the example of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles first fall to prayer or that wee admit and send forth this person presented vnto vs to the worke whereunto wee trust the Holy Ghost hath called him CHAP. 38. Of Prophetship that euery kind thereof is not for euer ceased WHereas the Church both in the prayer afore the ordering of Priests and also in the prayer afore the consecrating of Bishops mentioneth That Christ hath giuen Prophets to his Church together with the diuerse orders of the constant Ministery it is necessary to consider what kind of prophetship that is Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians c 1. Cor. 14.3 He that prophesieth speaketh vnto men to edification and exhortation and comfort Insteed of which prophesying then ordinarily vsed in the Church of Corinth there is now vsed the exercise called Preaching And therefore because preaching now is to the same effect as the ordinary prophecying then in the congregation was therefore the word for prophecying is somtimes rendred * As in the margent of the Geneua TranslatioÌ„ of 1. Cor. 11.3 preaching But the Prophetship mentioned in the aforesayd prayers appeareth to be a greater gift in that it standeth in the second place Yea Paul himselfe in an other place sayth d 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. As e Ephes 4.11 Christ gaue some to be Apostles some to be Prophetsâ— some to be Euangelists some to be Pastors and some to be Teachers So in the Church of the Iewes afore Christs Incarnation there was an high Priest f Math. 2.4 chiefe Priests Priests of the g 1 Châ—or 24. second Order and Leuites and also Prophets And of such as were called Prophets some were of greater gifts than other In the new Testament after Christs Ascension some are named Prophets as h Act. 11.27 28 Agabus i Acts 21.10.11 Iudas Silas c. Agabus foretold there should be a great dearth throughout all the would which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar He foretold also to Saint Paul that the Iewes should deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles Iudas and k Act. 15.32 Silas are sayd to haue exhorted the brethren in Antioch with many words and to haue confimed them l Act. 17.10 Silas afterward accompanied Paul and laboured with him in publishing the Gospell In the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles there is nomention that Prophets were made by ordination but all whom it is sayd the Church did ordaine were either to serue as Apostles or Euangelists or Elders or as Deacons It is written that there hath beene times when no Prophet was in the Church As in the Booke of the Psalmes it is sayd m Psal 74.9 We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among vs any that knoweth how long It appeareth to be so in the dayes of the Maccabees when as it was sayd n 1. Mac. 4.46 1. Mac. 14 41. The stones of the Altar were layd vp in the mountaine of the Temple in a conuenient place vntill there should come a Prophet to shew what should bee done with them The principall Prophets or such as were endued with the measure of grace which for the dignity thereof obtained the greatest account next vnto those of the highest degree in the Ministery of the Church seeme to be men of a singular diuine vnderstanding o Ier. 1.9 10. raised vp of God for p Hag. 1.1.2 spirituall occasions in speciall times And this may be obserued not only out of the beginning euen of euery Prophets Booke in the Bible but also out of many places in Scripture where mention is of Prophets and their Prophesying For this present there shall be no mention of what Prophets Christ hath giuen to his Church since the first Apostles dayes but onely of the * The Church in her 30. CanoÌ„ termeth them Great Diuines Fathers in the Apostolicall Church of England who liued when the Reformation was well forwarded Were not those holy men endued with a certaine measure of propheticall grace or of the Holy Ghost or of heauenly light in the knowledge of the true Christianity more than were the Fathers of the Church generally which liued for many ages afore them in that they obserued a spirituall darknesse to haue couered most people whereof former times tooke none or very little notice and in that also they composed three bookes for Diuine Seruice wherein there is so glorious and so plenteous a deliuery of the true Apostolicall Diuinity and of the true Christian Religion as the like no Fathers in any Church of Christendome euer afore set forth And if the sayd bookes were now to be composed none were
able to make the like vnlesse by some measure of speciall illumination from Gods Holy Spirit as many vnderstanding ones do now thinke yea and affirme And if the Heauen mentioned in the Booke of the Reuelation which is commaunded or exhorted to q Acts 18.20 reioyce ouer Babylon fallen be the reformed Church of Christ as some do expound it Is it not probable that the Apostles which are there willed to reioyce with that Heauen are the Archbishops and Bishops therein and * By putting part or the chiefe for the whole or all figuratiuely the rest of the Clergie thereof And that the Prophets there willed also to reioyce are all such as then receiued a speciall enlightening from Almighty God vnto the setting forward of the reformation and among them more especially such as were composers of the aforenamed bookes of the sacred Liturgy of the Church of England CHAP. 39. Of Lordship which Archbishops and Bishops haue IT is written that Å¿ Heb. 7.1.2 Melchisedec Priest of the high God was withall King of Salem or Ierusalem Abraham was a t Gen. 20.7 Prophet and withall a man of great u Gen. 14.14 15 temporall power Moses was a w Deut. 34.10 prophet and withall the supreme x Acts 7 35. Num. 26.16.17 Gouernour of the people of Israel vnder Almighty God He is called a King Deut. 33.5 Iethro was y Exod. 3.1 Priest of Midian and according to some interpretation he was z Exod. 2.16 in the Margent Sicautem Caldaeus Paraphrastes vertit viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Midian Eli was Priest and also a 1. Sam. 4.18 Iudge ouer Israel Samuel was a b Acts 13.20 Prophet and also c 1 Sam. 7.6 Iudge ouer Israel Dauid was a d Mat 27 35. Prophet and King also Solomon was a e Eccles 1.1 Preacher and a King also Simon was f Ecclus. 50.1 high Priest and g 1. Mac. 13.42 1. Mac. 14.47 Captaine and Gouernour of the Priests and Iewes and defender of them all If then some of the Ministery haue bin the supreme Gouernours in Nations may they not now be Gouernours if the Royall Maiestie so ordaine them Saint Iude calleth those persons h Iude 18. filthy dreamers which doe despise dominion and speake euill of dignities CHAP. 24. Of the Liturgie or Diuine Seruice of the Church in generall IN the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 6. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church the publike Seruice of the Lord is sayd to be The teaching and hearing of his Holy Word the calling vpon his holy Name the giuing thankes vnto him for his great and innumerable benefits and the due ministring of the Sacraments In the * T. 2. p. 138. Homily of Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd That Basilius Magnus and Iohannes Chrysostomus did in their time prescribe publike orders of publike administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appointed the people to answere vnto the prayer of the Minister sometime Amen sometime Lord haue mercy vpon vs sometime And with thy Spirit and We haue our hearts lifted vp vnto the Lord c. In the same * To. 2. p. 134. Homily it is also sayd By the histories of the Bible it appeareth that publike and common Prayer is most auaileable before God and therefore is much to be lamented that it is no better * Euen shortly after that the Diuine Seruice was set foorth the Diuell wrought in many people a more and more neglecting of it esteemed among vs which professe to be but one body in Christ It is said in the Preface before the Common Prayer That the first original and ground of the diuine Seruice of a man would search out by the ancient Fathers he shall finde that the same was not ordained but of a good purpose and for a great aduancement of godlinesse c. Saint Paul sayd vnto Timothy i 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Moses from the Lord prescribed vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes a forme of blessing the people saying k Num. 6.23.24.25.26 On this wise yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe the The Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace It is very considerable hereto that which is written of King Hezekiah in the booke of Chronicles That he and the Princes commanded the Leuites to sing praise vnto the Lord l 2. Chro. 29.30 with the words of Dauid and of * With the wordes also which Asaph deliuered which were as a Forme of praise or of praising God Asaph the Seer My sonne sayth m Pro. 1.8.9 Solomon heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother For they shall be an ornament of grace vnto thine head and chaines about thy necke Solomon repeateth this precept of God to the ende wee may take it all vnto heart as a matter most greatly concerning vs. n Pro 6.21 22.23 My sonne keepe thy Fathers commandement and forsake not the law of thy Mother Binde them continually vpon thine heart and tye them about thy necke For the commandement is a Lampe and the law is light o Haeresi septua gesima qâ—inta contra Aâ—â—â—um de quâ—busâ—am traditionibus loquens Ecclesia inquit necessariò hoc persâ—eâ—â— traditione à patribus accepta Quis autem poterit statutum nâ—atâ—â—s dissoluâ—re aut legem patris velut Solomon dicit Audi fili sermonem patris tui ne repud es statuta matris tuae ostendens per hoc quòd in scriptis sine scripto dacuit pater hoc est Deus vnigenâ—tus spiritus sancius Mater autem nosira Ecclesia babet statuta in se posita indissolâ—â—bil a quae dâ—solui non possunt Epiphanius an ancient holy Father vnderstandeth by the word mother in this Scripture to be meant the Church who hath besides the holy Scriptures the Commandement of God our Father a distinct law teaching or instruction the which all her members are bound to obserue most diligently by vertue of this charge thereto giuen by God through the ministery of Solomon The Christian Church is our mother if God bee our Father as it is written Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the p Gal. 4.26 mother of vs all God ordinarily begetteth none without his Church but in the q Psal 110.3 wombe of his Church they are conceiued thence they come to the r Isa 66.8.9 birth they Å¿ Isa 66.11.12
sucke at the breasts they are borne on her sides and dandled vpon her knees Shee feedeth them with t 1. Cor 3.2 milke first afterward with stronger meate she nourisheth cherisheth and bringeth them vp vntill they become to be u Col. 1.28 perfect in Iesus Christ The Church of England our mother hath in her Booke of Common Prayer as Iohn the Baptist w Luke 11.1 taught his Disciples to pray set foorth vnto vs formes of prayer and thankes giuing for vs to vse and for our better information how to speake vnto the great God of heauen and earth And in her booke of Homilies she hath deliuered a x 2. Tim. 1.13 2. Tim. 2.2 forme of wholesome Doctrine in faith and loue to be publikely read vnto her members And saith Paul to Timothy Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which which is in Christ Iesus Most memorable is that saying of his vnto the Philippians Finally brethren y Phil. 4.8 whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are louely whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there bee any praise thinke on these things And what he sayth to the Romanes is considerable Yee haue obeyed from the heart that * Rom 6.17 forme of doctrine which was deliuered you CHAP. 41. Of the Ceremonies of the Church of England in generall IN the Treatise of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained set afore the Common Prayer it is said Of such Ceremonies as bee used in the Church and have had their beginning by the institution of man some at the first were of Godly intent and purpose devised c. Other there bee which although they have beene devised by man yet it is thought good to reserve them still as wel for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first devised as because they appertaine unto z 1 Cor. 10.31 and 14.12 Rom. 14.19 edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth ought to bee referred And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing Yet the wilfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God a 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order The appointment of the which order pertaineth not to b Hag. 1.14 2 King 18.4 2 Chron. 34.3 4 5 6 7. 17.6 private men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor to presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except hee be lawfully called and authorized thereunto In the said Preface it is afterward said Christs Religion is content onely with those Ceremonies which doe serve to a decent order and Godly discipline and such as bee apt to stirre up the dull minde of man to the c Num. 15.38.39.40 remembrance of his dutie to God by some notable speciall signification whereby hee might be edified c. But now as concerning those persons which peradventure will bee offended for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still If they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceive just cause to reforme their judgements And if they thinke much that any of the old remaine and would rather have all devised anew then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to bee had surely where the old may bee well used there they cannot reasonably reproove the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to have reverence unto them for their antiquity if they will declare themselves to be more studious of d Eph 4.3 unity and concord than of innovations and new fanglenesse which as much as may be with the true setting forth of Christs Religion is alwayes to be eschewed And saith the Church afterward in these our doings wee e Rom. 14.4.13 Luke 6.17 condemne no other Nations nor prescribe any thing but to our owne People onely For wee thinke it convenient that every Country should use such Ceremonies as they shall thinke best to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the People to a most * The end why the Apostolical Church of England useth Ceremoniâ—â— perfect and Godly living without errour or superstition Also in the Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer set afore the beginning thereof it is said If there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the orders appointed in this Booke the Q. Majestie may by the like advise of the said Commissioners or Metropolitane ordaine publish such further ceremonies or rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments That the Church hath power to ordaine Ceremonies signifying good things not onely that saying of Salomon f Prov. 6.20.23 Forsake not the Law of thy mother for her Law is a light prooveth it but the example of the Reubenites Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh in their building an Altar whereunto they had no precept in the Law of Moses who when they were accused by others of the children of Israel to have committed a trespasse against the God of Israel to have turned away from following the Lord in building an Altar which hee had not commanded in Moses law answered g Ios 12. â—2 c. We have not built it in rebellion nor in transgression against the Lord to turne from following the lord or to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering or peace offerings but rather have done it for feare of this thing saying In time to come your children might speake unto our children saying what have you to doe with the Lord God of Israel For the Lord hath made Iordan a border betweene us and you c. Wee have built it that it may be a witnes betweene us and you and our generations after us that wee might doe the service of the Lord c. Which answer when Phinehas the Priest heard hee said h Ios 22.30 31 32 33 34. This day wee perceive that the Lord is among us because yee have not committed this trespasse against the Lord. And the children of Reuben and Gad called the Altar Ed For it shall bee a witnesse betweene us that the Lord is God Had not Ionadab the sonne of Rechab power to command his sonnes to i Ier. 35.6 7 8 9 10. drinke no wine to build no house nor sow seed nor plant Vineyard nor have any but all their dayes to dwell in tents And was
Iesus concerning you And Isaiah signifieth that thankesgiving acceptable to God consisteth not in words onely where he saith u Isa 5.16 God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousnes In another place he saith w Isa 66.5 Heare ye the word of the Lord yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appeare to your joy and they shall bee ashamed Memorably saith the Church in the Communion service It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thankes unto thee O Lord Holy Father Almighty Everlasting God Of confession to God Concerning publike confession of our sinnes unto God the Divine Service beginneth with one that is generall and likewise there is a generall confession to be made afore receiving of the holy Communion The Prophet Daniel made a solemne x Dan. 9.4 confession unto God in the behalfe of the Iewes in generall that were with him in captivity in Babylon And Baruch wrote a long y Bar. 1.14.15 c. confession for the Iewes at Ierusalem to make reading it in the House of the Lord upon the feasts and solemne dayes There is also private confession of our sins to be made unto God whereof it is said in the second part of the * T. 2. Homily of repentance that it is the second part of repentance And the Homily saith If we will with a sorrowfull and contrite heart make an unfeined confession of our sinnes unto God hee will freely and frankly forgive them and so put all our wickednesse out of remembrance before the sight of his Majestie that they shall no more be z Heb. 8.12 thought upon Hereunto doth pertaine the golden saying of David where he saith on this manner a Ps 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne unto thee neither did I hide mine iniquitie I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse unto the Lord and thou forgavest the ungodlinesse of my sinne These are also the words of Iohn the Evangelist b 1 Iohn 1.9 10. If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgive us our sinnes and to make us cleane from all our wickednesse Which ought to be understood of the confession made unto God This is then the chiefest and most principall confession that in the Scriptures and Word of God wee are bidden to make and without the which wee shall never obtaine pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes The Prodigall sonne made such a confession saying c Luke 15.21 Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Salomon saith d Prov. 28.13 Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy CHAP. 45. Of singing Psalmes and spirituall songs in publike and in private and also of singing with musicke IN the title of the Psalmes in meeter in the Booke of Common prayer it is thus said The whole booke of Psalmes collected into English meeter by c. Conferred with the Hebrew with apt notes to sing them withall Set forth and allowed to bee sung in all Churches of all people together before and after morning and evening prayer as also before and after sermons and moreover in private houses for their godly solace and comfort laying apart all ungodly songs and Ballads which tend onely to the nourishing of vice and corrupting of youth Iames 5.13 If any be afflicted let him pray and if any be merry let him sing Psalmes And then in the Common prayer booke of that forme which is appointed for Churches there is added a Treatise made by Athanasius the great cōcerning the use and vertue of the Psalmes whose beginning is thus and a delivery most memorable All holy Scripture is certainly the teacher of all vertue and of true faith but the booke of Psalmes doth expresse after a certaine manner the very state and condition of the soule For as he which intendeth to present himselfe to a King first will compound with himselfe to set in good order both his gesture and his speech lest else he might be reputed rude and ignorant even so doth this godly booke informe all such as be desirous to lead their life in vertue and to know the life of our Saviour which hee ledd in his conversation putting them in minde in the reading thereof of all their affections and passions whereto their soule is inclined c. And then doe follow 99. signifyings of what Psalmes may be sung even upon most occasions that come to passe in this present life And both before and also after the Psalmes in meeter there are sundry spirituall songs which may be sung upon sundry occasions unto the great comfort of the minde * Of singing with musicke Concerning singing in publike it is said in the booke of Ezra e Ezra 3.10 11. When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord they set the Priests in their apparell with Trumpets and the Levites the sonnes of Asaph with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the Ordinance of Dauid King of Israel And they sang together by course in praising and giving thankes unto the Lord because hee is good for his mercy indureth for ever towards Israel And in the booke of Chronicles it is said f 1 Chron. 16.7 David delivered a Psalme to thanke the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren The which holy Prophet hath said g Ps 148.11 12 13 14. Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the earth both young men and maydens old men and Children let them praise the name of the Lord. h Ps 149.1 3. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of Saints let them sing praises unto him with Timbrell and Harpe i Ps 150.1 Praise yee God in his Sanctuary k Ps 95.1 2. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyfull noyse to the rocke of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thankesgiving and make a ioyfull noyse unto him with Psalmes l Ps 100.1 Serve the Lord with gladnesse come before his presence with singing Saint Paul said to the Church of Ephesus Be m Eph. 5.18 19 filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord. n Ps 150.3 4 5. Praise the Lord saith David with the sound of the Trumpet praise him with the Psaltery and Harpe Praise him with the Timbrell and daunce praise him with stringed instruments and Organs Praise him upon the loud Cymbals praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals It is written that Moses and the Children of Israel o Exod. 15.1 sang a song unto the Lord. And that p
and 15.20 21. Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron tooke a Timbrell in her hand and all the women went out after her with Timbrels and with daunces And Miriam answered them Sing yee to the Lord c. Singing the same song as did Moses and the Children of Israel And Saint Iohn in the Revelation foretelling the actions of Christs Church to come to passe saith q Rev. 15.2 3. I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the Harpes of God And they sung the song of Moses c. see Revel 14 2 3 4 5. and 5.8 and 1 Cor. 14.7.26 and from thence and other Scriptures it is manifest that Christian people have used musicke in praising the name of the Lord and there is not in the whole Bible any manner of mention concerning abolishing of the same CHAP. 46. Of the publike reading of the holy Scriptures as also the Homilies and of making an Exhortation in publike IN the Preface afore the Common prayer it is said The ancient fathers for a great advancement of godlinesse so ordered the matter that all the whole Bible or the greatest part thereof should be read over once every yeare intending thereby that the Clergy and especially such as were Ministers of the Congregation should by often reading and meditation of Gods Word be stirred up to godlinesse themselves and be more able to exhort others by wholesome doctrine and to confute them that were adversaries to the truth And further that the people by dayly hearing of holy Scripture read in the Church should continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God and be the more inflamed with the love of his true religion What care hereto our fathers have had may appeare out of the sacred Kalender and out of the order how the Psalter is appointed to be read and out of the order how the rest of the holy Scripture beside the Psalter is appointed to be read all which are set before the Common prayer It is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles that at Antioch in Pisidia in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day there was the Å¿ Act. 13.15 reading of the Law and the Prophets In another place it is said Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being t Act. 15. â—1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Saint Paul saith to the Colossians When this Epistle is read amongst you cause that it be u Col. 4.16 read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Of reading the Homilies Concerning reading the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the publike authoritie of the Church in the Preface published afore them it is said Considering how necessary it is that the Word of God which is the onely food of the soule and that most excellent light that we must walke by in this our most dangerous pilgrimage at all convenient times be preached unto the people that thereby they may both learne their duty towards God their Prince and their neighbours according to the minde of the Holy Ghost expressed in the Scriptures and also to avoide the manifold enormities which heretofore by false doctrine have crept into the Church of God and how that all they which are appointed Ministers have not the gift of preaching sufficiently to instruct the people which is committed unto them whereof great inconveniences might rise and ignorance still be maintained if some honest remedy be not speedily found and provided The Queenes most excellent Majestie tendering the sole health of her loving subjects the quieting of their coÌ„sciences in the chiefe principall points of Christian religion and willing also by the true setting forth and pure declaring of Gods Word which is the principal guide leader runto all godlines and vertue to expell drive away as well all corrupt vicious and ungodly living as also erroneous and poysoned doctrines tending to superstition and Idolatry hath by the advise of her most honourable Counsellors for her discharge in this behalfe caused a booke of Homilies which heretofore was set forth by her most loving brother a Prince of most worthy memorie Edward the sixt to bee printed anew wherein are contained certaine wholesome and godly exhortations to move the people to honour and worship Almighty God and diligently to serve him every one according to their degree state vocation And in the latter part of the Preface it is said That all her people of what degree or condition soever they be may learne how to invocate and call upon the name of God and know what duty they owe both to God and man so that they may pray beleeve and worke according to knowledge while they shall live here and after this life bee with him that with his blood hath bought us all And at the end of the first Tome of the Homilies it is said concerning the Homilies of the second Tome Hereafter shall follow sermons of fasting praying almesdeeds c. with many other matters as well fruitfull as necèssarie to the edifying of Christian people and the increase of godly living From al which aforesaid delivery it is most manifest that the one only end why the reverend Fathers and the most learned Doctors of the Church composed the sermons commonly called Homilies was for the edification of the congregations in holinesse and righteousnesse and for a helpe unto Ministers that with the said sacred sermons the people committed to their charge might be the more instructed in the faith and life of the true Christian religion As therefore we have received from our fathers the CommoÌ„ prayer as a forme of prayer thanksgiving and confession so ought wee not to receive from our fathers hands their booke of Sermons the Homilies as a forme of wholesome words in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Saint Paul charged Timothy to hold fast the w 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.17 forme of sound words which he had heard of him in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Let any one unpartially weigh every particular sentence in the booke of Homilies and there will appeare nothing but Christian faith and godly love intended and held forth therein Moreover ought wee reverently to heare the Sermons of such as bee but young Students in Divinity and ought we not with great reverence to attend unto the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the chiefest Divines in the whole Church of our Land We ought not to be partiall towards the established Doctrine of our Church We commonly ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her Common prayer profitable for us to pray with unto Almighty God We ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her translation of the
heare sermons And if they duely hearken unto the Homilies read in their Parish Church they in part doe their duty concerning hearing sermons For the Homilies are nothing else but * And so are often named in the booke of Homilies sermons And yet they are such sermons as are not made by any private spirit but by the publike spirit of the Church and are allowed by the whole Clergy of the same In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 265. Homily of repentance it is said Wee must bee diligent to read and heare the Scriptures and the Word of God which most lively doe paint out before our eyes our naturall uncleannesse and the enormity of our sinfull life For unlesse wee have a through feeling of our sinnes how can it bee that we should earnestly be sory for them Afore n 2 Sam. 12.7 c. David did heare the word of the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan what heavinesse I pray you was in him for the adultery and the murder that he had committed So that it might be said right wel that he slept in his owne sin We read in the Acts of the Apostles that when the people had heard the sermon of Peter they were compunct o Act. 2.37 pricked in their hearts Which thing would never have been if they had not heard that wholesome sermon of Peter They therfore that have no p Ier. 5.9 and 2.13 mind at all neither to read nor yet to heare Gods Word there is but small hope of them that they will as much as once set their feet or take hold upon the first staffe or step of this Ladder of repentance but rather will sinke deeper and deeper into the bottomlesse pit of perdition Besides the Sermons the Homilies the Church willeth us to heare other also such as are made by Preachers lawfully licensed and are preached according to the Law of the Church also The constitutions and * Canons Ecclesiasticall require Every beneficed man Canon 46. that is not allowed to bee a Preacher to procure sermons to be preached in his Cure once in every moneth at the least by Preachers lawfully licensed if his living in the judgement of the Ordinary will be able to beare it And upon every Sunday when there shall not bee a sermon preached in his Cure he or his Curate shall reade some one of the Homilies prescribed As the Ordinary disposeth unto every Parish concerning preaching so is every Parishioner to rest contented therewith The true Christian religion doth not totally consist in the q Iam. 1.22 23 24 25. Mat. 7.24 25 26 27. hearing of sermons preached every Sunday Christs Kingdome of grace as the Apostle Paul hath delivered is not in r 1 Cor. 4.20 word but in power It is Å¿ Rom. 14.17 18 19. righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace things wherwith one may edifie another That Counsell given by Iesus the sonne of Syrach is in no wise to bee neglected t Ecclus. 8.9 When a sermoÌ„ is made every person of that Parish ought to be present at it if he may Misse not the discourse of the Elders for they also learned of their fathers and of them thou shalt learne understanding to give answer as need requireth but as the Apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and according to order A devout person may heare as many sermons preached as hee can but so as he transgresseth no law of the Church therby For if he doth transgresse the Ecclesiasticall law by his going abroad to heare sermons preached if he offendeth the Pastour or Curate over him if he by absenting himselfe from his Parish Church be a scandall to those of his Parish then is his hearing of sermons preached in other Parish Churches but as Sauls sacrifice unto whom Samuels saying is worthy of perpetuall memory w 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rammes For rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmacbus vertit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stubborne ones are Idolaters in that they worship or follow their owne minde and will and refuse to follow the minde and will of Christ and his Church See Ezek. 14.4 5 6. stubbornnesse is as iniquity and Idolatry The Gospell of Iesus Christ commandeth thus x 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake y Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soule be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Wherefore Paul said unto Titus Bishop of the Church of the Cretians z Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to bee ready to every good worke Saint Paul also said to the Christians a Phil. 3.17 Brethren bee followers together of me and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an ensample Who said most remarkeably b 1 Cor. 9.19.20 21 22 23. Though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all that I might gaine the more And unto the Iewes I became as a Iew that I might gaine the Iewes To them that are under the law as under the law that I might gaine them that are under the law To them that are without law as without law being not without law to God but under the law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some And this I doe for the Gospels sake or as Saint Peter saith for the c 1 Pet. 2 1â—1 Lords sake who hath commanded all that would be his people for to obey every Ordinance of man that is not contrary to the everlasting OrdinaÌ„ces of his holy Gospell Such as breake the order of the Church where they live in contemning or neglecting the Divine service there under pretence of conscience unto hearing of the Word preached would they conscionably but consider of matters they might by the grace of God see their aberration It is preaching that they cry out for Let them marke what is said in the Acts Moses of old time hath in every Citie them that preach him being d Act. 15.1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Doth not the Apostle signifie in those his words that in reading of
Moses Moses is preached What is it to preach though the terme be now by an excellency commonly used for to make a sermon of about an houre long in the Pulpit is it not openly to make knowne the Doctrine of Christian faith and life And is not then the heavenly trueth e In Luke 8.39 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is many times translated preaching is rendred published published or preached in the reading of the lessons the Epistle and the Gospell Is not Gods truth as concerning godlinesse f So in Luke 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes is rendred shall be treached as in Mat. 24 14. is there rendred shall bee proclaimed published in the reading of the common prayer in the reading of the Homilies in the explaining of the Catechisme in the Divine service and by instructing the ignorant in the same Let such as so sleight contemne or neglect the Divine service-deliveries examine themselves if they be not of like minde to those of whom it is written in Ezechiel g Ezek. 33.30 31 32. that will speake one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that cōmeth forth from the Lord And they come unto thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And loe thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can play well on an Instrument for they heare thy words but they doe them not Or rather if they be not such as Saint Paul foretold would be in the last dayes h 2 Tim. 4.3.4 who will not endure sound Doctrine but after their owne lusts will heape to themselves teachers having itching eares and they will turne away their eares from the trueth and will be turned unto fables Being also lovers i 2 Tim. 3.2 4 5. of their owne selves boasters proud disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection false accusers fierce despisers of those that are good heady high minded c. having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Were it the righteousnesse of faith and life which they k Mat. 5.6 hungred and thirsted after and as the sacred Letany saith to have the grace of Gods holy Spirit for to amend their lives according to his holy Word also for to have an heart to love and dread God and diligently to live after his Commandements They by the grace of Christ should perceive in the books of Divine service frō the publike hearing of the same a plentifull helpe to bee towards attaining that l Phil. 3.14 make as also by the reading of the holy Scriptures which the Church hath translated for them into the English tongue Who now a dayes attaineth unto that soundnesse of faith and unto that measure of holinesse and righteousnesse of life as is prescribed and taught plainly in the bookes of the Divine service Is it any godlinesse or true devotion or any property of the Christian profession for people having most wholesome food by the greatest wisedome and care of the Church prepared and so disposed as it may bee profitably received and inwardly digested unto the great increase of holy understanding and upright living in their owne Parish for to goe out thence ordinarily for food abroad with violating the established order of the Church giving offence to the Minister and a great m 1 Cor. 10.32.24.33 Rom. 14.13.19 1 Cor. 8.13 scandall to the people of the congregation CHAP. 48. Of peoples reading the holy Scriptures in private and of meanes helping unto the understanding of them THE very first of all the sacred sermons or * T. 1. p. 1. Homilies of the Church is titled a fruit full exhortation to the reading and knowledge of holy Scripture and it saith Vnto a Christian man there can bee nothing either more necessary or profitable than the knowledge of holy Scripture forasmuch as in it is contained Gods true Word setting forth his glory and also mans n 2 Tim. 3.16 17. duty And there is no truth nor doctrine o Isa 8.20 necessary for our justification and everlasting salvation but that is or may be drawne out of that Fountaine and Well of truth Therefore as many as bee desirous to enter into the right and perfect way unto God must apply their mindes to know holy Scripture without the which they can neither p Mat. 22.29 Ier. 8.9 sufficiently know God and his will neither their office and duty And as drinke is pleasant to them that be dry and meat to them that be hungry So is the reading hearing searching and studying of holy Scripture to them that be desirous to know God or themselves and to q Ps 19.10 and 119.103 Iohn 7.17 Ps 103.18 Mat. 7.21 doe his will And their stomacks onely doe r Mat. 7.6 2 Pet. 2.22 Phil. 3.19 loath and abhorre the heavenly knowledge and food of Gods Word that be so drowned in worldly f Eph. 4.17 Ier. 2.5 vanities that they neither t Rom. 8.5 savour God nor any godlinesse For that is the cause why they desire such vanities rather than the true knowledge of God And so along forward the said Homily delivereth sentences worthy to bee printed in letters of gold yea to be laid up in the secret of our hearts In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 143. Homily an information for them which take offence at certaine places of the holy Scripture it is said The great utility and profit that Christian men and women may take if they will by hearing and reading the holy Scriptures dearely beloved no heart can sufficiently conceive much lesse is my tongue able with words to expresse Wherefore Satan our enemy seeing the Scriptures to bee the very meane and right way to bring people to the true knowledge of God and that Christian religion is greatly furthered by diligent hearing and reading of them hee also perceiving what an hinderance and lett they bee to him and his kingdome doth what he can to drive the reading of them out of Gods Church And so forward it treateth in a wonderfull Divine manner In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 230. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said No where can we more certainly search for the knowledge of the will of God by the which we must direct all our workes and deeds but in the holy Scriptures for they be they that u Iohn 5.39 testifie of him saith our Saviour Christ We see with what vanity the schoole doctrine is mixed for that in this Word they sought not the w Eph. 5.17 Rom. 12.2 will of God but rather the will of reason the trade of custome the path of the fathers the practice of the Church Let
thine heart unto understanding Yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Also that saying of the Lord by the Prophet Malachy is ever to be remembred q Mal. 2.5.6.7 My covenant was with Levi of life and peace and I gave them to him for the feare wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips hee walked with me in peace and equity and did turne many away from iniquity For the Priests lips should keepe knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts People are to read the holy Scriptures which the r 1. Tim. 3.15 Church according to her wisedome and the t Rom. 3.2 Hebrew u Rev. 9.11 Greeke and faithfulnesse hath Å¿ 1 Cor. 12.10.28.30 interpreted into English out of w Dan. 2.4 Chaldean texts wherein they were * See all along the margent of Gen. 1. c. and of Mat. 5.11 c. and of Ezra 4.9 c. Soc also the title page of the old Testament and also of the new Read all the Translators Preface set afore the Bibles in quarto and in solio first written by the Prophets and Apostles And as people are to be thankfull unto God and unto the Royall Majestie and unto the Fathers and Doctors of the Church for that delivery of the holy Scriptures so are they to remember it is the x Acts 8.30 31 32 33 34 35. office of the Philips of the Church for to interpret places of the Scripture hard to be understood And the Philips are the y Mal. 2.7 Deut. 17.8 9. c. Acts 15.6 Eph. 4.11 12. Clergie and therein the z 1 Cor. 12.28 See afore in Chap. 35 36 37. of degrees in the ministery principall are the most reverend Fathers in God the Archbishops and the right reverend Fathers in God the Bishops the next are the Doctors and all Pastors and all authorized Preachers whose conscionable and religious care is both by their life and doctrine to set forth Gods true and lively Word and to keepe the unity of the spirit the most holy faith and the true godly life prescribed in the bookes of the Divine Service and in the other bookes of the established doctrine of the Church of England And hereunto may be considered that memorable and very remarkeable delivery of the most Reverend Father in God Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury out of Saint Gregory Nazianzene in the latter end of his Prologue afore the Church-bible of the former translation I marvell much saith he to recount whereof commeth all this desire of vaine-glory whereof commeth all this tongue-itch that we have so much delight to talke and clatter And wherein is our communication not in the commendation of vertuous and good deeds of hospitality of love between Christian brother and brother of love betweene man and wife of virginity and chastity and of Almes toward the poore Not in Psalmes and godly songs not in lamenting for our sinnes not in repressing the affections of the body not in prayers to God We talke of Scripture but in the meane time we subdue not our flesh by fasting waking and weeping wee make not this life a meditation of death we doe not strive to be lords ouer our appetites and affections We goe not about to pull downe our proud and high minds to abate our fumish and rancorous stomackes to restraine our lusts and bodily delectations our undiscreet sorrowes our lascivious mirth ovr inordinate looking our unsatiable hearing of vanities our speaking without measure our inconvenient thoughts and briefly to reforme our life and manners but all our holinesse consisteth in talking And we pardon each other from all good living so that we may sticke fast together in argumentation as though there were no more wayes to heaven but this alone the way of speculation and knowledge as they take it But in very deed it is rather the way of superfluous contention and sophistication The same Author saith also in another place That the learning of a Christian man ought to begin of the feare of God and to end in matters of high speculation and not contrarily to begin with speculation and to end in feare For speculation saith he either high cunning or knowledge if it be not stayed with the bridle of feare to offend God is dangerous and enough to tumble a man headlong downe the hill Therefore saith he The feare of God must be the first beginning and as it were an A. B. C. or an introduction to all them that shall enter into the very true and most fruitfull knowledge of holy Scriptures Where as is the feare of God there is saith he the keeping of the Commandements and where as is the keeping of the Commandements there is the cleansing of the flesh which flesh is a cloud before the soules eye and suffereth it not purely to see the beame of the heavenly light Where as is the cleansing of the flesh there is the illumination of the holy Ghost the end of all our desires and the very light whereby the verity of Scriptures is seene and perceived CHAP. 49. Of reading the bookes in the Bible which are called writings Apocrypha IN the Table of proper Lessons to be read both at morning and evening prayer on the sundayes throughout the yeere and on the holy dayes there are appointed sundry Lessons to be read of the bookes in the Bible which are called Apocrypha as on Whitsunday there is ordained to be read the first Chapter of the Wisedome of Solomon for the first Lesson at evening prayer And upon the feast day of Saint Peter and of Saint Iames and of Saint Bartholomew and of Saint Matthew and of Saint Luke and of Saint Michael the Archangell the first Lesson is prescribed out of the booke called Ecclesiasticus or the Wisedome of Iesus the sonne of Syrach And for the first Lesson to bee read on many weeke dayes in the yeare it is appointed out of more of those bookes as out of the booke of Iudith of Baruch of Tobias and out of both bookes of Esdras as it may bee seene in the Kalender set in the beginning of the booke of Common Prayer The Church hath not appointed Lessons to be read publikely in Churches forth of any other bookes of how great authority soever excepting the Canonicall Scriptures Among the holy Scriptures which are in the common prayer appointed to be read for to stir up people to remember the poore there are inserted three verses out of the booke of Tobias In both Tomes of Homilies the Church with great respect hath alledged very many sayings out of the bookes called Apocrypha ascribing
greater authority to them than unto meere humane writings In the margent of the last translation of the Bible there is often reference made unto Chapter and verse of those bookes as in the margent of Heb. 1.3 Iohn 10.22 Matth. 6.7 Matth. 23.37 Heb. 11.35 and in more places There is no such reference made unto Chapter and verse of any other bookes excepting the canonicall Scriptures In the Concordance which is sometimes bound with bibles of the middle bignesse namely in quarto places out of all those bookes are often quoted and added unto the places cited out of the Canonicall Scriptures It is not so done out of any other bookes Even all the Fathers which have lived in the Church of Iesus Christ since first the Apostles dayes have with great reverence and respect alleaged sayings out of those books The true Apostolicall Church of England hath ordained those bookes onely and none other of what authoritie soever to be translated with the Canonicall Scriptures and to be set betweene the bookes of the old and new Testament Seeing then that the Church our mother so honoureth the said bookes called Apocrypha ought not wee her members to have them bound in our Bibles to reverence and respect them and diligently to read them for * The Church in the sixt Article of religion so delivereth example of life and instruction of manners and to account them for to be in all respects of so much a Phil. 4.8 1 Thes 5.21 1 Pet. 5.5 Mat. 18.17 1 Cor 16.16 authority as the Church of England now ascribeth unto them CHAP. 50. Of peoples learning the most sacred Catechisme of the Church which is in the booke of Common Prayer Every member of the true Apostolicall Church of England hath occasion greatly to praise the name of the Lord for stirring up our most gracious Soveraigne and the holy Fathers of the Church to take great care for this ordinance of the Gospell of Iesus Christ namely Catechizing that it may bee duely used according as it was prescribed by holy Church heretofore and the same ratified by our late Soveraigne Lord King Iames a Prince of ever blessed memory IN the end of the rubricke after the Service of Confirmation it is said None shall be admitted to the holy Communion untill such time as he can say the Catechisme namely that in the booke of Common Prayer the which being printed alone by it selfe is now commonly called the A. B. C. The said most sacred Catechisme consisteth of but about twenty questions whose answers require any labour of learning by heart And yet therein is contained the summe of the whole Christian faith and life in a most Divine delivery This holy b Ps 119.130 Catechisme should all people members of the Church of England have either in memory or else at least be able so to c 1 Pet. 3.13 answere unto each question therein as that they may declare themselves to have in effect such an d Phil. 3.16 1 Cor. 1.10 understanding of the matters therein contained as the Church hath in full words expressed in it Catechisme is an instructing of people in the e Heb. 5.12 principles of the Oracles of God It is a f Heb. 6.1 2. laying of the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptismes and of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of the eternall judgment It is a ministring of the g 1 Pet. 2.2 sincere milke of the Word unto the h Heb. 5.13 unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse Even as a house cannot bee well built up and stand fast unlesse the foundations thereof be firmely laid so people who should bee built up a spirituall i 1 Pet. 2.4 house for an k Eph. 2.21 22. habitation of God through the spirit cannot be fitly framed together and grow unto an holy Temple in the Lord unlesse they bee l Luke 11.52 Mat. 14.11 rightly instructed in the principles of the Doctrine of Christ and withall grow up in all due m Rom. 1.5 and 16.26 obedience unto the same Not onely the Catechisme in the Divine Service doth deliver the Milke of the Gospell but also the whole Divine Service doth minister the same abundantly If one would know what is repentance and faith let him reade the Homilies thereof If hee would know what is the mysterie of baptisme and of laying on of hands let him reade the Services thereof If one would know the mysterie of the Communion let him read the Service and the Homily thereof It is a main part of the use of the Divine Service to lay firmly in peoples mindes the n 1 Cor. 3.10 grounds of Christianity All people therefore that would bee rightly grounded in the true Christian religion and grow more and more towards o Heb. 6.1 Col. 1.28 29. perfection in Iesus Christ ought to be much conversant in every part of the said Service and to enable themselves so to render a reason of every point of Christianity according as they finde it delivered in the said p Prov. 6.20 21 22 23. Luke 10.16 bookes and withall to q 2 Thes 1.3 Prov 4.18 increase in that godly conversation which is throughout the service prescribed And thereunto this present worke will much helpe every one that will make due use of all the same The Church hath ordained that not onely the youth but other ignorant persons also to be r Song 6.6 Ps 1.48 12. Deut. 31.12 Nehem. 8.2 instructed in the Catechisme For thus is her sacred * Canon 59 This holy and necessary Ordinance of Christ and his Church is now by the great goodnesse of Almighty God observed and al true Christians hearts doe pray that so it may bee continued and more and more conscionably used unto Gods glory and the edification of all people constitution Every Parson Vicar or Curate upon every Sunday and holy day before evening prayer shall for halfe an houre or more examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parish in the ten Commandements the Articles of the beliefe and in the Lords prayer and shall diligently heare instruct and teach them the Catechisme set forth in the booke of Common prayer c. Peoples Å¿ Prov. 19.2 neglect of learning that Catechisme and of obedience thereto and also their not regarding to have their Children and servants taught the same and instructed unto the observing of the duties therein prescribed is a maine cause that now so many are ignorant in minde and t Prov. 29.15 disorderly in conversation The Oracle of God saith u Prov. 22.6 Traine up a Child in the way he should goe and when he is old he will not depart from it CHAP. 51. Of Baptisme THE Catechisme in the Divine service delivereth That the outward visible signe or forme in baptisme is water wherein the person baptized is dipped
all things I will bee his God and he shall be my sonne But the fearefull and unbeleeving c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Who so would read the lawfull use of the signe of the crosse made after baptisme explaned may see in the thirtieth Canon of the Church the same with much godly wisedome delivered And there it is said Among some other very ancient Ceremonies the signe of the Crosse in baptisme hath beene retained in this Church by the judgement and practise of those reverend fathers and great Divines in the dayes of King Edward the sixth c. CHAP. 54. Of Comfirmation commonly called Bishopping THe order of confirmation set afore the Catechisme in the divine service giveth us to understand the reason of the same in the three considerations delivered for the which unto none confirmation is to be ministred save only unto such as can say that Catechisme viz. First because that when children come to the yeares of discretion and have learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptisme they may then themselves with their owne mouth and with their owne consent openly before the Church ratisie and confirme the same And also promise by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe and keepe such things as they by their owne mouth and confession have assented unto Secondly forasmuch as Confirmation is ministred to them that be baptized that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the Devill it is most meet to bee ministred when children come to that age that partly by the frailty of their owne flesh partly by the assaults of the world and the Devill they begin to bee in danger to fall into sundry kindes of sinne Thirdly for that it is agreeable with the usage of the Church in times past Whereby it was ordained that confirmation should bee ministred to them that were of perfect age that they being instructed in Christs religion should openly professe their owne faith and promise to bee obedient to the will of God In the prayer to be said afore the act of confirmation there are mentioned together the sundry * See Chap. 24. graces wherein we are to desire for to be confirmed where it is said strengthen them wee beseech thee O Lord with the holy Ghost the comforter and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace the spirit of wisedom and understanding the spirit of Counsell and ghostly strength the spirit of knowledge and true godlinesse and fulsill them O Lord with the spirit of thy holy feare And the words of the confirmation firmation or Bishopping it selfe are pronuonced by the Bishop laying his hand upon every child severally saying Defend O Lord this child with thy heauenly grace that hee may continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy holy spirit more and more untill hee come unto thine everlasting kingdome And the reason of the laying the hands is delivered in the prayer to bee said when Confirmation is done where it is said Wee make our humble supplications unto thee for these children upon whom after the example of the holy Apostles wee have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gratious goodnesse toward them Let thy fatherly hand we beseech thee ever bee over them Let thy holy spirit ever bee with them and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word that in the end they may obtaine the everlasting life throughour Lord Iesus Christ Also in the rubricke at the end of the Catechisme it is said every Child shall bee brought to the Bishop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother that every child may have a witnesse of his Confirmation Holy Church in her Lawes called Constitutions Canons Ecclesiasticall hath two Canons concerning Confirmation the * Canon 60. one that it is to bee performed once in three yeares the * Canon 61. other that ministers are to prepare Children for Confirmation In the sixtieth Canon it is said Forasmuch as it hath beene a solemne ancient and laudable custom in the Church of God continued from the Apostles times that all Bishops should lay their hands upon children baptized and instructed in the Catechisme of Christian Religion praying over them and blessing them which wee commonly call Confirmation and that this holy action hath beene accustomed in the Church in the former ages to be performed in the Bishops visitation every third yeere c. Confirmation or laying on of hands is an ordinance of the Gospel of so great importance as that by the Apostle to the Hebrewes it is set as the fourth principle of the doctrine of Christ where he reckoneth up together the sixe principles of the Oracles of God saying d Heb. 6 1 2. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us goe on unto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God of the doctrine of baptismes and of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of the eternall judgement It is written in the Acts that sundry whom the Deacon Philip had baptized and instructed in the Christian faith had Confirmation or e Act. 8.17 laying on of hands from the Apostles Peter and Iohn and so received the holy Ghost It is also recorded that Paul f Act. 19.6 laid his hands upon some persons afore baptized and they received the holy Ghost The Apostles are said to have g Act. 14.22 confirmed the soules of the Disciples and to have h Act. 18.23 strengthened them after they had beene converted Laying on of hands for to blesse c. is often mentioned in the booke of God and to have beene used from the dayes of i Gen. 48.14 Iacob CHAP. 55. Of the holy Communion or the Sacrament of the body and blood of Iesus Christ IN the holy Catechisme it is delivered concerning the Sacrament of Lords Supper That it was ordained for the continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benefits which we receive therby The outward part or signe of the Lords supper is bread and wine which the Lord hath commanded to bee received The inward part or thing signified is the body and blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords Supper The benefits whereof we are partakers thereby is the strengthening and refreshing of our soules by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine The mystery of this Sacrament is most divinely declared in the service for the Communion In the second Exhortation there it is said Our heavenly Father hath given his Sonne our Saviour Iesus Christ not only to dye for us but also
charity with your neighbours and intend to lead a new life following the Commandements of God and walking from henceforth in his holy wayes draw neare and take this holy Sacrament to your comfort In the Catechisme it is said There is required of them which come to the Lords Supper to examine themselves whether they repent thē truly of their former sins stedfastly purposing to lead a new life have a lively faith in Gods mercy through Christ with a thankefull remembrance of his death and bee in charity with all men In the first part of the * T. 2 p. 198. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is said We must addresse our selves to frequent this Table in reverent and comely manner lest as physicke provided for the body being misused more hurteth then profiteth so this comfortable medicine of the soule undecently received tendeth to our greater harm and sorrow We must certainly know that three things be requisite in him which would seemely as becommeth such high mysteries resort to the Lords table That is first a right and worthy estimation and understanding of this mysterie Secondly to come in a sure faith And thirdly to have newnesse or purenesse of life to succeed the receiving of the same In the second part of the * P. 202. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is said We may learne by eating of the typicall Lambe whereunto no man was admitted but he that was a Iew that was n Ex. 12.48 circumcised that was before sanctified Yea Saint Paul testifieth that although the people were partakers of the Sacraments under Moses yet for that some of them were still worshippers of Images Whoremongers Tempters of Christ murmurers and coveting after evill things God o 1 Cor. 10.5 6 11. overthrew those in the wildernesse and that for our example that is that we Christians should take heed we resort unto our Sacraments with holinesse of life not trusting in the p Mat 15.8.9 Ier. 7.3 4 5 9 10 c. Mat. 3.8 9 10. outward receiving of them and infected with corrupt and uncharitable manners For this sentence of God must alwayes bee justified q Mat. 12.7 Hos 6.7 1 Sam. 15.22 23. I will have mercy and not sacrifice Wherefore saith Basil it behooveth him that commeth to the body and blood of Christ in commemoration of him that dyed and rose againe not onely to be pure from all r 2 Cor. 7.1 filthinesse of the flesh and spirit lest hee eate and drinke his owne condemnation but also to ſ 1 Cor. 11.26.24 shew out evidently a memory of him that died and rose againe for us in this point that yee be t Rom. 6.11.8 mortified to sinne and the world to live now unto God in Christ Iesu our Lord. It is * P. 203. afterward delivered most divinely also Furthermore for newnesse of life it is to bee noted that S. Paul writeth that we being many are one u 1 Cor. 10.17 bread and one body for all be partakers of one bread Declaring thereby not onely our communion with Christ but that w Eph. 4.16 unity also wherein they that eate at this Table should be knit together For by dissention vaine glorie ambition strife envying contempt hatred or malice they should not be x 1 Cor. 11.18 dissevered but so y Eph. 2.21 22. 1 Pet 2.5 Col. 2.2.5.19 joyned by the bond of love in one mysticall body as the Cornes of that bread in one Loafe In respect of which strait knot of Charity the true Christians in the Primitive Church called this Supper Love As if they should say none ought to sit downe there that were out of love and charity who bare grudge and vengeance in his heart who also did not professe his kind affectiō by some charitable z Acts 20.7 with 1 Cor 16 2. reliefe for some part of the congregation And this was their practice O heavenly banquet then so used O godly ghests who so esteemed this feast And so along unto the end of the Homily the preparation required unto the receiving of the Communion is declared in most Heavenly manner Read the whole second Exhortation which is appointed to bee read afore the Communion and therein the preparation is most plainly expressed also Read also the Thanksgiving which is appointed to bee sung after receiving the Lords Supper set after the Psalmes in meeter and therein the preparing is withall signified Saint Paul saith Whosoever shall eate this bread and drinke this cup of the Lord a 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29 30 31. unworthily shall bee guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that Cup. For hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the Lords body For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleepe For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged CHAP. 57. Of kneeling in the act of receiving the Sacrament IN the Rubricke afore the words used in ministring the Communion it is signified That both Ministers and people are to take the Sacrament kneeling The reason is because it is now received in prayer The minister delivering the Sacrament saith The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soule into everlasting life The blood of our Lord Iesus Christ which was shed for thee preserve thy body and soule into everlasting life Are not these sayings words of prayer And ought not the b 1 Cor. 11 4 5 1 Kings 8.62 1 Cor. 14.16 heart of the receiver to pray with the Minister praying And is not c Ps 95.6 See Chap. 68. kneeling the fittest gesture for prayer It is said in the last Exhortation to be read before the Communion Make your humble confession to Almighty God meekely kneeling upon your knees And in no Rubrick of the Communion-Service are people required to change that gesture but rather to continue it untill they bee let depart with the blessing Charity saith S. Paul doth not behave it selfe d 1 Cor. 13.5 unseemely Againe hee saith e 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently in order Is it seemly decent or orderly that people both before and after the receiving of the Sacrament should continue kneeling and in the very act of receiving should stand or sit especially whereas it is now taken with and in Prayer Christ first gave the Sacrament after Supper and so Christians in the Primitive Church celebrated it in the evening and f 1 Cor. 11.20 21 22 33 34. after Supper but now the Church for many ages hath changed the time and hath ordained it to be taken in the morning If the Church our Mother hath so great power and authority as to change the time of taking and to ordaine it to bee taken not after meat but afore dinner and in praying hath she
not power to change the gesture of taking and to require such a gesture as is beseeming Prayer Such as grant that the Church hath power as to change the time though it bee by the Holy Ghost called the Lords Supper and to change other circumstances about the receiving of it cannot without committing the great sinne of g Iam. 3.17 partiality deny that the Church hath the authority and power of changing that one circumstance the gesture used in receiving CHAP. 58. Of Matrimony IN the Service for solemnization of Matrimony it is said That Matrimony is an honourable estate h Gen. 2.22 24 instituted of God in Paradise in the time of mans innocency signifying unto us the i Eph. 5.31 32.30 mysticall union that is betwixt Christ and his Church which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his k Iohn 2.1 presence and first miracle that he wrought in Cana of Galilee and is commended of Saint Paul to bee honourable among all men and therefore is not to be enterprized nor taken in hand unadvisedly lightly or wantonly to saticfie mens carnall lusts and appetites like bruite beasts that have no understanding but reverently discreetly advisedly soberly and in the l 1 Cor. 7.39 feare of God duely considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained one was the m Gen. 1.28 procreation of Children to be brought up in the feare and nurture of the Lord and praise of God Secondly it was ordained for a remedie against sinne and to avoid fornication that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry and keepe themselves undefiled Members of Christs body Thirdly for the mutuall n Eph. 5.28 29. Gen. 2.8 Prov. 5.18 19. sooietie helpe and comfort that the one ought to have of the other both in prosperity and adversitie In the * T. 2. p. 239. Homily concerning the state of Matrimony it is said Furthermore it is also ordained that the Church of God and his Kingdome might by this kinde of life be conserved and enlarged not onely in that God giveth Children by his blessing but also in that they be brought up by the Parents godly in the knowledge of Gods Word that thus the knowledge of God and true Religion might bee delivered by o Ps 78.4.5.6 succession from one to another that finally many might enjoy that everlasting immortality p Heb. 13.4 Marriage saith the Apostle is honourable in all and the bed undefiled but Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge q 1 Cor. 7.2.6 To avoid fornication let every man have his owne wife and let every woman have her owne husband Tobias said r Tob. 4.12 1 Thes 4.3.4.5 Mal. 2.11.12 Beware of all whoredome my sonne and chiefly take a wife of the seed of thy fathers and take not a strange woman to wife which is not of thy fathers Tribe for wee are the children of the Prophets Noe Abraham Isaac and Iacob remember my sonne that our fathers from the beginning even that they all married wives of their owne kindred and were blessed in their children and their seed shall inherit the Land s Know yee not saith the Apostle that hee which is joyned to an harlot is one body For two saith hee shall bee one flesh Flee fornication every sinne that a man doth is without the body but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body What know yee not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost which is in you which yee have of God and yee are not your owne For yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Be not deceived neither t 1 Cor. 6.9.10 fornicators nor Idolaters adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of thēselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Wherefore he also saith But u Eph. 5.3.5.6 See 1 Thes 4.3.4.5 fornication all uncleannes or covetousnes let it not be once named amongst you as becommeth Saints ſ 1 Cor. 6.15.16.17.18.19.20 CHAP. 59. Of the ring used in the Solemnization of Matrimony IN the rubrick of Matrimony-service it is said The man shall give unto the woman a Ring and put it upon the fourth finger of the womans left hand And the man taught by the priest shall say With this Ring I thee wed with my body I thee * There is some kind of worship which may be done unto man as 1 Chron. 29.20 worship with all my worldly goods I thee endow In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen In the prayer immediately after it is prayed That as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together so these persons may surely performe and keepe the vow and w Mal. 2.15.16.14 Prov. 2.17.18 covenant betwixt them made whereof the Ring given and received is a token and pledge and may ever remaine in x Eph. 5.25.28.29 perfect love and y 1 Cor. 7.5 1 Pet. 3.7 peace together and live according to thy Lawes And then it is said Forasmuch as they have consented together in holy wedlocke and have witnessed the same before God and this company and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring and by joyning of hands I c. From which words of Holy Church it is manifest that the Ring is used not for any vanity but for a godly z Exod. 13.9 Aurum nulla norat praeter unico digito quem sponsus oppignorasset pronubo annulo Tertull. Apologet. C. 6. signification for a token and pledge of sure performing and keeping the vow and covenant betwixt them made and of pledging their troth either to other The which Ring being after seene may put both parties in remembrance of what signification it was given and received And they may make good use of it as the children of Israel were to make of the a Num. 15.38.39.40 fringe in the borders of their garments having thereon a Ribband of blue to looke upon it and remember all the duties whereof to put them in minde it was ordained That Matrimony should bee solemnized with the Ceremonie of the Ring it is the Law of the Church our mother it is as the b Ios 22.27 Altar built by the Reubenites Gadites and halfe Tribe of Manasseh it is as one of the c Ier. 35.6.7.8.18.19 Commandements of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab a d Pro. 6.23.24 light signifying good things to keepe the man from the evill woman from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman Also it may serve unto the woman for a remembrance that shee e Prov. 2.17 See Chap. 41. afore forsake not the guide of her youth neither forget the covenant of her God Well consider the Church-her deliverie concerning Ceremonies why some be retained in
the chapter thereof set in the beginning of the Booke of Common Prayer CHAP. 60. Of the thankesgiving of women after Childbirth commonly called the Churching of Women IN the beginning of the Service for the Churching of women it is said Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his goodnesse to give you safe deliliverance and hath preserved you in the great danger of Childbirth Yee shall therefore giue hearty thankes unto God and pray The Law of God was that a woman when the dayes of her purifying were fulfilled for a sonne or for a daughter should bring an f Lev. 12.6.7.1 offering into the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation unto the priest who was to offer it before the Lord and to make an atonement for her c. And it is recorded by Saint Luke that the blessed Virgn Mary observed this g Luke 2.24 Law of the Lord after shee had brought forth her sonne the Saviour of the world Although that Law as concerning the ceremony be ceased yet the h Rom. 8.4 righteousnesse thereof is to be fulfilled in those which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit For which cause our Mother the Church whose godly wisedome wee ought to obey in i Eph. 5.24 every particular matter knowing that the new Law commandeth Christians in every thing to k 1 Thes 5.18 give thankes hath accounted it righteous before God that women for so great a deliverance as from the danger of child-birth should so soone as is convenient come to the Temple of the Lord and there with him who is to bee her mouth unto the Lord l Heb. 13.15 offer the sacrifice of praise unto God the fruit of her lips giving thankes unto his name Saint Paul said I will that women adorne themselves in m 1 Tim. 2.9.10 modest apparell with shamefastnesse and sobriety as becommeth women professing godlinesse And saith hee in another place Whatsoever things are honest just pure lovely or of n Phil. 4.8 good report if there bee any vertue or praise therein thinke on those things Let all things be done o 1 Cor. 14.40 decently in order Is it not therefore more seemly more signifying modesty of minde that women when they goe to be Churched or are Churched at home bee so covered on their heads according as in former times rather than bee so attired like as those bee which goe to a market or a faire or to a wedding or the like CHAP. 61. Of Commination or denouncing Gods curses due unto sinners which will not repent or doe neglect the same IN the beginning of the service of Commination the Church saith It is though good that at this time meaning in the beginning of Lent on Ashwensday in your presence should bee read the generall sentences of Gods cursing against impenitent sinners gathered out of Deut. 27. and other places of scripture And that yee should answer to every sentence Amen to the intent that you being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners may the p Prov. 1.7 16.6 rather bee called to earnest and true repentance and may walke more warily in these q 2 Tim. 3.1 Mat. 24.21.22 dangerous dayes fleeing from such vices for the which yee affirme with your owne mouthes the curse of God to bee due The Lord saith by Moses r Deut. 29.19.20.21 If when one heareth the words of this curse hee blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his Iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Saint Paul saith s Rom. 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 Thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which doe such things as are abominable and dost the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and Revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well doing seeke for glory and honour and immortality eternall life But unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile The Church our mother declareth her faithfulnesse unto her t Isa 54 5. husband the Lord of Hosts her maker unto her redeemer the Holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth in this very thing most apparantly namely that she doth not like as the false Prophets and false Prophetesses doe who doe say u Ier. 8.9.10 11. Ezech. 13.9.10 Peace and there was no peace and one built up a wall and loe others dawbed it with untempered morter Shee doth not with w Ezech. 13.22 lies make sad the heart of the righteous whom God hath not made sad neither doth shee strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life But shee x 2 Cor. 4.2 renouncing the hidden things of dishonestie not walking in craftinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commendeth her selfe to every mans conscience in the sight of God In her Exhortation which followeth immediately after the curses doth she not in a most wonderfull divine manner declare as it were the summe of the everlasting doctrine of Iesus Christ Is not that her exhortation the beginning therof is Now seeing that all they bee accursed as the Prophet y Psal 119.21 David beareth witnesse which doe erre and goe astray from the commandements of God let us c. so divine a delivery as the like in briefe can scarce be shewed in the writings of any Church or of any Writer Is it not worthy to bee most often read of every man woman and child And is there not a power in it through the blessing of God to worke the feare of the Lord in the heart of the diligent Reader thereof And is not the said exhortation very greatly profitable to bee often read of such as have in their minds Gods feare for to helpe keepe them in the same and to preserve them from pride of spirit z Pro. 8.13 arrogancy a Isay 46.12 stoutnesse and b Zachar. 7.11 hardnesse of heart As it is good for all ancient people to reade or heare it in private read
many times in a yeere so is it exceeding furthersome for all younger people to have it all in perfect memory and at least once a weeke to examine themselves by the same CHAP. 62. Of Excommunication IT is said in the second part of the * T. 2. p. 213. Homily concerning the Holy Ghost or in the Homily for Whitsunday Christ ordained the authority of the keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolve theÌ„ which are truly penitent In the second part of the * Homily concerning the right use of the Church T. 2. p. 9.10 it is said In the primitive Church which was most holy and godly and in the which due discipline with severitie was used against the wicked due discipline with severitie suffered once to enter into the house of the Lord nor admitted to Common Prayer and the use of the holy SacrameÌ„ts with other true Christians untill they had done opeÌ„penance before the whole Church And they that were so justly exempted and banished as it were from the house of the Lord were taken as they be indeed for men divided and separated from Christs Church and in most dangerous estate yea as Saint Paul saith even given unto Satan the Devill for a time and their company was shunned and avoided of all godly men and women untill such time as they by repentance and publike penance were reconciled Iesus Christ said unto Peter To thee I will give the c Mat. 16.19 keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven The same d Mat 18.18 19 20. authority hee afterward pronounced unto the rest of his Apostles Also when after his resurrection hee breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost he gave the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven unto them all saying e Ioh. 20.22 23. Whose soever sins yee remit they are remitted unto theÌ„ whose soever sinnes ye retaine they are retained Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians concerning excommunicating the incestuous person In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ To f 1 Cor. 5.4 5. deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Iesus He said of Hymenaeus and Alexander that he had g 1 Tim. 1.20 delivered them unto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheeme Concerning what persons are to be excommunicated if otherwise they will not be reformed it is observed that the Apostle signifieth where he saith If any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or covetous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with h 1 Cor. 5.11 such a one no not to eate Vnto the Thessalonians he saith And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have i 2 Thes 3.14 no company with him that he may be ashamed The Apostle speaketh of disorderly living and living out of a vocation by the sweat of other mens browes or eating other mens bread for nought The Apostle also faith If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be k 1 Cor. 16.22 anathema Maran atha The speech here l Sunt enim haeâ— dicendi genera Haebraeis non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Buxtorfiuâ— in Gram. Heb. pag. 548. excusâ anno 1620. love not is observed to signifie hateth Anathema is interpreted a curse a cursed thing or one accursed Maran signifieth our Lord and atha signifieth commeth The excommunication which was called anathema maranatha is accounted to be the greatest kinde thereof and so the very last namely when as one for his persevering wilfull hatred against Iesus Christ is quite forsaken by the Church and left unto the just judgement of Christ of whom Enoch said m Iude 14.15 Arabs juxta sensum reddidit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Rabbinos est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contractè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videt ur dicià syriacâ— verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominare quòd hâ—c sit nominatissima excommunicatio Vulgò taâ—en volunt esse nomen compositum ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Deus venit Alij ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ibi mors Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him The holy scriptures deliver other causes also for which there may be excommunication the which the Church of England hath partly mentioned in the Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall as also when any being summoned to appeare before ecclesiasticall authority will contemptuously refuse c. The Lord Christ Iesus hath in his Gospell given an everlasting generall rule If any one neglect to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an n Mat. 18.17 Heathen man and a Publicane CHAP. 63. Of Confession and Absolution in particular manner BEsides the generall Confession and Absolution to be said and pronounced in the beginning of the Divine Service and afore receiving the holy Communion holy Church hath ordained that a private may be made In the second Exhortation to be read afore the Communion it is said Because it is requisite that no man shold come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet conscience therefore if there be any of you which by the meanes aforesaid cannot quiet his owne conscience but requireth further comfort or counsell then let him come to me or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods Word and open his griefe that he may receive such ghostly counsell advice and comfort as his conscience may be relieved and that by the ministery of Gods Word he may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoyding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse In the Rubricke of the Service for the Visitation of the Sicke it is said The sicke person shall make a speciall confession if he feele his conscience troubled with any weighty matter After which confession the Priest shall absolve him after this sort * The forme of absolution used to one in particular Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truely repent and beleeve in him of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences and by his authority committed to me I absolve thee from all thy finnes In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen Concerning Confession the Church in the 113. Canon delivereth That if any man confesse his secret and hidden sinnes to the Minister for the
* T. 1. p. 48. Homily concerning Charity it is said Charitie hath two Offices the one contrary to the other and yet both necessary to be used upon men of contrary sort and disposition The one Office of Charitie is to cherish good and harmelesse men c. The other Office of Charity is to rebuke correct and punish vice without regard of persons and is to be used against them onely that be evill men and malefactours or evill doers And that it is as well the Office of Charity to rebuke punish and correct them that be evill as it is to cherish and reward them that be good and harmelesse Saint Paul declareth writing to the Romanes saying That the high powers are ordained of God not to bee dreadfull to them that doe well but unto Malefactors to draw the sword to take * Rom. 13.4 vengeance of him that committeth the sin The Lord saith by Ezekiel that his Priests in controversie shall stand in judgement and they shall b Ezech 44.24 judge it according to my judgements The power of Gods Ministery in a Nation where the King is a c Isa 49.23 nourishing father of the Church and the people all professing to be Christians is of a different manner from where it is without such love of the supreame power towards it and where but a few are Professors of Christianity This may bee observed in the state of the Church of God the Nation of the Iewes from the time of Moses his rule over them untill they were carried away captive to Babylon That Gods Ministery had then another manner of outward power than it had under the Romane Empire untill the dayes of Constantine the great Moreover the Ministery of God after the Ascension of Christ not having the Magistrates helpe in their administration had from God d Mar. 16.20 Heb. 2.4 extraordinary power to cause fear in peoples hearts as Peter had concerning Ananias and Saphira his wife that they were both smote with sudden death which caused e Acts 3.11 great fear to come upon all the Churches Paul had power to cause Elimas the Sorcerer to be f Act 13.11 smitten with blindnesse Herod the Persecutor of the Christians was smitten with a g Act. 12.23 24 dreadfull death where after the Word of God grew and multiplied The Lord then wrought with his Ministers extraordinarily and confirmed the Word with signes following as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith h Heb. 2.4 God also bearing them witnesse both with signes and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his owne will CHAP. 65. Of visiting the sicke IN the Order for the Visitation of the sicke at the beginning of the Service thereto it is said The Priest entring into the sicke persons house shall say i Mat. 10.12 13. Luke 10.5 6 9. Peace be to this house and to all that dwell in it And that when he commeth into the sicke mans presence hee shall say kneeling down Remēber not Lord our iniquities c. Then there is prescribed a very Divine Exhortation divided into two parts wherewith the Minister is to exhort the sicke person the which is most profitable for all people to meditate on when they feele themselves ill at ease or in any adversitie And the Exhortation being read the Minister is to examine whether he continueth in beliefe of all the Articles of the Christian faith and whether he be in charity with all the world c. And to exhort him for to set his state in order whereto men when they be in health should be oft admonished and earnestly to move him to liberalitie toward the poore because it is the last Almes that ever hee shall give The Church hath ordained an Homily an Exhortation against the feare of death to be read unto the people And if the sicke person can well indure to heare the reading of it he may be much comforted by the same The visitation of the sicke is one of the k Mat. 25.35.26 sixe duties of Charitie whereof Iesus Christ will speake when he sitteth to judge all Nations That it is also a worke l Iam. 5.14 with Heb. 5.1.2 3 4 5. Ministeriall S. Iames in his Epistle plainely expresseth It is the last kindnesse that one can shew unto another whiles being is in earthly Tabernacle Man being in that misery desireth to be visited And one reason is that thereby hee hopeth either bodily or ghostly to receive the more comfort Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to m Iam. 1.27 visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their affliction and to keepe himselfe unspotted from the world It is written for our learning That when Iobs three friends heard of his calamitie they made an appointment together to come for to n Iob 2.11 Rom. 12.15 mourne with him and to comfort him Saint Paul saith blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to o 2 Cor. 1.3.4 comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selves are comforted of God Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Bee not slow to p Ecclus. 7.34 35. visite the sicke for that shall make thee to bee beloved It is the duty of the sick to send for their Minister as Saint Iames saith Let him * Iam. 5.14 send for the Elders of the Church And therefore it is said in Articles of our Church discipline Whether doth your Minister visite the sicke when he is thereunto desired to comfort and instruct them CHAP. 66. Of the Communion of the sicke VVHereas in the * T. 2. p. 199. Homily concerning the Sacrament the Communion is said To bee a salve of immortality and soveraigne preservative against death and in the Catechisme it is called a refreshing therefore not without cause doth the conscience of the sicke sometimes desire it Wherefore holy Church in the Rubricke afore that Service saith If the sicke person be not able to come unto the Church and yet is desirous to receive the Communion in his house then he must give knowledge over-night or else early in the morning to the Curate signifying also how many be appointed to Communicate with him c. In the Rubricke of the same Service the Church delivereth also most comfortable counsell saying But if any man either by reason of extremitie of sicknesse or for want of warning in due time to the Curate or for lacke of company to receive with him or by any other just impediment doe not receive the Sacrament of Christs body and blood then the Curate shall instruct him that if he doe truly repent him of his sinne and stedfastly beleeve that Iesus Christ hath suffered death upon the Crosse for him and shed his blood for his Redemption earnestly remembring the benefits he hath
thereby and giving him hearty thankes therefore he doth eate and drinke the body and blood of our Saviour Christ profitably to his soules health although he doe not receive the Sacrament with his mouth Our Mother the Church who according to her godly wisedome was the first causer of Temples to be built in this Land and the first appointer of the Parishes unto them hath ordained the Temples to be the ordinary places for receiving the holy Sacrament But in cases of necessitie when people cannot with any conveniency come or be brought into the Temple her Divine Wisdome hath appointed such to receive in their private house The Passeover which was even of like signification as the Communion is was kept in q Exod. 12.3 4. Mat. 26.18 private houses So in the Primitive Church it is said The Disciples came together into a r Act. 20.7 8 9. Jta Syrus interpretatus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At Arabs optime ad frangen dum vel distribuendum corpus Messiae house for to breake bread that is to * celebrate the Communion Christ saith ſ Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Saint Paul said to the Romanes Greet the Church which is in the t Rom. 16.5 house of Aquila and Priscilla These Scriptures are here alleaged for to illustrate the lawfulnesse of receiving the Communion in private house according as the law of the Church alloweth but not in any otherwise And that Christs body and blood is profitably unto the soules health received sometimes without the Sacrament whē as the Sacrament cannot conveniently bee received that delivery of Christ declareth where he saith Except ye u Ioh. 6.53 54 55 56 57 47. eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c. He that beleeveth on me hath everlasting life Behold saith Christ I stand at the doore and knocke If any man heare my voyce and open the doore I will come into him and will sup with him and w Rev. 3.20 he with me But the holy Sacrament is in no wise to be neglected but with all due reverence to be received when as it may conveniently and lawfully bee ministred because it is Gods ordinary meanes whereby his people spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood CHAP. 67. Of Buriall of the dead IN the Rubricke before the Service thereof it is said The Priest meeting the corpes at the Church stile shall say or else the Priest and Clerkes shall sing and so goe either into the Church or towards the grave I am the x Iohn 11.25 26. resurrection and the life saith the Lord He that c. Vpon Christs words concerning Mary the sister of Lazarus that she was come afore hand to annoynt his body to the burying Tremellius a Iew by Nation but a Christian by profession in religion and famous in the Church of God for his translation of the Scriptures forth of Hebrew Chaldean and Syriacke relateth out of * Vide Tremellianam Annotationem ad Mar. 14.6 Iudaicall Antiquity That it was the manner of the Iewes among sundry Ceremonies and Services used about the dead as annoynting washing wrapping in linnen laying it on a Beere c. before they committed the body to the ground first to utter certaine sentences written by their Ancestors or Elders to bee said at this occasion in which funerall Service Gods Iustice is commended and mans sinnes aggravated by which they deserved death and God is beseeched so to exercise his Iustice that he would not forget that he is Mercy also And the Corpes being interred some things also are said as unto the Mourners for their consolation This saith hee was a custome in Israel which in time past was the peculiar people of God and a godly custome not much unlike is now in Englād used at a buriall unto the magnifying of Gods Iustice the condemning of mans sinne the meeke beseeching of Gods mercy through Iesus Christ and the comforting of the sorrowfull upon the occasion And to performe such funerall Service is it not onely proper to the Ministery which is the ordinary y Ios 9.14 mouth of God unto the people and of the people unto God Christ saith It becommeth us to fulfill all z Mat. 3.1 5. righteousnesse The Apostle saith a Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are of good report if they be of any vertue or praise they are to be thought upon and observed b 1 Cor. 14.40 All things are to be done decently and in order Ancient orders and customes ordained by the weighty deliberation of forefathers which may be used without any superstition and doe tend onely unto piety and humanity are according as the Church concerning them prescribeth with all conscionable care to be retained performed Yea the Church now greatly esteemeth deliveries of Antiquity as it may appeare where it is said in the Service for Consecration of Bishops That the Archbishop sitting in a Chair shal say this to him that is to be Consecrated Brother forasmuch as holy Scripture A Prayer of Chrysostome is a part of the Letany In the Homilies there are sayings of all the Fathers alleaged with much respect and the old Canons commandeth c. S. Ambrose his song is a part of the Morning Divine Service the Confession of faith composed by Athanasius and the Nicene Creed are therein likewise Read the 34. Article of Religion CHAP. 68. Of the reverence to bee done unto Almighty God in his Worship HOly Church in her Prayer for the whole state of Christs Church militant here in earth prescribeth unto us for to say And to all thy people give thine heavenly grace and specially to this congregation here present that with meeke heart and due reverence they may heare and receive thy holy word In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 1. Homily concerning the right use of the Church or Temple of God and of the reverence due unto the same it is said Where there appeareth at these dayes great slacknesse and negligence of a great sort of people in resorting to the Church there to serve God their heavenly Father according to their most bounden duty as also much uncomely and unreverent behaviour of many persons in the same when they bee there assembled and thereby may just feare arise of the wrath of God and his dreadfull plagues hanging over our heads for our grievous offences in this behalfe among other many and great sinnes which wee daily and hourely commit before the Lord. In the second part of the said * P. 8. Homily the Church saith And indeed concerning the people and multitude the Temple is prepared for them to be hearers rather than speakers considering that aswell the word of God is there read or taught whereunto they are bound
after Saint Origens mind Whosoever hath not a d Luke 8.18 speciall mind to that thing that is commanded or taught of God he that doth not listen unto it embrace and print it in his heart to the intent that he may duly e Mat. 7.24 Iam. 1.22 23 24 25. fashion his life thereafter he is plainly turned from God although he doe other things of his owne devotion and minde which to him seeme better and more to Gods honour It is to be considered that teaching by Sermon or Homily is a part of Gods publike worship and therefore all are to demeane themselves with due reverence in hearing the same That publike teaching is a worship of God it may appeare out of Christs words saying They f Mat. 15.9 worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men In which words Christ signifieth that such doe worship him unto good purpose which teach for doctrines Gods Commandements Also that * Yea also it is plainely signified in the first part of the sacred Homily concerning the right use of the Church T. 2. p. 6. where it is said The Temple or Church is the house of the Lord for that the Service of the Lord as teaching and hearing of his holy Word calling upon his holy name giving thanks to him for his great and innumerable benefits and due ministring of his sacraments is there used preaching is a part of Gods publike worship and so to be accounted by all true Christians and to be heard with all due reverence it is manifest out of the Act of Parliament set in the beginning of the booke of Common Prayer where it is said All and every person and persons inhabiting within this Realme or any other the Kings Majesties dominions shall diligently and faithfully having no lawfull or reasonable excuse to be absent endeavour themselves to resort to their Parish Church or Chappell accustomed or upon reasonable let thereof to some usuall place where common Praier and such Service of God shal be used in such time of let upon every Sunday and other dayes ordained and used to bee kept as holy dayes and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of Common Prayer Preachings or other Service of God there to be used and ministred upon paine of punishment by the censures of the Church CHAP. 69. Of good workes in generall IN the Collect appointed to bee read on the 17. Sunday after Trinity it is said Lord we pray thee That thy grace may alwayes prevent and follow us and make us continually to be given to all good works through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the second part of the * T. 1. p. 55. Homily concerning falling from God it is said By these threatnings meaning such as Isaiah mentioneth in his fift Chapter wee are monished and warned that if we which are the chosen vineyard of God bring not forth good grapes that is to say good works that may be delectable and pleasant in his sight when he looketh for them when he sendeth his messengers to call upon us for them but rather bring forth g Isa 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. wilde grapes that is to say sowre workes unsavory and unfruitfull then he will plucke away all defence c. In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 82. Homily concerning fasting it is said Saint Paul therefore teacheth that we must doe good workes for divers respects First to shew our selves obedient children unto our heavēly Father who hath h Ephes 2.10 ordained them that we should walke in them Secondly for that they are good i Iam. 2.18 20 26. declarations and testimonies of our justification Thirdly that others seeing our good workes may the rather by them be stirred up and excited to k Mat. 5.16 glorifie our Father which is in heaven Let us not therefore be slacke to doe good workes seeing it is the will of God that wee should walke in them assuring our selves that at the last day every man shall receive of God for his labour done in true faith a l Psal 19.11 greater reward than his works have deserved It is also in the said * p. 85. part delivered Good workes are not all of one sort For some are of themselves and of their owne proper nature alwayes good as to love God above all things to love thy neighbour as thy selfe to honour thy father and mother to honour the higher powers to give to every man that which is his due and such like Other workes there bee which considered in themselves without further respect are of their owne nature meerly indifferent that is neither good nor evill but take their denomination of the use and end whereto they serve which workes having a good end are called good workes and are so indeed but yet that commeth not of themselves but of the good end whereunto they are referred Of this sort of works is m Zechar. 7.5 6. fasting c. In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 30. Homily of good workes it is said Even as the picture graven or painted is but a dead representation of the thing it selfe and is without life or any manner of moving so be the workes of all n Isa 64.6 unfaithfull persons before God They doe appeare to bee lively workes and indeed they be but dead not availing to the everlasting life They be but shadowes and shewes of lively and good things and not good and lively things indeed * p. 31. Againe it is said There is one worke in the which be all good workes that is faith which o Gal. 5.6 worketh by charity If thou have it thou hast the ground of all good workes When the Iewes asked of Christ what they should doe not worke good workes he answered This is the p Ioh. 6.29 worke of God to beleeve in im whom he sent so that he called faith the worke of God And assoone as a man hath faith anon he shall flourish in good workes for faith of it selfe is full of good works and q Heb. 11.6 nothing is good without faith * p. 20. True faith doth give life to workes and out of such faith r Psal 116.10 2 Cor. 4.13 come good workes that be very good workes indeed and without faith no good worke is good before God as saith S. Augustine In the second part of the * p. 32. Homily concerning good works it is said Now to goe forward to the third part that is what manner of workes they be which spring out of true faith and lead faithfull men unto everlasting life This cannot be knowne so well as by our Saviour Christ himselfe who was asked of a certain great man the same question What ſ Mat. 19.16 17. workes shall I doe said a Prince to come to everlasting life To whom Iesus answered If thou wilt come to everlasting life keepe the Commandements So that
mourne weepe and bewaile their former sinnes And whosoever upon that day did not humble his soule bewailing his sinnes as is said abstaining from all bodily food untill the evening that soule saith Almighty God should be destroyed from among his People And then * P. 83. afterward the ground of Fasting is delivered where it is said upon the ordinance of this generall Fast good men tooke occasion to appoint to themselves private Fasts at such times as they did either earnestly lament and bewaile their sinfull lives or did addict themselves to more fervent Prayer that it might please God to turne his wrath from them when either they were admonished and brought to the consideration thereof by the Preaching of the Prophets or otherwise when they saw k Iohn 3.5.6.7 8.9 present danger to hang over their heads This sorrowfulnesse of heart joyned to Fasting they uttered sometime by their outward behaviour and gesture of body putting on l Neh. 9.1 sackcloth sprinkling themselves with m Est 4.3 ashes and n Ios 7.6 dust and sitting or lying upon the o z 2 Sam. 12.16 earth For when good men feele in themselves the heavie burden of sinne see damnation to be the reward of it and behold with the eye of their minde the horrour of hell they p Ps 119.120 Ps 143. ◠◠7 tremble they quake and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulnesse of heart for their offences and cannot but accuse themselves and open this their griefe unto Almighty God call unto him for q Ps 51.1 c. mercy This being done seriously their minde is so occupied partly with sorrow and heavinesse partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation that all desire of meate and drinke is laid apart and lothsomnesse of all worldly things and pleasures commeth in place so that nothing then liketh them more than to weepe to lament to mourne and both with words and behaviour of body to shew thēselves weary of this life And * P. 86.87 There are three ends ' whereto Fasting should bee directed afterward it is delivered That there be three ends whereunto if our Fast be directed it is then a worke profitable to us and accepted of God The first is to chastise the flesh that it be not too wanton but tamed and brought into subjection to the spirit This respect had Paul in his Fast when he said I r 1 Cor. 9.27 chastise my body and bring it into subjection lest by any meanes it commeth to passe that when I have preached to other I my selfe be found a cast-away The second that the spirit may be more earnest and fervent to prayer To this end fasted the s Acts. 13.3 Prophets and Teachers that were at Antioch before they sent forth Paul and Barnabas to preach the Gospell The same Apostles fasted for the like purpose when they t Acts. 14.23 commended to God by their earnest prayers the congregation which were at Antioch Pysidia Iconium and Lystra as we read it in the Acts of the Apostles The third that our Fast be a testimony and witnesse with us before God of our humble submission to his High Majesty when we confesse acknowledge our sinns unto him and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulnes of heart bewailing the same in the affliction of our bodies The Church of England hath appointed sundry times for Fasting more or lesse We are willed to fast at least from one meale every Eeve of such Saints dayes as the Kalender set afore the Common Prayer sheweth Wee are to Fast the whole day Of times when we ought to fast when a general publike Fast is enjoyned to continue all the day without meate and drinke till after Evening Prayer even untill night In the common Almanacke it is delivered that upon the Wednesday Friday and Saturday of every Ember weeke a Fast is to be observed And some say that upon the Munday in every such weeke also And the 31 Canō rendreth a reasō why fasting is to be in the foure Ember weekes namely because then prayer is to be made unto God after an especiall manner for to send downe his Holy Spirit into those which receive holy orders on the Sunday next following For the foure solemne times appointed for the making of Ministers are the foure Sundaies immediately following the Ember weekes It is also a custome to Fast on Ash wensday and likewise on good Friday And the Epistle and Gospell appointed for the first day of Lent doe make mention of Fasting and from thence we may learne to begin Lent with Fasting at least from one meale on that day The Collect for the Sunday of Lent doth very divinely informe us concerning Fasting saying O Lord which for our sake didst fast u Mat 4.2 forty dayes and forty nights give us grace to use such w 1 Pet. 2.11 1 Pet. 4.1.2.3 abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit wee may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousnesse and true holinesse The fasting prescribed to bee observed all the Lent is an abstinence from flesh an usual abstaining from that which doth cherish blood with blood according as Daniel signifieth to have abstained saying I x Dan. 10.2 3. Daniel was mourning three full weekes I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth It is observed also that in ancient times in keeping a publike or private fast people tooke an austere repast some coorse fare in the Evening after abstinence the whole day * As some doe in these times For to forfeit a Noones meale and then to recompence themselves at night was not their use Now concerning other fastings at other times read the whole Homily of the same The Lord saith by his Prophet Ioel y Ioel 2.12 13 15. Turne ye even to me with all your heart and with fasting c. Gather the people sanctifie the congregation assemble the Elders gather the Children and those that sucke the breasts let the Bridgroome goe forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet The z Ionah 3.7 8. fast of the Ninevites is thus proclaimed to bee Let neither man nor beast herd nor flocke taste any thing let them not feed nor drinke water But let man and Beast be covered with Sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turne every one from his evill way and from the violence that is in their hands The Lord by Isaiah signifieth the true use of fasting by a Isa 58.3 4 5 6 7. reproving the Iewes for their neglect of the same saying Behold in the day of your fast you finde pleasure and exact all your labours Behold yee fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednes ye shall not fast as ye doe this day to make your voyce to be heard on high Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man
a Sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory f Psal 84.11 no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke uprightly Saint Iohn saith Whatsoever we aske g 1 Ioh. 3.22 we receive of him because wee keepe his Commandement and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight And Isaiah saith unto Christs Church Behold the darknesse shall cover the earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seene upon h Isa 60.2 thee Saint Paul saith to the Ephesians In Christ also after that ye beleeved ye were i Ephes 1.13.14 sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Yea Saint Peter signifieth that if faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnes and charity be in us and abound we shall never k 2 Pet. 1.10 11. fall but so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Many more are the blessings which accompany Gods true Religion now in this life present which a devout soule may observe signified throughout all the Scriptures and the books of Divine Service Read Deuteronomy 28. Isaiah 60. and observe the 7. sundry blessings promised by Christ in Mat. 5. and to what conditioned people they are made likewise the 7. promises or blessings signified to the seven Churches of Asia in Rev. 2 3 CHAP. 100. Against separating from the Church of England by law established under the Kings Majesty in any manner IN the third part of the * T. 1. p. 36. Homily concerning good works it is signified That the world from the beginning untill Christs time was ever ready to l Exod. 32.1 7 8. fall from the Commandements of God and to seeke other meanes to honour and serve him m 1 Sam. 15.21 22 23. after a devotion found out of their owne heads and how they did set up their owne n Mat. 15.3 6 9. traditions as high or above Gods Commandements which hath happened also in our times the more it is to be lamented no lesse than it did among the Iewes and that by the corruption or at least by the o Mat. 13.25 26. negligence of them that chiefly ought to have preserved the pure and heavenly doctrine left by Christ What man having any judgement or learning joyned with a true zeale unto God doth not see and lament to have entred into Christs Religion such p 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. false doctrine superstition idolatry hypocrisie and other q 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. enormities and abuses so as by little and little through the sowre leaven thereof the sweet r Rev 11 3 7 8. bread of Gods holy Word hath been much hindred and layed apart For the reforming of the which the like things amisse the holy Fathers of the Church of England by the assent and consent of the Royall Majesty set forth the book of common Prayer the book of Homilies and the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons for to declare the true worship of Almighty God and to be used in the publike performance of the same They also for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the stablishing of consent touching true Religion composed 39. Articles concerning fundamental matter in religion And for to keepe decency order and uniformity of Christian life throughout the whole Church there are made Constitutions Canons Ecclesiasticall 141. Moreover for the instruction of scholers in schooles and likewise for the use of all other people there is set forth by publike authority a Catechisme of a larger and of a shorter forme which is commonly called Nowels Catechisme And it expoundeth the 10. Commandements the 12. Articles of the Creed the 6. Petitions of the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Baptisme the Supper of the Lord There is also the booke called God and the King which every subject ought to have for to be minded most constātly resolved according to the information of the same booke These aforesaid books are the bookes of the established doctrine discipline of the Church of England Now besides those books the law instruction or teaching of the Church our ſ Prov. 6.20 21 22 23. mother There is also the whole holy Bible by the appointmēt of the royal Majesty the ministery of learned Doctors in the Church t 1 Cor. 14.12.19 Hab. 22. Psal 67.2 set forth into our mother tongue and so published as that every man woman child may enjoy it for to u Ps 119.9 conforme their minds lives according to all the everlasting commandements of the same Seeing then that the Church of England doth thus w Phil. 2.16 hold forth the word of life eternall cherisheth nourisheth up her members therin even from their very infancie for so it is her ordinance that every particular person should be educated how greatly doe they sinne which doe in any manner x Iude 19. separate from her But some will say That shee her selfe is separated from other Christian Churches with which shee was at unity in times past Let us heare the words of the Church her selfe concerning this matter written in her 30 Canon where it is said So farre was it from the purpose of the Church of England to forsake and reject the Churches of Italy France Spaine Germany or any such like Churches in all things which they held and practised that as the Apologie of the Church of England confesseth it doth with reverence retaine those Ceremonies which doe neither endamage the Church of God nor offend the mindes of sober men and onely departed from them in those particular points wherein they were fallen both from themselves in their ancient integrity and from the Apostolicall Churches which were their first Founders There are others of sundry kinds which say we separate not from the Church but from her errors and from her superstitions or from her imperfections If any one will unpartially by all Gods expresse word examine what those wise ones in their owne eyes doe finde fault withall in any of the aforementioned bookes of the Church and what they doe y Isa 50.11 Ier. 16.20 setup to themselves for to follow hee cannot but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ which at length z Psal 25.12 13 14. Iohn 7.17 Mat. 7.7 8. bringeth every one into the way of truth which unfeinedly seeketh it for to walke faithfully therein unto his lives end plainly perceive that such have no more cause to separate in regard of any particular than others have in regard of the generall deliveries by the aforesaid Church of England in the bookes above named To God onely wise bee glory through Iesus Christ for ever Amen FINIS
Scriptures into our mother tongue to be faithfull and meet for vs both to heare and read yea and to settle our beliefe therein and ought we not also to ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church in her x 1 Thes 5.20 prophecying or sermon making her composing of the Homilies for our instruction in the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures Wee pray unto God as her wisedome hath prescribed we heare and read for holy Scripture as her wisedome hath translated and ought we not with like conscionable respect to heare and read the exhortations interpretations applications c. in her Homilies set forth for Doctrine refutation correction and instruction in righteousnesse as her wisdome hath delivered unto us The great authority of the deliveries in the Homilies may appeare unto us out of this consideration When wee heare a Pastour Curate or Lecturer preach wee heare deliveries which are but the wisdome of a private Minister But when wee heare a Homily read wee heare deliveries which are the wisdome of the Church or for approbation whereof the whole Churches Clergie have written their * See the Epistle to the Reader and the Advertisement afterward Of the Curates making a short exhortation to the people when iust occasion is thereunto assent Concerning exhortation in publike it is said in the Rubricke after the Nicene Creed After such sermon homily or exhortation the Curate shall declare unto the people whether there be any holy-dayes or fasting dayes the weeke following and earnestly exhort them to remember the poore saying one or moe of these sentences following as hee thinketh most convenient by his discretion In the * T. 2. p. 138. Homily of Common prayer and Sacraments a saying of Iustinus Martyr is related viz. Vpon the Sunday assemblies are made both of them that dwell in Cities and of them that dwell in the Countrey also Amongst whom as much as may bee the writings of the Apostles and Prophets are read Afterwards when the reader doth cease the chiefe Minister maketh an exhortation exhorting them to follow honest things In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 3. Homily concerning the right use of the Church there is mentioned what the Ruler of the Temple in Antiochia signified unto Paul and Barnabas after the lesson or reading of the Law and Prophets viz. If any of you have any exhortation to make unto the people y Acts 13.15 say it That exercise which now is cōmonly called preaching answereth much to the aforesaid exhortation yea exhortation is part of a preaching as Paul saith z 1 Cor. 14.3 He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort But the exhortation here now meant is a short speech made unto the people which is allowed by authority yea required in sundry cases As when a briefe is read then to exhort the people unto a Rom. 12.13 2 Cor. 9 5. contribution by alleaging some Scriptures and reasons whereby the more to move them to the same When poore parties are to be married and doe desire an Offering then an b Heb. 10.24 Gal. 2.10 1 Tim. 6.17 18. exhortation may be made unto the Congregation for to stirre them unto liberality Sundry occasions doe sometimes come to passe needing some short exhortation for matters better administration CHAP. 47. Of expounding the Scriptures and of preaching also of peoples hearing sermons IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 4. Homily concerning the right use of the Church it is said That it is convenient that the Scriptures of God and specially the Gospell of our Saviour Christ should be read and expounded to us that be Christians in our Churches c. It is written in Nehemiah that the Priests read in the Law of God distinctly and gave the c Neh. 8.7 8. sense and caused the people to understand the reading Of Preaching Concerning preaching the aforesaid part of that Homily also delivereth In Luke ye reade how Iesus according to his accustomed use came into the Temple and how the booke of Isaias the Prophet was delivered him how hee read a Text therein and made a d Luke 4.16 17 18 19 20 21. sermon upon the same In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 54. Homily concerning falling from God it is said God doth send his Messengers the true preachers of his Word to e Isa 58.1 admonish and warne us of our duty The 45. constitution of the Church is Every beneficed man allowed to bee a preacher and residing on his benefice having no lawfull impediment shall in his owne Cure or in some other Church or Chappell where he may conveniently neare adjoyning where no preacher is preach one sermon every sunday of the yeare wherein he shall soberly and sincerely f 2 Tim. 2.15 divide the word of truth to the glory God and to the g 1 Cor. 14.12 Of the dignity of preaching according to holy Church her prescription best edification of the people Such a preaching of Gods Word is an exercise worthily had in high account It hath the operation of Gods Spirit commonly accompanying it into the hearts of the hearers The h Heb. 4.12 Word of God divided aright is quicke and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Saint Paul saith An i 1 Cor. 14.24 25. unbeleever comming in where prophesie or faithfull preaching is becommeth to be convinced in conscience The secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling downe on his face hee will worship God and report that of a truth God is in the Preacher How k Act. 2.41 powerfull was the sermon of Peter which he made to the Iewes by the inspiration of Gods Spirit and the same Spirits operation in the hearts of his hearers The Lord said by Ieremiah concerning some Prophets If they had l Ier. 23.27 28 29. stood in my Counsell and had caused my people to heare my words then they should haue turned them from their evill wayes and from the evill of their doings He that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully Is not my word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces The Apostle saith If our Gospell be m 2 Cor. 4.3 4 hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of them that beleeve not lest the light of the glorious gospell of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Of Peoples hearing of Sermons Now concerning peoples hearing of sermons it is said in the exhortation at the end of Baptisme-service That Children may know the better what their godfathers and godmothers promised and vowed in their names they shall be called upon to