ownces of Gold so deare is the friendship of these holy fathers The other proposed to Lewes the Emperor such cōditions as no bondslaue-would haue bene contented to admit that is y t he should come vnto him within three dayes forsake the title of y t Empyre yeeld into his hands himself his wife his children and al his goods neuer to receiue any of them again but at his pleasure Looke Abbas Vrspergēs Hiero Marius you shall see those things so set forth as it would cause any reasonable hart to abhorr thē I should hold you to long if I shoulde at large sette forth theire vuiust dealing in altering and trausposing Kingdoms and continuall indeuour to make all princes subiect to them First as touching the Empire where the Emperour of Constantinople had alway his Deputie in Italie for the rule of the West part the Bishops of Roome by the ayde of the Frenche Kinges wreasted oute the Emperoures Deputies and tourned that whole power to themselues Afterward about the yeare of our Lorde 800. contrarye to all right Leo made Charles the greate his great Benefactour Emperoure of the weast and gaue occasyon of most deadly warres betweene the Emperoures of the East and of the Weast About y ◠yeare of our Lord 920 they again transferred the Empyre of the Weast from the French Kinges among whome it had a good time remayned vnto the Germaines where at this daye it yet continueth But they vsed not this onely in the Empyre but well neare in all the Principallities of Christendome Did not Zacharie most iniuriously without any reasonable pretence transferre the Kingdome of Fraunce from Childerike and the stocke of Clodouei wherein it had from the beginning continued vnto Pipine that had no right vnto it and without anye quarrel discharged the Frenche men of their othe of allegiance sworn to their King Childrike being then alyue Did not Adrian the first vnmercifully deliuer Bercha the widdow of Charlemaine her two sonnes heires of the Kingdome in captiuitie to Charles the yonger brother y t had no right vnto it only because hee woulde not displease Charles but winne him to be his friende as his Father Pipine had bene Howe they sette vp and pulled downe Emperoures at their pleasure howe they altered the Tytle and righte of the Kingdome of Arragon of Naples of Sicilie of Englande Hystories doe largely declare Whensoeuer they did for any quarrell excommunicate a realme their penaunce in absolution was euer to paye a great summe of money to the Sea of Rome to make the kingdome feodable vnto the Bishop wherein they sought to make all Realmes and Princes Vassals and slaues vnto them Which was so fully brought to passe in the time of Boniface the eyght that he openly vaunted that he had the full power of both Swordes and all Kinges to haue their principallitie at his handes and hee immediatelye of God and this doctrine hath bene taught euer since by the mainteiners of y ◠sea The time cutteth me of frō matter y ◠I haue to say in this point I will gather therefore to a cōclusion of this part Seing the Popes thēselues whom they count y ◠pillers of their religion y ◠heads of y ◠church y ◠Vicars of Christ that are lead as they saye by the Holye Ghost that cannot erre that haue knowledge of truth and interpretation of scripture in their harts seing I say they are found proued by their own histories to be in ambitiō so outragious in vniust and wicked dealing so horible in pride and crueltie so detestable I leaue their couetousnes for that time doth exclude me what shall we thinke of the inferiour sorte shall we thinke that they did their duety when the other nothing mynded it Such as the spring and Fountayne is suche is the Water of the Streame Such as the roote is such is the Tree branches Such as the maister is such are his Schollers Suche as the head is such are the members If the Spring be corrupt the Roote putrifyed the Mayster wicked the head greeuously diseased we must needes haue naughtye streames putrifyed Braunches miching Schollers and sicke members of the body The holyest of that sorte were men that were couered vnder the Lambe skinnes of Fasting praying and forsaking of the world and yet Vnder these Titles had they gotte them the riches of the world and their liues were so notable that in the common voyce of men there was no ill tale but a Freere or a Religious manne was at the one end of it Now as touching that the aduersaries obiect against vs loosenesse of manners and dissolute life and with eger spirites erie that since our doctrine hath begun in the worlde nothing hath increased but falshood craft deceipt periurie hatred malice strife contention sedition warre and murder lecherie wantonnesse vncleanenesse sectes diuisions and all mischiefe and trouble Oh dearely beloued this is a greeuous and heauy accusation that whereas by Gods singular benefite the doctrine of repentance remission of sinnes and newnesse of life is taught among vs more distinctly more truely and sincerely than euer it was before yet that godlynesse of lyfe and honest conuersation should not followe This surely should be an heauie corsie to our hartes if we be true Christians and in deede fauour the Gospel For although this sclaūderous accusation hath euer followed the Gospell euen in Christes owne tyme and at this daye God be praised is not so iust and true as our aduersaries would haue it seeme to be Yet wee must confesse before the face of God and his Angels and before all the Saintes and Creatures of God both in heauē and earth that the doctrine of the Gospell hath not brought forthe suche fruites of godlye conuersation as it shoulde haue done and that the blessed seede of his heauenly worde through the barraine grounde of our corrupt heartes hath not so prospered as our dueties require that it should haue done For in deede the most part we confesse remayne in deepe securitie ouer whelmed with the corruption of thys lyfe and pleasures of the world Neither can we denie that with manye this wholesome doctrine hath not onely not brought forth conuenient fruites but is vsed as a cloake of licentiousnesse and dissolute libertie and as a meanes to Spoyle the goods patrimonie of the Church which they seeke wholly to imploy to the pampering of their owne pleasures not to the furtherance of Gods seruice Wherfore in the feare of God I exhorte you that you will continually and earnestly call vpon him in your hartie prayers that by the grace of his holy spirit he will mollifie mens hartes and make them good grounde and beate into their remembraunce that whatsoeuer colour they cast vpon them selues by profession of the Gospell yet by the testimonie of their owne consciences they are conuinced within them selues and by their fruites declare vnto the worlde openlye that they are
it must not adde diminish alter or change or otherwise by wrested interpretatioÌ„ draw it to another meaning then the Analogie of our fayth and the conference of one place with another place of it in it self may warrant And therefore it is strangely written of Hossius that if a man haue the Interpretation of the Sea of Roome vppon anye place of the Scriptures though he knowe not nor cannot vnderstande howe it can possibly agree with the wordes of Scripture yet is it sayeth hee the moste certaine worde of GOD. Yea they say that the interpretation of the scripture Varyeth with the practise of the Church so that as that changeth the interpretation of the Scripture chaungeth also Of this Vsurpation of authoritie ouer the worde of GOD and of this discrediting of the scriptures it commeth not onelye that they make in manye places Interpretations repugnant to the Text as when they interprete Datur for Offertur and Facite for Sacrificate But also that the moste parte of their Doctrines are contrarye to the expresse wordes of GOD and the Analogie of oure fayth As by example of a fewe you shall take the measure of the residue As for interpretations when Christ sayth in the matter of the Sacrament This is my body that is say they this is Transubstantiated or hath the substance of it turned into my Body contrary to all writers and the nature of al tongues expounding est the Verbe substantiue is by Transubstantiatur Let them shew eyther any auncient Father yea or anye latine writer that euer did the like and let them take the victorie Agayne where Christ sayth This is my body that is Giuen for you that is say they that is Offered for you So that that which he meÌ„t to be giuen to death vpon the crosse as al good christians vnderstand the place they to mayntayne their Sacrifice of the Masse drawe it to this that Christ then presently in the time of the Ministration offered his body to God the Father in waye of a Sacrifice And so for to mayntayne a deuise of their owne they doe robbe the people of God of that sweete promise and comfortable legacie wherein Christe in his last will assureth them that his body shoulde be giuen to Death for their redemtion In like manner when christ sayth Do this in remembraunce of me that is say they Sacrifice this in my remembraunce Wherein with as great absurditie as before they doe peruerte the meaning of Christ For where his purpose was to giue a warrante to all christian people to vse and celebrate this Sacrament in remembraunce of his death they bring it to bee spoken to Priestes only wringing them vtterly contrary to that exposition of Christes wordes whiche S. Paule maketh 1. Cor 11. saying So often as you eate this bread and drinke this Cuppe you shewe the Lordes death vntill he come Nowe as touching their Doctrines repugnaunte to Gods word you shall â—â—te these few examples in steede of many mo The Scripture teacheth that we haue redemption and iustification by fayth in Christes blood onelye without the helpe of our owne Vertues and good workes For S. Paule saith Therefore we gather that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the lawe And to the Ephe. 2. Ye are iustified by grace and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast And yet if wee beleeue not that our workes doe helpe vs to our iustification and remission of sinnes the Churche of Rome will condemne vs as Heretikes The scriptures teach vs that Christ By once offering himselfe on the Crosse made perfect all them that are sanctified For so saith S. Paule to the Hebr. And yet by the Churche of Rome are they horrible heretikes that say there is not daylye sacrifice propitiatorie for our sinnes in their Masse The scriptures teach vs y t Christ is ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of God the Father and from thence and no place else he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead yet contrarie to this article of our faith and contrarie to the nature of Christes humanitie if wee beleeue not that Christ euen in his fleshe is still in earth with vs yea and that in a. 1000. places at once we must be pronouÌ„ced detestable heretikes The scripture saith in the vse of the Lordes Supper Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye all of this The Churche of Rome saith it is heresie to affirme that y e lay people should drinke of the Lordes Cuppe The scriptures say Thou shalt make thee no grauen image nor thou shalte not bow downe to worship it The Church of Rome saith it is godlye to haue the churche full of Images to kneele downe before them to set vp candels to them and with incense to honour them The scripture saith In the Church it is better to speake fiue wordes vnderstanded to edifie than to speake tenne thousande in a tongue not vnderstanded yet you knowe the churche of Rome hath defined it that it is more fruitfull and godly to haue all the diuine seruice in a straunge and vnknowen tongue Wherefore howe truely they can claime to haue this first marke of Christes churche I doubte not but those consciences that haue the feare of God can easily perceiue As for the sacraments it is not onely sufficient to haue them but to haue those that Christ appoynted and to vse them accordyng to hys institution Saint Ambrose sayth verie notablye Qui aliter presumunt accipere quam Christus instituit deuotus esse non potest i. Hee that presumeth to receaue it he meaneth the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ after another sorte then Christ hath ordained can not be accounted to be truely deuoute But howe they haue altered the Sacraments both in number and in the right vse of them no man almost can bee ignoraunt Where the Scriptures mention but two they haue appointed seuen I will not now stand vpon the number of sacramentes I will speake only of those which both parts agree to be sacraments Baptisme the Lordes Supper First as touching Baptisme we teache not onely as some falsely father vppon vs that it is signum Initiale a Signe wherby we be first consecrated Christians but wee adde also that we by faith and the operation of the holy Ghost doe put on Christ as a garment that is that wee haue him so fastened and appropriated to vs that he is ours and wee his and that he hydeth and couereth our nakednesse according as S. Paule saith As many as are Baptized haue put on Christ We beleeue and teache that Baptisme is to Christians the Fountaine of life whereby our sinnes are washed away So saith S. Peter Baptizetâ—r vnusquisque vestrum in nomine Jesu in remissionem peccatoruÌ„ i. Let euerie one of you
And yet doth Irenaeus confute the same Heretiks by those bokes of holy Scriptures which they themselues allowed Now as it was necessary in this case for those fathers for trial of truth to resort to the Succession of the Apostolicall churches that the scriptures in them reserued from the Apostles time mighte bee of more authoritie among them that beleeued not the scriptures So it is not necessary so to deale agaynst them which willingly and gladly submit themselues to all the partes of the Canonicall scriptures Neither do those Fathers stay vpō these churches because of their ordinary Successiō as the patrones of the church of Roome now doe but because in that ordinarye Succession the Doctrine of the Fathers was still kept inuiolable according to the word of God Whiche thing if the Church of Roome were able to prooue wee would willingly yeelde vnto it That those learned Fathers did this it shall euidently appeare vnto you by the verye same places whiche they alleadge for their purpose Irenaeus sayth Presbyteris obaudire oportet qui successionem babent ab Apostolis i. We must heare or giue eare to the ministers which haue their suc cessyon from the Apostles But he sayeth not so onelye but immediately addeth Et cum Episcopatus Successione charisima veritatis certum secundum placitum patris acceperunt i. And together with the Succession in their Bisho pricke haue receaued also the certaine grace of true Doctrine according to the will of the Father And in the very next Chapter agayne after he had giuen certayn Markes of ill teachers much agreeing to the course of the Church of Roome at these dayes he addeth Of all suche persons we must beware and cleaue to them which as I haue sayde before both keepe the Doctrine of the Apostles and togither with the order of Priesthood shew wholesome and true teaching with honest conuersation of life Neither doth Irenaeus onlye thus replye vpon the Doctrine of the Apostles but the residue also of those Fathers whome they alleadge for the authoritye of Succession Tertul. sayth as he is alleaged by them Let them shew the beginninges of their Churches Let the Heretikes deuise some such Succession c. But marke I pray you what immediately followeth For their Doctrine being cōpared with the doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof wil euidently shew it selfe to be the doctrine neither of any Apostle nor any Apostolicall man Doth he not in playne words shew y ◠Succession without the Doctrine of the Apostles is nothing worth S. Augusti likewise against the Epist Fūdamentum c. when he hath reckoned vp those things which moued him to remayne in the church among which Successiō is but one He addeth No such thing is with you where is only a promise of persons teaching the truth which truth if it were so euidently declared that we might not iustly doubt of it it were to be preferred before all those thinges with whiche I am kept in the Church c. What can be more euident then that S. Aug. doth attribute more to truth of doctrine manifestly proued by the word of God then to Succession or any other token that can be alleaged Succession with continuance of Apostolical Doctrine ought to be of great authoritie but without it nothing It is notable that Tertullian hath in the Boke before alleaged How commeth it saith he that Heretikes are straungers and ennimies to the Apostles but only by the diuersity of their Doctrine which they deuise of their own brayn agaynst the Apostles Wherfore the corruption of scriptures and the exposition thereof is to be thought to be among thē where diuersitie of Doctrine contrarye to the Apostles is founde This is a notable witnesse agaynst the church of Roome whose Doctrines be so diuerse from the doctrine of y ◠primatiue church The sonnes of Aaron had more allowable Succession from Aaron than the Bishops of Rome haue from Peter and yet because they brought straunge Fyre into the Temple of God they were reiected and perished Euen so sayth Cyprian Those which in the Churche of God do imitate them and contemning the truth deliuered by God desire strange doctrines and bring into the church the instruction of humain ordinance them Christ sharpely rebuketh in the Gospel saying You cast away the commaundement of God that you may place your own deuises c. Annas and Cayphas had full Succession from Aaron yet were it hard therevpon to conclude that they had the righte of the true Churche and Christe and his Disciples to be Seismaticks Though they pretend to haue the ordinary Succession of Bishoppes in their Seas sure wee are that wee haue the Succession of the sincere Doctrine of our saluation which they haue not For if their Doctrine be cōpared with the Doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersitye contrarietie thereof it will appeare that it is the Doctrine neyther of the Apostles nor of anye Apostolicall men The Doctryne of the Apostles is that Christe is not onelye GOD Eternall with the Father but that hee is Manne also taking fleshe of the blessed Virgine in all thinges like vnto vs sinne only excepted and that in his humanitie hee is nowe ascended into Heauen and sitteth perpetually at the right hand of the father But the Doctrine of the Church of Roome telleth vs that the humanitie of Christ and his very naturall body and blood are really and carnally not in heauen alone but in tenne thousande places also on the earth at one instante the whiche propertye is peculier to God alone For nothing but God can be in moe places but one at once As the whole scriptures declare The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is by God appoynted to be our only Mediatour Reconciler Aduocate and intercessoure to make attonemente betweene God and vs so often as our sinne shall seuer vs from him and that to that end he sitteth now at the right hande of God that he may appeare before him for vs. But the doctrine of the Church of Roome putting Christ out of office teacheth vs that beside Christ we haue an infinit number of Mediatours and Intercessours to procure vs fauoure and to make reconciliation betweene God and vs that is the whole number of the Aungels and Saintes in Heauen The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is our only Redeemer and sauyoure and by the price of his blood hath purchased for vs full and perfite remission of sinne But the Doctrine of Roome is that we haue remission of sins not onely by Christe but by the merites and prayers of saynts by our own good workes by Masses by Pardons by Purgatory by holy water a number of other things so that not without note of blasphemye they matche the vayne deuises of men for the remission of our sinnes with the Blood of the sonne of God the most excellente price of our
turne their studies to Lawe to Phisiche and to other purposes and will hardly be brought to the studde of Diuinitie but in no wise to followe the Ministerie But I will not tarrie longer in this matter althoughe I haue good matter to vtter in it The time doth abridge me I will returne to my purpose They that are ashamed of the Gospell in respect of worldly disdayue and trouble do not sufficiently consider that Christ in the middest of hys owne persecution and affliction saide that his kingdome was not of this world yea he sayde the world hated him because he detected the wickednesse of the worlde They therefore that will bee true followers of Christ may not looke to haue better intertainment in the world than Christ had himselfe If the world hate you sayth Christ you knowe that it hated mee before you If yee were of the worlde the worlde would surely loue that is his owne Because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therefore doth the world hate you The seruant is not aboue the maister If they persecuted me they will persecute you also And all these things shall they doe for my names sake And although wee be sure by Christes promyse that the worlde shall thus vse vs Yet consider how gratiously and mercifully he hath in these dayes delt with his scattered flocke Though Antichrist grenne and gnashe his teeth at vs Though the greatest powers of Europe be bent against vs yet as he promised by his Prophet Esay He hath giuen Kings to be nursing Fathers and Queens to be nursing mothers He hath raised to vs our most gratious soueraigne vnder whose protection praise be to his name for it we doe safely and quietly enioye the preaching of y ◠Gospell yea notw tstanding y e threatnings and indeuours of mighty aduersaries abrode some great enimies at home And yet still doth the say as I pray God she may long euer from hir heart say Non me pudet Euangelij c. I am not ashamed of the Gospell If any be so affected that they thinke the kingdome of Christ and his Gospell is but weake and worthie contempte because it is commonly tossed in daūger and trouble of the world and hath Princes more commonly against it then wyth it they are in that point much deceaued For thereby it may appeare that it is preserued kept by the mightie power of God and not by the vncertaine and brittle Fauour of Princes and worldly puisance which then commonly falleth most sodainly when it seemeth to men to florishe most gloriously to be in most high estate dignitie Looke in all the kingdomes of the earth if it hath not bene so But for the Church of God and Professors of his truth what a notable example is it of Diuine protection that when the whole world perished with the Deluge yet God in y ◠middest of the waters by the benefite of the Arke preserued his chosen sorte of the house of Noah from all daunger Likewise afterward Abraham and his posteritie was safe euen in the middest of the Caananites their enimies In Aegypt Gods people although for the time oppressed yet afterwarde myraculously were deliuered to the terrour of all Princes y ◠bend their power against God The same people were afterward fedde from heauen in the Desert when they despaired of foode and nourishment were planted in the land of Promise in despite of al their Enimyes preserued from extreame Ruine in great Chaunges Troubles and Banishments that the Relictes myght remayne whereof the Sauiour of the worlde Christ Jesu shoulde come c. ⸪ ¶ Certaine Sermons vppon this Texte of the Euangelist Beware of false Prophetes that come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly be rauening Wolues By their fruites you shall knovve them Mat. 7. 15. AS wee haue nothing deerelye beloued more precious in this worlde then the blessed Word of God and his heauenly Doctrine taken out of it so haue we not any kinde of persons more worthy to bee loued and had in estimation than those whom God sendeth to impart the same vnto vs. Agayne on the other side as nothing is more perilous and pernitious to Gods people than false and corrupt Doctrine contrarie to Gods holy will reuealed in the scriptures so is there no sort of men more to be shunned and taken heede of than false teachers whom Sathan thrusteth into y ◠church of God to corrupt that precious Treasure meane of our saluation Wherefore our Lord and Sauiour Christ after that he had made that notable Sermon in the Mount to his Disciples and had set forth the true interpretation of the Lawe of God giuen by Moyses and discouered the false Doctrine and hypocrisie of the Scribes Pharisies and had rightly instructed his hearers in the true exercise of Almes Prayer Fasting trust in God and other workes of charitie not contented herewith but knowing the malice of the Diuell that would leaue nothing vndone wherby all hys Disciples myght be seduced from the trueth of his doctrine In this place he carefully giueth them thys forewarning that they shoulde take heede of false Prophetes that should come to deceaue them and as rauening Wolues to deuour their Soules And first he describeth them what they be that they may the better take heede of them Secondly he giueth a note rule or marke whereby they may more easily be knowne There was neuer time in which this warning was more necessarie then in these our dayes when so many diuers doctrines are spred defended and the one repugnant vnto the other The patrons of the Church of Rome say that we be schismatikes heretikes false teachers and therefore doe they will the people to beware of vs. Againe the professors of the Gospell charge them with the like and say they are those false prophets of whome Christ giueth warning Let vs first therefore examine the description and afterward come to the rule wherby they may bee knowne that all men may vnderstande to whether partie both those things can be more iustly aptly applyed They shall come to you saieth Christ in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening Wolues This descriptiō is more largly declared by S. Paul Such false Apostles saith he are deceitfull workers and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ and no meruaile for Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light and therfore it is no great thing though his ministers transforme thēselues as though they were the ministers of righteousnesse c. And to the Thessa The comming of Antichrist is by working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceauablenes of righteousnesse That which Christ vttereth by a figuratiue speache That they should come in sheepes clothing that Saint Paule expoundeth to be their transformyng of themselues into the likenesse of Gods true ministers in
words make marchandise of your soules c. The same is noted also by S. Paule in way of Prophecie as S. Peter doth that such should come in the latter dayes in greate number For of this sort sayth he are they which crepe into mens houses and leade captiue simple women laden with sinne and lead with diuerse lustes Who seeth not in these Testimonies of the holy Scripture those religious Wolues described whiche in swarmes haue ouerwhelmed the face of the earth and with great shewe and pretence of holinesse and long prayer haue sought not the glory of God but their owne inestimable wealth of the world For by selling their Merits their Prayers their Masses their Pardons by Pilgrimages by Purgatory by absolutions by dispensations and a number of other deuises they haue not onely deuoured an infinite number of Christian soules but crepte into mens Testamentes and from wife and children and kinsfolk got into their clawes the Wealth and Riches of the world I would to God this were not so notoriouslye knowne that it needed no further declaration or proofe Wherefore when you see this Angelicall or Seraphicall shew of heauenly life in these inclosed Wolues haue not by and by their Doctrine in admiracion but looke carefullye vnto their clawes least they crepe within you ere you be ware The second shepes cloathing vnder which false Prophets do hide themselues is Ordinary power and authoritie Long Succession and lawful calling to the Ministerie And as I said before of honest conuersation and Goly life so I must saye of this that it is and ought to bee one of the bewtifull Ornamentes of Christs true sheepe whiche they oughte not to make light accoumpt of nor wythout it to thruste themselues into the Mynisterye of Gods true Doctrine as the Anabaptistes and other phanatical spirits do For S. Paule faith How shal they preach vnlesse they be sent And agayne No man vsurpeth this honor vnlesse he be called thervnto of God as Aaron was If it should be lawfull for euerye man to come into the office of preaching or ministering without ordinary caling there would be broughte into the Church a marueilous confusion of all thinges together with infinite Sects and Erroures But vnder this fayre Title and bewtifull Garment haue many Wolues and wicked Heretiks crept into the church as after you shall perceiue And Christes warning in this place principallye toutheth suche for hee directeth his speeche agaynste the Scribes Pharisies and high Priestes that then were in ordinary Succession calling and authoritie And lykewise doth the spirite of God in al the course of the scriptures both of the old and new Testamēt Moyses sayth If there shall rise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer In medio tui sayth he euen among you or in the middest of you He sayth not a straunger or Forrener comming frō some other place but among you And Esay His watchmen are blinde and know nothing And a little after Behold their Sheapheards are voyd of vnderstanding They are all gone euery man after his owne way And in Hieremie In the Prophets of Hierusalem I saw abhominacion c. Filthinesse and vncleanes is proceded from the Prophets of Hierusalem ouer the whole earth And agayne My people is become a lost flocke theire Sheapheards haue deceiued thē and made thē to wander in the mountains And Ezec. Her Priestes haue peruerted my law vnaduisedlye and haue prophaned my Sanctuarie You sayth Malachi to the Priests haue gon out of the waye and haue caused manye to fall by the lawe Nothing can bee more playne then that whiche Paule speaketh to the Ministers of Ephesus c. I knowe this sayth he That after my departure shall greeuous Wolues enter in among you not sparing the flock Of your own selues shal men arise speaking peruers things to draw disciples after them And Saint John From among vs they came but they were not of vs. Yea S. Paule sayeth that Antechrist shoulde sitte not among Heathen persons or Infidels but in Templo Dei in the Church of God Wherfore you may not maruell though we say that false prophets greeuous wolues are his vnder this fayre shepes cloathing of ordinary Authority succession and calling for the spirite of God hath told vs that it hath so beene and shoulde so bee to the worldes ende You may not therefore thinke that Ordinarie authoritie and calling is a full and iust proofe of good Doctrine or of true preachers Wolues haue deuoured the Flocke vnder that clothing yea suche they haue beene that haue most cruellye persecuted Gods good prophers and the doctrine that they haue taught Who persecuted Hieremie and the other Prophets were they not those that sayde Templū domini Templū domini i. The Tēple of the Lorde The Tēple of the Lord And Nūquid veritas discedet á Sacerdotibus i. Shal the truth depart frō the Priests Were it not they y t stroke Micheas and caused Hieremie to bee cast into prison Who were they that put Christ to death and persecuted his Apostles Doe not the Euangelistes and Actes of the Apostles euidently declare it Doth not Christe giue his Disciples warning that it should bee so These things saith he haue I spoken vnto you that you may not be offended They shall excommunicate you out of their synagoges al for my names sake Were it not they that had ordinary Calling Succession that hadde Authoritye to excommunicate Seing then by testimonie of the Scriptures we learne y t it hath alway bene so among the people of god and the Scriptures witnes in way of Prophecie that in the latter dayes it shoulde bee so Why may not the faythfull people of God greatelye feare that nowe also in our age the false Prophettes bee hid vnder the cloake of Ordinary calling and Succession For this Cause did God extraordinarily rayse and set vp his true Prophets which might sharpely blame reproue those false Maisters Teachers y t did abuse this countenāce of ordinary Successiō Authority to deceaue Gods people carry thē from the law of god to superstition Idolatry Which prophets of god not w tstanding y t ordinary calling succession of the other in many places do tearme them Dumbe Dogs Idle sheapheards deceauers Lions Wolues Foxes Murderers c. And for so doing they which were in ordinary authority did esteeme thē as factious seditious stubborne obstinate deceauers of y t people It hath pleased the mercifull prouidēce of God likewise in these latter days extraordinarily to raise vp mightily to defend certain learned men and Godly preachers whiche might reueale vnto y e world earnestly reproue cōfound the great horrible corruptiō both of doctrine māners y ◠haue now these many yeares ben brought into y ◠church w t fagot fyre maintained by thē y t chalenge to themselues ordinary power
is true in vs or at the least they haue no likely pretence in truth to saye the contrarye On the contrarye parte the Doctrines of the Churche of Roome are either manifestlye repugnaunte to this confession in sunderye thinges or greatly imparing or disgracing the same Therefore their Preachers are false Prophets and not of God for not only doth he denie Iesus to be Christe that grosely in flat wordes so sayth or he that playnly denieth christ to be the sonne of God as Cerinthius other auncient heretikes did but he also that couertly vndirectly by false doctrines worketh the same by teaching other men to seke other Sauiors Mediators Intercessors maisters and directours to saluatioÌ„ besyde him that sayth I am the way the truth the life or which by instructing them otherwise in Christs SacrameÌ„ts other ordinaÌ„ces theÌ„ he himself hath coÌ„maÌ„ded appointed For profe y t the church of Roome doth this first let this Doctrine bee examined whereby they teach that the very Reall and Naturall body of Christ is in a thousand places at once that is in so many places as there are Ostes consecrated This Doctrine impeacheth the principall Article of oure fayth that christ of y â— blessed Virgine tooke flesh and had a very true and naturall body as we haue Sinne onelye excepted It is the property of God only to be in manye places at once As Christes body is now after his asseÌ„tion glorifyed and is transformed to a greater bewty brightnesse so yet it remaineth a very true substantiall bodye And to teach that the body of Christ is in manye places or euery where as his Deitie is doeth make an open gappe to the Heresie of Abbot Eutiches which taught y t Christe his humanitie was swallowed vp with y t Maiestie of hys Godhead and so became a diuine thing Furthermore for y t proofe of their errors in this Article let their doctrine be examined of the Popes Suâ—remacie wherby it is taught that he is the vniuersall Bishop generall Lord Maister and Gouernour of the whole catholike church that he hath authoritie to pardon sinnes to deliuer Soules out of Purgatory to destribute the merites of Christ of his Saints to dispence w t the ordinances of Christ to alter y t institucioÌ„ and vse of his instruments to coyne newe Articles of oure Faith of necessitie to be beleeued cleane without any Authoritie of Gods word all which things are only in duetye and in truth to be attributed to Christe and to none other as before I haue declared The second Article of doctrine is why Christe came in fleshe and what benefite mankinde hath by it When as Gods iust wrath against sinne committed by our fyrst parentes was so greeuous that no Creature in Heauen or in earth was able in anye parte to appease the same by the vnestymable goodnesse of GOD his onlye and dearely beloued sonne became a sacrifice to appease his wrath and displeasure and to reconcile vs to his Father and by his death passion and resurrection procured for vs recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ with his father remissioÌ„ of sinne righteousnes before god and eternall life in heauen These be the Fruites and benefites that we haue by Christs coÌ„ming in fleshe Here agayne we haue to call to our remembrance the note that is before spoken of touching the highnes and exellencie of the meane of our saluation For if the same in part or in all could haue bene wrought by any other creatures in Heauen or earth the wisedome of God would neuer haue giuen his sonne to death to procure the same benefites for vs. But that he might declare how odious and displeasaunt Sinne was to God he let vs by this meanes vnderstande that the offence thereof could not be taken away nor mankinde to him bee reconciled but onelye by the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus his son Good Christians must then assuredly perswade themselues that they haue reconciliation with God remission of sinne iustification before God sanctification of the holy Ghost and the heritage of eternall life by the excellencye and fulnesse of Christ his death and passyon only only I say and by nothing else For as I haue sayde Christ is the only full and perfect meane of our saluation as the whole course of the Scripture teacheth vs. Esay the Prophet many yeares before Christ came in fleshe signified thus much and cryeth to all them that hunger and thyrst after saluation that they should come and receaue it plentifully and freelye of the mercy of God in Christe and blameth them for seeking for saluation and the satisfying of their hungry and thirstie soules by any other meanes then y â— O sayth he all ye that thyrst come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bie Wine Milke without money Wherefore do you lay out your siluer for that that is no bread bestow your labor for that which doth not satisfye you hearken dilligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soules delight in fatnesse incline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue c. By these wordes I haue sayde the Prophet calleth vs to receaue the comfortable water and sustenaunce of the Gospell which offereth full saluation and satisfying of our hungry soules freelye by Christ and sharpely rebuketh them that leauing christ seeke after other meanes by which in deede their hungrie desyre of Remission and Saluation in anye parte cannot be satisfyed and for that cause hee sayeth Theire Syluer is bestowed and theire Laboure spente in vayne Christ himself may seeme to expounde this prophecye and apply vnto himselfe in playne wordes that whiche the prophet heare speaketh in a figuratiue borrowed speech for he sayth Whosoeuer thirsteth let him come to mee and drinke And agayne Al ye that trauaile be heauy loden come vnto me and I will refreshe you The Apostles do fully in their doctrine iustifye y â— same Peter sayth There is no saluation in any other c. Neyther is there any other name giueÌ„ vnder heaueÌ„ wherby you shalbe saued c. And S. Paule It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwel and by him to reconcile all thinges to himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his Crosse both the thinges in earth and the thinges in Heauen And again in the same Epist In whome are hidde all the Treasures of wisedome knowledge c. in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily you are complete in him which is the head of all pricipalitie Marke that he sayth We are complete in him and therfore neede we no other meanes of saluation And this our sweete Apostles S. John who teacheth vs this triall of spirits sayth The blood of Christe Iesus the sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The same Apostle maye seeme not onelye
not good trees but such as shall bee cut downe and cast into the fire That by the iust iudgement of GOD if they repent not they heape vnto themselues the iust wrath and displeasure of GOD not onely by plagues and punishmentes in thys lyfe but also eternally in hell wyth the Diuell and his Angells That by theyr wicked example they offende other and eyther lead them into lyke euyll doyng or so cause them to bee greened in conscience wyth the sight of their euyll lyfe that for the fame they mislyke the Gospell reuolte from it and therefore that God will require the bloud of suche at their handes and in the daye of iudgement wyll make it more tollerable for Sodome and Gomorrha then for them Finallye that by this meanes they open the mouthes of the enimyes to blaspheme the Gospell so that the worde of gods trueth is by them yll spoken of amonge the Gentiles As this admonition toucheth all states of men so principally and most nyghly it toucheth Noble men and Gentlemen and suche as be in high estate because their doynges are most seene and of most men followed Yea Sathan wyll bee more diligent and hath more meanes to assault them than any other because hee knoweth the fall and ouer throwe of one suche by example and imitation dothe drawe downe a great number of other For the inferiours thinke that lawfull and well done that they see practised of theyr superiours and betters The great personages therefore offende dubble first in the yll it selfe and secondlye in the yll example wherewith they corrupt other Wherefore dearely beloued let both them and vs carefully consider these things followyng that GOD hath performed the othe of our deliuerance and by the bloud of his sonne raunsomed vs from our sinnes not that wee should continue in the same but that we should serue him in holinesse righte ousnesse all the dayes of our life That in our Baptisme we bound our selues and conenaunted with God to forsake the Diuell and all his workes That wee be the worke of God framed in Christ Jesu to these good workes that he hath prepared for vs to walke in◠That wee are by Christ made the children of God and therefore that we should bee perfect in al goodnesse as our father in heauen is perfect holye as he is holy that hath called vs That wee bee the children of light and therefore should detest the workes of darkenesse That we are of the houshold of God and Citizens together with his Saintes and therfore that our conuersation should be heauenly and in heauen as S. Paule saith Conuersatio nostra in caelis est i. Our conuersation is in heauen That wee be now the light of the worlde and therefore our vertues and good workes shoulde shyne before men that they seeyng the same maye glorifye GOD our Father that is in Heauen That wee are the Souldiours of Christ and therefore ought to stande valiauntlye against all the assaultes of the Diuell the worlde and the fleshe to the ende that when wee haue manfully ended our lyfe wee maye receaue that immortall crowne of glory which he hath layde vp not for vs onely but for all them that loue his comming These thinges deerely beloued should sufficiently moue vs y ◠professe the Gospel to remēber our dueties toward God in honest conuersation be as sharpe spurres vnto vs to prick vs forward to repentance especially such as hither to by wanting of their dutie haue bene stumblyng blockes to other But although the blessed doctrine of the Gospell be despised of many which making shewe thereof haue brought forth either very small fruits or none at al but haue to their owne condēnatiō and heauy iudgment wared worse thē before yet y ◠same heauē earth before whō we confesse acknowledge our faultes can testifie that there bee many godly hartes in whom it hath wrought very good and plentifull fruites and of drimkardes made verie sober persons of dissolute Lecherers chaste and godly spouses of couetous cormorantes liberall distributers to the poore of blasphemous swearers reuerent rememberers of the name of God of ruffinlye worldlings diligent seruauntes in the house of God Finally of such as haue bene giuen ouer to the lust of the worlde and the fleshe it hath made persons so vtterly mortified as for Christ and his Gospell they contemne friendship goods landes lyfe and all that this world giueth though it seeme to the iudgement of men neuer so precious Therefore the worde of God among vs hath not wanted his fruites although not so plentifull as good heartes hath wished and yet I doubt not but that there bee many that the worlde hath not commonly seene nor is able to iudge of For he that in the corrupt state of the Israelites was able to reserue vnto himselfe 7000. that neuer bowed their knee to the Image of Baal hath in these dayes giuen iust fruites to the preaching of the Gospell though the multitude of the wicked do ouer shadow them that in the iudgement of men they be not seene As the Raine commeth downe sayth God in Esay and the Snowe from heauen and returneth not againe but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and budde that it maye giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my worde be that goeth out of my mouth it shall not returne vnto mee voide but shall accomplish that which is my wil and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I haue sent it Though y ◠aduersaries of the truth bitterly and virulently accuse our doctrine and lyfe yet in the feare of God I speake it and to his name bee praise for it all the aduersaries that we haue beside their owne sclaunderous and infamous libels will neuer be able by any iust testimonie to proue the fourtieth part of those wicked vices to be found among the chiefe Preachers and professors of the Gospell that the whole worlde seeth and witnesseth to bee in themselues These fruites I dare iustifie hath followed the Gospell since the first preachyng thereof in these latter dayes That the Scriptures and holy word of GOD hath beene made knowne to the people in their mother tongue whereby they myght the better vnderstand theyr duetie towarde God and their neighbour whiche before wickedlye and vngodlye and to the great daunger of infinite Soules with feare and tyrannie was kepte from them That the principles of Christian fayth are farre more diligentlye taught then before tyme they were so that verie Babes haue some sence of GOD and are able tollerablye in most places to yeelde an accompt of their faythe whiche before hearde of nothing but of Guy of Warwicke Beuis of Hampton and suche other vayne fables That Schooles are better looked vnto then they haue bene and y ◠thereby the knowledge of the tongues and all other good literature hath more florished than euer they dyd
the soule and body togeather so hath the soule a meanes by foode and sustenaunce to continue GOD and the soule togeather and so to preserue lyfe and putte away the death thereof The bodye when it wanteth this sustenaunce is sayde to hunger and to thirst so the Soule when it feeleth lacke of that Heauenlye and Spirituall foode whereby the lyfe therof is continued it is not in proper speeche but Figuratiuelye sayde to hunger and to thyrste that is earnestly to long and desyre to bee made partaker of that Foode by the Vertue whereof onely God and it is ioyned and preserued togeather This blessed foode is Christe himselfe and none other eyther thing or person for by him onelye are wee reconciled vnto GOD and kepte in vnitie wyth him vnto eternall lyfe and withoute him wee by sinne remayne separated from GOD and so in Death eternal vnlesse Christe doe ioyne vs vnto him He that hath the Sonne of GOD sayth Iohn hath life he that hath not the sonne of GOD hath not life By this comparison I trust you maye see why Christe is called the meate and drinke of Christians that is of the likenesse that hee hath with bodily foode and sustenaunce that keepeth in life and preserueth the Soule and the bodye togeather Wee haue nowe further to consyder not onelye that Christe is the foode of oure Soules and why hee is so called but also howe hee is made the Foode of oure soule I am sayth Christe that bread of Lyfe that came from Heauen that is hadde hee not beene GOD as well as Manne hee coulde not haue beene the Meate of our Soules We must ascende higher therefore then to the humanitie of Christe or to his Naturall bodye and blood and conceaue that it is the bodye and blood of the Sonne of God and hee too God eternall with the Father or else he coulde not haue wrought the Mysterye of our Redemption There be certayne necessary causes very profytable and cōfortable to remēber why Christ must be both god man First it was necessary he should bee GOD that hee might know the will of God and reueale the same vnto vs For we of our selues cannot see God and his will but wee knowe as S. Iohn sayth That the sonne of God came to giue vs a mynde to know him that is true Another cause is that the price of our redemption mighte be equiualent and of like worthinesse as the offence was in the sighte of GOD which could not haue bene vnlesse that person that was the sonne of God had dyed for vs. For neyther Golde nor Siluer nor anye other pretious thing could redeeme vs but the blood of the immaculate and vndefyled Lambe Christ Jesus Furthermore if hee had not bene God he coulde not haue ouercome Death and y ◠Deuill vnder whose captiuitie we were holden and there fore The Sonne of GOD appeared that he might dissolue the Workes of the Deuill Vnlesse hee hadde bene verye God hee coulde not haue giuen vs power to bee made the Sonnes of God and Heires of eternall lyfe He could not haue bene Our eternall Bishop and perpetually sitte on the right hande of God to be intercessoure for vs. He could not haue bene present at all times and in all places to gather his church to direct the harts of the faithfull to heare their prayers and to remitte their sinne He could not haue rayned the dead to life abolishe Death exercise iudgement and giue eternall life vnto the Faythfull that loue his comming There be reasons also why Christe must be very manne and as hee came from Heauen as GOD so in Earth to take fleshe of the Blessed Virgine like vnto oures Sinne onely excepted First that the Justice of GOD requyred that as Manne offended and brake his Lawe and Commaundemente so manne also shoulde satisfye fullye for the same that his righteousnesse mighte iustlye bee imputed to other Secoulye that the appoynted Messias and Sauiour mighte fustaine that punishment which by gods sentence was due for sinne that is death but god alone could not haue dyed Thirdly that we myght haue the surer comfort and confidence in our necessitie to appeale to the throne of his Maiestie seeing he being our hygh Byshop was verie man as wee are and partaker of our infirmities Fourthlye that we myght more certainly be assured of our Resurrection as also that we both in soule and body should enioy eternal life in heauen seeyng Christ our sauiour hauing the same fleshe that we haue hath raised it from death and caried it w t him into heauen there as our head keeping possession for vs vntill the time that wee as members of hys mysticall body shall be ioyned to hym For where the head is there the members must be as Christ himselfe sayeth Where I am there my Ministers shall be Furthermore it was necessarie that Christ should be man that we myght haue the more confidence by him in our necessitie to appeale to the throne of Gods mercy knowing that we haue such an high Byshop as being in manhood like vnto vs hath sense of our infirmitie and hath beene tempted euen as we are For the humanitie of Christ is as it were the Conduite pipe by which onely the liuing waters of Gods mercie floweth vnto vs. Lastly Christ was man that we myght be the more assured of our Resurrection from the dead and possession of eternall lyfe not in soule onely but in body also seeing this our sauiour hauing the lyke fleshe vnto ours in all thinges Sinne onely excepted hath raised vp the same fleshe from death and caried it with him to heauen there to keepe possession of that eternall kingdome for vs. Especially considering that he by the price of his blood hath taken away the guilt of sinne from our mortall bodyes Thus in part you vnderstand howe Christ became the true liuely foode of Christian people that is because by the vnestimable wisedome and mercy of God he was prepared to bee in person God and man All kinde of nourishment hath some proportion of lykenesse with that bodye which it nourisheth and so Christ the naturall sonne of God became man also that by that likenesse he might be apt and fitte nourishmēt to preferre vs to eternall lyfe But this meate must be yet further prepared or else it woulde not serue our turne in feeding of vs. Christ therefore was prepared and made apte meat for vs to eate vpon the Aulter of the Crosse where his body was broken and his blood shedde and he offered himselfe to God the father a ful perfect sacrifice for our sinne and afterward raised the same his body from death to life y ◠it might be very true sustenaunce to euerlasting life aptly and truely in all respectes prepared to that end Forsomuch as you haue now heard y t Christ is the onely foode of life why he is so called howe he was prepared so to be we
onely for the redemption of the whole worlde generally but for hys also particularly and that he vndoubtedly is partaker of that blessed worke of our redemption When wee heare these woordes Doe this in remembrance of me our faith is assured y t it is Christs commaundement that wee shoulde vse this Sacrament to call to our remembraunce the benefite of our faluation by the death of Christ and in hart and minde at al times but then especially to shew our selues truely thankefull to him for the same When our sight beholdeth vpon the Table the bread and wyne by Christes ordinaunce broken and powred out for vs to vse the Fayth is moued this to thinke As surely and truely as my bodily eyes behould vpon the table of the Lord the Creatures of bread and wine as the outward parte of his sacramente and see the same broken and poured out for mee so assuredly doe I with the eye of my faith beholde the body and blood of Christ broken and shead for me vpon the Alter of the Crosse and the same my Sauiour sitting now on the right hand of god the father with the same body and blood now gloryfyed wherewith vpon the Crosse he payd the price of my redemption WheÌ„ we see the Minister offering to vs the bread and the cup and wee receaue the same in our hande and by our sence feele them inwardly in our hartes our fayth is mooned to haue this cogitacion As truely as our Sauioure Christe vpon the Crosse by his body broken and his blood sheade wrought our redemption and offered the benefite thereof to all that would beleeue generally so truelye am I assured that now in the vse of this holy Sacrament by his minister he offereth the same to me particularly to be applied to my selfe And as surely as my hande receaueth the outwarde creatures so surelye by my fayth doe I receyue Christ himselfe and in my hart feele him and with my spirituall armes imbrace him as the onely price and meanes of my saluation When we eate of the holy breade and drinke of the reuerend cuppe and by our cast haue sence of the sweetenesse of them and fele them passe downe into our stomache there to rest that they may be according to their nature meanes to nourishe and strengthen our bodie to continue it in lyfe the fayth is stirred vp by these sences thus to thinke Euen as certainly as my taste feeleth the sweetenesse of Breade and wyne and thereby perceiue in deede that their operacion is to nourish and strengthen my body and to quicken my naturall spirites which without suche nourishmente would perishe euen so the taste of my faith and sence of my hart doth feele the sweetenesse of Christe his body and blood broken and shead for mee and all mankinde vppon the Crosse and perceiue it thereby to be the onely foode of my soule without which I shoulde perishe both soule and bodye Eternallye And as certainlye as I feele with bodilye sence that the Breade and Wyne passeth into my Stomache and there according to their proportion feede strengthen and quicken my Naturall bodye and Spirites so assuredlye doe I with my inwarde and Spirituall sence perceiue the bodye and blood of Christe and the whole benefite of his death and passioÌ„ to passe into the stomache of my soule and bosome of my hart there through the strength of a true ChristiaÌ„ faith to be laid vp wrought and digested as that onelye nourishmente that keepeth the life of the soule and preserueth mee both soule and bodye to eternall life They that will Christianlye and charitablely and in the feare of GOD weighe and consyder these thinges I truste will not thinke eyther that wee make lighte accoumpte of the Externall Sacramente or in oure Doctrine teache a syngle and sleighte manner of eating of Christ by fayth as the fauourers of the church of Rome doe charge vs. And I appeale to the Consciences of all them that followe theire Doctrine whether euer they were taughte to take suche sweete instruction and comfort in the vse of that blessed Sacrament or no. These good Fruites of that Sacramente are muche furthered and increased by sunderye other Godlye cogitations which the Scriptures teache true Christians to vse in the administration of it The worde of GOD teacheth that the vse of the externall Sacramentes is a manner of confession whereby men acknowledge themselues before GOD and the World that they are Christians Therefore the faythfull receauer when hee commeth to the Sacrament thinketh this with himselfe I by comming to this place proteste before GOD and his Angels and before all the Creatures of Heauen and earth that in my harte I deteste the Religion of Jewes Turkes Infidels Heretiques and all other that denye saluation to come by the death of Christe and I acknowledge my selfe vnfaygnedlye to bee of the number of them that hope to haue the fauoure of GOD and to bee saued by the merite and passion of Christe onelye The worde of GOD teacheth that Sacramentes are as it were Seales to confyrme the truth of Gods promises and to strength our fayth Therefore by this seale of the Lords Supper wee assure oure selues that wee are partakers of all that Legacie which Christ our Sauyour in his last will bequeathed to vs that is that his bodye was broken vpon the Crosse for our redemption and his blood sheadde for the remission of oure Sinnes The Scriptures teache that in the vse of the sacramentes through Fayth wee bee vnited vnto Christ and ingraffed into his Mysticall body so that wee liue nowe onelye by him and whatsoeuer is his by the truth of his promise is oures also The worde of God teacheth that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is a linke of vnitye that knitteth vs together as members of one Mysticall bodye and therefore that wee oughte to bee ioyned in mutuall loue and charitie among our selues and that it is a foule reproch both to Christe oure head and to the whole body if we hate hurte or hinder one another For by the vse therof we confesse y â— we are all members of one bodye all Seruantes of one Mayster all Children of one Father all Subiectes vnder one Lorde and King all Partakers of one redemption all Heires of one Heritage and Gifte of Eternall Lyfe And in so manye Lâ—â—â—es of Vnitye to be at discorde among ourselues is in Gods iudgemente an heauy testimouie agaynst vs in the day of his wrath Finally the word of God teacheth vs that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is our heauenlye Feaste in whiche the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde is offered vnto vs spiritually to feede vppon in our fayth that by him as I haue before declared we maye be nourished strengthened and preserued to eternall life and therfore that we ought to bee verye carefull so coprepare oureselues that we may be worthy Guestes for that blessed table Wherefore
of God vnfruitefull â—â—ggetrees making shewe of Christianitie with the faire greene leaues of hearing Gods worde commyng to the Church vsing of the Sacramentes talking oftentimes of the Scriptures c. But the sound and true fruites of godly conuersation we shew not For if we remaine such vnprofitable trees we shall be cut downe cast into the fire and haue our partes with hypocrites where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth c. The next note of this text is that when God punisheth and plagueth wicked naughtie men for doing contrarie to his will it is not done onely for them vppon whom the particular punishments light but for the example of other also in al ages times These things saith S. Paul are examples for vs c. And afterward All these things came to them as ensamples were written to admonishe vâ— vpon whom the endes of the world are come The better to vnderstande this I will first declare vnto you two pointes the one that all things that come to man coâ—e not by fortune by chaunce or by natural course onely but by y â— certaine prouidence appointment of God secondly for what causes God most commoÌ„ly sendeth such plagues vpoÌ„ men And then will I adde y â— conclusion y â— Christians must make applicatioÌ„ of such examples to themselues and how y â— is to be done As God of his vnestimable goodnes made the world all that therein is for the benefite commoditie of maÌ„ that he might vse all the inferiour creatures to Gods glory so doth the same Lord maker by his almightie power infinite wisedome continue preserue y â— same My father yet still worketh faieth Christ and I worke By him onely we moue liue haue our being as Saint Paul saith as Dauid in sundry Psalmes witâ—esseth wheÌ„ thou hidest thy face they are troubled wheÌ„ thou takest away their breth they die are turned into their dust wheÌ„ thou lettest thy breath go foâ—th they shal be made thou shalt renew the face of the earth That wee call and esteeme nature is nothing but the very â—inger of God working in his creatures much more the alteration of natural courses things done extraordinarily As god made clouds at y â— beginning to water y â— earth so doth he preserue them by his mightie power holdeth them houering in y â— aire y â— they fal not downe immoderatly to drowne y â— earth but shedde theÌ„selues temperatly by drops sweet showers to season y â— same Wherefore wheÌ„ raine falleth excessiuely to hurt y â— earth or hinder mankinde as it did in the time of Noah or wheÌ„ the clouds be cleane dried vp that there is no raine at al as it fell out in y â— time of Achab it is most euident to be y â— worke of God according to his iustice punishing y â— breaking of his law vnthankfulnesse of his people So likewise as God made y â— aire so it is he y â— for lyke causes keepeth it in seasonable maner somtime moist somtime dry somtime weate sometime colde somtime wholesome somtime infectious dauÌ„gerous whervpoÌ„ followeth sicknes death of men murrens of cattle c. In like maner I might speake of y â— earth y â— water y â— Sonne y â— Moone residue of the starres planets In all euerie of which as it is the finger of God that keepeth theÌ„ in their natural order so it is his power y â— doth alter chaunge the same for causes to his wisdome knoweÌ„ bringeth out such effects as be hurtfull rather then beneficiall vnto man Therfore wheÌ„ we see infections sicknesses disseases deathes murraines losse of corn or hay destructioÌ„ of cattle great fluds burnings blastings a noÌ„ber of such like we must looke further then into y â— course of nature vnderstand y â— there is a God an ouerruler of nature y â— doth those things This is not true only in these things y â— appertaine to nature but in those also y â— be done by the will of man or as we say prophanely by chaunce or fortune For in deede there is no chaÌ„ce or fortune And therfore y â— good father Aug. doth renouÌ„ce those heathenish names repeâ—ted that euer he vsed theÌ„ That which we call fortune is nothing but y â— hand of God working by causes for causes that we knowe not ChauÌ„ce or fortune are gods deuised by man made by our ignorance of y â— true almighty euerlasting God Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing one of them falleth not to the ground without your father yea all the heires of your head are nuÌ„bred feare you not therefore you are more worth then many sparrowes The sense of these words is y â— the prouidence of God erteÌ„deth it selfe to al creatures so y â— there is nothing so base or simple eyther w tout man or w tin him which he neglecteth or is ignorant of Of those things that be without man nothing almost is of lesse value or lesse esteemed than a poore sillie sparrow yet one of them falleth not to the grounde without our heauenly Father Of such things as appertaine to maÌ„ nothing is of lesse price than a heare yet one of theÌ„ perisheth not but by Gods prouidence This doctrine maketh greatly to the aduauncement of the true knowledge of God For it teacheth vs as I haue sayd before not onely that he is y â— maker of heauen earth of all y â— creatures in them contained but also that he doth gouerne and dispose them all preserue them that they may continue so long as to his blessed will shall seeme conuenient The scriptures in sundry places witnesse the same both in the course of his doing in sundrye Histories of Ioseph of Iob of Saule of Dauid and in particuler testimonles of sundrye Godly men and holy Prophets but noue more euidently and zealously than Dauid in many Psalmes but principally in the 104. 107. Vnto which places I referre the Godly hearer for this time would not serue if I sholh but meanely declare vnto you the wholesome instructions and assured comfortes that are to be gathered both by the examples and particular testimonies Christ in the words before recited extendeth the carefull prouidence of God to Sparrowes and to the heares of oure heades to the end no man should thinke or imagine that it is onelye a generall prouidence as many doe in these days which as they dare not deny that the world is gouerned by the wisedome and power of God so they thinke it an absurde thing to teach that God is occupied about all particular Creatures and specially them that be of the meanest sort Therefore they expound chose wordes that Christe vseth here or the scripture in other places to be spoken by Hiperbole that is a manner of
fyguratiue speeche passing all truth thereby to signifie a meane truth But I would learne of these mē what it is that sauing the nature of his Godhead maye in this kind of thing be spoken of him more then truth seeing he is Omnipotent of infinite knowledge and is present in al places So much as they shal exempt from Gods disposition in his Creatures so much shall they with dishonour of God pul from his Almightie power and infinit wisdome We may not think it is any disgracing of y ◠maiesly of god to drawe the same his prouydence to the preseruation and direction euen of his meanest creatures For he worketh not as men do with labour and greefe or torment of mind His very beck will and countenaunce is ynough to doe or alter all thinges euen to shake Heauen and earth as the blinde Heathen Poet Homere could saye Yea this is the greatest profe that can be of his exceeding maieftie that he seeth all thinges that he dispofeth and worketh al things that he directeth all his Creatures to that ende for which in the beginning he made them If this be so some wil say vnto mee why then as God is to be praysed and thanked for all that is good so whatsoeuer is euill also is to bee imputed vnto him and no man or other creature no nor the Deuil himselfe to be blamed for any hurt that is done because it is Gods will and disposition it shoulde bee and agaynst that who is able to stande And so GOD shall be accounted the Authoure of sinne whiche is a wicked and horrible assertion These daungerous cogitations are by Sathan thrust into the mindes of Christians purposely to make them to murmure against God and his prouidēce And as I am very loth in this Auditory to enter into the searche of Gods secrete Judgementes so may I not cleane omit to take away the offence of this vngodlye cogitation And yet meane I not to doe that deepelye and with intricate and harde reasons but such as the meanest person not voyde of naturall vnderstanding may sufficientlye conceaue Who knoweth not that the end wherevnto anye thing is done maketh one and the same thing eyther good or badde iust or vnuiste A Magistrate putteth a man to death not for hatred of the person not for particular reueugement nor to haue benefite by his goods and in this he doth well being the Minister of God by him appoynted so to die A Ruffyan or a Theefe killeth a man to be reuenged on him to haue his goods or to th'end he may auoyde some daunger thereby and in this he sinneth greeuously And yet to kill a man or to put him to death is all one act iust and good in the one wicked and naughty in the other So GOD by his prouidence maye dispose those thinges to bee done which wicked persons as his Instrumentes doe perfourme the same iust in God in them sinfull and naught For God in those thinges respecteth his owne glorye or the punishmente of vice and wickednesse without any corrupt affection at all The naughtie men whome the wisedome of God vseth as instruments herein haue not the sayd ends but with al indeuour seeke to satisfye their own ambition cruelty couetousnesse pride or other sinfull passion of the mind and haue no regarde to the iustice of God and fulfilling of hys holy will I will vse but one example notwithstanding the scriptures minister to me a great number God had often times by his Prophets called his people the Jewes to leaue their Superstition and Idolatrie to leaue their wickednesse and naughtie life and to returne to him by repentaunce and yet they would not I rose vp earely sayth God by the mouth of Ieremy and sent vnto you all my Prophets and you haue not heard me nor haue not in cliued your eare vnto mee but haue done worse then your forefathers c. Therefore he was resolued according to their deseruing iustely to punish them And who can denye but this resolution in God was moste iuste For his Instrumente he vsed the Kinge of Assiria a prowde a cruell and a wicked Prince who came vppon the Jewes and shewed toward them all crueltie and extremitie in no part respecting the satisfying of Gods Justice or the punishing of his naughtie people but the fulfilling of his owne ambitions and eruell affection wherwith he thought to inlarge his Empyre and so sette foorth hys owne glory And who can denie but that this doonig was in the King stafull and naughte and therefore was this enill mind in him not long after punished by GOD himselfe And this maketh verye greatlye to the setting foorth of Gods wisedome that hee canne vse naughtie Instrumentes to punishe naughtye men and turne the minds and indeuoures of wicked persons to his glorye and to the satisfying of his iustice though they in no parte regard the same But I see a desyre to aunswere the peruerse cogications of euill mindes hath drawne mee somewhat from my purpose Let vs nowe therefore come to the seconde note that is with what causes God is vsually mooued to worke such plagues and euils to men those generally are two The first is the punishment of sinne and the transgression of his commaundementes as infinite Examples and almoste the whole course of the scriptures teache vs. For their owne sinnes sayth Moyses and for the sinnes of their fathers shall they be plagued to confesse theire iniquities c. And agayne If you shall leaue the Lorde your God and shall serue strange Gods he will turn himself and punish you But of al other places most plainly Deut. 21. Leuit. 26. ver 14. Where after god hath signifyed what worldly blessings should come vnto them if they did obserue and keepe his lawes he addeth But if thou wilte not obeye me nor doe all these commaundementes c. then will I also doe this vnto you I will bring vppon you fearefulnesse a consumption a burning and the burning ague to consume the eyes and make the heart heauie you shall sowe your seede in vaine for your enimies shal eate it and I wil set my face against you and you shall fal before your enimies and they that hate you shal raigne ouer you I will breake the pride of your power and make your Heauen as yron and youre Earth as Brasse your strength shall be spent in vaine neither shall thee Trees of the Lande giue their fruites I will sende wylde beastes vpon you which shall spoile you destroy your Cattell and make you few in number for youre highe wayes shal be desolate I will send a sworde among you and when you be gathered in your Citties I will sende the pestilence vpon you and ye shall be deliuered into the hand of the ennemie And so continueth God to recken vp all these miseries and calamities that anye wayes may come to man and that he will send them
by the Gospell is brought vnto you Verie fitly and apâ—lye is the worde of God resembled to seede aswell of diuers other properties as principally that seede is in appearaunce a small and contemptible thing but very profitable and of great strength and vertue so as without it all kindes of thinges woulde perishe Of a little seede you see a verie faire and beautifull floure of a small karâ—ell a large and a fruitful tree of a meane Acorne a huge and mayne Oke If you make a seede of most precious and riche mettall it can not haue this strength and grace with it Euen so the word of God in estimation of the world is simple base contemptible but in vertue power strength exceeding great maruailous I am not ashamed of the Gospell saith Paul for it is the mightie power of God to saluation of all them that beleeue By secret power y â— the spirit of God giueth it it altereth the mindes of men it lyghteneth their heartes it engendreth a newe wyll it bringeth forth godly holy doings as due fruites thereof it changeth not only particular men but whole Empires kingdomes countries it worketh y â— which in no wise can bee wrought by the counsailes wit wisedome cunning pollicie or strength of man This strength and power of Gods word doth S. Paul speake of We preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling stocke to the Grecians foolishnesse but to them both being called we preache Christ the power and wisedome of God c. God hath choseÌ„ those things which are foolish in the world to coÌ„fouÌ„d the wise God hath chosen the weake things of the world to coÌ„fouÌ„d the mighty The effect of this appeared immediately after the Apostles in themselues contemptible yet vnblemished who with the despised and loathed doctrine of Christ crucified preuailed prospered through out y â— world notw tstanding the wisedome y e learning y e policie the power of the world did set it selfe against it and as a little Muster seede the Churche of God by the power of the Gospell prospered and grewe to great largenesse so that the poore foules of the ayre that were chased out of the woodes by tyrannie and persecution dyd rest in it and with quietnesse of conscience though with trouble of the worlde settled themselues and builded their neastes therein The lyke hath beene euen of late yeeres wherin it hath pleased our mercifull God to renewe his Gospell and to sende it into the worlde so that the godlye with great comfort see and the whole world may perceiue y e myghtie power of God in prospering his Gospel What conspiracies what edicts what cruel Massakers and murders haue bene to suppresse the Gospel all men do knowe and those that feare God with piâ—iefâ—â—â— hartes lament it EueÌ„ now are wrought those things of which Dauid prophecied many hundred yeres before EueÌ„ now the nations fret fume euen now the enimies of God haue their vain wicked and Diuilish deuises euen nowe the Princes of Antechristes band conspyre and laye their heades togeather agaynste Christe and agaynsts his worde Lette vs breake their bandes asunder say they let vs caste of their yoke let vs by all meanes we can seeke the confusyon of those Princes countreys Noble men and other which in any place mayntayne this new preached Gospell Lette it be wrought by policie by periurie by craft and dissimulation by violence by crueltie by mischeefe by murder by any meanes that may be Let vs roote from the face of the earth these Protestantes these Hugonotes these Hererikes which at this day trouble the whole world If wee cannot worke it by force lette vs by policie and vnder colour and pretence of great friendship bring them into oure snare or at the least with making fayre offers let vs dally with theÌ„ vntil we may worke that y â— we would do Sed qui habitat in Coelis deridebit eos dominus subsaÌ„nabit eos i. He sitteth in Heauen that shall deride and frustrate all their counsailes with a Rodde of yron hee shall breake seatter their purposes vnto Godly Princes and Magistrates which hee hath rapsed as Nourses and Fosterers of his Gospell he shall I doubt not as often times he hath done bewray their dissimulation display their policies sparcle their conspiracies and confound their denises in such sorte as his holy word and Gospell shall remayne to the comfort of his Children Though by all crueltie to their further condemnation and to the heaping of greater wrath in the day of Gods wrath they sley kill great numbers of his people yet of the very ashes of the same and of their blood he will rayse vp other to his glory whiche maugre theire malice shall freely teache and preach his word A Tempest of 〈◊〉 maye blowe down a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 but in blowing doâ—ne one Stalke it shall â—ast oute â—n hundered Seedes whiche after shall growe and prosper Euen so by extremitie of tempestuous persecution some Preachers and professoures may be murdered but of their blood other will spring Num Sanguis Martyrum seâ—â—â—â— Euangelij i. For the Blood of Martyrs is the Seede of the Gospell Yet am I not of that minde that the Gospell in the Worlde shall â—â— prosper that it shall haue a setteledde quyetnesse For vndoubtedlye Antichriste shall not bee vtterlye ouerthrowne before the laste daye but continually betweene this tyme and that shall make warre agaynst the Sayntes of God and trauayle to suppresse this happy â—eede of Christe his Gospell wherewith he his so greeuously wounded and his Kingdome shaken But he shal neuer be able vtterly in extinguish it S. Paule sayth that he shall be deadly wounded with the Spirite of Gods mouth that is his holy worde but he shall bee taken away by the brightnesse of his comming The Justice of God for the vnthankfulnesse of people may suffer his Gospell to be oppressed in some one Countrey as Englande or some other place but in other yet it shall prosper and increase norwithstanding all the indeuours of Antichrist to the contrary Nexte is that wee haue to speake of the grounde and the diuersitye thereof And here I maye not lette passâ— a very profitable instruction to be taken out of this parable agaynst y e malicious interpretatioÌ„ of many in these days I doubt not but there was the like in Christs time ministred to him the occasyon to â—â—ter this Parable WheÌ„ many see the Doctrine of the Gospel so much preached beaten into mens â—â—res and consyder howe small fruiâ—e commeth of it being so many that reiect and contemne it and so few that frame themselues according vnto it but y â— â—ice wickednesse rather dayly increaseth by and by with verye corrupt iudgement they eyther 〈…〉 the Doctrine it self or the perfâ—â—s that be the Ministerâ— teachâ—â—s therof Oh say they if this were Gous
receaue the worde and shewe themselues to be delighted therewith and breake out to earnest praises thereof and shewe them selues with such cheerefulnesse to embrace the doctrine of Gods trueth as they moue great hope to all men that it wyll take successe to great benefite But in the ende if any vehement temptatioÌ„ either of worldly trouble or otherwise happeÌ„ to them they waxe faynte and begin to chaunge and lastlye cleane reuolte and vtterlye forsake that truth whiche with great hope in the beginning they had receaued And of these many afterward become enimies and persecutoures of the Gospell And what I pray you may be the cause hereof Surelye this They lacked Earth and moysture to feede the seede that is they had not the true knowledge of Christ nor of his Kingdome nor a right and Christian fayth â—reo in them by the spirite of God but on 〈…〉 e opinyon conceaued in their own mindes whiche 〈…〉 e were possessed with a carnall delighte of worldelye pompes and pleasures and therefore when the Doctrine of the free mercy of God by faith in Christ only pardoning and forgiuing our sinnes is preached and when they heare superstition in fasting praying other such things sharply reproued and men exhorted to Christian libertie they imbrace this Doctrine very greedily and all because they thinke vnder pretence of Christian libertie to shake of the yoke of Discipline and obedience in Christian exercises and to vse the cloake of Gods mercy to couer a loose and licencious life in the meane time studying nothing but how they may vse the countenaunce of the Gospell to get Riches honour friendship and worldly peace and quietnesse But as I haue before sayd when the stormes of aduersity and heate of persecution riseth whereof they must be partakers if they will bee constante in the Gospell and when they heare their wicked and vngodlye doinges by Preachers sharpely reproued and begin to vnderstand that neyther christian libertie can be any warrant of licentiousnes nor Goddes mercye a Cloake to continue in wickednesse they flye from the word of GOD and betake themselues wholy to the world Such receauers of y e word were many of the Jewes which dreamed that Christe came as an earthly Prince or Conquerour that shoulde deliuer them from the tyramâ—y of the Romaines and make them Lords of the world And therefore at the beginning they flocked to him in great number and shewed such liking of him his doctrine that the Pharisies and high Priestes were afrayd to deale with him as otherwise they wold haue done But when they saw him once taken and in the hands of his enimies they reuolted shewed themselues to mislike w t him in the end cried Crucifige as frankely as y â— residue were coÌ„teÌ„ted to haue Barrabas let go christ to be put to vniust cruell death I would to God there were not to many of this sort in England at this day which now shew theÌ„selues to be hoat and eger gospellers either because they hope to haue some part of y â— spoile of Bishops lands or ecclesiastical liuings or for some such other worldly respect but wheÌ„ the heate of affliction shal come for our vnthankfulnesse continually crieth for it before the seate of Gods iustice then I say I pray god they shew but halfe that constancie good liking of the gospell y â— becommeth a true Christian And y t which maketh me other to feare theÌ„ is that w t this earnest pretended zeale I see little amendment of life or none at all ioyned The remedy against this mischiefe and the means to amend this stony ground to breede more melow earth in their harts is truely sincerely to learn what the kingdome of Christ is what they must looke for by y e professioÌ„ therof in the world For so shal they easily put away that worldly perswasion y t maketh them to reuolt from the Gospell Christ himselfe confesseth y â— his kingdome is not of this world yea y e world Christ are cleane coÌ„trary for y e prince of this world is enimy to Christ The enmity was proclaimed by god himself in Paradise I will set enmitie betweene thee the woman betweene thy seede and hers and her seede shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Therfore so soone as Christ the seede of y â— womaÌ„ had once put his head into y â— world was born of y â— blessed virgine at Nazareth the Deuill raised his seede y â— wicked tyrant Herode to persecute christ and to seeke his death And so hath he coÌ„tinued euer since in al times seasons to persecute Christ in his meÌ„bers This Christ did not hide from his Disciples true followers but sundrye times told theÌ„ therof before haÌ„d y t wheÌ„ it came to pas they might not be offeÌ„ded Behold saith he I send you as shepe amoÌ„g the midst of Wolues be wise therfore as serpents simple as Doues c. And a little after You shalbe hated of al men for my names sake Here you may vnderstaÌ„d what intertainment true Christians must looke for in this world that is hatred disdaine cruelty such curtesy as sheepe find among Wolues The cause hereof he setteth forth more largely in S. Ioh. If the world saith christ hate you you knowe it hated me before you If you were of the world the world wold loue that is his own but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you RemeÌ„ber the word that I said vnto you the seruaÌ„t is not greater theÌ„ his maister if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Christ in another place reseÌ„bleth his people to a House builded vpoÌ„ a Rock the raine fell the flouds came the winds blew beat vpoÌ„ that house and it fel not because it was builded vpoÌ„ a Rock By y e rain y â— flouds y â— winds beating vpoÌ„ y â— house is ment y e storms of afflictioÌ„ trouble persecutioÌ„ other vehemeÌ„t â—eÌ„tacioÌ„s y â— y e deuill y e world raiseth to assaulte y â— coÌ„scieÌ„ces of christiaÌ„s But their harts are not shakeÌ„ ther w t but staÌ„d coÌ„stantly in y â— truth because y t fouÌ„datioÌ„ of their conscieÌ„ce is sincerely grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ y â— Rock christ Jesus By this it may appeare y t y â— kingdome of christ is not earthly but a spiritual kingdome by y â— power of y â— holy ghost raigning flourishing in y â— harts of meÌ„ setting it self against y â— works of y â— deuil of y â— world for y t cause loketh for none other thing at y â— worlds hand theÌ„ misery trouble Wherfore the first poynt of a true professour of Christ his gospel is so far as maÌ„s frailty caÌ„ suffer to renouÌ„ce y e world all
y â— affectioÌ„s pleasures therof with y â— comfort of Gods mercy in christ Jesu to arme himself w t pacieÌ„ce against al mischeifes y t the Deuill or the world canne rayse agaynste him A good Christian according to the counsayle of our Sauioure maketh this account before hand and looketh for none other and because he knoweth the life of a Christian is a warfare vpon the earth he vnderstandeth also that Christes Souldyers which will professe to fight vnder his Banner maye not in this life looke for wealth prosperitie and quietnesse especially when he seeth y â— Deuill the world the flesh in armes agaynst him and continuallye ready to ouerthrowe him and bring him to confusion Whosoeuer therefore dallieth with the world sheweth himselfe more then half a Traitour agaynste Christe muche more they that for the world reuolt from Christ The Godlye when the heate of persecution riseth that they maye not forsake their Lorde and Captayne vse to sheilter themselues vnder these shadowes following Firste they perswade themselues as truth is in deede that affliction commeth not to them by chaunce or fortune or by the mallice of men but by the certayne knowledge and prouidence of that God which is by Christ their Heauenly and mercifull father who neyther can do it for anye euill vnto them uor suffer them to be further tempted thaÌ„ by his grace they shalbe able to beare If a poore silly sparow as Christ assureth them falleth not to grounde without their Father that is in Heauen they are perswaded that they are farre more precious in the sight of God than all the Sparowes in the world and therefore that an heare shall not fall from their head but by his will and pleasure Nihil Satanâ— in seruos dei viui licebit sayth Tertullian nifâ— permiserit dominus The Deuil can do nothing against the seruantes of the liuing God vnlesse the Lord shall suffer it The example hereof euidently appeareth in Iob in the Apostles of Christ The Deuill could not vexe Iob vntil it was graunted him by God Sathan desyred to â—ifte the Apostles as men vse to â—ifte Corne but Christe prayed for them that their fayth might not fayle Yea a Legion of Deuils were not able to hurte a heard of Hogges but by the permission of Christ Therfore very pretily sayth Tertul Possum dicere pâ—rcorum setas apud deum numeratas non tantum sanctorum capillos c. I may say that not only the heares of Sayntes but the bristles of Hogges are in a certain accoumpt before God This comfort neuer fayleth and wheÌ„ the godly betake themselues to this sheilter they may be truely sayde to rest vnder the shadowe of the wings of y â— most highest Origen vpon Iob in zealous maner breaketh out to the admiration of this coÌ„fort O bonitas tua Rex c. Oh thy exceeding goodnesse thou mighty King oh thy power magnificence thou eternal god how great comfort giuest thou to them that flye vnto thee hope for assured constaÌ„cy at thy hand that is that our Aduersary hath no power either ouer man or beast or Creature without life but by thy permission The second sheilter and shadow of comfort is the ample rewarde that Christ promiseth to them that constantly suffer persecution for his names sake Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theires is the Kingdome of Heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you persecute you speake al euill against you for my sake reioyce and be glad for greate is your rewarde in Heauen And agayn he sayth Whosoeuer shall forsake houses or bretheren or Systers or Father or mother or wyfe or Children or Landes for my sake he shall receaue an hundred folde more and shall inherite euerlasting life Blessed are you that weepe nowe for ye shall laugh and your heauinesse shall bee turned into ioy They which refuse persecution offered for Christ his sake cannot be his true Disciples but shewe themselues to haue bene Hipocrites and Dissemblers Hee that loueth his Father or Mother more than mee sayeth Christ is not worthye of mee and he that taketh not his Crosse and followeth me is not fitte for mee For whoso denyeth Christe before men shall be denyed of him before our Father which is in heauen He that hath soundly learned Christ his kingdome in this maner wil not easily forsake him reuolt froÌ„ him in the heate of persecution whensoeuer it shal arise c. The thirde kinde of euill ground is the bushie and thornye ground that is the hartes of them whose affections are ouercome with y t greedy desyre of Riches and worldly pleasures And very aptly are riches and worldlye pleasures resembled to Thornes for as Thornes haue fayre greene leaues and bewtifull blossomes and flowers that maye allure a man to reache at them so if hee take holde of them hastilye he shall be sure to be pricked shrewdlye hurte So there seemeth a certayne bewtie and sweetenesse to be in riches thereby to purchase worldelye pompe and pleasures but if a man with greedye desire reache at them they will wounde him and pearse him to the hearte For riches and worldlye pleasures pricke in getting they pricke in keeping and they pricke in departing And commonlye they wounde a man so greeuouslye that without repentaunce they kill him for euer In getting they prick a maÌ„ with lying with periury with crafte subtelâ—ie with stealing with picâ—ing w t extorcion and oppressions and many other like wayes In keeping possessing and vsing beside the feare of care to seeâ—e them they prick with confideÌ„ce and trust in them with pride arrogancye and contempt of other with oppression of right and equitie and with loosenesse of life procured by theÌ„ For wealth feedeth riot and wantonnesse In loosing they pricke with anguish and sorrow with weping lamenting with cursing baâ—â—ing w t murmuring against God with fury desperacion so y t many thereby fal mad manye dispatch themselues out of life c. Rightly therfore are they resembled to pricking and dangerous thorns yea there is nothing that doth so fully possesse the minde of man nor so mightily pull it from God and the care of saluation as the studye of riches and worldly pleasures doe Wherfore Christ sayth That it was as easie for a Cameâ— to paâ—se through the eye of a needle as for one whose hart was possessed w t desire of riches to enter into y â— kingdome of God The same thing in effect Christ teacheth in the parable of y â— rich maÌ„ y â— made a feast for the Mariage of his sonne and sent his messengers to bide the guesse they refused to come pretending sundry excuses One sayde I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen and must needes goe to trie theÌ„ I pray thee haue me excused Another sayd I haue bought a
maliciously seeking to supplant one an other Which of you is able to accuse vs that wee pull downe Townes and inclose whole fieldes to feede wylde beastes famish a number of Christian people or that we ioyne house to house lande to land with oppression of the poore as thoughe wee woulde lyue alone vppon the face of the earth Which of you is able to saye that wee wast the treasure of the lande in feedyng three Cankers riotously to consume the same I meane Monstrous Vanitie in Apparell Needelesse pompe in Sumptuous building and Excessiue charge in daintie feeding Which of you is able to say that in all our doings we set not the feare of God before our faces make not his holy word the directioÌ„ of all our deuises Which of you I say is able to accuse vs in any of all these things If all men in all states and conditions bee able with good conscience thus to say Surely this lande is blessed But Heauen and earth seeth and the Lorde knoweth that it is not so in a number yet God forbyd for that number that we should condemne all God hath his in euery state and condition of man Nowe come I to the thirde parte contayned in the second sentence of my Theame Si veritatem dico vobis quare non creditis mihi If I say the truth why doe you not beleeue mee Wherein I promised to let you vnderstande that the doctrine of the Gospell which we haue Preached in this lande by the space of this 20. yeeres and that hath beene confirmed and established by the authoritie of the Prince lawes of this Realme is the onely truth that there is no truth of doctrine but it therfore y t you ought both faythfully without exception to embrace it and constantly wythout reuolting to abyde in it But mee thinketh I heare some say Sir if you coulde resolue vs that it is the trueth whiche you Preache wee would easilye receaue it but wee may iustly doubt of it For ye are but men and such men as carie their blemishes openly in the sight of the world ye may be deceaued and deceaue others As good Clarkes as you and as honest men for any thing wee see teache vs the contrarie and say their doctrine is the truth or at the leastwyse wee may iustly thinke that those great contentions that you make against y t Churche of Rome are but for trifling ceremonies and matters of small weight and importance and therefore that Christian Princes might do verâ—e well to see some order for those matters and to force you to agree for the residue whether you will or no that you may no longer trouble the worlde as you haue done these many yeeres with these needelesse controuersies Surely that they wyll not receaue our doctrine with triall I can not mislike it for S. Iohn in his 1. Epist 4. cap. giueth them the same Counsell Deerely beloued saith he beleeue not euery spirit that speaketh to you but trie the spirites whether they be of God or not for many false Prophetes are come into the world Therefore I would to God all sortes of men but chiefely Princes Counsellers and Magistrates would trie our doctrine by the true touchstone of Gods word as those noble Conuerts of Berrhaea did meÌ„tioned in y â— Act. 17 which came to heare Paules Sermons not of custome and fashion onely But dayly searched the Scriptures whether those things were true that Paule spake or no. If God would moue them so to doe they should easily vnderstand not onely that our doctrine were the truth but also that the controuersie betweene vs and the Church of Rome is not for trifling Ceremonies as they saye or matters of small weight but for the very substaunce of our fayth and ground of all Christian Religion and that there can bee made no more agreement betwene our doctrine and theirs then betweene light and darkenesse truth and error God and Beliall Christ Antichrist which thing it behoueth all Christians and professors of the Gospell deepely to consyder For as before time often I haue sayde in this place so now thinke I the time draweth nigh that Godds iustice for our vnthankefulnesse will pull vs to the tryall of our fayth and therefore it behooueth vs to vnderstande that we contend not for trifles but for matters of principall importance as I mean now to declare vnto you And if som persons shall thinke these poyntes needelesse to be spoken of in this place I humbly craue leaue that for the confyrmation of mine own fayth I may declare vnto you y â— grounds of my conscience that if euer I liue to be tempted to forsake my Lorde God and his truth that this my protestation made in this place may bee a bonde vnto my conscience The rule that I will vse to prooue that our Doctrine is the truth and not that which commeth from Rome shal be the same that the Scripture of God layeth downe by S. Iohn in the place before mentioned where after he hath as you haue heard admonished men to trye the Spirites whether they be of God or no hee addeth these meanes of triall Euery Spirite that confesseth Christ to haue come in flesh is of God and euery spirite that denieth Christ to haue come in flesh is not of God but is the Spirit of Antichrist of whome you haue heard howe hee shoulde come and now already is he in the worlde Nowe that you may vnderstande I go not about to deceaue you with shewe of eloquence and Rhethoricall amplifications and with motions of affections to leade you into erroure earâ— you be ware I will laye open myne argumente vnto you nakedly and barely that you may see euery ioynt thereof and with your selues consyder of what force it ought to bee in any christian coÌ„science And this I say euery spirit that confesseth Christ to haue come in fleshe is of God and teacheth you the truth And euery spirite that denyeth Jesus to haue come in fleshe is not of God but leadeth you into errour and is that spirite of Antichrist But wee and the Preachers of the Gospell in all Godly sence coÌ„fesse Christ to haue come in fleshe and our Aduersaries of Roome doe not therefore we and not they haue brought the truth vnto you The 2. proposition I know wil be denied for both y t parts therof which I wil proue vnto you by this meanes First I will let you vnderstand the causes why christ came in fleshe and what benefites he procured to mankynde by the same Secondly I will shew vnto you what it is to denye Christe to haue come in fleshe The firste of these two shall confirme our truth The seconde shall confound their error As touching the cause why christ came in flesh When sinne had made separation betweene God and man and the exceding great mercy of God was not willing vtterly to cast away man and to rasâ— him
from the face of the earth of his infinite goodnesse and wisedome he deuised the sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie should descend from Heauen and take flesh of the blessed virgine that so being in one person both very God very man he might be a most fit Mediator to work recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ betwene God and man The cause therefore why Christe came in flesh was to worke the saluation of mankinde For so saith S. Paule It is a sure saying worthie of all men to be beleeued that Christ came into the world to saue sinners And Christ himselfe sayth that he came to saue that which was lost The generall worke of our redemption hath certayne principall branches whiche are cheefe Articles of oure Fayth and groundes of all Christian religion Firste that he might be the reconciler and attonement maker betweene God and vs as S. Paule witnesseth 2. Cor. 5. All things are of God which reconciled vs vnto himself in Christ Iesus And immediately God was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world to himselfe And to the Colosâ— It pleased him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by Christ appeasing by the blood of his Crosse all thinges whiche are either in heauen or in earth God therefore appoynted him for euer to be our high Bishop our Mediator our Aduocate our Intercessor which should coÌ„tinualy appeare before the face of God for vs and make him fauourable to sinners that we might haue accesse to God by him by his intercession and merite obtayne mercy and grace in oure necessities these be the wordes of the scripture And hee is not onely our Mediatour and Aduocate but Our onelye Mediatour and Aduocate One God and one Mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus We haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes It is hee that ascended vp to heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Vt interpellat pro nobis That he may bee an Intercessour for vs. The 2. cause of Christs comming into flesh is that he might be our redeemer from the tyrannye of the Deuill and the purchazer of remission of sinnes The Sonne of god appeared to this ende to dissolue the workes of the Deuill And agayne Yee are redeemed not with golde and siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus And agayne Beholde the LaÌ„be of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And S. Paule In whome wee haue redemption and by his blood remission of our sinnes We must not onlye beleeue that he is our Redeemer but our Only Redeemer and the Only Purchazer of the full remission of our sinnes For Non est aliud nomen c. That is There is no other name vnder Heaué wherin we shold be saued but only by the name of Christ Iesus And S. Iohn The blood of christ hath washed vs froÌ„ al sinne And S. Paule He gaue himself for vs. that he might redeme vs froÌ„ all iniquitie The 3. cause of Christes incarnatioÌ„ y â— 2. office of his eternal Priesthood is to offer a ful perfit sacrifice to appease y â— wrath of God to satisfie his iustice y t not according to y â— order of Aaron which by imperfectioÌ„ did nede a Succession but according to y â— order of Melchizedek y â— for euer Thou art a Priest sayth God for euer according to the order of Melchizedek Therefore it cannot bee borne â—â— christian religion that Christ should haue any succession in Priesthood to sacrifyce after him For by one oblation he made perfect all that be sanctified And agayne Christ was once offered for the extinguishing of the sinnes of many And agayne Hauing offered one Sacrifice for sinne he sitteth perpetually at the right hand of God And sundry times else where the Epistle to the Hebrues affirmeth Christ Semel That is to say once to haue sacrificed himselfe The fourth cause of his Incarnation and the thyrde office of his eternall Priesthood is that he might be the only Prophet Maister Teacher and instructer of his people fully to open to them the knowledge of God and the true way of Saluation God sayth Moyses shall raise from among you a Prophet like vnto me him do you heare according to all thinges that he shall say vnto you And God the father himself at the baptizing of Christ did with the visible presence of the holy Ghost consecrate him Maister and teacher of his church which only was to be heard This is my dearely beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased him doe you heare The same Consecration was confyrmed in the Mounte at the transfiguration of Christ And Esay the Prophet in the 55. chapter or rather God by Esay sayth I haue giuen him as a witnesse vnto people preceptorem Gentibus And a Maister and instructour of all nations And therefore Christ himselfe forbiddeth his Apostles to be called Maisters for sayth hee Ye haue but one Maister which is Christ The fyfte cause of Christ his comming in flesh is that he might be the Lorde of Lordes and King of Kinges the onlye head ruler gouernour and defender of his vniuersall Church ouer al the partes of the worlde according to the Prophecie of Dauid Psal 2. Yet haue I annoynted my King vpon my holy hill of Syon to whome for his inheritance he gaue all the Nations of y â— world and for his possession the vttermost bounds of the earth And the Angell at his Conception sayde He shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and there shall be none ende of his kingdome And Ephesians 1. He hath put all thinges vnder his feete and hath appointed him aboue al things head of his Church And Coloss 1. He is the head of his body the Church which is the beginning the first of them that rise from death Vt sit in omnibus primas tenens i. That in all thinges hee might haue the preheminence And Ephe. 5. The Husband is the head of the wife as Christ is head of the Church But the wife may haue no more heades but her husband vnlesse she will be a wedlock breakeâ— and so the Church can haue no other heade But Christ vnlesse she doe in the face of the whole world forsake hir owne Spouse who hath betrothed her to him alone He is the only Sonne whiche alone gouerneth the house of GOD his father In all these Branches I adde this worde Onely because Christ onelye is alone that that he is oure onely Mediatour our onely redeemer and purchazer of remission of Sinnes our onelye high Prieste to sacrifice for vs oure onlye Maister and Teacher that instrueteth vs our onely head and gouernour that guideth and defendeth vs. And herevnto I am mooued not onelye with expresse wordes of the scriptures but also with consideration