allotted by God and due in iustice vnto them according to that which Christ sayth dignus est operarius mercede the laborer is worthy of his reward Philo do praem sacerd honoribus To which purpose Philo hath verie well obserued that the people of the Iewes were commanded to bring their oblations into the Temple that there the priests might receiue them as from the hands of God to whom they belonged least otherwise the people should vpbrayde the Priest as if hee were behoulding vnto them for a beneuolence For as the same authour sayth whosoeuer receiueth a gift froÌ„ God who bestoweth liberally vpon all he doth receiue it with lesse shamefastnesse then if hee should receiue it from men only Yea verily God in his wisedome did not see it fitte and meete that his ministers should liue of the almes and the beneuolence of the people but rather that they shoulde haue a sure and certaine maintenance which by lawe and right they might clayme and challenge as due vnto them and that for diuers waightie and important causes First to the ende that their mindes should not bee distracted nor troubled with worldly care for their necessary prouision to which they should be verie subiect if they liued vppon the voluntarie contributions of the people who happely at one time would giue verie liberally and at an other time vpon the least displeasure vtterly withdraw their beneuolence from them Secondly to maintaine the dignitie reputation of their ministerie that they might not bee forced either to begge and tell their want to euerie pezant and low prisde fellow and to receiue a great part of their benetiolence of scandalous notorious wicked persons which were not fitte for them to do or else thorow pietie and modestie to suffer extreame want and penutie which were lesse mâ—ete and seemely for the honour and credite of the profession Thirdly that they might not bee driuen either to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 2.17 that is to corrupt and to adulterate the worde of God as Vintners do their wine by mixing water with it for so the word signifyeth which sheweth the practise to be an olde mysterie of iniquitie or else to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Cor. 4 2. that is to handle the word of God deceitfully therby to please the fancies humours of men and to make a gaine and a benefit vnto themselues which perhaps some not very wel disposed would be glad to do if they liued only vpon the gratuities charitable deuotions of the people Fourthly that they might not lose their liberty boldnes in their ministry being glad to flatter to glose to claw euetie one by sowing pillowes vnder theâ—elbows dawbing with vnteÌ„pered morter but coÌ„trariwise to reproue and rebuke freely and boldly the sinnes of all sortâ— of people eueÌ„ of the richest and mightiest of all Which they shall bee better able to doo hauing a certaine and sure maintenance then hauing only a voluntarie allowance because such as depeÌ„d vpon beneuoleÌ„ce will fear least by vsing the libertie and boldnesse of their ministery in rebuking and reproouing sinne they should thereby lose both the fauour and the beneuolence of those that are perhaps the best benefactors vnto them Which I suppose to haue beene the chiefe cause that godly and religious Princes in former times wold not permit Bishops the rest of the clergie to receiue allowance and maintenance of euerie one of the people Euseb de vita ConstaÌ„t but first of all did giue them bountifull allowance out of their owne treasuries and excheckers and afterwards gaue diuers Lands demaynes and possessions vnto the Church which they did no doubt in great wisedom seeing it to bee more conuenient both in regard of the ministers for the performance of their dueties in regard of the people for their profit benefitte The second propositionis that the maintenance of ministers ought to be a liberall and a bountifull maintenance forasmuch as they had not only Cities and Suburbes allorted vnto them to dwell in Num. 35.4 but also the first fruites and the redemption of the first borne oblations vowes sacrifices and the tenth part of all the fruits and increase to maintaine and to keep them withall The truth of which doctrine is iustified not only by the iudiciall lawe of Moses but also by the lawe of Nations in Pharaoh his Priests Gen. 47. Gen. 47.22 who had lands and liuings belonging vnto them to maintaine them which lands they were not forced to sell when-as all the rest of the peosould their landes to buy them corne withall neither would Ioseph meddle with them but they had an ordidinarie allowance of Pharaoh to liue vppon Which is also further confirmed in the newe Testament where the Apostle speaking of ministers sayth That the elders that rule well are worthie of double honour 1. Tim. 5.17 especially those that labour in the word of God and in doctrine that is of an honest and a liberall stipend as the Apostle expoundeth it in the next words for it is written Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne as if hee should say the leane bare plight that ministers are in shewes plainely that their mouthes haue beene muzzled contrarie to the lawe therefore see that you muzzle them no more but let them eate their fill of the corne that they tread out for the labourer is worthy of his meate Wherin it is worthy the obseruation that the Apostle calleth the ministers maintenance by the name of an honour because as a base and a beggerly allowance maketh to the discredit of the ministerie as if the calling were base and contemptible and not worthy of regard so a liberall and a bountifull allowance maketh for the honour and countenance of the ministerie to shewe that the calling is honourable and worthie of an honourable rewarde The like wee reade afterwarde when as the Church had Christian kings and princes who became nursing Fathers and nursing mothers thereof the Church was maruaylously inriched by the libe rall and bountifull donations of godly and zealous princes others who gaue houses and Lands Castles and Townes for the prouision and maintenance of the Clergie which continued a long time afterwarde in many ages following and doth yet still in all well ordered Churches and CommoÌ„weales For as Philo verse well noteth Philo de praem hon sacerd the large and plentifull prouision of liuing for Gods ministers is an euident argument both of publike pietie and of a diligent obseruation of lawes contrariwise want and penurie and scarsitie of maintenance doth vpbraid vs with contempt both of religion and of lawes of which if there were that regard that there ought to be the ministers of God should not only haue a necessary but a plentiful maintenance So then the prouision and the liuing of ministers by the lawe of God by the lawe
it shall bee done vnto you For as Bernard sayes that prayer which is full of distrust and diffidence measuring Gods power goodnesse either by the shallownesse of our capacitie or by the greatnesse of our own vnworthinesse is not able to ascende and to flie vp vnto those hils from whence our helpe commeth For as a colde or luke-warme prayer faileth and vanisheth in the ascent because it hath not strength and vigour in it and as a rash prayer dooth ascend but yet is driuen backe againe being altogether vnworthie to come into Gods presence so a timorous and a diffident prayer dooth not ascend at all nor come vp into heauen as the prayers and almes of Cornelius did Act. 10. being so restrained and helde back with feare and diffidence that it can neuer come neere the throne of grace to receiue mercy Heb. 4.16 and to finde grace at the hands of God In which regard wee reade that when the man in the Gospell came vnto Christ to make entreaty for his sonne that was possessed with a diuell Mar. 9.22 telling him in what sort he was taken and desiring him after a doubtfull manner to put to his hand and to helpe him if hee coulde saying Si quid potes adiuva nos if thou canst do anie thing helpe vs and haue compassion insteade of helping him he returnes him an aunswere much like vnto his demaund Mar. 9.23 Si potes credere omnia possibilia sunt if thou canst beleeeue all things are possible signifying that the way to finde helpe vvas not to doubt eyther of his goodnesse or of his povver but vndoubtedly to beleeue that hee is both able and ready also for to helpe vs. Therefore in that holy prayer which he hath commended vnto vs Mat. 6 Hee doth teach vs in the beginning of it to cal God our Father that wee should haue a certaine confidence of obtaining that which wee desire for what will not a Father giue vnto his Sonnes praying vnto him vvho hath giuen a farre greater gifte before they praie in vouchsafing to make them his Sonnes and in the ende thereof hee hath taught vs to saie Amen Amen in oratione dominica significat indubitanter a domino conferri quod petitur Aug. de Temp. ser 182 to testifie our faith that wee doe assuredlie beleeue to obtaine our desires and to haue our requestes graunted vnto vs for Amen in the Lords prayer as Saint Austen sayth signifieth that GOD dooth vndoubtedly bestowe and conferre that which wee desire of him But doth this Leper onely come vnto Christ no but he worships him too Venit adorauit eum he came worshipped him Like vnto those wise men sayth Origen that came out of the east Mat. 2.11 who first fel down worshipped Christ and afterwards presented their giftes vnto him Concerning which vvorshippe and reuerence the other Euangelists making relation do report it somwhat otherwise S. Marke 1.40 Marke cap. 1. ver 40. sayth that hee besought him kneeling downe vnto him Luke 5.12 S. Luke cap. 5. ve 12. saith that he fell vpon his face and besought him Saint Mathew saith heere that hee came and worshipped him all which together doe shew his wonderfull reuerence and humility in presenting himselfe in such submisse and lowely manner vnto him Whose religious modest behauiour is as it were a lecture of the like reuerence and humilitie vnto vs to teach vs when we present our selues and our prayers vnto God to adore and to worshippe him not only with an inward but also with an outwarde worship in prostrating our selues and in kneeling and falling down before him 1. Cor. 6.20 For seeing God hath created our soules and our bodies therefore we are to worship and to glorifie him not only inwardly with the one but also outwardly with the other A duty vsually practised by holy deuout Christians in former times til some fanaticall spirits of late pretending God to be a spirit and the seruice of God meerely spirituall deeming themselues also to bee wholly in the spirit and not in the flesh haue heereby made a very Anatomie or Sceleton of the seruice of God voide of all external rites and ceremonies and of all outward worship and reuerence notwithstanding they bee a singular meanes both to excite and stirre vp pietie and deuotion in vs as also to testifie our inwarde reuerence and obedience vnto God so as religion and the seruice of God which was wont to bee faire and beautifull and in good liking may now complaine as he doth in the comedie Plaut in Aulular Pellis ossa sum miser that she is leane and withered and nothing but skinne and bones being vtterly wasted and consumed I say a dutie commonly practised in the Church in former ages as may appeare by Dauids liturgie Psal 95.3 Psal 95.3 In which hee inuiteth the people to the seruice of God after this manner O come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker Which our Church also vppon good ground hath receiued into her liturgie prescribing vs not onely to lift vp our hearts vnto God but also to kneele and fal downe vpon our knees before his foorstoole Yea I ad further a duty not only practised by the prophets and the Apostles and other holy men who beeing but poore and meane persons in the eyes of the World maie perhaps bee thought to haue done it out of a kinde of pusillanimity and want of a generous spirit but also by Kings and Princes and great Monarches of the World Num. 16.22 2. Sā 12.16 2. Chron. 6 13 viz. by Moses and Aaron by Dauid and Solomon and by our blessed Sauiour Christ himselfe whose manner was to fall downe and to kneele and to stretch forth Luke 22 Prostratus in terra or at medicus non inclinatur aegrotus and to lift vp their hands when they prayed vnto God that men of lower ranke and condition should not disdayne nor thinke much to doe the like hauing such presidents and beeing compassed vvith a cloude of such vvorthie Witnesses Heb. 12.1 It is worthie our obseruation and verie agreeable to this purpose which is recorded of the Emperour CONSTANTINE of whom EVSEBIVS reporteth that it was his common custome euerie daye to shut vp himselfe close into some secret place of his Palace Euseb in vita Constant lib. 4. cap. 14 16 vvhere hee vsed to haue both his Soliloquia or priuate conferences vvith God and also to praie deuoutely vppon his knees with a submisse and an humble voyce vnto God which reuerence and humilitie in prayer he did so approoue both in himselfe and in others that in the coyne which passed through all the parts of his empire hee caused his image or picture to be grauen stamped vpon it after the fashion of an humble and deuout suppliant looking vp to heauen lifting vp his hands to God The which is so far
iudgement to thee O Lord. Psal 101.1 Psal 101 So according to these two sayth the same Father he hath diuided all mankind into two societies as it were into two Cities the one to be ioined to the wicked Angells in punishment Aug. de Ciu. Dei lib. 12. cap. 27. the other to be ioined to the good Angells in rewarde and blessednesse in the one to demonstrate what his grace and mercy is able to doe Aug. de Ciu. Dei lib. 21. cap. 12 in the other to manifest what his iustice and seuerity is able to doe For if all should remaine in the state of damnation then the mercie and goodnesse of Christ should not appeare in any on the other side if all should be translated from darkness vnto light then the iustice and seuerity of gods punishment should not appeare in any Againe if God should haue saued none Si vtrique liberarentur lateret quid peccato per iustitiam debeatur si nemo quid gratia largiretur Aug. Sixto presb ep 105 it should not haue beene knowne what was bestowed in mercie vpon vs and if he should haue saued all it should not haue been knowen what was dew in iustice vnto vs. Therefore doth God so make a demonstration of his mercie that withall he maketh a reseruation of his iustice being good in rewarding some and iust in punishing others Yea good in all euen in those that are punished because it is good when that which is due is giuen to euery one and iust also in all euen in those that are saued because it is iust whenas that which is due is remitted without iniury vnto anie This is for the declaration of Christs goodness vnto the Leper in his willingnesse and readiness to heale him in saying Volo I will the next is in his actuall performance of it in saying mundare be thou cleane Where it is worth the obseruation that hee doth not say volo mundare in the infinitiue I will heale thee as if he did only promise to heale him but he sayth volo mundare with a comma in the imperatiue I will be thou cleane performing that which he promised vnto him Wherein two things are verie remarkable in Christ first that hee performeth that which he promiseth adding to Volo I will which is a word of promise mundare bee thou clean which is a word of performance secondly that hee is not onely able to doe but also actually and really doth whatsoeuer hee is willing to haue done ioining with volo mundare his will and his deede together For the former which is the performance of his promise Christ is not like to the mans son in the Gospel Mat. 21.30 who wheÌ„ as his Father said vnto him Son go work to day in my vineyard answered I will Sir but yet he did not Mat. 21. but he is as the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth Iohn 1. Ioh. 1.14 Yea not onely full of truth but truth it selfe Ioh. 14. of whome S. Ioh. 14.6 Austen sayth Promissa tua sunt Deus quis falli timeat cùm promittit veritas August Confess lib. 12. cap. 1 it is thou O God that doost promise and who needeth to feare to bee deceiued when as the truth it selfe promiseth whose promises are yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 most sure and infallible Therefore may we safely repose our selues in his promises Mat. 5 because heauen and earth shall pass before one iotte or tittle of his Word shall faile and withall we may learne of him to be trew in our promises Aug. de Tem ser 127. because as Saint Austen sayes Non in promissione sed in consuÌ„matione virtus est Vertue doth not consist in promise but in performance A good man is like vnto a tree sayth Dauid that is planted by the water side Psal 1.3 in which there is both fruite and leaues that is wordes and deeds Of the fruite that is his deeds it is sayde that it bringeth forth fruite in due season of the leaues that is his words it is sayde that his leafe doth not fade nor wither Aug. in Psa 1 that is saith Austen Verbum eius non erit irritum his word and his promise doth neuer faile of the truth whereof Saint Ierome saith Tantus in te sit veri amor vt quicquid dixeris iuratum putes Hier. ad Celantiam There ought to bee that loue and desire in vs that whatsoeuer we say we should make account that wee had sworne before to performe it For the other viz. that he doth really and actually accomplish whatsoeuer hee will haue done it appeareth plainly by the question that Balam asketh Numb 23. Numquid ipse dicit NuÌ„ 23.19 non facit hath he sayd and shall hee not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it It is a most sure and vndoubted truth that the will of God is alwaies fulfilled for God himselfe hath sayd it Esay 46.10 Consilium meum stabit voluntas mea fiet My counsell shall stand and my wil shal be done Esa 46. there beeing none able to resist or to hinder it Therefore S. Paul speaking of the counsel and wil of God by which hee hath predestinated vs ioineth his actuall operation and working with it saying Ephes 1.11 that Wee are chosen in Christ according to the purpose of him which worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Ephes 1. Which are so neerely vnited and combined in God that as Dauid sayth Psal 135.6 What soeuer it pleased the LORD that did hee both in heauen in earth and in all places Quaedam decreuit Deus facere quaedaÌ„ permittere Aug. Wherein is to bee seene the certaintie and stabilitie of Gods decree concerning election and reprobation and of all other things that are wrought by God as authour which is not contingent or changeable Firmissimè tene omnes quos vasa misericordiae fecit non peâ—irâ— posse nee quenquam eorum quos noÌ„ praedestinauit ad vitaÌ„ vllae ratione posse saluari Aug. de fide ad Petrum cap. 35. Rom. 11.29 depending vpon the will of men but immutable and inuiolable depending vppon the will and counsell of God which is alwaies fulfilled and accomplished insomuch that those whom God hath predestinated cannot possiblie perish as Austen sayes and contrariwise those whome God hath reiected cannot possibly bee saued It is the saying of the Apostle Rom. 11.29 that the giftes and calling of God are without repentance and that with him there is no variablenesse nor shadow of change Iam 1.16 Iam. 1. Our Sauior Christ maketh it a matter impossible that any of Gods elect should perishâ— There shall arise saith he many false Christs and false prophets who shall doe many signes and miracles that they shall deceiue the very elect if it were possible Mat. 24. Mat. 24.24 Ioh.
that through their knowledge shall the weake brother perish for whom Christ died 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 8.13 and for his owne part he protesteth that if meate offend his brother hee will eate no flesh while the world standeth that hee may not offend his brother 1. Cor. 8 13. The which notwithstanding is not so to be taken as if wee might neuer in any case whatsoeuer doe any thing whereat a weake brother may happely take offence but that wee ought for a time to condescend to their infirmity and their ignorance while they may be taught and instructed in the truth as Saint Paul did with the Gentiles 1. Cor. 9.15 who although he might haue lawfully reaped their temporall things for sowing spirituall things yet he would not vse this power and liberty for offence sake vntill such time as he had taught instructed them that this was due by the law of God and the law of Nature for their studie and labour in the ministerie So that if after the truth sufficiently taught demonstrated vnto them they shall still remaine doubtfull and take offence then their weakenesse is not any longer to bee borne withall nor to bee nourished by our dissembling and yeelding vnto it but to bee reproued corrected because now it is Zanch. de Redemp lib. 1 as the learned iudicious Zanchius sayth pertinacia potius quà m imbecillitas rather a pertinacie and an obstinacy then an infirmity and a weakenes in them To make this a little more plaine by an instance or an example There are certaine weake brethren among vs I forbeare to say that some are obstinate that take great offence at the policie and gouernement of our Church and at the vse of diuers rites and ceremonies thereof viz. at the Crosse in Baptisme the wearing of the Surplisse the Ring in marriage kneeling at the Communion and at diuers thinges in the Letany and the booke of Common prayer I demaund now what is to bee done in this case Are wee alwayes to yeeld and to condescend to their weakenesse because they take offence at these things No verily but only for a while till they may be taught and informed concerning the lawfull vse of these things after which if they shall still persist in their errors not subscribing or not conforming themselues to the orders and the regiment of our Church they are not to bee indulged nor to bee spared any longer but they are to bee left to the censures and coercions of the Church like as wee reade of Sara Aug. Bonifacio epist 50. in whome Saint Austen sayeth that the Church of God was prefigured Gal. 4. who corrected punished her maide Hagar Gen. 16. for her pride conteÌ„pt towards â—hir And yet Sara did not persecute Hagar as these men vse to coplain of perâ—ecutioÌ„ wheÌ„ as the church doth ceÌ„sure â—heÌ„ for their wilfulnes disobedience for as Saint Austen sayes Grauius ancilla Saram persecuta est per iniquam superbiam quà m eam Sara per debitam disciplinam c. Aug. de vnit Eccle. the mayde did more persecute the mistress by her pride in despising her then the mistress did her mayde by her iust discipline in correcting her And they did more persequute our Sauiour who caused him to say the zeale of thy house hath eaten mee vp then he did them when hee ouerthrew their Tables and cast them out of the Temple euen as a sonne doth more persecute his father by his disobedience then a father doth his sonne by his correction And therefore we ought so to haue a care of charitie towardes those that are weake that thereby we neither nuzzle infirmitie nor impeach the Churches libertie and authoritie of the defence and maintenance whereof there is a certaine kinde of necessitie that lyeth vpon vs as Caluin sayeth Habemus necessitatem vindicandae libertatis si ea infirmis in conscientijs periclitatur Calv. Inst lib. 3. cap. 19. sect 12. if at any time it bee in daunger to bee lost by the scrupulous coÌ„sciences of those that are weake Now for the reason that concerneth the Priest our Sauiour Christ would haue the Leper to shew himself vnto the Priest to giue the Priest his due viz. that honour and prerogatiue that did belong vnto him who in this case was ordained as an honourable iudge to discerne of the leprosie and to giue his sentence and his iudgement of the cleansing and curing of it Rom. 13.7 and therefore willing to giue all men their duetie tribute to whome tribute custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whome bonour belongeth Vade ostende te sacerdoti go sayth hee and shew thy selfe vnto the Priest For which wee are to knowe that since God did first of all ordaine the Priesthood he hath euermore highly honored it in vouchsafing many priuiledges prerogatiues immunities and dignities vnto it As first in annexing and ioyning the Priesthood to the royall and imperiall dignitie in Melchizedec Gen. 14. who was both a King and a Priest in Noah who was a Monarch and a Preacher 2. Pet. 2. in Moses who was a prince and a prophet Ex. 3. Eccl. 1. in Dauid who was a king and a prophet in Salomon who was a king a preacher yea in Christ himselfe who was sent to preach Luc. 4. and was annointed a king a priest and a prophet and all this no doubt to honour and to countenance the priesthood Secondly in bestowing the priesthood not vppon the worst as Ieroboam did 2. Kin. 12.31 who made priests of the lowest of the people but vpon the first borne of euerie familie as a priuiledge an honour that they had aboue their brethren whereby Melchizedec who is though of most to be Sem the eldest sonne of Noah became to bee a priest of the most high God Philo. lib. 2. de Monarchia Deus Leuitas virtutis pietatisque ergo honorauit Philo de legspeeialib lib. 2. Yea more then this the dignitie of the priesthood was after that bestowed as Philo sayes as a proper and due rewarde of pietie and vertue vpon the tribe of Leui at what time the people of Israell falling to idolatry in worshipping the golden calf the tribe of Leui at the coÌ„mandement of Moses girded themselues with their swordes slew three thowsaÌ„d of the idolators with which zeale of theirs God was so well pleased Exod. 32.29 that they receiued the priesthood as a rewarde of their pietie their good seruice vnto God Thirdly in making the priest a chiefe and a principall man euen in the greatest affayres in the worlde as in annointing and consecrating of Kings who were to be annointed of the priest Num. 27.22 in asking counsell of God both for the ruler the people who were to go out and to come in at his word in ruling and gouerning the people together with the ciuill Magistrate Psal 77. Psal 77.20
for a testimony of their disobedience Psalm 81. and that the Gospell was preached throughout the whole world to be a witnesse of the infidelitie of all that did not beleeue it The Angells of God that stand round about vs our hearts and consciences that are within vs and all the creatures in the World that are without vs will be readie to beare record and witnesse of vs. Iam. 5.3 The rich mans golde and the rust of it will bee a witnesse of his couetousnesse Hab. 2.11 the stone out of the wall and the beame out of the timber Ecc. 10.20 shall be a witnesse of his crueltie the fowls of heauen and the birdes of the ayre will bee witnesses of his impietie and of his blasphemy Wherefore seeing wee are compassed with a cloude of so manie witnesses Heb. 12.1 as the Apostle speaketh in another case let vs cast off euerie thing that presseth downe and the sinne that hangeth so fast on let vs bee carefull to keepe not onely our hearts Prou. 4.23 but our tongues and our hands with all diligence keeping as it were a continuall watch amidst our thoughts our words and our deedes least otherwise those that bee present to behold vs be witnesses against vs to conuince and condemne vs. Those that haue a great manie eyes vppon them to obserue and note all their wordes and deedes are verie warie and circumspect that no vndecent nor vnseemely thing passe and escape from them so ought wee to bee euerie way as carefull and as prouident hauing so manie to beare witnesse and recorde of vs. It was Seneca his counsell to his friend Lucilius that whensoeuer hee went about to doe anie thing hee should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other worthie Roman to be in presence which as he thought woulde make him the more carefull and circumspecte in all things so ought wee whensoeuer wee goe about anie thing to consider that God his holie Angells and his creatures are present to beare witnesse of vs and if anie of these should faile yet our owne conscience neuer faileth to be present going euery where with vs and carrying about that with it Conscientia est inseparabilis gloria vel confusio vniuscuiusque pro qualitate depositi Bern. de inter domo cap. 1. which it hath receiued to keepe beeing euery where vnto vs eyther an inseparable glorie to excuse and to saue vs or an inseparable confusion to accuse and condemne vs. In regard whereof we ought all of vs to haue grace as the Apostle sayth so to serue God and to please him with feare and reuerence that wee neede not to feare anie witnesses that shall at anie time rise vp against vs but contrariwise 2. Cor. 1.12 hauing the testimonie and witnesse of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse we haue had our conuersation in the World and giuing an outwarde testimonie and witnesse vnto the World of our faith and good workes by the fruits thereof we may receiue both the inwarde testimomonie of the spirit to beare witnesse with our spirits that wee are the sonnes Rom. 8.16 of God and the outwarde testimonie of God the Father and of his sonne Iesus Christ saying vnto vs Mat. 25.23 Euge bone serue fidelis It is wel done good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in a little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters ioy To which words I would heere add a blessing and a thanksgiuing Scripturae scrutandae sunt nec earum superficie debemus esse contenti quae ita modificatae sunt vt altiùs se penetrari velint Aug. Hesich ep 80 to conclude and shut vp all as the manner is but that Saint Austen tells mee that the Scriptures are to be searched and to be ransacked and that wee ought not to content our selues with the superficies and outside of them but that wee are to penetrate into the verie bowelles of them Omnia opera curationum Christi habēt in se mysteria dispositionum Dei absconditarum Chrys in Mat. And Saint Chrysostome more particularly sayth that all the workes of Christs healing and curing doe containe in them certaine mysteries of the hidden and secret dispositions of God Which I know not how to open and to make manifest vnlesse the healing of this Leper doth represent and shadowe out the healing of a sinner and the curing of sinne which is as it were a leprosie of the soule Which if it doth as verie well it maie doe then ought we all of vs to come vnto Christ with the Leper and to fall downe before him and humbly desire him to heale our souls and to cleanse vs from al our sins he being the only Physicion the physick to heale vs withal whose bloud dooth both purge our consciences and cleanse vs from all our sinnes Heb. 9.14 Which desire of ours he is both able in regard of his power and willing in regarde of his goodness Psal 147.18 to grant and perform being ready both to send out his word to heale vs with it and to stretch out his hand and to sprinkle his most precious bloud vpon vs to cleanse vs with it Heb. 12.24 the vertue and efficacie whereof is such that hee doth euen immediately and as it were in a moment cleanse vs from all our sinnes and heale vs of all our iniquities Whereof when wee are cured let vs not tell it vnto euery one by bragging and boasting of it as if wee were healed by our owne power and godlinesse Act. 3 1◠but let vs ascribe all the praise and glorie vnto God for it presenting our selues vnto Christ Iesus our high Priest as vnto our heauenly Physicion Heb. 9.12 who by his owne bloud entred into the holy place to sanctifie vs and to obtaine eternall redemption for vs Rom. 12.1 offering vp our soules and bodies a liuing sacrifice holie and acceptable vnto him as it were two Pigeons or a paire of Turtle-doues for a gifte and a testimonie of our thankefulnesse vnto him that so beeing iudged and pronounced cleane and pure from all leprosie of sinne wee may maugre the malice of Sathan bee receiued into the societie and companie of the Saints in the holy Citie Apoc. 4.13 the heauenlie IERVSALEM there to sing Halleluiah and to giue prayse and honour and glorie to him that sitteth vpon the throne and to the LAMBE for euermore Which he vouchsafe to grant vnto vs of his infinite goodnesse and mercy towards vs and for the inestimable price and merit of his owne bloud wherewith he hath purchased vs and washed vs from all our sinnes and obtained eternall redemption and saluation for vs. To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit three persons one God be ascribed all honour and glorie praise and dominion both now and for euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped in the Printing Page 122. line 1. Reade why weake and base and not c. Page 229. line 4. for Mediolanus Reade Mediolanum