to anie other The same Granatensis writes thus of himselfe Ibidem And surely the errours of my life and sinnes are so manie and so great that some men being in the same state of damnation as well as I and not considering O Lord thy omnipotencie but measuring according to their owne frailtie and wauering mindes with their forward thoughts haue entered into iudgement with thee saying Mine iniquities are greater then that they may be pardoned and giuing no credite to thy words and promises imagine that as some angrie or cruell man thou thinkest vpon punishment and reuenge and not vpon grace and pardon And such O my God when they shall see that thou wilt forgiue me my sinnes shall be ouercome and ashamed of their iudgements And they shall acknowledge that which thou spakest by thy Prophet that is As high as the heauens are exalted from the earth so are thy waies farre aboue the waies of men and thy thoughts aboue their thoughts Therefore O Lord haue mercie vpon me and blot out mine iniquitie Thus farre Granatensis He confesseth himselfe to be a damnable sinner Here is no merits then and yet for all that he hopes for pardon comes to the throne of Gods mercie nay they which think God to be an angrie God so that he will not heare sinners he plainlie teacheth that they haue a wrong opinion of God And do not the papists teach this in their doctrine of intercession to saints Angels This faith al the scriptures teach vs that when we pray in the name of Iesus Christ God doth most assuredly heare vs. And so we ought to frame our words when we pray as though we were in the presence of God and our hearts after we haue praied that God in whose presence we haue praied hath granted our requests This faith the gospell teacheth They which beléeue not this denie the faith of the Gospell And the same Granatensis that he may the more déepelie imprint and fasten this loue of God in our hearts which is the very roote of the assurance which we haue in our prayers in another place let vs marke how excellentlie he commendeth and expresseth this excéeding great loue of God towards vs. Can there be any greater argumēt of the goodnes of God wished or desired then to consider that a God of such infinite Maiestie Granat de perfect amor dei cap. 28. who not for any need but onely of his owne goodnes doth stoupe downe humble himselfe so greatly that as a steward purueyour of birds fishes and wormes he prouides all things necessary for their life Neither being content with this alone he doth humble himselfe so far that he giues them also pleasant things wherewith they may delight themselues stirring vp in them also certaine motions of pleasures That euen as thou O Lord hast not only an essence or being but also a most happie and blessed essence so also thou wouldest haue all thy creatures be they neuer so vile and base in their kinde to participate of thee and to enioy both these that they should haue both an essence and also a most happie and ioyfull essence Who is not now amased to see such a miracle who hereby acknowledgeth not the infinite kindnes nobilitie and liberalitie of Gods heart who shewes himselfe so louing and courteous to so vile creatures which if a man meet withall he will make no account to trample vnder his feet Which of vs is it that thinkes it concernes him any thing at all whether a Flie or Pismire haue food or not or whether she be merie or sad Who therefore will not maruell that a God of such great maiestie in comparison of whom all the world is no bigger almost then a little Pismire not onely to haue special care of the liues of these smal vermine but also of the delights and pleasures wherewith euerie one of these is delighted when as he lookes at the hands of these neither for praise nor thanks O wonderfull goodnes O inestimable sweetnes O my God how great incomprehensible are those things which in the bosome of thy glorie thou hast reserued for thy faithfull friends when as thou hast such a speciall care of vile wormes How can I distrust of thy prouidence mercie towards men whom thou hast bought with thy precious bloud when as that is not wanting euen to the beasts of the field Thus farre Granatensis This onelie consideration should make vs pray to God alone Chap. 29. And after of the praiers of the faithfull he writes thus What shal I say O Lord of thy readines in hearing the praiers of the iust what of thy speedines in fulfilling their desires how often doest thou promise vs this in thy holy scriptures that thou mightest take away our infidelity distresse In a certain place thou saiest which of you askes bread of his father and will he giue him a stone our askes fish and will he for fish giue him a serpent or if he aske an egge will he reach him a Scorpion If ye therefore when as ye are euill know to giue good things to your children how much more shall your heauenly father from heauen giue his holy spirit to them which aske him And in another place Aske and it shal be giuen to you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you But the words of our Lord which are in S. Iohns Gospell doe declare the same much more manifestly by which it is manifest that God hath at once opened to his friends all the gates of his mercie when as he saith If you abide in me and my words abide in you aske whatsoeuer ye will and it shall be done vnto you Could the heart of man if a wish were giuen him to wish whatsoeuer he would haue wished a more large or greater benefit when as in these words he hath leaue giuen him to aske whatsoeuer he will And he giues his word also that whatsoeuer he asketh he shall obtaine These are the promises of the Gospell from which they also disagree not which are found euerie where amongst the Prophets The Psalmist saith in a certaine place he will doe the will of them that feare him and he will heare their prayer and will saue them And in another place The eies of the Lord are vpon the iust and his eares are open vnto their prayers And in another place hee saith He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their petition Esay also sings the same song to vs. For after he had shewed with what good works God is especially serued by and by he addeth the reward that shall be giuen to them that serue him saying Then he shall call and the Lord shall heare him he shal crie and the Lord shal say Behold here am I. And as though this were but a small thing thou thy selfe O Lord addest a farre greater and more bountifull promise in the same Prophet
disquieted within me O put thy trust in God For I will yet giue him thankes which is the helpe of my countenance and my God The ioy of the Lord is your strength Nehe. 8.10 Rom. 15.13 O Lord of hope fill vs with all ioy and peace through faith that we may abound in hope through the power of the holie Ghost When we shall heare the clocke strike let vs say Blessed be the houre wherein our Lord Iesus Christ was borne and died for vs. When as we shall haue done any thing well let vs say Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 115.1 but vnto thy name giue the glorie For thy louing mercie and for thy truths sake When we shall take a iourney I will go forth in the strength of the Lord God Psal 71.16 and I wil make mention of thy righteousnes only In a doubtfull matter let vs pray thus In silence and confidence is our strength Esa 30.15 In dangers let vs pray thus Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord Psal 124.8 who hath made heauen and earth For Faith let vs pray thus with the Apostles O Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 For the loue of God O Lord poure thy loue abundantly into our hearts Rom. 5.5 by thy holy Spirit For remission of sinnes Haue mercie vpon me O God after thy great goodnesse Psal 51.1 according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences Psal 19.13 Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou mee from my secret sinnes Psal 25.7 O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercie thinke vpon me O Lord for thy goodnes For good thoughts Psal 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord God my strength and my redeemer For good workes Psal 119.122 Make thy seruant delight in that which is good that the proud do me no wrong At the houre of death Psal 31.5 Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of truth For the Church pray thus Psal 28.10 O saue thy people giue thy blessing vnto thine inheritance feede them and set them vp for euer Psal 80.7 Turne vs againe thou God of hosts shewe the light of thy countenance and we shall be saued Psal 85.4 Turne vs O God our Sauiour let thine anger cease from vs. In the afflictions of the Church Amos 7.2 O Lord God spare vs I beseech thee who will raise vp Iacob for he is small Psal 51.18 O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the wals of Ierusalem Psal 122.6 7 8 O pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee Peace be within thy walles and plenteousnesse within thy pallaces for my brethrens and companions sake I will wish thee prosperitie Saint Gregorie his Prayer Greg. post Psalmos poenitent O good Iesu the word of the Father the brightnesse of the Fathers glorie on whom the Angels do desire to looke teach me to doe thy will that being led by thy good Spirit I may come to that blessed Citie where is an euerlasting day and one spirit of all men where is certaine securitie and secure eternitie and eternall tranquilitie and quiet felicitie and happie pleasure and pleasant ioy where thou God liuest with the Father and the holie Ghost for euer and euer Amen He that shall vse these short prayers no doubt as arrowes they shall mount vnto the skies and enter euen into the eares of God A View of Gods houshold and of all his Seruants THis is set downe by king Dauid very excellently in the Psalme They haue seene O Lord Psal 68.25 thy goings how thou my God and king hast walked in the Sanctuarie Here Dauid teacheth vs that the Lord God as a mightie Prince sometimes as it were euen walketh in his Sanctuarie and among the faithfull in the congregation Now followeth his traine The singers Sharim go before the Musitians Nogenim they which play with the hand on instruments of musicke follow after in the middest are virgins playing on timbrels or drummes Here is Gods traine first singers then virgins and lastly they which plaie with the hand And these may signifie vnto vs thrée sorts of men in Gods Church Singers maie represent Martyrs or Confessors of the faith Virgins those that next to them though they haue not shed their bloud for the loue of Christ yet for his sake they haue abandoned all the vaine and fleshly delights and pleasures of this world and therefore by good right they challenge to themselues the middle or second place And lastly are those cunning Musitians which play with the hand Gal. 5.6 these are those Christians whose faith worketh through charitie Who haue sowne plentifully with their handes the Lords talents that he hath blessed them withall 2. Cor. 9.6 as Saint Paul exhorteth them to doe And they which haue done so do receiue plentifully againe as our Sauiour witnesseth Matt. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungrie and ye gaue me meate c. And how fitly agrées all these together Martyrs may bée rightly called Singers for as Prudentius writeth of Romanus the martyr when as the cruell persecutor had bored through his chéekes he spake thus to him Prudent in Rom. mart O Ruler fierce I yeeld thee thanks that for one mouth too straite Now manie mouthes thou hast me made my Christ his praise to speake Virgins may bee said to play with Drummes For their praise soundeth farre and wide Matth. 19.12 Of virginitie Christ said He that can comprehend it let them comprehend it As though hée should say it is a price propounded of me to all my disciples to runne for 1. Cor. 7.32 Happie is he that can attaine it And S. Paul erhorting all men to virginitie I would haue you without care saith he But this thing can only virginitie afford you The vnmaried man careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord But hee that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife Yea there is difference betweene a virgin and a wife They are not all one the one farre excelleth the other The vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how shee may please her husband Here is the excellencie of virginitie put downe weighed as it were in a paire of ballance and compared with mariage that euerie one maie sée the excellency and difference of the one before the other The virgin careth only for the Lord the maried person for the world The virgin
Ferus a Papist and a Frier of this matter writes thus This brings saith he great comfort to an afflicted conscience to know that Christs promises such like as these are Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and againe it is your fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome and againe your father knoweth that you stand in neede of these things doe not belong onely to the Apostles but do belong also to him Ferus ser 57. in cap. 19. Iob. But most plainly in his Sermons vpon Iob he teacheth this doctrine Thirdly saith he he doth not say onely a redeemer liues but that my redeemer liues and not without an expresse signification of his mind as we say that not coldly or for fashion sake For what good doth it me that Christ is a redeemer vnlesse he be also my redeemer vnlesse he haue made me partaker of his redemption Sathan knew that Christ was a redeemer but he cannot call him his redeemer therefore all the force of this sentence consists in this word mine let vs therfore endeuor to fashion our faith to this Neither is it sufficient if we doe beleeue vnlesse we beleeue with a certaine hope and assurance If I beleeue that there is a God and do not beleeue that he is my God that faith brings me no comfort for the Diuels beleeue the same and tremble Such a faith profiteth nothing But then I beleeue aright with a ioyfull assurance of my hart if I can not only say I beleeue that there is a God but I beleeue he is my God nor only I beleeue that God is a father but I beleeue that he is my father This to conclude is that that makes the hart merrie this is the true confession of the faith this God requires Heare O Israell I am thy Lord God that is to say I will not that thou account me for a God onely but that thou haue me for thy God but then thou shalt acknowledge that I am thy God if thou shalt boldly call vpon me in thy necessities so Christ will not that we shall onely say Father which art in heauen but Our Father as he himselfe hath praied in the garden After this manner also Thomas made a confession of his faith my God and my Lord acknowledging Christ not onely to be a God and a Lord but also his God and his Lord. So doth also Iob in this place I know that he is a redeemer and I know that he is mine Let vs marke how plainlie he teacheth this doctrine and strongly he confirmes the same against Maister Bellarmines former position Philippus de Dies a Frier also of this matter Domin 3. post pent conc 2. agréeing with Ferus writes thus O immutable God saith he wherefore when as there are so many wicked men in the world some for gaming some for pleasures some for pride some for couetousnesse thou saiest there is but one lost sheepe because the most sweete Iesus wils that thou shouldest beleeue that he sought thee so that if thou hadst beene in all the world alone he would for thy sake onely haue died Therefore euerie one is to account himselfe as that lost sheep and should thinke these benefits of his redemption not as vniuersal but as particular euen done for him And as for such like benefits should shew himselfe thankefull What can be more plaine then this that euerie man ought to account himselfe that lost shéepe And that Christ died for him alone And that not for a generall benefit as Maist Bellarmine teacheth but for such a particular benefit bestowed vpon him alone he should be thankfull Surely their doctrine diminisheth this thankfulnesse Philippus de Dies of speciall grace writes thus Conc. 1. in fest pet Pauli In euery temptation of our faith we must flie to this point saying My Lord Iesus Christ is the naturall sonne of God and the same is also God with the father and the holy Ghost and therefore whatsoeuer he hath taught or said concerning the Sacraments of grace of the glory of heauen of the paines of hell is a most certaine and infallible truth Stella of speciall grace writes thus In cap. 12. Luc. Marke that he saith to them which waite for their Lord. Wherein thou must take heede that the God which shall come vnto thee both that he be thine and that thou be Gods So that thou maiest truely say with Dauid I am thine O saue me because I haue sought thy righteousnesse It is a bird seldome seene vpon earth that can say to God I am thine He can saie so truely which cleaues to God with his whole heart and affection Can he say so which is greedie of money or which cleaues to a whore He which thinkes of the world and seekes after worldly things without doubt is the worlds as also they are the Diuels that serue the Diuell Lust comes and saith thou art mine because thou thinkest of those things which concerne the body concupiscence Couetousnesse comes and saith thou art mine because thou takest care for money And so other vices Howe canst thou which art such a one say to God I am thine And he addeth by and by Because I haue sought thy righteousnesse that is I haue sought nothing els I haue sought but that which belongs to thee Some seeke iewels golde siluer and precious stones dignities pleasures of the flesh reuenge of their enemies but I haue sought for thy righteousnesse I cannot possesse but that which belongs to thee I am thine because my portion is not in these earthly things but only in thee c. As we are Gods so also we must euerie one of vs accompt God to be ours by Stella his iudgement De Iacob vita beata ca. 6 Ambrose speaking of that place of S. Paul Rom. 8. writes thus He hath wonderfully added that that he gaue him to die for vs all that he might declare that he loued vs all so that he gaue his dearely beloued sonne euen for euerie one of vs. And in another place speaking of Christ he writes thus He died but once Ambr. de fuga seculi cap. 9. but he died for euery one that is baptized into the death of Christ that we may be buried with him and may rise againe with him may walke in the newnesse of his life And after the chiefe Priest is dead for thee is crucified for thee that thou mightest sticke fast to his nayles for he tooke thee and thy sins vpon him on that Crosse the obligations of thy sins were fastned to that gibbet that now thou shouldest owe nothing to the world which thou hast renounced Ferus also of the same matter writes thus Fourthly as it was said to Christ Fer. part 3. pass Let God deliuer him if he will haue him so this is the fourth temptation of the godly when they are tempted whether God loue them or not Where this word him hath a great force let him deliuer him
Pintus As this precious stone of it selfe caries a Maiestie and glorie with it it needes not the helpe or skill of man to polish it So much lesse the scriptures They glorifie themselues their authoritie is their owne maiesty And no doubt as in the handling of them of which Pintus seemes here to speake so also in the discerning of them Who requires a witnesse to prooue that the sunne shineth Here the thing it selfe is a sufficient witnes So the scriptures by their owne Maiestie especiallie beare witnesse to themselues To Infidelles perchance which neuer knewe nor read the Scriptures the authoritie of the Church maie bee an Introduction to beleeue them as that woman was to the Samaritanes to beleeue in Christ c. But after they shall haue once read them and hauing also well meditated vpon them day and night and laid them vp in their harts Ioh. 4.42 Luk 2.51 as Mary did the words of Simeon and Anna they will then saie as the Samaritanes also saide to the woman Now we beleeue not because of thy saying For wee haue heard him our selues and knowe that this is indeede that Christ that Sauiour of the world So they will also saie of the Churches Testimonie Pintus of reading the holie scripture writes thus Pintus in 3. cap. Ezech. All holie Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach In all mens Books may errours be found be the Author thereof neuer so wise nor neuer so learned for euen as in a fruitfull field sometimes amongst holesome hearbes grow those that bee hurtfull so mens wittes sometimes amongst holesome counselles yeeld also manie errors The heathen Philosophers although setting apart all priuate and publike actions they gaue themselues wholy to search out truth yet they haue committed to writing their own vaine deuises and innumerable vanities For All men are liers as the Psalmist sayeth What shall I speake of the vnprofitable fictions of the Poets The Poets sing of strange but not credible matters If sometimes they affoorde vs any thing that is good they mingle it vvith a thousand lyes But all the holy Scripture is true all to bee read all to be searched all to be deuoured As they which digge mettalles doe not lose the least scrappes but if so bee that they find any mine of gold they diligently search after euery vaine and they take out the earth also with the Gold and they are very circumspect so wee must doe in the holy Scripture we must passe ouer nothing we must not make light account of one word of the holy Scriptures yea we must be much more desirous and diligent in searching out this treasure and wee must endeuour to bring all to light For here is no earth mingled with gold it is all most pure gold tried to the vttermost yea as the Psalmist saith Aboue thousands of gold and siluer In the holy Scriptures because God is the author of it Who can neither be deceiued nor deceiue anie whatsoeuer is written is truth whatsoeuer is taught is vertue whatsoeuer is promised after death is immortality and euerlasting felicity The word of God giueth light and directs vs the way to heauen for the diuine Psalmist saith Thy word is a lanterne to my feet Therefore all that loue God desire to heare it therefore saith Christ our God He that is of God heareth Gods word And in Saint Lukes Gospel Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it O woonderfull reliques being so precious and in the world so little esteemed If we make great account of the garments of the saints and if we reuerence some parts of their garments and that rightlie because they touched their bodies how much more ought wee to esteeme the words of Christ which issued from his heart by his most blessed mouth and touched both his tongue and his lippes They are all heauenly full of holinesse breathing heauenly mysteries Moyses beganne his booke from the generation of the creatures but Saint Matthew began his from the generation of the creator saying The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. And after This booke is the Chronicle of Iesus Christ this is his testament what sonne will not reade the Testament of his father who is it that wil not giue good heed to his fathers last wil This new Testament is an infinit treasure which can neuer be spent of heauenly wisdome and celestial treasures And after The word of God ought to be in our hands that we might neuer forget it but it cannot be in our hands vnlesse it be first in our heart and therefore before God saith My words shall bee in thy hand he saith They shall be in thy heart He that will not fall into sinnes let him keepe Gods words in his heart The holy Prophet would teach vs this in these words I haue hid thy words in my heart least I should sinne against thee He loued the word of God so greatly that as a most precious treasure and most excellent Iewelles he kept them laid vp in the closet of his heart And Salomon in the Prouerbes speaking of the law of God Bind it saith he alwaies in thie heart and compasse it about thie necke and when thou walkest let it go with thee As in the arke of the Testament was the law of God manna as the holy scriptures do record in many places So in the soule where the word of God is kept Christ that hidden and heauenly manna is there by his grace of whome Esay saieth Truelie thou art a hidden God And the same Christ in Saint Iohns Gospell saith I am the liuelie bread that came downe from heauen In that soule which is refreshed with this heauenly food is the law of God written not with inke that I may vse Saint Pauls words but with the Spirit of the liuing God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshie Tables of the heart Saint Paul saith That those which haue the law of God imprinted in their mind that they shew the worke of the law written in their hearts And these obey and loue GOD whereof the truth it selfe saith in Saint Iohns Gospell If anie man loue me he will keepe mie saieng And in Saint Lukes Gospell Blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it For as saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romanes saith Not the hearers of the law are iust before God but the doers thereof shall be iustified And saint Iames saith in his Canonical Epistle Be ye doers of the word not hearers onelie deceiuing your owne selues Euen as he which will make an assault vpon his enimies or defend himself from them stands need of a sword the which being taken in his hand he may strike them that he may obtaine the victory So he that will triumph ouer the world the flesh and the diuell the most cruell enemies of the soule he must carie in his hands that is in his works the word of God
professe himselfe a schoolmaister of good dealing and integritie condemning all euill actions whereof he himselfe is the author and principall actor That thing which he greatliest desireth he will make a shew as that he could in no wise abide it and that thing which he abhors and detests he will seeme greatly to long for and desire that he may more easily take vs at his pleasure This is another point of his cunning by vrging thy iustice to make the mind sorrowfull and to perswade desperation and againe by shewing thy mercie and clemencie to make the mind presumptuous and slothfull Againe of the consideration of euerie ones dignitie to make them proude and arrogant Againe he will procure hatred against thy law that is euen against thine owne selfe as though thou wast an enemie to the lawful desires of the flesh It were to be wished that these sleights of sathan were knowne to all Christians It would make coniurers take héed how they trusted Sathan It would make simple christians also take heed how they beléeued any apparition of spirits or vaine fables although it had a smocke or some sauour of truth or vertue For this is one of sathans sleights as here we may learne to season his lies sometimes with some shew of vertue and goodnes that he may beguile simple soules and draw them on and so cause them to beleeue lies But here all those that are wise in Iesus Christ must know that all is not gold that glistereth And no doubt this was the root of that golden Legend which the Papistes make so great account of and wherein are manie fables tending to vertue and religion but they are but sathans lies burnished ouer with a shew of truth and vertue As Ludouicus Viues here teacheth all Christians that sathan can do cunningly 2 Cor. 2.11 And saint Paul also saith We are not ignorant of his sleights or deuises Of Apparitions and Reuelations Granatensis writes thus Gra. de Deu. lib. 1. cap. 53. If we ought not saith he to seeke for spiritual comforts delights that we may wholy giue our selues vnto them and delight in them much lesse are reuelations visions inspirations and such like to be desired for they truly are the beginnings of diuellish illusions neither let any man fear that herein he is disobedient to God if he shut all his gates against these For God knoweth if he mind to reueale any thing to man to finde an entrie to come in at and to open the gates so that men need not doubt but know assuredly that God is there So he dealt with Samuel being yet a child whenas he called once and twise and the third time and he told him all things which he would that he should know so plainly that there now was no cause of doubting left nor the Prophet now should doubt of his embassage Granatensis here suspects reuelations and he plainly affirms that they are the verie beginnings of sathans illusions Therefore true Christians must not easily giue credit to such but examine them alwaies by Gods word If he agrée not with that it is sathan which appeares though he appeare like an Angell of light 14. Of Inuocation THe common receiued opinion of the Papistes is that we may inuocate the saints in heauen Poligranes a papist writes thus Polig de com sanctorum If they forsake Christ their aduocate and mediator in heauen which call vpon saints then much more they forsake him which do require the praiers of saints on earth The which thing Christ hath not onely forbidden but commanded He makes no difference betwéene inuocation and a request men may request one another to do anie thing but to call vpon anie man is idolatrie and forbidden by Gods word But I would not haue them ignorant saith he that it is one thing to be a mediator of saluation another of intercession onely Christ is the mediator of saluation but there may be more of intercession c. As though Christ had said onely for your saluation if you begin it in my name you shall obtaine it and not generally of all things Whatsoeuer you shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you If he be a Mediator then he is a mediator of all things There is no exception in his most bountifull large promise made to vs. But after as should seeme not being bold to giue inuocation to saints he partly reclaimes his former sentence so saith he After some sort mans name may be called vpon For Iacob sâ—ith to the sons of Ioseph Let my name be called vpon them c. That is I account them as my children though they were borne in Egypt Doth this place proue that they should in their prayers call vpon Iacob but rather that they should of men be accounted the children of Iacob It makes nothing for inuocation or prayer Other papistes more sound haue defined prayer farre otherwise Granatensis defines prayer thus That prayer rightly made is nothing else then a drawing neere of man to God De orat lib. 2. cap. 5. and an vnion of both their spirits If this definition be true then the praiers we do make to saints are no prayers Stella in 5. Luc. And Stella defines prayer thus Prayer is a climing or flying vp of the soul that liues in this world to God And it is as it were a suit which we offer to our God and to our King Our God as he is a most mightie so he is a most mercifull and bountiful prince He will haue all suits to be made to himselfe alone Psal 68.19 He himselfe will bestow all his benefits to make vs praise him alone Praised be the Lord euen the God of our saluation which ladeth vs daily with benefits saith Dauid And Vocabularium Scholasticum defines inuocation to be calling of a thing into it selfe by effects and diuine worship But Stella teacheth That the diuell cannot take any thing from our vnderstanding or will because the operation of the diuell cannot directly reach vnto the substance of our soule Stella in 8. ca. Luc. no nor any Angell can do that because it is only God which can enter into our soule is truly in it which also can worke in it So that then God is only to be inuocated who can enter into our soule and not any Saint or Angell Leu. 10.1 First of all that terrible example of Gods iudgement vpon Nadab and Abihu Aarons sonnes should terrifie all Christians They offering incense to the Lord with a good intent no doubt with strange fire not with that which came downe from heauen thorow their own blind deuotion breaking and transgressing Gods most holy commaundement were sodainly of God consumed with fire sent from heauen And are not our praiers now incense sacrifices of God Psal 141.2 Heb. 13.15 as both Dauid saint Paul do plainly teach and dare we presume to offer them to his maiesty otherwise
from a thousand dangers Psal 121.4 and euen as it were to loade me with many graces for all which as it is méete that I should craue pardon at thy hands Psal 19.12 not only for the forgiuenesse of these sins which I know but also of those which I know not so it is méete that I should in like sort giue thee as great and bounden thankes as possiblie I can not onlie for the benefites I know but also for those I know not And therefore I worship thee I praise thee I giue thanks to thee in them and for them all Giue me grace O my Redéemer that I may so learne to vse all these thy benefits hereafter Mat. 25.24 that they be not occasions of pride and slouthfulnesse in me but of greater humilitie and thankfulnesse and that they may kindle in me a greater desire and zeale of thy seruice To thee therefore who liuest and raignest with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honor and glorie both now and for euer and euer Amen A Forme of Morning Prayer taken out of Granatensis for Christian families O Lord God of Israel which dwellest betweene the Cherubins 2. King 19.15 thou art the verie God alone ouer all the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heauen and earth thou hast made winter and sommer Psal 74.16 Gen. 1.1 the day is thine and the night also is thine O Lord God our most bountifull most mercifull and most louing Father wee most wretched sinners here gathered together in thy most holie name humblie prostrate our selues before thy throne of mercie crauing pardon and forgiuenes for al our sins And although we be vnworthie through our manifolde iniquities Luke 18.13 to present our selues before thy glorious Maiestie much lesse to offer to thée any oblation of praise thāksgiuing considering our owne basenesse demerits yet we know that thou art a Lord most bountifull a God most merciful a Father most louing and a sauior most swéet comfortable Luk. 15.20 whose propertie is euer to saue and haue mercie on the humble sorowfull penitent persons that come to thee in the name of thy beloued son Iesus Christ We confesse O Lord our wretchednesse Psal 32.5 wee acknowledge O Father our vnworthinesse wee are hartilie sorie for our sinnes we most humbly craue pardon for them euen for Iesus Christs sake Esay 59.2 we know that our sinnes stand before vs as great huge heaps like walles of iron and gates of brasse which hinder our petitions so that they cannot come before thee Esa 1.18 we do account our sinnes as red as scarlet in thy sight wee feele our burthen is so heauie and intolerable that we are not able to beare it Psal 40.12 we sée in our selues to be no frée spot from the crowne of the heade to the sole of the foote but all is spotted and corrupted with sores and vlcers Esa 1.6 whose great vengeance which they worthily deserued would haue fallen vpon vs long agoe Lam. 3.22 but that it was stayed and kept backe by thy mercifull hand Wee giue thee O most gratious God and louing Father humble and heartie thankes for this thy fatherlie loue in the name of thy dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ beséeching thee for his sake to continue this thy loue and mercy towards vs all the daies of our liues Psal 84.9 O most louing Father looke not vpon vs but looke vpon the face of this thy annointed Iesus Christ and for his sake haue mercie vpon vs Remoue O Lord our sinnes as farre from vs as the East is from the West Psal 103.12 that they bee neither hinderances to let thy mercie for falling on vs or our prayers Psal 51.7 for comming vp into thy sight Purge vs with Isop dipped not in the bloud of the lambe but in the bloud of thy Son Iesus Christ and we shall be as white as snowe O good Lord sprinckle not only the vppermost poste Exod. 12.7 Rom. 10.9 and the two side postes of the doores of our houses but the whole houses of our hearts and soules with that most precious bloud with the Isop of thy Gospell now preached and wée doe beleeue verily that the destroyer shall passe ouer vs he shall in no wise hurt vs. Ease we beséech thée O swéete Sauiour our burthens as thou hast promised Matt. 11.28 who callest all to thée that are heauie loaden and burthened We confesse O Sauiour euerie one of vs that we carie on our backes the greatest burthens that euer were borne 1. Tim. 1.25 Heb. 13.20 Rom. 8.33 Ephes 5.16 And graunt to vs we beséech thee O mercifull Father that by the bloud of the euerlasting testament sprinkled in our harts by a liuely faith all the inditements and accusations of Satan against vs maie be quite blotted out and all his fir is darts quenched Make this couenant with vs O sweete Sauiour that so long as we serue thée that thou wilt be our God 1. Sam. 2.30 Psal 119 32. our guide and protectour And graunt vs euer therefore thy grace that we may be able to do thée seruice and willing minds to do it with chéerefulnesse 2. Cor. 5.25 And because O Lord Ephes 1.6 the whole course and end of our life should be no other thing but to delight to do thy will and pleasure Psal 5.3 giue vs grace to begin to praise and serue thée the first thing we do in the morning and let vs account and make it the principall ground-worke of all other whereon we should laie all other businesses and affaires whatsoeuer And that we may do it more effectuallie giue vs the holie Ghost the seale of our saluation 2. Cor. 1.22 to seale and shut vp the doores of our hearts and minds from all earthly thoughts and worldly cogitations And close O good Lord Ier. 9.21 the windowes of al our senses frō the vaine appetites of the world the concupiscence of the flesh and the baites of the diuell first of all in the morning when we awake so that all these being excluded and shut out of doores our hearts and minds may be open onlie to thee and to receiue and admit thy Son our Sauiour Iesus Christ into them before all things else 1. Thess 2.13 Reu. 14.4 That so wee may offer vnto thee the firstlings of this day and of all the dayes of our liues And here we giue thee deare Father Psal 137.2 most humble and heartie thankes for the quiet rest and swéete sléepe that thou hast giuen vs this night and for that thou hast deliuered vs from all vaine dreames and foolish fantasies and from all the subtill snares and illusions of our enemy the diuell Psal 91.3 and for all other the benefits of our creation our redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 our election our iustification our sanctification that thou hast called vs vnto the knowledge of
caried very earnestly by the broad way to the pleasures of the flesh riches of this world being accustomed to obey no body being desirous of reueÌ„ge ambitious c. These stumbling blockes as much as in him lyeth euerie good Christian must endeuour to take out of the waie We must not onlie commend praise vertue with our mouthes but also embrace the meanes by the which we maie attaine the same which are contempt of the world heartie earnest prayer fasting such like That holinesse of life which flourished amongst all sorts of men in the Primitiue Church appeares not in our daies because we vse not those means of fasting and prayer which they vsed If we would vse the like tillage to the grounds of our hearts which they then vsed without all doubt we should haue the same fruits of righteousnesse Can euen the best land bring forth good corne without tillage Sow to your selues in righteousnes saith the Prophet and reap after the measure of mercie Break vp your fallow ground Hos 10.12 Fasting no doubt is this spirituall ploughing and braking vp of our fallow ground mercie is that spirituall sowing which the Prophet here speaks of They which will haue the land of their hearts beare good corne plentifullie and be fruitfull in all good workes let them vse these meanes let them vse this husbandrie Manie amongst vs at this daie are like the Iewes which relie onlie on the word of God and search out therein manie high points Rom. 2.17 those things which differ are most excellent but those works of charity to their neighbors of contempt of the world of mercie to the poore of watching in prayer of fasting which so manifestlie almost euerie where it commends to vs commands they practise not And is this to professe Gods word This is plainlie to doe as the Iewes did to brag of it and not to follow it The which if we do Rom. 2.23 it shall no more profite vs then it did theÌ„ For they were as S. Paul there saith catechized instructed in the law euen as well as we are and knew the will of God And here I would to God all Christians would marke what Basill writeth concerning another Christian exercise which is watching in prayer which point also I haue handled before out of the Scriptures But as concerning that matter that we are accused of Basil epist 63. that is for the singing of Psalmes by which thing they chiefly terrifie the simpler sort which slaunder vs yet this I haue to answer that the customes which now are vsed are correspondent and agreeable to all the Churches of God The people rising in the night go to the house of prayer making a confession to God in labours and vexation of mind and continuall teares at length rising from prayer they are appointed to sing Psalmes and being deuided into two parts they sing one part answering another after that they strengtheÌ„ theÌ„selues with exercising meditation of the word of God they prepare to their hearts thereby attention and hauing reiected all vaine cares soundnes constantnesse Then one of them hath this office committed to him to begin the Psalme al the rest sing after him and so they passe ouer the night with varietie of singing of Psalmes prayers being entermingled at the breake of the day they altogether as being one man with one mouth with one hart offer to God a psalme of confession and they professe repentance euerie man with his own words If you flie froÌ„ vs for these things you must also fly froÌ„ Egypt you must also fly from both Libyas from the Thebans Palestines Arabians Phoenicians Syrians they that dwell by Euphrates that I may say all in one word all those with whoÌ„ watchings prayers coÌ„mon singing of Psalmes are of great account Here is plainlie set downe the forme of common prayers vsed in the Primitiue Church They rose to praier before daie they made a general confession as we do all together of their sinnes but with teares which we leaue out They read the Scriptures with them strengthened their faith They sang Psalmes all together sometimes and other somtimes prayed Thus they spent their nights and this was the common practise of all the Churches in those daies but now we cannot abide either to wéepe or to watch in prayer Let vs follow their holie footsteps which agree with the Scriptures as before hath béene declared They which beare the names of Christians are not true Christians indéed are like to counterfeit coin which although it haue as it were the Princes image stamp vpoÌ„ it yet is none of his but is forged of some rebel or enemie so these although they haue the outward stamp of the sacraments are not pure gold within but drosse They are not gold but copper Gold is a soft thing pliable and comfortable restoratiue as Phisitians saie but copper is stiffe hard hurtfull to man These lacke the true gold of faith Their faith worketh not by charitie they are not mercifull Gal. 5.6 2. Tim. 3.3 they are not comfortable to their brethren Their beleefe is a counterfeit beléefe it is of copper they are not louing kind they deale hardlie with their brethren They speak Gnathok as it is in the Hebrew Psal 93 4 which signifies anie thing that is old old things are commonly stiffe stubborne that is stubbornly roughly to their brethren Luke 16.24 they coÌ„fort them not they kill their hearts And though such Hypocrits can saie to Abraham with that same rich man father AbrahaÌ„ to our Sauior Christ with many Christians at the day of iudgment Lord Lord open vnto vs we haue eaten at thy table Luke 13.26 we haue receiued thy Sacraments we haue heard thee preach not seldome but often euen euerie Sabboth plentifully euen in our streetes Yet the Lord at his comming for all these externall religious works of inuocation of his name alone and receiuing his sacraments and of hearing him preach shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall punish to the example of all others such counterfeit Christians which haue wrought iniquitie and he shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matt. 25.32 Luk. 12.46 cut them in the middle because they haue but halfe serued him their part shal be with hypocrits For that seruant which knew his masters will prepared not himself not did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes But he that knew it not yet did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes For vnto whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall bee much required and to whom men much commit the more of him will they aske O terrible sentence The hypocriticall Christian is in worse case then the infidell and Pagan For he not knowing Gods will and yet sinning shall be punished but with a few stripes but the other which knew his masters will and yet offended shall be punished with many stripes And wo be to him that shall be punished with manie stripes at Gods hand who is not able 〈◊〉 â—ndure one There is a parable in thâ—â—â—spel of a father and two sons and he came and said to the elder Son go worke to day in my vineyard And he answered and said I will not Matt. 21.28 yet afterward he repented himselfe and went Then came he to the second said likewise And he answered and said I wil Sir or as it is in the Gréek I Lord I will worke in thy vineyard He made a great shew of willingnesse but he went not What thinke ye saith our Sauiour Euen in mans reason the former is preferred and this yonger with his great shewes is condemned This parable was theÌ„ verified among the Iewes of the bragging and learned Pharisies and repenting and ignorant sinners and I pray God it be not verified likewise in our daies of some vaine protestants puft vp with knowledge and of some ignorant and repenting Papists That same parable also of the virgins was neuer more trulie verified then now Matt. 25.11 it is to be feared manie that be virgins and hate the spirituall fornication of the whoore of Babylon haue lampes of faith Reuel 17.5 yet for want of the oyle of mercie and light of good works shall be excluded though they knocke and praie saying Matt. 5.16 Lord Lord open vnto vs. Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauior that men may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen This lesson is generall to all Christs disciples Our workes should be séene Manie Christians worldly stately works at this daie are séene but their good works are not séene Reuel 14.13 Blessed are they that die in the Lord saith the Spirit they rest froÌ„ their labors their works follow theÌ„ Many do such works now as cannot follow them but remaine behind them But such works shall not profite them Phil. 2.15 That yee saith Saint Paul to the Philippians may be blamelesse and pure and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughtie and crooked generation amongst whoÌ„ ye shine as lights in the world Such should all Christians bee They should be blamelesse But now one shall hardly heare anie one spoken of but that he shall bee blamed for some thing They should be lights giuing good examples in the midst of a crooked generation but now almost all men giue euill example to their brethren Eph. 4. Luke 15.8 Exod. 19.5 Rom. 4 11 24 Matth. 25.1 Phil. 2.15 Luke 12.37 2. Tim. 1.17 The Lord Iesus giue all Christians grace to walke worthy of their callings of that most honourable name wherewith they are called that they may be the Lords trâ—â—ne his iewels that they may be Abrahams sons and wise â—ins that they may be blamelesse and as shining torches in the â—dst of this wicked world and froward generation That Iesus Christ at his comming may acknowledge them for his obedient and watchfull seruants for his glorious names sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost one God immortall inuisible and only wise be al praise honor and glory power and saluation both now and for euer Amen FINIS
common father to vs all so we should be all as brethren one to another and it is greatly to be feared that at this daie that the lacke of this naturall and brotherly loue amongst our selues makes God withdrawe this his fatherlie loue and care from vs. Wilt thou not accompt the poore thy brethren and deale with them as with brethren Surely then God will not be thy father Oh what a losse is this We had better make leases of our lands for nothing nay léese all the goods in the world then léese this Mat. 16.26 Which art in heauen Here is his Maiestie declared vnto vs we haue a mightie father a father of the greatest maiestie in the world The winde the raine the thunder that comes from heauen how mightie how terrible how forcible are they But our father whose dwelling is in heauen 1. King 8.27 naie whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe is of farre greater might These are but his seruants as the Psalmist saith Psal 104.4 He makes the spirits or windes his messengers and his seruants the flames of fire He is most terrible when he is angrie Psal 18.7.2.12 yea if his anger be kindled but a little Oh let vs feare him let vs not sinne presumptuouslie euen the smallest sinnes He is most mercifull Psal 19.13 where hee loues Oh let vs praie vnto him he is able to helpe Heb. 10.26 Psal 103.8 let vs trust in him Let vs not thinke that the darkenesse or anie worldlie pretence whatsoeuer can couer or hide our sinnes Ps 94.9 139.1 The sunne which is but a little aduanced in the heauens we sée howe his beames will pierce into euerie corner much more the power of our God which dwelleth aboue all the heauens his eies his brightnesse his maiestie is in euerie place Hallowed be thy name We will not name the Emperor nor anie king nor anie meane gentleman without reuerence 1. Tim. 1.17 Psal 138.2 and without his titles We cannot sée God he is inuisible he hath onely giuen vs his name here amongst vs to see how we will vse it Hereby are we tried as we accompt of his name so we accompt of him as we esteeme it so we estéeme himselfe Let it be of the greatest accompt amongst vs aboue the names of all Kings and Princes let it be our greatest iewell let vs alwaies vse it most reuerentlie and holilie Let here all Ruffians and Atheists and blasphemous swearers and periured persons quake and tremble that make so light accompt of the name of God This is such a sinne that now although they make light accompt thereof yet God hath tolde them most plainlie in his lawe which if they were not starke deafe they would marke and remember that he that committes it Psal 58.4 he will not accompt him guiltlesse but at that great daie of iudgement when as he will pardon other sinnes he will most assuredlie condemne this Exod. 20.7 Thy kingdome come who hauing land purchased for him would not long to be in the possession of it who being an apprentice would not gladlie be at libertie who hearing his sonne to be a King Gen. 45.27.28 would not now gladlie make haste to go to sée him Did not Iacob thinke you when as he heard that Ioseph his sonne was a Prince in Egypt thinke euerie daie a yeere till he were with him Such are all our estates here in this world we haue not great lands or possessions purchased for vs but euen a kingdome yea and that such a kingdome as farre surpasseth all the kingdomes and monarchies of the world Reu. 1.6 who would not desire to be in the possession of such a kingdome who would not long to sée it we are here all apprentices watching and manie times wanting and euer warring and labouring Who would not gladly be at liberty Iob. 7.1 be deliuered from this bondage be in franchised into that citie where there is not want nor watching nor warring Reu. 21.4 nor labouring but ioie rest peace plenty and fréedome for euermore We doe not onelie heare good newes as Iacob did that our son is a Prince in Egypt but that we our selues are made Kings and Priests by the meanes of Iesus Christ Reu. 1.6 1. Pet. 2.9 and that of the kingdome of heauen and that we are now fellowe heires with him 1. Co. 3.21.22 Rom. 8.17 This is the summe of the Gospell This is our ioyfull newes And did Iacob make hast to go into Egypt and shall not we hasten to our heauenlie kingdome O we of little faith Reu. 22.17 and therefore in the Reuelation the spirit and the spouse say Come Lord Iesu As though they should saie Come Lord Iesu and end this our apprentiship finish this our pilgrimage giue vs now possession of that kingdome which we beléeue that thou hast purchased for vs. And it is all one with that our Sauiour here teacheth vs to praie O Lord let thy kingdome come Iacob was not so sure of his sonne Iosephs kingdome in Egypt nor anie apprentice is so sure after his yeeres expired of his fréedome nor anie purchaser of the landes he hath purchased as we are sure of this our kingdome Mark 16.16 1. Ioh. 5 13. Mat. 5.18 our libertie our heauenlie inheritance The Gospell witnesseth it vnto vs it assures vs thereof Heauen and earth shall passe away but one tittle or iot thereof shall not passe away And therefore being thus assured we saie boldly let thy kingdome come and therefore as Saint Paul teacheth Wee groane and sigh for that great day of our deliuerance out of this bondage and apprentiship with all the creatures of God Rom. 8.22 which also grone with vs that they may be deliuered also into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God And thinking therefore of that great daie of iudgement which is terrible to all Infidels wicked persons and Idolaters Psal 97.7 Esay 2.20 Confounded at that daie saith Dauid and let them hide their faces all such as worship carued Images and delight in vaine gods Reu. 9.20 And to Dauid agrees Esay and S. Iohn Let all papistes marke this then wee are not dismaide but lift vp our heads because we know then that our redemption drawes neere Luke 21.28 Wée praie also O Lorde let thy kingdome come Rom. 6 12. let not sinne raigne in our bodies let vs not delight in it let vs not submit our selues vnto it let not the law of our mēbers Rom. 7.23 which manie times is so imperious and with authoritie euen commands and with necessitie forceth vs that we must néedes doe this or that let not this law O good Lord euer preuaile against vs Eph. 5.18 but be thou our king Let thy holie spirit euer beare rule in our hearts Psal 2.6 Rom. 8.14 Psal 119. 105. Ioh. 18.12 let thy most holie law be a lanterne to our waies and a
light to our paths in whatsoeuer we shall goe about or take in hand We saie O good Iesu which for our sakes was content to bee bound with coards giue vs also grace that wee maie be bounde with the coards and commandements of thy law and that wee cast them not awaie as the wicked doe who said Let vs breake their bonds in sunder and cast away their coards from vs. Psal 2.3 Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Psal 19.5 The sunne euerie daie as we sée runned his most swift and stéepe race without wearinesse The earth yéelds not onlie her flowers to delight vs but her fruits also to feede vs yea she openeth her verie bowels to doe vs good the seas and the waters also neuer stand still Gen. 4 9. Ier. 5.12 in the beginning they receiued a law that they should kéepe them within their bounds and not couer the face of the earth 1. Kin. 17.4 against their nature and yet euen to this daie they obeie it God commanded the greedie Rauens to feed Elias and they obeied his commandement To conclude all creatures obeie the will and commandements of God only man Esay 1.3 who is of all others most bound to him and for whome hee hath doone most is most disobedient The Angels and those mighty powers which excell in strength as Dauid saith are readie at his becke and doe his commandements onely man a vile worme dare presume to rebell against him Psal 103.20 and to disobey him Iob. 17.14 O let vs not onely praie thus but also labour studie and endeuour with all our might and maine that the wil of this our louing and most mightie father maie be done as wel in earth as in heauen It is a shame for sonnes that seruants should go beyond them in dutifulnesse and obedience towardes their father Mal. 1.6 Eph. 3.20 it is a shame for men endewed with reason naie enriched and strengthned with Gods spirit that vnreasonable creatures should excell them in dutifulnesse and obedience to their maker and creator And let vs for Gods sake learne to bridle our owne wils our owne natures The earth doth so as S. Paul teacheth vs Rom. 8.20 and against the will thereof is subiect to our vanities for him that hath subdued it through hope It would neuer suffer vs els cruell couetous and vaine men not so much as to treade on it and wickedly and vainelie to abuse it It would swallowe vs vp quicke Num. 16.31 as it did Corah Dathan and Abiram The sea doth so also or els we should haue no houses to dwell in nor lands to lette Psal 104.9 Let vs also in our vaine curious and stately buildings of our houses and in letting our lands also bridle our couetous cruell and vncharitable willes These great and mightie and excellent creatures doe bridle and containe their owne natures at Gods commandement as we sée and yet man will not bridle his nature for Gods sake he will haue his will Let all men learne to pray and practise also be it neuer so vnpleasant or vnprofitable vnto them that prayer of our blessed Sauiour Luke 22.42 Not my will but thy will be done O Father Giue vs this daie our dailie bread What maie we learne by these words surely that the best and richest of vs all are but beggers before the maiestie of God It maie be truely said to euerie one of vs 1. Cor. 4.7 what hast thou that thou hast not receiued We must not be ashamed to begge of God euer our daily bread We haue not so much of our owne as a shiue of bread and yet we proude peacocks the sonnes of Adam how proude are we how deale we in the world how doe we accompt of our selues as though we were lordes of all things Psal 12.4 We saie in our dealings with the wicked 1. Sam. 25.10 who is Lorde ouer vs So we liue so we deale in all our earthly affaires we saie with Naball who is Dauid and who is the sonne of Ishai There are many seruants now adaies that breake away euerie man from his Maister shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and giue it vnto men whom I know not whence they be This Naball is a right patterne of a worldling he will not know his brethren he forgets that we haue all one father he can finde excuses enow when he will not doe good as all the wicked doe to make emptie the hungrie soule Esay 32.6 He accompts all his my bread and my water and my flesh saith he so doe all worldlings they forget that they are to begge of God euen their dailie bread Such poore beggers they are indéede how rich soeuer they séeme in their owne eye yet they accompt all their owne Nay the more to condemne this harde dealing of worldlings towards the faithfull and Gods children be they neuer so base and poore that saying of Dauid also concerning Naball is now verified in these rich worldlings ver 21. Truely I haue kept in vaine all this mans cattell in the wildernesse saith Dauid and not any thing that belonged to him perished and he hath requited me euill for good No doubt euen nowe for the godly and poores sakes God preserues the liues and all the goods and cattels of the rich and wicked men and yet they will deale hardly with them Is hee a good man and the seruant of God that thou dealest withall whosoeuer art rich deale well with him Thinke verily that for his sake God will preserue thy life and all that thou hast Gen. 18.32 Remember how that if there had béene tenne good men found in all Sodome it had not béen destroied And how that God blessed Putiphar no doubt a prophane man for Iosephs sake 39 2. God gaue Saint Paul all their liues that sailed with him Act. 27.24 Deale well with Gods children which are in neede and flie to thee for succour whosoeuer hast this worlds goods Know this assuredlie that as Dauid here preserued Naball and his cattell so shall these preserue thee and all thine 1. Sam. 25.37 And as in the ende his churlishnesse to poore Dauid killed him so be thou affraid of his ende Let vs not forget that lesson which Peter teacheth vs 1. Pet. 4 7. that liue now in the end of the world Now the ende of all things is at hand saith he Be ye therefore sober and watching in praier but aboue all things haue feruent loue amongst your selues for loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes Be harborous one to another without grudging Men in those daies as should séeme would make no conscience to turne their brethren out of dores or to kéepe their gates shutte that none might come in at them They doe not fulfill that same generall lawe of all christendome Mat. 7.12 and of all
bee strong then against this enemie call vpon the Lorde praie One compares prayer to Sampsons haire when it was long hee was of an inuincible strength but when it was cut short Iudg. 16.19 hee was no stronger then another man Euen so whosoeuer thou art praie continuallie Pray thrise a daie with Dauid and Daniel and thou shalt be as strong as Sampson Psal 55.17 thy soule shall be endued with much strength but if thou neuer vse to praie Dan. 6.10 thou shalt be no stronger then another man Nay euen Sampson himselfe vsed prayer though his haire were growne long now againe yet when he came to take the piller in his hand and to pull the house on the Philistines heads hee prayed O Lorde God I beseech thee thinke vpon me O God I beseech thee Iudg. 16.28 now strengthen mee at this time onely Hée vsed also prayer besides his haire S. Iames also saieth ye haue not because you aske not And our sauiour vseth so manie words as one noteth Aske seeke and knocke to declare our dulnes and slacknesse in prayer Stella in 12. ca. Luc. Let vs pray that we maie haue And resist him stedfast in the faith Ephes 6.16 Aboue all things as saint Paul counselleth vs against this enemie let vs take the shield of faith Beleeue assuredly in Iesus Christ and in his death passion be strong in his power and might Eph 4.8 He hath led captiuitie it selfe captiue euen that mightie conquerour that conquered all men he hath not onelie conquered him but also hee hath made him thy captiue The verie witches confesse that against those that are strong in faith neither they nor their diuell haue anie power Iesus Christ is Vcal and Ithiel Prou. 30.1 of whome that man of might Agur the sonne of Iache prophesied which is the son of Hammoshe the bundell of all religion knit vp togither as the Hebrew word maie seeme to signifie that is Iesus Christ is euer with vs and can doe all thinges And this lesson no doubt Saint Paul had learned Phil. 4.13 who said I can doe all things through Christ which strengtheneth me For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Psal 97.1.99.1 Our God is the great king ouer all the world if we marke he gouernes all things Psal 62.11 but most secretlie and most patiently euen as corne growes To him also belongs all power Those euer which haue gloried in their owne strength he hath ouerthrowne by weake meanes Iudg. 4 3.21 1. Sam. 17.51 Sisera who had nine hundred chariots of yron by a woman Goliah whose speare was like a weauers beame Psal 65.1 by a boy To him belongs all glorie they which go about to robbe him thereof Act. 12.22 shall bee eaten with wormes like Herode To him therefore with the sonne and the holy Ghost be all honour glorie power and saluation nowe and for euer Amen Amen The Contents or points of the true Catholiques Catechisme 1. Of mans free will 2. Of Iustification 3. Of speciall grace 4. Of good workes 5. Of the certaintie of Saluation 6. Of the reading the Scriptures and their sufficiencie 7. Of Pilgrimage 8. Of Traditions 9. Of the Popes Supremacie and in this Article is declared howe the Papists haue iniuriously dealt with Ferus in leauing out manie thinges in his Commentaries vpon Matthew printed at Rome concerning this matter which are in the copies printed at Paris 10. Of Antichrist and the calling of the Iewes 11. Of Miracles and apparitions of spirits 12. Of Inuocation 13. Of Pâ—â—â—atorie 14. O Idolatrie The true Catholiques Catechisme or briefe summe of Religion 1. Of mans free will THE Fathers of the councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Sess 6. ca. 5. concerning this weightie matter declare their iudgment thus The beginning of iustification in those that haue yeeres of discretion is from God by Iesus Christ his grace preuenting them that is by his calling by which they are called without any of their deserts as such who by their sinnes were turned away from God and are now prepared by his grace stirring them vppe and helping them to conuert themselues to their owne iustification by their free assenting and working iointly with this grace So that God toucheth mans heart by the light of his holy spirit neither doth man himselfe nothing receiuing that inspiration who might also haue refused it nor yet could he haue mooued himselfe without the grace of God to righteousnesse before him of his owne free will And therefore it is said in the holy Scripture Turne ye vnto me and I will turne vnto you We are here put in mind of our freedome And when we answere turne vs O Lord vnto thee and we shall be turned we confesse that we are preuented by the grace of God This is the sentence of the councell of Trent wherein they teach that in mans first calling to God Gods grace doth but only stirre vp his will as being a sléepe and helpe it as being weake And that being thus wakened and helped and strengthned it doth fréely and willingly yéeld to this grace and so helpes her owne iustification But this their assertion diminisheth the grace of God which euerie true Catholique must acknowledge that he hath receiued and it extols too much mans corrupt nature Rom. 6.8 Ephes 2.1 2. Cor. 3.5 which euerie true Christian must with the Apostle confesse to be in himselfe Man was not onely a sléepe through his sinnes but dead in them as Saint Paul teacheth neither was he onely weake but vnapt vnfit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Gréeke worde signifies to thinke a good thought much lesse to doe a good worke There remained not in man as in one that sléepeth his former strength so that hee néedes nothing Gen. 3.10 but wakening to doe his dutie but he was now quite spoiled and robbed thereof and left naked as Adam himselfe confesseth and now stands néede of a supplie of newe strength to be giuen him And therefore our Sauiour to let passe all Metaphors and allegories tels Nicodemus in plaine termes That vnlesse a man be borne againe Ioh 3.3 he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen This is more then the helping of a man vp that is fallen downe or wakening one that is a sleepe Man must be borne againe he is starke dead he must haue new life put in him if he euer will enter into the kingdome of heauen And this must all Gods children confesse This was the first lesson concerning his saluation that our Sauiour Iesus taught Nicodemus and as manie as do minde to be saued must also learne it Mat. 5.3 and this will make them poore in spirit which is the first steppe to blessednesse Nay our Sauiour there plainly teacheth that that which is borne of the flesh is flesh Whereby we maie learne what we are by our owne nature nothing but flesh sonnes
thou art yet thou hast somewhat wherein thou must confesse thy selfe a sinner before God Here is our saluation the free mercie of God bestowed vpon vs in Iesus Christ that we should knowledge our selues euen damned creatures if Christ had not deliuered vs and howe perfect soeuer we are still to acknowledge our selues sinners before God and therfore of our selues deseruing damnation And after he writes thus By these it appeareth that of Adam we are borne euill and wicked for euen as a field of it selfe without seede brings foorth no fruit if any thing growe it is either Tares or if it be like good fruit yet there is nothing in it it is but meate for beasts so truely the sonnes of Adam vnlesse they be regenerate by Christ bring foorth nothing but euill fruit and if they shall seeme to bring foorth good fruit as the Philosophers taught morall vertues yet they are vaine they iustifie truely and haue their glorie In cap. 13. mat but with men not with God Whereas Ferus saith that the sonnes of Adam vnlesse they bee regenerate by Christ bring forth nothing else but euill fruites the Romane Corrector bids put out nothing but as though man could doe some good without Christ What is this els but to gainsaie the Gospell Iohn 15.5 where Christ saith meaning of good without me you can do nothing In cap. mat 14. And of Christ in another place he writes thus Neither by any other meane meaning Christ Iesus saieth Ferus canst thou passe ouer the sea especially at the extremitie of death which on the one side will make thee affraid and the Diuell on the other side and behinde thee the multitude of thy sinnes what wilt thou doe in this case If thou respect these daungers thou seest nothing but the sea and the depth therefore thou must needes despaire remember therefore that thou looke onely vpon Christ neither doubt any thing for by this meanes thou maiest passe ouer as Peter did Thus farre Ferus And hee teacheth plainelie that by no other meanes then by Christ we can passe ouer the sea of death But the Roman Corrector bids put out that and put in without this meane we cannot passe ouer death And whereas Ferus bids vs onely haue an eie to Iesus Christ the Corrector bids put out onlie They must haue an eie to their owne workes and an other to Christ as it should séeme so iniurious are they euen to Christ himselfe who is our only Sauiour Esai 63. who alone trode the wine presse for vs as himselfe witnesseth Of iustification also Ferus writes thus In cap. 16. Io. The holy Ghost shall reproue the world of righteousnesse because I go to the father my righteousnesse can pierce the heauens and come before God and not any other righteousnesse And after The holy Ghost sheweth that the righteousnesse of the world sufficeth not to saluation And then he shewes that there is one only true righteousnesse with God that Christ is gone to the father that is that his death and resurrection iustifieth vs. And of faith he very excellently writes thus I require no great price but as I haue promised freely so I will giue freely onely if thou canst but beleeue in me In Ioh. cap. 11. Faith therefore is the meane whereby we obtaine the life and resurrection and all the goods of Christ Ferus of mans righteousnesse writes thus In cap. 4. Ioh. All mens righteousnesses are more vncleane then that they may iustifie vs or may commend vs to God If any man seeke righteousnesse out of the lawe howe much good soeuer hee doth yet he cannot obtaine thereby peace of conscience yea thereby also his conscience is the more disquieted the law often times accusing him that at length he is compelled to trust onely to the mercie of God and to say we are vnprofitable seruants and no flesh shall be iustified in thy sight Also in another place he writes thus In cap. 3. Ioh. Furthermore also by this word may be vnderstood that onely Christ by right and merit ascended into heauē for to him by right belongs the kingdome of heauen because he is the naturall sonne of God And therefore he saith all thine are mine And Dauid saith The heauen of heauens are the Lordes but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men All others which haue ascended or shall ascend haue this onely of grace by no right but because God onely hath promised this of his mercie neither our works of what kinde soeuer they be are so great that they may deserue this reward either of right or of desert but in as much as God accepts them in mercie Hereof it is that Saint Paul saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glorie we shall haue And the same Paul saith The waight of eternall glorie aboue all measure surpasseth all the sufferings of this life And of these he collecteth That we are saued by grace and not of workes least any man should glorie And lastly so that word may be vnderstood that no man by his owne righteousnesse may stand or appeare before God but onely Iesus Christ neither any maruell For all are gone out of the way and are altogether become vnprofitable And also if any good workes of righteousnesse appeare in vs yet we haue euer more sinnes so that Dauid iustly cried out If thou Lord shall extreamely marke what is done amisse who may abide it Furthermore our good workes haue some imperfections in them yea for the most part they are infected with vain glory or with some other fault of the old man so that it is truely said All our righteousnesses are like a defiled cloth And for this cause also Dauid praied Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified If therefore our righteousnesse cannot stand in Gods sight how could it open heauen vnto vs or deserue the holy Ghost to reconcile vs to God But Christ dare appeare before God because he is the sonne of God and all other being damned and quite vndone he onely hath the fauour and grace of God he onely possesseth righteousnesse and to conclude he onely hath in himselfe all the good gifts of God Also onely his righteousnesse is acceptable to his father because it is mingled with no sinnes yea it is most pure hauing proceedeed from the great loue and charitie of his father That all the world may know saith he that I loue the father I doe as the father hath commanded And Saint Paul saith he was obedient euen to death Therefore he alone could deserue for vs the opening of heauen the loue of his father and the holy ghost By this word therefore Christ would humble vs that we should neuer presume of our selues nor of our owne righteousnesse not that we should doe no good but that we should acknowledge our selues vnprofitable seruants although we shall haue done all that
is commanded vs. Also by this word he taught that we should seeke all good things from him and by him for it is a most true saying No man ascends c. And againe the same Ferus writes thus Who that he might spare his seruant Ibidem would whippe his owne sonne But God that he might spare his enemies and them who were vnthankefull to him gaue his sonne to death He hath giuen vs his righteousnesse merits yea and whatsoeuer he hath done or suffered And therefore wee may glorie of them as if they were our owne which thing only can preserue vs from desperation Thus farre Ferus If we haue Christ with all his merites giuen vs what néede we anie more what neede we anie merites of Saintes out of the Popes treasure then to satisfie for our sinnes And after the same Ferus writes thus But thou wilt say Christ is now absent from our eies how shall we lay holde on him I answere he is not laide hold on saith he by the hand of the body but by the hand of the hart which is faith Therefore in only Christ by the faith of thy heart thou shalt finde sufficiencie and aboundance because he alone brought with him God himselfe with all his goods This faith in Christ maketh not ashamed because Christ is truth And therefore Esay saith All that beleeue in him shall not be confounded For faith directed aright neuer confoundeth This word therefore teacheth that God is both top and toe the beginning and ending of our saluation the Author and the finisher thereof I am Alpha and Omega saieth he c. And to the same effect Ferus writes on the Preface of Matthew Haue that euer before thine eies of Esay A childe is borne vnto vs and liued for vs and died for vs and that which is more is giuen vs with all that he hath Therefore when thou hearest Christ to haue done or suffered anie thing thinke that same Christ with that he hath done or suffered to be thine insomuch that thou maiest bragge thereof as of thine owne for he needed not to be incarnated or circumcised he needed not to fast pray or suffer but hee hath giuen all these thinges to vs we stand in neede of them For our merites are not sufficient For they are like a defiled cloth of a woman Therefore thou must say O Father I acknowledge that I am nothing but I know that Christ hath done this not for himselfe but for me c. But some will saie then whereunto serue our good workes if Christs merites be sufficient Ferus answereth a little after Haue care saith he that of the truth of God thy faith may be nourished and of his mercie thy hope and of his goodnesse thy loue and of his iustice thy feare Behold saith he these are the exercises of a Christian life For what doth God require els but that thou shouldest feare him Here we maie plainlie sée how Ferus still makes our workes not merits but dueties and exercises of our Christian life God will not haue vs idle or vnprofitable or vnthankefull to him And after the same Ferus writes thus The wise men shewed their inward deuotion of their mindes In cap. â— Mat. by their outward falling downe for our outward worship is without superstition when it proceedes from the inward So the children of Israell hearing that God had respect to their afflictions fel down flat on the earth so we also are prostrated by this acknowledging our selues to be nothing but dust and we arise againe acknowledging that our saluation is only of the grace of God Thus Ferus writes in the Text in the Copie printed at Paris but the Corrector in correcting the escapes in the printing at Rome biddes put out onely the Papists will not acknowledg with Ferus that our saluation comes onelie of the grace of God Apoc. 7.10 but partlie also out of our owne merites and workes But all the true Saintes of God with Ferus acknowledge their saluation to come of the Lambe Genes 38.18 This was prefigured in the law by manie Types and shadowes Thamar requireth of Iudah as a pledge of his loue his Signet his Cloake and his Staffe The same pledges of his loue hath our true Iudah Iesus Christ giuen to vs that is the signets or seales of his Sacraments the cloke of his righteousnes the staffe of his holy spirit By the strength where of wée may passe thorow all the waues and flouds of this world 2. King 2.11 This was that which was prefigured long before also in the ascension of Elias who left his double Spirit and his Mantle to his Scholler Elizeus so our true Elias Iesus Christ who by his own power hath ascended into heauen who as it were a shadowe of him the other Elias did ascend hath left to all his Disciples to all his faithfull seruantes his double spirit his two Sacraments and the mantle of his righteousnesse Of him it is truelie saide that hee hath put on righteousnesse as an Habergion Esay 59.17 and an helmet of saluation vpon his head This Habergion of his righteousnesse and this mantle and this shield of faith hee hath left to all his faithfull seruantes and souldiours And by the strength of these they are able to stand against all the assaultes of their enemies and to quench all the fierie darts of the diuell Dominic 1 in Septuagesima Philippus de Dies also writes thus concerning this matter Our heauenly Redeemer saith Know that your saluation dependeth of my onely will and pleasure and this is his predestination that shal be saued wherefore let no man be exalted though he come early into the Vineyard neither despaire â—hough he come late so that hee come for if he come early he owes me more then I owe him saith God for I helped him that hee might come early and I am the Lord who may do whatsoeuer pleaseth me And this is better and more profitable for men that euery one be sober and watchfull considering I receiued the theefe from the Crosse and dismissed Iudas from my Table and Dish And so Saint Augustine saith that men how to knowe how to liue well it is the gift of God And man owes more to God because he doth good works in his seruice then God owes to man because he does them And so this glorious saint sayth The works of man they are the gifts of God And if any shal say O Lord I fast recompence me for my fasting the Lord may say to him again yea rather pay thou me because I gaue thee grace and helpe that for me thou mightest fast Another sayth Lord recompence me because I haue giuen away all my goods for thy sake Another Lord recompence me for in thy seruice I haue beaten and chastened my body Another saith I haue beene a Virgine or martyr for thy sake Another because I haue endured so many tribulations To whom the Lord
anie thing and excellent personages and the dignitie of the things themselues The things themselues oftentimes do speake and witnesse And here concerning the certaintie of our saluation first that plaine and short Epistle which saint Iohn writes to all that beléeue in Iesus Christ as a most ancient record doth testifie Ioh. Epist 1. ca. 5.13 Secondlie saint Iohn himselfe who wrote the Epistle who was the beloued Disciple on whome Iesus Christ leaned and lastlie the dignitie of Christians all that beléeue in Iesus Christ must know that they haue eternall life Faith in Iesus Christ is no small iewell it bringes with it this vertue euen the assurance and knowledge of our saluation They diminish and take the dignitie both of faith and of Christians from them that deny this which saint Iohn repeates twise in that his short Epistle as a thing not lightly to be regarded as a thing which the diuell should go about to steale from Christians and to deface for he cannot abide the dignitie of faith These things haue I written to you sayeth saint Iohn which beleeue on the name of the son of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life and that ye may beleeue on the name of the Sonne of God Let vs marke here first that he sayth that all Christians must know that they haue eternall life now that they shall haue it but that they must now know that they are assured of it euen as if they had it already Secondlie that he repeates that they which beléeue on the name of the sonne of God haue this knowledge and this assurance And he vrgeth this knowledge and assurance as a spur and a mightie cause to make them beléeue on the name of the sonne of God Who would not to be assured of his saluation to know certainly that he should be saued doe any thing Nowe saint Iohn teacheth all true Christians that to the obtaining of this so waightie a matter there is one thing necessary and that is To beleeue on the name of the sonne of God who will not now beléeue and euery day pray for increase of faith that heares and beleeues this In ca. 5. Epi. Io. Ferus also as I haue noted before affirmeth that as Christ had witnesse from heauen and on earth that he was the onely true Sauiour of the world so euery Christian hath the same Testimonie that he is the sonne of God And shal any christian doubt then whether he be the sonne of God or no First the Father from heauen witnesseth they shall be my sonnes and my daughters and I wil be their father Secondly the holy Ghost witnesseth to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God And thirdly the Sacrament of Baptisme wherewith we are washed and the Sacrament of the Eucharist wherewith we are sed doth witnesse the same what can then be more happie then a Christian saith Ferus that hath so manie Testimonies Master Bellarmine that Salomon spake generally of the vncertainty which iust men haue of their proper grace either as men or as the sonnes of God may be gathered of two things first of these words that all things are kept vncertaine or before their faces But here Bellarmine must not mistake Salomon for all things are not kept vncertaine as the words seeme to import for then the Articles of our faith should bee vncertaine which I thinke Bellarmine will not affirme among which Articles also are contained the remission of sinnes and the resurrection of the bodie I maruell why they will not make the one of these as certaine to euerie mans conscience as the other So that then these words of Salomon that all things are vncertain must be restrained within their limits and to bee vnderstood in that respect hee spake them which the words following doe declare that is that by these externall euents a man cannot iudge anie thing but all things are vncertaine Secondlie Master Bellarmine saieth that of the intent or purpose of Salomon this may be gathered which was to shew that this was one of the miseries of this life and that not the least that euen iust men might iustly feare least peraduenture they were not iust but if they knew they were iust howsoeuer they know it then saieth hee all things were not reserued as vncertaine to come But what was Salomons purpose appeareth by the Chapter going before And I see all the worke of God saieth hee that man cannot find it out the worke that is done vnder the Sunne Eccl ca. 8. v. 17 the which man studies to search out and cannot find the same yea though a wise man saie he will search it out yet he cannot find it And then followes I gaue my mind to this whole matter and to declare it all Here is first Salomons purpose that Gods works are woonderfull and that no man can attaine to the depth or to the reason of them not to teach as master Bellarmine teacheth that this is not the least misery of man to feare whether he be iust or no. And then after Salomon hath put downe this his intent and purpose he sets downe this foundation concerning the matter propounded That all men whether wise or iust whether seruants or masters are in the hands of God How soeuer God dealeth with men this is a sure ground That be they wise and iust they are in the hands of God and therefore are sure to be saued whatsoeuer befall them But his loue or hatred saieth hee man knowes not for all things happen to the good and wicked alike so woonderfull are the works of God that by them no man can tell his loue or his hatred This is Salomons drift and purpose as most euidentlie appeares out of this Text whereas that first ground That the iust and wise men are in the hands of God whatsoeuer befalles them seemes to inferre necessarilie this certaintie of our saluation But to conclude this place doth not that saying of the Apostle prooue euidentlie the certaintie of our saluation That the feruent desire of the creature waiteth Rom. 8 20.21.22 when the sonnes of God shall be reuealed For wee know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauelleth in paine together vnto this present And not onely the creature but we also which haue the first fruits of the spirit euen we doe sigh in our selues waiting for the adoption euen the redemption of our bodies If all the godlie doe sigh and grone for the daie of Iudgement with the earth which then shall most assuredlie be restored to the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God doe wee thinke that they doe doubt of their saluation or doe wee thinke God deales more hardlie with them then with the earth It is sure of deliuerance and liberty euen now which causeth it to grone and are not they That saying also of Peter confirmes the same That all Christians should looke for 2. Pet. 4 12. hasten vnto the day of God
manifest then this Therefore all Catholiques as M. Bellarmine affirmeth do not affirme Peter to be the rocke whereupon the Church was built or if they do they do erre as here Ferus forced with truth doth very manifestly proue and confesse And here I cannot let passe a sleight which some Catholikes haue vsed to salue this matter whereas in a copie printed at Paris 1594. after Ferus death we read thus as I haue alleaged It belongeth onely to Christ that he should be the rocke In a copie printed at Rome 1597 it is thus read It belongs to Christ that he should be the first chiefe rocke where the word Onely is quite left out and the word first or chiefe is put in or added What dealing is this to adde or put out at their pleasures and that to maintaine the Popes supremacie Ferus in his first copie saith that It belongs only to Christ to be a rocke And the Catholikes in their copie printed at Rome say It belongs to Christ to be the chief rocke and put out onely and adde chiefe because they would haue the Pope ioined with him And Ferus himselfe did not alter this during his life for both the copies were printed after his death That at Paris by Philippus Agricola preacher at Moguntia and as it should séeme Ferus successour But howsoeuer they would salue the matter with the word chiefe or first Ferus hath so plainely put downe his iudgement heerein as all the world may sée and perceiue their iuggling for he said before It belongs not to any man to be a rocke Therefore hee takes awaie plainly all secondarie rockes of Peters successors which they would establish But to declare plainly what Ferus meant by the chiefe Rocke which perchance sometime he vseth he addeth after vpon these words And vpon this rock I wil build my church What the Church is saith he we haue declared else where but now we must search out what is the rocke vpon which the Church is built The scripture sometime takes a rocke for strength firmity and securitie as in the Psalm He hath brought me out of the lake of miserie and hath set my feet vpon the rocke By which words he meanes nothing else then that he was placed in a safe and sure place that is in safetie So also in another place he saith Set me vpon a rocke When as Christ therfore saith I will build my Church vpon this rocke hee meanes nothing else then he will build his Church vpon a sure and vnmoueable foundation against which all the assaults of his enemies can bee able to do nothing By this it is manifest that Christ built not his Church vpon Peter as a chiefe foundation For we are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone or vpon any other man for no man is so firme or constant that he cannot be moued as we may also see in Peter Therefore another rocke is to be sought for And truly in the Scriptures Christ himselfe is often called a rocke or stone as in Esay I will put in Sion a corner stone approued and chosen whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And in the Psalme The same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner And Peter comming to Christ as to a liuing stone is to be built vpon him Thou hearest what Peter saith that Christ is that stone then he wils that we all should be stones which then is done when wee are built vpon Christ And he is built vpon Christ that beleeues in Christ and trusts vpon those things which Christ hath and is able to do Christ therefore is principally the rocke vpon whom the whole Church is built according to that Another foundation can no man lay besides that which is laid Iesus Christ Then because by a true faith we are ioined to Christ we also after a maner if wee may so speake as it were become rockes All Christians are secundarie rockes And therefore the Christian faith it selfe and the truth of the Gospell is that firme and vnmoueable rocke on which Christ hath built his Church Thus far Ferus And héere we may note first that the rock whereon Christ will build his Church must be firme sure and vnmoueable against which the assaults of no enemies can preuaile Secondly he saith that Peter was not such a rock as we may manifestly perceiue Againe whereas he saith that he built it not vpon Peter as on a chiefe foundation he addeth For we are builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Amongst whom he reckons Peter And lastlie he concludes that principally or chiefly Christ is the rocke vpon which the whole Church is built And secondly the Christian faith or truth of the Gospell is that firme and vnmoueable rocke vpon which Christ built his Church So that where Ferus doth say that Christ is the chiefe rock he meanes not to make Peter or his successours the second as the Papists doe conceiue but Christian faith and the truth of the Gospell But afterward hee also declares most euidently what was giuen to Peter To thee saith he I wil giue c. he promiseth that he wil giue him the keyes he gaue them not in this place therefore let vs seeke where he gaue him the keyes indeed And we shall find in no other place but that which is in Iohn Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes you shall retaine they shall be retained The keyes therefore of the kingdome of heauen are power to forgiue or retaine sinnes The which also is proued out of this place For Christ forthwith added Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth c. But what means this here to Peter only the keyes are promised yet they are also giuen to the other Apostles Here I will alleage the sentence of S. Ierome For the ordinary Glosse alleageth him The other Apostles haue saith he power of Iurisdiction to whom it was said after the resurrection Receiue Euery Church also hath this power in her Bishops and Priests but therefore they are promised specially to Peter that all men may vnderstand that whosoeuer shall separate himselfe from the vnitie of the faith and from the fellowship of the Church which is but one neither to be loosed from his sins nor can enter into heauen Thou hast heard what be the keyes and what is the ecclesiasticall power let vs marke the vse of the keyes and the execution of this power Thus far Ferus Here we may note most manifestly both by Ferus and Ieromes iudgement that the power and authoritie here promised to Peter alone was afterward giuen indéede to all the Apostles and that euerie Church in her Bishops and Priests hath now the same power what then can the Bishop of Rome Peters successour or the Church of Rome brag of more then any other bishops or Church
our Lord Iesus doth hee not now euer gouerne the worlde with his Father and whether to this matter doth he call any man making him his imitator or follower that with him he should gouerne heauen and earth and all Christ by S. Austines iudgement calles no man to bee partaker with him in his gouernement of heauen and earth therefore not the Pope Primasius also S. Austines scholler writes thus Let no man glorie in men in false Apostles no nor in any eyther king or priest for all thinges are yours In 1. ep ad Cor. cap. 3. eyther Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death we are yours you are not ours c. Nowe if Peter had béen Christs vicar then the saints had béene his as they were Christs whose place he sustained But Primasius saith plainly that the Corinthians were Christs they were not Peters Therefore Peter was not in any respect their head but their seruant or minister That Christ alone is the head of the Church Theodoret writes thus Theod. in 2 ca. ad Col. Againe saith he he cals Christ the head and the congregation of the faithfull the bodie And he hath put downe all this place metaphorically for euen as in the bodie the braine is the root of the sinewes and by the sinewes the bodie hath feeling so the bodie of the Church by Christ our Lord receiues both fountaines of Doctrine and matter of saluation And that thing which sinewes are in the bodie that are Apostles prophets and teachers in the assemblie of the Church Thus much Theodoret the Apostles are but ligaments or sinewes by his iudgement nowe it is monstrous and against all reason to make a sinew a head In 1 ep Co. 10 And in another place he writes thus This is required of Stewards that they bee founde faithfull not that hee should take vnto him the honour o◠dignitie of his maister but that he should keepe his maisters good will In 1 ep ad Cor. cap. 9. And in another place of S. Paul hee writes thus Am I not free that is as much to say I am vnder no mans iurisdiction I am not in the place of a disciple But to whose credite the whole world was committed because he was called after Christs assumption And the same prerogatiue he yeelds also to S. Paul in another place vpon these words whereof I am made a minister The saluation of the Church was committed to me meaning S. Paul to me was committed the office of preaching that I should fill you all with heauenly doctrine And that word you doth not onely meane them but also the faithfull that are in the world Gregorie also writes thus In 5. psal penit Christ is one person with his whole Church which either now is conuersant here on earth or is in heauen now with him And as there is one soule which quickens the diuers members of the bodie so one onely holie spirit quickens and lightens the whole Church And as Christ which is the head of the church was conceiued by the holy Ghost so the holy Church which is his bodie is filled with the same holy spirit that it may liue and by his power is strengthned that it may stand in the ioining or coupling togither of one faith and charitie By which the whole bodie being ministred vnto built by ioints and couplings growes to the increase of God Gregorie here makes plainly Christ his Church whether in heauen or in earth to be but one bodie And that by the holie spirite he quickens strengthens and gouernes the same euen as our soule quickens and gouernes our bodies And that by ioints couplings not by any ministeriall head as the papists do imagine nay he saith that his triumphant and his militant Church is but one bodie So that then if they will make Peter the head of the militant Church he must also be the head of the triumphant which I thinke they will not graunt Lastlie to conclude to make the matter more plaine and to shew how farre Gregorie was from imagining Peter to bee the head of the whole Church he writes thus in another place In psal penit 3. 5. The Apostles were called feet because that as feet carrie the bodie so the Apostles carried Christ into the knowledge of al nations which were moued when they doubted that he whom they saw did suffer was the sonne of God In the bodie of the Church he compares Apostles to féete not to heades and that verie fitlie alledging that place of the Apostle Ro. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of thē which bring glad tydings of peace And of the gouernment of his Church by his holie spirit our sauiour most manifestly speaketh himselfe And I will praie the Father and hee shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer Io. 14.15 euen the spirite of truth As though he should say you are discomforted because I goe from you but I in my stead will send you a comforter which shall neuer forsake you but shall abide with you for euer And after I wil not leaue you like Orphans without a guide or gouernour but I will come vnto you meaning by his holie spirite The holie spirit then is the gouernour and guardian of Christs Church here on earth wee are not orphanes And the same lesson he taught al his Apostles again immediatlie before his ascension It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Act. 1.7.8 But you shall receiue the power of the holy ghost when he shall come on you Héere is the authoritie heere is the power and the gouernment of the Church And you shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and vnto the vttermost part of the earth Héere also is the estate and condition of all the Apostles put downe no one of them is made better then an other They are all appointed witnesses of him no one of them Lord or Iudge And this authoritie and office of gouernment in the Church to declare that it was of God giuen to the spirit of God the spirit of God expresly oftentimes executed As when Peter doubted what the vision ment Act. 10.19 the spirit sayd vnto him Behold three men seeke thee Arise therfore and get thee downe and goe with them doubt nothing For I haue sent them What can be more plaine then this The holie ghost sent those thrée men from Caesarea to Ioppe and also sent Peter with them Is not this to gouerne If Peter had béen head appointed by Christ vnder him he might haue gone by his owne authoritie but here he is namelie sent of another to declare that the authoritie was not in himselfe And when Peter came again to Ierusalem Act. 11.3 They of the Circumcision contended with him about this matter And he alleadgeth this
testimonies God will haue and what witnesses in his Temple what trées in this his new Paradise and what candles in his house Exod. 25.31 The old Tabernacle had but one Candlesticke in it with seuen braunches to lighten it 2. Pe. 2.5 Heb. 3.5 and the olde world but one Noah to testifie to them the wil of God and the house of Israel but one Moses as a seruant to testifie those things which should be spoken after As our Sauiour also tolde the Iewes Doe not you thinke that I will accuse you to my father Io. 5.45 there is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whom you trust But in the Church of Christ shall be two witnesses The Law and the Gospell Besides this former testimonie of Moses The gospell also shall be preached to all nations for a testimonie Mat. 24 14. Mat. 18.16 saith our Sauiour and then shall the ende come Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euerie word or matter be confirmed Before his iudgement God will haue his truth firmely ratified to the world And therefore of these two witnesses and of these two testaments of the Law and of the Gospell in our daies in the repairing againe of the Temple which was prophaned and defaced by Antichrist Saint Iohn saith These are two Oliue trees and two Candlestickes standing before the God of the earth Alluding no doubt to Dauid here in the Psalme The word of the Lord is purified to the Lord of the earth and these Oliues and Candlesticks stood before the Lord of the earth As though the word of God and these Oliues and Candlesticks were all one The word of God the two testaments are the Lords two Oliues able not onely to sustaine Psal 104.15 but to chéere and make merie all Gods household seruants They are also the Lords two great lights like the Sunne the Moone which are sufficient also to lighten his whole house in all obscure and dark points of Religion and to shew vs the perfect and readie way to heauen Now let all his faithfull seruants haue an eie only to these De Mirah scrip lib. 1. cap. 6. Let vs marke what authoritie saint Austen himselfe yéelded to the fathers and expositers of the holy scriptures which were before him who speaking of the doores of heauen which were opened and of the fountains of the déepe at Noah his floud writes thus We cannot saith he for the slendernes of our wit and knowledge vnfold the hardnes of this matter with a grounded or ratified opinion that that is truth which we teach notwithstanding we will without anie partiality shew what in these matters the studies of our former masters could finde out in their diuers opinions yeelding no more authoritie to one then to another of whose iudgements and of whose particular choises we giue euerie man leaue to allow or disallow at his pleasure This opinion Saint Austen had of the opinions and iudgements of those which before him expounded the holy scriptures whom he cals Masters he himselfe was bound to none of them nor no more would he haue anie other And so no doubt by this his owne example he hath taught all men what opinion if they will not be wilfull euery one should haue of his writings expositions So that then in the time of popery the shepheards the pastors of congregations in not giuing this meat vnto their flocks in not healing their woundes sores with the leaues of these trees in not preaching the word of God they haue declared themselues not be Christs shepheards Io. 10.10 but to be Antichrists hirelings Nay to make this matter more plaine They haue not only not fed them but torne in peeces their hoofes as Zacharie prophecieth wounding their consciences and weakneng their faithes in teaching that vnlesse they sang masses for them after their deaths their faith in Christ did not profit them And that they were damned if they brake one of the least of their ceremonies and traditions Is not this quite to teare in péeces the verie hoofes and clawes of the poore sillie lambes whereby they began now to go and to lay hold on Christ Secondly this same Author saith That now one hauing gotten such a faithfull and holy confessor let him account of him euen as of God himselfe and reueale to him boldly all his secret sins and all the secrets of his heart And is not this plainly to say that the Pope is Antichrist He shall sit in the Church shewing himselfe as God saith saint Paul And doth not he here confesse the same What is it else to be God Psal 7.9 Ier. 11.20.20.12 Reu. 2.23 but to search the harts and raines as the scriptures often teach This thing they attribute to God onely And yet the Pope and his cleargie arrogate it to themselues And is not this to sit in the Church as God Saint Paul writes to the ministers of the Church of Corinth that they should iudge nothing before the time 1. Cor. 3.5 vntill the Lord come who shall lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and make the counsels and secrets of the hearts manifest 1. Ti. 5.24 and then shall euerie man haue praise of God And to Timothie Some mens sinnes are open before hand and goe before vnto iudgement but some mens follow after But the papists by this their doctrine contrarie to saint Pauls doctrine in both these places doe make their confessors to take vpon them that knowledge of secrets which belongs to God and that no sinnes are to be reserued vnto the daie of iudgement Their confessors if men will not be damned as they teach must knowe them before This author here himselfe confesseth that to know the secrets of the heart belongs onely to God And that therefore euerie one is to account of his confessor euen as of God himselfe And is not this plainly to affirme that the Pope shall sit in the Church as God Let vs neuer looke that anie other shall euer come into the Church and challenge or take vpon him more of the diuine Authoritie then this And therefore let vs acknowledge that this prophecie of saint Paul is alreadie fulfilled in him And that the Pope and his cleargie sit now in the Church of God 17. Of Purgatorie Psa 40.1 FIrst concerning Purgatorie that vehement and comfortable Sermon which God commaundes Esay and in him all ministers to preach to his Church is as it were a double cannon to beat downe the paper wals of Purgatorie Comfort comfort my people saith the Lord your God speake to the heart of Ierusalem and crie vnto her that her warfare is now at an end and that her iniquitie now hath obtained pardon For she hath receiued at the Lords hands double for all her sinnes This is a sermon of comfort and this must be preached to the heart of Ierusalem and of all Gods Church and cried out in their eares that their warfare now
call him The Lord our righteousnes Psal 4. ◠And thus also Dauid cals him heare me O God that art my righteousnes And this also then is another true marke of the true Church to call account Iesus Christ their righteousnes And if this be his name it must not be giuen to anie other he must haue his name alone himselfe They denie him his name that attribute their righteousnes to an thing else in this world what soeuer And this name haue al Gods saints alwaies attributed vnto him Gen. 18.27 I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord saith Abraham which am but dust and ashes thus basely he thought of himselfe what glorie what beautie is in dust and ashes And O Lord saith Iacob I am not worthie of the least of all thy mercies Gen. 32.10 and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant As though hee should say I can challenge nothing no not the least grace which thou hast bestowed vpon me And Iob saith Iob. 9.2 How should a man compared to God be iustified If he would dispute with him he could not aunswere one thing for a thousand And to Iob agréeth Dauid Innumerable troubles saith hée are comed about me my sinnes haue taken such holde vpon me that I am not able to looke vp Psal 40.12 Yea they are moe in number then the haires of my head and my heart hath failed me Euen Dauid himselfe thus manie in number accounted his sinnes Act. 13.22 being a man according to Gods owne heart And who dare then account his sinnes fewer And our Sauiour likewise teacheth all his when as they haue done all that is commaunded them if they were able to doe it Luk. 17.10 as there is none able euen then to say and to account themselues in deed vnprofitable seruants Much more then when they shall not be able to doe perfectly euen the least of that which is commaunded them Nay if the Apostles themselues shall say they haue no sinne 1. Io. 1.8 they were lyers Much more then anie other Christians whatsoeuer All true Christians account their works doe they neuer so manie and so excellent but duties not deserts as saint Paul teacheth them For the loue of Christ now saith he pincheth vs or constraineth vs to doe all things 2. Cor. 5.14 For we thus iudge that if one be dead for all then were all dead And he died for al that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe Here is the ende and cause of all good works They are but duties which we are bound to doe for Iesus Christs sake that died for vs if so be we could do euen a thousand times more thē we can doe Mat. 5.16 They are light they are not fire Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauiour that men seeing your good works Luke 12.44 may glorifie your heauenly father But he deserueth the praise of this light that kindled the fire And that is he which said I am come to send fire vpon the earth and what will I now but that it burne Io. 2.18 The light is his that oweth the fire our works are not ours they are but the light of faith The Apostle Paul cals them fruits of righteousnes Phil. 1.11 they are not causes thereof They procéed from it When we are iustified then we bring forth good workes Heb. 11.6 2. Cor. 3.5 Before we can doe nothing that is good no not so much as thinke a good thought He that owes the trée may iustly challenge these fruits Ephes 1.13 After saith saint Paul that the Ephesians beléeued which is their new life and iustification they were also sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glorie God bestowes all his gifts vpon vs our faith whereby we liue and are iustified the holy spirit whereby we are sealed and assured that we are Gods children whereby we are sanctified and enriched with all good works yea and preserued euen till the day we shall obtaine that glorious kingdome of heauen purchased for vs by Iesus Christ for this onely ende that we should be to the praise of his glorie A Christian must in all things and for all things all his life long glorifie God This is the marke he must shoote at the thing he must doe daily And for this cause God bestowes his benefits yea euen all the good works he doth daily vpon him Gal. 1.23 So the Saints magnified God in Paul being now conuerted So in the Psalme all the saints protest Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 1 15 1. but vnto thy name giue the glorie And in the Prophet Esay 26.12 Thou hast wrought all our works in vs. We chalenge nothing our selues but onely glorifie thée that by vs vile earth blunt tooles vnfit instrumēts thou wouldest vouchsafe of thy aboundant mercie wisedome and power to worke such excellent things So that this is another marke of the true Church to attribute and ascribe all her righteousnes to the Lord Iesus Christ Another euident marke of the true Church to be cunning in the Scriptures to haue Gods law in her heart Heb 8.8 And this is that which saint Paul alleadgeth out of Ieremie that out of the mouth of two witnesses Deut. 19.15 this truth might be confirmed to vs That he that should now doubt thereof might iustly be condemned Behold the daies wil come saith the Lord when I shall make with the house of Israel with the house of Iudah a new testament Not like the testament I made with their fathers in the day I tooke them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt For they continued not in my testament and I regarded them not saith the Lord. For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel after these daies saith the Lord I wil put my lawes in their minds in their harts I wil write them and I will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall not teach euerie man his neighbour saying know the Lord For all shal know me from the greatest of them to the least of thē Here we may note a notable yea and a principal marke of the true Church God cals this his new testament or couenant Why then they that haue not had this or haue it not are not within the couenāt of God are none of his heirs are not partakers of his testament But what is this couenant They shal haue Gods law written in their heart they shall al know God frō the greatest of thē to the smallest Psal 19.7.119.110 They shall now be all cunning in Gods word that thereby as Dauid saith the verie simple shal get vnderstanding that they shall
did they then kéepe Gods people in awe how afraid were they then to breake anie of the Popes or his cleargies commandements whatsoeuer And as for God the most part of his commandements they knew not and those which they knew were so corrupted by them that they had as good almost not to haue knowne them at all They did as the Pharisées did teach the people Gods commandements but the kéeping of them after their expositions was a breaking of them Matt. 23.16.17.18 So they taught in those daies as may seeme not to sweare by God but by creatures by cocke apie and such like they made no account to sweare by which was horrible blasphemy against the maiestie of God to giue his glorie to a vaine thing to cocke apie or a mouse foote For to sweare by God Deut. 10.20 is a part of his honour and therefore euen as he that should set the crowne of a king vpon a swineheards head did more hainously offend against the maiestie of the king then he that should put it on the head of some of his nobles in anie rebellion so did they more grieuously offend in giuing gods honor to these base creatures Psal 63.11 Ier. 5 7. whereas it is a most hainous offence to giue it to anie creature So they taught to keepe holy the Sabaoth from bodilie labours but to doe the workes of the Sabaoth they regarded not as to heare Gods word and such like They gaue also Gods glorie to creatures by calling vpon Angels and Saints naie euen to stocks and stones by kneeling downe and putting off their cap◠vnto them Psal 76.11 nay by their offrings and making their vowes vnto them And in these consisted the chiefe part of Antichrists religion And this lesson concernes vs for it followes For the houre of his iudgement is come There be some that shall erre in these points euen immediately before the daie of iudgement But let such take héede for as I haue noted before God at the day of iudgement shall command all those his Saints to be gathered togither to him Psal 50.5 that haue made a league and couenant with him with their sacrifices And Dauid commandeth all Gods Saints to binde their sacrifices with cordes Psal 118.27 Heb. 13.10 Psal 82.1 to the hornes of the Altar now the Altar is Iesus Christ as who knowes not This is that which that Psalme teacheth also Sing we merily vnto God our strength make a cheerfull noise vnto the God of Iacob for this is a statute to Israel and a iudgement of the God of Iacob This he ordained in Ioseph for a testimonie when he came out of the land of Egypt This law of God must we obserue also comming out of the spirituall Egypt where also we heard a language that we vnderstood not To the hornes of that Altar Iesus Christ and to the mightie promises of this Altar must al Gods Saints binde all their sacrifices and all their praiers The houre of his iudgement is come nowe worship him that made heauen earth the sea and the fountaines of waters Here is an Antithesis or contrarietie betwéene God and his works As though the holy Ghost should say Worship now the creator and no creature whatsoeuer no not Saint or Angell Let al true catholiques obey this commandement and go no further Let them worship him that made heauen and earth let them worship the creator Thus farre the passage is sure If they shall go anie further they haue no warrant the passage is dangerous 1. Sam. 15.23 2. Sam. 6.7.8 1. King 13.24 22.28 they maie perchance be drowned in the sea of disobedience with king Saul and others which durst venture further then they had commission These are then the markes of the true Church reformed from the corruptions of Antichrist To preach the Gospell and the euerlasting Gospell to teach men to feare God and to feare to offend to breake his commaundements and to giue all glorie to God and to worship him that made heauen and earth Laye this rule to the Church of Rome and euerie one maie see howe farre out of square she is Reu. 14.8 And another Angel followed saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylō the great Citie for she made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here now followes Babylon here followes the false church that hath doctrines contrarie to those which was alofte as should seeme before and in great glorie Oh let not this her great glorie beguile anie For it is fallen it is fallen shee shall come to the ground shee shall not alwaies be alofte howe sure and firmely soeuer in mans eies she séems to be vnderpropped and therefore her fall here is doubled And although her doctrine might sufficiently haue béene gathered by the contrarie of those which haue béene taught before yet here also are some principall parts thereof manifested and declared least that Gods people should be deceiued and that in two words Here doctrine is called wine because it was pleasant to flesh and bloud as their Church seruice their guildes their pilgrimages doe most plainlie prooue Secondly it was wine of fornication She withdrew mens hearts from the only loue of the seruice and worship of God by this her wine and so made man to commit fornication euen as Israel did by ioyning euer some Idoll or deuise of their owne with the true worship of God Dauid saith in the Psalmes Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in heauē but thee meaning to worship to trust in to call vpon For thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee That is that trust in worship or call vpon any other yea though they be in heauen besides thee Exod. 20.3 And this also is the meaning of the first commandemēt Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me And the third Angell followed them saying with a loude voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand Vers 9. the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine that is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Now the gospell being preached it is a daungerous thing to follow Antichrist now light being come into the world still to embrace darkenes is death So that here followes a third Angell that threatens a most terrible sentence against all such And here also are put down markes of the false Church the first is to worship the beast and the image of the beast This beast is the Roman Emperour as appeareth in the chapter going before whose deadly wound the beast that came out of the earth healed Reu 13.12 and to him it was permitted to do wonders in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make
he is the propitiation of our sinnes But this propitiatorie is but a cubit and a halfe it is limited 2. Cor. 6.2 Heb. 3.15 Ma. 25.12 Gen. 6.3 Io. 3.4 it is not infinite Now is the accepted time saith saint Paul now is the day of saluation He that comes not to day and heares his voice but hardens his heart if he come the next day with the foolish virgins shall be excluded The olde world had a hundreth and twentie yeeres to repent in and Niniuie fortie daies Vers 20. And the Cherubims shall stretch their wings on hie couering the mercie seat with their wings and their faces one to another To the mercie seat ward shall the faces of the Cherubims be The Cherubims stretch out their wings ouer the mercie seate and so ouer the whole arke to teach vs that all Angels attend vpon Iesus Christ are his seruants to defend his Church as he himselfe witnesseth to Nathaniel Io. 1.50.51 And Iesus answered and said vnto him because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge tree beleeuest thou thou shalt see greater things thē these And be said to him Verily verily I say to you hereafter shal ye see heauen open the Angels of God ascending descending vpon the son of man Cyril in 2. ca. Io Heb. 1.14 1. Pet. 1.2 ◠as Cyrill expounds it at his commaundement ascending descending for the saluation of the faithful as S. Paul also witnesseth Are they not al ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal be heirs of saluatiō And they turne their faces to the mercie seate because as Peter saith they which haue preached the gospell by the holy ghost sent downe from heauen haue preached such pretious things as the Angels desire to behold And thou shalt put the mercy seat aboue vpon the Arke and nothing else Vers 21. The true Arke of God then must alone worship Iesus Christ and for his sake hope for mercie at Gods hands only Vers 21. Exod. 16.34 Deut. 10.2.31.26 1. King 8.9 Heb. 9.4 Io. 6.33 Rom. 10.9 And in the Arke thou shalt put the testimonie I will giue thee Euery member of the true Church must haue those thrée things which after were put in the Arke in his heart that is the law of God which was contained in the two tables A Gomer of Mannah that is Iesus Christs incarnation for he is the true Mannah that came down from heauen And Aarons rod that budded that is his death and resurrection So that he that hath all these in the closet of his heart shall be saued and is Gods Arke and is no doubt a member of the true Church And there I wil declare my selfe vnto thee Verse 22. from aboue the mercie seate betweene the two Cherubims which are vpon the Arke of the testimonie I will tell thee all things which I wil giue thee in commandement vnto the children of Israel From this mercie seat procéeds all Gods spéeches with vs Iosuah 7. Exod. 12.13 2. Cor. 4.1 Lam 3.22 here he heares all our prayers Of his mercie he passed ouer the houses of the Israelites when as he destroyed the Egyptians Of his mercie Paul became an Apostle It is the Lords mercie saith Ieremy that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not The table also being couered all with gold Verse 23. Leuit. 24.5 being placed in the Tabernacle whereon the shew bread or as it is called in the Hebrew the bread of faces was set Verse 29. which loaues were changed euerie sabbaoth and the crowne of gold round about the table and the instruments for the table as dishes incense cups and gobblets and the pure incense that was put vpon them what doe all these signifie but the ministerie the preaching of the Gospell The crowne about the table signifies how glorious the preaching of the Gospell shall be 2. Cor. 3.7 If the ministration of death saith S. Paul written with letters and engrauen in stone was so glorious that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glorie of his countenance which glorie is done away how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be much more glorious The word of God also may fitly be called the bread of faces For God himselfe séeth both his stewards that distribute this bread and his seruants that receiue it And at that great day of account he shall pronounce that steward blessed Luk. 12 4◠that hath giuen meat to his family in due season And again those seruants which haue receiued much of them shall much be required Luk. 12.48 Esa 35.11 not a crum of this bread shall be lost not one word of God shall returne to him emptie it shall be either the sauour of life or of death 2. Cor. 2 1◠And this bread was renewed euery sabboth Still bread was set vpon the table but new bread euerie Sabboth day to teach faithfull Pastors that they should euerie Sabbath day preach and breake this bread of life to their flockes Luk. 4.16 So we read of our Sauiour that as his custome was he taught the people euerie sabbath day to leaue all faithfull Pastors a patterne to follow And these loaues were set in order six on one side and sixe on another to teach vs that the word of God hath meat fit for al states conditions of men Psal 2.10 Psal 82.2 Rom. 13.1 Iam. 5.13.7 Act. 2.42 Ios 6.10 for all times and seasons for kings and euen for meanest subiects for the time of prosperitie and of affliction The pure incense placed vpon these loaues declares that we must ioyne prayers with preaching and that our prayers must bée grounded on Gods word In the ouerthrow of Iericho the people should shout but when Iosuah appointed them so in their spirituall warfare must all the souldiers of Iesus Christ not shout nor pray no otherwise then he appointeth The frankinsence must be put vpon the loaues because prayer and hearing the word preached must be ioyned together He that turneth away his eares from hearing the law saith Salomon his prayers be abominable Prou. 2◠9 The dishes also and Goblets and cuppes which were made as instruments for the table declare the diuers states and conditions of men which should be in Christs Church and the diuersities of their gifts 1. Cor. 12.4 Matt. 12.4 1. Pet. 2.5 Reu. 1.6 Exod. 26.31 Rom. 15.4 And that the Priests should only eat of that bread signifies that all Christians should bee Kings and Priests and should now be partakers of those heauenly dainties And this Table should be placed toward the North to teach vs that the Scriptures were written as S. Paul witnesseth that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope They are the only table of refreshing Ephes 6.15 amongst the cold and Northren blasts of this life We must bee shod with the shooes of
2. The. 2 3. was the mother of that sonne of perdition and neither taught true Christian religion nor yet eternall life That saluation comes of the Iewes Here our Sauiour doth teach this woman also what thee must know and in her all Christians They must know their saluation from whence it comes and be thankfull to God for it The Church of Rome hath erred in this point also who hath taught that saluation hath not comed of the Iewes that is by the means only of Iesus Christ but by the bloud of Martyrs She hath added here in England euen the bloud of Thomas which euē Ferus condemnes vpon these words of Saint Iohn Ferus in 1. cap. ep Io. And the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes Mark saith he that he mentioneth not anie bloud but the bloud of Christ For no other bloud can or euer could do this Act. 4.12 c. There is no other name giuen vnder heauen saith Peter in which we must be saued To Iesus Christ alone the people and the children crie Hosannah that is saue vs Lord and as it is also in the Psalme Matt. 21.9.15 Hashlikah and O Lord send vs now prosperitie Matt. 28.18 He alone blesseth the works of our hands and also saues our soules He hath all power in heauen and earth And so must all true Catholikes crie also to him alone and to none else This is also a marke of the true Church But the houre comes and is euen now when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth Reu. 22.17 Here is another euident mark of the true Church She still waites for the cōming of Iesus Christ she accounts the time of this world but an houre euen then when Christ spake this and that now the houre is almost quite runne a small time or nothing thereof remaines She thinks that this world is of no great continuance as the Popish Church doth not thinke who teacheth that as yet Antichrist is not comed She thinks that those things which S. Iohn said should be fulfilled shortly Reu. 1.3 are fulfilled alreadie She thinkes not that the greater part of them are yet to be fulfilled as the Church of Rome doth She euer stands in the doore of her tent with Abraham Gen. 18.1 1. King 19.13 and in her caues mouth with Elias still looking when the Lord will come When the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth For such worshippers the Father now lookes for Here is another marke of the true Church Ioh. 4.23 To worship the Father God alone and also the maner how in spirit truth In spirit that is with our hearts and in truth that is without all types and shadowes Iohn 19.30 The law now hath an end the sunne shines all shadowes must vanish awaie Our humble hearts now must bée those sacrificed bulles Rom. 12 1. and our chast hearts those sacrificed Turtles and our good hearts those sacrificed Rammes and our bountifull hearts those sacrificed sheepe and our ioyfull hearts those sacrificed calues which God requires Heb. 13 15. God will not be worshipped now with those Iewish shadowes Col. 2.17 which he himselfe commanded the true sonne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ being comed into the worlde much lesse with Popish shadowes and mysteries and mans deuise Reu. 14.9 or with Popish Images Exod. 20 4. Esa 40 25. which his Lawe and Prophets flatly condemne God is a Spirit and therefore he will be worshipped in spirit and truth Those externall things 2. King 12.28 which séeme pleasant to flesh and bloud as Ieroboams golden calues which he made as some thinke because that God would more highly esteeme golden calues Dan. 3.15 2. King 10.22 then calues of flesh Nebuchadnetzars Psalterie and musicke Baals Priests gay garments and robes frankinsence and such like thinges whatsoeuer wherein flesh and bloud takes so great pleasure and delight are an abomination to the Lord as our Sauiour Christ tels vs in the Gospell Luke 16.15 That which is verie highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Hée requires the loue of thy heart the faith and trust of thy soule Eccle. 9.10 Heb. 13.16 the knowledge of thy vnderstanding the obedience of thy will the praise of thy mouth and the good workes of thy handes And this is that which Dauid saith in the Psalme Psal 50.8 that at that great day of iudgement God shall not reproue the people for their burnt offrings of bullocks or goats but if they shal not haue offred him praise and thankesgiuing Let all true Catholikes feare this reproofe God hath foretold vs like a good Maister what hée will reproue vs for and what he will finde fault with in his house when he comes againe and shall we not take héede thereof O carelesse and disobedient seruants Let vs offer to him alone our praise and thankesgiuing and all our prayers least we be reproued and condemned of him when hée comes The true worshippers This proues that there shall be false worshippers in Gods house Esa 1 22. Mat. 13.25 25 33. there shall bee there copper as well as gold there shall be tares as well as wheate there shall be goates as well as sheepe O let vs marke this point well here is the brand wherewithall the Lords shéepe are discerned here is the touchstone whereby the Lords gold is tried from copper Matt. 3.12 here is the sieue and fanne which tries the Lords wheat from the chaffe that we may be shéepe and not goates gold and not copper wheat and not chaffe Let vs take diligent heed of this Vers 25. And the woman said vnto him I know that Messias shall come which is called Christ and when he shall come he shall shewe vs all things This opinion shée had of Christ that he should teach thē all things when he came And shall we beléeue lesse of him Shall we beléeue any doctrine which he neuer taught in his word And our Sauior himself agrees to this her spéech saying I will call you no more seruants Ioh. 15.15 because the seruant knoweth not what his maister doth but I haue called you friends because I haue made manifest to you all things that I haue heard of my father He testifieth here plainlie that he fulfilled her spéech that he had told them all things necessarie to their saluation he kept nothing backe to be reuealed after by the meanes of the Church and therefore he commands his Apostles to go and preach to all nations Matt. 28.10 baptizing them and teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer he had commanded them and nothing els And Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.3.4 He that teacheth anie other doctrine and agrees not with the whole some words of our Sauiour Christ and that doctrine which agrees with godlinesse is puft vp and knowes nothing how wise
another take his Bishopricke he calls his bishopprick his Apostolical office or functioÌ„ not an empire or a Lordship And not without cause for they expound a Bishoppricke to be a watching or an ouerseeing the which is the proper office of the Apostles But the Pope will not onely haue an Empire but be aboue Emperors And after But what constant and true witnesses needs Iesus Christ He that is one of Christs witnesses needs not to the execution of his office an externall sword weapons but rather a readie and exercised toung by which he may do exercise faithfully the charg committed vnto him For it is the dutie of an Apostle to excell in tongue worde And againe The authoritie of the christian faith is great which is declared to vs of witnesses which haue declared vnto vs not onely thinges heard but thinges seene and most assured Peter and Iohn the chiefe amongst the Apostles haue witnessed this vnto vs most assuredly Here wee maie note how he ioines Iohn with Peter as two principall or chiefe amongst the rest of the Apostles If Peter had had this prerogatiue to him committed alone of our sauiour Ferus had done him wronge to haue ioined Iohn with him in this primacie And againe Speaking of the election of Matthias none of these although now verie skilful in the gospell by himselfe cares for procures or goes about this busines but being all called together without preferring themselues or disdaining one of the other they all waite for indifferently the sentence of the holy ghost They waited not for Peters sentence but for the sentence of the holy ghost as Christs vicegerent in his Church And the same as he was Christs vicar generall as they terme him in the beginning so shall he be for euer so the Apostles after in their councell place him in the first place It seemes good say they to the holy ghost and to vs not to Peter and to vs. And againe Ferus saith It is no maruaile though we teach diuers doctrines Fâ—r in ca. 4. Act when as wee all are not gouerned and doe not speake with the same spirite The spirite here by Ferus his iudgment keepes the vnitie of the church and not the Pope Againe Fer. in 2. Act. In Peter we are to marke the example of a good shepheard the people being in an vprere Peter steps forth into the midst not that he should with violence staie the murmurers but that out of the scriptures he might reueale and teach the will of God Peter stoode not onely in bodie but in minde And he tooke to him the other eleuen least he should seeme to exercise tyrannie among theÌ„ He was the first in order of the Apostles he was the first that ought to speake wheÌ„soeuer the matter required an euangelicall teacher or preacher These things of Peter are to be imitated of all pastors There are other things read of Peter as that he disswaded Christ from his passion Let that be farre from thee ô Lord saith hee c. Also that hee slept in the garden wheÌ„ as notwithstanding he had promised Christ that he was ready to goe to prâ—son and to death with him And also that being ouercome through mans frailnes he denyed Christ at his passion also that he vsed the materiall sword when Christ was taken But these things of Peter are not to be imitated of pastors for in these he was alwaies chiddeÌ„ of the Lord Although in these in our daies he hath more followers then in that wherin he chiefly is to be followed Ferus here plainely teacheth that Peter was but first in order amongst the Apostles and hee nâ—ppes priuilie the Pope and his cleargie who rather follow Peter in his sléeping and in his materiall sword then in his diligence and preaching And after he writes thus vpon these words In 3. ca. Act Peter and Iohn went vp to praie Behold saith he the chiefe of the Apostles goe before A good shepheard must goe before and then his sheepe doe followe him He makes here againe Peter and Iohn the chiefe amongst the Apostles as he had done also before And againe Fer. in ca. 6. Act. The Apostles of all thing accompt this the chiefest that belongs to their office to preach but of this now some are ashamed No doubt hee meanes the Poâ—e who neuer preacheth himselfe And a little after The highest office in the Church is the ministerie of the word To this we ought to imploy our chiefest care for vnlesse the worde of God be purely and diligently taught all thinges else whatsoeuer are corrupt therefore Paul after here in the 20 chapter doth notablie expresse what is the chiefe part of the office of an Apostle or Bishoppe You know saith he how I haue kept nothing backe from you but that I might declare vnto you all the counsell of God c. If the ministerie and preaching of the word of God be the highest office in the Church by Ferus iudgment then the Pope is not the highest officer and person in the Church as other Papists would haue him who neuer executes this office And if this be the office of an Apostle hee is not the successor of the Apostles who neuer doth his office And after he writes thus to the same effect The proper dutie of an Apostle is to praie and preach For prayer obtaines of God what is to be taught and that by and by the fruit of the word heard may follow the preaching And hereof Paul sayth I make mention of you in my prayers c. Therefore they are not to be accouÌ„ted in the nuÌ„ber of the Apostles which neglect either both these or either of them much lesse they which giue themselues to ease and pleasure Thus far Ferus And after in another place speaking of religion which is maintained by fighting not by preaching by the sword not by the word Fer. in 10. ca. Act. as now a daies the Pope goes about to maintaine his O miserable religion saith he which cannot be defended otherwise theÌ„ with the weapons of desperate villaines and by the iniuries and spoyles of tyrants And after he nippes in another place the Popes couetousnes Here we see saith he that in the beginning of the Church hyprocrisie and couetousnes crept in In ca. 8. Act. speaking of Simon Magus but Peter verie diligently withstood both of them whom I would to God his successors had followed And after Peter neuer spake more bitterly then against Ananias and Sapphira for no plagues are more hurtfull in the Church then hypocrisie and couetousnes So Christ threwe out of the temple those which sold If he stroke them with such a terrible sentence which would haue bought what would he saie of our sellers which open and shut heauen for money which kill soules and quicken them againe for a handfull of barlie Thus farre Ferus No doubt he toucheth here the Popes pardons And after hee makes the holy
ghost teach Peter this lesson Thirdly In ca. Act. 10. Whom God bindes doe thou not loose and whome hee looseth do not thou binde for thou hast not power at thy pleasure to place soules in heauen or hell but according to the worde of God For all soules are mine saith the Lord. Fourthly whome I haue serued let it not grieue thee to serue them also for the disciple is not aboue his maister I haue been a seruant to all do thou so also Fiftly whome I haue not as yet condemned doe not thou iudge rashly or condemne least thou be condemned thy selfe He glaunceth at the Popes authoritie in pardoning and condemning whomsoeuer he pleaseth And he is no changling as in his Commentaries vpon Mathew In ca. Act. 10. so here also he quite writhes the Popes temporall sword out of his hand vpon these words Arise Peter By an excellent metaphor saith he the office of the Apostles is described whose office is to rise not to take their ease and to watch take care for their flocke and then to kill not with the materiall sword for that was forbidden Peter but with the sword of the spirite which is the word of God which sword the Apostles are commanded to buye if they sold their coate for it And they kill when they preach the lawe and shew men their sinnes and doe teach that our strēght and righteousnes is nothing yea that wee are nothing but euen damned and miserable sinners And after also hee makes Peter subiect to the Church In ca. 11. Act. Peter saith he an Apostle the first and chiefe of the Apostles is forced to yeeld an account to the Church neither doth hee take this grieuously as a thing not agreeing to his authoritie For hee knewe wel enough that he exercised the office not of a Lord or maister but of a seruant of the Church The Church is the spouse of Christ and she is the Ladie of the house Peter is but a seruant and minister The Church therefore hath authoritie not onely to aske accompt of her seruants but also if they bee not fitte quite to put them away So heretofore it hath been often done in generall councels But nowe wicked Bishoppes will not be reproued nor rulde by the Church as though they were Lordes and not seruantes Therefore by the iust iudgment of God they are despised of all men Ferus agrées here with Austen and the auncient Fathers that the Church rules she is Christs vicegerent shee calles to accompt and deposeth whome it pleaseth her The fathers called this the Colledge of priests and hereof Cyprian called Cornelius Colleague This holy Colledge of priests ruled through the world not anie one prelate as now the Papists teach Euerie one seuerallie euen Peter the Bishop of Rome are but a seruant the Church is the Lady as Ferus termes her They are wicked Bishops sonnes o◠perdition that wil not be ruled by the Church this is Ferus iudgment And againe he writes thus vpon these words In cap. 9. Act. Hee went thorowe euery Citie confirming and stablishing that which the other had taught or adding to that which they had not done sufficiently he caried that scrole imprinted in his heart which Christ last of all commanded Peter saying Feede my sheepe if thou louest me In Peter thou seest the office of B shops that is to visite all according to that saying Heale that which is weake and binde vppe that which is broken c. They which are Bishoppes and doe sleepe and are idle doe not know in what a dangerous estate they are nor doe not thinke that the bloud of all that perish shall be required at their hands Heere hee makes Peter a patterne for all bishops to followe and not a type of the Pope and his successors And after vpon these words Behold three men c Marke saith hee that these wordes spoken to Peter doe belong to all pastours For so it is sayde to euerie one of them Behold men as though hee should saye These sheepe committed to thy charge doe require care and help the sinner succour the weake strength those which go astraie doctrine the vnrulie correctiō those which are tormented through afflictions comforte the whole church now dispersed peace Secondly Arise thou art not a Lord but a seruant this is not a time of ease but of labour hitherto thou hast done nothing through thy negligence the Wolfe hath entred in that is the Diuell For he is a Wolfe howe greatly soeuer he shewe the face of a friend c. Peters lessons Ferus attributes to all pastours And againe In ca. 10. Act. In Peter thou seest expressed what becomes Bishoppes that is to goe vp aloft to fast to praie Thou seest the contrarie in wicked and euill Bishoppes they onely take care of temporall thinges themselues they committe spirituall things to others They liue like Princes not like shepheards they neuer praie they giue themselues to pleasures And after hee writes thus In this Chapter Luke dooth prosecute the historie of Paul and Barnabas pilgrimage and hee names certaine countries which in their preaching they passed through Fer. in Act. ca. 14. that here al men may see how couragiously these two Apostles preached to al men the word of saluatiō to the great shame of those which brag themselues to be the successors of the Apostles whē as they are nothing else but slothfull vnfaithfull seruāts sharply to be reproued of the Lord nay iustly to be condemned No doubt he condemnes here the Popes proud and idle state And after he writes thus of the first generall councell of the authoritie of Iames Iames confirmes the sayings of the three Apostles pronounceth sentence as Bishop of Ierusalem If Peter had been dead of the vniuersall Church he should now haue pronounced sentence and ratified the councell as the Pope doth now But then this one thing verie euidentlie proues that there was no such authoritie acknowledged of Peter seeing that in the first generall councell in his presence Iames pronounceth sentence and as it were confirmes the councell And after Marke that he saith not that thou shalt haue much people but I haue much people in this citie As though he should saie the people is not thine but mine So he sayd to Peter Fer. in Act. cap. 18. Feede not thy sheepe but my sheepe As though he should say they are mine I haue redeemed them with my bloud I loue them I take care of thē therefore thou shalt not rule ouer them at thy pleasure thou shalt plaie the part of a shepheard and not of a Lord. If Peter had Christs authoritie committed to him and were his vicegerent then he had a kinde of Lordship ouer his sheepe But this Ferus denies And writing of Apollo he saies thus Mention of him is made in this place very fitly for he was such a great man the Corinthiās made him equall with Peter and Paul I