in a cloude and like corne buried in the ground After it was somewhat more cleerely set forth in the Law giuen by Moses After that it was reuiued by the Prophetes and in manner plainely in what place at what time of what mother of what house or stocke Christ should be borne what doctrine he should teach what miracles he should worke what death he shoulde die how he should be buried howe he shoulde arise how he should ascend into heauen howe the heathens shoulde be called to beleeue in him howe the holy Ghost should be sent and to conclude how Christ should come at the last to iudge the world After that came Saint Iohn the Baptist to point out Christ plainely with his finger and to say Ecce agnus Dei qui tollit peccata mundi Behold the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Last of al Christe himselfe began to preache and prophecie of himselfe and to gather vnto him a chosen people that should be followers of good woorkes Then was the accomplishment and fulnesse of time come to passe that had so long beene looked for then the kingdome of God began to suffer violence and men violently euen by force brake in vpon it then the corne sowed and cast into the ground by the patriarks long before and watered cherished by the dew of the Prophets was ripened and kerned by the spirit of God then was the haruest greate and the eares white euen ready to be cut Yet this notwithstanding Christ saith the haruest men are but few He saith not the Haruest is great and there are but few Scribes but few Pharisies but few Sadduces but few priests but few Leuites For the Priests and Leuites were distributed through y e whole countrey In euery litle Towne or borough there was a colledge as one of their Rabbines recordeth in y ◠city of Hierusalem there were no lesse then 400 schooles so that the number was almost infinit Moreouer they vsed commonly to say as it is reported by the Prophet leremie Non peribit Lex a sacerdote nec consilium a sapiente nec sermo a Propheta It cannot be that the true vnderstanding of the Law should be taken frō the Priest nor good counsel frō the wise nor the word from the Prophet They read expounded the Law to the people euery day they had their daily sacrifice and whēsoeuer the oxe or calfe or sheep or goate was slaine and offered vnto God as then the maner was the priest for his share had the breastlet that couered the heart in token as Origen writeth that the Priest should be a man of counsel He had also appointed to him the right shoulder and the tongue in token that he should be prompt ready in good works and eloquent to declare the law of God The Bishop had euermore before his breast a tablet wherein was imbrodered in letters of Golde Vrim and Thumim in token that he should be a man both perfect in life and also full and plenteous in the truth of God In the same were set twelue stones and therein grauen the names of the twelue tribes of the people that he might haue thē euermore in remembrance The skirtes or hemmes of his roabes were set with belles of gold and pomegranates in token that his life should giue a good sauour and his voice should ring and be heard among the people The Pharisies had certaine special poynts and sentences of the Lawe written round about in the borders of their garmentes that it might neuer be out of their eyes they prayed no men more and that in euery corner of the streetes they fasted twise euery weeke the bed that they laye vpon as Epiphanius writeth was but a spanne broade yet that they might sleepe with lesse ease they strowed thornes vnderneath thē Briefly all their life in appearance was such al their apparel and behauiour so seemely and decent that if a man would paint out wisedom sobrietie and perfect holinesse he could haue no better patterne And therfore they were called Pharisaei that is diuided as men in holines perfection of life farre passing al the rest of the people Yet for al this notwithstanding their greate shewe of wisedome of learning of perfection of life the great multitude of them Chrst sayeth there were few workmen to goe to the haruest For They did prophecie out of their owne harts they did not rise vp in the gappes nor made vp the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battell in the day of the Lorde they haue seene vanity lying diuination saying the Lord saith it the lord hath not sent thē they haue made others to hope that they would confirm the words of their prophecie saith Ezechiel No contrariwise these that should haue been the chiefe haruest men were the wasters and destroyers of the haruest My people saith God hath byn as lost sheep their shepherds haue caused thē to go astray haue turned them away to the mountaines Christe telleh the Pharisies they haue made his fathers house a denne of theeues He speaketh thus of them All that euer came before mee are theeues and robbers Notwithstanding their stout learning and shew of holinesse they were nothing els but theeues robbers they did robbe mens soules chey stale the sheepe out of the fold they spoyled God of his glory When they sawe the people followe thicke after Christ and to haue him in reuerence they cried out none of the Princes and great holye learned men beleeue in him but these Rascals that thus runne after him are accursed ignorant and know not the law The vnlearned sort said of Christ he casteth out vncleane spirits by y ◠power of God y ◠great learned men said no he throweth out diuels by y ◠power of Beelzebub y ◠prince of y ◠diuels The vnlearned marueiled were astonied at y ◠wonderful works that he did the learned saide he hath a diuel he is out of his wittes The vnlearned said no doubt a great Prophet is risen amongst vs the learned sayd He deceiueth the people The vnlearned sayde God hath visited and sent comfort amongst his people the learned said Behold a glutton and a companion of Publicans sinners The great learned shepherds persecuted Christ chased him from place to place the poore sheepe folowed him into the desert They that were the guyders of the flocke crucified Christ and shed his blood the poore flocke set their whole affiance in his death so dranke his blood to the reliefe of their soules they beleeued in him they knew the time of their visitation And therefore notwithstanding there were grosse damnable errours amongst the people as wel as amōgst the learned yet Christ chalenged not the people for them but only y ◠priests the Pharisies that tooke vpon them to lead the people for that he saw the
torments no fire no fagot haue euer weakened the cause of the Gospel Tertullian saith Plures effiâ—imur quoties metimur the more we be cut downe the more we encrease These be their arguments this is their logique they haue no liking to trie the matter by Scripture by doctours by Councel or by the practise of the most ancient Churches and if they make any pretense of likinge such tryall they doe it for some other hidden purpose to moue mutinies and disquiet that they may woorke their practises whiles mens heades are occupied and busied with talke of such matters Pirrhus a lustie gentleman and Kinge of Epyrus when he first tooke Counsell with hys Nobles to wage warre against the Romanes heard saye hee might soone conquere them for that they were nothinge else but a sorte of wilde and harbarours people but afterward when he came to the view of the Romanes army indeed and sawe their Captaines and Souldiers wel appoynted and their flagges and standardes in good order mary quoth he whether these men be barbarous or no I cannot tel but wel I wot their behauiour and the order of their campe is not barbarous So what accompt soeuer men make of this doctrine that god be thanked is taught this day yet whosoeuer shall come neere view it well and try it to the vttermost and shall finde that al thinges are done seemely and orderly according to the olde doctours to the Apostles and to the primatiue Church of Christ shall fall downe to the grounde and confesse that the order and maner therof or any thing that is taught therein is not hereticall Saint Iohn Baptist sent his disciples to Christ to knowe whether hee were the true Messias or no or els whether they should looke for another Christ made them answer Go and shewe Iohn what thinges ye haue hard and seene the blinde receiue sight the halte goe the lepers are clensed the deafe heare y e dead are raised vp y e poore receiue the Gospel For these tokens were sufficient to make Iohn vnderstande that Christ was the true Messias Euen so if a man stande in doubte of this Religion whether it bee of God or no let hym but consider think with himselfe thus a great number of errours are now reuealed superstition is remoued idolatrie is taken away the Sacramentes are rightlye and duly vsed the dombe speake the blinde see the poore afflicted mindes receiue the Gospell the prayers are in such sort as the people may take profit and comfort by them God giue vs grace to know how great neede we haue to pray that in all places we may lift vp cleane handes and heartes vnto God and cal vpon him in spirit and truth If this be heresie then alas what is true religion Can these bee done by the power of Beelzebub Can the deuil reforme errours remoue superstion take away idolatrie cause the Sacramentes to be directly vsed the dombe to speake the blinde to see the poore to receiue the Gospel the people to take fruite and comfort by their prayers O good brethen this is the worke of Gods right hande the kingdome of God doubtlesse is come vppon vs the prince of errour is put to silence the readinesse of the people vniuersally in al places is marueilous kinges and princes suffer themselues to be led captiues to the obedience of Christ They that before were enemies and persecutours of this doctrine are nowe contented to yeeld their bodies liues for y t defence of the same and to be short al the world this day cryeth and groneth after the Gospel And al these things are come to passe at such time as to any mans reason it might seeme impossible when al the world the people priests princes were ouerwhelmed with ignoraÌ„ce wheÌ„ the word of God was put out of sight when he that tooke vpon him the generall rule of altogether was crept into y e holy place had possessed the coÌ„science of man as if he had bene God and had set himselfe aboue the scriptures of God gaue out decrees that whatsoeuer he should do no man shoulde finde fault with him when all schooles priests bishops kings of the worlde were sworne to hym that whatsoeuer he tooke in hand they should vphold it when he had chosen kings sonnes brothers to be his Cardinales when his Legats espies were in euery kings councel when nothing could be attempted any where but he by by must haue knowledge of it wheÌ„ whosoeuer had but muttered against his doinges must straight waies haue bene excoÌ„municate put to most cruel death as Gods enemie when no man could haue thought there had bene any hope that euer these dayes should haue bene seene that God of his mercy hath giuen vs to see when al things were voide of al hope and full of desperation Euen then I say euen then contrarye to all mans reason God brought all these thinges to passe Euen then God defeited their policies not with shielde or Speare but only with the spirit of his mouthe that is with preachinge of the Gospel There is no counsel agaynst the Lorde the deuils were cast out by the powre of God This is the day which y e Lord hath wrought to thee o Lord y e prayse hereof is due thou hast turned our mourning into ioy thou hast put to sileÌ„ce y e spirit of error thou hast inflamed y t hearts of thy people thou hast brought princes kings to the obedience of thy sonne Iesus Christ thou hast opened the eyes of y e world to espy out to cry for y e coÌ„fort of y e gospel WheÌ„ al things were in dispaire yet thou didst reserue vnto thy selfe one litle sparkle y t should inkindle agayne light in thy church y t shoulde remoue rubbish fylth out of thy teÌ„ple whose hart should euer be in thy haÌ„d who should do that that good is in thy sight should walke in y â— wayes of her father Dauid This is the hand power of God this is the Lordes doing and it is marueilous in our eyes God giue vs grace to haue these things euer before our eyes that we neuer be vnthankfull Now for al these graces y t God hath so plentifully powred vpoÌ„ vs let vs coÌ„sider what kindnes ought to be rendred on our part O Israel O my people saith almighty God what thing is it y t I require of thee but onely that thou loue me walk in my wayes this is our homage this is our dutie this shalbe loked for at our hands The grace of god saith Paul y t bringeth saluation vnto al meÌ„ hath appered techeth vs y t we shold liue soberly righteusly in this preseÌ„t worlde looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god and of our sauiour Iesus Christ Such in olde times was the life of all them that professed the name of Christ Tertullian of his
a potion shewed him not what was in it began to chafe and take on with him why said he heale not me as thou wouldest heale an oxe or a horse but shew me what thou giuest me what are the ingredients and wherefore thou giuest it me Euen so must the people bee healed of their errours they must know what is giuen them and wherefore Fides saith Bernard suadenda est non imponēda Faith may not be compulsed by force or rigour but gently brought in by perswasiō For forced faith is no faith Saint Paule saieth Faith commeth by hearing hearing by the word of God And therefore it is wel obserued by the wise politike father S. Ambrose that the church of Christ was not gathered by the law but by faith Basil saith If you wil haue Gods wisedō take place al your worldly wisedome must be set a parte And in like sort Hillarius Humanis operib extructa nō permanent aliter aedificanda Ecclesia aliter custodienda est c. Things that be set vp with mans workmanship saith Hillary will not endure the church of God must otherwise be buylded and preserued for the foundation of it must be layde vppon the Apostles and Prophets The church being thus built by God that is to say by the doctrine of God shall neuer fall I speake not this against all ciuil and honest lawful policie for I know it is the gift of God without the which nor common state nor the Church can be mainteined But this seemeth to haue byn the meaning of these olde Fathers that in the building of Gods church y e preaching of Gods worde must goe before to quiet mens consciences and wisedome pollicie like handmaides must follow after For this honor prerogatiue God claimeth onely to himselfe that his Church must bee built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Which if it be otherwise built Nisi dominus aedificauerit domū in vanum laborauerunt qui aedificant eam Vnlesse God himselfe build vp the house they sweat and labour but in vain that set it vp Thus Christ at the beginning gathered his Church not by lawes of men but against all law policy by the preaching of his word God might haue instructed Cornelius by the Angell that appeared to him as it appeareth in y e Acts of the Apostles but he woulde not so but sent Peter to him that he might be instructed by the mouth of a Preacher Hee might haue taught Paul after he had striken him downe from his horse when he appeared to him said Ego sum Iesus quē tu persequeris I am Iesus whō thou persecutest But he would not so but rather left him to be taught by Ananias And as it appeareth in the Actes of the Apostles at the preaching of Peter 3000. people were conuerted wonn in one day that it might appeare by what tooles and with what workemen God woulde haue his haruest set forward Nowe let vs beholde the present state of our countrey These wordes of Christ our Sauiour were neuer more true then we find them now in these our dayes The haruest is great the labourers very fewe the poore people lyeth forsaken and left as it were sheepe without a guide the afflicted in conscience haue no man to quiet them they growe wilde and sauadge as it were a people that had no God they are commaunded to change their religion and forlacke of instruction they know not whither to turne them they knowe not neither what they leaue nor what they should receiue Some other defie and spit at the holy gospel of our Sauiour Christ and refuse the Couenāt of euerlasting life Some other for lacke of knowledge followe after wilfull blinde maisters and become Arrians or Pelagians and thus they blaspheme the sonne of God Some other giue themselues ouer to their owne affections and as he saith reioyce and triumph in their filthinesse without feare of God without conscience of sinne and so treade downe the blood of the testament vnder their feete and this do they for lacke of teaching because they haue not learned men and preachers to shew them what they should doe O saith our Sauiour Christ the good shepheard and Bishop of our soules my haruest is beaten down and lost and there is none that wil goe abroade and saue it My people run headlong to their own destruction not of malice but of verye simplicity onely because they are not taught because they know not my father nor me Alas it is not my fathers will that anye of them should be lost They be our brethren they be the flocke of God they be the haruest they are bought with great price I beseeche you euen for that blood that was shed and spent for them and vs al let vs not despise them If the kingdome of God be not worthy to be promoted yet the kingdome of Satan is worthye to be ouerthrowne Now is that acceptable and ioyfull time come amongst vs euen nowe God hath visited his people now the haruest is greate and plentious Al the world this day longeth and groneth after the Gospell Let vs therefore altogether directe our prayers to the Lord and master of the haruest Wee beseeche thee most mercifull father for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake as thou hast plentifully encreased thy haruest brought it to a ripenes in these our dayes so sende out labourers to get it in that it be not spilt Gather in al thy sheepe that lie straying w tout a heard Lighten the heartes of thine aduersaries that they may know the time of their visitation and see that blessed hope whereunto thou haste called them That all the worlde with one mouth and one minde may know and gloryfie thee the onely true and lyuinge God and thy sonne Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be al honour and glorye Amen Luke 11. vers 15. But some of them saide he casteth out deuils through Beelzebub the chiefe of deuils c. THat it may please God so to order both my vtterance and your vnderstāding that whatsoeuer shalbe spoken or heard may turne to the glory of his holy name and to the profite and comfort of his Church before I enter into the exposition of these wordes I desire you to call vpon our gracious God with your earnest and harty prayer And heere I commende vnto you the good estate of Gods holy and catholique Church and therein the Queenes most excellent maiesty by the especial grace of God Queene of England Fraunce and Irelande defender of the true ancient and Apostolique faith and the highest gouernour next vnder God of this Churche of England c. That as God of his mercie hath marueilously preserued her to the possession of her righte to the great comforte of all our her subiects heartes and to the reformation of the Church so it may please him to ayde and encrease her with his holy spirite to the continuance
dissention betweene two brothers brought all Graecia Asia al y e Easte parts of Christendome into the possession of the Turke But what needeth vs to goe to Hierusalem or to Turkie for examples This kingdome of ours the mightiest y e noblest the richest y e blessedest lande that is or euer was vnder heauen coulde neuer yet be conquered by any enemie but onely at such time as the people were at variaÌ„ce within theÌ„mselues TheÌ„ was Iulius Caesar with a smal number then were the English Saxons then were the Danes then was y e Duke of Normandie able to ouerrunne vs and to possesse our countrie Therefore the prince that desireth to be a conquerour laboureth not so muche to furnishe his owne men and to make himselfe strong as to set discord among his enemies For that is a manifest token of their vndoing that Gods vengeance is at hand And for that cause Herodian an old writer pronounceth y â— as much as warre is worse then peace so much is ciuill sedition worse then warre And Titus Liuius in his storie saieth haec res sola facit vt magna imperia sint mortalia DissensioÌ„ only saith he causeth that great Empires can not continue but haue an end For if the one part conquere and haue the victory it is euen as if a man with his right hand would maime himselfe and chop off the left This example Christ vseth to confound the malice of the Pharisies The secoÌ„d reason is this If I cast out deuils by the power of Beelzebub by what power doe your children my disciples Iohn Iames Peter Andrew the rest cast them out They graunted that Christes disciples wrought miracles onely by the name of God And yet that they allowed in the scholers euen of malice hatred and contrarie to their conscience they repoued and blasphemed in y e master Hereof Christ concludeth if I cast out deuils in the power of god then doubtlesse the kingdome of God is among you your own childreÌ„ shalbe iudges ouer you Now to applie these wordes vnto this our present time wherein vnder a most godly and gracious prince the trueth of Christes Gospell is freely preached Gods holy name therfore be praysed for euer As Moses in his time was counted a sorcerrer as the Jewes were called despisers of al religion seditious and heady agaynst their Princes as the Apostles were counted dronken and full of new wine as al Christians were called idolaters worshippers of Bacchus Ceres murtherers incestious adulterers as S. Paul for his preaching was iudged a Rebel and al Christians were taken for enemies of all common estates euen so in these latter daies all these or other y â— like crimes haue bene laid to y â— preachers professors of Christes Gospel y â— thei haue bene godlesse seditious rebelles despisers of good orders incestious adulterers masters of al sinne and wickednesse But this is our comfort that nothing can be deuised to be spokeÌ„ against vs but y â— same aforetime hath bene deuised spoken against Christ hymselfe For he himself was called a Samaritan a coÌ„panion of publicans harlotes a glucton a lyar a blasphemer a subuerter of y â— whole nation a seducer of the people a rebell against Caesar a sorcerer a worker by the deuill and a breaker of the Sabboth day We are set vp saith Paul as a marke for meÌ„ to speake against whatsoeuer be spoken of vs be it neuer so vntrue or vnlikely yet are there some that wyll beleeue it Yea such thinges as woulde not bee beleeued spoken of a theefe or a murtherer wyl soone be beleeued of hym that professeth the name and Gospell of Jesus Christ Woe is mee my mother sayth Ierimy that thou hast borne me a contentious maÌ„ a man that striueth with y e whole earth I haue neither lent on vsury nor men haue leÌ„t vnto me on vsurie yet euery one doth curse mee The vntrue report of these things caused such extremitie as this day you may heare of in other countries and some times haue seene presently before your eyes Princes noble men hated the doctrine of the Gospel before they knew it They hated it and thought ill of it not of malice nor against their conscience nor against y e testimony of the holye ghost but only of ignorance because they lacked instruction They had a zeale a feeling of god but not according to knowledge And therefore doinge as they did they thought they dyd God high seruice This curtesie had christ our sauieur shewed him when he was in the worlde The same curtesie must they looke for that wil become christs disciples They sayd of Christ that whatsoeuer he did he did it in the name of Beelzebub y e chief of the deuils Euen so whereas it hath pleased almightie God to blesse vs with the true Preachinge and light of his holy Gospell yet there are some that condemne it and call it heresie beare the people in hand that all this doctrine is nothing els but a renuing of old heresies It is a greeuous matter for a Christian man iustly to be accused of heresie For whosoeuer is an heretique is an enemie of god and a waster and destroyer of all true Religion And therefore vnlesse the crime bee marueilous euident he doeth great wrong that calleth any man heretique and though a man be falsely charged yet may he not dissemble it Ruffinus would say that maÌ„ were not a Christian whosoeuer would abide to be called an heretique All other iniuries may be borne withall but this is suche and so hainous a crime that vnlesse it be manifestly euident no man may suffer to be so iudged and it should not be beleeued when it is layde to the charge of any Christians Wherefore for as much as the cause is gods and pertaineth to the conscience of a great many let it be as lawfull for the poore man that is vniustly hurt to make his salue as others think it lawfull for them to giue the wound Christ our Sauiour when he was thus charged made answer Si ego in Beelzebub eiicio daemonia filii vestri in quo eâ—iciunt If I through Beelzebub cast out deuils by whoÌ„ doe your children cast theÌ„ out So may we say to such as this daye bee aduersaries to this cause and speake agaynst vs. If we be heretikes that teach this doctrine what are the ancient Fathers the Doctours and the Apostles that haue taught the same If they were Catholiques and haue bene euermore so taken writinge as they dyd howe is it that onely wee are not Catholiques writing saying as they did they shal iudge on our side against you And would God in y â— greatest specialest poynts of our controuersies all parts would be contented to stand to their iudgment so should al contention be soone at anend For I call Heauen and Earth to witnesse and speake it before God and his holy Angels and before the consciences
wee pray together and vnderstande what we pray This was the order of the Primitiue Churche this was the order of the Apostles of Christe If wee compare this with the former wee shall soone see the difference betweene light and darknesse The kingdome of God nowe suffereth violence The sounde of the Gospell hath gone ouer all the worlde and the whole worlde is awaked therewith and draweth to it The sunne is risen the day is open God hath made his kingdome woonderfull among vs. It is nowe time nowe is it time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe for nowe is our saluation neere Nowe it is in our mouth wee can speake of it GOD graunt it may bee neerer vs euen in our heartes The night is past GOD graunt it be past for euer that we be neuer againe throwen into the darkenesse of death that the worde of life the trueth of Christ be neuer againe taken from vs. And it shall neuer be taken away if wee bee thankefull Unkindenesse can neuer scape vnplagued Let vs wake let vs wake our sleepe is deadly Let vs pray to GOD to awake vs hee is able to rayse the dead Our Sauiour saith The houre shall come when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Lazarus was dead yet hee hearde the voyce of Christe and rose vp agayne and came abroade Let vs put on Iesus Christ let it appeare vpon vs that we weare him let vs not be ashamed of his Gospell it is the power of God to saluation If we be ashamed of him and of his wordes hee will be also ashamed of vs when he commeth in the glorie of his father with the holy Angels Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse and all doctrines of superstition and ignorance Let vs beholde the troubles and miseries of other countries Heauen and earth our brethren the care of our saluation the Sonne of God himselfe put vs in minde that it is nowe time Whiles we haue time let vs doe good let vs seeke God whiles hee may bee founde The Lorde wayteth when hee may shewe his mercies Let vs turne vnto him with an vpright heart So shall he turne to vs so shal we walke as the children of light so shall wee shine as the sunne in the kingdome of our Father so shall God bee our God and will abide with vs for euer And thou O most mercifull Father wee beseeche thee for thy mercie sake continue thy grace and fauour towardes vs let the sunne of thy Gospell neuer goe downe out of our heartes let thy trueth abide and be stablished among vs for euer Helpe our vnbeliefe encreace our faith giue vs heartes to consider the time of our visitation Apparrell vs throughly with Christ that hee may liue in vs and so thy Name may bee glorified in vs in the sight of al the world Amen FINIS ¶ Ornatissimo viro Thomae Randolpho armigero serenissimo ad Scotos Legato integerrimo QVis te iunxit amor docto Randolphe Iuello Oxonia exilium musa laborque notant Et quod ad exequias defuncti ducere plectrum Triste Buchananos Patritiosque facis Quis tibi gratus erit pro tali munere certè Auctior hoc studio gratia facta tua est Nec nihil ex illo referes Sacra signa redemptor Essent vt fidei tessera fida dedit Haec tuus exposuit sanctè tibi dedico ne sit Tam rarae fidei tessera nulla piae Tuae dignitatis studiosus Iohan. Garbrandus ⧠A treatise of the Sacraments gathered out of certaine Sermons which the Reuerend Father in God Bishop Iewel preached at Salisburie I Haue opened vnto you y â— contents of the Lordes prayer shewed you vpon whom wee ought to call what to aske and y â— articles of our ChristiaÌ„ faith in God y e father y â— sonn the holy Ghost of y e church of remission of sins of the resurrection of life euerlasting c. And I haue opened vnto you the ten commandements in them what our duetie is towards God towards our Prince and magistrates towards our pareÌ„ts towards our neighbour towards our selues Al this haue I done simply plainly without al shewe of learning that it might the better sinke into our heartes Nowe I thinke good to speake of the Sacraments of the Church that al you may know what they are because you are all partakers of the holy sacraments Christ hath ordeined them that by them hee might set before our eyes the mysteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood might seale his grace in our hearts As Princes seales confirme and warrant their deedes and charâ—ers so doe the Sacramentes witnesse vnto our conscience that Gods promises are true and shall continue for euer Thus doeth God make knowen his secret purpose to his Church first he declareth his mercie by his worde then he sealeth it and assureth it by his sacraments In the word we haue his promises in the sacraments we see them It woulde require a long time if I should vtter that might be saide in this matter especially in laying open such errours and abuses as haue crept into the Church But I wil haue regard to this place and so frame my speech that the meanest simplest may reape profite thereby That you may the better remember it I wil keepe this order I wil shewe you what a Sacrament is Secondly who hath ordained them thirdly wherfore they were ordained and what they worke in vs fourthly how many there are and then I will briefly speake of euery of them A Sacrament is an outwarde and visible signe whereby GOD sealeth vp his grace in our heartes to the confirmation of our Faith Saint Augustine saith Sacramentum est inuisibilis gratiae visibile signum A SacrameÌ„t is a visible signe of grace inuisible And y t wee may the better vnderstand him hee telleth vs what thing we should call a signe A signe is a thing that besides the sight itself which it offreth to the seÌ„ses causeth of itself some other certaine thing to come to knowledge In Baptisme the water is the signe and the thing signified is the grace of God Wee see the water but the grace of God is inuisible we cannot see it Moreouer he saith Signa cum ad res diuinas adhibentur Sacramenta vocantur Signes wheÌ„ thei be applied to godly things be called sacramentes The signification and substance of the sacrament is to shew vs how we are washed with the passion of Christ and how we are fedde with the body of Christ And againe If Sacraments had not a certain likenes and representatioÌ„ of the things wherof they be sacraments then indeed they were no sacrameÌ„ts And because of this likenesse whiche they haue with the things they represent they be ofttimes termed by the names of the things themselues Therefore after a
CERTAINE Sermons preached before the Queenes Maiestie and at Paules crosse by the reuerend father IOHN IEVVEL late Bishop of Salisburie Whereunto is added a short Treatise of the Sacraments gathered out of other his sermons made vpon that matter in his cathedrall Church at Salisburie Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1583 To the right honorable Sir William Cicil Knight Lorde high Treasorer of England and to the right honorable L. Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester two of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsaile most worthie Chauncelours of both the Vniuersities Oxforde and Cambridge VNtrue reportes and sclaunders can neither giue falsehoode any credite among the wise nor disgrace the due estimation of the trueth Howbeit it seemeth there are some which hope it will turne them to no small aduauntage if to other their secrete and wicked practises they ioyne a sleyght of ill speaking of sclaundering the writings the godly sayings the life and the death of those whome it hath pleased God to vse to the setting forth of his Gospel and thereby to the great comfort of his people Among others vpon whom this hath bene practised they haue made some especiall choice of the late Bishop of Salisburie a man of famous memorie whose life and death is truely and syncerely written by M. Doctour Humfrey Howsoeuer they dealt vncharitably with him in his life Christian and godly discretion would they should spare to reproche the dead Or if not so yet in wisedome they might foresee that when matters are called to tryall such things cannot passe for currant lawfull wherof some due proofe hath not bene yeelded Yet as though the discredit of that one man who in great humilitie did acknowledge himselfe inferiour to many godly fathers then liuing in this Church of England were ynough for them to ouerthrowe all that whole worke which the Almightie God hath by his right hand and strong arme established they deliuer by tradition certaine false obseruations of his either simple or negligent or wilfull and malicious gathering and abusing the holy Scriptures of God and the auncient writings of the Fathers It is a harde thing for him that speaketh much to speake nothing worthy iust reprehension But it is much harder to escape the reprehension of corrupt Iudges euen when he shal speake most vprightly His defence is abroade published by himselfe And notwithstanding the endeuour of a learned aduersarie was to empeache it yet by his last and a moderate answere he auouched it good and approued his plaine and syncere dealing to the consciences of all men Whom it may please to vnderstande after what sort he prepared himselfe to the accomplishment of those two notable bookes of the defence of the Apologie and the Replie which are as two double Canons prepared for the battery of errour and superstition must needes confesse his diligence and reuerent proceeding in such cause to haue bene such as for which he may well be compared with any whomsoeuer the former or this present age hath thought therefore worthie commendation For besides his aduised obseruation of all such things as in the aduersaries bookes deserued answere and besides that he disposed a summarie and full collection of such matter as he would vse for the disproofe of the same the which he conceiued in short notes this may be a notable testimonie that he had purpose to set downe the aucthorities out of the Fathers and the quotations truely and playnely whereas in times before hee had gathered sundrie bookes of common places out of the Greeke and Latine and later writers he did peruse a fresh the authors themselues and made euery where in them speciall markes for the difference of such places whereofhee made choyce Those were all drawen forth and layde to their themes by certeine scholers who wrote them out by such direction as he had giuen vnto them So reuerent regard had he to do the worke of the Lord and to defend the trueth faithfully With like reuerence also did he in all places where he was occasioned to preach handle the word of God Albeit his giftes of reading and vnderstanding memorie were great yet it appeareth he did seldome or neuer deliuer any exposition vpon any peece of scripture before any Congregation in the meanest parish of the countrie but vpon diligent studie and whereof he drewe his notes In this his care Gods prouidence wrought mercifully for his Church that so there might be some way to deliuer in common vnto all the fruites of those godly trauailes which he gaue forth to some one especiall part of the Church Hereby it is that these his Sermons preached before her Maiestie and at Paules crosse come nowe to the reading of all such before whome they were once spoken to seeke that of them in true practise of Christian religion for which they were in their times vttered Why I make choyce of these among so many so excellent his sermons pronounced in those places if any be curious to aske let him aduisedly consider the state of Gods Church amongst vs in these dayes and bestowe his paynes to reade these which are offered to his Christian iudgement and then make to himselfe a charitable answere And if at such seuerall times as that reuerende father in the feare of God moued his petitions before the conscience either of her highnesse or of your honors or of any others the good children and seruantes of God he were so well acquitted that he was thought to speake vprightly in true zeale for the aduauncement of Gods glorie and like a wise buylder of the house of God no doubt in this rehearsall of them altogether they shall worke that wholsome effect if through the assistance of Gods holy spirite they be considered now with as great diligence as hee was then heard with good attention Your honours haue wel declared that you measured not your louing affection to him by the short terme of his life which giueth great hope that his humble requestes so many as are to craue ayde and furtherance of aucthoritie shall in good time be preferred They are such as shew how desirous he was to see the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem and that the kingdome of God might neuer againe be taken away from vs. He sheweth what thinges they are by which this may bee brought to passe that among all the meanes which mans wisedome can prouide next to the high meanes of princely authoritie the chiefest is that all particular Churches may bee furnished with sufficient learned and godly Ministers and therefore that tender due care be had to encrease the nomber of them Their seruice is most needeful in the ouerthrowe of Iericho the citie which God will haue destroyed and in the buylding vp vnto God his Temple at Ierusalem The care which Magistrates take hereof and that laborers may be sent into the Lordes haruest which may defende the cause of Christ against those which charge
home from Obededom and set in the mount Sion when Religion reuiued which through the negligence and malice of Saul was forsaken when he saw his nobility his Bishoppes his Priestes and all his people willing and forward he could not refraine him selfe but brake out and song Haec est dies quam fecit Dominus exultemus laetemurin ea This is the day which y ◠Lord hath made let vs be glad and reioyce in it Let vs be merry ioye that euer we liued to see it Euen so Paul when in his time hee saw the Gospel take roote and prosper and that the sauour of life was powred abroade that the kingdome of God was enlarged and the kingdome of Satan shaking down his heart leaped and sprong within him Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile Behold now that acceptable time behold God hath looked downe mercifully vpon the world beholde the daye of saluation is come vpon vs. But the godly man as hee reioyceth at the beautie of Gods house so when contrariwise he seeth the same disordered filthily when he seeth the Sacraments of God abused the trueth troden vnder foote the people mocked the name of god dishonoured he cānot but lament mourn and finde himselfe wounded at heart When the good king Iosias saw the booke of god whiche was so long hid in y ◠wall out of remēbrance when he considered the blindenes in which they had liued the vnkindnes of their forfathers he could not forbeare but fell a weeping he feared least god would take vengeance vpō thē for so great cōtempt of his word Whē Ieremy saw the wilfulnes and frowardnesse of the people which would not submit themselues and be obedient vnto god he cryed Oh that my head were ful of water mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and hight c. Such care had they for Gods people thus the zeale of Gods house had eaten them vp Zeale if any man know not the nature of the word is an earnest affection and vehement loue as is the loue of a mother towards her children or of y e natural child towards his mother This zeale cannot abyde to see that thing which it loueth despised or hurt Such a zeale and care carieth God ouer his people hee loueth them as a mother loueth her little children he wil not suffer them to be hurt By y e Prophet Esai he saith Can a woman forget her childe not haue cōpassion on the sonne of her womb thogh they should forget yet wil I not forget thee Zachary also saith He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eie For God hath said they shalbe my people and I wil be their God Such care likewise heare al the godly towards their God they loue him with all their soule with al their heart with al their strength they reuerence him as their deare father they are grieued at anye blasphemy and with anye contempt of his holy name But as euery man be he neuer so wicked yea euen he that saieth in his heart there is no God which is become filthy abhominable in al his doings yet in his talke outwardly saith he hath a God and that hee beleeueth in him euen so there is none so wicked or so forsaken of God in his heart but he perswadeth himselfe hee hath the zeale of GOD and what he doth in selfe loue of his owne fantasie hee will beare in hand he doth it for the loue of God The ouerthrowers and wasters of the Churche will seeme to shew a speciall care for the Churche Dissemblers hypocrites despisers scorners euen suche as sinne agaynst the holye Ghost which denie the trueth of God after they haue knowen it which witting and knowing fight against the trueth which say of Christ we will not haue him to rule ouer vs which worke that sinne that shall neuer bee forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come yet notwithstanding wil pretend and seem to haue the zeale of God Thus the Scribes and Pharisies set vp their bristles against Christ thy Disciples keep not the common fast thou sufferest them to put and to eate the eares of corne thou sufferest them to eate with vnwashed handes thou breakest the tradition of the Elders thou breakest the Law of God which he gaue vs by Moses thou art a seditious teacher thou art a schismatike thou art an Heretike They sayde we fast twise in the Weeke wee haue Abraham to our father we are Moses Disciples Therfore when they hearde Stephen speaking those heauenly words Behold I see the heauens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God through zeale they gaue a shoute with a loud voyce stopped their eares and ran vpon him al at once When Christ had said Ye shall see the sonne of man sit at the right hād of God come in the clouds of heauē the hie priest through zeale rent his clothes sayd Ye haue heard the blasphemie This naughty man speaketh blasphemie against God He called a Councell the Scribes Pharisies met together not one man amongst them but of themselues they looked about them as if they only were the pillars and buttresses of the church and were only zealous and carefull for the house of God But their meeting was as Dauid forespake and as Peter declareth and as wee knowe against the Lorde and against annointed They were touched with zeale of their owne glory not with the zeale of Gods trueth They sought their owne praise but not the praise which is of God They made crakes that they knewe the scriptures that they were the Temple of God that they had the consent of al antiquitye as others haue done since that time and as wee see many do this day in very deed these men now haue euen as much as they had then as by proof and triall it wil appeare There are others which haue a feeling of God and a great care for his Church but such a feeling and care as commeth either of their owne fantasies or of some opinion and credite they haue in their Fathers which were before them not of the vnderstanding of Gods pleasure Such are they which offende God not of malice or wilfulnesse but onelye for lacke of teaching and vnderstanding Such were they whiche withstoode Saint Paule in all his preaching for that they tooke him for an Heretike and thought his preaching was against God I beare them witnesse saith he that they haue the zeale of GOD but not according to knowledge Such a zeale haue many who forbid that God commandeth and commande that which God forbiddeth Such a zeale had Paule himselfe I was a blasphemer a persecutor an oppressor but I was receiued to mercy for I did it ignorauntly without beliefe Such a zeale haue they who think they do God good seruice whē they kil murther the righteous good seruāts of God Such a
wonne Therefore we ought as our heartes were careful and desirous to see these dayes so by our thankefulnes to God for so great blessinge and by Christian and Godlye prouidence foresee such meanes whereby wee may longe hereafter enioye the same WheÌ„ Phydias had made the pourtraiture of Iupiter Pisanus he ouerlayed it with oyle y t it might continue fresh and greene and neuer putrifie When God gaue order to Noah for making the Arke he saide Thou shalt pitch it within and without with pitche that it might be sound and sure abide the waues He which chalengeth to himselfe that proude and wanton name to be called the head of y e vniuersal church after by litle litle he was gotten into possessioÌ„ was not behind hand by al meanes to maintaine keepe the same In this policie he tooke away the reading of the scriptures froÌ„ the people he made noble men princes his Cardinals He threw downe set vp changed whom what he would The kings states of the world y e bishops professors schollers in vniuersities preachers were brought to swere allegeaÌ„ce obedience vnto him I deuise not this the stories hereof are abrode y e oth which they tooke is known His authorite grew greater theÌ„ the authoritie of general councilles Nothing might be decreed in councels but what pleased him none might be admitted to speak in couÌ„cils but such as were sworne to him He had al law in his breast There was sometimes a proclamation made in Rome y t for considerations no man should erect or builde vp any theater that if any were set vp it shold be rased pulled down Pompeius a gentleman of great wealth noble courage did build a theater such a one as before had not bene seene which would receaue 2500. men contrary to y e proclamation order taken But dubtinge least the next maiestrates should destroy it he caused a place of religion to bee set vpon it called it the teÌ„ple of Venus Whereby he prouided y t if any wold ouerthrow it because it was a Theater they might yet spare it for the temples sake for to pul down a teÌ„ple was sacrilege Euen so there haue bene proclamations cannons y t no man shoulde be called y e chiefe or y e head of al Churches or vsurpe such authoritie ouer others but when y e Pope built vp his supremacie against the meaning of suche canons hee preteÌ„ded religioÌ„ for his doing he sayde it was de iure diuino y t no man should presume or atteÌ„pt agaiÌ„st it y t so his power might coÌ„tinue for euer If they haue bene thus carefull to mainteine falshod how much more careful should we be to maintaine y e truth If they to aduaÌ„ce their owne kingdome how much more wee to set forth the kingdom of God to builde vp the Church of Christ And if they sought to do y t by lies by false meanes why should we bee slack to vse the right true good meanes wherby that good thing which God hath wrought for vs may bee established And albeit there be many wayes by which the kingdome of God may be mainteined as the fauour countenance of y e prince whiche so coÌ„forteth cherisheth y e Church as the sunne beames coÌ„fort cherish the earth knowledge learning discipline which are as the life the sinues without which the Church must needes fall asunder at this time I wil leaue to speak of the rest only stay vpon learninge which may truly be called y e life or y e soule of y e Church of christian religien How necessarie a thinge they haue counted learninge to the settinge foorth of Religion the stories of our old fathers of heathens and Christians in al ages doe witnesse They thought that neither Religion might stande without knowledge nor knowledge were to bee esteemed without Religion Charles the great that hee might the better plant Religion in Saxonie and Heluetia did erect many places for encrease of learning He knewe well that there was no other way better to establish Religion The Cathedral Churches before such times as ignoraunce and blindenesse grewe ouer all the worlde and brought in an vniuersal corruption maintayned schooles of learning that the doctrine which was taught in those places might bee defended agaynst the gaynesayers by suche learned men as were there bred vp The Princes of Germanie and the free Cities after they had receyued the Gospell they dissolued theyr monasteries which had bene harbourers for such as liued in idlenes and set vp Schooles and colledges which should be nourceries to breede vp learned men that might bee able to teache the people and to maintaine religion Whereby it came to passe that in shorte time they had great store of worthy and learned men This did they wel see that haue bene the enemies of religion therefore vsed all meanes to hinder the encrease of learninge that they might haue the better way to ouerthrow Religion For if learning decay it is likely that Religion can not abide Beare with me if I speake that whiche may seeme more fitt for some other place then for this audience the best here vnderstandeth me wel In other countries the receiuing of the Gospell hath alwayes bene cause that learning was more set by and learninge hath euer bene the furtherance of the Gospell In England I knowe not how it commethe otherwise to passe For since the Gospell hath bene receiued the maintenaunce for learninge hath bene decayed And the lacke of learninge will be the decay of the Gospel Would God it were not so or that yet before the faulte be incurable there may be some redresse Loth I am to speake yet the case so requireth that it is needefull to be spoken I truste I shall speak in the hearing of them that wyll confider it Maintenance of learninge whereby an able and sufficient ministerie may growe and be established in al the Churches of this realme is to be wished for The good estate of this noble kingdome y â— comfort of posterytie y â— staye of Religion the continuing of the Gospell the remouing of darknes hangeth vpon it One asked sometimes howe it was that in Athens so goodly and great a citie there were no Phisitians To whom this answere was made because there are rewardes appointed for them that practise Phisicke The same answere may be made for our times the cause why y â— Church of God is so forsaken is the want of zeale in theÌ„ that should either for their curtesie or for their ability be fosterers of learning encrease the liuings where occasion is and giue hope confort to learned men What said I increaseâ—nay the liuings and prouision which hertofore were giuen to this vse are taken away Haue patience if any such be here as I well know there are whom these things touch Suffer me to speake the truth
and shee shall call his name Emanuell In him shall all Israel bee saued hee is the light to lighten the Gentiles his name shall be called wonderfull counseller the mightie God the euerlasting father the Prince of peace in him shal al the endes of the worlde bee blessed This light they behelde when it was not cleerely opened vnto them they did see it comming and reioyced in it they were vnder a Schoolemaister and had not the perfect knowledge of this light But nowe God hath scattered all these Cloudes and wee beholde as in a mirrour the glorye of the Lorde with open face Our elder Fathers in the olde Testament had onely a dimme candle to guide their Feete we haue the bright Sunne beames They had onelye the greene blade of the Corne wee haue the plentifull encrease euen as in the time of haruest they had the shadowe we haue the light they had onely a droppe to refreshe themselues wee haue the whole streame of Gods mercie powred out vppon vs. Nowe hath God remembred his holie couenaunt and the othe whiche hee sware to our father Abraham nowe the woorde was made fleshe and dwelt with vs. The day starre is sprong vp in our heartes the Spirite of God hath filled the whole world the earth is full of his glorye The Idols of the Heathen are fallen and are put to silence their greatest mysteries appeare to bee follies and are laught to scorne the children make games of them in their streetes Sathan the Prince of this worlde which is the accuser of our brethren is now cast foorth Nowe is it knowen that saluation and power and glory belongeth to our God Hee hath raysed his Christe and hath established his kingdome the kings and nations of the worlde shall walke in his light and his light shall not bee put out and his kingdome shall haue no ende Nowe is that newe Hierusalem the glorious Citie of our God reuealed from on high nowe hath God made the Heauens newe and a newe earth and hath fixed his Tabernacle and dwelling place among men The fulnesse of time is come the sounde of the Apostles is gone through all the earth the Sunne of righteousnesse hath appeared he is the light and comfort of the whole worlde This is the gracious yeere of mercye this is the daye whiche the Lorde hath made Nowe is the mercy of the Lorde shewed more and more towardes vs and his trueth endureth for euer When Balaam the false Prophete beholde the glorye of this time hee brake out and sayde Who shall liue when GOD doeth this Who shall liue and see and enioy these thinges Awake therefore or arise from sleepe the time so requireth For nowe is our Saluation neerer then when we beleeued it Of those few words haue growen diuers senses al good and godly yet in my iudgement the simplest and playnest sense is this When we were heathen and sate in darknesse we thought we did well and that wee shoulde be saued in that way in whiche wee walked and that there was no hope of saluation but onelie in that and wee had a great liking in our doinges This is the vanitie and miserie of man oftetimes where he thinketh himselfe most sure he is deepely deceyued The Turks the Iewes at this day others the enemies of the crosse of Christ thinke there is no other true religion but theirs in y t they are woonderfull zealous and stande in it vnto death no perswasion nor force can remooue them When the people of Ephesus heard of the preaching of Paul they raysed vproare and filled the Citie full of tumult they caught Gaius and Aristarchus men of Macedonia and Pauls companions in his iourney and woulde haue slayne them they made an outcrie saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians she is a goddesse she hath made Heauen and Earth we haue put our trust in her we will call vpon her and she will heare vs. Christ she weth his Disciples The brother shal betray the brother to death the father the sonne the childrē shal rise against their parents and shall cause them to die and ye shal be hated of al men for my Name For zeale to their GOD the Priestes of Baal cut themselues with kniues and launcers Through zeale manie fathers slewe their owne children and burnte them quicke in fire in the honour of the Idol Moloch Circumcelliones which were a sorte of Heretikes sprong out of the Donatistes about 420. yeeres after Christ through zeale murthered one another they threwe them selues downe from high rockes and destroyed them selues and thought that the onely way to please God so hot and feruent was their deuotion The children of light haue seldome suffered more or more willingly or with more affiance then the children of darkenesse so striued they for God but against God and abused his name agaynst him selfe and wittingly and willingly went downe to Hell They haue great zeale and earnest desire of the glorye of GOD but not according to knowledge They contented them selues with that they had receiued of their Fathers would seeke no further they thought they did serue GOD but they blasphemed the Name of the Sonne of GOD. In suche sorte did God suffer them to walke in the blindenesse of their heart In the latter day many shall say vnto Christ Lorde Lorde haue wee not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Diuels by thy Name done many greate workes Wee haue prayed and giuen almes for thy sake was it not done of zeale deuotion towardes thee So well shall they be perswaded of their doinges they shall presse boldely to the throne of Gods Maiesty and require their meede But Christ shall aunsweare them I neuer knewe you you serued your fancie you serued not mee your almes and miracles and your prayers shall condemne you Therfore Christe sayde to the Woman of Samaria Yee worshippe that which you knowe not You are ledde with a zeale and followe your Fathers but are deceiued Euen so hee prayed his father for them that crucified him and stood by and reuiled him O Father thou art full of mercie forgiue them they are moued of zeale and thinke they please thee they knowe not what they doe they knowe not thee nor mee thy Sonne whom thou hast sent Saint Hierome saith Nomine vnitatis fidei infidelitas scriptae est Infidelitie hath bin written vnder the name of faith and vnitie For herein they thought them selues good and holie and Catholike if they departed not from the vnitie of the world Therfore they followed the generall consent of others they thought them selues saieth hee the true Church and seemed to follow vnitie though in deede they fell to infidelitie Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne whatsoeuer it be be it neuer so holy neuer so glorious it is sinne it displeaseth God the ende thereof is destruction Therefore Christ sayeth I am the light of the worlde hee
that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life So spake Almightie GOD to his people Take heede that you doe as the Lorde your GOD hath commaunded you turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte Thou shalt not doe the thing that seemeth right in thine owne eyes Thou shalte not followe the zeale of thine owne heart Thinke that thou maist be deceiued dispose thy selfe to hearken to the voyce of the Lord whatsoeuer he shall commaund thee that onely shalt thou doe For my thoughts are not your thoughtes neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher thē the earth so are my waies higher thē yourwaies my thoughts aboue your thoughts The will of y e Lord is the only measure whereby all trueth must be tryed Heereunto the Prophet Dauid humbleth himselfe and speaketh vnto GOD in this manner Lighten mine eies O lord O teach me to do thy wil teach me to follow it to practise it Hereof S. Paul speaketh Vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Leaue the pretence of zeale leaue the deuotion of your owne heart rest not vppon the will of your forefathers nor of flesh blood Learne to feele and taste the will of God it is good and gracious and merciful thereby direct your steppes therein shall you finde the possession of life We were drowned in darkenesse sayth the Apostle yet thought we had the light I my selfe saith hee was a blasphemer and did persecute the Church of God I followed the way of my fathers I had a great zeale and thought I did well but the way wherein I walked was slippery the light was darkenesse I delighted in vanitie and had pleasure in leasings I was blinde yet perceiued it not and therefore was my blindenesse and miserie so muche the more But now is our Saluation come neere vnto vs our bodies are made the Temples of God and his spirit dwelleth within vs. We haue the woorde of life put both in our mouth and in our heart the kingdome of God is in the middes amongst vs. The Sonne of God calleth vnto vs Come vnto me al ye that trauel and be heauily laden and I wil refresh you S Iohn saith We haue looked vpon and our hands haue handeled the worde of life And againe The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and of trueth So neere is the Lorde to them that seeke him So neere vnto vs is our saluation When Dauid heard the voyce of the Lorde he awaked and rose vp hee gaue thankes vnto God and powred out his heart before him saying O Lorde our Lorde howe wonderfull is thy Name in all the worlde And againe Prayse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holie Name When the Apostles hearde this voyce of the Lorde they were awaked they forsooke all they had they tooke vp their Crosse and went ouer all the worlde preaching the Gospell of saluation When Paul heard the voyce of Christ from heauen aboue he fell flat on the earth and being astonied sayde Lord what wilt thou that I do I am thy seruaunt and the sonne of thy handemayde make me to doe that thou commandest me to doe Then coulde neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depthe nor any other Creature separate Paule from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesus our Lorde then hee esteemed not to knowe anye thinge sauing Iesus Christ and him crucified He brake his sleepe rose vp and went forwarde In like manner the Prophet Esay stirreth vp Hierusalem Arise be bright for the light is come and the glorie of the Lorde is risen vppon thee Knowe thy time and the day of thy visitation awake thou that sleepest and stande vp from the dead for the Sonne of God hath shined ouer thee The Apostle therfore saith It is nowe time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe We are the children of God we are the children of the trueth we are the sonnes of the Prophets we are they whom GOD hath chosen out of the worlde Whosoeuer putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is vnmeete for the kingdome of heauen These thinges are sent for our vnderstanding GOD hath giuen his worde vnto vs. We haue seene the workes of God the doumbe to speake the deafe to heare the blynde to see the lame to goe the dead to rise and come out of their graues the Sunne to be darkened the earth to quake rockes to rent and the Diuell to confesse the Sonne of God for he was forced to say Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Nowe doth the kingdome of heauen suffer violence The night is passed the daye is at hande we haue slumbered enough in ignoraunce it is nowe time we knowe the blessinges which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs it is time wee shoulde be thankefull and awake out of the sleepe of forgetfulnesse that wee humble our selues vnder the mighty hande of God and dreame no more of our owne strength our conscience is charged we cannot pleade ignoraunce it is time that we rise the mercie of God the aboundaunce of his blessing the feare of his iudgement the regarde of our saluation so requireth Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse they bee vnfruitefull lothesome and horrible They darken the hearte and blinde the conscience hee that doeth them shall bee cast into vtter darkenesse Let vs bee afrayde let vs be ashamed hereof such things are not fit for the children of light Let vs put on the armour of light God hath chosen vs to bee his Souldiers and hath called vs foorth into the fielde Our fight is not against fleshe and blood but against the Diuell the Prince of this worlde and the Father of darkenesse hee rampeth like a Lyon and lyeth in waite and seeketh whom hee may deuour All the vanities of this life our bodies our owne heartes conspire against vs the fight is terrible the daunger great Let vs not be vnprouided let vs not stande open to the stroke of the enimie Let vs take vnto vs the whole armour of God let our loyues be girded with beritie let vs put on the shielde of Faith the brestplate of righteousnesse the sworde of the spirit the helmet of saluation These bee the weapons of righteousnesse these be the armour of light Let vs not feare to declare the truth though thereby wee shoulde daunger our life Let vs bee faithfull vnto the ende let it appeare that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes and imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against God so shal our armour be complete so shall we shewe glorious in the fielde and be terrible to the enimie
seuen in due signification and right meaning taken for sacraments For in such sort as these are called sacramentes that is because they signifie some holy thing wee shall finde a great number of thinges which the godly learned Fathers haue called Sacramentes and yet I trow we must not holde them as sacraments ordeined to be kept and continued in the church for then shoulde there bee not seuen but seuenteene sacramentes S. Bernard calleth the washing of the Apostles feete a sacrament Ablutio pedum sacramentū est quotidianorum peccatorum The washing of feet is the Sacrament of daily sinnes So Leo calleth the crosse of Christ a sacramēt Crux Christi quae saluandis est impensa fidelibus sacramentū est exemplū The crosse of Christ which was giuē to saue the faithfull is both a Sacrament also an example Tertullian calleth the whole state of Christian faith Religionis Christianae Sacramentum The sacrament of Christian religion S. Hillary in diuers places saith Sacramentum orationis sacramentum esuritionis sacramentum sitis sacramentū fletus sacramentū scripturarū The sacramēt of praier the sacrament of fasting the sacramēt of thirst the sacrament of weeping the Sacramēt of the scriptures Thus much for the nūber that by the institutiō of Christ there are but two sacramēts as Cardinal Bessarion confesseth Haec duo sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifesté tradita legimus We reade that these two onely Sacraments were deliuered vs plainly in the Gospel I wil now speake briefly of the sacramentes in seueral leaue all idle vaine questions and onely lay open so much as is needful profitable for you to know Baptisme therefore is our regeneration or newe birth whereby wee are borne a new in Christ are made the sonnes of God heires of the kingdome of heauen it is a sacrament of the remission of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christ We are al borne the children of wrath and haue our part in the offence of Adam S. Paul saith By one man sinne entred into the world August saith Non dixit veniet super eum sed manet super eum Respexit originem c. Christ saide not it shal come vpon him but it abideth on him He had regard to our ofspring whē he saith the wrath of God abideth on him Vpon which when the Apostle also looked hee said and we our selues also were sometimes the children of wrath That which in Adam was imputed to his offence not to bee of nature is now in vs which are come of Adā become natural Therefore saith the Prophet Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinn hath my mother conceiued me So y t we all haue cause to crie out mone with Saint Paule I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne whiche is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death Here of speaketh our sauiour That whiche is born of the flesh is flesh that which is borne of the spirite is spirite And for this cause saith he except a man bee borne of the water and the spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God For this cause are infants baptized because they are borne in sinne and cannot become spirituall but by this newe birth of the water and the spirite They are the heires of the promise the couenaunt of Gods fauour is made vnto them God saide to Abraham I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenaunt to be God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee Therefore saith the Apostle If the roote be holy so are the branches And againe The vnbeleeuing Husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the Husbande else were your Children vncleane but now are they holy When the Disciples rebuked those that brought little Children to Christ that he might touch them he saide Suffer the little children to come vnto mee and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of GOD. And againe Their Angelles alwaies beholde the face of my Father which is in Heauen The kingdome of Heauen is of such saieth Christ not onelie then of those but of other like infantes which shall bee in al times As God tooke the seede of Abraham to be partakers of the couenant whiche hee gaue to Abraham so hee appoynted that euerie man childe of eyght dayes olde shoulde bee circumcised And Abraham circumcised his sonne Isaac when he was eyght dayes old as God had commanded him May wee thinke that the promise of God hath an ende so that it reacheth not to our children Or might the children of the Iewes receiue the signe of the couenant and may not the children of the Christiās Whatsoeuer was promised to Abraham the same is also perfourmed vnto vs. Wee enioye the same blessinges and free priuiledge of Gods fauour Saint Paule to the Galathiās saith Know ye that they whiche are of faith are the children of Abraham Againe If yee bee Christs then are ye Abrahams seed heires by promise Nowe is the signe of the Couenaunt also chaunged and Baptisme is in steede of Circumcision as Saint Paule declareth and calleth them circumcised which are baptized In whome meaning Christe also yee are circumcised with circumcision made without handes by putting off the sinful bodie of the fleshe through the circumcision of Christ in that you are buried with him thorow baptisme Our Sauiour giueth charge to his Apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost The Apostles baptized not only such as professed their beliefe but whole housholdes The keeper of y ◠prisō was baptized with all that belonged vnto him So was Crispus the chiefe ruler of y ◠Synagogue his housholde and the housholde of Stephanas Infantes are a parte of the Churche of God they are the sheepe of Christ and belong to his flocke Why shoulde they not beare the marke of Christe they haue the promise of saluation Why should they not receiue the seale whereby it is confirmed vnto them they are of the felowshippe of the faithfull Augustine saith Vbi ponis paruulos non baptizatos profecto in numero credentium Where place you young children which are not yet baptised Verily in the number of them that beleeue Why then shoulde not they be partakers of the sacrament together with the faithfull And as the children of the faithfull by right ought to be baptized So such others also as were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were aliants from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of promise and had no hope if they acknowledge the errour in which they liued and seeke
and I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto y e Lord. Call to minde how you haue gotten your goods how you haue vsed thē whether you haue delighted in thē or put any confidence in thē Call to minde how you haue taken care for your Children seruantes if by your good meanes they haue bene nourtered in the feare of y t Lord. In these such other parts of your lyfe lay open your sinnes let them come forth before you acknowledge thē against yourselfe vnto the Lord say boldly because you may saye it truelye I am an vnprofitable seruant I haue not done that which I ought to haue done there is no good thinge dwellinge in mee the Law in my members hath preuailed agaynste the Lawe of my minde It can not bee but God wyl cast his eyes vpon you and wyl heare you and wil pardon the wickednes of your sinnes What wanteth in you to the fulnesse of righteousnesse is already satisfied in the rigeteousnes of Christ God hath saide and sworne As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not y e death of the wicked but y t the wicked turne from his way liue And againe if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes y t he hath cōmitted al his transgressions y t he hath committed thei shal not be mētioned vnto him The Lord is ful of compassion mercy For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towared them that feare hym As far as the East is frō the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes frō vs. Christ himselfe saith God so loued the world y t he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And S. Paul god setteth out his loue toward vs seeing y t while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs much more thē being iustified by his blod we shalbe saued frō wrath through him Thus in time of sicknes are we put in minde to examine and view our sins to solace our selues in y t bloodshedding of Christ Farther he that is sicke is counsailed to call to minde what any man hath trespassed him to forgiue them because God is y e God of loue and if any man hate his brother hee abideth in death and we are commanded to saye forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs if we doe forgiue men theyr trespasses our heauenly father will also forgiue vs. But if we do not forgiue men theyr trespasses no more wil our heauenly father forgiue vs our trespasses That so all we which are redeemed with one price by the precious blood of the vnspotted lambe may ioyne together as partakers of one inheritance and the children of one father and so goe forewarde to one glorie by one way and become al one in Iesus Christ our Lorde In this case the good father calleth his sonne vnto him and exhorteth him in this manner My sonne harken vnto mee these be the last words which I shal speake vnto thee Thou seest in me the weakenes and decay of flesh thou shalt be as I am now One passeth before another the worlde and the beauty thereof fade away and come to an ende Trust not the worlde it wil deceiue thee walke aduisedly knowe y t thou shalt giue an accompt of thy doings For we must al appeare before y e iudgement seate of christ y t euery man may receaue the things which are done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euil Deceiue no man by wrongful dealing encrease not thy goodes by extortion nor by vsury he that giueth his money vnto vsurie shall not enter into the tabernacle of the Lorde Hee that taketh vsury of his neighbour killeth him without a sword The Lord wyll auenge it he wil not blesse yl gotten goods they cannot prosper they wyll neuer continue nor remayne vnto the third heire My sonne in all thy doings feare the Lord. If thou feare the Lord thou shalt prosper in the day of thine ende thou shalt bee blessed Medle not much with other mens busines least thou be entangled with controuersies abhorre the flanderer double tongued Let my doings which am thy father be euer before thyne eyes Those few goodes which I haue were truly gotten I haue not gathered them of the teares and heauines and vndoing or hindering of any Be faithfull to thy wife and besides her know none other Helpe thy neighbour accordinge to thy power and turne not thy face from the poore needie Be mercifull after thy power If thou hast much giue plentiously if thou hast licle do thy diligence gladly to giue of that litle Be not slowe to visit the sick whatsoeuer thou takest in hande remember the ende and thou shalt neuer do amisse As for me I haue passed the vanities and miseries of this world The Lorde hath giuen and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. He is the Lorde my God let hym doe with me as it seemeth good vnto hym I knowe that this shall hasten my saluatien And that Christ shalbe magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue neither am I afrayde to die for we haue a gracious Lord. I know that if my earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed I haue a building giuē of God that is an house not made with handes but eternal in y ◠heauens They that die in the Lord are blessed they shall rest from their labors Christ is vnto me both in lyfe and in death aduantage In such sort do the Godly prepare themselues to their iourney out of this life Then the Minister prayeth that he e may bee constant in this faith he strengtheneth him confirmeth him in it He exhorteth the sicke to commende him selfe vnto God he prayeth vnto God that he will giue his Angels charge ouer him to keepe him and defende hym that hee fall not into temptation He teacheth him to saye O lord in thee haue I trusted let mee neuer be confounded Come Lord Iesus come and take mee vnto thee Lord let thy seruant depart in peace thy kindome come I am thy sonne thine am I O saue me into thine hands O Lord I commende my spirite thou hast redeemed mee O Lorde God of trueth In this state he dyeth and hath his eyes alwayes fastened vpon God and so seeth how indeede the dead are blessed which dye in the Lord. Thus doth the Churche of God instruct all men to liue and to die and to bee in readinesse Thus ar the sicke amonge vs annointed with the inner in uisible oyle of y ◠mercie of God Thus are they put in minde to haue the oyle of faith and of a good conscience and that their lampes may euer be burning that so they may enter in with the
bridegrome that the day spring from an high may visit their hearts that it may be said vnto them come ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundatioÌ„s of the worlde FINIS Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellens Maiest ie Anno. 1583. Ezek. 1. 1. Sam. 3. Exod. 13. Deut. 6. Deut. 5. Esai 5. 〈◊〉 Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 10. Mat. 3. Ihon. 1. Actes 4. 1. King 16. 2. King 2 Psal 107. Psal 8. Psal 27. Luke 22. Psal 2. Luke 19. Ierc. 44. Iohn 19. Matth. 26. Luke 23. Prou. 3. Prou. 14. 1. Cor. 2. Psal 2. Exsd 5. Dani. 3. 1. king 19. Reue. 18. Act. 4. Malach. 2. Ioh. 7. 1. Cor. 4. Psal 74. Exod. 9 Dan. 4. 2. King 19. Reue. 1â— 1. Sam. 23. Psal 2. Psal 73. Baruch 1. Psal 118. Iohn 1. Ezech. 36. Iere. 31. Esai 41. Luke 4. 1. Cor. 1. Psal 20. Reue. 18. Psal 19. Esay 52. Rom. 10. Esai 53. Esay 65. 2. Tim. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 5. Ierem. 4. Mat. 13. Esay 30 Numb 14. Deut. 28. Amos. 8. Act. 13. Luke 10. Iohn 8. Ierem. 45. Esay 5. Esay 47. 1. Sam. 17. Ierem. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Iob. 5. Pro. 16. Tripart hist lib. 1. cap. 8. Carion li. 3 Dan. 5. Exod. 9. 1. Mach. 1. 2. Mach. 9. Euseb lib. 8 c. 10. 19. Hist tripar li. 7. cap. 39. Psal 37. Esay 40. Hist Bohemica cap. 48. Exod. 15. 〈◊〉 Esd 1. Matt. 21 Matt. 20. Num. 33. Iosue 1. 6. Deut. 15. 28. 1. Co. 5. Iosue 6. Suidas in Leone Charion Chronic. lib. lib. 3. Alex. Seue Psal 119. 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 2. Act. 9. Actes 8. Actes 10. Actes 16. 1. Cor. 3. Hom. 3. de verbis Dom. second Ioh. In 3. cap. 2. ad Corint De ciuitat dei lib. 16. cap. 2. Lib. 3. instit cap. 1. Lact. instit lib. 5. cap. 1 De doctrin chr lib 4. cap. 11. Ierem. 31. Ihon. 6. Iohn 17. Ephe. 4. I. Pet. 3. Deut. 9. Esay 56. Ezech. 34. Ibidem Ierm 2. Ierem. 10. Esay 8. Hom. 49 in opere imperfecto Exod. 12. Ester 9. Psa 126. Ester 3. Siluest Prierias contra Lutherum Epist 2. ad Bohemos Mat. 24. Luke 18. 2. Thes 2. Dan. 8. 〈◊〉 Tim. 4. 2. Pet. â— Mat 21. Mat 19. 1. Cor. 11. Mat. 2. Mat. 4. Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1. Luke 22. Distine 28. Si quis Dist â—8 Si quis discernit Homil. 3. ad Eph. De consecrat dist 2. canone Comperimus Dan. 11. Hom. 40 in 1. ad Cor. Hierom. in 1. Agge Greg. lib. 4. epist 38. Greg. lib. 6. epist 30. Greg. lib. 6 epist 30. Lib. 6. epist 24. Lib. 4. epi. 38. Ioh. de parisiis cap. 22. in vita Siluesti Mich. 3. Hillar in Mat. cap. 8. Matt. 28. Luke 19. Iere. 12. Reuel 2. Aeneas Syluius ad capitulum MaguÌ„â—in Galat. 〈◊〉 Matt. II. Lâ— 3. coÌ„t Maxim cap. 14. Rom. 13. Hom. 23. in 13. Rom. Tertul. ad Scapulam Cyprian Sermone 5. de lapsis Ecclesia histo lib. 4. cap. 18. Esay 5. Tertul. aduersus Praxeam Exhortat ad concoidiam Eccles Tom. 2. De vnitat Eccles Tom. 7. Lyra in 16. Matth. 1. Cor. 3. Greg. lib. 4 epist 32. Cypr. de fimp. Praelatorum Hieron ad Euagrium Luke 19. Luke 7. Amos 〈◊〉 Eccle. 〈◊〉 Eccle. 12. Psal 122. Ierem. 9. Esa 49. Zach. 2. Actes 7. Mark â—4 Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 Tim. 〈◊〉 Origen in 10. Rom. lib. 8. Wisd 1â— Esay 5â— Prou. 3. Deut. 5. 1. King 19. Exod. 32. Ierem. 20. Exod. 3 Mâ—â—h 23 Rom 9. Psaâ— 18. Psal 〈◊〉 Iohn 〈◊〉 Num. 12. Luk. 9. Gen. 6. Luk. 10. 1. Thes 4. Ciril epist ad Theod. Valen Hier. 18. Ezech. 13. Iere. 50. Iohn 10. Mat. 3. Acts 9. Aug. confes lib. 8. cap. 12. In Nahum cap. 3. Hom. 30. Iohn 10. CoÌ„ci â—om 3. coÌ„cil delect cardinalium Concil â—om 2 De coÌ„siderat ad Eug. lib. 4. Aug. deciuit Dei lib. 19. cap. 19. Chri. hom 43. in opere imperfecto in Mat. Serm. 33. in Cantica Bern. ser 1. in conuers S. Pauli Iohn 12. Ciril in Ioh. lib. 8. cap. 1. Chrisost in Mat. hom 52. Iere. 16. Esay 52. Baruch 3. Baruc. 4. Psal 147. Prou. 29. Lamen 4. Esay 41. Ezech. 34. Socrates li. 5. in prooemio Mark 16. 2. Cor. 10. Rom. 10. Rom. 3. 8. Rom. 6. 1 Iohn 7. 2. Cor. 11. Act. 24. Ieremy 5. Tertul. in apologet Luke 7. Tit. 2. Ad Inbaianum Philip. 2. Eccle. hist Lib. 7. cap. 9. Eccle. 3. Eccle. 5. Psal 94. 2. Cor. 6. Iere. 8. Luke 19. Esa 1. 6. Mala. 1. Esa 1. Esa 7. Numb 24. Act. 19. Mat. 10. 1. King 18. Mat. 7. Iohn 4. Hierome contra Luciferianos Rom. 14. Iohn 8. Deut 5. Esay 55. Ephe. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. Iohn 1. Esay 60. Deut. 32. Esay 5. Esay 22. Erod 32. Luk. 6. 1. Cor. 6. Luk. 21. Gal. 5. Iob. 9. Iob. 25. Esa 6 4. â—euel 3. Hier. in 64. Esa Reue. 12. Psal 104. Colos 3. Chrisost serm 24. in 13. Rom. Ad populum Antiochenum hom 21 Orig. in Exodum cap. 15. hom 7. Nazianz in Psal 44. Hom. 2. in cantica Chrisost in enceniis Cip. de caena domini Bern. de a more Dei cap. 1. Ecclesi 2. Ioh. 6 In Lucam lib. 10. cap. 24. Serm. 58. Psal 23. 1. Tim 5. 1. Tim. 5. Ephel 5. 1. Tim. 5. 1. Tim. 6. Mat. 19. Pro. 13. Pro. 30. Pro. 1. Exod. 15. Hilar. con Auxentisi Psal 148. Iere. 23. Iere. 16. Rom. 10. 2. Cor. 4. Psal 36. Iohn 5. Aug. de doct Chri. li. 2. ca. 1 Ad Marcellinum epist 5. Aug. epist 23. ad BonifaciuÌ„ Hom. 7. in 1. Corin. Gen. 9. Gen. 17. Tract 80. in 13. Ioh. Lib. 19. coÌ„tra Faust cap. 11. Act. 7. Hom. 7. in 1. Cor. Rom. 4. Chrisost in Mat. hom 83. Rom. 2. Coloss 2. Ad Hebr. hom 16. Serm. de coena Do. Hom. 35. in Iohan. Amb. de Sac. lib. 1. cap. 5. Ciril in Ioh. lib. 2. cap. 42. Leo. Ser. 5. de nat Dom. Lib. 1. de Sac. cap. 1. De Symb. ad catachumen Lib. 3. ca. 9. de doct Christ Mat. 28. Luke 22. Serm. de coena Dom. Serm. 2. de resur D. Lib. 4. contra Marcion Bessar de Sacram Euchar. Rom. 5. De verbis Apostol Ser. 14. Psal 51. Rom. 7. Iohn 3. Gen. 17. Rom. 11. 1. Cor. 7. Mar. 10. Matth. 10. Gen. 21. Gal. 3. Colos 2. Acts 16. De verbis Apost Ser. 14. Acts. 2. Ephe. 5. Tit. 3. Tract 80. in Ioh. Deconsecrat dist 4. Verus Acts 15. 1. Pet. 3. In Eze. ca. 16. 1. Iohn 1. Cyp. de Baptis Christi Lib. 1. de Sac. cap. 3. Greg. lib. 1. Epist 41. Orat. de obit Valentiniani In serm ad infantes Hist tripart lib. 3 cap. 12. Hom. 21. in Genesim Hom. 51. in Gen. Hom. 56. in Gen. Hom. 21. in Gen. Galat. 2. Act. 9. Mat. 26. Iohn 6. Tract 25. in Ioh. Serm. 23. in Lucam Confess lib. 1. Iohn 1. Iohn 14.