past to try vs and seek the ground of our hearts Psal 139.23 proue and know our thoughts consider if there be any wickednesse in vs rid vs out of it and lead vs in the true way that bringeth to the true life wee beg these things and whatsoeuer thou knowest needfull for vs and thy holy Church in his name and for his sake which is the way the truth and the life saying as he hath taught vs Our father which art in heauen c. Chap. When these or any other that haue offended as who hath not haue made these or the like prayers confessing their sinnes with true sorrow of heart what shall they take to comfort their hearts againe if you haue no softer salt I must seeke further for I feare this salt will nothing but fret them Salt There are diuers sorts of Salt to be had at Bible-Spring some is sharp that â—â—rueth to consume grosse humors some is more milde hath vertue to heale wounds but because some Physitions setting down what is good for the heart say maces is best of all Hospit p. 42. Cant. 2.5 and the Spowse in the Canticles desireth to bee comforted with apples you may call that which I shall now deliuer vnto you apples or maces or wine and milke as the Prophet Esay calleth that which hee deliuereth where he maketh his cry saying Ho euery one that is thirsty come yee to the waters Esay 55.12 and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money Chap. If men must not pay money for this milke and wine with what must they buy it Salt He telleth them in the second and third verses saying Hearken diligently vnto mee and eate that which is good let your soule delight in fatnesse incline your eares and come vnto mee heare and your soule shall liue Chap. It should seeme by his calling for hearing and eating with delight that it is the word of God or some other spirituall gift which is there meant by waters wine milke and fatnesse Salt Some by waters vnderstand the waters of grace in this present life Nicola dâ—lyra and of glory in the heauenly Citty to bee giuen by Christ himselfe according as hee himselfe saith Hee which shall drinke of the waters which I shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst â—oh 4.14 but the water which I shal giue him shall be in him a fountaine of water springing vp to eternall life By wine and milke the same writer vnderstandeth the good things of grace and glory Benagr glâ—â— and by fatnesse the fatnesse of grace likewise Chap. Well let me haue some of this spirituall nourishing wine and milke or whatsoeuer you list to call it Salt Yee shall and first I will beginne where the aforesaid Prophet made his cry Seeke the Lord while he may bee found Esay 55.6 call yee vpon him while he is neere â— Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercy vpon him and to our God for he is very ready to forgiue My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name 〈◊〉 103.8 â— My soule praise thou the Lord forget not all his benefits 5 Which forgiueth all thine iniquities and healeth all thine infirmities 6 Which redeemeth the life froÌ„ the graue and crowneth thee with mercy and compassion 8 The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse 9 He will not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities 18 The louing kindnesse of the Lord indureth for euer euer vpon them that feare him c. think vpon his commandements to do them Chap. Yea but these for whom I come haue not feared the Lord nor made any reckoning of his commandements Salt This which I deliuer vnto you now as Apples for comfort is to bee set before them when as I said they are well seasoned with the salt of the law containing a fearefull curse against all the trangressors of the same and so beeing brought vnto a feeling of their sinne are entred into the feare of God which is the beginning of wisedome Pro. 9.10 Chap. Then belike those which feare not God how wise soeuer they seeme to themselues haue not trodden one step in the path of true wisedome Salt No doubt of that Chap. On then Salt Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage Mich. 7 18. hee retaineth not his wrath for euer because mercy pleaseth him He will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea When the wicked turneth away from his wickednesse that hee hath committed Ezek. 18.28 and doth that which is lawfull and right he shal saue his soule aliue 28 Because hee considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that hee hath committed hee shall surely liue and not die 32 I desire not the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God cause therefore one another to returne and liue ye Shee shall bring forth a sonne Mat. 1.11 and thou shall call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes And loe a voyce came from heauen saying 3.17 this is my beloued sonne in whom I am â—ell pleased I am not come to call the righteous 9.13 but â—â—nners to repentance Saint Paul saith this is a true saying Tim 1.15 â—y all meanes worthy to bee reciued that â—esus Christ came into the world to saue â—â—nners Come vnto me all ye that are laden meaâ—ing with the burthen of their sinnes and will ease you Mat. 11.28 Likewise Luk. 15.10 I say vnto you there is ioy in â—e presence of the Angels of God for one â—â—nner that repenteth 31 It was meete that we should make merry be glad for this thy brother was dead â—s aliue againe and hee was lost but hee is â—ound As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wilâ—ernesse Ioh. 3 14. so must the Sonne of man bee lift â—p that whosoeuer beleeueth in him â—hould not perish but haue euerlasting life We beleeue saith Saint Peter through â—he grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to bee â—aued euen as they do Acts 14 11. And it was the same Peter that said Acts 10.43 To â—im giue all the Prophets witnesse that â—hrough his name all that beleeue in him â—hall receiue remission of sinnes Chap. Are those then that beleeue in Christ pardoned and saued whether they feare God or feare him not whether they serue sinne or righteousnesse Salt What friend Chapman dost thou thinke
But what do you call this Man Mad. We call him Maister Guide-well Ro. I pray you Maister Guide-well talke with my Cousin a little Guid. May I be so bold Sir as to craue your name Tract My name is Tractable Guid. If your nature be answerable to your name I hope I shall not finde you obstinate Tract Obstinacie is a Companion of Heresie I may erre but I would not be an Heretike Guid. If you may erre then a Catholike may erre Tract An auncient Catholike saide so Guid. The Catholike you name was auncient learned indéed but if his owne Bookes be discerned from those which are fathered on him wrongfully as some hold you shall finde him differ in many thinges from your selfe and such other latter superstitious Catholicks Tract Doth any man doubt of any bookes that beare the name of Saint Augustine M. Guid. As the learned do hold many of those bookes to bee dubij M. Perk. in Prob. Pa. 28. such as are to bee doubted of so do they affirme many of theÌ„ to be spurij plaine bastards and not onely do they doubt of many bookes that beare his name but of many that carry the name of ancient Christians namely Dionysius and if you list to see what reasons are set downe to proue those works of the heauenly Hierachy c. not to be framed by Dionysius Aerop read M. Perkins his Prob. I name this Dionysius Pag. 8.9.10 because I haue heard some find great fault with such as deny those Hierarchies to be his See P. Mart. on Iud. c. 1. confer R. Pag. 485. vvhit in disp Pag. 432. Mad. I pray you talke of those matters some other time I requested you to come hither with mee to helpe to make peace betwixt these two woemen which haue iarred a long while about Churching and other matters appertaining to woemen M. Guid. If it be woemens matters I hope you Madam being a graue Matron and not altogether vnlearned may serue to end this quarrell without me Mad. My learning is little yet this I reâ—ember I haue learned of Salomon Prou. 6 16. that â—â—ere be seueÌ„ things which God abhorreth â—â—rst haughty eyes secondly a lying tongue â—â—irdly hands that shedde innocent bloud â—â—urthly a heart that imagineth wicked enâ—erprises fiftly feete that bee swift in runâ—ing to mischiefe sixtly a falfe witnesse that â—â—eaketh lies seuenthly a rayser of contenâ—ions among brethren Now by the last of â—hese seuen I gather that if the Lord abhor â—uch as raise contentions among brethren â—r Christians which as S. Paul saith should â—oue as brethren then no doubt hee fauouâ—eth and blesseth such as labour to make â—hem friends according to that saying of â—ur Sauiour Blessed are the Peace-makers Math. 5.9 c. I therefore beleeuing this to bee true â—o for my part exhort you both if I may be â—o bold in the presence of our Minister to â—emember that as God is one so he would haue vs to be one and not rent in sunder Ezek. 11.19 He doth promise this as a blessing to giue â—his people one heart and a new spirit 2 Cor 13 11 And the Apostle biddeth vs to be of one minde and to liue in peace that the God of loue and peace may be with vs But yet you must note neighbour Romana that we cannot be of one mind with you if you do any thing that is contrary to the Lords minde wee cannot agree with you therein Esai 56.7 Mat. 21.13 Psal 100.4 The Lord calleth the place where his people assemble to heare his word to praise him for his mercy and to call vpon his name c. the house of prayer And we are coÌ„manded to enter into his gates with praise sith then we go to Church to heare his word to call vpon his name to shew our selues thankful for his blessings c. What should hold you or any other from ioyning with vs in such holy exercises or how can you finde fault with Cathara for going thither with one or two when your selfe goes thither neither with few nor many or with what conscience can you finde fault with her for omitting some trifles when as you omit matters of weight Do not you thinke you may ere as well or rather as much as your kinsman Maister Tractable or if you thinke you may erre why do you not come and pray with vs that it would please God to bring into the way of truth all such as haue erred and are deceiued Rom. Haue they such prayers cozen Tract So they say Rom. But what should I heare if I came among you Guid. That Christ his Sheepe heare his voyce Ioh. 11. Rom. I would heare that voyce from his Vicar the Pope Mad. Did you euer heare him or do you thinke you shall euer heare him Rom. No but I haue heard them that came from him as they say Mad. If God send his word home to vs what need wee goe beyond seas to fetch it why do you iudge so hardly of our Ministers as to think they will not tell you what Christ said Rom. Why what did he say Guid. He said I am the way the truth Ioh. 14.6.12.36 and the life he said while you haue light beleeue in the light that you may bee the children of the light He said as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse 3.14.15 so must the Sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day This is the will of him that sent me 6.40 that euery one that seeth the Son and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life c. Cath. To my remembrance I heard one Preacher say that to see in that place doth signifie plainely to know and that the obedience of faith is ioyned in the children of God with that feeling which they haue of the diuine power in Christ Rom. I thinke Maddam Make-peace and you dame Cathara do spend as much time in reading the Bible and hearing of Sermons as my cozen and I do in reading Sir Thomas Moores bookes against Frith and his Vtopia wherein hee girdeth at such as maintaine Sheepe to deuoure men Guid. Our Sauiour Christ said search the Scriptures for they testify of me Ioh. 5 39 and to the Sadduces which deny the resurrection he said Mat 22 29 yee are deceiued not knowing thâ— Scriptures Saint Luke saith he opened their meaning his Disciples vnderstanding Luk 24.45 that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and before in the 27 verse that he beganne at Moses and at all the Prophets and intâ—rpreted vnto them that is to Cleophas and his companion in all the Scriptures the things which concerned him And Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 20 31 These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name S. Paul saith
these such like ought to praise God for his mercies but none of all these are appointed to kneel neere the Minister to heare that Psal read or any thanks to be giuē for their deliuerance there are indeed in the latter cōmunion booke generall thanks-giuing for raine for faire weather for plenty for peace and victory and for deliuerance from the plague all which are fit and due Mad. If this were commanded to bee done for those you speake of I meane the Marchant the Souldier and the sicke man vnto whom you may adde if you list such as be crept out of debt and such as be come out of prison they had no cause to refuse I say nothing of the Minister for if he be appointed to giue thanks for others I hope he will not forget himselfe Cath. If he may giue thankes for himselfe why not we for our selues Mad. We may priuately but sith wee are not allowed to do it publikely I meane to reade aloude that Psalme and such prayers as the Minister is appointed to reade we shall do well to be quiet and to shew our selues obedient because we are not called to make lawes but to obey them it is more fil we should consider what is commanded vs then what is or is not commanded to other Cath. But the woman that goeth to her thanks-giuing must offer the accustomed offerings and that me thinkes is somewhat Leuiticall Mad. Alasse neighbour that is but some little helpe towards the Ministers maintenance You know in some places they payd two pence halfe-peny and a crisom for both which some Ministers take some sixepence and so the woemen are not troubled to buy crisoms Cath. If there should be no crisom some would thinke all is not well Guid. Such as be ignorant and superstitiously addicted to externall things might be weaned from their fond opinions if they would come where they might bee taught you for your part know that the booke saith nothing of crisoms vailes comming with many or few nor of making any dinner wise and modest woemen will haue a care of their health howsoeuer they come and if neighbours that haue mourned with her that trauelled wil reioyce with her also whē time serueth and accompany her going forth to declare her thankefulnesse in the Church which is required in the said book thrre is no cause why any should be offended therewith Cath. But these Churching dinners pincheth the poore sort their husbands labour some three-weekes or a month to get some noble and that must be spent vpon one dinner to keepe custome and because they will do as others do and so after they haue done groning their husbands must grone too Mad. If any forgetting their owne abillity will striue to bee as plentifull as such as bee farre beyond them in wealth they deserue the coat with foure elbowes whether they dwell in towne or country in some places the wealthier wiues send the poore woman at such times in a manner sufficiēt for that dinner so that vnlesse they will play the foole shee need charge herselfe but little and whereas Mistris Rosamond hath espied some washing of bucks and fetching of fier very spéedily that might bee remedied if one poore neighbour at such times especially would help another it becommeth woemen to bee modest and shamefast in all their behauiour Rom. Now let Maister Say-well chide her for not kneeling at Communion Guid. I had more neede chide you for nicke-naming me and for not comming thither at all you know nothing what she doth but by heare-say Rom. I heare say shee despiseth your order Cath. That is not true I despise none of the order Guid. It is euill to despise order I meane any good order Beza in the treatise of the true and visible note of the Catholicke Church some graue and well-learned Diuines say whosoeuer where there is place for order despiseth that order he declareth by this very thing that hee is not of God and therefore not to be heard Cath. I take it hee meaneth despising through pride Guid. But to say something touching kneeling you know neighbour Cathara that when the Minister deliuereth vnto you the Sacramēt of Christ his body which was crucified for vs he prayeth thus The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was giuen for thee preserue thy body and soule into euerlasting life which is all one as I take it with this The Lord Iesus Christ which suffered for thee in the flesh preserue c. Ioh. 3 16. Surely hee himselfe saith So God loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting if then the Minister in saying the body of our Lord Iesus Christ c. prayeth that Christ which was giuen to the death for you preserue your body and soule c. may you not say amen to it and giue thankes kneeling you know when the Minister saith Lift vp your hearts the people answere not wee lift them vp to the boord but to the Lord neither doth hee afterwards say glory bee to Christ in forme of bread but glory bee to God on high Cath. To receiue a Sacrament is one thing and to pray is another thing wee doe not kneele but stand when the Minister saith I Baptize thee c That seruice which hath no probable reason why it should bee done may seeme blind obedience Mad. It shall well beseeme vs neighbour kneeling before an outward shew of the reuerend regard we haue of that Sacrament and being so straightly required and commanded by some as make no idoll of the same to frame our selues to obedience and enterprete all things to the best The Minister deliuereth vnto vs from the Lord a pledge of his loue a Sacrament to confirme our faith in the crucified Christ on whom the soule feedeth and to whom the knee boweth hee being in glory Cath. The Popish sort when they saw the Sacramēt thought their maker to be really present in forme of bread in a grosse manner by meanes of transubstantiation and so bowed and knocked at the fight therof And therefore I haue refrained knéeling at that time not as thinking wee can bow too much or too oft to God but because I would bee loath to do any hurt by mine example Guid. In time of Popery the Priests taught the people so to do I meane to worship Christ in forme of bread but the Ministers of the Gospell teach their charge to worship him sitting in the glory of the Father If Catechising and Preaching cannot turne the minds of the wilfull your sitting or standing cannot do it Cath. But what say you to the ring giuen in solemnizing of Matrimony and to these words With this ring I thee Wed and with my body I thee worship Guid. That also must haue a fauourable interpretation I meane wee ought to construe this to the best That which is there spoken briefly and in few words if a-any
saued for I am God and there is none other Woe vnto them for they haue fled away from me Hosea 7.13 destruction shal be vnto them because they haue transgressed against mee though I haue redeemed theÌ„ yet they haue spoken lies against me God is very greatly to bee feared Palme 89.7 in the â—ounsell of the Saints and to be had in reâ—erence of all them that are about him â— O Lord God of hostes who is like vnto â—hee thy truth most mighty Lord is on eueâ—y side O Lord the hope of Israell all that forâ—ake thee shall be confounded they that deâ—art from thee shall be written in the earth â—ecause they haue forsaken the Lord the founâ—aine of liuing waters Chap. This Salt is fit for such as fal away â—rom God Salt If they bee confounded that fall â—rom God then there is a God and the same 〈◊〉 terrible God to such as forsake him Chap. Go on then Salt Their words haue beene stout aâ—ainst me saith the Lord Mal. 3.13 yet yee say what â—aue wee spoken against thee â—â— Yee haue said it is in vaine to serue God â—nd what profit is it that wee haue kept his â—ommandements and that we walked humâ—ly before the Lord of Hostes This first vnderstand that there shal come â—n the last dayes mockers which will walke â—fter their lusts 2. Peâ— 3.3 And say where is the promise of his â—omming for since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning Thou beléeuest that there is one God the dost wel the diuels also beleeue it and tremble whereby wee learne that they which beleeue not so much are worse then diuels Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of Saints Iud. 14.15 to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly amongst them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him God will bring euery worke to iudgement â—ccle 13.14 and euery secret thing whether it be good or euill The Lord will try the righteous Psalme 11.5 but the wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate 6 Vpon the wicked hee shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempest this is their portions of the cups In flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that do not feare God â— Thes 1.8 Chap. If any of this biting salt or the like should moue either the Atheist which saith in his heart there is no God or the Epicure which denieth his prouidence or any of the wicked to come into the Church and there by hearing of Gods iudgements thundred out against them begin to tremble and quake is there any softer salt or any ware to bee had at Bible-Spring that may serue to keepe them from dispairing Salt When by preaching of the word and feruent prayers of the righteous which as Saint Iames saith auaileth much they bee brought to a true feeling of their sinnes and through the grace of God which is giuen to the humble haue that godly sorrow that causeth repentance not â—o be repented of and some measure of a sound faith in our Sauiour Iesus Christ in whose name for that he is the mediator betweene God and man we ought to pray when I say they are thus farre reformed let them either publickely confesse their sinne in such sort as authority shall appoint or else priuately say these or the like words O Lord God which art great and fearefull A prayer and keepest couenant and mercy towards them that loue thee and keep thy commandements Dan. â— wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquity and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgments O Lord righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame O our God wee are confounded and ashamed to lift vp our eyes to thee our God Ezra 9.6 Psalme 51. for our iniquities are increaâ—ed ouer our head and our trespasse is growne vp into the heauen create in vs cleane hearts o God wash vs thereby from our iniquities cast vs not away from thy presence Turne thou vs vnto thee O Lord and we shall bee turned Lame 5.21 Hosea 14 2. Psal 32 5.6 7 take away all our iniquity and saue vs graciously O Lord we doe finde in thy word which is written for our learning that thy seruant Dauid confessed his sinnes vnto thee and thou forgauest him and that euery one that is godly maketh his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist bee found and that as a father pittieth his owne children so thou art mercifull vnto them that feare thee Psa 103.13.145.18 and thou art neere to all them that call vpon thee faithfully we pray thee therefore for Iesus Christ his sake to heare vs now with sorrowfull hearts confessing our Epicurisme Atheisme our grosse impiety wicked infidelity wherby we became worse theÌ„ the diuels for they beleeue there is a God and tremble but wee fâ—ared no God at all we were so led by our owne lust and so followed the fashions of the world that wee had no minde to call vpon thee but forsaking thee and thy word to keepe company with the wicked wee were defiled in their pitch corrupted in their wayes and sate downe in the scornefull seate wherein wee so oft and so offensiuely scoft at al Religion and all shew of deuotion that now through thy great mercy hauing some feeling of the burthen of our sins we do wonder that we with our houses haue not long since felt that fearefull fiery vengeance which Sodom and Gomorah felt or that hell did not swallow vs vp quicke as the earth did Corah and his company Num. â—6 â—2 O Lord what haue they done that we haue not done we know not what to say but that thy iustice appeareth in destroying them and thy vnspeakeable mercy is shewed in sparing vs which sparing of vs beeing now through thy grace for which we giue thee praise so sensibly felt doth put vs in hope that as thou hast begunne to worke a new birth in vs so thou wilt sanctifie vs more and more with thy holy spirit and neuer leaue vs till by the fruits of a sound faith thou doe assure vs we are effectually called and so are of the number of those that bee elected in Christ to eternall life Wherefore wee pray thee deere father sithence of thy goodnes thou shast taught vs and we haue learned not only that there is a God but also that thou which art immortall inuisible and onely wise art the onely true God whom wee ought to feare and in whom wee must beleeue and that thou art about our path about our bed spiest out al our waies knowest all our words as being so resident euery where by thy spirit that wee can goe no where from thy presence we pray thee haue mercy vpon vs to forgiue vs all that is
snátch away their goods to maintaine their owne diet and rayment that they kill the fat when they lay heinous matters and capitall crimes to the charge of the richer sort that so they may come by their substance that they feede not the flock by example of good life with the word of sound doctrine that they strengthned not the weake when they laboured not to hinder those which are prone apt to vice the they healed not the sicke when they did reuoke call backe such as were accustomed to euil the they bound not vp such as were broken through impatiency wheÌ„ they did not kindly comfort them that they caused not such as went astray to returne when they brought not againe to the true worshipping of God that which was driuen away from it by idolatry that they sought not that which was lost when they did not raise vp such as despared by promising them parâ—on through the mercy of God that they ruled them with cruelty when they laid such burthens vpon them as they were not able to beare that the Shéep were dispersed without a Shepheard when they were scattered through diuers vices wanting good gouernment teaching that they were deuoured of all the beasts of the field when they became a prey for diuels cruell aduersaries such as were the Assirians and Chaldeans Chap. I see diuers men haue diuers expositions Salt They may so and all profitable so long as they swerue not from the Analogy of that faith and doctrine which is taught in holy writ but if you will haue any more 〈◊〉 Ezechiels salt here it is Thus saith the Lord God Eze. 34.10 Behold I come against the Sheepheards and will require the sheepe at their hand and cause them to cease from feeding the sheepe Chap. Stay salter stay Salt Why so Chap. Tell mee I pray thee why doth the Lord say hee will cause them to cease from feeding if they feede themselues and not the flocke they need not be stayed but rather spurred Salt If one should take vpon him to make you a watch which when you haue tryed it you finde to bee starke nought would not you say this man shall make me no more watches Chap. Yes Sal. But your meaning is hee should marre you no more for though he tooke vpon him to make a good one yet hee made 〈◊〉 had one and that is marring Chap. True Salt So many stand in the place of watchmen which winke when they should wake and many in the roome of féeders which rather serue then féede the meaning therfore of the Lord is this he wil not suffer them to féede his Shéepe in such sort any longer Chap. Answere 〈◊〉 to one question more then I wil trouble you with no more questions In the foresaid Chapter as I remember the Lord saith And yee my sheep the sheepe of my pasture are men are all men the Lords sheep Salt Hearken what hee himselfe hath said by the mouth of his onely Sonne Io 10 27 28 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Chap. No doubt but it shall go wel with such sheepe Salt Marke what followeth And I will giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand Chap. I see then if one will bee a true member of Christ and enioy life euerlasting he must heare Christ his voyce and follow him But what if some Iudas preach must I follow him Salt Sée you forget your selfe you told mee you would trouble mee with no more questions take heed you be not one of those that are more forward in asking questions then obeying precepts They which heard Iudas were not to follow him in treason Math. 10.4 Mat 14.17 he wrought to his owne condemnation but in the doctrine he taught for their saluation for he was sent 〈◊〉 â—â—ch as well as Peter Math. 6.16 who was not to be followed when hee cursed and sware that hee knew not the man but in confessing Christ to be the sonne of the liuing God Chap. If Peter bee not to bee followed when he did euill why should wee follow any man that is a Deputy for the Diuill If any man dispensed with this late pestilent practise with powder hee deserueth rather to be called a searcher for salt-peter then a successor of Peter and not a Vicar of Christ but an aid to Antichrist but let these Salt-peter-men goe or rather shut them vp lest they worke our woe and let me haue some more of that salt for which I came Salt You shall I will giue you pastors according to mine heart Iet 3 15 they shall féede you with knowledge and vnderstanding happy are they friend Chapman that haue such Pastors These are not like those watchmen and Pastors which are pictured by the Prophet Isaiah Isai 56 10. where hee saith their Watchmen are all blinde 11 they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogges they cannot barke they lye and sléepe and delight in sléeâ—ing and these gréedy dogges can neuer haue inough and these Shepheards cannot vnderstand for they all looke to their owne way euery one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose Chap. If any man in the feare of God in a charitable sort should cast this salt vpon any to season them being drowsie dumbe and too greedy ought any man in anger to call him barking dogge and to reckon him in the number of those whom the Apostle meaneth when he saith Beware of Dogges Salt To this I answere that I feare me there is too much doggishnesse euery where For God for his tender mercies sake giue vs more charitable hearts one towards another Loue which is the badge of Christianity is lost wee had néed make haste to séeke it lest the anger of God take vs away before we can finde it Chap. You say well but let mee haue a little more Salt Take heede therefore vnto your selues Act. 10 2â— and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to seede the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud Let no man despise thy youth but be vnto theÌ„ that beleeue an example in word 1. Tim. 4 1â— in Conuersation in Life in Spirit in Faith and in purenesse Till I come giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine take héede vnto thy selfe vnto learning continue therein for in so doing thou shalt saue thy selfe and them that heare thee Chap. If it bee so it is good for a Pastour to bee painefull and carefull to bring men to Christ which saueth but go on Salt I charge thee therefore before God and before Iesus Christ 2. Tim. 4. â— which shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and in his Kingdome Preach the word be instant in season to the willing saith the former booke de Pastoribus and out of season that is to
open them paraphrastically vsing more words containeth thus much I haue taken thee before God and this congregation to my wedded wife I haue promised to keepe thee in sicknesse and in health to loue and to cherish thee til death and to the end thou maist haue some token to testifie this my promise made vnto thee I giue thee this ring promising to esteeme of thee as mine owne body and to honour thee in bearing patiently with thy weakensse and in acknowledging that though I be thy matrimoniall head yet if thou feare God and beleeue the Gospell cleauing stedfastly vnto Christ the Mysticall Head of his Church â— Pet. 3.7 thou art as the Apostle saith heire together with me of the grace of life Cath. Why then he might say if there must needes bee a ring I giue this ring in token that I take thee to my wedded wife promising to esteeme thee as mine owne flesh Mad. Harke in your eare neighbour when wee women are chosen Clearkes of the conuocation our voices perhaps would be heard for setting downe of orders but vntill then we shall do well to be ordered by our gouernors Cath. Be it so but why doth the man endow his wife with his goods In the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Ghost in the name of which Trinity we are commanded to be Baptized not Wedded Guid. That also must bee enterpreted to the best thus with all my worldly goods I thee endow The blessed Trinity approuing this my doing Cath. But why doe you crosse my child after you haue baptized it sith Christ gaue you no such commandement Guid. Why do you aske me this question which am commanded to do it rather then those that commande mee since you haue no more commandment from our Sauiour to aske mee then them Truely but that I see there be many iarres about these and such like matters and much trotting to the Courts for the same I would not stay so long in answering you to these questions I am perswaded I am bound to obey my superiours commanding such things as are not contrary to the commandement of the highest power of all If by desiring to haue my child baptized I declare that I am of this minde that neither I nor my child ought to be ashamed of Christ crucified if crossing tend to the same end it is not contrary to that end Cath. But we must not adde any thing to the word of God Gui. I grant as néedful to saluatioÌ„ but we crosse not to the end wee would haue any thinke their children cannot bee saued without it If the matter lay in myne owne hands I would not trouble the minds of any that would haue no crossing but things being as they bee I must crosse children or else be crost of men If a man bee warned to the Court hee shall pay as much for not crossing as for committing adultery I meane the fee for the proces is all one I assure you I loue not to empty my poore purse for not stirring my fingers to and fro vpon the childs fore-head It may bee the Proctors and Registers will say I am not amicus curiae for their profite in labouring to make you and others not to be curious in these points but to fauour your pursses but I must craue pardon to speake my minde to those that belong to my charge And this I say to you neighbour Cathara and to all that be of your minde if there be any benefit in crossing your child not hauing it loseth it if there be none he looseth nothing if hee haue it if there hee any offence giuen God will be angry not with you but with the giuer if it bee taken you are to blame none but your selfe if God bee not pleased with crossing they which commande it or doe it must looke to bee shent and not you that cannot let it Cath. I read of late in a booke called the Abridgement of that booke which the Ministers of Lincolnes diocesse deliuered to his Maiesty wherein I found not onely the names of many learned men set down who misliked kneeling at communion crossing and surplesse but also certaine arguments against the said ceremonies so that you may not blame mee if I bee scrupulous in these things which such great Clearkes haue reiected as nourishing idolatry There be many things in vse now which some say were not from the beginning Guid. That Abridgement was set forth as I take it in the behalfe of such brethren in the Ministery as neuer vsed these ceremonies to make knowne why they cannot frame themselues to vse them nor subscribe vnto them You are not to weare the Surplesse nor to crosse after Baptisme and as touching kneeling at Communion though in the AbridgemeÌ„t Aquinas Harding Bellar. B. Watson and others are said to make the practise of the Church in the vse of this gesture one of their strongest arguments to iustifie that their Idolatrous conceite of Transubstantiation because else say they the Church should commit idolatry in knéeling before the Elements yet I cannot see why knéeling before the Sacrament and not bowing to it but to God should more be counted Idolatrie then knéeling before the Minister as many doe when hee is praying Cath. I thinke none of the Popish sort though they kneeled before the Priest did take him for God as they did the Sacrament Guid. Whether they tooke him for a God or a God-maker I leaue it to themselues but this I am perswaded of that neither your selfe nor any sound fauourer of the Gospell do take the Sacrament for God and therefore your knéeling in the sight of it and not to it is no more Idolatricall then knéeling before the Pulpit in the Church or the picture of the King at home bowing neither to Pulpit nor Picture Cath. The superstitious sort kneeling before Images the Sacrament in Churches or their pictures and Crucifixes in their houses doe so fasten their eyes vpon them bow so deuoutly before them and giue them such a kinde of worship as tendeth much to Idolatry if it bee not so altogether Guid. But wheras you sayd the names â—f many learned men are set downe in that Abridgement which would haue these Ceremonies remoued out of the way as stumbling-blockes if I were adicted to them as one that thought our Church might not stand without them I may say there bee other learned men which thinke they may be well vsed of vs though they were abused in Popery I might also say that euen some of those that are named in that Abridgement séeme to some to varry from themselues though rightly vnderstood I do think they do not Cath. What should moue you to say so Guid. In one place I finde these words It is much lesse vnlawfull to man to bring significant Ceremonies into Gods worship now Abidg p. 33 then it was vnder the Law for God hath abrogated his owne not onely those that were appointed to
God Tract I haue thought that the Pope hath beene very carefull to winne our Soules to God and therefore we should be at peace with him Guid. His care for our Soules I leaue to God but I see cleerely if that which is written of some of them be true as I haue no reason to doubt they haue great care to haue our Gold and Siluer In the defence of the Apologie Def. of Apol pa. 794. I read thus The Pope sayth he meaning Mathias Parisienfis being diseased with a spiritual dropsey that is to say with an vnquenchable thirst of money shooke out all the Priests purses Anno. 1215. spoyled the Abbies of all their Treasures Againe The Pope made a decree in Rome 1246. that the goods money of all Bishops and Priests deceased within England should be taken to his vse The Pope gaue straight commandement to the Bishops of England that all Parsons and Vicars being resident vpon their Benefices should pay to him yerely the third part of all the valewes of their saide Benefices And that all Parsons and Vicars being not resident should pay vnto him yeerely the one full halfe part of their Benefices All these payments to continue for the space of three whole yeers which amounteth at the least to the summe of an hundred threescore and tenne thousand pound The Bishops of England after some great and forcible intreaties agreed together 1247. to giue the Pope a contribution of eleuen thousand marks At that time the Pryor of Winchester was forced to pay yéerly thrée hundred threescore and fiue marks Bodē Anno. towards the furniture of the Popes table The Pope made a straight decree that all Bishops elect should imediatly trauell out of England to Rome to atend vpon his Holynesse as Mathias sayth Vt Romanorum loculos impraegnaret in ruinam regni Angliae To stuffe the Romans purses to the decay of the Kingdom of England The Pope had the Tenthes of all the spirituall liuings in England during the space of ten whole yeeres Tract Enough of this for this may suffice to shewe that the Pope had a great stroke heere Guid. A great stroke in deed and yet I saide nothing of many thousands of Florenes which the Archbyshops and Bishops of England payed to the Pope at euery vacation for their Anuales of first fruits If you list to see more of this matter turne to the 794. 795 page of the Apology Tract Not I I had rather haue peace of conscience and that I knew in what Church God is best honoured that I might ioyne to that so liue dye that I may liue for euer Guid. Indeed that you speake of is more worth then ten thousand worlds Sith thē in our Church are found the holy Scriptures which teach men in whom to beleeue how to beléeue and how to liue that we may liue with Christ our life and light that lasteth lighteth euer I maruaile why you should not frame your selfe to come among vs. If the Byshop of Rome be haue himselfe like a good Shepheard feeding the Romans with sound fodder it is the better both for himself and them if not it is the worse for both howsoeuer he be he is far from vs but the Testament of Christ thankes bee to God is neere vs and we finde our Sauiour in that Testament saying Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Now what is it to bee gathered together in his name who is call'd Iesus Christ but to come in sincerity beléeuing in him with a minde to please him the beareth that name confessing him to be our Iesus that is our Sauiour to be Christ that is the annointed King to gouerne and defend vs annoynted Priest to offer himselfe a Sacrifice once for all and a Prophet yea greater then all Prophets yea then all Angels as being the Sonne of God Heb. 1. by whom in the last dayes God hath spoken and made knowne vnto vs his will to come I say beleeuing in him calling vpon God for mercy in his name to come with a mind to obey his voyce to come with charitable hearts one towards another so far from seeking the destruction one of another that though any of vs tooke another for his enemy yet if we saw him hunger or thirst wee should so refresh him and so pitty his misery that by our charitable dealing we might do what in vs lay to quench the fierie coles of his wrath and turne it into hot burning loue towards vs. If thus wee come together we be gathered together in Christ his name then he will bee among vs and no doubt but where such a head is the body cānot want life neither doth any sound member of such a body deserue to be or wish to be cut off from the whole Good M. Tractable be tractable be not wifull doe not condemne the Doctrine taught in our Churches vpon heare say come your selfe and you shall heare such as haue knowledge teach that there is one true liuing and eternall God immortall inuisible only wise which made al things by that logos or word which was in the beginning with God being the onely naturall Sonne of God Ioh. 1.14 I i◠before all worlds which word or Son at the appointed time was made flesh that is became man when he was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of that most blessed and most holy woman the Virgin Mary not by turning the Godhead or diuine nature which he had before all time into the manhood but by taking of the manhood which consisteth of a reasonable soule and humane flesh into the Godhead and so in the same flesh without sinne dyed for our sins and rose againe for our iustification reconciling vs vnto God sanctifying and comforting with his holy Spirit all the Elect Ephe 1. whō the Father hath chosen in him before the foundation of the world that they should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherwith he hath made vs accepted through his beloued in whom we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forginenesse of sins according to his rich grace c. Which things as also the assuring vs of our resurrection to life euerlasting when the same Christ our Sauiour who now sitteth at the right hand of Maiesty on high shall come to iudge quicke dead are sealed to the strengthening and comforting of our soules Not onely in baptisme were we are dedicated to the seruice of the blessed Trinfty by dying to sinne and walking to newnesse of life but also in the Lords Supper where by eating and drinking that holy Sacrament we are more effectually stirred vp through faith to féed spiritually on the very body of Christ crucified and to drinke his most precious bloud shed for remission of our sins Which great loue of his we ought to remember with thanksgiuing vntill his comming againe endeuouring to assure our selues of our effectuall calling and so of our election by bringing forth the fruits of that Faith which worketh by loue which is then done when we flie from euill and do that which is good walking in our vocation as becommeth vs first calling vpon God without whose blessing and fauour all labour and watching is in vaine Psal 127 then hauing a care to giue euery man his due whether he be superiour equall or inferiour to hurt none Rom 12 to do good to all to reioice in hope to be patient in tribulation to distribute to the necessity of such as want according to our ability especally to the houshold of faith to loue without dissimulation to pray for our persecutors Mat. 5 44 that it would please God to conuert them as he conuerted Saul to take heed of recompencing euill for euill to remember that vengeance belongeth to God to beware of being wise in our owne conceite to confesse that none but God is free from sinne and errour Mat. 11.29 and that those which be gone to rest are frée through Christ of whom it we that be here learne to bee humble and méeke wee shall through the same blessed Sauiour if we continue to the end be exalted to that life ioy that hath no end And so I leaue you to God to whom be all praise and glory now and euer through Christ who grant vs all to farewell FINIS