commaundeth that christians willing to vnderstand the sure ground of faith should haue recourse to no other thing but to the Scriptures And agayne in the same place Before time it was euideÌ„t by many meanes what the true churche was and what gentillitie but now after that heresie is growne into the church there is no way whereby it may be knowne but only by the Scriptures Now Dearely beloued we shunne not this Triall we desyre to be iudged hereby only we say with Moyses yea with God himselfe Nothing is to be added or taken away from his worde We say with S. Iohn 20 chapter So much is written that if we beleeue we shall haue saluation by the name of Christ We say with S. Paule that the scriptures can make vs wise to saluation We say with S. Paule agayne that the scriptures written by the inspiration of the holy ghost are profitable to teache to reproue to correct to instruct in Iustice and to make a man perfect in all good workes Finally we say with S. Ambrose Noua omnia quae Christus non docuit iure damnamus quia fidelibus vita Christus est i. All newe Doctrine which christ hath not taught we rightly condemne because that christ is life to all the beleeuers Contrariwise the aduersaries of the Gospell will not abide this triall of their Doctrine but seeke by all meanes they can to auoide it I wil not in this place discribe their whole practise herein but I will note vnto you three pointes First the keeping of the scriptures in an vnknowne tongue from the common people and to make it little lesse then Heresie to haue it in their mother tongue Haue not many good men partly lost their liuing and borue fagots partly bene burned for no other cause Manye yet aliue knowe it to bee true But they did not only finde this meanes to keepe it from the common people of GOD but brought to passe that it was almost out of vse euen with the learned sorte of which very fewe did reade the Texte of the Bible you had almost tenne that wrotte vppon the mayster of the sentences The greate heapes of schoolewriters declare this to be true Secondly they doe marueilously disgrace and discredit the Scriptures as vnsufficient to saluation and not contayning all necessary truth but that there are manye Articles of necessity to be beleeued whiche are not contayned in the Scriptures So sayth Lindan lib. 1. Cap. 10. The Apostles sayth hee Woulde not committe certayne principall pointes of our Fayth to paper and ynke thereby to perishe and be forgotten but they committed them to the faythfull hartes of Christians As though those thinges remayned more sure whiche be committed to the frayle memorye of seeble men in this sinfull world then those thinges that by the spirite of God are put in writing Doe you not see howe this malicious and reuolting Aduersary doth ouerthwart the gratious and ordinary prouidence of God in preseruing the truth of his doctrine and holy will When God saw that the law written in the heart of man was in continuaunce of time by corruption of the world greatly blemished and almoste cleare forgotten then that it might bee renewed and remayne more surelye in the memoryes of men did hee not by Moyses put the same in writing But this is the manner of the olde Heretiques as Irenaeus sayeth When they are confuted by the Scriptures they fall to blame and accuse the scriptures as though they were not in good case and of sufficient Authoritie and because they may be diuersely interpreted or as though the truth could not be knowne by them without the knowledge of Traditions For say they the truth was not deliuered by them but by the liuely voice of the speaker Hitherto Irenaeus This was the gappe whereby almoste all Heresies were drawen into the Churche that eyther they deâ—ied the Scriptures or else depraued them as vnsufficient without priuate traditions reuelations And so the aduersaries at these dayes strine to keepe the same gappe open as well for the maynteinaunce of their tradicious as for that they see they are not by them hable to maintayne the moste of their Doctrines What shall I say of them which are not contented by these means to accuse and discredit the Scriptures as the old Heretiks did but giue vnto the sacred written worde of God contemptible and blasphemous titles of reproche as to call it A dead writing A dumbe maister doubtfull and vncertaine A black Gospell Dead ynke Ynkie Diuinitie A Nose of waxe A leaden Rule c. But the eternall and euer liuing God whose immortall word scede of life they so reuile sitteth in heauen and seeth their wicked blasphemy howsoeuer conningly they will seeme to cloake their doinges Thirdly they say the scriptures take authority of the church and therfore that the Church is aboue y e scriptures and her authoritie the greater Sine authoritate ecclesiâ— saith Friar Soto Scriptura sacra non habet authoritatem hoc certissime fatemur i. Without the authoritye of the Church the holy scripture hath no authoritie This we confesse most certainly As though the maiestie of Gods wisdome the truth contained in the scriptures depended vpon the authoritie of man For though the Church be neuer so holy yet it consisteth of men which maye and often times do erre when they leane not to the word of God Oh say they how know you that the Scriptures came from God but by the church I graunt dearely beloued that the true church that is the faythfull people of God haue the spirit of discretion to discern what writings are according to the law Prophets which are not And therfore the Godly Fathers in the primatiue church partly in the time of the Apostles partlye after reiected many counterfeyted writinges fathered by Heretiques vppon some of the Apostles because they agreede not with the lawe and the Prophets nor were agreeable to the Analogie of fayth and truth of Doctrine contained in them and so by their witnesse they iustifyed the truth of those canonicall scriptures and that no other ought to be Judges ouer them or in any part of doctrine in them or to haue authoritie aboue them or withoute them When a Prince sendeth a commission to certayne â—ounsaylers they may by their skil in the lawes in the realme and practise of gouernmente consult whether it be a right true commission or other wise but when they haue by their iudgement determined that it is a true commission vnder the Princes hand and seale they take not to them Authoritye ouer it yea they submitte themselues in all thinges to bee ruled by it They may not be so bold to ad to diminish to change or to interprete it further then authority doth warrant theÌ„ So is it with the church of Christ it must submit it selfe to be directed by the word of God
words make marchandise of your soules c. The same is noted also by S. Paule in way of Prophecie as S. Peter doth that such should come in the latter dayes in greate number For of this sort sayth he are they which crepe into mens houses and leade captiue simple women laden with sinne and lead with diuerse lustes Who seeth not in these Testimonies of the holy Scripture those religious Wolues described whiche in swarmes haue ouerwhelmed the face of the earth and with great shewe and pretence of holinesse and long prayer haue sought not the glory of God but their owne inestimable wealth of the world For by selling their Merits their Prayers their Masses their Pardons by Pilgrimages by Purgatory by absolutions by dispensations and a number of other deuises they haue not onely deuoured an infinite number of Christian soules but crepte into mens Testamentes and from wife and children and kinsfolk got into their clawes the Wealth and Riches of the world I would to God this were not so notoriouslye knowne that it needed no further declaration or proofe Wherefore when you see this Angelicall or Seraphicall shew of heauenly life in these inclosed Wolues haue not by and by their Doctrine in admiracion but looke carefullye vnto their clawes least they crepe within you ere you be ware The second shepes cloathing vnder which false Prophets do hide themselues is Ordinary power and authoritie Long Succession and lawful calling to the Ministerie And as I said before of honest conuersation and Goly life so I must saye of this that it is and ought to bee one of the bewtifull Ornamentes of Christs true sheepe whiche they oughte not to make light accoumpt of nor wythout it to thruste themselues into the Mynisterye of Gods true Doctrine as the Anabaptistes and other phanatical spirits do For S. Paule faith How shal they preach vnlesse they be sent And agayne No man vsurpeth this honor vnlesse he be called thervnto of God as Aaron was If it should be lawfull for euerye man to come into the office of preaching or ministering without ordinary caling there would be broughte into the Church a marueilous confusion of all thinges together with infinite Sects and Erroures But vnder this fayre Title and bewtifull Garment haue many Wolues and wicked Heretiks crept into the church as after you shall perceiue And Christes warning in this place principallye toutheth suche for hee directeth his speeche agaynste the Scribes Pharisies and high Priestes that then were in ordinary Succession calling and authoritie And lykewise doth the spirite of God in al the course of the scriptures both of the old and new Testamēt Moyses sayth If there shall rise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer In medio tui sayth he euen among you or in the middest of you He sayth not a straunger or Forrener comming frō some other place but among you And Esay His watchmen are blinde and know nothing And a little after Behold their Sheapheards are voyd of vnderstanding They are all gone euery man after his owne way And in Hieremie In the Prophets of Hierusalem I saw abhominacion c. Filthinesse and vncleanes is proceded from the Prophets of Hierusalem ouer the whole earth And agayne My people is become a lost flocke theire Sheapheards haue deceiued thē and made thē to wander in the mountains And Ezec. Her Priestes haue peruerted my law vnaduisedlye and haue prophaned my Sanctuarie You sayth Malachi to the Priests haue gon out of the waye and haue caused manye to fall by the lawe Nothing can bee more playne then that whiche Paule speaketh to the Ministers of Ephesus c. I knowe this sayth he That after my departure shall greeuous Wolues enter in among you not sparing the flock Of your own selues shal men arise speaking peruers things to draw disciples after them And Saint John From among vs they came but they were not of vs. Yea S. Paule sayeth that Antechrist shoulde sitte not among Heathen persons or Infidels but in Templo Dei in the Church of God Wherfore you may not maruell though we say that false prophets greeuous wolues are his vnder this fayre shepes cloathing of ordinary Authority succession and calling for the spirite of God hath told vs that it hath so beene and shoulde so bee to the worldes ende You may not therefore thinke that Ordinarie authoritie and calling is a full and iust proofe of good Doctrine or of true preachers Wolues haue deuoured the Flocke vnder that clothing yea suche they haue beene that haue most cruellye persecuted Gods good prophers and the doctrine that they haue taught Who persecuted Hieremie and the other Prophets were they not those that sayde Templū domini Templū domini i. The Tēple of the Lorde The Tēple of the Lord And Nūquid veritas discedet á Sacerdotibus i. Shal the truth depart frō the Priests Were it not they y t stroke Micheas and caused Hieremie to bee cast into prison Who were they that put Christ to death and persecuted his Apostles Doe not the Euangelistes and Actes of the Apostles euidently declare it Doth not Christe giue his Disciples warning that it should bee so These things saith he haue I spoken vnto you that you may not be offended They shall excommunicate you out of their synagoges al for my names sake Were it not they that had ordinary Calling Succession that hadde Authoritye to excommunicate Seing then by testimonie of the Scriptures we learne y t it hath alway bene so among the people of god and the Scriptures witnes in way of Prophecie that in the latter dayes it shoulde bee so Why may not the faythfull people of God greatelye feare that nowe also in our age the false Prophettes bee hid vnder the cloake of Ordinary calling and Succession For this Cause did God extraordinarily rayse and set vp his true Prophets which might sharpely blame reproue those false Maisters Teachers y t did abuse this countenāce of ordinary Successiō Authority to deceaue Gods people carry thē from the law of god to superstition Idolatry Which prophets of god not w tstanding y t ordinary calling succession of the other in many places do tearme them Dumbe Dogs Idle sheapheards deceauers Lions Wolues Foxes Murderers c. And for so doing they which were in ordinary authority did esteeme thē as factious seditious stubborne obstinate deceauers of y t people It hath pleased the mercifull prouidēce of God likewise in these latter days extraordinarily to raise vp mightily to defend certain learned men and Godly preachers whiche might reueale vnto y e world earnestly reproue cōfound the great horrible corruptiō both of doctrine māners y ◠haue now these many yeares ben brought into y ◠church w t fagot fyre maintained by thē y t chalenge to themselues ordinary power
of the Gospell are offended to heare the Preachers to reproue not onely their outwarde euill workes but also to require that man shoulde vtterly forsake himselfe die vnto sinne mortifie the fleshe together with the lustes thereof and so wholy to be giuen and addicted to Christ and his holy will that we should not so much as keepe company with the wicked and vngodly Oh saye they you cleane take away all curtesie and pleasaunt life and bring into the worlde a Monkish Stoicall seueritie and solitarinesse contrarie to all ciuill fashion and humanitie Wherfore when we tell the iolly Gentlemen and lustie Courtiours that their gorgeous apparell is but a lewde wasting of their thrift and a loose vanitie that their ydle swearing is horrible blasphemie that their Dicing DauÌ„sing and dalieng is wicked spending of time and practises of impietie they mislike this doctrine they are ashamed of this Gospell and in their outrage depraue the Preachers and speake ill of them When we tell the fine Ladyes and Gentlewomen that their painted coates with gazing colours their friâ—â—ed heare and imbrodered hattes their â—itle Cappes and light Fethers are but instruments of wantonnesse snares of sinne and open tokens of lightnesse they are displeased with vs. In their brauerie they scoffe at vs they thinke it a shame for them to be taught out of the Gospell to goe like graue Ladies and sober or sad Matrons When we tell the couetous riche men that they shoulde not heere laye vp the treasures of the world but seeke after euerlasting ryches that no rust can consume When wee tell them that they brought nothing into the worlde and as assuredly shall carrie nothing out of the worlde when wee byd them gyue the one halfe of their goods vnto the poore and restore agayne those that they haue yll gotten as Zacheus did They mislyke our doctrine they are ashamed of the Gospell they go with heauie heartes from the Sermon as the yong riche man went from Christ When with Saint Paule wee tell the riotous gluttons that they shoulde walke soberly as in the daye time and not pamper vp theyr fleshe to vice and wantonnesse by feastyng by banqueting by riotous feedyng and drunkennesse but that they shoulde put on the Lorde Iesu Christ and not followe the fleshe by satisfying the lust thereof they thinke it an harde doctrine they thynke the sweete of their life taken from them and therefore are ashamed in that to followe the Gospell But they that bee the true people of God consider that as Christ sayth He hath chosen his out of the world so he requireth that they shoulde forsake the worlde abandon the pleasures of the fleshe and vanitie of this lyfe die vnto sinne and by the seede of hys holy Gospell bee borne agayne to a newnesse of lyfe His Apostles also soundyng vppon the same string tell vs that wee should be seperated from this naughtie generation that wee may rise in Christ to a newnesse of life as an holy nation and set foorth his goodnesse that hath deliuered vs from darknesse to light vnestimable The same Apostles crie vnto vs and by Proclamation as it were exclude out of the Kingdome of heauen Whooremaisters Adulteres couetous men nyce and wanton persons drunkards backbiters contenders brawlers idolaters theeues and extorcioners Wherefore wee may not chaunge the lawes of the Citie of God and make these things to hang on the pleasures and affections of men that Christ and his Apostles haue so straightly and seuerely forbydden Therfore neuer let the pleasures of the worlde nor the maisters and maintainers of them pull you from the profession of the Gospel but still say with Saint Paule I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ c. Nowe are wee come to another quarrell that they make against the Gospell but as for this and other quarrels that they make against the Gospell they shall afterwarde bee intreated of ¶ The second Sermon Non me pudet Euangelij j. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for c. THe greatest defence that the aduersaries of the Gospel haue at this day for themselues and agaynst vs is the title authoritie of the Churche wyth that do they greeuously assault and trouble mens consciences and seeke to make them ashamed of the Gospell Oh saye they the professours of the pretensed Gospell at this day are but Schismatikes and Heretikes they are departed from the true and Catholike Church of Christ that hath continued these 1500. yeeres and is confirmed by Vniuersalitie Antiquitie and Generall consent This Church ought to be taken of al Christian men as the pillar and stay of al truth This Church by Christes owne promise can neuer erre This Churche is the house of God This Churche is the onely spouse of Christ Beside this piller there standeth no sounde truth Out of this house there is no saluation They are not the sonnes of God which are not the children of the Church Non est dignus deo patre qui non habet Ecclesiam matrem i. He is not worthie to haue God for his Father whiche hath not the Church for his mother This is a greeuous assaulte this is a sore batterie vnto mindes not yet confirmed this vndoubtedly hathe and dothe shake manye a weake conscience at thys daye For who wyll not bee afearde to bee out of the Churche of Christ to bee oute of the house of GOD to bee oute of the Arke of Noe and so moste certayne to bee ouerwhelmed with the water of desperation and condemnatioÌ„ But bee you strong in the Lorde and by the power of hys holy worde confirme and fortifie your consciences And first that you be not in this poynt astonied and troubled with a false alarume learne you out of the holy scriptures what the True Church of God is and what are the True markes of it wherby it must be knowne And then conferre the same with the Church of Rome that gyueth you thys assaulte and see whether you are departed from the Churche of Christ or from the state of Antichrist and synagoge of Sathan The Churche sometime in the Scripture is taken for the whole number of the elect of God that are and haue beene from the begynning of the worlde in all places and all ages euen to thys daye And this is that Churche that is the pyller of trueth This is that Churche that neuer can abyde in errour Thys is that Churche that by imputation of Gods mercye is the immaculate and vndefyled spouse of Christ but this Churche is not alwaye seene This is the inuisible Churche that is knowne to God alone and is neuer certaynely and truely and for the whole opened to mannes eyes For they by Hypocrisie maye seeme members of thys Churche whiche in deede are no partakers of it as appeareth by the example of Iudas And contrariwyse they to mans iudgement maye seeme not
that they might bee saued And therefore God shall sende them strong delusions to beleeue lyes c. Thys warnyng principally toucheth vs vppon whome the latter endes of the worlde hath lyghted that wee shoulde carefullye take heede that by Wonders and Myracles and Apparition of Spirites wee bee not Seduced eyther to beleeue errour or to refuse the trueth of the Gospell offered vnto vs. Christ gyueth vs a speciall chargeâ— Beware saith he I haue tolde you of it before hand Therefore if you doe not harken vnto him but yeelde your selues by suche meanes to be caryed into Superstition Errour and Idolatrie the daunger shall bee the greater And Saint Paule addeth a terrible threatning Because they receyued not the loue of trueth God shal sende them stronge delusions that they may beleeue lyes that all they myghte bee damned whiche beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let them looke therefore carefully to themselues which by suche Myracles are Induced or confyrmed to beleeue the corrupte errours of Pilgrimages and worshypping of Images of praying to Sainctes departed of Purgatorie of Masses and Trentalles of praying and offering for the synnes of the Deade and suche other infinite errours as hath beene brought into the Churche by Monkes Fryers and other false Teachers of the Churche of Rome It is a wonder to see the Heapes of such Myracles as of late yeeres haue beene put in writyng by Vincentius and a number of other like authors so that to such as feare God there is scant any greater Token that Antichrist is come and hath set a long time in the Church then this is That their doctrines are altogether confirmed rather by such Myracles Apparition of spirites then by the scriptures and word of God When the riche glutton as it is mentioned in the Euangelist desired of Abraham that one myght rise from death to life and warne hys brethren that they came not to that place of torment where he was Abraham aunswered They haue Moyses and the Prophetes if they will not beleeue them they will not beleeue though one rise from death to life Wherby the â—â—lye Ghost doth Signifie that after the true doctrine of Christes Gospel first published was throughly confirmed and bâ—yng generally receaued was put in writing and so remaineth as a perfect Testimonie of the worke of our redemption that the prouidence of God towarde the latter ende of the world woulde vse no moe Myracles least hee should thereby seeme rather to Discredite the truth of his written word than by such meanes conserue them For whosoeuer wil not beleeue the doctrine of truth confirmed by the expresse and euident worde of God will not beleeue y t same though they sawe a. 1000. myracles Take example hereof by y â— Jewes who continually called for Signes and Wonders but when they had seene many they neuer the sooner Beleeued but sclaunded the doinges of Christ and sayd that he and his Apostles wrought by the power of Beelzebub c. Christians therefore must learne some Rule wherby they may iudge false and deceitefull Myracles done by the power of the Diuell from them that bee done directly by the Worde of God in his Saintes And this rule is the ende wherevnto myracles doe tende Godly myracles bee alwayes shewed by God to confirme the Diuine nature and office of Christ in the worke of our redemption and that he is the true and onely Messias and Sauiour or to iustifie and proue the doctrine of the Gospel to bee good According as Christ sayth in the last of S. Marke Goe yee into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to euerye creature he that shall beleeue and bee Baptised shall bee saued but he that wyll not beleeue shall bee damned and these tokens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out Diuells and shall speake with newe tongues and shall take away Serpentes and if they drinke any euill thing it shall neuer hurte them they shall laye their hand vpon the sicke and they shall recouer c. Those Myracles then that bee done to this ende to direct the people to acknowledge Christ to bee the only ful and perfect redeemer of mankynde and to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell by the holye Scriptures confirmyng the same are good and godly and to bee esteemed true Myracles But contrariwyse if they leade men from Christ and directe them to put their trust of Saluation remission of sinnes in any other name vnder Heauen then Christ Jesu or to beleeue any other doctrine than that which by Gods word is euidently confirmed or to accept any other worshippe of God than by himselfe is appoynted are false Myracles and delusions of the Diuel wrought to deceiue men Let vs therefore beware of these thinges and looke into these myserable delusions wherewith the Diuell and his Ministers haue bewitched the worlde nowe these manye yeeres by Spirites Ghostes Goblines and many vaine Apparitions and faygned Myracles c. ⸪ ¶ The seconde Sermon vppon this part of the Texte Exfructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their fruites shall ye knovv them IN this place we haue diligentlye to obserue the great difference y t Christ our Sauiour in this louing and Fatherly admonitioÌ„ doth make betwene the clothing the fruits By their fruites you shall know them he saith not by their garmeÌ„ts or outward clothing for wyth that y â— false Prophets vse to colour countenance all their crafts deceiptes of corrupt doctrine Now what these fruites be whereby they are knowne let vs consider by y t similitude or parable y t Christ here vseth Do they saith he gather Grapes of Thornes or figges of Thistles Euery kinde of tree hath fruit by which it is knowne to be good or bad The Apple tree by the Apple the Plumtree by the Plumme c. so euerie trade occupation or state of lyfe hath certaine proper and peculiar workes by which it is discerned either to be good or bad in it selfe or differing from other The Carpenter by right squaring framing of his Tymber the Mason by his buylding c. the Lawyer by his Counsaile the Phisition by his cure is iudged skilfull or ignoraunt euen so is the Preacher or Prophet knoweÌ„ by his doctrine that proceedeth from him which is the peculiar worke and sruite of his trade and occupation In all the olde Testament God doth accuse the false Prophetes to bee euill because they deliuered vnto his people false doctrine corrupt worship contrarie to his holy will and worde Heare not saith God by Ieremie the wordes of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you teach you vanitie They speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. And agayne Howe long doe the Prophetes delight to prophesie lyes euen prophesying the deceipt of their owne hart And immedately after Therfore beholde I will come against the
ownces of Gold so deare is the friendship of these holy fathers The other proposed to Lewes the Emperor such cōditions as no bondslaue-would haue bene contented to admit that is y t he should come vnto him within three dayes forsake the title of y t Empyre yeeld into his hands himself his wife his children and al his goods neuer to receiue any of them again but at his pleasure Looke Abbas Vrspergēs Hiero Marius you shall see those things so set forth as it would cause any reasonable hart to abhorr thē I should hold you to long if I shoulde at large sette forth theire vuiust dealing in altering and trausposing Kingdoms and continuall indeuour to make all princes subiect to them First as touching the Empire where the Emperour of Constantinople had alway his Deputie in Italie for the rule of the West part the Bishops of Roome by the ayde of the Frenche Kinges wreasted oute the Emperoures Deputies and tourned that whole power to themselues Afterward about the yeare of our Lorde 800. contrarye to all right Leo made Charles the greate his great Benefactour Emperoure of the weast and gaue occasyon of most deadly warres betweene the Emperoures of the East and of the Weast About y ◠yeare of our Lord 920 they again transferred the Empyre of the Weast from the French Kinges among whome it had a good time remayned vnto the Germaines where at this daye it yet continueth But they vsed not this onely in the Empyre but well neare in all the Principallities of Christendome Did not Zacharie most iniuriously without any reasonable pretence transferre the Kingdome of Fraunce from Childerike and the stocke of Clodouei wherein it had from the beginning continued vnto Pipine that had no right vnto it and without anye quarrel discharged the Frenche men of their othe of allegiance sworn to their King Childrike being then alyue Did not Adrian the first vnmercifully deliuer Bercha the widdow of Charlemaine her two sonnes heires of the Kingdome in captiuitie to Charles the yonger brother y t had no right vnto it only because hee woulde not displease Charles but winne him to be his friende as his Father Pipine had bene Howe they sette vp and pulled downe Emperoures at their pleasure howe they altered the Tytle and righte of the Kingdome of Arragon of Naples of Sicilie of Englande Hystories doe largely declare Whensoeuer they did for any quarrell excommunicate a realme their penaunce in absolution was euer to paye a great summe of money to the Sea of Rome to make the kingdome feodable vnto the Bishop wherein they sought to make all Realmes and Princes Vassals and slaues vnto them Which was so fully brought to passe in the time of Boniface the eyght that he openly vaunted that he had the full power of both Swordes and all Kinges to haue their principallitie at his handes and hee immediatelye of God and this doctrine hath bene taught euer since by the mainteiners of y ◠sea The time cutteth me of frō matter y ◠I haue to say in this point I will gather therefore to a cōclusion of this part Seing the Popes thēselues whom they count y ◠pillers of their religion y ◠heads of y ◠church y ◠Vicars of Christ that are lead as they saye by the Holye Ghost that cannot erre that haue knowledge of truth and interpretation of scripture in their harts seing I say they are found proued by their own histories to be in ambitiō so outragious in vniust and wicked dealing so horible in pride and crueltie so detestable I leaue their couetousnes for that time doth exclude me what shall we thinke of the inferiour sorte shall we thinke that they did their duety when the other nothing mynded it Such as the spring and Fountayne is suche is the Water of the Streame Such as the roote is such is the Tree branches Such as the maister is such are his Schollers Suche as the head is such are the members If the Spring be corrupt the Roote putrifyed the Mayster wicked the head greeuously diseased we must needes haue naughtye streames putrifyed Braunches miching Schollers and sicke members of the body The holyest of that sorte were men that were couered vnder the Lambe skinnes of Fasting praying and forsaking of the world and yet Vnder these Titles had they gotte them the riches of the world and their liues were so notable that in the common voyce of men there was no ill tale but a Freere or a Religious manne was at the one end of it Now as touching that the aduersaries obiect against vs loosenesse of manners and dissolute life and with eger spirites erie that since our doctrine hath begun in the worlde nothing hath increased but falshood craft deceipt periurie hatred malice strife contention sedition warre and murder lecherie wantonnesse vncleanenesse sectes diuisions and all mischiefe and trouble Oh dearely beloued this is a greeuous and heauy accusation that whereas by Gods singular benefite the doctrine of repentance remission of sinnes and newnesse of life is taught among vs more distinctly more truely and sincerely than euer it was before yet that godlynesse of lyfe and honest conuersation should not followe This surely should be an heauie corsie to our hartes if we be true Christians and in deede fauour the Gospel For although this sclaūderous accusation hath euer followed the Gospell euen in Christes owne tyme and at this daye God be praised is not so iust and true as our aduersaries would haue it seeme to be Yet wee must confesse before the face of God and his Angels and before all the Saintes and Creatures of God both in heauē and earth that the doctrine of the Gospell hath not brought forthe suche fruites of godlye conuersation as it shoulde haue done and that the blessed seede of his heauenly worde through the barraine grounde of our corrupt heartes hath not so prospered as our dueties require that it should haue done For in deede the most part we confesse remayne in deepe securitie ouer whelmed with the corruption of thys lyfe and pleasures of the world Neither can we denie that with manye this wholesome doctrine hath not onely not brought forth conuenient fruites but is vsed as a cloake of licentiousnesse and dissolute libertie and as a meanes to Spoyle the goods patrimonie of the Church which they seeke wholly to imploy to the pampering of their owne pleasures not to the furtherance of Gods seruice Wherfore in the feare of God I exhorte you that you will continually and earnestly call vpon him in your hartie prayers that by the grace of his holy spirit he will mollifie mens hartes and make them good grounde and beate into their remembraunce that whatsoeuer colour they cast vpon them selues by profession of the Gospell yet by the testimonie of their owne consciences they are conuinced within them selues and by their fruites declare vnto the worlde openlye that they are
entelye to bee noted in them and greatly to be 〈…〉 When we speake therefore of the sacrament we must speake as it is in it selfe by the force of Gods worde consisting of all three partes and not as the baldnesse of men or the weakenesse and imperfection of oure fayth maye make it â—â—w vs. Nowe let vs consider the causes and endes for which Christes pleasure was to ordaine Sacramentes in hys Church that we may thereby also in part learne what fruit and benefite wee take by them The first cause is partly our owne infirmitie and weakenesse beyng dull and slowe in the vnderstanding of heauenly things partly the great goodnesse and loue of God that woulde vouchsafe to attemper himselfe to our simple capacitie and seeke meanes by outward things to ease and helpe the same For this cause in the Scripture doth he so often vse parables and similitudes of those things that are within the compasse of our vnderstaÌ„ding by those the sooner to induce vs to the knowledge of his heauenly doctrines This cause the auncient and learned Fathers did acknowledge in their writinges The Lord saith Chrisostome geueth vs not any thing that is sensible but insensible things The outward things are sensible but all thinges are to bee vnderstanded in the minde In Baptisme water is sensible but our regeneration and renewing is perceiued in the minde For if thou wert spirituall and without a body he would haue giuen all these things to thee naked bare but because with thy minde there is ioyned a grosse body in things sensible he declareth vnto thee things by thy minde to be vnderstanded Like wordes almost hath Dionysius in Caelost Hier. Because of carnall persons saith Augustine visible Sacramentes were instituted to the end that by things that be seene with your eyes your minde may be transformed to those things that be vnderstanded Our vnderstanding is weake and dull our memorie is fraile and fickle and soone forgetteth the benefite of God Both these our unperfections God by his Sacramentes helpeth our vnderstanding is â—ed by the similitude and lykenesse of the external signes as before I haue noted Our Seuces also are by the erercise of the Sacramentes stirred vp to be instrumentes to helpe one mynde and weake faith Our remembraunce also by the same 〈◊〉 is marueilouslyâ— strengthened And therefore a seconde cause or ende of a Sacrament is that it maye bee to vs a blessed exercise whereby wee call to remembraunce the benefite of our redemption in Christ and yeelde to him most hartie thankes and praise for the same according as Christ teacheth vs in the institution of his laste Supper Doe this in remembraunce of mee And Saint Paule so often as you eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe you shall set forthe the death of the Lorde vntill his comming c. They therefore which come to receaue the Sacrament and neuer thinke of this nor call to theyr remembraunce to prayse God for this vnestimable benefite but thinke that the outwarde vse of the Sacrament is sufficient are among the number of them that receyue vnworthily and make lyttle accompt of Christes benefite procured for vs. A thyrde cause and ende of a Sacrament is that wee by the practice and vse thereof myght bee traded to the obedieuce of Gods holye wyll and commaundementes thoughe the thinges seeme to our selues neuer so simple and meanâ— and also that thereby wee myght openly before God and the worlde protest and acknowledge that we are his people and of the number of them that looke to be saued preserued defended by the benefite of Christ onely So that the open vse of the sacramentes is a parte of that confession wherevnto S. Paule attributeth saluation when he sayeth If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thy hart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt bee saued for by the heart wee beleeue to righteousnesse and by the mouth confession is made to saluation In the vse of the sacramentes wee confesse both by mouthe anâ— testimonie of all the partes of our bodye that Christ Iesus is our Lorde and sauiour A fourthe cause and ende of the Sacramentes is that they myght bee as bandes and linkes of loue vnitie and concorde among our selues Therefore Saint Paule when hee exhorted to vnitie and loue among other thinges a 〈…〉 th Wee haue one faith one Baptisme And agayne in another place Wee are one bodye as manye as bee partakers of one lofe For this cause doth Saint Augustine call the Sacrament of the Supper Sacramentum vnitatis i. A Sacrament of vnitie and teacheth vs as before I haue saide that as a loafe of breade is made of manye graynes and a Cuppe of Wyne of many Grapes so wee thoughe manye in number are made members of one mysticall bodye of Christ Iesu A foule thing it is to see the seruauntes of one Maister that weare one cognizaunce or liuerie to fall out among themselues it can not bee without some reproche of their Maister All Christian men weare one cognizaunce and badge for the Sacraments are the marks of Christes sheepe Therfore not to loue agree together is a reproch wrought to our Lord and Maister Wherby in a maner we protest to the world that we be not seruaunts of his familie For in this sayeth he shall men knowe you to be my Disciples if you loue one another as I haue loued you Hereof doth the right vse and vnderstanding of the Sacrameutes very notably put vs in remembraunce For it teacheth vs that in Baptune wee are all newe borne children of God and graffed into one bodie and in the Lordes supper fedde and nourished with one heauenly foode of the body and blood of Christ and therefore that we should with faithfull and vnfained loue hartelie embrace one the other as the children of one father the members of one body and the seruauntes of one Maister fed at one table and nourished with one foode to eternal life Let them therfore looke with what consciences they come vnto the Sacramentes y â— reserue bytter rancour malice in their hartes let them consider what heauy testimony they giue against theÌ„selues before God his Angels The last cause end of a sacrament y â— I meane nowe to speake of is that by those as by blessed instrumentes of the holye Ghostes working hee myght imparte vnto vs and bestowe vppon vs hys vnestimable Graces and benefytes together wyth all the fruites of our redemption in Christ Jesu For as his worde is so are his Sacraments instrumentes and Meanes by the working of his holy spirite to bring vnto vs the whole benefite of our saluation And here againe because of our sclauÌ„derous aduersaries I must put you in remeÌ„braunce that we which teache thus teache not as it is fathered vpon vs that the Sacramentes are but bare signes For you heare vs
is so hard a thing for him that aboundeth in Riches too bee saued Fol. Folio 202. 203 Two meanes to withstād the mischiefes of Riches and worldly wealth Folio 204 There is no assurance to bee had of worldly Riches Folio 204 The estimation that is to be had of all earthly things and consequently of Riches Folio 205 S. Sacrament ¶ What a Sacrament is Folio 118 How the body and bloud of Christ are sayde to be meate and drinke thys concerneth the Sacrament Folio 137. 138 Against the carnal eating and drinking of Christ body and bloud in the Sacrament Folio 142. 143 What to eate Christes bodie and to drinke his bloud as in the Sacrament Fol. Folio 144. 145. 146 The eating of Christ by faith is no derogation to the dignitie of the Sacrament and profit therof Folio 147 In the vse of the Sacrament is a double eating to be noted Folio 148 Our sences in the vse of the Sacrament are helpers to our better receyuing of the same Folio 148. 149. 150 The dissention of the Protestantes for the Sacrament is no such greate matter as the Papists make it Folio 56 The wickednesse of the minister doeth not derogate any thing from the effect of the Sacrament c. Folio 119 The faith of the receiuer not the life of the minister doth helpe or hinder in the effect of the Sacrament Folio 120 Fruiteful actions and doctrines concerning the Sacrament of the Lords supper Folio 33 Christ his body c. receiued in the Sacrament of the Lords supper Folio 34 The enemie of Christ in the Sacrament is not carnally to be vnderstoode Folio 35 Papisticall vntruthes and abuses concerning the Sacrament of the Lordes supper Folio 35 Blasphemous doctrine of wicked mens eating of the bodie of Christe in the Sacrament refelled Folio 152 153 How we ought to prepare our selues to the worthye receiuing of the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud Folio 154 How we are to make triall of our selues before we come to receiue the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud Folio 154. 155. 156. A briefe and pithie prayer for communicāts to say before they receiue the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud Fol. Folio 157. 158 The faithful togither with the outward signe receiue the inwarde thinges in the Sacrament Folio 128 Sacraments ¶ The difference betwixte the Iewes Sacrament and ours consisteth in externall signes respect of time Folio 133. 134 Sacramēts are badges by which we christians are knowne from Idolaters Folio 150 Sacraments are the seales whereby Gods promises are confirmed vnto vs. Folio 151 How Christes bodie and bloud is truely and rightly to be eaten and drunken as well in the Sacraments as without them Folio 142 What the internal part of Sacraments is Fol. Folio 122 Sacraments are seales whereby the letters patents of our saluation in Christ are confirmed vnto vs. Folio 123 Why Sacraments were ordayned Folio 125 Our infirmitie the first cause why Sacraments were ordayned Folio 125 The second cause why Sacraments were instituted is oure exercise in the remembraunce of Christs benefits Folio 126 The thirde ende wherevnto Sacramentes were appointed Folio 126 Sacraments consist of three parts Folio 120 The second part whereof Sacraments doe consist is the spiritual or inward thing Fol. Folio 122 The third part wherein Sacraments consist is the words of Christs institution and promise Folio 124 The fourth cause why Sacramentes were ordayned Folio 126 The last cause why Sacraments were appointed Folio 127 God the only author of Sacraments Folio 118 Sacraments vnite vs vnto Christ Folio 151 Sacraments are too linke vs togither in brotherly vnitie Folio 151 Papisticall Sacraments of their owne deuise Folio 32 Papistes cannot be knowne to be of the true Church by their Sacraments Folio 30 Papisticall number of sacraments Folio 30 Sacraments markes of Gods Church Folio 23 What diffeeence is to bee obserued betwixt the Sacramentes of the olde Iewes c. Folio 129 Saluation ¶ Christonly is al in al to Saluatiō Folio 85. 86 It is not sufficient to Saluation to be idle professours of God but also doers of godly deedes Folio 160. 161 Blasphemous derogation to the merits of Christs working our Saluation Folio 91 The letters patents and seales of our Saluation what they are Folio 123 The old Iewes vnder the law hadde the same hope of Saluation by Christ that we now haue Folio 129. 130. 131 Protestants doctrine of Saluation is the doctrine of the Scripture Folio 234 Scismes ¶ Christēdome torne by Popish Scismes Fol. Folio 103 Scismes in the East Church whiche were Christians Folio 58 Scismes between diuerse of the auntient fathers Folio 58. 59 The Papistes cannot without their own great shame obiect Scismes to Protestants Folio 59 Scriptures ¶ The learned aduersarie refuseth to be tryed by the Scriptures and why Folio 25 Why Papistes doe refuse tryall by the Scriptures Folio 26 Blasphemie of the Papistes againste the Scriptures Folio 26 The written Scriptures onely are and ought to bee sufficiente to trye all truth Folio 23 The Papistes refuse triall by the Scriptures Folio 24 Three poyntes shewing how the Papistes esteeme the Scriptures Folio 24. 25 How the Church may iudge or vse the Scriptures concerning their truth Folio 27 Greuous faults in the Church of Rome by taking hir authoritie ouer the Scriptures Folio 27. 28 Manifest false interpretations of Scriptures vsed by Papistes Folio 28 Doctrines of Papists againste the Scriptures in sixe perticulars Folio 28. 29 Sectes ¶ Protestantes are not to be blamed for the Sectes that happen in the time of the Gospell Folio 55 Sectes do more agree to Papistes than to Protestants Folio 55 Papisticall Schoolemen which diuided themselues into Sectes and how hurtfull that is to Christianitie Folio 6 Sinne. ¶ God is not the author of Sinne. Folio 166 The punishment of Sinne and what are the causes that moue God to plague men Folio 168 We cannot acknowledge a God but that withall he must punish sinne Folio 191 Wicked menne are plaged of God for their owne Sinnes to our example Folio 162 Soule ¶ Faith the mouth of the Soule whereby Christ is eaten Folio 144 A comparison betwixte the body and the Soule Folio 138 What the Soule is to the body that is God to the Soule Folio 138 How Christ was prepared to bee the foode of our Soules Folio 139 Christ the foode of our soules Folio 136. 137 Succession ¶ Papistes obiect Succession as a true note of their Church Folio 36 How the argumente of Succession hathe bin vsed by the fathers Folio 37 Succession is nothing without the doctrine of the Apostles Folio 38 The true Church better proued by doctrine than succession c. Folio 39 Personall Succession is no sure proofe that the Romish Churche is the true Church Folio 42 T. Transubstantiation ¶ The absurditie of Transubstantiation Fol. Folio 121 V. Vniuersities ¶ The cause of few Diuines in Vniuersities of the best sorte of wittes Folio 64 Diuersitie of opinions betwixt