despise his calling let him not speake to vs in vain let vs no longer say it is not yet time to build vp the Lords house God hath raised vp vnto vs a most vertuous noble Lady that hath already set labourers a woorke begun the building Let vs remember that the Chaldees when they came to Ierusalem neuer strayned curtesie or sayde It is not yet time to pul down the house of God they layd handes on it spoyled it they burnt it without mercy euen vnto the grounde Let vs not in Gods cause bee more negligent then our enemies were against God Let euery man say with himselfe It is Gods temple that must be built vp it is the heauenly Hierusalem it is the arke of the Lord it is the Lords busines that I haue in hand accursed be he that doth the Lordes busines vnfaithfully And you my Lordes forasmuch as God hath planted you in chiefest honour and made you the greatest ouerseers of his worke I beseech you euen for his sake when you see your owne houses so furnished as is meete for your estates remember the poore house of God When you see your men waiting attending at your Tables remember howe fewe there bee to wayte vppon Christ at his table When you coÌ„sider that your owne houses cannot bee mainteyned without prouision remember there bee prouision made for the house of God Let y e zeale of Gods owne house rauish and deuour our hearts let vs build vp the cabernacle of the most holy and dreadful and euer liuing God so will God dwell and abide with vs and be glorified in the middest amongst vs. And thou most mercifull father deale fauourably with Sion that wee may see the walles of thy Hierusalem restored For now is the time of thy mercy come vpon vs now is the time And as thou hast begun this worke in vs in these our daies so vouchsafe to blesse the same that it may endure and continue for euer that al the world may know thee the onely true and liuing God and thy Sonne Iesus Christe whose Gospell thou hast reuiued amongst vs. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be al honour and glory world without end Amen Psalme 69. The zeale of thine house hath eaten me CErtaine learned wise men of old time that had no vnderstaÌ„ding or sauour of god when they considered with themselues to what end and purpose mankinde was create set in this worlde after they had driuen the matter as farre as they might by naturall knowledge at length they concluded some that man was made to knowe the properties and qualities the conuenience or difference of natural thinges either in the aire or in the water or in the earth or vnder y e earth Some other that man was made to consider and behold the Sunne and Moone the starres the course and reuolutions of the Heauens And so they iudged that man which eyther had most aboundance of naturall reason or behelde and considered the heauens best to be most perfect of all others and that he came neerest to the end of his creation Thus sayde they as men without feeling of God onely endued with the light of nature But as God himselfe declareth who fashioned vs and made vs and knoweth vs best the very true ende why man was made was to knowe and to honour God Therefore who so knoweth him best honoreth him with most reuerence he is most perfect hee commeth neerest the end of his creation When Salomon had described the deceyuable vanities of the worlde and saide Vanity of vanities vanitie of vanities al is vanity wheÌ„ hee had concluded by longe discourse that riches empire honour pleasures knowledge and whatsoeuer els vnder the Sunne is but vanitie hee knieteth vp the matter with these woordes Feare GOD and keepe his commaundementes for this is the whole duetie of men That is this is trueth and no vanity this is our perfection to this ende are wee made not to liue in eating and drinking not to passe our time in pleasure follies not to heape vp those thinges which are daylye taken from vs or from whiche wee are daylye taken awaye but that in our woordes in our life in our bodye and in our soule wee doe seruice vnto God that wee looke aboue the Sunne and Moone and all the Heauens that we become the Temples of the holye Ghoste that the holy spirite of GOD may dwell in vs and make vs fitte instrumentes of the glorye of God Therfore God gaue vs his holy word hath continued it from the beginning of the worlde vntill this daye notwithstanding the Philosophers and learned men in all ages who scorned it out as the worde of fâ—llie for so it seemeth to them that perish Notwithstanding the wicked Princes and Tyrants and high â—omers of the worlde who consumed and burnt it as false and wicked or seâ—â—tious doctrine notwithstanding the whole worlde and 〈◊〉 of darkenes 〈◊〉 euer bent against it yet hath he wonderfully coÌ„tinued and perserued it without losse of one letter vntil this day that we might haue whereby truly to know him the true and onely God and his sonne Iesus Christ whom he sent Therfore haue we Temples and Churches places to resorte vnto altogether to honour to worship and to acknowledge him to be our god to ioyne our hearts and voyces together and to call vpon his holy name In suche places God hath at all times vsed to open his maiesty and to shew his power In such places God hath made vs a special promise to heare our prayer when soeuer we call vpon him Therefore are they called the dwelling place and house of GOD. In such places al godly men euermore set their greatest pleasure and thought themselues miserable when they were seciuded or put off from the same as the Prophete and â—oiy prince Dauid Laetatus sum in his quae â—icta sunt 〈◊〉 in domum Domini ibimus O saith that holye man my hart reioyced within my body wheÌ„ my fellowes called vpon me and said Let vs go into the house of the Lord. Againe I am in loue with the beauty of thy house And again O how beautiful is thy tabernacle O Lord O thou y â— God of hosts my heart longeth fainteth to come within thy courts His spirits were rauished with the sight maiesty of the tabernacle not for y â— the place it selfe at y â— time was so beautiful for in Dauids time it was almost rotten ruinous a homely thing to behold nothing in comparison to that teÌ„ple that afterward was built by Salomon But therein stood the shew worthines of that holy place y â— Gods trueth and lawe was opened and proclaimed in it and the sacraments and ceremonies so vsed in such forme and order as God had commanded them to be vsed the people receiued them obediently and liued thereafter Therfore when the tabernacle was restored when the Arke was fet
dronkennes chambering wantonnes strife and enuying They be the vnfruitfull workes of darknes the way of them leadeth vnto damnation But put you on the Lord Iesus Christ If we beholde our selues consider our owne nakednes we shall find y t by nature we are nothing els but the childrē of wrath Who can cal that cleane that is conceiued of vncleane seede Dauid saith Behold I am conceiued in sinne my sinnes haue ouer gone my head there is no health in my flesh Nōe that liueth shalbe iustified in thy sight who can vnderstand his faults Clense me from my secret fultes Iob saith Verebar omnia opera mea I stood in feare of al my workes knowing that thou wilt not iudge me innocēt Again The starres are vncleane in his sight How much more man a worme euen the sonne of man which is but a worme In like sort saith Esaie We haue al bene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes Our vertue our holines our fasting our prayers are filthy whē they come to his sight Wee can not say our heart is cleane Wee can not say wee haue not sinned God hath shut vp al in vnbeliefe that hee may haue mercie vppon all That is borne of the flesh is flesh The sperit fighteth against the flesh and the flesh against the spirit Open shame belongeth to vs and to our fathers Cursed is hee that abideth not in al thinges that are writen in the booke of the law And whosoeuer offendeth in one is made guiltie of all the commaundementes When the miserable and writched soule boasteth it selfe sayinge I am rich and increased with goods haue need of nothing the spirit of God maketh answere Thou art wretched and miserable poore and blinde and naked Thou hast nothing to put vpon thee to couer thy shame I counsell thee to buy of me golde tried by the fire that thou mayest be made rich white rayment that thou mayest be clothed that thy filthy nakednes do not appeare and anoint thine eies with eie salue that thou mayest see The same spirit in the Apostle giueth this counsell that wee put on vs Iesus Christ Let him couer vs with his body and with his blood as with a garment his blood hath clensed vs from al our sinnes Hee is the lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of y e world Hee is become vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes sanctification redemtion S. Hierome saith S◠merita nostra consideremus desperandum est If we weigh our owne deseruings if we appeare in our owne apparel wee must dispaire And Basil saith Qui non fidit recte factis nec sperat ex operibus iustificari solam habet spem salutis miserecordias domini Hee that trusteth not to good deedes nor hopeth to be iustified by his workes hath no other hope of saluation but by the mercies of the Lord. Let vs therefore put on vs Iesus Christ Let vs couer vs vnder his apparell as Iacob couered him selfe vnder the coat of his brother Esau so let vs present our selues before our heauenly father The phrase of puttinge on is vsuall wherby he meaneth we must be wholy clad possessed with Christ In like phrase it is said in the twelfe of the reuelation There appeared a great wonder in heauen a woman clothed with the sun And in the 104. psalm My soule prayse thou the Lorde O my God thou art exceeding great thou art clothed with glory honour And which couereth himself with light as with a garmēt And to the Colos Put on tender mercie kindnesse humblenes of minde meeknes long suffering Chrisostome saith Dominum ipsum quod horribile est vestimenti loco tradit Behold hee giueth vs Christ to be put on as a garment which is a hainous thing to be spokē It passeth al sence of nature it passeth the iudgement of flesh and blood Here remember these wordes may not be taken as if christ were a material earthly coate made of cloth to couer our bodies they are spiritual words haue a spirituall vnderstandinge Chrisostome saith Omnia tibi factus est Christus mensa vestimentum domus caput et radix Christ is become all thinges for thee thy table thy garment thy house thy head thy roote Origen saith verbum dei et caro dicitur et panis et lac et holera The worde of God is called flesh and bread milke and herbes-Nazianzen also saith Quemadmodū dominus Iesus appellatur vita via panis vitis lux vera et mille alia ita etiam appellatur gladius After the same maner as our Lorde Iesus Christ is called the lyfe the way the bread the wine the true light and a thousand things else so is he also called the sword He is spiritually a table a garment a house a roote a head flesh milke herbes the waye the light a sworde bread or drinke we dwel in hym spiritually wee are clothed with hym spiritually We grow out of hym and walke vpon hym and are made one with him euen members of his bodie spiritually We do spiritually eat him and drinke him wee liue by him spiritually wee eate him by hearing and digest him by fayth Origen saith appallatur panis vitae vt habeat gustus animae quod degustet he is called the bread of lyfe that the soule may haue whereon to feede O brethren O that wee had senses to feele this foode that we could sauour of the breade of lyfe and taste and see how sweete the Lorde is hee that thus tasteth of this breade shall liue for euer Chrisostome saith Dentes inserimus in earnes Christi We thrust our teeth into the flesh of Christ And Cipriā Intra ipsa vulnera redēptoris nostri linguam figimus We fastē our tonge within the woundes of our redemer These be vehement and spirituall kinde of speeches to raise vp our senses and to teach vs to feele the vnspeaeable sweetenes of this heauenly feeding Likewise said Bernard Desidero totum Christum videre et tangere et non id solum sed accedere vsque ad sanctum vulnus lateris eius ostium arcae quod factum est in latere vt intrem totus vsque ad cor Iesu I desire to beholde whole Christ to touch him not so onely but also to come to the holy wound of his side which is the doore that was made in the side of the arke that I may enter wholly and go in euen vnto the heart of Iesus Thus are we taught to lifte vp our heartes and to seeke those thinges which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Why shoulde we then followe the fleshly errour of the Capernaites why shoulde wee bee so insensible in heauenly things Let vs haue some feeling hereof in our heart Salomon saieth The wise mans eies are in his head but the foole walketh
who haue bin constant in y ◠faith haue suffred death for Christs sake That so they may be taught by their name to remēber whose name they beare y t they neither speake nor doe anie thing vnworthy of their name As if any bee called Iohn that hee praye for grace and desire to be filled with grace that he giue witnesse of Christ that hee is the Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that hee rebuke vice boldelie as Iohn did in Herode though hee were a mightie Prince Or if he be called Paule that hee so become a follower of Paule as Paule was of Christe and saye with Paul That I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee and heare Christ speaking vnto him as did Paul fal down say Lorde what wilt thou that I doe So let him that is called Thomas touche the bosome of Christ and handle his woundes and make a good confession as Thomas did and say My Lord and my God Let Matthew forsake his custome euen the deceitful gaines of y ◠world and followe Christ Let Daniel remember Daniel and though he should be throwen in to the denne of Lions or be burnt in the fire or suffer any cruell tormentes yet let him not therfore forsake God but put his whole trust in him Thus should our names teach vs that whether we write them or vtter them or heare them spoken they may put vs in minde of christian duetie and Godlines The other Sacrament of Christes Church is the sacrament of the Lordes Supper whiche some haue called the Sacrament of the Altar some the Sacrament of the holie table some the Sacrament of bread and wine but wee most properly may call it the sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ And that we wander not at large but may stande in certaine ground I wil expounde those words of our Sauiour This is my bodie and this is my blood of the newe testament that is shed for manie for the remission of sinnes This matter these two or three hundreth yeeres late past hath beene encumbred with manie questions and much controuersie Some saie the woordes are plaine Christe him selfe spake them hee is almightte and can doe what soeuer hee will hee hath not spoken otherwise then hee meant If wee expounde them by signes and figures wee take away the force of the holy mysterie and make nothing of it the woordes muste bee taken euen as they lye they must not haue any other construction Therefore at this day many wise men which yeelde from other pointes of superstition and in many other thinges receiue the truth stand here and sticke at this and cannot yeeld I will declare the whole matter simplye and plainely and submit my selfe to the vnderstanding and capacitie of all men That which I will vtter heerein shall not be of my selfe but of the Fathers of the Churche not of those whiche haue beene of later yeeres but of the most auncient not of the Heretiques◠but of the most Catholique which euer haue beene the enemies and confounders of Heretiques I wil shewe the vse and order and faith of the Primitiue Churche whiche was in the times of the Apostles and of Tertullian Ciprian Basill Nazianzene Hierome Augustine Chrysostome and others Catholique and godly learned Fathers Let no man regarde mee or my speeche I am onely a finger these are cleare and bright starres I doe but shewe them vnto you and poynt them that you maye beholde them God giue vs grace that wee may see them truely and by them bee able to guyde and to direct our waye let vs laie aside all contention and quietly heare that shall bee spoken Whatsoeuer shall bee saide if it bee true if it bee auncient if it be Catholique if it bee so cleere as the sunne beames let vs humble our heartes and beleeue it There is no trueth but of God Whosoeuer resisteth the truth resisteth God First I will shewe you that we doe truelie and indeede eate the bodie of Christ and drinke his blood And this shall be the foundation and key of entraunce into all the rest Secondely I will open these woordes This is my body and there howe by what sort in what sense and meaning the bread is the body of Christ Thirdly that the bread abideth still in former nature and substance as before euen as the nature and substance of water remayneth in Baptisme Fourthly how the body of Christ is eaten whether by faith or with the mouth of our bodie and how the body of Christ is present in the Sacrament Fiftly What difference is betweene the body of Christ and the Sacrament of the body of Christ Sixtly howe wee ought to prepare our mindes and with what faith and deuotion wee must come to the receiuing thereof Wee saie and beleeue that wee receiue the body and blood of Christ truelie and not a figure or signe but euen that bodie whiche suffered death on the crosse and that blood which was shed for the forgiuenes of sinnes So saieth Christ My fleshe is meate in deede and my blood is drinke indeede And againe Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his blood ye haue no life in you And againe He that eateth me euen he shall liue by me Wee say there is no other substantiall foode of our soules and that hee is diuided among all the faithfull and that hee is voyde of saluation and the grace of Christ whosoeuer is not partaker of his body and blood This we say and may not flee from it hereafter Yet least happily any should be deceiued we say this meate is spirituall and therefore it must be eaten by faith and not with the mouth of our bodie Augustine saith Vt quid paras dentes ventrem crede manducasti Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie beleeue and thou hast eaten And againe Nolite fauces parare sed cor Prepare not your iawes but your heart As material bread nourisheth our bodie so doeth the bodie of Christ nourishe our soule and is therefore called bread Deus panis intus est animae meae saith Augustine God is the inward bread of my soule For wee receiue him and eate him and liue by him But heereof hereafter more at large Nowe let vs consider the wordes of Christ This is my body this is my blood These woordes you say are plaine open easie and manifest So are they yet albeit they are plaine they must haue a right construction The plainest woordes that bee vnlesse they bee duelie expounded may breede errour S. Iohn saith The word was made flesh These words are plaine yet of these plaine wordes Apollinaris did breede an heresie Christ saith My father is greater then I. His woordes are playne yet did the Arrians gather thereof an heresie that Christe is not equall with his
wonne Therefore we ought as our heartes were careful and desirous to see these dayes so by our thankefulnes to God for so great blessinge and by Christian and Godlye prouidence foresee such meanes whereby wee may longe hereafter enioye the same WheÌ„ Phydias had made the pourtraiture of Iupiter Pisanus he ouerlayed it with oyle y t it might continue fresh and greene and neuer putrifie When God gaue order to Noah for making the Arke he saide Thou shalt pitch it within and without with pitche that it might be sound and sure abide the waues He which chalengeth to himselfe that proude and wanton name to be called the head of y e vniuersal church after by litle litle he was gotten into possessioÌ„ was not behind hand by al meanes to maintaine keepe the same In this policie he tooke away the reading of the scriptures froÌ„ the people he made noble men princes his Cardinals He threw downe set vp changed whom what he would The kings states of the world y e bishops professors schollers in vniuersities preachers were brought to swere allegeaÌ„ce obedience vnto him I deuise not this the stories hereof are abrode y e oth which they tooke is known His authorite grew greater theÌ„ the authoritie of general councilles Nothing might be decreed in councels but what pleased him none might be admitted to speak in couÌ„cils but such as were sworne to him He had al law in his breast There was sometimes a proclamation made in Rome y t for considerations no man should erect or builde vp any theater that if any were set vp it shold be rased pulled down Pompeius a gentleman of great wealth noble courage did build a theater such a one as before had not bene seene which would receaue 2500. men contrary to y e proclamation order taken But dubtinge least the next maiestrates should destroy it he caused a place of religion to bee set vpon it called it the teÌ„ple of Venus Whereby he prouided y t if any wold ouerthrow it because it was a Theater they might yet spare it for the temples sake for to pul down a teÌ„ple was sacrilege Euen so there haue bene proclamations cannons y t no man shoulde be called y e chiefe or y e head of al Churches or vsurpe such authoritie ouer others but when y e Pope built vp his supremacie against the meaning of suche canons hee preteÌ„ded religioÌ„ for his doing he sayde it was de iure diuino y t no man should presume or atteÌ„pt agaiÌ„st it y t so his power might coÌ„tinue for euer If they haue bene thus carefull to mainteine falshod how much more careful should we be to maintaine y e truth If they to aduaÌ„ce their owne kingdome how much more wee to set forth the kingdom of God to builde vp the Church of Christ And if they sought to do y t by lies by false meanes why should we bee slack to vse the right true good meanes wherby that good thing which God hath wrought for vs may bee established And albeit there be many wayes by which the kingdome of God may be mainteined as the fauour countenance of y e prince whiche so coÌ„forteth cherisheth y e Church as the sunne beames coÌ„fort cherish the earth knowledge learning discipline which are as the life the sinues without which the Church must needes fall asunder at this time I wil leaue to speak of the rest only stay vpon learninge which may truly be called y e life or y e soule of y e Church of christian religien How necessarie a thinge they haue counted learninge to the settinge foorth of Religion the stories of our old fathers of heathens and Christians in al ages doe witnesse They thought that neither Religion might stande without knowledge nor knowledge were to bee esteemed without Religion Charles the great that hee might the better plant Religion in Saxonie and Heluetia did erect many places for encrease of learning He knewe well that there was no other way better to establish Religion The Cathedral Churches before such times as ignoraunce and blindenesse grewe ouer all the worlde and brought in an vniuersal corruption maintayned schooles of learning that the doctrine which was taught in those places might bee defended agaynst the gaynesayers by suche learned men as were there bred vp The Princes of Germanie and the free Cities after they had receyued the Gospell they dissolued theyr monasteries which had bene harbourers for such as liued in idlenes and set vp Schooles and colledges which should be nourceries to breede vp learned men that might bee able to teache the people and to maintaine religion Whereby it came to passe that in shorte time they had great store of worthy and learned men This did they wel see that haue bene the enemies of religion therefore vsed all meanes to hinder the encrease of learninge that they might haue the better way to ouerthrow Religion For if learning decay it is likely that Religion can not abide Beare with me if I speake that whiche may seeme more fitt for some other place then for this audience the best here vnderstandeth me wel In other countries the receiuing of the Gospell hath alwayes bene cause that learning was more set by and learninge hath euer bene the furtherance of the Gospell In England I knowe not how it commethe otherwise to passe For since the Gospell hath bene receiued the maintenaunce for learninge hath bene decayed And the lacke of learninge will be the decay of the Gospel Would God it were not so or that yet before the faulte be incurable there may be some redresse Loth I am to speake yet the case so requireth that it is needefull to be spoken I truste I shall speak in the hearing of them that wyll confider it Maintenance of learninge whereby an able and sufficient ministerie may growe and be established in al the Churches of this realme is to be wished for The good estate of this noble kingdome y â— comfort of posterytie y â— staye of Religion the continuing of the Gospell the remouing of darknes hangeth vpon it One asked sometimes howe it was that in Athens so goodly and great a citie there were no Phisitians To whom this answere was made because there are rewardes appointed for them that practise Phisicke The same answere may be made for our times the cause why y â— Church of God is so forsaken is the want of zeale in theÌ„ that should either for their curtesie or for their ability be fosterers of learning encrease the liuings where occasion is and giue hope confort to learned men What said I increaseâ—nay the liuings and prouision which hertofore were giuen to this vse are taken away Haue patience if any such be here as I well know there are whom these things touch Suffer me to speake the truth
Gods hands is to haue prophets preachers by whō they may be instructed When y ◠prophet declareth y ◠mercy of God towardes Israel y ◠he would put an end to their afflictions bring thē home again from Babylō he saith thus Behold saith the Lord I wil send out many fishers they shal fish thē In the like sort saith Esai How beautiful vpō y ◠moūtaines are the feet of him that declareth publisheth peace that declareth good tydings publisheth saluatiō saying vnto Siō thy god reigneth The voice of thy watchmē shalbe heard they shal lift vp their voyce shout together And Baruch Nor the Agarēs that sought after wisdom vpō the earth nor the marchāts of Nerrā Themā nor the expoūders of fables nor the scarchers out of wisdom haue known the way of wisedome There were the giāts famous frō the beginning that were of so great stature so expert in war Those did not the Lord choose neither gaue he the way of knowledge vnto thē but they were destroyed because they had no wisdome perished through their own foolishnes He hath foūd out al the way of knowledge hath giuē it vnto Iacob his seruant to Israel his beloued And againe O Israel we are blessed for the thinges that are acceptable to god are declared vnto vs. He hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue they knowledge of his iudgmēts saith the Prophet Dauid But when God taketh away his ministers whiche should preach peace open vnto the people the wil of God make known his iudgemēts it is a token that God is highly displeased with his people Where there is no visiō the people decay they know not what to beleeue Of this misery speaketh Iere. The young children aske bread but no mā breaketh it vnto them Of this speaketh Esay The poore needy seeketh water there is none They would haue some counsell some comforte and there is no man to giue it them My sheepe wandered saith God through al the mountaines and on euery high hill yea my flock was scattered through all the whole earth and none did seeke or searche after them They were full of diseases they were pined for hunger and taken vp by the wolfe but none had care to deliuer them In such state as the flocke is in which hath no shepheard or the shippe which is tossed by the tempestes amiddes the surges and rockes of the Sea and hath no skilful Pilote to guide it or the yong sucking childe that hath no nource to feede it euen in such stace are your soules if you haue not the ministery of Gods worde abyding with you You are children the Preacher is your nource you are a shippe in daunger of many wreckes through the boysterous tempests of this worlde the Preacher is your Pilote to guide you safely towardes the hauen of rest you are the flocke the Preacher leadeth you from dangerous places to feede vpon the whole some pastures of Gods holy worde Whosoeuer they be which reioyce not in the increase of the Lords haruest hee forsaketh them and leaueth them comfortlesse and giueth them fewe or no labourers Wherfore pray the Lorde of the haruest that he would send forth labourers into his haruest It is the Lorde which casteth the firste seede into the earth whiche doeth moysten the ground and maketh it fruitful and giueth forth his sunne that it may come to ripening Al the soile field corne and the husbandry therof is the Lordes Let vs pray to him to send forth labourers to trauaile and take paines Notwithstanding we ought to praye to God that hee will stirre vp and set foorth men to instruct his people yet that nothing embarreth the authority of princes For as God calleth him inwardly in the heart whom he wil haue to bee a minister of his word so must he be authorized of his Prince by outward and ciuil calling as I could shew at large if time would suffer it So Salomon the king deposed Abiathar the high priest and set vp Sadoc So Iustinian deposed two bishops of Rome Siluerius Vigilius authorized others And the same Iustinian was wont to say that he had no lesse regarde to the Church of God thē he had to his own soule So Constantinus Valentinianus and Theodosius called themselues Vasallos Christi The vasals of Christ And Socrates in his story saith Wee haue also herein comprised the Emperours liues for that sithence the Emperours were first christned the affaires of y ◠church haue depended of them the greatest counsels both haue byn are kept by their aduise It pertaineth therefore also to kings and Princes to send out labourers into the haruest Labourers they must be and not loyterers For Christ compareth the teaching of his people to thinges that be of greate labour as to plowing and fallowing of the grounde to planting of a Uine to rearing of a House to threshing of Corne to feeding of sheepe to leading of an Hoste and keeping of warre in which thinges is required much diligence and labour Cato in his bookes of husbandry saith it was an old saw among husbandmen Qui terram colit ne sedeat est enim aliquid semper quod agat He that plougheth the ground must not sit stil for he hath alwaies somwhat to do The worke of the husbandman is neuer ended hee falloweth stirreth soweth harroweth weedeth and tendeth his land Therefore if they he Pastours let them feede the flocke if they be Doctours let them teach the people if they be watchmen let them stande vppon their watche if they bee messengers let them doe their erraunt This is the way to buylde vp the Churche of Christ This commission Christ gaue vnto his Disciples Ite in mundum vniuersum c. Goe ye into al the world and preach the Gospel vnto euery creature Thus by twelue poore Apostles al the world was conquered Princes and kings and Emperours were subdued to the faith of Christ This is the key that openeth the conscience this is the two edged sword which entreth through euen to the diuiding asunder of y e soule and the spirit Therefore the Apostle saith The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holds casting down the imaginations euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuity euerie thought to the obedience of Christ This is the only instrumēt wherwith we may cut down and haue in the haruest of God For all mens deuises Actes Iawes or commandements be the authority thereof neuer so great yet are not sufficient to content one mans conscience For the wisedome of man is but follie before God God knoweth the fancies and cogitations of men that they be but vayne and foolish Aristotle the great wise Philosopher on a time being sick when the phisition came to him to minister him
certaine maner of speech and not otherwise the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ is the body of Christ the Sacrament of the blood of Christ is the blood of Christ so the sacrament of faith is faith Who hath ordeined the Sacramentes Not any Prelate not any Prince not any Angel or Archangel but onely God himselfe For he only hath authoritie to seale the charter in whose authoritie onely it is to graunt it And onely he giueth the pledge and confirmeth his grace to vs whiche giueth his grace into our heartes Chrisost sayth DiuinuÌ„ integrum non esset mysterium si quicquam ex te adderes The mystery were not of God nor perfect if thou shouldest put any thing to it In the daies of Noah when God determined to be mercifull vnto his people and neuer to drowne the whole worlde with water he said I haue set my bowe in the cloude and it shalbe for a signe of the couenant betweene me and the earth and when I shal couer the earth with a cloude and the bow shalbe seen in the cloude then wil I remember my couenaunt whiche is betweene me you and betweene euery liuing thing in flesh and there shalbe no more waters of a flood to destroy al flesh In like maner when God would witnes stablish to Abraham his seede after him the promise of his mercie he himselfe ordained a sacrament to confirm the same This is my couenaÌ„t which ye shal keep between me you thy seed after thee Let euery manchild among you be circuÌ„cised Thus God ordeined y t sacrament of circuÌ„cision This sacrameÌ„t was a seale of Gods promise to AbrahaÌ„ a seale of Abrahams faith obedience towardes God By this sacrament maÌ„ was bound to y t Lord by y t same sacrament God vouchsafed to binde himselfe to man But how is the sacrament formed of what parts is it made August saith Accedat verbuÌ„ ad elementuÌ„ fit sacramentuÌ„ Ioine y t word of Christs institutioÌ„ with the sensible creature therof is made a sacrameÌ„t Ioyue the word to the creature of water and thereof is made the sacrament of Baptisme take away the worde then what is the water other then water The worde of God the creature make a sacrament But why were sacraments ordeined he telleth you In nulluÌ„ nonceÌ„ religionis ceu veruÌ„ c. Men caÌ„not be gathered together to the profession of any religioÌ„ whether it be true or false vnlesse they be bound inthe felowship of visible signes or sacrameÌ„ts The first cause why they were ordeined is that thereby one shoulde acknowledge another as felowes of one household members of one body So was al Israel reckoned the children of Abraham because of their circumcision al such as were vncircumcised were cut off from the people had no part in the common wealth of Israel because they were vncircumcised Euen as wee take them that are not baptised to be none of our brethren to be no children of God nor members of his Church because they will not take the Sacrament of Babtisme An other cause is to moue instruct and teach our dul and heauy hearts by sensible creatures that so our negligence in not heeding or marking the woorde of God spoken vnto vs might be amended For if any man haue the outward seale and haue not the faith thereof sealed within his heart it auayleth him not hee is but an hypocrite and dissembler So the circumcision of the foreskinne of the fleshe taught them to mortifie their fleshly affections and to cut off the thoughts and deuises of their wicked hearts Therefore said Stephen to the Iewes Ye stiffe-necked of vncircumcised hearts eares you haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost So when in Baptisme our bodies are washed with water wee are taught that our soules are washed in the blood of Christ The outward washing or spriukling doth represent the spriukeling and washing which is wrought within vs the water doeth signifie the blood of Christ If we were nothing else but soule hee would giue vs his grace barely and alone without ioyning it to any creature as hee doeth to his Angels but seeing our spirite is drowned in our bodie and our fleshe doeth make our vnderstanding dul therefore we receiue his grace by sensible thinges Chrysost saith Aliter ego aliter incredulus disponitur Ille cuÌ„ c. I am otherwise affected theÌ„ is he which beleeueth not WheÌ„ he heareth of the water of Baptisme hee thinketh it is nothing els but water But I see not the creature onelie which mine eyes do see but also the cleansing of my soule by the holie Ghost He thinketh y t my body oneli is washed I beleue that my soule is therby made pure holy and withal I consider Christes burial his resurrectioÌ„ our sanctificatioÌ„ righteousnes redemption adoption our inheritance the kingdom of heauen the fulnes of the spirit For I iudge not of y e things I see by my bodily eyes but by the eyes of my minde When one that is vnlearned and can not reade looketh vpoÌ„ a booke be the booke neuer so true neuer so wel written yet because be knoweth not the letters and cannot reade hee looketh vpon it in vayne Hee may turne ouer all the leaues and looke vppon all and see nothing but another that can reade hath iudgement to vnderstaÌ„d coÌ„sidereth the whole story the doughâ—â—e deedes graue counsels discrete answeres examples promises threatnings the very drifte meaning of him that wrote it So do the faithful receiue the fruite comfort by the Sacraments which the wicked vngodlie neither consider nor receiue Thus do the sacraments leade vs instruct vs to behold the secrete and vnknowen mercies of God and to carry our selues to the obedience of his will And this is the other cause why sacraments were ordained Thirdely they are seales and confirmations of Gods promise S. Paul saith Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircuÌ„cised By these we stoy y â— mouth of heretikes For if they denie that our Lorde Iesus Christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen again for our iustification we shew them our sacrameÌ„ts that they were ordeined to put vs in remembrance of Christ and that by the vse of them we shew the Lords death til he come We tell them these are proofes and signes that Christ suffered death for vs on the crosse As Chrisostome saith Laying out these mysteries we stoppe their mouthes What Are they nothing els but bare and naked signes God forbid They are the seales of God heauenly tokens and signes of the grace and righteousnes and mercie giuen and imputed to vs. Circumcision was not a bare signe That is not circuÌ„cision which is outward in the fleshe saith Paul but the circumcision of the heart
Father Christe saith of Iohn the Baptist This is Elias which was to come Hee saith not hee doth signifie Elias but he is Elias The wordes are plaine yet were there some that stood in the mayntainance of their erorour therby and said that the soule of Elias did abide in Iohn Baptist Christ saith If thine eye cause thee to offend pluck it out and cast it from thee And If thy hand or foot cause thee to offend cut them off cast them from thee The wordes are plaine yet he meaneth not that you should pick out your eyes out of your head nor choppe off your hands or feete from your bodie Iohn saith of Christ He wil baptize you with the holie ghost with fire These words are plaine yet hereof some raised this errour y t children at the time of their baptisme should bee marked in the forehead with a hot burning iron S. Paul saith He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne The wordes are plaine Yet Christ neuer sinned Hee is the Lambe of God in whom there is no spot He is hereby sayde to be the sacrifice for sinne Christ saith They two shalbe one flesh And They are no more two but one flesh These wordes are plaine Yet if you trie the wordes by common sence it is not so they are not one but two of seuerall fleshe Christ saith You are the salt of the earth you are the light of the worlde The wordes are plaine yet indeede the Apostles were neither materiall light nor materiall salt Christe saide of Iudas One of you is a diuel The words are plaine Yet Iudas in nature and substance was not a Diuell S. Paul saith of Melchisedech He was without father without mother without kinred hath neither beginning of his dayes neither end of his life These words are plain Yet indeede hee had father and mother and was a man and was borne and died as other men So he saith The rocke was Christ So Moses saith The life of al flesh is his blood And so is Christ called a Lambe a lion a worme a way a bridegrome a head a doore a vine the light bread water a garment These speeches and infinite others the like are plaine open and euident yet are they not true as y t words sound them literally For Christe is not a Lambe in substāce nature but a spiritual Lambe So is he a spiritual garment spiritual light spiritual water and spiritual bread Christ said to Nicodemus Except a man bee borne againe he cannot see the kingdom of God These words are plaine yet Nicodemus mistooke them and was deceiued said Howe can a man be borne that is old can he enter into his mothers wombe again be born Christ meant y e spiritual birth of the soule the spirit not y t natural corporall birth of y e body And to come neerer to the matter in hande whē Christ said I am y e bread which is come down from Heauē except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke indeede He that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer The Capernaites thought these words plaine enough therfore they say How cā this mā giue vs his flesh to eate This is an harde saying who can heare it And they departed away frō him Then said Iesus The words that I speak vnto you are spirit life Upon occasiō hereof S. Augustine writeth thus Spiritualiter intelligite quod loquutus sum vobis Non hoe corpus c. Vnderstand yee spiritually that I haue spoken vnto you Ye shal not eate this body that ye see neither shal ye drink that blood that they shall shed that shall crucifie me I haue recōmended vnto you a certain sacrament being spiritually vnderstoode it will giue you life Euen so Chrysostome What is it that he saith the flesh profiteth nothing He speaketh it not of flesh indeed God forbid but of such which take the things carnally y t are spoke And what is it to vnderstād carnally Euen to take things simply as they be spoken to seeke no further meaning For the things which are seene are not so to be iudged of but al mysteries should be considered with inward eies that is spiritually Againe vpon these wordes If any man eate of this bread he shal liue for euer he saith Panem vero siue doctrinam hoc in loco salutem fidem in se siue corpus suum dicit vtrumque enim animam fortiorē reddit Hee calleth bread in this place either doctrine and saluation and faith in him or els his bodie For either of these maketh the soule stronger S. Paul saith He that eateth or drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own dānation Dānation is a spiritual thing which is not receiued in by the mouth or broken with the teeth So Christ saith This cup is the new Testament in my blood which is shed for you Yet nowe is not his blood shed any more for he is risen dieth not And these wordes which are so plaine if they be examined wil not be so plaine to yeelde the sense vnto which they are forced It is written He tooke bread whē he had giuen thāks he brake it gaue to thē saying this is my body This bread is my bodie The bread was stil bread neither flesh nor his bodie And this cup is the new testament In due and right open meaning the cup cannot be the new testament Here we see how the wordes are not al so plain but must haue a reasonable cōsiruction It is a rule in the law In fraudē legis facit qui verbis legis saluis sententiam eius circumuenit Hee doth wrong to the law that following onlie the bare words defraudeth the meaning of the Law Orig. saith Est et in nouo testamento litera quae occidit eum c. There is also in the new testamēt a letter which killeth him that doth not spiritually vnderstande those thinges which are spoken For if he folow this after the letter where it is said except ye eat my flesh drink my blood This letter killeth Mark if ye take the word of Christ barely and nakedly as the letter soundeth it killeth S. Augustine saith In allegoria omni haec regula tenenda est vt pro sententia praesent is loci consideretur quod per similitudinem dicitur This rule is to be kept in euery allegory that what is spoken by similitude be weighed by the meaning of the present place Hierō saith Nō in verbis Scripturarum est euangelium sed in sensu The gospel is not in the words of Scriptures but in the meaning And Non in superficie sed in medulla non in sermonum folijs
them and confirmed them which were baptized of Iohn But that proueth not this confirmation that was extraordinarie it was a miracle The holy Ghost came downe vpon them and lightened their hearts by this laying on of the Apostles handes But it is not so nowe the holy Ghost doth not now descende in visible forme vpon those which are confirmed there is no such miracle wrought There is no neede that it should so be There was no commandement either to appoint it vnto the Church or to continue it vntyl the comming of Christ and the end of the worlde Therefore it is no Sacrament by the institution of Christ Hitherto of the vse Now somewhat of the abuse Nothing so good and holy but it may be abused The worde of God hath bene abused to Heresies to Necromancie to Charmes and Sorcerie and Witchcrafte The supper of the Lord was abused in y â— time of S. Paul He telleth the Corinthians This is not to eate the Lords Supper Lesse marueile then if this happen to a ceremonie Time rusteth and consumeth all things maketh many a thing to proue naught in the ende which was first deuised for good The brasen Serpent at the first was made by Moses and set it vp for good purpose But after warde it was abused The children of Israel did burne incense vnto it and therefore Ezechias brake it in pieces The first abuse in confirmation was that it was done in a strange tongue y â— no man might vnderstand what was ment Then that they receiued to confirmation such children and so young as were not able to make profession of their faith so that the infant promised he knew not what and the Bishop ratified and confirmed where there was nothing to be confirmed he set to his seale where there was nothing to be sealed These abuses were farre vnmeete for the Church of God Besides these ther was great abuse in the manner of doing For thus the Bishop said Consigno te signo crucis confirmo te chrismate salutis I signe thee with the signe of the crosse and coÌ„firme thee with the oyle of saluation Thus they vsed to doe these were their words with the oyle of saluatioÌ„ They tooke not this of Christ nor of his Apostles nor of the holy auncient fathers It agreeth not with our Christian faith to giue the power of saluation vnto oyle He that sâ—eketh saluation in oyle looseth his saluation in Christ and hath no parte in the kingdome of God Oyle for the bellie and for necessarie vses of life It is no fit instrument without commaundement or promise by the worde to worke saluation More they said he was no perfect ChristiaÌ„ that was not anointed by the Bishop with this holy oile This was another abuse For whosoeuer is baptized receiueth thereby the full name of a perfect Christian and hath the full and perfice couenaÌ„t and assurance of saluation he is perfitely buried with Christ doth perfitely put on Christ and is perfitely made partaker of his resurrection Therefore they are deceiued that say no man is a perfite Christian that is not marked with this oyle Els the Apostles and holie Martyrs were but halfe Christians because the lacked this oyle Els what hope and comfort might the pore fathers haue In what state shall he thinke to finde his childe if he die before confirmation passe without perfite Christendome verely they write thus Sine oleo Chrismatis nemo potest sisti ante tribunal christi Without y e oyle of chrisme no maÌ„ can appeare before the Iudgment seat of Christ Againe they say confirmation is more honorable then baptisme because any priest may baptize but confirmation is giuen onely by a Bishop or a suffragain So doe they giue a greater preeminence to confirmation which is diuised by man then to the holy sacrament of baptisme which Christ him selfe ordained I neede not speake more hereof the errour is so grosse so thicke so sensible and palpable Againe when they blessed or halowed their oyle they vsed these wordes Fiat domine hoc oleum te benedicente vnctio spiritualis ad purificationem meÌ„tis corporis O Lord let this oile by thy blessing be made a spritual ointmeÌ„t to purifie both soule body O Christ Iesu where was thy crosse where was thy blood and the price of thy death and passion when a drop of oyle was of power to worke remission of all sinnes to saue and defende against al the dartes of the wicked spirites and to refresh both bodie and soule Yet so were we taught so were wee lead I faine not these things The words may be seene Neither do I speake this to bring you to a misliking or loathing of our latter fathers but onely that wee may humble our heartes and giue thankes to GOD that hath brought vs out of that darkenes and giuen vs better knowledge Nowe a worde or two of the bringing vp of children and preparing them to confirmation Wherein I woulde God the olde order were duely obserued that they were instructed perfitly to know relygion theyr duetie to God and so might be brought before the Congregation and make an open profession of their faith with promise that neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednes nor fire nor sword nor life nor death shall euer make them denie their faith Hereof might much be spoken but I will be short The whole standeth in knowledge and in the feare of God that they may knowe God walke before him in reuerence and in feare and serue him in holines and righteousnes al the dayes of their life The Iewes are a miserable people they liue in errour they die in their owne blood yet haue they so much vnderstanding that they bringe vp their children in the knowledge of God and that knowledge they teach out of the worde of God They remember what charge God gaue them Thou shalt teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes Therefore a father must teache his childe what God is That he is our father that he hath made vs and doeth feede vs and geueth vs all thinges needefull both for body and soule that he is our Lord and therefore we must serue him and obey him and do nothinge whereby he may be displeased that hee is our iudge and shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead and that all men shall come before him to receiue according as they haue done in the flesh He must put his childe in minde of his baptisine and teach him that it is a couenent of Gods mercie to vs and of our duetie to God that it is a misterie of our saluation that our soule is so washed with the blood of Christ as the water of baptisme washeth our bodie So must he also teach his childe the misterie of the Lordes supper what and how he receiueth there to his comfort that as the bread is broken and the wine poured out so the bodie of Christ was
darknesse their worme shall neuer die their fire shall neuer bee quenched they shall goe downe headlong into the fire that is prepared for the deuill and his angels Be not deceiued saith Saint Paul neither fornicatours nor adulterers nor wantōs nor bouggerers shal inherit the kingdome of God Now are wee to speake in the next place of the ministerie of the Church which some haue called holy orders Shall wee accompte it a Sacrament there is no reason so to doe It is a heauenly office a holy ministerie or Seruice By suche as haue this office God lighteneth our darkenesse hee declareth his minde to vs hee gathereth together his scattered sheepe and publisheth vnto the worlde the glad ridings of saluation The Patriarkes dyd beare this office This was the office of the prophets God saith I haue sent vnto you al my seruants the prophets rising vp eueri day sending thē Agayne he saith I haue put my wordes in thy mouth Therefore when they taught the people of God the Prophetes signed their speache thus The mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it The Lorde hath saide The voyce and y e worde of the Lord Heare the word of the Lorde But when the fulnesse of the time came God sent his Sonne and hath spoken vnto vs by hym He became our Prophet to shew vs the wyll of his father He saieth I haue not spoken of my selfe but the Father whiche sent mee he gaue mee a commandement what I should say and what I should speake Hereof Saint Iohn sayth No man hath seene God at any time He is inuisible he is incomprehensible no minde can conceiue hym no eye can see hym but the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosom of y e Father hee hath declared him Of hym the father sayde This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare hym Hearken vnto hym receiue hys woorde credite hym beleeue hym No doubte the Ministerie of the Gospell is hyghlye to bee esteemed seeinge our Sauiour was not ashamed to publish the wyll of his Father in his owne person yet it appeareth not where euer hee dyd ordeine it to be a Sacrament Hee appointed that the comforte thereof shoulde bee carried into all nations and gaue that charge vnto hys Apostles Goe teache all nations Agayne What I tell you in darkenesse that speake you in light and what you heare in the eare y e preache you on the houses Hee sawe the people and had compassion on them hee saw they were dispearsed and scattered abroade lyke sheepe without a shepheard and that they perished because they had no knowledge of the wyll of God Therefore he sayeth Pray the Lord of the haruest that he woulde sende labourers into the haruest Therefore he ordayneth them to this ministery I wyll make you fishers of men And sendeth them foorth as my father sent mee so sende I you And Goe to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Hee wylled them to call the people to repentaunce and to preache the kingdome of God By this ministerie God hath gathered to hymselfe an acceptable people and hath brought them to the obedience of the Gospell of Christ and hath turned the hartes of the Fathers vnto their children and so made it to be the foundation of religion They that exercise this ministerie are y e eyes of Christ the pillers of y e Church the interpreters of Gods will the watchmen of the Lordes tower the leaders of Christes sheep the salte of the earth the light of the world Daniel saith They that turne many to righteousnes shal shine as the starres for euer euer Not that there is any so great wisdome or eloquence in men they are but weake they are vnfit to do this seruice Esay saith of himselfe I am a man of polluted lippes And Ieremie saith O Lord god behold I cannot speake for I am a child So saith S. Paul I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase So thē nether is he that planteth any thing nether he that watereth but God y t giueth the increase So said Saint Iohn that he was not Christe nor that Prophet but the voyce of hym that crieth in the wildernesse and not worthy to vnloose the latchet of his shooe that should come after him The power whereby they dyd conquere the worlde was not in them but in the woorde which they preached It is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth It is like a fire lyke a hammer that breaketh a stone When ye receiued of vs y e word of the preaching of god saith S. Paul to the Thessalonians ye receaued it not as the worde of men but as it is indeede the woorde of god which also worketh in you that beleue The power of an earthly Prince is great The wyse man sayeth The feare of a King is lyke the roaring of a Lyon Yet is a Prince but mortall and the Law of a Prince is but mortall it hath no power to force the conscience But the woorde of God dooth breake into the heart it forceth a way into the Conscience it is sharper then any two edged sworde it entreth through euen to the deuidinge a sunder of the soule and the spirit because it is the word of God For it is not man but God that speaketh as Christ telleth the Apostles It is not yee that speake but the spirit of your father whiche speaketh in you So saith the Prophet Zacharie Hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue bene since the worlde beganne The Prophets and Apostles and holy men of God were but instruments It was God which gaue his holy spirite whiche gaue them tongues to speake and wordes to vtter Therfore said Christ I wil giue you a mouth and wisedome where against al your aduersaries shall not be able to speake nor resist Though men be but simple yet the worde they deliuer is mighty though they be mortall the worde of the Lord endureth for euer Where this worde is receiued it is fire and burneth it is a hammer and breaketh the hardnesse of the heart it is mightie in operation it cleanseth the inner man it openeth the consctence it is a sauour of life vnto lyfe it is the meanes of saluation Hee that receiueth this worde and beleeueth shal be saued This is the worde of reconciliation God hath committed it vnto vs. If any hide this worde he slayeth the people He is a dombe dogge Of such God saieth Beholde I wil come against the Prophets that steale my word euerione frō his neighbour They are thieues and robbers Woe be vnto you interpreters of the law for yee haue taken away the key of knowledge saith Christ ye entred not in your selues and them that came in yee forbad And agayne Woe bee vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites because ye shut vp the kingdome of
heauen before men for ye your selues go not in nether suffer ye theÌ„ that would enter to come in Of these and against them God speaketh by the Prophet Ieremie Wo be vnto the pastors that destroy scatter the sheepe of my pasture And by the Prophete Zacharie O Idol-shepherd that leaueth the flocke Thou hast eares and hearest not thou hast eyes and seest not thou hast a tongue and speakest not and a heart but vnderstandest not thou art an idole Christ sayde to thee feede my lambes feede my sheepe but thou carest not for them Thou hast the roume of an Euangelist and Pastour and Teacher but thou gatherest not the saintes together thou doest not the worke of the ministerie thou buildest not vp the bodie of Christe They shall perish in their wickednesse but their blood wyll I require at thy handes Here note this ministerie of the Churche was not ordeined to offer sacrifice for forgiuenesse of sinnes Whosoeuer taketh that office vpon hym be doeth wrong iniurie to the death and passion of Christ He only is called of god an high Priest after y e order of Melchisedec He onely by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. He only with one offeringe hath consecrated for euer them y t are sanctified He only hath said Consummatum est It is finished The ransome or price for mans saluation and for forgiuenesse of the sinnes of the worlde is payde in mee in my death vpon the Crosse Of hym alone and onely of hym hath it bene spoken This is my well beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And by Esay With his stripes only we are healed It is he only which hath made of both one It is he only which did put out y â— hande writing of ordinaÌ„ces y â— was against vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vppon the Crosse He alone is our hye Priest the Lambe of God the Sacrifice for sinnes the Altar the Propitiation for sinners and redeemer of the world He only hath appeased the wrath of god He onely appeareth in the sight of GOD to make intercession for our sinnes All others whatsoeuer Apostles Prophetes Teachers and Pastours are not in office to offer any propitiatorie sacrifice but are called to the ministerie of the Saintes to the edification of the bodye of Christe and to the repayringe of the Church of God Thus muche of the holy ministerie of the Church which standeth in the setting foorth of the mysterie of our saluation both by the Preachinge of the woorde of GOD and by the due and reuerent ministration of the Sacramentes The principallest parte of this office is to preache repentance that so wee may amende our lyues and bee conuerted vnto GOD. So Ioel the Prophet followed hys ministerie sayinge Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lorde your God for he is gracious merciful So S. Paul teacheth that true circumcision is by putting off the sinnefull body of the fleesh that it is in mortifying our members that bee on the earth Fornication vncleanesse the inordinate affections euil concupiscence couetousnes which is idolatrie y â— it is in putting away al these thinges wrath anger maliciousnes cursed speakinge filthy speakinge out of your mouth in putting of the old maÌ„ with his works and putting on the new which is renewed in knowledge after y e image of him that created him So Iohn Baptist said Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Prepare ye y â— waies of the Lord make his pathes straight So our Sauiour Christ when he began to preache said Am end your liues for the kingdome of God is at hand Therfore it wil not bee amisse now to speake of repentaunce which some of late yeares haue chaunged into pennaunce and there of haue also made a Sacrament Here it behoueth to rippe vp the whole lyfe of man There is not any man that liueth and sinneth not God sayeth The imagination of mans heart is euyll from his youth The Prophet Ieremie saith The heart is deceitful and wicked aboue all things who can know it Saint Iohn therefore saith If wee say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues trueth is not in vs. Of hymselfe Saint Paul saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Of hymselfe the Prophet Dauid sayeth There is nothiÌ„g sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as a weighti burtheÌ„ they ar to heauy for me He saith If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities O Lord who shal abide it So sayth the Wise man A iustman falleth seuen times God is a righteous God and the auenger of all them that offendeâ—â— Saint Paul saith The wages of sinne is death And the Prophet Ezechiel The soule that sinneth shall dye For this cause then God ordayned the ministerie of his worde and appoynted certayne to this office that they shoulde warne his people of theyr sinnes and feare them by the terrour of Gods assured displeasure and heauy wrath As is seene by y t to Esay Cry aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a trumpet and shewe my people their transgressions the house of Iacob their sins So Saint Paul vnto Timothie I charge thee before God the Lorde Iesus Christ which shal iudge the quick and dead at his appearing in his kyngdome preach the word be instant in season out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine So woulde God haue our filth layde open before our eyes that wee might weigh and iudge our owne heartes that euery man might make charge vppon him selfe and saye I am an vnprofitable seruant my righteousnesse is as a foule and steined cloth My soule hath sinned and hath deserued to dye the death In this case some fall into desperation and saye as sometimes dyd Caine My sinne is greater then can be pardoned God withdraweth his mercie from mee I am vnworthie of it I haue offended against the holy spirit of GOD mine owne conscience accuseth me I haue no parte in the kingdome of GOD and of Christe there is no sacrifice left for my sinnes Thus the wicked liue in trembling and agony as dyd Cain thus they leaue their lyfe with horrour and miserie so haue they no grace to repent no taste nor feelyng of the mercie of God But the children of God though they bee wounded yet they finde reliefe in the certayne hope of Gods mercie Though they say I am a sinner my sinnes are more in number then the heares of my head I haue offended against heauen and earth Yet they know that Christ came to call sinuers to repentance that hee healeth those that are