greater authority to them than unto meere humane writings In the margent of the last translation of the Bible there is often reference made unto Chapter and verse of those bookes as in the margent of Heb. 1.3 Iohn 10.22 Matth. 6.7 Matth. 23.37 Heb. 11.35 and in more places There is no such reference made unto Chapter and verse of any other bookes excepting the canonicall Scriptures In the Concordance which is sometimes bound with bibles of the middle bignesse namely in quarto places out of all those bookes are often quoted and added unto the places cited out of the Canonicall Scriptures It is not so done out of any other bookes Even all the Fathers which have lived in the Church of Iesus Christ since first the Apostles dayes have with great reverence and respect alleaged sayings out of those books The true Apostolicall Church of England hath ordained those bookes onely and none other of what authoritie soever to be translated with the Canonicall Scriptures and to be set betweene the bookes of the old and new Testament Seeing then that the Church our mother so honoureth the said bookes called Apocrypha ought not wee her members to have them bound in our Bibles to reverence and respect them and diligently to read them for * The Church in the sixt Article of religion so delivereth example of life and instruction of manners and to account them for to be in all respects of so much a Phil. 4.8 1 Thes 5.21 1 Pet. 5.5 Mat. 18.17 1 Cor 16.16 authority as the Church of England now ascribeth unto them CHAP. 50. Of peoples learning the most sacred Catechisme of the Church which is in the booke of Common Prayer Every member of the true Apostolicall Church of England hath occasion greatly to praise the name of the Lord for stirring up our most gracious Soveraigne and the holy Fathers of the Church to take great care for this ordinance of the Gospell of Iesus Christ namely Catechizing that it may bee duely used according as it was prescribed by holy Church heretofore and the same ratified by our late Soveraigne Lord King Iames a Prince of ever blessed memory IN the end of the rubricke after the Service of Confirmation it is said None shall be admitted to the holy Communion untill such time as he can say the Catechisme namely that in the booke of Common Prayer the which being printed alone by it selfe is now commonly called the A. B. C. The said most sacred Catechisme consisteth of but about twenty questions whose answers require any labour of learning by heart And yet therein is contained the summe of the whole Christian faith and life in a most Divine delivery This holy b Ps 119.130 Catechisme should all people members of the Church of England have either in memory or else at least be able so to c 1 Pet. 3.13 answere unto each question therein as that they may declare themselves to have in effect such an d Phil. 3.16 1 Cor. 1.10 understanding of the matters therein contained as the Church hath in full words expressed in it Catechisme is an instructing of people in the e Heb. 5.12 principles of the Oracles of God It is a f Heb. 6.1 2. laying of the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptismes and of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of the eternall judgment It is a ministring of the g 1 Pet. 2.2 sincere milke of the Word unto the h Heb. 5.13 unskilfull in the word of righteousnesse Even as a house cannot bee well built up and stand fast unlesse the foundations thereof be firmely laid so people who should bee built up a spirituall i 1 Pet. 2.4 house for an k Eph. 2.21 22. habitation of God through the spirit cannot be fitly framed together and grow unto an holy Temple in the Lord unlesse they bee l Luke 11.52 Mat. 14.11 rightly instructed in the principles of the Doctrine of Christ and withall grow up in all due m Rom. 1.5 and 16.26 obedience unto the same Not onely the Catechisme in the Divine Service doth deliver the Milke of the Gospell but also the whole Divine Service doth minister the same abundantly If one would know what is repentance and faith let him reade the Homilies thereof If hee would know what is the mysterie of baptisme and of laying on of hands let him reade the Services thereof If one would know the mysterie of the Communion let him read the Service and the Homily thereof It is a main part of the use of the Divine Service to lay firmly in peoples mindes the n 1 Cor. 3.10 grounds of Christianity All people therefore that would bee rightly grounded in the true Christian religion and grow more and more towards o Heb. 6.1 Col. 1.28 29. perfection in Iesus Christ ought to be much conversant in every part of the said Service and to enable themselves so to render a reason of every point of Christianity according as they finde it delivered in the said p Prov. 6.20 21 22 23. Luke 10.16 bookes and withall to q 2 Thes 1.3 Prov 4.18 increase in that godly conversation which is throughout the service prescribed And thereunto this present worke will much helpe every one that will make due use of all the same The Church hath ordained that not onely the youth but other ignorant persons also to be r Song 6.6 Ps 1.48 12. Deut. 31.12 Nehem. 8.2 instructed in the Catechisme For thus is her sacred * Canon 59 This holy and necessary Ordinance of Christ and his Church is now by the great goodnesse of Almighty God observed and al true Christians hearts doe pray that so it may bee continued and more and more conscionably used unto Gods glory and the edification of all people constitution Every Parson Vicar or Curate upon every Sunday and holy day before evening prayer shall for halfe an houre or more examine and instruct the youth and ignorant persons of his parish in the ten Commandements the Articles of the beliefe and in the Lords prayer and shall diligently heare instruct and teach them the Catechisme set forth in the booke of Common prayer c. Peoples Å¿ Prov. 19.2 neglect of learning that Catechisme and of obedience thereto and also their not regarding to have their Children and servants taught the same and instructed unto the observing of the duties therein prescribed is a maine cause that now so many are ignorant in minde and t Prov. 29.15 disorderly in conversation The Oracle of God saith u Prov. 22.6 Traine up a Child in the way he should goe and when he is old he will not depart from it CHAP. 51. Of Baptisme THE Catechisme in the Divine service delivereth That the outward visible signe or forme in baptisme is water wherein the person baptized is dipped
the great indignation and curse of God against them in this life and the terrible wrath and judgement of our Saviour Christ at the great day of the last judgement when he shall justly judge both the quicke and the dead according to their workes For whosoever forsaketh the truth for love or displeasure of any man or for lucre and profit to himselfe doth forsake Christ and with Iudas betray him And although such perjured mens falshood be now kept secret yet it shall be opened at the last day when the secrets of all mens hearts shall be manifest to all the world And then the truth shall appeare and accuse them and their owne conscience with all the blessed company of heaven shall beare witnesse truely against them And Christ the righteous Iudge shall then justly condemne them to everlasting shame and death As in a great part of the booke intituled God and the King we may find much divine instruction concerning taking a lawful oath so where there is delivered the nature of an oath in generall it is much remarkeable It is * there said An oath is a most sacred bond and with a secret terrour imprinted by the immediate singer of God in the taking thereof doth so straitly oblige the inmost soule and conscience that although many men bee obdurate unto other grievous sinnes yet they will be tender and sensible of the violation of an oath Very often saith Saint Augustine men provoke their wives whom they suspect to bee adulterous to cleere themselves by an oath which they would not doe unlesse they did beleve that those which feare not adultery may feare perjurie For indeed saith hee some unchast women which have not feared to deceive their husbands by wantonnesse have beene afraid to use God unto them as a witnesse of their chastitie When one layeth his hands upon the Gospell booke and signifieth that according as he testifieth the truth so he expecteth and desireth helpe from God and the contents of that booke he sweareth by or taketh for witnesse the everlasting word of the Lord Iesus Christ in praying for benefit by that word according as then hee beareth witnesse unto the truth To sweare therefore by the everlasting word of God is an high oath For David saith Thou hast magnified thy word n Psal 138.2 above all thy name CHAP. 74. Of Honouring the Ministery IN the Preface afore the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons it is said That from the Apostles time there hath beene these orders of Ministers in Christs Church which officers were evermore in p. 18. had in such reverent estimation that no man by his owne private authority might presume to execute any of them except he were first called c. In the rubricke afore the Service for the ordering of Deacons it is said First when the day appointed by the Bishop is come there shall be an exhortation declaring the duty and office of such as come to be admitted Ministers how necessarie such orders are in the Church of Christ and also how the people ought to esteeme them in their vocation Saint Paul said to the Thessalonians Wee beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteeme them very o 1 Thes 5.12 13. highly in love for their workes sake And unto Timothy he saith Let the Elders that rulewell be counted worthy of p 1 Tim. 5.17 double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine And unto the Corinthians hee saith Let a man so q 1 Cor. 4.1.2 account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull Iesus the sonne of Syrach saith Feare the Lord with all thy soule and r Eccsus 7.29 30 31. reverence his Priests Love him that made thee with all thy strength and forsake not his Ministers Feare the Lord and honour the Priest and give him his portion as it is commanded thee c. The Lord saith in his Law Take heed to thy selfe that thou Å¿ Deut. 12.9 forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Saint Paul saith to the Galathians Let him that is taught in the Word t Gal. 6.6 communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things And unto Timothy he saith The labourer is u 1 Tim. 5.17 18. worthy of his reward To the Corinthians he saith The Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should w 1 Cor. 9.14 live of the Gospell It is written that Melchisedek having ministred to Abraham bread and wine and having blessed him Abraham gave him x Gen. 14.20 Tithes of all It is recorded of certaine women whom Iesus had healed of evill spirits and infirmities Mary Magdalen and Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods Steward and Susanna and many others to have ministred unto Christ of their y Luk. 8.2 3. substance It is also written that when people went to a man of God for to receive information they caried some z 1 Sam. 9.7 8. 1 Kings 14.3 2 Kings 8.8 present with them as a token of due thankfulnesse The Ministers of Almighty God are to be a Heb. 13.17 Deut. 17.12 obeyed to bee b Hag. 2.11 Mal. 2.7 consulted with diligently to bee c Neh. 8.3 Acts 10.33 Ecclus. 8.8 9. Psal 84.10 and 121.1 heard when they teach to be credited People may not d Hos 4.4 strive with them but ought so much as they may to e 1 Cor. 16.11 preserve them from being despised and from being put in feare Also the blessing with which the Priests of God doe f Num. 6.23.24 25 26 27. Ezech. 44.30 blesse people is much to be regarded CHAP. 75. Of using the Perambulation of the Circuit of the Parish called going a Procession IN the * T. 2. p. 234. Homily an exhortation to bee spoken to such Parishes where they use their Perambulation in Rogation weeke for the oversight of the bounds and limits of their Towne it is said Although we be now assembled together good Christian people most principally to laud and thanke Almighty God for his great benefits by beholding the fields replenished with all manner of fruit to the maintenance of our corporall necessities for our food and sustenance and partly also to make our humble suits in prayers to his fatherly providence to conserve the same fruits in sending us seasonable weather whereby we may gather in the said fruits to that end for which his fatherly goodnesse hath provided them yet have we occasion secondarily given us in our walkes on those dayes to consider the old ancient bounds limits belonging to our Township and to other our neighbours bordering about us to the intent that wee should be content with our owne and not contentiously strive for others to the breach of charity by any incroching
the uniformity of Common prayer set in the beginning thereof testifieth Also every one which entreth into the Ministery of the Church of England first subscribeth That the booke of Common prayer containeth in it nothing contrary to the Word of God and that it may lawfully so bee used and that hee himselfe will use the forme in the said booke prescribed in Publike prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other As it is in Canon 36. That the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons is likewise ratified the six and thirtieth Article of the Religion established declareth saying The Book of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of Edward the sixt and confirmed at the same time by Authority of Parliament doth containe all things necessarie to such Consecration and ordering neither hath it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious and ungodly And therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that booke since the second yeare of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered That both the bookes of Homilies now printed in one Volume and distinguished into two Tomes are approved by the whole Clergy it is manifest by every ones subscription unto the third Article to be subscribed unto afore receiving any order or degree in the ministery whereof the words are That he alloweth the book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Archbishops In Canon 36. and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergie in the Convocation holden at London in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand five hundred sixtie and two and that he acknowledgeth all and every the Articles therein contained being in number nine and thirty besides the Ratification to be agreeable to the Word of God And in the five and thirtieth Article therof it is said The second booke of Homilies the severall titles whereof we have joyned under this Article doth containe a godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times as doth the former booke of Homilies which were set forth in the time of Edward the sixt and therefore we judge them to be read in Churches by the Ministers diligently and distinctly that they may bee understanded of the people The Eleventh Article concerning the justification of man referreth unto the Homily of Iustification wherein the most wholesome Doctrine thereof and very full of comfort is more largly expressed In the booke of Common Prayer in the Rubrick after the Nicene Creed the Homilies are mentioned It is required that the booke of Homilies be in every Church Canon 80. And Canon 49 requireth Ministers not allowed Preachers to reade the said Homilies For the confirmation of be true saith and for thâ—â—â—â—d â—â—strâ—â—lâ—â— and 〈◊〉 disication of the people The great authority of the Homilies may also appeare out of the Titles of both Tomes of them The Title of the first Tome is Certaine Sermons or Homilies appointed to bee read in Churches in the time of the late Queene Elizabeth of famous memory And now thought fit to be reprinted by Authority from the Kings most Excellent Majesty The Title of the second is The second Tome of Homilies of such matters as were promised and entituled in the former part of Homilies set out by the Authority of the late Queenes Majesty and to be read in every Parish Church agreeably There are no writings of any Author whatsoever whereunto the Church ascribeth so much authority as to the Bookes of Divine Service having ordained them only together with the holy Scriptures to bee publikely read in every congregation of the Land Now some will say It appeareth by these relatings that great is the respect which we owe unto the said bookes of the Church but yet we are to receive no delivery in them but what we know agreeth with the Word of God In which saying of many of these times there is contained a greater defect than all doe observe therein For first by so saying they attribute not such authority as is due unto the Church their Mother they duely acknowledge not her loyalty unto Christ her Head S. Paul propoundeth the Church her fidelity or faithfull obeience to be a patterne for imitation where he saith As the Church is subject unto Christ Eph. 5.24 so let the wives bee to their owne husbands in every thing Put case that in that her fundamentall Doctrine there were some deliveries not in all respects so perfect as are the Scriptures of God our Father yet it is against her loving nature and prudence to propound unto us any matter for our hurt Yea what we suppose to be imperfect wee may make that use thereof for which it was by her intended and be much benefited thereby Secondly by that their limitation they imply that they have an ability to judge the understanding and wisdome of their mother And if they bee demanded whence they have received so great an extraordinary abilitie as to judge of their mother the Church her knowledge and Doctrine The common answer is by their reading the holy Scriptures They not seriously considering what is written in them also Acts 8.30 31. That how can one reading the holy Scriptures understand them except some man guide him Malachi 2.7 And that the Priests lips is to keepe knowledge and the people is to seeke the Law at his mouth The Clergie of the Church is to teach the common people of the same The lay people in their understanding and applying the Scriptures are to be guided by the Priesthood or Clergy And before it hath beene declared that the universall Clergy with one mouth and consent have borne witnesse That there is not any thing in the Booke of Common Prayer which is contrary to the Word of God And that the booke of Homilies doth containe a godly and wholesome Doctrine and necessary for these times to bee understanded of the people Seeing then all the guides in the Church all the ordained keepers of knowledge all such from whom the people are appointed to seeke the Law or spirituall instruction and teaching doe testifie together the truth and profitablenesse of the bookes of the Divine Service can any one justly accept against any deliverie in them unlesse he doe assume unto himselfe for to outsee the whole Clergy of the Church of England The Lord Iesus Christ hath so greatly confirmed the authority of his Church that he hath said Mat. 18.17 Whoso neglecteth to heare the Church let him or her be unto his people as an Heathen and a Publicane Wherefore it is our bounden duty most diligently to heare read and meditate on every particular delivery in those fundamentall bookes composed by the perfectest wisdome of the Church our mother and to frame our mindes and lives according to every prescription
Acts 15.13 In the second part of the Homily of Repentance it is sâ—gnified that Iames was only Bishop of the Church â—â—erusalem See Act. 12.17 Acts 21.18 Gal. 2.9 Tom. 2. p. 266. abide in the land of Iewry ouer-seeing and looking to the Church there which Iesus Christ the first Å¿ Heb. 3 1. Apostle from God his Father had planted If he or some other Apostle or Apostles did then the Apostolicall gift or grace was also to be employed in a Church already planted and not to cease when Churches were planted It is also here to be noted that the name Apostle vsed in the new Testament doth imply two degrees Whence it is thought meete to translate it sometimes by the word t Phil. 2.25 2. Cor 8.23.1 2. Cor. 11.5 Gal. 2.9 messenger And whereas there is in Scripture mention of the chiefest Apostles it implyeth that there was some disparity among the Apostles And what degree or order is that inferiour if it be not that w 2. Tim. 4.5 Euangelistship which is aboue the Pastorship which Timothy had who was also called Bishop yea * Phil. 1.1 Bishop not onely ouer lay people but ouer y 1. Tim. 1.3 Ministers Priests Elders or Pastours also Truely therefore and properly in the Diuine Seruice are Bishops signified to be the Apostles of Christs Church as where it is sayd in the Seruice of Confirmation We make our humble supplications vnto thee for these children vpon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we haue laide our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy fauour and gracious goodnesse toward them So in the Diuine Seruice for the consecration of Bishops where it is sayd by the Archbishop Brethren it is written in the Gospell of Saint Luke that our Sauiour Christ continued the z Luke 6.12.13 whole night in prayer or euer that hee did choose and send foorth his twelue Apostles It is written also in the Acts of the Apostles that the Disciples which were at Antioch did a Acts 13.2.3.4 fast and pray or euer they laide hands vpon or sent forth Paul and Barnabas Let vs therefore b 1. Cor. 11.1 following the example of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles first fall to prayer or that wee admit and send forth this person presented vnto vs to the worke whereunto wee trust the Holy Ghost hath called him CHAP. 38. Of Prophetship that euery kind thereof is not for euer ceased WHereas the Church both in the prayer afore the ordering of Priests and also in the prayer afore the consecrating of Bishops mentioneth That Christ hath giuen Prophets to his Church together with the diuerse orders of the constant Ministery it is necessary to consider what kind of prophetship that is Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians c 1. Cor. 14.3 He that prophesieth speaketh vnto men to edification and exhortation and comfort Insteed of which prophesying then ordinarily vsed in the Church of Corinth there is now vsed the exercise called Preaching And therefore because preaching now is to the same effect as the ordinary prophecying then in the congregation was therefore the word for prophecying is somtimes rendred * As in the margent of the Geneua TranslatioÌ„ of 1. Cor. 11.3 preaching But the Prophetship mentioned in the aforesayd prayers appeareth to be a greater gift in that it standeth in the second place Yea Paul himselfe in an other place sayth d 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. As e Ephes 4.11 Christ gaue some to be Apostles some to be Prophetsâ— some to be Euangelists some to be Pastors and some to be Teachers So in the Church of the Iewes afore Christs Incarnation there was an high Priest f Math. 2.4 chiefe Priests Priests of the g 1 Châ—or 24. second Order and Leuites and also Prophets And of such as were called Prophets some were of greater gifts than other In the new Testament after Christs Ascension some are named Prophets as h Act. 11.27 28 Agabus i Acts 21.10.11 Iudas Silas c. Agabus foretold there should be a great dearth throughout all the would which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar He foretold also to Saint Paul that the Iewes should deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles Iudas and k Act. 15.32 Silas are sayd to haue exhorted the brethren in Antioch with many words and to haue confimed them l Act. 17.10 Silas afterward accompanied Paul and laboured with him in publishing the Gospell In the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles there is nomention that Prophets were made by ordination but all whom it is sayd the Church did ordaine were either to serue as Apostles or Euangelists or Elders or as Deacons It is written that there hath beene times when no Prophet was in the Church As in the Booke of the Psalmes it is sayd m Psal 74.9 We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among vs any that knoweth how long It appeareth to be so in the dayes of the Maccabees when as it was sayd n 1. Mac. 4.46 1. Mac. 14 41. The stones of the Altar were layd vp in the mountaine of the Temple in a conuenient place vntill there should come a Prophet to shew what should bee done with them The principall Prophets or such as were endued with the measure of grace which for the dignity thereof obtained the greatest account next vnto those of the highest degree in the Ministery of the Church seeme to be men of a singular diuine vnderstanding o Ier. 1.9 10. raised vp of God for p Hag. 1.1.2 spirituall occasions in speciall times And this may be obserued not only out of the beginning euen of euery Prophets Booke in the Bible but also out of many places in Scripture where mention is of Prophets and their Prophesying For this present there shall be no mention of what Prophets Christ hath giuen to his Church since the first Apostles dayes but onely of the * The Church in her 30. CanoÌ„ termeth them Great Diuines Fathers in the Apostolicall Church of England who liued when the Reformation was well forwarded Were not those holy men endued with a certaine measure of propheticall grace or of the Holy Ghost or of heauenly light in the knowledge of the true Christianity more than were the Fathers of the Church generally which liued for many ages afore them in that they obserued a spirituall darknesse to haue couered most people whereof former times tooke none or very little notice and in that also they composed three bookes for Diuine Seruice wherein there is so glorious and so plenteous a deliuery of the true Apostolicall Diuinity and of the true Christian Religion as the like no Fathers in any Church of Christendome euer afore set forth And if the sayd bookes were now to be composed none were
thine heart unto understanding Yea if thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God Also that saying of the Lord by the Prophet Malachy is ever to be remembred q Mal. 2.5.6.7 My covenant was with Levi of life and peace and I gave them to him for the feare wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips hee walked with me in peace and equity and did turne many away from iniquity For the Priests lips should keepe knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts People are to read the holy Scriptures which the r 1. Tim. 3.15 Church according to her wisedome and the t Rom. 3.2 Hebrew u Rev. 9.11 Greeke and faithfulnesse hath Å¿ 1 Cor. 12.10.28.30 interpreted into English out of w Dan. 2.4 Chaldean texts wherein they were * See all along the margent of Gen. 1. c. and of Mat. 5.11 c. and of Ezra 4.9 c. Soc also the title page of the old Testament and also of the new Read all the Translators Preface set afore the Bibles in quarto and in solio first written by the Prophets and Apostles And as people are to be thankfull unto God and unto the Royall Majestie and unto the Fathers and Doctors of the Church for that delivery of the holy Scriptures so are they to remember it is the x Acts 8.30 31 32 33 34 35. office of the Philips of the Church for to interpret places of the Scripture hard to be understood And the Philips are the y Mal. 2.7 Deut. 17.8 9. c. Acts 15.6 Eph. 4.11 12. Clergie and therein the z 1 Cor. 12.28 See afore in Chap. 35 36 37. of degrees in the ministery principall are the most reverend Fathers in God the Archbishops and the right reverend Fathers in God the Bishops the next are the Doctors and all Pastors and all authorized Preachers whose conscionable and religious care is both by their life and doctrine to set forth Gods true and lively Word and to keepe the unity of the spirit the most holy faith and the true godly life prescribed in the bookes of the Divine Service and in the other bookes of the established doctrine of the Church of England And hereunto may be considered that memorable and very remarkeable delivery of the most Reverend Father in God Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury out of Saint Gregory Nazianzene in the latter end of his Prologue afore the Church-bible of the former translation I marvell much saith he to recount whereof commeth all this desire of vaine-glory whereof commeth all this tongue-itch that we have so much delight to talke and clatter And wherein is our communication not in the commendation of vertuous and good deeds of hospitality of love between Christian brother and brother of love betweene man and wife of virginity and chastity and of Almes toward the poore Not in Psalmes and godly songs not in lamenting for our sinnes not in repressing the affections of the body not in prayers to God We talke of Scripture but in the meane time we subdue not our flesh by fasting waking and weeping wee make not this life a meditation of death we doe not strive to be lords ouer our appetites and affections We goe not about to pull downe our proud and high minds to abate our fumish and rancorous stomackes to restraine our lusts and bodily delectations our undiscreet sorrowes our lascivious mirth ovr inordinate looking our unsatiable hearing of vanities our speaking without measure our inconvenient thoughts and briefly to reforme our life and manners but all our holinesse consisteth in talking And we pardon each other from all good living so that we may sticke fast together in argumentation as though there were no more wayes to heaven but this alone the way of speculation and knowledge as they take it But in very deed it is rather the way of superfluous contention and sophistication The same Author saith also in another place That the learning of a Christian man ought to begin of the feare of God and to end in matters of high speculation and not contrarily to begin with speculation and to end in feare For speculation saith he either high cunning or knowledge if it be not stayed with the bridle of feare to offend God is dangerous and enough to tumble a man headlong downe the hill Therefore saith he The feare of God must be the first beginning and as it were an A. B. C. or an introduction to all them that shall enter into the very true and most fruitfull knowledge of holy Scriptures Where as is the feare of God there is saith he the keeping of the Commandements and where as is the keeping of the Commandements there is the cleansing of the flesh which flesh is a cloud before the soules eye and suffereth it not purely to see the beame of the heavenly light Where as is the cleansing of the flesh there is the illumination of the holy Ghost the end of all our desires and the very light whereby the verity of Scriptures is seene and perceived CHAP. 49. Of reading the bookes in the Bible which are called writings Apocrypha IN the Table of proper Lessons to be read both at morning and evening prayer on the sundayes throughout the yeere and on the holy dayes there are appointed sundry Lessons to be read of the bookes in the Bible which are called Apocrypha as on Whitsunday there is ordained to be read the first Chapter of the Wisedome of Solomon for the first Lesson at evening prayer And upon the feast day of Saint Peter and of Saint Iames and of Saint Bartholomew and of Saint Matthew and of Saint Luke and of Saint Michael the Archangell the first Lesson is prescribed out of the booke called Ecclesiasticus or the Wisedome of Iesus the sonne of Syrach And for the first Lesson to bee read on many weeke dayes in the yeare it is appointed out of more of those bookes as out of the booke of Iudith of Baruch of Tobias and out of both bookes of Esdras as it may bee seene in the Kalender set in the beginning of the booke of Common Prayer The Church hath not appointed Lessons to be read publikely in Churches forth of any other bookes of how great authority soever excepting the Canonicall Scriptures Among the holy Scriptures which are in the common prayer appointed to be read for to stir up people to remember the poore there are inserted three verses out of the booke of Tobias In both Tomes of Homilies the Church with great respect hath alledged very many sayings out of the bookes called Apocrypha ascribing
unburthening of his conscience and to receive spirituall consolation and ease of minde from him We doe straightly charge and admonish him A Priest may not reveale any sinne confessed in private before him unlesse it bee such a one as for concealing whereof his owne life may be called in question by the Lawes of this Realme that he doe not at any time reveale and make knowne to any person whatsoever any crime or offence so committed to his trust and secrecie except they bee such crimes as by the Lawes of this Realme his owne life may be called into question for concealing the same under paine of irregularity In the * T. 2. p. 135. Homily concerning Common Prayer and Sacraments it is said Although absolution hath the promise of forgivenesse of sinne yet by the expresse word of the new Testament it hath not this promise annexed and tyed to the visible signe which is imposition of hands For this visible signe I meane laying on of hands is not expresly commanded in the new Testament to bee used in absolution as the visible signes in baptisme and the Lords Supper are and therfore absolution is no such Sacrament as Baptisme and the Communion are The Church hath ordained speciall confession to bee made for the committing of sundry crimes as for committing adultery for giving a blow in Church or Church-yard c. The Lord in his Law hath said And it shall be when hee shall bee guilty in one of these things that he shall o Lev. 5.5.6 confesse that he hath sinned in that thing c. And the Priest shall make an attonement for him concerning his sinne Againe it is written Speake unto the children of Israel when a man or a woman shall commit any sinne that men commit to doe a trespasse against the Lord and that partie be guilty then they shall p Numb 5.6 7 8. confesse their sinne which they have done and hee shall recompence his trespasse with the principall thereof and adde unto it the fift part thereof and give it unto him against whom hee hath trespassed But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespasse unto let the trespasse bee recompensed unto the Lord even the Priest beside the ramme of atonement whereby an atonement shall bee made for him Forasmuch as the Lord knew how his lawes given from his eternall wisdome and delivered by Moses would be by many slighted yea nothing at all regarded therefore said the Lord Iesus Thinke not that I am come to q Matth. 5.17 18 19. destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill But verily I say unto you till heaven and earth pass one jote or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled Whosoever therefore shall breake one of these least CoÌ„mandements and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven but whosoever shall doe and teach them the same shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heaven It is to be ever remembred that of every Law written by Moses whereof the ceremony is ceased the r Rom. 8.4 righteousnesse and equity intended thereby remaineth continually The Lord Iesus abolished not confession of sinne to bee made unto his ministery but in saying to his ministers Whose soever sins ye Å¿ Iohn 20.23 remit they are remitted unto them whose soever sins ye retaine they are retained necessarily implyeth that people are to make confession unto them according as the wisedome of his t Luk. 10.16 Church now prescribeth and requireth Iohn the Baptist who came in the way of righteousnesse and not with ceremonies during but a time had the people come to confession as it is written And they were baptized of him in Iordan u Mat. 3.6 Mark 1.5 confessing their sinnes Saint Iames saith Is any sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him c. and the prayer of faith shall save the sicke and the Lord shal raise him up and if he have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven him w Iames. 5.14 15 16 17 18. Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that yee may be healed And then hee sheweth how effectuall the Prophet Elias his prayer was CHAP. 64. Of Penance IN the beginning of the Service of Commination it is said Brethren in the Primitive Church there was a godly discipline that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious offenders were put to open penance and punished in this world that their soules might be saved in the day of the Lord and that others admonished by their example might be the more afraid to offend In the stead whereof untill the said discipline may be restored againe which thing is much to bee wished c. In the Service for Consecration of Bishops it is said by the Archbishop unto the Elected Bishop Will you maintaine and set forward as much as shall lie in you quietnesse peace and love among all men and such as be unquiet disobedient and criminous within you Diocesse correct and punish according to such authority as ye have by Gods Word as to you shall be committed by the Ordinance of this Realme Out of which delivery it appeareth that the Superiour Ministery hath power for to cause transgressors for to doe penance or to undergoe penalties And did not the Royall Majesty and the Law of this Realme most graciously grant such authority unto the Clergy the licentiousnesse of these times considered as the 113. Canon expresly speaketh and had not the Superiour in the Clergy a Lordly power to restraine the violent course of evill wherein many would runne and to constraine the obstinate unto a Christian conformay or else to inflict penalty on them the streame of impietie would grow exceeding great yea in these dangerous dayes as the beginning of the commination service mentioneth it would so much overflow as that the publike profession of Christian religion according as it is prescribed in the Divine Service bookes of the Church could not consist So x Rev. 20.7 8 9 10. great hath beene and still is the malice of Satan against the Apostolicall Doctrine and Discipline maintained in this Kingdome by the publike authority Saint Paul saith God hath set in his Church y 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arâ—bs exp suit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helpes in Governments And can any government bee administred without punishing the disobedient Hee saith also to the Corinthians Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use z 2. Cor. 13.10 sharpnes according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction In another place he saith What will yee shall I come unto you with a a 1 Cor. 4.21 rod or in love and in the spirit of meeknesse In the second part of the
THE CHRISTIAN DIVINITIE Contained in the Divine Service of The Church of ENGLAND Summarily and for the most part inâ—â—â—â—â—â— according as point on point dependeth conâ—â—â—ded and with the holy Scriptures plainly and plentifully confirmed Written for the furtherance of the Peoples understanding in the true Religion established by publike Authoritie And for the increase of Vnitie in that godly truth eternall BY EDMVND REEVE Bachelour in Divinitie and Vicar of the Parish of Hayes in Middlesex IER 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules AVGVSTINVS Vtile est de iisdem quaestionibus plures à pluribus fieri libros diverso style non diversa fide LONDON Printed for Nicolas Fussell and Humphrey Mosley at the signe of the Ball in Pauls Church-yard 1631. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES By the Grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. MOST dread Soveraigne The holy Fathers of the Church out of their due consideration of the defects of these times having in the liturgie for the late Fast taught to pray O Eternall God and most gratious Father wee confesse that by our manifold transgressions we have deserved whatsoever thy Law hath threatned against sinners Our contempt of thy Divine Service is great and wee heare thy word but obey it not Our charity to our neighbour is cold and our devotion to thee is frozen ReligioÌ„ is with us as in too many places besides made but a pretence for other ends then thy Service and there hath beene little or no care among us to keepe truth and peace together for the preserving of our Church and State Forgive us O Lord forgive as these and all other our grievous sinnes c. Have thereby signified to all Pastours and Ministers of the Church that they should doe their part towards the repairing of those decayes in many peoples mindes conversations The which most necessary signification beeing proceeded from them who in the Clergie are endued with the amplest understanding in all matters of Religion hath incited me though the most unworthy amoÌ„g the labourers in the Lords harvest unto greater accuration in my function and therto through helpe of the Divine grace for to compile this worke The which now with all humility I present unto your most sacred Majestie And although it is for the most part but as it were a collection of sentences out of the Divine Service Bookes of the Church for to put the common people in more remembrance and consideration of what therein is delivered concerning the principall points of Christian Divinity and a quotation of Scriptures witnessing the same yet unto all which unfainedly endeavour to know the will of God for to live obediently unto it and will unpartially read through and seriously consider every delivery therein it will appeare to be a worke profitable for to make more knowne unto the laity the established Doctrine of the Church to further them in learning their duty towards God your Highnesse and their neighbours Yea it will awake many out of their sleepe of ignorance and cause all such as are upright of heart to say Surely the Lord is in this place and we knew it not The everlasting truth of the Eternall God is abundantly delivered in the publike prayers exhortations and Homilies of the Church of England and we tooke none or but little notice of it Notwithstanding there will not be wanting spirits of disobedience which will calumniate the work and me by reason of the same Wherefore I humbly crave of your most sacred Majesty that since things of this quality are subject to the censures of persons ill-meaning and wise in their owne eyes it may receive patronage from your most gracious Highnesse Your Majesties father a Prince of most worthy ever blessed memory all the time of his happy Reigne over us shewed most pious zeale towards maintaining the Divine Service of the Church and for confirmation thereof caused the Proclamation made for the authorizing and uniformitie of the Booke of CoÌ„mon Prayer to be used throughout the Realme to bee printed with the said booke and also the booke of Homilies to be reprinted The like most godly care to conserve maintaine the Church in the unity of true religion your Highnesse in that most divine and ever most memorable declaration afore the Articles of the Church of England hath unto the great comfort of all your Majesties loyall religious people manifested testified The Lord of heaven and earth blesse your Highnes with many happy yeares That as his heavenly hand hath enriched your Majesty with many singular extraordinary graces So your Highnes may be the mirrour of the world in this latter age as most truly it already is for the prudent and zealous defending of the true Catholike and Apostolike faith unto the honour of that great God and the good of his Church through Iesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Your Majesties most humble and devoted subject EDMVND REEVE To the Reader HAving composed a summe of Divinitie out of the bookes of the Divine Service of the Church of England Whereas â—n tius work thore is often mention maâ—e of the Church therby wheresoever it is used for to signfiâ— those unto whom all people owe most faithfull obediencâ— is to be understood the Church representative where of the 139. Canon faith â—hosoever shall hereafter â—â—fâ—iâ— me that the sacred Synode of this Nation in the name of Châ—â—â—â— and by the Kings Authority assembâ—ed is not the true Church of England by representation let him bee excommunicated and not restored untill her repent and publikely revoke his wicked errour And Canon 140. saith Whosoever shall affirme that no manner of person either of the Clergy or Laity not being themselves particularly assembled in the said sacred synode are to be subject to the deâ—rces thereof in causes Ecclesiasticall made and ratified by the Kings Majesties Supreme Authority as not having given their voyces unto them let him be excommunicated and not restored untill hee repent and publikely revoke that his wicked errour it is necess for mee in some wise to declare their Authoritie that they with whom the said bookes are not in due account may have no just cause either of undervaluing the deliveries taken forth of them or of light esteeming this worke a collection of the same If all the authorized writings of a godly and learned Divine are much to be regarded then how much more are those writings to bee esteemed which are set forth by publike Authority as of the Royall Majesty of the Archbishops Bishops and the rest of the representative Church of England are assented unto by all the rest of the Clergy and are confirmed by Act of Parliament That the booke of Common prayer is thus established the Act for
in the same which doth in any wise concerne us And we thus honouring the Church our spirituall Mother God our heavenly Father will give us his blessing Hee will send us light in our understanding readinesse and obedience in our will discretion in our words and actions true serious and loyall indeavours As wee are taught to pray for in the latter part of the Prayet next after the Letany in the late Fast Booke for the peace and prosperity of Ierusalem the unity and glory of this Church State That so we may love it and prosper in it full of grace in this life and be filled with glorie in the life to come through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen An Advertisement SInce the a 2 Tim. 3.1.2.3.4 time that b Isa 5.21 Wisedome in ones owne eyes and prudence in ones owne sight hath so much abounded it is familiar with very many when they see or heare any thing delivered concerning religion if it be a matter which they affect not presently to passe an hard censure thereon though the deliverie be the very established doctrine or discipline of the Apostolicall Church of England by Law established under the Kings Majesty The c Rom. 3.13.14 Ps 140.3 poyson of aspes is under the lips of many Who say with our d Ps 14.4.3 tongue will we prevaile our lips are our owne who is Lord over us The holy Prophet saith The Lord shall cut off the tongue that speaketh proud things The holy Apostle saith e 1 Tim. 3.16 Without controversie great is the mysterie of godlinesse And though the men of God have signified that the Holy Scriptures divinity is partly f Heb. 5.12 milke for babes or little children in g 1 Cor. 1.3 Christ partly h Heb. 5.14 strong meate for the i 1 Ioh. 2.13.14 young men and partly hidden k Rev. 2.17 Manna for the fathers in God also that naturall ones l 1 Cor. 2.14 cannot know the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned yet notwithstanding so outragious is the pride and arrogancie of many who since they came to the yeares of discretion have made no progresse in regeneration or the new birth unto the m Rom. 2.2 renewing of their mind and the amendment of their n Philip. 1.27 1 Pet. 2.12 1 Pet. 1.15 Eph. 4.22 conversation according to Gods Holy word that rashly they o 2 Pet. 2.12 will speake evill of the things which they understand not and as the Apostle saith p 1 Tim. 1.7 desire to be teachers understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirme Moreover how contrary minded soever each is to other yea how greatly different they are from the minde and life prescribed in the Divine Service of the Church whom some of them sometimes will acknowledge to be their Mother Yet each one taketh for granted that the grounds in his q Prov. 21.2 Prov. 12.15 owne minde are the right and that the grounds in all r Philip. 2.3 others mindes in any manner differing from his are the wrong and withall every one for the most part of the aforesaid unhumbled heart by his owne imagined-right groundes without any feare of the Eternall Almighty God and without any reverence unto the Supreame divine Wisedome of Christs holy Church contained in the bookes of her publike worship will s 2 Pet 2.10 presume to be able to judge of yea will assume confidence and boldnesse or rather most damnable audaciousnesse to condemne deliveries in the aforesaid bookes which the Soveraigne Majesty hath ratified and the most reverend Fathers the Archbishops and all the right reverend fathers the Bishops and the rest of the whole Clergie not any one excepted Quod medicorâ—m est promittunt â—ediâ—â— tractant Faâ—â—ilia fabri Sola Scripturarum ars est quam siâ—i passâ—â— omnes vendicant Hanc garrula anus hanc delirus seneâ— have Sophisia verâ—â—sus haâ— universi praesumant laceraâ—â— docent antequam discant Hierâ—nymus in epissola aâ—â— Pauâ—aum presbyterum de omâ—bus divine hâ—storia libris which hath entred into holy orders according to such manner and sort as by the Ecclesiasticall Law it is appointed have allowed and by subscription have witnessed the same But let the unpartiall reader of this treatise following where doubt about any matter may arise throughly consider the Holy Scriptures which either are expressed or in the margent but quoted for the confirmation of the point mentioned And let none except here against because the deliveries are in no Philosophicall method but in the most vulgar plainnes for all hereof is written for the furtherance of the laity and aswell in termes as in forme and manner accommodated unto the meanest capacity All teachers which study to edifie their auditory doe well know that it is farre easier to expresse their mindes in divine matters so as the learned may comprehend than as the unlearned may but a litle apprehend It is written concerning Christ for our example that t Mark 4.33 hee spake the word unto the people as they were able to heare it There are now extant in English sundry bookes very profitable which few of the common people doe make use of for that their style and words for the most or a great part are for Schollers reading onely Great was the divine Wisedome of the Church in setting forth her Homilies in so familiar a manner And by those most sacred Sermons all Pastours and teachers should take u 2 Tim. 1.13 example how to frame their meditations unto their auditories easiest and speediest edification Furthermore let none expect to finde any common place of divinity here fully handled but let this worke be accounted only an introduction into the bookes of the divine Service where as in an Ocean of divine truth there may bee had a great abundance of information both touching he matters ensuing and also concerning many more This book may be used as a finger of one that pointeth us unto such places as we have not throughly taken notice of afore Also the godly reader shall perceive that every one which w Mat. 5.6 hungreth and thristeth after righteousnesse to have within him more and more the x Phil. 2.5 1 Cor. 2.16 minde of Christ and to have the life of Iesus more and more made y 2 Cor. 4.10 11. manifest in his body may forth of every Chapter following receive some light unto the apprehending of everlasting truth in the matter there treated on Lastly Seeing that in the bookes of divine Service there are such heavenly sentences and speeches even as the learned are delighted in reciting the sayings of the Fathers of the Greeke Latine Churches so should wee unto z Exod. 20.12 1 Cor. 4.15 Ecclus. or Ecclesiasticus 8.8.9 due honouring of the Fathers of our owne English Church enable our selves to say on every point of divinity that which they have with one
consent out of their farre most profound judgements delivered unto us in an incomparable divine manner A Table of the CHAPTERS in generall CHAP. 1 THat there is a God PAG. 1 CHAP. 2 That there is a Trinity in the Godhead PAG. 3 CHAP. 3 Of God the Father PAG. 4 CHAP. 4 Of God the Sonne PAG. 5 CHAP. 5 Of God the Holy Ghost PAG. 7 CHAP. 6 Of certaine Attributes unto God PAG. 9 CHAP. 7 Of the Creation of the World and of the Angels in speciall PAG. 13 CHAP. 8 Of the Creation of Man and of his estate in Innocencie PAG. 15 CHAP. 9 Of Mans falling from God and of the Misery of mankinde thereby PAG. 16 CHAP. 10 Of Gods Calling Mankind PAG. 18 CHAP. 11 Of Iustification PAG. 19 CHAP. 12 Of the true and liuely Faith PAG. 22 CHAP. 13 Of the Faith in the People of God which lived afore the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ ever since the fall PAG. 25 CHAP. 14 Of the Arke which Noah built and of other things in the Storie of the Old Testament PAG. 27 CHAP. 15 Of Circumcision PAG. 29 CHAP. 16 Of the Calling of Moses PAG. 31 CHAP. 17 Of the Passeover PAG. 33 CHAP. 18 Of the Law given by Moses PAG. 35 CHAP. 19 Of the Tabernacle and Temple of the Iewes PAG. 38 CHAP. 20 Of St. Iohn Baptists Preaching PAG. 40 CHAP. 21 Of the Holy Incarnation and Nativitie of our Lord Iesus Christ PAG. 42 CHAP. 22 Of Christs death PAG. 45 CHAP. 23 Of the Resurrection and Ascension of Iesus Christ PAG. 47 CHAP. 24 Of the Comming downe of the Holy Ghost PAG. 49 CHAP. 25 Of the Merite of Redemption wrought by Christ PAG. 54 CHAP. 26 Of the end for which Iesus Christ Redeemed Mankinde and who of yeares of discretion of perfect age partake of the merit of the same Redemption PAG. 56 CHAP. 27 Of Christs Priest-hood PAG. 63 CHAP. 28 Of Christs Prophetship PAG. 64 CHAP. 29 Of Christs Kingdome PAG. 66 CHAP. 30 Of Christs Mediation for his People and of the Reconciliation PAG. 68 CHAP. 31 Of Christs Iudging Mankinde PAG. 70 CHAP. 32 Of the Church of Christ PAG. 74 CHAP. 33 Of the Ministerie which Christ appointed in his Church in generall PAG. 77 CHAP. 34 Of Deacons PAG. 78 CHAP. 35 Of Priests PAG. 80 CHAP. 36 Of the Bishopricke that it is a degree aboue the Priest-hood and so ordained to be by Iesus Christ PAG. 82 CHAP. 37 Of the Distinction or disparitie among Bishops or of Arch-Bishopricke PAG. 85 CHAP. 38 Of the Prophetship that every kinde thereof is not ceased PAG. 90 CHAP. 39 Of Lord-ship which Arch-Bishops Bishops have PAG. 93 CHAP. 40 Of the Lyturgie or Divine Service of the Church in generall PAG. 94 CHAP. 41 Of the Ceremonies of the Church of England in generall PAG. 97 CHAP. 42 Of Wearing a Surplesse PAG. 101 CHAP. 43 Of the due Celebration of Sundayes and other times required by the Church to be kept holy PAG. 104 CHAP. 44 Of Prayer Thanksgiving and Confession unto God in publike and in private PAG. 111 CHAP. 45 Of Singing Psalmes and Spirituall Songs in publike in private also of singing with Musicke PAG. 116 CHAP. 46 Of the publike reading of the Holy Scriptures as also of the Homilies and of making an Exhortation in publike PAG. 119 CHAP. 47 Of Expounding the Scriptures and of Preaching also of Peoples hearing Sermons PAG. 124 CHAP. 48 Of Peoples reading the Holy Scriptures in private and of meanes helping to the Vnderstanding of thē PAG. 132 CHAP. 49 Of Reading the Bookes in the Bible which are called writings Apocrypha PAG. 142 CHAP. 50 Of the Peoples learning the most Sacred Catechisme of the Church which is in the Booke of Common Prayer PAG. 144 CHAP. 51 Of Baptisme PAG. 147 CHAP. 52 Of Godfathers and Godmothers PAG. 150 CHAP. 53 Of the signe of the Crosse made on the fore-head of the Child having received Baptisme PAG. 152 CHAP. 54 Of Confirmation commonly called Bishopping PAG. 154 CHAP. 55 Of the Holy Communion or the Sacrament of the and Blood of Iesus Christ PAG. 158 CHAP. 56 Of preparing ones selfe for to receive worthily the Holy Sacrament PAG. 166 CHAP. 57 Of Kneeling in the Act of Receiving the Sacrament PAG. 168 CHAP. 58 Of Matrimonie PAG. 170 CHAP. 59 Of the Ring used in the Solemnization of Matrimonie PAG. l72 CHAP. 60 Of thankesgiving of women after Child-birth commonly called the Churching of Women PAG. 173 CHAP. 61 Of Combination or Denouncing Gods Curse due unto sinners which will not Repent or doe neglect the same PAG. 175 CHAP. 62 Of Excommunication PAG. 177 CHAP. 63 Of Confession and Absolution in particular manner PAG. 180 CHAP. 64 Of Penance PAG. 184 CHAP. 65 Of Visiting the Sicke PAG. 187 CHAP. 66 Of the Communion of the Sicke PAG. 189 CHAP. 67 Of the Buriall of the Dead PAG. 191 CHAP. 68 Of the Reverence to be done to Almighty God in his Worship PAG. 193 CHAP. 69 Of Good Workes in generall PAG. 202 CHAP. 70 Of the Kings Soveraigntie and of bearing faith and true Allegiance to his Majestie his Heires and Successors PAG. 207 CHAP. 71 Of Submission to all Powers inferiour to the Kings Majestie PAG. 214 CHAP. 72 Of Magestrates duties in generall PAG. 217 CHAP. 73 Of Swearing PAG. 220 CHAP. 74 Of Honouring the Ministerie PAG. 224 CHAP. 75 Of Vsing the Perambulation of the Circuit of the Parish called Going a Procession PAG. 226 CHAP. 76 Of Almes-deedes PAG. 230 CHAP. 77 Of Fasting PAG. 233 CHAP. 78 Of Conversion Repentance and Regeneration PAG. 239 CHAP. 79 Of our Duty towards God as it is delivered in the most sacred Catechisme PAG. 249 CHAP. 80 Of our Duty towards our Neighbour as it is expressed in most divine manner in the Catechisme also PAG. 260 CHAP. 81 Of the Duty of the Husband unto his wife and of the Duty of the wife unto her husband PAG. 266 CHAP. 82 Of the Duty of Parents toward their children and of children towards their Parents likewise of Masters and Dames to their servants and of servants to their Masters and Dames PAG. 272 CHAP. 83 of the foure Princiall vertues PAG. 279 CHAP. 84 Of the seeven gifts of Grace PAG. 282 CHAP. 85 Of Sundry fruits of the Holy Spirit PAG. 287 CHAP. 86 Of Sundry other Vertues prescribed in the Divine Service PAG. 294 CHAP. 87 Of Satisfaction for wrong done in word or deede PAG. 306 CHAP. 88 Of Forgiving others the wrongs which they have done to us in word or deede PAG. 309 CHAP. 89 Of Examining and judging our owne selves PAG. 313 CHAP. 90 Of Seeking Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof PAG. 320 CHAP. 91 Of the Christian Vnite PAG. 326 CHAP. 92 Of Growing in the Christian faith and the Christian life PAG. 333 CHAP. 93 Of the Devill PAG. 343 CHAP. 94 Of the seven deadly Sinnes PAG. 350 CHAP. 95 Of Sundry other Sinns PAG. 360 CHAP. 96 Of the Sinne against
able to make the like vnlesse by some measure of speciall illumination from Gods Holy Spirit as many vnderstanding ones do now thinke yea and affirme And if the Heauen mentioned in the Booke of the Reuelation which is commaunded or exhorted to q Acts 18.20 reioyce ouer Babylon fallen be the reformed Church of Christ as some do expound it Is it not probable that the Apostles which are there willed to reioyce with that Heauen are the Archbishops and Bishops therein and * By putting part or the chiefe for the whole or all figuratiuely the rest of the Clergie thereof And that the Prophets there willed also to reioyce are all such as then receiued a speciall enlightening from Almighty God vnto the setting forward of the reformation and among them more especially such as were composers of the aforenamed bookes of the sacred Liturgy of the Church of England CHAP. 39. Of Lordship which Archbishops and Bishops haue IT is written that Å¿ Heb. 7.1.2 Melchisedec Priest of the high God was withall King of Salem or Ierusalem Abraham was a t Gen. 20.7 Prophet and withall a man of great u Gen. 14.14 15 temporall power Moses was a w Deut. 34.10 prophet and withall the supreme x Acts 7 35. Num. 26.16.17 Gouernour of the people of Israel vnder Almighty God He is called a King Deut. 33.5 Iethro was y Exod. 3.1 Priest of Midian and according to some interpretation he was z Exod. 2.16 in the Margent Sicautem Caldaeus Paraphrastes vertit viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Midian Eli was Priest and also a 1. Sam. 4.18 Iudge ouer Israel Samuel was a b Acts 13.20 Prophet and also c 1 Sam. 7.6 Iudge ouer Israel Dauid was a d Mat 27 35. Prophet and King also Solomon was a e Eccles 1.1 Preacher and a King also Simon was f Ecclus. 50.1 high Priest and g 1. Mac. 13.42 1. Mac. 14.47 Captaine and Gouernour of the Priests and Iewes and defender of them all If then some of the Ministery haue bin the supreme Gouernours in Nations may they not now be Gouernours if the Royall Maiestie so ordaine them Saint Iude calleth those persons h Iude 18. filthy dreamers which doe despise dominion and speake euill of dignities CHAP. 24. Of the Liturgie or Diuine Seruice of the Church in generall IN the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 6. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church the publike Seruice of the Lord is sayd to be The teaching and hearing of his Holy Word the calling vpon his holy Name the giuing thankes vnto him for his great and innumerable benefits and the due ministring of the Sacraments In the * T. 2. p. 138. Homily of Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd That Basilius Magnus and Iohannes Chrysostomus did in their time prescribe publike orders of publike administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appointed the people to answere vnto the prayer of the Minister sometime Amen sometime Lord haue mercy vpon vs sometime And with thy Spirit and We haue our hearts lifted vp vnto the Lord c. In the same * To. 2. p. 134. Homily it is also sayd By the histories of the Bible it appeareth that publike and common Prayer is most auaileable before God and therefore is much to be lamented that it is no better * Euen shortly after that the Diuine Seruice was set foorth the Diuell wrought in many people a more and more neglecting of it esteemed among vs which professe to be but one body in Christ It is said in the Preface before the Common Prayer That the first original and ground of the diuine Seruice of a man would search out by the ancient Fathers he shall finde that the same was not ordained but of a good purpose and for a great aduancement of godlinesse c. Saint Paul sayd vnto Timothy i 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Moses from the Lord prescribed vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes a forme of blessing the people saying k Num. 6.23.24.25.26 On this wise yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe the The Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace It is very considerable hereto that which is written of King Hezekiah in the booke of Chronicles That he and the Princes commanded the Leuites to sing praise vnto the Lord l 2. Chro. 29.30 with the words of Dauid and of * With the wordes also which Asaph deliuered which were as a Forme of praise or of praising God Asaph the Seer My sonne sayth m Pro. 1.8.9 Solomon heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother For they shall be an ornament of grace vnto thine head and chaines about thy necke Solomon repeateth this precept of God to the ende wee may take it all vnto heart as a matter most greatly concerning vs. n Pro 6.21 22.23 My sonne keepe thy Fathers commandement and forsake not the law of thy Mother Binde them continually vpon thine heart and tye them about thy necke For the commandement is a Lampe and the law is light o Haeresi septua gesima qâ—inta contra Aâ—â—â—um de quâ—busâ—am traditionibus loquens Ecclesia inquit necessariò hoc persâ—eâ—â— traditione à patribus accepta Quis autem poterit statutum nâ—atâ—â—s dissoluâ—re aut legem patris velut Solomon dicit Audi fili sermonem patris tui ne repud es statuta matris tuae ostendens per hoc quòd in scriptis sine scripto dacuit pater hoc est Deus vnigenâ—tus spiritus sancius Mater autem nosira Ecclesia babet statuta in se posita indissolâ—â—bil a quae dâ—solui non possunt Epiphanius an ancient holy Father vnderstandeth by the word mother in this Scripture to be meant the Church who hath besides the holy Scriptures the Commandement of God our Father a distinct law teaching or instruction the which all her members are bound to obserue most diligently by vertue of this charge thereto giuen by God through the ministery of Solomon The Christian Church is our mother if God bee our Father as it is written Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the p Gal. 4.26 mother of vs all God ordinarily begetteth none without his Church but in the q Psal 110.3 wombe of his Church they are conceiued thence they come to the r Isa 66.8.9 birth they Å¿ Isa 66.11.12
sucke at the breasts they are borne on her sides and dandled vpon her knees Shee feedeth them with t 1. Cor 3.2 milke first afterward with stronger meate she nourisheth cherisheth and bringeth them vp vntill they become to be u Col. 1.28 perfect in Iesus Christ The Church of England our mother hath in her Booke of Common Prayer as Iohn the Baptist w Luke 11.1 taught his Disciples to pray set foorth vnto vs formes of prayer and thankes giuing for vs to vse and for our better information how to speake vnto the great God of heauen and earth And in her booke of Homilies she hath deliuered a x 2. Tim. 1.13 2. Tim. 2.2 forme of wholesome Doctrine in faith and loue to be publikely read vnto her members And saith Paul to Timothy Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which which is in Christ Iesus Most memorable is that saying of his vnto the Philippians Finally brethren y Phil. 4.8 whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are louely whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there bee any praise thinke on these things And what he sayth to the Romanes is considerable Yee haue obeyed from the heart that * Rom 6.17 forme of doctrine which was deliuered you CHAP. 41. Of the Ceremonies of the Church of England in generall IN the Treatise of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained set afore the Common Prayer it is said Of such Ceremonies as bee used in the Church and have had their beginning by the institution of man some at the first were of Godly intent and purpose devised c. Other there bee which although they have beene devised by man yet it is thought good to reserve them still as wel for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first devised as because they appertaine unto z 1 Cor. 10.31 and 14.12 Rom. 14.19 edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth ought to bee referred And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing Yet the wilfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God a 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order The appointment of the which order pertaineth not to b Hag. 1.14 2 King 18.4 2 Chron. 34.3 4 5 6 7. 17.6 private men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor to presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except hee be lawfully called and authorized thereunto In the said Preface it is afterward said Christs Religion is content onely with those Ceremonies which doe serve to a decent order and Godly discipline and such as bee apt to stirre up the dull minde of man to the c Num. 15.38.39.40 remembrance of his dutie to God by some notable speciall signification whereby hee might be edified c. But now as concerning those persons which peradventure will bee offended for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still If they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceive just cause to reforme their judgements And if they thinke much that any of the old remaine and would rather have all devised anew then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to bee had surely where the old may bee well used there they cannot reasonably reproove the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to have reverence unto them for their antiquity if they will declare themselves to be more studious of d Eph 4.3 unity and concord than of innovations and new fanglenesse which as much as may be with the true setting forth of Christs Religion is alwayes to be eschewed And saith the Church afterward in these our doings wee e Rom. 14.4.13 Luke 6.17 condemne no other Nations nor prescribe any thing but to our owne People onely For wee thinke it convenient that every Country should use such Ceremonies as they shall thinke best to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the People to a most * The end why the Apostolical Church of England useth Ceremoniâ—â— perfect and Godly living without errour or superstition Also in the Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer set afore the beginning thereof it is said If there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the orders appointed in this Booke the Q. Majestie may by the like advise of the said Commissioners or Metropolitane ordaine publish such further ceremonies or rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments That the Church hath power to ordaine Ceremonies signifying good things not onely that saying of Salomon f Prov. 6.20.23 Forsake not the Law of thy mother for her Law is a light prooveth it but the example of the Reubenites Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh in their building an Altar whereunto they had no precept in the Law of Moses who when they were accused by others of the children of Israel to have committed a trespasse against the God of Israel to have turned away from following the Lord in building an Altar which hee had not commanded in Moses law answered g Ios 12. â—2 c. We have not built it in rebellion nor in transgression against the Lord to turne from following the lord or to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering or peace offerings but rather have done it for feare of this thing saying In time to come your children might speake unto our children saying what have you to doe with the Lord God of Israel For the Lord hath made Iordan a border betweene us and you c. Wee have built it that it may be a witnes betweene us and you and our generations after us that wee might doe the service of the Lord c. Which answer when Phinehas the Priest heard hee said h Ios 22.30 31 32 33 34. This day wee perceive that the Lord is among us because yee have not committed this trespasse against the Lord. And the children of Reuben and Gad called the Altar Ed For it shall bee a witnesse betweene us that the Lord is God Had not Ionadab the sonne of Rechab power to command his sonnes to i Ier. 35.6 7 8 9 10. drinke no wine to build no house nor sow seed nor plant Vineyard nor have any but all their dayes to dwell in tents And was
not their obedience to their father commended by the Lord and their fathers making such lawes approved by God in that he said k Ier. 35.18 19. Because yee have obeyed the commandement of Ionadab your father and have kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded Therfore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever And if all the commandements and precepts of a private father are to bee kept which God hath not forbidden Then how much more all the commandements precepts and ordinances of the fathers of the Church which God hath not forbidden ought to bee most conscionably observed S. Peter commanded the people of God to submit unto l 2 Pet 2.13 every ordinance of man for the Lords sake even of such governours as were not Christians How much more then to every ordinance of Christian powers ought wee to be obedient The Ceremonies now used by the Church of England are as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionysius said of the like in his time resemblances framed according to things spiritually understood whereunto they serve as a hand to lead and a way to direct God hath commanded his people to use Ceremonies for to put them in minde of their duties as it is written in the booke of Numbers m Num. â—â— 38 39 40. Speake unto the children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the border a ribband of blue And it shall be unto you for a fringe that yee may looke upon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and doe them Such as oppose to the established Ceremonies of the Church of England say They would have nothing used in the worship of God but what the Scripture expresseth and with the word Scripture Scripture they triumph among the simple But when as the truely learned in the holy Scriptures do examine their deliveries they discerne that much which those spirits of disobedience do call Scripture is Scripture of their own framing For it is most usuâ—l with them when a Scripture is alleaged testifying expresly against them to put it off by saying wee must not cleave to the letter but to the meaning namely a meaning which they will devise contrary to the letter which is the Scripture Also the leaâ—â—eder among them pretending the originall Text to make for them against the sacred deliveries of holy Church doe either adde thereto or take there from or wrest the same and that ye seeke not after your owne heart and your owne eyes after which yee use to goe a whoring That yee may remember and doe all my commandements and be holy unto your God CHAP. 42. Of wearing a Surplisse IN the order where morning and evening prayer shall be used and said set before the beginning of the common prayer it is delivered That the Minister at the time of the Communion and at other times in his ministration shall use such Ornaments in the Church as were in use by Authoritie of Parliament in the second yeare of the Reigne of Edward the sixt according to the Act of Parliament set in the beginning of this a Namely of the bocke of Common Prayer booke Among which Ornaments the Surplisse is one In Canon 74. it is said The true ancient and flourishing Churches of Christ being ever desirous that their Prelacie and Clergie might bee had as well in outward reverence as otherwise regarded for the worthinesse of their Ministery did thinke it fit by a prescript forme of decent and comely apparell to have them knowne to the people and thereby to receive the honour and estimation due to the speciall Messengers and Ministers of Almighty God And towards the end thereof it is said In all which particulars concerning the apparell here prescribed our meaning is not to attribute any holinesse or speciall worthinesse to the said garments but for decencie gravity and order When Almightie God ordained his Leviticall Priesthood he commanded Moses saying b Exod 28.2 Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty Whereof Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith c Ecclus. 45.7 8 9 10 11 12. God beautified Aaron with comely Ornaments and cloathed him with a robe of glory The Lord by Ezekiel in the restauration of his worship in the Temple giveth speciall charge how the Priests shall be clad in their ministration saying d Ezek. 44.17 18. And it shall come to passe that when they enter in at the gates of the inner Court they shall bee cloathed with linnen garments and no Wooll shall come upon them whiles they minister in the gates of the inner Court and within They shall have linnen Bonnets upon their heads and shall have linnen Breeches upon their loynes they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat In Exodus it is said e Exod. 39.27 There were made Coates of fine linnen of woven worke for Aaron and for his sonnes Is it any where forbidden in the new Testament to the Ministers of the Christian Religion for to weare garments in any manner like to the garments which God ordained his Ministers to weare afore the Incarnation of Iesus Christ Doth not rather the equitie and f Rom. 8.4 righteousnesse of Moses law concerning ministeriall garments now binde Gods Ministers whiles they are executing their Office in the Church to bee attired differently from lay men Wherefore have Angels since Christs death appeared in their service cloathed in long g Mar. 16.5 white raiment but to signifie that such manner garment best beseemeth Gods Ministers his h Mal. 3.1 Rev. 1.20 Augels whiles they are in performing the Divine service Why is it written in the Revelation that the seven Angels came out of the Temple cloathed in pure and i Rev. 15.6 white linnen but to signifie that pure white linnen is the fittest rayment for Angels or Ministers whiles they serve in any Temple And if it bee granted to the wife of the Lambe that shee should be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and k Rev. 19.8 Hieronymus contra Pelagian libro primo scribit Quae sunt rogâ— inimicitiae contra Deum si Episcopus Presbyter Diaconus reliquus ordo Ecclesiasticus in administratione sâ—c rificiorum câ—ndida veste processerint white for the fine linnen is the. righteousnesse of the Saints Why may it not bee granted to her more excellent Members to be so arrayed in presence of that Lambe and in his publike service with materiall fine linnen cleane and white in fignification of the righteousnes of Saints wherewithal they ought most conspicuously or eminently to be l Ps 132.9 arrayed The generall rule without all exception given by the Holy Ghost concerning matters in publike worship cannot but
or most chiefely in observing Ceremonies It is written in the booke of Ester that the Church of God then p Esther 9.21 celebrated two dayes in memorie of the Lords most wonderfull protection of them and deliverance of them from the plot of Haman It is not written that they had any law of God requiring it neither that they received any speciall revelation for to signifie unto them that they ought so to doe but that they did it from the Common q Prov. 8.14 15 16. wisedome with which God endueth his Church at all times There is also mention of a seast in the Gospell according to S. Iohn called The feast of the r 1 Mac. 4.59 dedication which the Church of God then the people of the Iewes had along time observed in ſ Ioh. 10.22.23 celebration whereof it seemeth that Christ was present which was not ordained by divine Law nor by Revelation but by the common devotion of the Church as it is recorded in the Book of Maccabees Moreover the people of God on such holy dayes were not onely to abstaine from their ordinary t Lev. 23.7 vocation or worke but also they were to assemble unto the place of Gods publike worship and there to perfome such religious duties as God and his Church had appointed The which may appeare out of the booke of Chronicles where it is delivered that David ordained of the ministerie to stand every morning to to thanke and praise the Lord and likewise at even and to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the Sabbaths in the new moones and on the u 1 Chron. 23.30 31. set feasts by number according to the order commanded unto them continually before the Lord. Of the place wherein holy duties are to be performed by people or a cōgregation Now concerning the place where holy duties upon Sundaies and other Holy dayes are to bee performed the first part of the x T. 2. p. 126 127 128. homily concerning the place and time of prayer declareth to bee the materiall temple or the parish-Church unto which the people are by the Law required for to repaire and duly frequent where Christ hath promised to bee y Mat. 18.20 present and where he will heare the prayers of thē that call upon him Our godly predecessours and the ancient fathers of the primitive Church saith that Homily spared not their goods to build Churches no they spared not their lives in time of persecution and to hazard their blood that they might assemble themselves together in Churches And shall we spare a little labour to come to Churches Shall neither their example nor our duty nor the Commodities that thereby should come unto us move us If we will declare our selves to have the feare of God if wee will shew our selves true Christians if wee will be the followers of Christ our master and of those godly fathers which have lived before us and have now received the reward of true and faithfull Christians wee must both willingly earnestly reverently come unto the materiall Churches and Temples to pray as unto fit places appointed for that use and that upon the Sabbath day as at most convenient time for Gods people to cease from bodily and worldly businesse to give themselves to holy rest and godly contemplation pertaining to the service of Almighty God Whereby wee may reconcile our selves to God be partakers of his holy Sacraments and bee devout hearers of his holy word so to bee established in faith to Godward in hope against all adversity and in charity toward our neighbours * T. 2. p. 131. Also to have our poore and needy neighbours in remembrance and from the Church to depart better and more godly than wee came thither The Lord hath said p Exod. 16.29 Abide yee every man in his place Let no man goe out of his place on the seventh or Sabbath day Yet there was prescribed a Sabbath dayes q Act. 1.12 journey and that appeareth to be but as unto ones owne parish Church ordinarily The aforesaid * T. 2. p. 127. Homily saith That the Tabernacle was as it were the parish Church of the Iewes being in the Wildernesse Vide Tremel annot ad Iam. 2. A Chaldee Paraphrase upon Ruth saith and the Chaldean Paraphrases are the most ancient interpretations of Moses and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are now common to the Church of God That we are commanded to observe the Sabbath good dayes not to walke unlesse 2000 cubits which distance appeareth to bee the space between the place of the Camp and the place where the Arke was as Ioshua said r Ios 3.3 4. There shal be a space between you it above 2000 cubits by measure And such a distance the suburbs belonging to Cities were to be from them round about as it is written in the booke of f Num. 35.5 Numbers Lastly concerning the due celebration of the Sabbath day it is also said in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 2. Homily concerning the right use of the Church That unto the house or Temple of God at all times by common order appointed are all people that bee godly indeed bound with all diligence to resort unlesse by sicknes or other most urgent causes they be letted therefro And all the same so resorting thither ought with all quietnesse and reverence there to behave themselves in doing their bounden duty and service to Almighty God in the Congregation of the Saints In the said part of that * P. 4. Homily it is further delivered That Iesus came t Ioh. 8.2 early in the morning into the Temple and all people came unto him and hee sate downe and taught them And in S. Luke it is said v Luke 21.38 Iesus taught in the Temple and all the people came early in the morning unto him that they might heare him in the Temple Here yee see as well the diligence of our Saviour in teaching the word of God in the Temple daily and specially on the Sabbath dayes as also the readinesse of the people resorting all together and that early in the morning into the Temple to heare him The Lord commāded the people of Israel to w Num. 28.9.10 offer more on the Sabbath day then on any other day And was it not for our x 2 Tim. 3.16 instruction in righteousnesse that wee ought on that day to spend more time in every religious exercise than on any other day cōmonly The * In Canon 90. and Article 30. of our Church-discipline also Law of the Church is that We be present in the Temple at the beginning of the divine Service and that unlesse through some urgent occasion we depart not untill every part of the divine Service be ended Also all persons of every Family that are able in any wise to understand any part of the publike worship unles such
Iesus concerning you And Isaiah signifieth that thankesgiving acceptable to God consisteth not in words onely where he saith u Isa 5.16 God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousnes In another place he saith w Isa 66.5 Heare ye the word of the Lord yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appeare to your joy and they shall bee ashamed Memorably saith the Church in the Communion service It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thankes unto thee O Lord Holy Father Almighty Everlasting God Of confession to God Concerning publike confession of our sinnes unto God the Divine Service beginneth with one that is generall and likewise there is a generall confession to be made afore receiving of the holy Communion The Prophet Daniel made a solemne x Dan. 9.4 confession unto God in the behalfe of the Iewes in generall that were with him in captivity in Babylon And Baruch wrote a long y Bar. 1.14.15 c. confession for the Iewes at Ierusalem to make reading it in the House of the Lord upon the feasts and solemne dayes There is also private confession of our sins to be made unto God whereof it is said in the second part of the * T. 2. Homily of repentance that it is the second part of repentance And the Homily saith If we will with a sorrowfull and contrite heart make an unfeined confession of our sinnes unto God hee will freely and frankly forgive them and so put all our wickednesse out of remembrance before the sight of his Majestie that they shall no more be z Heb. 8.12 thought upon Hereunto doth pertaine the golden saying of David where he saith on this manner a Ps 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne unto thee neither did I hide mine iniquitie I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse unto the Lord and thou forgavest the ungodlinesse of my sinne These are also the words of Iohn the Evangelist b 1 Iohn 1.9 10. If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgive us our sinnes and to make us cleane from all our wickednesse Which ought to be understood of the confession made unto God This is then the chiefest and most principall confession that in the Scriptures and Word of God wee are bidden to make and without the which wee shall never obtaine pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes The Prodigall sonne made such a confession saying c Luke 15.21 Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Salomon saith d Prov. 28.13 Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy CHAP. 45. Of singing Psalmes and spirituall songs in publike and in private and also of singing with musicke IN the title of the Psalmes in meeter in the Booke of Common prayer it is thus said The whole booke of Psalmes collected into English meeter by c. Conferred with the Hebrew with apt notes to sing them withall Set forth and allowed to bee sung in all Churches of all people together before and after morning and evening prayer as also before and after sermons and moreover in private houses for their godly solace and comfort laying apart all ungodly songs and Ballads which tend onely to the nourishing of vice and corrupting of youth Iames 5.13 If any be afflicted let him pray and if any be merry let him sing Psalmes And then in the Common prayer booke of that forme which is appointed for Churches there is added a Treatise made by Athanasius the great cōcerning the use and vertue of the Psalmes whose beginning is thus and a delivery most memorable All holy Scripture is certainly the teacher of all vertue and of true faith but the booke of Psalmes doth expresse after a certaine manner the very state and condition of the soule For as he which intendeth to present himselfe to a King first will compound with himselfe to set in good order both his gesture and his speech lest else he might be reputed rude and ignorant even so doth this godly booke informe all such as be desirous to lead their life in vertue and to know the life of our Saviour which hee ledd in his conversation putting them in minde in the reading thereof of all their affections and passions whereto their soule is inclined c. And then doe follow 99. signifyings of what Psalmes may be sung even upon most occasions that come to passe in this present life And both before and also after the Psalmes in meeter there are sundry spirituall songs which may be sung upon sundry occasions unto the great comfort of the minde * Of singing with musicke Concerning singing in publike it is said in the booke of Ezra e Ezra 3.10 11. When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord they set the Priests in their apparell with Trumpets and the Levites the sonnes of Asaph with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the Ordinance of Dauid King of Israel And they sang together by course in praising and giving thankes unto the Lord because hee is good for his mercy indureth for ever towards Israel And in the booke of Chronicles it is said f 1 Chron. 16.7 David delivered a Psalme to thanke the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren The which holy Prophet hath said g Ps 148.11 12 13 14. Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the earth both young men and maydens old men and Children let them praise the name of the Lord. h Ps 149.1 3. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of Saints let them sing praises unto him with Timbrell and Harpe i Ps 150.1 Praise yee God in his Sanctuary k Ps 95.1 2. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyfull noyse to the rocke of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thankesgiving and make a ioyfull noyse unto him with Psalmes l Ps 100.1 Serve the Lord with gladnesse come before his presence with singing Saint Paul said to the Church of Ephesus Be m Eph. 5.18 19 filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord. n Ps 150.3 4 5. Praise the Lord saith David with the sound of the Trumpet praise him with the Psaltery and Harpe Praise him with the Timbrell and daunce praise him with stringed instruments and Organs Praise him upon the loud Cymbals praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals It is written that Moses and the Children of Israel o Exod. 15.1 sang a song unto the Lord. And that p
heare sermons And if they duely hearken unto the Homilies read in their Parish Church they in part doe their duty concerning hearing sermons For the Homilies are nothing else but * And so are often named in the booke of Homilies sermons And yet they are such sermons as are not made by any private spirit but by the publike spirit of the Church and are allowed by the whole Clergy of the same In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 265. Homily of repentance it is said Wee must bee diligent to read and heare the Scriptures and the Word of God which most lively doe paint out before our eyes our naturall uncleannesse and the enormity of our sinfull life For unlesse wee have a through feeling of our sinnes how can it bee that we should earnestly be sory for them Afore n 2 Sam. 12.7 c. David did heare the word of the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan what heavinesse I pray you was in him for the adultery and the murder that he had committed So that it might be said right wel that he slept in his owne sin We read in the Acts of the Apostles that when the people had heard the sermon of Peter they were compunct o Act. 2.37 pricked in their hearts Which thing would never have been if they had not heard that wholesome sermon of Peter They therfore that have no p Ier. 5.9 and 2.13 mind at all neither to read nor yet to heare Gods Word there is but small hope of them that they will as much as once set their feet or take hold upon the first staffe or step of this Ladder of repentance but rather will sinke deeper and deeper into the bottomlesse pit of perdition Besides the Sermons the Homilies the Church willeth us to heare other also such as are made by Preachers lawfully licensed and are preached according to the Law of the Church also The constitutions and * Canons Ecclesiasticall require Every beneficed man Canon 46. that is not allowed to bee a Preacher to procure sermons to be preached in his Cure once in every moneth at the least by Preachers lawfully licensed if his living in the judgement of the Ordinary will be able to beare it And upon every Sunday when there shall not bee a sermon preached in his Cure he or his Curate shall reade some one of the Homilies prescribed As the Ordinary disposeth unto every Parish concerning preaching so is every Parishioner to rest contented therewith The true Christian religion doth not totally consist in the q Iam. 1.22 23 24 25. Mat. 7.24 25 26 27. hearing of sermons preached every Sunday Christs Kingdome of grace as the Apostle Paul hath delivered is not in r 1 Cor. 4.20 word but in power It is Å¿ Rom. 14.17 18 19. righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace things wherwith one may edifie another That Counsell given by Iesus the sonne of Syrach is in no wise to bee neglected t Ecclus. 8.9 When a sermoÌ„ is made every person of that Parish ought to be present at it if he may Misse not the discourse of the Elders for they also learned of their fathers and of them thou shalt learne understanding to give answer as need requireth but as the Apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and according to order A devout person may heare as many sermons preached as hee can but so as he transgresseth no law of the Church therby For if he doth transgresse the Ecclesiasticall law by his going abroad to heare sermons preached if he offendeth the Pastour or Curate over him if he by absenting himselfe from his Parish Church be a scandall to those of his Parish then is his hearing of sermons preached in other Parish Churches but as Sauls sacrifice unto whom Samuels saying is worthy of perpetuall memory w 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rammes For rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmacbus vertit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stubborne ones are Idolaters in that they worship or follow their owne minde and will and refuse to follow the minde and will of Christ and his Church See Ezek. 14.4 5 6. stubbornnesse is as iniquity and Idolatry The Gospell of Iesus Christ commandeth thus x 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake y Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soule be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Wherefore Paul said unto Titus Bishop of the Church of the Cretians z Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to bee ready to every good worke Saint Paul also said to the Christians a Phil. 3.17 Brethren bee followers together of me and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an ensample Who said most remarkeably b 1 Cor. 9.19.20 21 22 23. Though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all that I might gaine the more And unto the Iewes I became as a Iew that I might gaine the Iewes To them that are under the law as under the law that I might gaine them that are under the law To them that are without law as without law being not without law to God but under the law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some And this I doe for the Gospels sake or as Saint Peter saith for the c 1 Pet. 2 1â—1 Lords sake who hath commanded all that would be his people for to obey every Ordinance of man that is not contrary to the everlasting OrdinaÌ„ces of his holy Gospell Such as breake the order of the Church where they live in contemning or neglecting the Divine service there under pretence of conscience unto hearing of the Word preached would they conscionably but consider of matters they might by the grace of God see their aberration It is preaching that they cry out for Let them marke what is said in the Acts Moses of old time hath in every Citie them that preach him being d Act. 15.1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Doth not the Apostle signifie in those his words that in reading of
Moses Moses is preached What is it to preach though the terme be now by an excellency commonly used for to make a sermon of about an houre long in the Pulpit is it not openly to make knowne the Doctrine of Christian faith and life And is not then the heavenly trueth e In Luke 8.39 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is many times translated preaching is rendred published published or preached in the reading of the lessons the Epistle and the Gospell Is not Gods truth as concerning godlinesse f So in Luke 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sometimes is rendred shall be treached as in Mat. 24 14. is there rendred shall bee proclaimed published in the reading of the common prayer in the reading of the Homilies in the explaining of the Catechisme in the Divine service and by instructing the ignorant in the same Let such as so sleight contemne or neglect the Divine service-deliveries examine themselves if they be not of like minde to those of whom it is written in Ezechiel g Ezek. 33.30 31 32. that will speake one to another every one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that cōmeth forth from the Lord And they come unto thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse And loe thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce and can play well on an Instrument for they heare thy words but they doe them not Or rather if they be not such as Saint Paul foretold would be in the last dayes h 2 Tim. 4.3.4 who will not endure sound Doctrine but after their owne lusts will heape to themselves teachers having itching eares and they will turne away their eares from the trueth and will be turned unto fables Being also lovers i 2 Tim. 3.2 4 5. of their owne selves boasters proud disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection false accusers fierce despisers of those that are good heady high minded c. having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof Were it the righteousnesse of faith and life which they k Mat. 5.6 hungred and thirsted after and as the sacred Letany saith to have the grace of Gods holy Spirit for to amend their lives according to his holy Word also for to have an heart to love and dread God and diligently to live after his Commandements They by the grace of Christ should perceive in the books of Divine service frō the publike hearing of the same a plentifull helpe to bee towards attaining that l Phil. 3.14 make as also by the reading of the holy Scriptures which the Church hath translated for them into the English tongue Who now a dayes attaineth unto that soundnesse of faith and unto that measure of holinesse and righteousnesse of life as is prescribed and taught plainly in the bookes of the Divine service Is it any godlinesse or true devotion or any property of the Christian profession for people having most wholesome food by the greatest wisedome and care of the Church prepared and so disposed as it may bee profitably received and inwardly digested unto the great increase of holy understanding and upright living in their owne Parish for to goe out thence ordinarily for food abroad with violating the established order of the Church giving offence to the Minister and a great m 1 Cor. 10.32.24.33 Rom. 14.13.19 1 Cor. 8.13 scandall to the people of the congregation CHAP. 48. Of peoples reading the holy Scriptures in private and of meanes helping unto the understanding of them THE very first of all the sacred sermons or * T. 1. p. 1. Homilies of the Church is titled a fruit full exhortation to the reading and knowledge of holy Scripture and it saith Vnto a Christian man there can bee nothing either more necessary or profitable than the knowledge of holy Scripture forasmuch as in it is contained Gods true Word setting forth his glory and also mans n 2 Tim. 3.16 17. duty And there is no truth nor doctrine o Isa 8.20 necessary for our justification and everlasting salvation but that is or may be drawne out of that Fountaine and Well of truth Therefore as many as bee desirous to enter into the right and perfect way unto God must apply their mindes to know holy Scripture without the which they can neither p Mat. 22.29 Ier. 8.9 sufficiently know God and his will neither their office and duty And as drinke is pleasant to them that be dry and meat to them that be hungry So is the reading hearing searching and studying of holy Scripture to them that be desirous to know God or themselves and to q Ps 19.10 and 119.103 Iohn 7.17 Ps 103.18 Mat. 7.21 doe his will And their stomacks onely doe r Mat. 7.6 2 Pet. 2.22 Phil. 3.19 loath and abhorre the heavenly knowledge and food of Gods Word that be so drowned in worldly f Eph. 4.17 Ier. 2.5 vanities that they neither t Rom. 8.5 savour God nor any godlinesse For that is the cause why they desire such vanities rather than the true knowledge of God And so along forward the said Homily delivereth sentences worthy to bee printed in letters of gold yea to be laid up in the secret of our hearts In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 143. Homily an information for them which take offence at certaine places of the holy Scripture it is said The great utility and profit that Christian men and women may take if they will by hearing and reading the holy Scriptures dearely beloved no heart can sufficiently conceive much lesse is my tongue able with words to expresse Wherefore Satan our enemy seeing the Scriptures to bee the very meane and right way to bring people to the true knowledge of God and that Christian religion is greatly furthered by diligent hearing and reading of them hee also perceiving what an hinderance and lett they bee to him and his kingdome doth what he can to drive the reading of them out of Gods Church And so forward it treateth in a wonderfull Divine manner In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 230. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said No where can we more certainly search for the knowledge of the will of God by the which we must direct all our workes and deeds but in the holy Scriptures for they be they that u Iohn 5.39 testifie of him saith our Saviour Christ We see with what vanity the schoole doctrine is mixed for that in this Word they sought not the w Eph. 5.17 Rom. 12.2 will of God but rather the will of reason the trade of custome the path of the fathers the practice of the Church Let
soone as hee shall be able to learne what a solemne vow promise and profession he hath made by you And that hee may know these things the better ye shall call upon him to a Neh. 8.2 Deut 31.12 heare sermons and chiefly you shall provide that he may learne the b 2 Tim. 1.13 Creed the c Luke 11.1 Lords prayer and the d Deut. 11.19 20 21 22. Exod 34.28 ten Commandements in the English tongue and e Prov. 22.6 all other things which a Christian man ought to know and beleeve to his soules health and that this Child may be f Eph. 5.4 vertuously brought up to lead a godly and a g Gen. 18 Christian life c. The Prophet Isaiah hath written h Isa 8.1 2 3. The Lord said unto me Take thee a great Roule and write in it with a mans Pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz And I tooke unto me faithfull witnesses to record Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Ieberechiah And I went unto the Prophetesse and shee conceived and bare a sonne then said the Lord to mee call his name Mahor-shalal-hash-baz Hence it is * Atque ex hoc ritu profectum esse illum nostruÌ„ conslat quo certi homines speciatim maximè verò calamitosis temporibus ut ista futura erant adbibentur iestes accessus ad Christum et ad ecclesiam per baptismum nominis baptismo inditi ex quo ritu Propheta occasionem sumpsit ut testes filijsui ad alterâ—â— hoc singulare testimonium adhiberet Hos vulgus compatres commatres Graeci olim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarunt Iunius in Annot. ad Is 8.2 observed that Isaiah tooke unto him Vriah and Zechariah for witnesses of the Childes naming the Prophet would not name the Child but before some of the Church Also childrens names were given at their circumcision as it is testified of Iohn the Baptists i Luke 1.59 60 63. naming Yea also when our Lord Christ had the k Luke 2.21 name Iesus by Ioseph pronounced on him Moreover from the holy Prophets example of taking of witnesses unto the Childes naming and from that the Children were named in their circumcision the ancieÌ„t holy fathers ordained that there should be witnesses of childrens names given at their baptisme as also of their baptizing and withall they should l Phil. 2.4 1 Cor. 12.25 Ecclus. 4.10 Iam. 1.27 undertake to doe unto them that good Christian Office as afore was related out of the Exhortation in the Baptisme Service said unto the God fathers and God mothers CHAP. 53. Of the signe of the Crosse made on the forehead of the child having received Baptisme IT is said in the rubricke set after the words of the act of baptizing concerning the child baptized that then the priest shall make a crosse upon the childes forehead saying Wee receive this child into the congregation of Christs flocke and doe signe him with the signe of the crosse in token that hereafter hee shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sinne the World and the Devill and to continue Christs faithfull souldier and servant unto his lives end Even as those of the children of Israel which built an Altar for which they had no commandement in the Law of Moses transgressed not for that they did it for a m Ios 22.22 c. good signification So the Church our mother who hath power to make n Pro. 6.20 See Chap. 41. afore See the twentieth Article of the religion established law teaching or instruction besides what is expressed in the holy Scriptures so that nothing be done contrary to the everlasting precepts of the Gospell of Iesus Christ shee in using this ancient godly Ceremonie though to use the which there is no expresse commandement in the Bible in no wise transgresseth for that shee doth it for a good signification and to informe her members of a maine duety which all of yeares of discretion are bound to endeavour faithfully to performe under o Rom. 8.13 Rev. 21.7.8 Ps 78.8.9.10 paine of perishing everlastingly Our mother doth by that signe made on our foreheads put us in remembrance of the Christian warfare that every one baptized is to enter into and to p Mat. 10 22. Rev. 2.10.11 1 Tim. 5.12 continue in unto the end that will be saved Wee are not signed with the signe of the Crosse in token of any superstitious matter but of a matter most necessary required by the Gospell that all must confesse namely the faith of Christ q Gal. 6.14 Gal. 3.13.14 Cal. 2 14.15 crucified and also of manfull fighting under Christs banner against sinne the world and the Devill and also of continuing Christs faithfull souldiers and servants unto our lives end These maine Christian duties who so unfainedly endeavoureth to performe is in no wise offended at the signe used for to put people in mind of them but thanketh God that hee is borne in a Church where not onely the true Christian life is taught by tongue and penne but also is signified by some Ceremonie for ones r Num. 16 38 39 40. more remembrance of the same S. Paul said s God forbid that I should glory save in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world He saith unto Timothy t 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of faith v 2 Tim. 2 3 4 5. Thou therefore endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Iesus Christ w 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought the good fight To the Corinthians hee saith The x 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5 6. weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds To the Ephesians he lively declareth the spirituall enemies and with what weapons y Eph. 6.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. wee are to fight against them saying Finally my brethren bee strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers against the Å¿ Gal 6.14 rulers of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that yee may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand c. In the booke of the Revelation the spirituall blessings or promises which are made to the seven Churches in Asia are propounded unto each Church to that person which z Rev 2.7.11.17.26 Rev. 3.5.12.21 overcommeth also it is added a Rev. 2.26 which keepeth my workes unto the end and bee thou faithfull unto the b Rev. 2.10 death It is said in another place He that c Rev. 21.7.8 overcommeth shall inherit
all things I will bee his God and he shall be my sonne But the fearefull and unbeleeving c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Who so would read the lawfull use of the signe of the crosse made after baptisme explaned may see in the thirtieth Canon of the Church the same with much godly wisedome delivered And there it is said Among some other very ancient Ceremonies the signe of the Crosse in baptisme hath beene retained in this Church by the judgement and practise of those reverend fathers and great Divines in the dayes of King Edward the sixth c. CHAP. 54. Of Comfirmation commonly called Bishopping THe order of confirmation set afore the Catechisme in the divine service giveth us to understand the reason of the same in the three considerations delivered for the which unto none confirmation is to be ministred save only unto such as can say that Catechisme viz. First because that when children come to the yeares of discretion and have learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptisme they may then themselves with their owne mouth and with their owne consent openly before the Church ratisie and confirme the same And also promise by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe and keepe such things as they by their owne mouth and confession have assented unto Secondly forasmuch as Confirmation is ministred to them that be baptized that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the Devill it is most meet to bee ministred when children come to that age that partly by the frailty of their owne flesh partly by the assaults of the world and the Devill they begin to bee in danger to fall into sundry kindes of sinne Thirdly for that it is agreeable with the usage of the Church in times past Whereby it was ordained that confirmation should bee ministred to them that were of perfect age that they being instructed in Christs religion should openly professe their owne faith and promise to bee obedient to the will of God In the prayer to be said afore the act of confirmation there are mentioned together the sundry * See Chap. 24. graces wherein we are to desire for to be confirmed where it is said strengthen them wee beseech thee O Lord with the holy Ghost the comforter and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace the spirit of wisedom and understanding the spirit of Counsell and ghostly strength the spirit of knowledge and true godlinesse and fulsill them O Lord with the spirit of thy holy feare And the words of the confirmation firmation or Bishopping it selfe are pronuonced by the Bishop laying his hand upon every child severally saying Defend O Lord this child with thy heauenly grace that hee may continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy holy spirit more and more untill hee come unto thine everlasting kingdome And the reason of the laying the hands is delivered in the prayer to bee said when Confirmation is done where it is said Wee make our humble supplications unto thee for these children upon whom after the example of the holy Apostles wee have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gratious goodnesse toward them Let thy fatherly hand we beseech thee ever bee over them Let thy holy spirit ever bee with them and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word that in the end they may obtaine the everlasting life throughour Lord Iesus Christ Also in the rubricke at the end of the Catechisme it is said every Child shall bee brought to the Bishop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother that every child may have a witnesse of his Confirmation Holy Church in her Lawes called Constitutions Canons Ecclesiasticall hath two Canons concerning Confirmation the * Canon 60. one that it is to bee performed once in three yeares the * Canon 61. other that ministers are to prepare Children for Confirmation In the sixtieth Canon it is said Forasmuch as it hath beene a solemne ancient and laudable custom in the Church of God continued from the Apostles times that all Bishops should lay their hands upon children baptized and instructed in the Catechisme of Christian Religion praying over them and blessing them which wee commonly call Confirmation and that this holy action hath beene accustomed in the Church in the former ages to be performed in the Bishops visitation every third yeere c. Confirmation or laying on of hands is an ordinance of the Gospel of so great importance as that by the Apostle to the Hebrewes it is set as the fourth principle of the doctrine of Christ where he reckoneth up together the sixe principles of the Oracles of God saying d Heb. 6 1 2. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us goe on unto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God of the doctrine of baptismes and of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of the eternall judgement It is written in the Acts that sundry whom the Deacon Philip had baptized and instructed in the Christian faith had Confirmation or e Act. 8.17 laying on of hands from the Apostles Peter and Iohn and so received the holy Ghost It is also recorded that Paul f Act. 19.6 laid his hands upon some persons afore baptized and they received the holy Ghost The Apostles are said to have g Act. 14.22 confirmed the soules of the Disciples and to have h Act. 18.23 strengthened them after they had beene converted Laying on of hands for to blesse c. is often mentioned in the booke of God and to have beene used from the dayes of i Gen. 48.14 Iacob CHAP. 55. Of the holy Communion or the Sacrament of the body and blood of Iesus Christ IN the holy Catechisme it is delivered concerning the Sacrament of Lords Supper That it was ordained for the continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benefits which we receive therby The outward part or signe of the Lords supper is bread and wine which the Lord hath commanded to bee received The inward part or thing signified is the body and blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords Supper The benefits whereof we are partakers thereby is the strengthening and refreshing of our soules by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine The mystery of this Sacrament is most divinely declared in the service for the Communion In the second Exhortation there it is said Our heavenly Father hath given his Sonne our Saviour Iesus Christ not only to dye for us but also
after Saint Origens mind Whosoever hath not a d Luke 8.18 speciall mind to that thing that is commanded or taught of God he that doth not listen unto it embrace and print it in his heart to the intent that he may duly e Mat. 7.24 Iam. 1.22 23 24 25. fashion his life thereafter he is plainly turned from God although he doe other things of his owne devotion and minde which to him seeme better and more to Gods honour It is to be considered that teaching by Sermon or Homily is a part of Gods publike worship and therefore all are to demeane themselves with due reverence in hearing the same That publike teaching is a worship of God it may appeare out of Christs words saying They f Mat. 15.9 worship me in vaine teaching for doctrines the commandements of men In which words Christ signifieth that such doe worship him unto good purpose which teach for doctrines Gods Commandements Also that * Yea also it is plainely signified in the first part of the sacred Homily concerning the right use of the Church T. 2. p. 6. where it is said The Temple or Church is the house of the Lord for that the Service of the Lord as teaching and hearing of his holy Word calling upon his holy name giving thanks to him for his great and innumerable benefits and due ministring of his sacraments is there used preaching is a part of Gods publike worship and so to be accounted by all true Christians and to be heard with all due reverence it is manifest out of the Act of Parliament set in the beginning of the booke of Common Prayer where it is said All and every person and persons inhabiting within this Realme or any other the Kings Majesties dominions shall diligently and faithfully having no lawfull or reasonable excuse to be absent endeavour themselves to resort to their Parish Church or Chappell accustomed or upon reasonable let thereof to some usuall place where common Praier and such Service of God shal be used in such time of let upon every Sunday and other dayes ordained and used to bee kept as holy dayes and then and there to abide orderly and soberly during the time of Common Prayer Preachings or other Service of God there to be used and ministred upon paine of punishment by the censures of the Church CHAP. 69. Of good workes in generall IN the Collect appointed to bee read on the 17. Sunday after Trinity it is said Lord we pray thee That thy grace may alwayes prevent and follow us and make us continually to be given to all good works through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the second part of the * T. 1. p. 55. Homily concerning falling from God it is said By these threatnings meaning such as Isaiah mentioneth in his fift Chapter wee are monished and warned that if we which are the chosen vineyard of God bring not forth good grapes that is to say good works that may be delectable and pleasant in his sight when he looketh for them when he sendeth his messengers to call upon us for them but rather bring forth g Isa 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. wilde grapes that is to say sowre workes unsavory and unfruitfull then he will plucke away all defence c. In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 82. Homily concerning fasting it is said Saint Paul therefore teacheth that we must doe good workes for divers respects First to shew our selves obedient children unto our heavēly Father who hath h Ephes 2.10 ordained them that we should walke in them Secondly for that they are good i Iam. 2.18 20 26. declarations and testimonies of our justification Thirdly that others seeing our good workes may the rather by them be stirred up and excited to k Mat. 5.16 glorifie our Father which is in heaven Let us not therefore be slacke to doe good workes seeing it is the will of God that wee should walke in them assuring our selves that at the last day every man shall receive of God for his labour done in true faith a l Psal 19.11 greater reward than his works have deserved It is also in the said * p. 85. part delivered Good workes are not all of one sort For some are of themselves and of their owne proper nature alwayes good as to love God above all things to love thy neighbour as thy selfe to honour thy father and mother to honour the higher powers to give to every man that which is his due and such like Other workes there bee which considered in themselves without further respect are of their owne nature meerly indifferent that is neither good nor evill but take their denomination of the use and end whereto they serve which workes having a good end are called good workes and are so indeed but yet that commeth not of themselves but of the good end whereunto they are referred Of this sort of works is m Zechar. 7.5 6. fasting c. In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 30. Homily of good workes it is said Even as the picture graven or painted is but a dead representation of the thing it selfe and is without life or any manner of moving so be the workes of all n Isa 64.6 unfaithfull persons before God They doe appeare to bee lively workes and indeed they be but dead not availing to the everlasting life They be but shadowes and shewes of lively and good things and not good and lively things indeed * p. 31. Againe it is said There is one worke in the which be all good workes that is faith which o Gal. 5.6 worketh by charity If thou have it thou hast the ground of all good workes When the Iewes asked of Christ what they should doe not worke good workes he answered This is the p Ioh. 6.29 worke of God to beleeve in im whom he sent so that he called faith the worke of God And assoone as a man hath faith anon he shall flourish in good workes for faith of it selfe is full of good works and q Heb. 11.6 nothing is good without faith * p. 20. True faith doth give life to workes and out of such faith r Psal 116.10 2 Cor. 4.13 come good workes that be very good workes indeed and without faith no good worke is good before God as saith S. Augustine In the second part of the * p. 32. Homily concerning good works it is said Now to goe forward to the third part that is what manner of workes they be which spring out of true faith and lead faithfull men unto everlasting life This cannot be knowne so well as by our Saviour Christ himselfe who was asked of a certain great man the same question What ſ Mat. 19.16 17. workes shall I doe said a Prince to come to everlasting life To whom Iesus answered If thou wilt come to everlasting life keepe the Commandements So that
from the priesthood That they shoud not eate of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with d Ezra 2.63 Vrim and * In the service of Consecration of Bishops in the Prayer after the Letanie then road the true signification of the words Vrim and Thummim is delivered namely truth of Doctrine and innocencie of life See 1 Esdras 5.40 Thummim Saint Peter saith e 1 Pet. 2.13.14 Submit your selves unto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as Supreme or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him c. Samuel told Saul that God had made him the f 1 Sam. 15.17 See the 37. Article of Religion Head of the Tribes of Israel Therefore our King is Head of the Tribe of Levi the supreme governour over all degrees and orders of the Clergie in his Majesties Realmes Dominions aswell as over all other persons Concerning bearing faith and true allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his heirs and successors according as it is prescribed in the oath of allegiance it may first bee considered that in the whole Bible there is no mention of any of Gods people at any time to have done contrary unto such allegiance but ever to have borne faith and true allegiance unto to their Soveraigne the supreme Magistrate over them The Lord Iesus Christ both by g Mat. 12.20.21 precept and also by example taught loyalty to bee performed unto Caesar by all professed Christians all others The Apostle Paul enjoyned Titus to put all professours of Christianity in minde to be h Tit. 3.1.2 subject to Principalities and powers to obey magistrates to bee ready unto every good worke to speake evill of no man to bee no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekenesse unto all men Almost the whole 13. chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes is a declaration how subject and faithfull every soule not excepting any Ecclesiastical person ought to bee unto his Prince which beareth the sword which receiveth tribute and custome The higher powers unto whom Saint Paul commanded Christians to bee subject for Conscience sake and to render all their dues to owe nothing but love and honour and hee for to exclude universall ill attempts against ones Soveraigne saith Loveworketh no ill to ones neighbour were not defenders of the Christian faith neither were they favorers of the Gospell the highest powers over i 1. Pet. 1.1 Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia unto whom Saint Peter required those to whom hee wrote for to bee loyally subject If people were not in Conscience bound to bee universally faithfull unto their Soveraigne the society of mankinde could not consist together but the whole world would in short time bee turned into a wildernesse To release any from their duty to their superiours was the k ◠Marke 7.7.8 9 10 11 12 13. Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises the mortall enemies to Christianity who taught that one having offered a certaine gift though hee honoured not his father or his mother should bee free making thereby the fifth Commandement of God of non effect by that their damnable traditiō And are not Kings l Isa 49.23 fathers Queenes mothers according to the language of the Holy Scriptures Saint Peter saith Feare God and m 1 Pet. 2.17 honour the King Salomon also saith n Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought How zealous was David that hee would neither do nor o 1 Sam. 24.6.7 and 26.9 suffer to bee done any manner of annoyance towards the Lords annoynted though he were disobedient unto the Law of the Lord Let any search the whole Scripture and more especially all the new Testament and let him observe what manner of innocent life the life of the Christian Religion is prescribed for to bee or is described there and he shall plainely see that it is contrary to the universall Christian p Mat. 20.16 Rom. 16.19 Rom. 13.10 1 Thes 5.15 1 Cor. 13.4.5.6.7 nature for any people not to beare such faith and such true allegiance unto their Soveraigne as is expressed in the oath of allegiance and expounded or delivered in the Booke intituled God and the King What it is to be defective in duty towards ones Soveraigne the Church hath also most divinely declared in the Homily an Exhortation cōcerning good order obedience to Rulers and Magistrates and amply in the Homily against disobedience and wilfull Rebellion the which deliverie of holy Church all persons should often read or heare read unto them CHAP. 71. Of submission to all Powers inferiour to the Kings Majesty IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 69.70 Homily of obedience it is said Take away Kings Princes Rulers Magistrates Iudges and such estates of Gods order no man shall ride or goe by the high way unrobbed no man shall sleepe in his owne house or bed unkilled no man shall keepe his wife children and possession in quietnesse all things shall be common and there must needs follow all mischiefe and utter destruction both of soules bodies goods and Common wealths But blessed be God that we in this Realme of England feele not the horrible calamities miseries and wretchednesse which all they undoubtedly feele and suffer that lacke this godly order and praised be God that we know the great excellent benefit of God shewed towards us in this behalfe God hath sent us his high gift our most deare Soveraigne Lord king Charles with a godly wise and honourable Counsell with other superiours and inferiours in a beautifull order and godly Wherefore let us subjects doe our bounden duties giving hearty thankes to God and praying for the preservation of this godly order Let us all obey even from the bottome of our hearts all their godly proceedings Lawes Statutes Proclamations and Injunctions with all other godly orders Let us consider the Scriptures of the Holy Ghost which perswade and command us all obediently to be subject first and chiefly to the King Majestie Supreme Governour over all and the next to his Honourable Counsell and to all other Noblemen Magistrates and Officers which by Gods goodnesse be placed and ordered In the second part of the * T. 2. p. Homily of fasting but it is said Positive lawes made by Princes for conservation of their Policie not repugnant unto Gods Law ought of all Christian subjects with reverence of the Magistrate to bee obeyed not onely for feare of punishment but also as the Apostle saith for q Rom. 13.5 Conscience sake Conscience I say not of the thing which of it owne nature is indifferent but of our obedience which by the Law of God we owe unto the Magistrate as unto Gods minister That saying of the holy Ghost by Saint Peter confirmeth all Submit your selves to ever ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as supreme or unto r 1 Pet.
one upon another for claiming one of the other further than that in ancient right and custome our forefathers have peaceably laid out unto us for our commodity and comfort * p 235. Thou shalt not commandeth Almighty God in his Law remove thy neighbours g Deut. 19.14 marke which they of old time have set in their inheritance Thou shalt not saith h Pro. 22.28 Prov. 23.10.11 Solomon remove the ancient bounds which thy fathers have laid And lest wee should esteeme it to be but a light offence so to doe we shall understand that it is reckoned among the curses of God pronounced upon sinners Accursed be he saith Almighty God by Moses who i Deut. 27 17. removeth his neighbours doles and markes and all the people shall say answering Amen thereto as ratifying that curse upon whom it doth light They doe much provoke the wrath of God upon themselves which use to grinde upon the doles and markes which of ancient time were laid for the division of meeres and balkes in the fields to bring the owners to their right They doe wickedly which doe turne up the ancient terries of the fields that old men before times with great paines did tread out whereby the Lords records which be the tenants Evidences be perverted and translated sometime to the disheriting of the right owner to the oppression of the poore fat herlesse or the poore widow The * p 237. Homily also delivereth that men should not plough and grate upon their neighbours land that lyeth next them that they should not plough up so nigh the common balkes and walks which good men before time made the greater and broader partly for the commodious walke of his neighbour partly for the better shacke in harvest time to the more comfort of his poore neighbours cattell And that beere balkes wherin the corps should be caried to the Christian sepulture should not be pinched at but inviolably kept unto that purpose Also that all such encroachments should be looked on and considered in the dayes of Perambulation The high wayes then are also to be considered in your walkes to understand where to bestow your dayes workes according to the good statutes provided for the same Whereas it is a custome at certaine places in the Procession to reade a Gospell that peoples minds may receive instruction and their soules have food in their going is it not done for the k 1 Cor. 10.31 glory of God and the edification of the company It is written in the booke of Nehemiah that the congregation of Israel made l Neh. 8.14 15 16 17 18. boothes abroad in the ayre and sate under the boothes And day by day from the first day unto the last day of the boothes feast hee read in the booke of the Law of God It is not a sinne to read some portion of scripture unto people in the fields neither is it a transgression for Christian people to say some prayer there alwayes provided that nothing be done contrary to the law Ecclesiasticall or temporall of the Realme wherein we live and that what we doe be by common authority an allowed custome It is written in the Acts that by a m Acts. 16.13 rivers side prayer was sometimes made and that people there received some instruction In the booke of Canticles the Church of Christ saith thus concerning Iesus Christ I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me Come my beloved let us goe forth into the n Song 7.10 11 12. field let us lodge in the villages Let us get up earely to the vineyards let us see if the vine flourish whether the tender grape appeare and the pomegranats bud forth there will I give thee my loves That is there will I say O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in o Psal 8.3.6 7.8 9. all the earth there will I give thanks unto thee and p Psal 92.1.4 sing praises unto thy name O most High I will there triumph in the workes of thy hands Concerning peoples making the signe of the Crosse at such places where it is to be knowne that their parish bounds doe end what marke or signe is so fit to be made It is the Christian signe It is the marke wherewith wee were signed when we were baptized The Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ is that wherein wee should all q Gal. 6.14 glory And why may we not use the signe therof in such occasiōs as Publike Authority alloweth In the thirtieth Canon of the Church it is said That the honour and dignity of the name of the Crosse begat a reverend estimation even in the Apostles time for ought that is knowne to the contrary of the signe of the Crosse which the Christians shortly after used in all their actions thereby making an outward shew and profession even to the astonishment of the Iewes that they were not ashamed to acknowledge him for their Lord and Saviour who died for them upon the Crosse Reade hereto the Chapter concerning Ceremonies why some bee abolished and some reteined that is set in the beginning of the Common Prayer booke CHAP. 76. Of Almes deeds IN first part of the * T. 2. p. 154. Homily of Almes-deeds it is said Amongst the manifold duties that Almighty God requireth of his faithfull servants the true Christians by the which he would that both his name should bee r Ioh. 15.8 glorified and the ſ 2 Pet. 1.10.5 6 7. certainty of their vocation declared there is none that is either more acceptable unto him or more profitable for them then are the t Mic. 6.8 workes of mercy and pity shewed upon the poore which be afflicted with any kind of misery In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 74. Homily against perill of Idolatry there is alleaged a saying out of Clemens an ancient godly Writer viz. If you will truely honour the Image of God you should by doing well to man honour the true Image of God in him For the Image of God is in every man but the likenesse of God is not in every one but in those onely which have a godly heart and pure minde If you will therefore truely honour the Image of God wee doe declare to you the truth that ye doe well to man who is made after the Image of God that you give u 1 Pet. 2.17 honour and reverence unto him and refresh the hungry with meat the thirstie with drinke the naked with clothes the sicke with attendance the stranger harbourlesse with lodging the w Mat. 25.42 43 44 45. prisoners with necessaries and this shall bee accounted as truly bestowed upon God And these things are so directly appertaining to Gods honor that whosoever doth not this shall seeme to have x Prov. 14 31. reproached and done villany to the Image of God In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 67. Homily against the feare of death it
house of the Rechabites for keeping all the precepts and for doing according to d Ier. 35.18 15. all that they were commanded by Ionadab their father much more doth he expect that people should doe according to every particular which e 1 Tim. 3.15 Isa 2.2 3. Micah 4.1 2. Zech. 8.23 Act. 15.2 4 6 22. holy Church prescribeth unto them We are also hereto for to remember the counsell given by Isaiah f Isa 55.6 7. Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is neere We are to seeke afore the doore be g Mat. 25.10 11 12. shut against us and afore the master of the house be h Luke 13.25 26 27. risen up as Christ admonisheth The Lord by Hosea saith That it commeth to passe that there is a time when such as have dealt treacherously against the Lord which will not frame their doings to turne unto their God but retaine the spirit of Whoredome in the midst of them and not know the Lord but walke on in spirituall pride They shall goe with their flockes and with their heards to seeke the Lord but they shall not i Hos 5.6 find him he hath withdrawne himselfe from them Ieremiah signifieth of the manner of k Ier. 50.4 5. seeking the Lord where he saith In those daies and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Iudah together going and weeping they shall goe and seeke the Lord their God They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten We are not to travell toward Canaan for to enjoy there the milke and honey retaining within our selves a lusting after the l Exod. 16.3 1 Cor. 10.6 fleshpots of Egypt Also unlesse we seeke the Lords kingdome with our m Ier. 29.13 whole heart we shall never finde it It is most memorable what is written in the booke of Chronicles That all Iudah had sworne with n 2 Chron. 15.12 15. all their heart to seek the Lord and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about There are some that seeke as they say after Christs kingdome but it is according to the imagination of their owne heart and not according to the prescriptions expressed in Gods word and declared in the Divine Service of the Church And it commeth to passe with them as Isaiah saith o Isa 29.8 9 10. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but hee awaketh and his soule is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his soule hath appetite So shall the multitude of all Nations bee that fight against mount Zion Stay your selves and wonder cry ye out and cry they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke For the Lord hath powred out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe and hath closed your eyes c. CHAP. 91. Of the Christian unity IT is the last of the complaints which the holy Fathers of the Church have made in the sacred prayer after the Letany in the last Fast booke There hath beene little or no care among us to keepe truth and peace together for the preserving of our Church State In the Collect for Simon and Iudes day wee are taught to pray Grant us so to bee joyned together in unity of spirit by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that we may be made an holy p Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. Heb. 3.6 1 Pet. 2.5 See also the margent temple acceptable to thee through Iesus Christour Lord. In the Collect for All Saints it is said Almighty God which hast knit together thy Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall q Eph. 2.22 23. and 4.15 16. body of thy Sonne Christ our Lord grant us grace so to r Phil. 3.17 Heb. 13.7 follow thy holy Saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joyes which thou hast Å¿ Isa 64. 4 5. Psal 31.19 Mat. 25.21 prepared for them that unfainedly love thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the prayer for the whole state of Christs Church militant here in earth it is said We beseech thee to inspire continually the universall Church with the spirit of truth unitie and concord and grant that all they that doe confesse thy holy name may * 1 Cor. 1.10 agree in the truth of thy holy word and live in t 1 Cor. 12.13.25 Ioh. 17.21.22.23 unity and u Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 Eph. 5.2 Ioh. 13.35 godly love In the Collect to be read after private absolution it is said Preserve and continue this sicke member in the w Ps 122.3 Act. 1.4 Eph. 5.3 Ps 133.1.2.3 unitie of the Church In the second Collect for Peace it is said O God which art Authour of peace and lover of concord c. In the Collect to be read on the fourth Sunday after Easter it is said Almighty God which dost make the mindes of all faithfull men to bee of one x Phil. 2.1 3.2.5 and 3.16 will c. In the sacred Letanie it is said That it may please thee to give to y Ps 67. Zechar. 14.9 Eph. 1.10 Is 11.9 all Nations unity peace and concord In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 89.90 Ps 22.27.28.29 Ezech. 37.22 Homily against contention it is said Among all kinds of contention none is more hurtfull than is contention in matters of Religion Eschew saith Saint Paul foolish and unlearned z 2 Tim. 2.23.24 questions knowing that they breed strife It becommeth not the servant of God to fight or strive but to be meeke toward all men This contention and strife was in Saint Pauls time among the Corinthians and is at this time among us English-men For too many there bee which upon the Ale-benches or other places delight to set forth certaine questions not so much pertaining to edification as to vaine glorie and shewing forth of their a 1 Tim. 6.20 cunning and so unsoberly to reason and dispute that when neither part will give place to other they fall to chiding and b 1 Tim. 6.3.4.5 contention and sometime from hot words to further inconvenience Saint Paul could not abide to heare among the Corinthians these words of discord or dissention I hold of c 1 Cor. 3.3.4.5 Paul I of Cephas and I of Apollo What would he then say If he heard these words of contention which be now almost in every mans mouth d Iam. 4.11 Rom. 14.12.13 Hee is a Pharisee he is a Gospeller he is of the new sort he is of the old faith hee is a new broched brother he is a good Catholike father
the fire and they are burned Caiaphas prophesied that Christ should dye for that Nation and not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in h Iohn 11.52 one the Children of God that were scattered abroad The Lord by Ieremiah complaineth saying My people hath beene lost sheepe their shepheards have caused them to goe astray they have turned them away on the Mountaines they have gone from Mountaine to hill they have forgotten their i Ier. 50.6 resting * In Ps 26.13 the words His soule shall longe at ease are in the Hebrew His soule shall lodge in goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is rendred in the Margent place which is in the holy faith and godly life prescribed plentifully in the Divine Service of the Church of England Solomon saith k Pro. 13.10 Luke 1.51 1 Pet. 5.5 Onely by pride commeth contention God l A cause of the differences betweene many people scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts They never come into unity the life of Christianity which will not bow their understandings under the Doctrine of the Church and their lives under her lawes and prescriptions As all that despise to bee in minde and life conformed to the deliveries in the bookes of Divine Service doe live for the most part as a wilde people in many respects so such persevering in such wilfull disobedience unto holy Church doe commonly perish in the l Iude 11. Num. 16. gainsaying of Core Ever most memorable hereto is Christs prayer unto his Father that all his Disciples might here on earth live in unity and draw all m Iam. 4.8 nearer and nearer together into some likenesse of the unity of the holy blessed and glorious God the Father and God the Sonne saying Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word That they may all be n Ioh. 17.20 21 21 23. one as thou Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in us The most Sacred Majesty and the holy Fathers of the Church for the increase of Christian unity peace and concord in our Nation declare most godly care and that the Gospels Ordinance of Catechizing the laying of the foundation of the true Christian faith and life the unity of the holy Spirit is injoyned to bee more and more used according to the Sacred Constitution concerning the same that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest mee I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one c. Memorable also are the sacred words in His Majesties Declaration afore the Articles of Religion viz. Wee hold it is most agreeable to this Our Kingly Office and Our owne religious Zeale to conserve and maintaine the Church committed to Our charge in the unity of true Religion and in the bond of peace And therefore His Highnesse in that Divine declaration requireth all his loving subjects to continue in the uniforme profession of the said Articles and prohibiteth the least difference from them It is also the requiry of His Most Sacred Majesty that all his loving Subjects for a ground of uniforme profession of Christian faith and of Christian life should conforme to the universall prescription in the Bookes of the Divine Service according as they concerne every one in his place either in Clergy or in Laity CHAP. 92. Of Growing in the Christian faith and in the Christian life IN the generall Confession we are taught to pray Grant O most mercifull father for Iesus Christ his sake that wee may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy Holy name In the Absolution following it is said And that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy so that at the last wee may come to his eternall joy through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the Sacred Letanie it is said That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to heare meekely thy word and to receive it with pure affection and to o Mat. 3.10 Gal. 5.22.23 bring forth the fruits of the spirit Wee are taught in the end of the Service of Baptisme to be p 1 Cor. 15.58 Rom. 8.13 continually mortifying q 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 5.24 all our evill and corrupt affections and r 2 Cor. 4.16 daily proceeding in s Eph. 5.9,10 all vertue and godlinesse of living In the Collect for the foureteenth Sunday after Trinity it is said Almighty and everlasting God give unto us the increase of faith hope and charity and that wee may obtaine that which thou doest promise make us to love that which thou dost command through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the prayer to be said immediately afore the ordering of Priests it is said Grant unto us all that wee may daily encrease and goe forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Sonne by thy Holy Spirit In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 29. Homily of faith it is said As you professe the Name of Christ good Christian people let no phantasie and imagination of faith at any time beguile you but be sure of your faith t 2. Cor. 13.5 try it by your living looke upon the fruits that commeth of it marke the increase of u Gal. 5.6 Iam. 2.17.18.26 love and charity by it towards God and your neighbour and so shall you perceive it to bee a true lively faith If you feele and perceive such a faith in you rejoyce in it and bee diligent to maintaine it and keepe it still in you let it bee daily increasing and more more by well working so shall you be sure that you shall please God by this faith c. In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 3. Homily an exhortation to the reading of of Holy Scripture it is said * A delivery to be continually remembred in reading the holy Scripturer declareing unto what end they should be read In reading of Gods Holy word hee most profiteth not alwayes that is most ready in turning of the Booke or in saying of it without the Booke but he that is most turned into it that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost most in his heart and life altered and changed into that thing which he readeth He that is daily lesse and lesse proud lesse wrathfull lesse covetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures hee that daily forsaking his old vicious life increaseth in vertue more and more In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 144. Homily an Information of certaine places of Scripture it is said If some man will say I would have a true patterne and a perfect description of an upright life approved in the sight of God can wee finde thinke
a Sunne and sheild the Lord will give grace and glory f Psal 84.11 no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke uprightly Saint Iohn saith Whatsoever we aske g 1 Ioh. 3.22 we receive of him because wee keepe his Commandement and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight And Isaiah saith unto Christs Church Behold the darknesse shall cover the earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seene upon h Isa 60.2 thee Saint Paul saith to the Ephesians In Christ also after that ye beleeved ye were i Ephes 1.13.14 sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory Yea Saint Peter signifieth that if faith vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnes and charity be in us and abound we shall never k 2 Pet. 1.10 11. fall but so an entrance shall be ministred unto us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Many more are the blessings which accompany Gods true Religion now in this life present which a devout soule may observe signified throughout all the Scriptures and the books of Divine Service Read Deuteronomy 28. Isaiah 60. and observe the 7. sundry blessings promised by Christ in Mat. 5. and to what conditioned people they are made likewise the 7. promises or blessings signified to the seven Churches of Asia in Rev. 2 3 CHAP. 100. Against separating from the Church of England by law established under the Kings Majesty in any manner IN the third part of the * T. 1. p. 36. Homily concerning good works it is signified That the world from the beginning untill Christs time was ever ready to l Exod. 32.1 7 8. fall from the Commandements of God and to seeke other meanes to honour and serve him m 1 Sam. 15.21 22 23. after a devotion found out of their owne heads and how they did set up their owne n Mat. 15.3 6 9. traditions as high or above Gods Commandements which hath happened also in our times the more it is to be lamented no lesse than it did among the Iewes and that by the corruption or at least by the o Mat. 13.25 26. negligence of them that chiefly ought to have preserved the pure and heavenly doctrine left by Christ What man having any judgement or learning joyned with a true zeale unto God doth not see and lament to have entred into Christs Religion such p 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. false doctrine superstition idolatry hypocrisie and other q 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. enormities and abuses so as by little and little through the sowre leaven thereof the sweet r Rev 11 3 7 8. bread of Gods holy Word hath been much hindred and layed apart For the reforming of the which the like things amisse the holy Fathers of the Church of England by the assent and consent of the Royall Majesty set forth the book of common Prayer the book of Homilies and the booke of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons for to declare the true worship of Almighty God and to be used in the publike performance of the same They also for the avoiding of diversities of opinions and for the stablishing of consent touching true Religion composed 39. Articles concerning fundamental matter in religion And for to keepe decency order and uniformity of Christian life throughout the whole Church there are made Constitutions Canons Ecclesiasticall 141. Moreover for the instruction of scholers in schooles and likewise for the use of all other people there is set forth by publike authority a Catechisme of a larger and of a shorter forme which is commonly called Nowels Catechisme And it expoundeth the 10. Commandements the 12. Articles of the Creed the 6. Petitions of the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Baptisme the Supper of the Lord There is also the booke called God and the King which every subject ought to have for to be minded most constātly resolved according to the information of the same booke These aforesaid books are the bookes of the established doctrine discipline of the Church of England Now besides those books the law instruction or teaching of the Church our ſ Prov. 6.20 21 22 23. mother There is also the whole holy Bible by the appointmēt of the royal Majesty the ministery of learned Doctors in the Church t 1 Cor. 14.12.19 Hab. 22. Psal 67.2 set forth into our mother tongue and so published as that every man woman child may enjoy it for to u Ps 119.9 conforme their minds lives according to all the everlasting commandements of the same Seeing then that the Church of England doth thus w Phil. 2.16 hold forth the word of life eternall cherisheth nourisheth up her members therin even from their very infancie for so it is her ordinance that every particular person should be educated how greatly doe they sinne which doe in any manner x Iude 19. separate from her But some will say That shee her selfe is separated from other Christian Churches with which shee was at unity in times past Let us heare the words of the Church her selfe concerning this matter written in her 30 Canon where it is said So farre was it from the purpose of the Church of England to forsake and reject the Churches of Italy France Spaine Germany or any such like Churches in all things which they held and practised that as the Apologie of the Church of England confesseth it doth with reverence retaine those Ceremonies which doe neither endamage the Church of God nor offend the mindes of sober men and onely departed from them in those particular points wherein they were fallen both from themselves in their ancient integrity and from the Apostolicall Churches which were their first Founders There are others of sundry kinds which say we separate not from the Church but from her errors and from her superstitions or from her imperfections If any one will unpartially by all Gods expresse word examine what those wise ones in their owne eyes doe finde fault withall in any of the aforementioned bookes of the Church and what they doe y Isa 50.11 Ier. 16.20 setup to themselves for to follow hee cannot but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ which at length z Psal 25.12 13 14. Iohn 7.17 Mat. 7.7 8. bringeth every one into the way of truth which unfeinedly seeketh it for to walke faithfully therein unto his lives end plainly perceive that such have no more cause to separate in regard of any particular than others have in regard of the generall deliveries by the aforesaid Church of England in the bookes above named To God onely wise bee glory through Iesus Christ for ever Amen FINIS