Heathen Philosophers Pelagian heretikes and of the church of Rome who wholly or in parte ascribe the cause of all knowledge of God of our faith of the good workes we do either to the light of nature force of reason or frée will and industrie of man contrarie not onely to this testimonie of Christ here in this place which depriueth man of all knowledge of Christ but also vnto the whole tenour of the Scripture in other places where both generally and in particular sorte is taken away al vnderstanding and perceuerance in matters appertaing vnto faith religion and the true knowledge of God First for proofe hereof that it is generally denyed vnto man of himselfe or by the reache of his own wit and vnderstanding to attaine to the knowledge of Christ those things which appertaine to the kingdome of God what can be more plaine then that Paul testifieth to the contrarie in the first of the Corinthes 1. Cor. 2. and the second Chapter that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The naturall man is not able to perceiue the things of the spirite of God The naturall man that is the man that hath no farther knowledge then he hath by the light of nature whose knowledge and iudgement is not lightened and cleared by the spirite of God for so is this terme expounded by Iude in his Epistle in the 19. verse Iude. 19. v. that that man perceiueth not these thinges which appertaine vnto the spirit of God For proofe hereof he adioyneth two reasons the one is because spirituall thinges are foolishnesse vnto him the other that he cannot knowe those things because they are spiritually discerned that is they cannot be known but of them that are endewed with the spirite of God For as Paul testifieth 1. Cor. 2.11 as no man knoweth the thinges of man saue the Spirite of a man which is within him euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirite of God and therefore in the same Chapter he sheweth vers 9. that those thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him are such as eye hath not séene eare hath not heard neither yet hath entred into the minde of man so that neither by the outward senses nor yet by the vnderstanding of man we are able to conceiue the things of God but it is the spirite of God which openeth them vnto vs which searcheth all things yea the bottome of Gods secretes 1. Cor. 2.10 In respect of this great ignorance in vs and want of power and abilitie to perceiue the mysteries of Gods kingdome and of our saluation the holie Ghost hath by most notable termes and Epithetes whereby he describeth the nature of man declared vnto vs how vtterly we be voide of all knowledge and iudgement in spirituall matters What can more effectually and significantly shewe foorth that vnto vs then for vs to be termed darkenesse it selfe which is don not in a fewe places of the holy Scriptures as in the first of Saint Iohns Gospell where it is sayd that that life which was the light of man shined in darknesse Iohn 1.5 but darknesse was not able to comprehend it that was man Saint Paul thereof draweth an exhortation in his Epistle to the Ephesians Ephes 5 8. to perswade thē vnto newnesse of life that forasmuch as they were sometime in darknesse meaning before their conuersion and receiuing of the Gospel of Christ now being light being illuminated by the spirite of God through the preaching of his worde therefore they should walke as the children of light And in the second to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4.6 setting foorth the power and efficacie of the word he setteth downe that as God in the creation of the worlde commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse so hath he shined in the heartes of his ministers to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of god in the face of Iesus Christ Where the comparison is to be noted which the Apostle maketh that as God in the beginning of the worlde created light out of darknesse so hath he done in the hearts of his ministers that by the preaching of the Gospell that light might shine to others to lighten them that they might sée the glorie of God in Christ Wherefore euen as before God sayde Let there be light there was no light but méere darknesse euen so before God worke in vs by his word and spirite there is nothing in vs but méere ignorance and darkenesse no light to behold the glorie of God in Christ No marueile therefore if Saint Paul being called to preach the Gospell do tel Agrippa the King Act. 26.18 that God hath called him to open their eyes that they may turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God or if Saint Peter compare the doctrine of the Prophets as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place 2. Pet. 1.19 and compare the preaching of the Gospel vnto the dawning of the day and the day starre arising in our heartes Hereby may it appeare what wee ought to iudge of our selues to be nothing but ignorance darknesse to be voide of all light knowledge of Christ vntill by the working of his spirite he openeth him selfe vnto vs. Before which time as Paul testifieth wee walke as the Gentiles in the vanitie of our minde Ephes 4.17 hauing our vnderstanding darkened being straunger from the life of God thorough the ignorance in vs because of the hardnesse of our heartes Thus vseth the Spirite of God to paynt out the estate of man before God beginneth to worke our regeneratiō to ascribe ignorance blindnesse vnto our mindes dulnesse and hardnesse vnto our heartes yea and that a stonie hardnesse as appeareth by Ezechiel Ezech. 11.19 where he promiseth that in mercie hee will take away our stonie heartes And vnder the person of the Iewes Esaye Esa 48.4 sayeth that wee are all obstinate that our neckes are as Iron sinewes and our browes as browes of brasse that is not flexible vnto the yoke of Gods commandements and past all shame to commit wickednesse Therefore the holy Ghost describing the corruption of our nature doth terme vs not onely sicke weakened or infected with sinne but euen to be dead in sinne For so Paul to the Ephesians wher hee setteth out the grace of Christ Ephes 2.1 affirmeth that hee hath quickened vs that were dead in trespasses and sinnes And in like manner in the seconde to the Colossians 2. Coloss 13 that vs which were dead in sinnes and in the vncircumcision of our flesh hath he quickened togither with him forgiuing our trespasses These manner of termes and epithetes whereby it hath pleased God in his holy worde to expresse both the vtter want of knowledge in matters of faith and the corruption of our mindes and manners is diligently to be obserued by vs by reason of the doctrine of the Romish cleargie who
A GODLYE SERMON Preached before the Queens most excellent Maiestie vpon the 17. 18. 19. verses of the 16. Chapter of S. Mathew VVherein is contained the conclusion of a Dialogue betweene Christ and his Disciples Shewing breefely that the authoritie which the Pope of Rome doth challenge to himselfe is vnlawfully vsurped Very necessarie for these perilous times wherein the simple may perceiue their intollerable impietie vsurping that office and action which euer appertayned vnto Christ only Published at the request of sundry godly and well disposed persons ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet for Iohn Perin and are to be sold at his shop in Paules churchyard at the sign of the Angel A godly Sermon preached before the Queenes most excellent Maiestie vpon the 17. 18. 19. verses of the 16. Chapter of S. Matthewe Matth. Chap. 16. vers 17. 17 And Iesus answered and said to him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauē 18 And I say also vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not euercome it 19 And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen THese words which I haue read right honourable beloued in our Sauioure Christ containe the conclusion of a Dialogue betwéene Christ and his disciples For we read immediatly before in the thirtéenth verse of this sixtéenth Chapter that when Iesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi our Sauiour Christ partly to make tryall of the faith knowledge and profiting of his disciples hauing bene now so long taught by him and séene so great wonderfull miracles and partly to learn whether they conceiued any better of him than the common multitude as also to cause them to make a confession of their faith and beliefe in him in which he might strengthen and confirme them against al troubles and persecutions that were after to ensue he demaunded of them all this question whome do men say that I the sonne of man am Answere was made by them that some said he was Iohn Baptist Matth. 14.2 for so surmised the Herodians as apeareth in the 14. of this Gospel Where it is sayde that when Herod the Tetrarch who had beheaded Iohn Baptist heard of the fame of Iesus he said vnto his seruaunts this is Iohn Baptist that is risen againe from the dead and therefore great workes are wrought by him Some said he was Elias being deceiued partly by the Prophecie of Malachie misvnderstoode who had prophcied that Eliah the Prophet should be sent before the comming of the great and fearfull day of the Malach. 4.5 Lord partly by the like spirite they perceiued in Christ that was in Elias as the frée libertie of rebuking vices in the scribes and Pharisées the power of working miracles raising vp the dead to life againe as Elias did Some other thought him to be Hieremias because he bare a figure of Christ and for that it was saide of him Beholde this day haue I set thee ouer the nations and ouer the kingdomes Ierem. 1.9 to plucke vp and to roote out and to destroye and throw downe to build and to plant which was in verie déede truely to be perfourmed in Christ And they that thought him none of these yet because of his doctrine for he taught them as hauing authoritie Matth. 7.29 not as the Scribes and for his life and miracles they accounted him as one of the Prophets Christ hearing this to drawe out a more certaine and excellent confessiō out of his disciples than this was he further demaunded of them all but whome say ye that I am as though he should haue said whatsoeuer other men do thinke of mée or howsoeuer they be distract in opinions you who ought to haue better knewledge of mée whome do ye thinke me to be Then aunswered Simon Peter in the name of al the rest thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ reioycing at this true perfect and constant confession that Peter had made as it were in recompence and commendation therof he burst out into these words Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reueiled it vnto thee but my father which is in heauen c. Which wordes are euen the conclusion of that Dialogue betwéene Christ and his disciples and do containe the approbation and commendation of Peters confession In the which many things do offer them selues to our considerations but for this present time and occasion in these thrée verses thrée especiall pointes may be here obserued by vs. The first from whence Peter had this knowledge faith of Christ that he was the sonne of the liuing God Secondarily what is the foundation and rocke whereupon the Church of God was built Thirdly what the power authoritie commission was that is giuen vnto Peter in this place The first point is declared in the first verse of this text by two meanes first by remouing and denying those things which might séeme to be the cause yet are not as flesh and bloud Secondarily by expressing the true and perfect cause which was the reuelation of Almightie GOD. For the first by flesh and bloud is meant here the nature of man and all his giftes that he hath naturally as his wit vnderstanding and wil for so it is taken in sundrie other places of the holie Scriptures as in the first of Saint Iohns Gospell Ioan. 1.12 where he saith that such as receiued Christ they were borne not of bloud nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God And in the first to the Galathians Galath 1 1◠where he testifieth that when it pleased God to reueale his sonne in him that he shoulde preach him among the Gentiles he communicated not with flesh and bloud and in like manner in the sixth to the Ephesians Ephes 6.12 exhorting vs to put on all the armour of God that we might be able to stande against the assaultes of the diuell because we wrestle not against flesh bloud but against principalities and powers c. In which places as in diuerse others also by flesh and bloud is meant nothing but the nature of man and whatsoeuer is in him by his naturall birth and procreation so that this phrase and manner of spéech vsed of our Sauiour Christ here in this place doth signifie and declare vnto vs that this knowledge of Christ confession of faith which Peter made he had it not of himself neither by any meanes of man but from aboue by the manifestation and reuelatiō of God who had opened this great mysterie and giuen him this faith This doctrin ouerthroweth the iudgement and opinion of the
the same Epistle of his flesh his bones for saith he Christ nourisheth and cherisheth his Church Ephe. 5.30 because we are members of his bodie flesh and bones wherefore if the Church be the bodie of Christ and God hath appointed Christ to be the head thereof and that head be of the same nature and substance of the same flesh and bone the rest of the bodie is what cause is there to make any other head except we should thinke either that one head not to be sufficient to giue life and to rule the bodie or to be too mightie and of too great rule and authoritie and therefore do adioyne another thereunto as when two Consuls or Caesares be created of one place the one to abridge the others power and might But neither of these inconueniences can be feared in Christ and therfore we néede not to assigne another head to his bodie Besides the head of the Church is that part of the bodie which giueth life nourisheth and augmenteth the whole bodie of the faithfull vnto eternall life but who doth or can performe this but onely Christ euen as a man cherisheth his own flesh so nourisheth he the Church which consisteth of his own flesh and bone as the Apostle Paul testifieth he therefore is the onely head There is the same reason betweene Christ and his church that is betwéene man and wife as the same Apostle testifieth for as the husbande is the wiues head so Christ is the head of the church as the church is in subiection to Christ so the wiues to their husbands As Christ loued his church so wiues their husbands As wiues are their husbandes flesh so is the church the flesh of Christ So that then he that is the head of the church is the husband and spouse thereof For therefore he is the head because he is the husband but there is but one husband therefore whosoeuer shall make any other head of the church then Christ must also make another husbande if another husband then an adulterer and the church an harlot for one wife cannot haue two bridegromes or husbandes Paul sayth of the Corinthians I haue prepared you for one husband to present you a pure virgin to Christ Iohn Baptist in the Euangelist Iohn sayeth he is the bridegrome his Apostles be the only ministers frinds of the bridegrome they are only the makers of the mariage betwéen Christ his church How can Peter then be accounted as the head of Gods church Christ himselfe being the head and the husband thereof Let him therefore be estéemed as a minister frinde of the spouse as Christ himselfe hath termed him and all the rest of the Apostles and no further And surely it is not lightly to be regarded that after Christ had said to Peter thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church whereby they would establish a chiefetie preheminence giuen him ouer all other the Apostles and congregation of God arising this controuersie among them which of them should be the greatest and that euen then when he was readie to go to suffer depart from them supposing as it shoulde séeme after the departure of Christ some one of them should be chief and beare rule ouer the rest euen then our Sauiour Christ beateth downe vtterly that conceite and imagination of theirs shewing that rule and soueraintie belongeth vnto Kings and Princes The Kings of the Gentiles they reigne they beare rule they are called gratious Lordes But ye shal not be so it shal not be so among you whosoeuer wil be the chiefe among you let him be your seruaunt and he setteth himselfe an example before them that he came not to haue seruice done vnto him but to serue and to giue his life for the redemption of many Hereby although it were the especiall purpose of our Sauiour Christ to take away that ambition which reigned in his disciples by reason they dreamed to obtaine by him an earthly and terrestriall kingdome notwithstanding being so often occasioned to declare thorough their desire of soueraintie and rule and especially before his death passion whome after his death he would leaue his deputie and vicegerent of whome they should depende and be gouerned it may giue iust occasion to thinke that as when he was conuersant with them in flesh he would not giue any supremacie or preheminence to any one more than to another but made them all equall so also after his ascension he would haue them so continue especially the reason of Christ being such as is appliable to the whole course of this life This strife and contention would not haue risen if they had knowne at any time Christ had appointed Peter their chiefe gouernour or else might easily haue béene ended if aunswere had béene made by Christ that Peter was he who shoulde be in his stead after his death But what if this doctrine of theirs be contrary to the groundes of our faith shall we think then their interpretation to be true if Peter be the rocke wheron the church is to be built then must the church also beléeue in Peter for the church cannot be built but by faith and beliefe but to beléeue in Peter is to ascribe that to the creature which onely is to be yelded vnto the creatour and therefore it cannot want great impietie to giue this vnto Peter which they doe Besides the church of God containeth the whole companie of the faithful euen from the beginning of the worlde vnto the ende why then if Peter be the rocke of the whole and vniuersall church of Christ then must the faithfull that were before Peter was born be founded vpon Peter and depend on him as their head but to affirme that I think cannot want absurditie therefore except you will make euen the visible church of God to haue had many visible heads this their assertion must prooue but a vaine imagination If we further call to minde that which Paul writeth of Peter that hee was the Apostle of the Iewes onely and Paul himselfe the Apostle of the Gentiles can Peter be accounted the foundation and head of the vniuersall church when as to preach vnto the Gentiles belonged not to him this reason driueth Cardinall Poole into such streightes that whereas other of his adherents saye Peter was appointed head of the church here other immediatly after his resurrection he is compelled to saye that Peters supremacie tooke no place before Paules conuersion for that before that Peter could not represent the person of Christ and leaue twelue Apostles to figure vnto vs the twelue tribes of Israell Wherefore these things being well weyghed together first that the Apostle flatly setteth downe that no man can or ought to laye any other foundation then Christ himselfe the Corinthians seeking especially to depende vppon some one principally as their cheife teacher I denying it to bee lawfull for them to depende vppon Cephas himselfe who was Peter Secondly