not according to this worde it is because there is no light in them Chrisostome saith Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo per Scripturas By no meanes may it by knowne whiche is the true Church of Christ but onely by the Scriptures Without them our faith is no faith without the helpe of them wee cannot knowe Christ from Antichriste wee cannot know the Church of Christ from the Sinagogue of Sathan Hereby let vs learne to knowe Hierusalem hereby let vs learne to knowe Hiericho Certainely if the woorde of GOD and the breathe of his mouthe bee not able to shewe this tradition and custome shall be much lesse able It is a good thinge to bee thankefull and to prayse the Name of the most high the seruants of God finde cause of thankfulnes in consideration of the great wonderful mercies continually powred vpō them Moses comanded Nisan to bee the firste moneth in the yeere because God had deliuered Israell from the hande of Pharao in that month In like sort Mardocheus the Iewe and Esther the Queene sent letters vnto al the Iewes that were through all the prouinces of the king Assuerus both nere farre enioying them that they shoulde kepe the fourteenth day of the month Adir with ioy and feasting for that vppon that daye God had deliuered them from the hande of Haman and that they woulde not fayle to obserue the fame euery yeare Upon this day euen vpon this day I say the xvii of this moneth God sent his handemaide and deliuered vs. Let vs be kinde and thankfull vnto God for so great blessing I say not let vs make it the first day of the yeere Yet this I say let vs haue it in remembrance let vs singe with the prophet When the Lord brought againe y e captiuitie of Sion we were like them that dreme thē was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy The Lord hath done great things for vs wherof we reioyce Let no man be offended herewith it is onely a remembrance of the mercy of God it behoueth vs to remember it it is good to speake of it For if we haue eyes to see and neglect not our owne saluation wee haue nowe much greater cause to reioyce then Dauid had because the things which are this daye restored vnto vs by the goodnesse of our God are farre greater and worthyer then those which Dauid and the people of Israell receiued in their deliuerance out of the capitiuitie of Babylon For by howe much the heauens are greater then the earthe and God is more excellent then a creature so much doeth the knowledge of God and his true worshippe passe all worldly blessinge and all other felicitie that can bee deuised vnder the Sunne For what knoweth hee which knoweth not God Or what worshippeth he whiche worshippeth not God Hee that worshippeth not God hath not the comforte of GOD but hee that hath God and knoweth God and serueth God hath a sure helpe and defence in all assayes Let vs therefore bee glad and reioyce let vs witnesse our ioye and singe vnto the Lorde a new songe Let vs kindle in our heartes the fire of the loue of God and of our neighbour and let the flame thereof breake out to the glory of God Let vs decke the Altars of our heartes with the florishing branches of vertue and good woorkes let vs sacrifice and kill our lustes and affections In this maner if wee shewe our thankefulnesse towardes GOD wee shall hinder the wicked purpose of thē that wish the restoring of Hiericho we shal see the lande of Gods promise and enter into his rest The fourth stay to hinder this buyldinge is discipline whiche is so needefull that neyther without it shall yee be able throughly to discomfort those that seeke to build vp Iericho againe nor your selues happely and prosperously to goe on forward in setting foorth the glory and maiestie of our God and to passe safely to the countrie promised It is as the sinewes of the church to strengthen it and to ioyne and knit the parts thereof together But because the time is passed and this matter weightie and worthy of larger discourse I wyll leaue it to your godly considerations and for some other time And thou O mercifull father rise vp we beseeche thee to iudge thine owne cause stablishe the thinge thou hast begonne in vs guide our feete in the way of peace giue force vnto thy worde blesse thine inheritance blow downe the walles of Hiericho so shal Hierusalem prospet and her walles be made strong so shall the daye starre lighten our hartes so shall Israel reioyce and all the people truly know thee and prayse thy name for euer Amen Aggaeus 1. Thus speaketh the Lord of hostes saying This people say The time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded Then came the word of the Lord by the ministery of the prophet Hagge saying Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seiled houses and this house lie waste THese words be written in the first Chapter of the Prophet Aggaeus For better vnderstandyng wherof I must call to your remembrance the storie of that time vpon occasion wherof these words were spoken Almighty God beinge for many and sundrye causes highly displeased with his people the Iewes after he had chastened thē many wayes and sawe none amendement at the laste gaue them ouer into the handes of their enemies and suffered both the kinge and all the people of the countrie to be carryed away prisoners into Babylon where they continued in miserie the space of seuentie yeeres In the meane season their countrey partly lay waste and grewe full of wylde beastes partly was inhabited by foreyners the temple that Salomon had built them the stateliest richest work of the whole world was burnt to the grounde and all the ornaments therof rauened vp and caried into Babylon After fiftie yeres king Cyrus shewed fauour towardes his people did lycence them to depart home agayne But as they were aboute the building vpon occasion of cōplaint of their enemies the whole worke was stayed At y ◠length after 70. yeeres God remembred his promise and mercy and stirred vp the heart of king Darius king of Persia who had then conquered the Chaldees to lycence the Iewes to depart home agayne into their countrie and to reedifie theyr Citie and Temple This king Darius as the Rabbines or Doctors of the Iewes and most parte of learned men coniecture was sonne vnto the king Assuerus begotten of the good Ladie Queene Hester which Ladie Hester he maried after he had imbased diuorced from hym the prowd and stubborne Queene Vasthi This was Gods marueylous prouidence by that meanes twice to deliuer his people Fyrst by the good Lady Hester from the tyranny of Hamā as it appeareth by the storye and after by her child Darius cleerely to delyuer them and
his word is heauy in vs through our heauines Orig. sheweth how dangerous y e state of theÌ„ is where the Gospel is not preached Such a Church can not stand before the abominatioÌ„ of desolation stedfast or without danger of seducing And therfore Christ compareth his church to the weakest things that be Sometimes hee calleth it a vine which vnies it euermore be propte and borne vp looked vnto pruned of it selfe is not able to stande but falleth to the ground groweth wilde Sometimes he likeneth it to a flocke of sheepe which without attendance is ready to take infinite maladies Sometime to a shippe which if it be not wel prouided on euery side if it be destitute of light of sunne starres is in daunger of the rocke and windes surges of the sea Sometimes to the moone which hath no light but from the sunne What needeth more proofe in a matter being of it selfe so cleere Christ himselfe Daniel Peter and Paul gaue vs warning that this confusion should come to passe in y e church of God We see with our eyes how farre we are straâ—ed from the original We see what darknesse and blindnesse hath beene euen in them that shoulde haue ruled the sterne Good men haue had their eyes opened and haue poynted to vs that the pâ—lâ—te of the shippe a long time hath beene Antichrist The auncient and olde Doctours in their time foresawe that this great captiuitye and confusion was comming euen vpon them Our fathers of later yeeres though our Aduersaries and Patrones of the contrary cause yea the Bishopyes of Rome and their chiefe pillars doe coufesse that the patterne and original hath not beene kept Discipline whiche is the greatest bond of the church hath beene broken I pray God it may now bee restored The Sacraments that Christ left for our most comfort haue byn miserably mangled and defaced Our prayers haue been without spirite and veritye and so abused that indeede they were no prayers What greater proofes or authorities doe we looke for Now then can there bee anye man so wilfull that will say there hath been no disorder in the churche or that Christ himselfe and his Apostles if they were aliue coulde rule the church in no better sort then it hath beene and is by the Pope and his Cardinals But me thinke I heare some say The church cannot bee so forsaken it is the house and temple of God it is the spouse of Christe Christ made her a sure promise that he woulde neuer forsake her Ero vobiscum vsque ad consummationem soeculi I will bee with you to the end of the worlde All this is true yet is it not true that euery particular churche of the worlde shal be established for euer For was not this temple that Salomon built the temple of God yet was it ouer throwen and burnt down to the grounde by y â— Chaldees Iupiters image was set vp in it by Antiochus It was afterward ouerthrowen by the Emperour Titus yet was it the temple of God Gods house is a house of prayer yet Christ saith Vos fecistis speluncam latronum You haue made it a denne of theeues The Lord made choise of his Uine he loued it it was a chosen heritage yet Ieremie saith Many pastours haue destroyed my Vineyard troden my portion vnder foote of my chosen place they haue made a desolate wildernes Hierusalem was called the holy city yet is shee charged that shee hath played the harlot and done shamefully The Iewes called themselues the people of God but Christe calleth them the Synagogue of Satan The Church of God is called the holy place yet Christ saith the abhomination of desolation and S. Paule saieth the man of sinne shal stand in the holy place If we beleeue Christ and his Apostles that forewarned vs hereof if we beleeue the old doctours if we beleeue the writers of later yeeres if we beleeue such as God hath stirred vp in our time to reuiue his Gospel if we beleeue our aduersaries if we beleeue our owne senses anâ— experience let vs confesse that the Church hath byn defaced with abuses let vs giue God thaÌ„ks that of his great mercies hath restored it and lee vs euery man endeuour to reediffe it God had mollified the Kings hearte to bee gracious towards them he had deliuered them he had restored them home to their countrie hee gaue them Prophetes to call vppon them and a godly Prince to rule ouer them but the people cried out The time is not yet come that the Lordes house shoulde be buylded Here must I touche the causes that withholde men from the buylding vp of Gods Temple not al that may be reckoned For that wold require more time but onely the chiefest that shall come to hand The first seemed to be dispaire of the cause For they sawe it was a long trauayle from Babylon to Hierusalem They had beene spoiled of all they had and were poore and the greatest part euen of their owne people forsooke them and would not returne home with them Theyr enemies were strong and laughed them to scorne and hindered their buildinges Others charged them with sedition and sayde if these men may once recouer their city they will paye no more tribute they will be no longer in subiection and this matter at length shall redound to the kings dammage Looke in your Chronicles and you shal find that the Iewes haue euer byn traytours Euen so when the man of God Luther was raysed vp by God to reforme the church a friend of his said vnto him O father Luther you shal neuer be able to preuayle the Pope princes and al the world are against you The matter is past recouery goe into your study say Deus miscreatur nostri EueÌ„ so wheÌ„soeuer it pleaseth God to build vp the walles of his teÌ„ple he chooseth out such y â— for their owne infirmities for the force strength of their enimies they might be discouraged and despaire Euen now that it hath pleased God to restore his gospel they that are of the contrary part crie out These men be rebels they woulde haue no magistrate they would haue al things in common Behold what they haue done in Heluetia beholde what they haue done in Germanie Looke out your Chronicles you shal finde that al the vproares and seditions which haue been these forty yeeres haue byn stirred vp by some of them But all this discouraged not the good Prince Zorobabel hee armed himselfe with Gods promise against all impossibilities and so called the people to the huylding of the temple And therefore GOD prospered him and moued the king Darius hearte to make proclamation that whosoeuer would withstand Zoroâ—abel in his doinges tymber shoulde bee taken out of his owne house and a gallowes made and he thereon hanged without redemption Euen so that man of GOD despayred not though hee same all the worlde against him but gaue the glory
torments no fire no fagot haue euer weakened the cause of the Gospel Tertullian saith Plures effiâ—imur quoties metimur the more we be cut downe the more we encrease These be their arguments this is their logique they haue no liking to trie the matter by Scripture by doctours by Councel or by the practise of the most ancient Churches and if they make any pretense of likinge such tryall they doe it for some other hidden purpose to moue mutinies and disquiet that they may woorke their practises whiles mens heades are occupied and busied with talke of such matters Pirrhus a lustie gentleman and Kinge of Epyrus when he first tooke Counsell with hys Nobles to wage warre against the Romanes heard saye hee might soone conquere them for that they were nothinge else but a sorte of wilde and harbarours people but afterward when he came to the view of the Romanes army indeed and sawe their Captaines and Souldiers wel appoynted and their flagges and standardes in good order mary quoth he whether these men be barbarous or no I cannot tel but wel I wot their behauiour and the order of their campe is not barbarous So what accompt soeuer men make of this doctrine that god be thanked is taught this day yet whosoeuer shall come neere view it well and try it to the vttermost and shall finde that al thinges are done seemely and orderly according to the olde doctours to the Apostles and to the primatiue Church of Christ shall fall downe to the grounde and confesse that the order and maner therof or any thing that is taught therein is not hereticall Saint Iohn Baptist sent his disciples to Christ to knowe whether hee were the true Messias or no or els whether they should looke for another Christ made them answer Go and shewe Iohn what thinges ye haue hard and seene the blinde receiue sight the halte goe the lepers are clensed the deafe heare y e dead are raised vp y e poore receiue the Gospel For these tokens were sufficient to make Iohn vnderstande that Christ was the true Messias Euen so if a man stande in doubte of this Religion whether it bee of God or no let hym but consider think with himselfe thus a great number of errours are now reuealed superstition is remoued idolatrie is taken away the Sacramentes are rightlye and duly vsed the dombe speake the blinde see the poore afflicted mindes receiue the Gospell the prayers are in such sort as the people may take profit and comfort by them God giue vs grace to know how great neede we haue to pray that in all places we may lift vp cleane handes and heartes vnto God and cal vpon him in spirit and truth If this be heresie then alas what is true religion Can these bee done by the power of Beelzebub Can the deuil reforme errours remoue superstion take away idolatrie cause the Sacramentes to be directly vsed the dombe to speake the blinde to see the poore to receiue the Gospel the people to take fruite and comfort by their prayers O good brethen this is the worke of Gods right hande the kingdome of God doubtlesse is come vppon vs the prince of errour is put to silence the readinesse of the people vniuersally in al places is marueilous kinges and princes suffer themselues to be led captiues to the obedience of Christ They that before were enemies and persecutours of this doctrine are nowe contented to yeeld their bodies liues for y t defence of the same and to be short al the world this day cryeth and groneth after the Gospel And al these things are come to passe at such time as to any mans reason it might seeme impossible when al the world the people priests princes were ouerwhelmed with ignoraÌ„ce wheÌ„ the word of God was put out of sight when he that tooke vpon him the generall rule of altogether was crept into y e holy place had possessed the coÌ„science of man as if he had bene God and had set himselfe aboue the scriptures of God gaue out decrees that whatsoeuer he should do no man shoulde finde fault with him when all schooles priests bishops kings of the worlde were sworne to hym that whatsoeuer he tooke in hand they should vphold it when he had chosen kings sonnes brothers to be his Cardinales when his Legats espies were in euery kings councel when nothing could be attempted any where but he by by must haue knowledge of it wheÌ„ whosoeuer had but muttered against his doinges must straight waies haue bene excoÌ„municate put to most cruel death as Gods enemie when no man could haue thought there had bene any hope that euer these dayes should haue bene seene that God of his mercy hath giuen vs to see when al things were voide of al hope and full of desperation Euen then I say euen then contrarye to all mans reason God brought all these thinges to passe Euen then God defeited their policies not with shielde or Speare but only with the spirit of his mouthe that is with preachinge of the Gospel There is no counsel agaynst the Lorde the deuils were cast out by the powre of God This is the day which y e Lord hath wrought to thee o Lord y e prayse hereof is due thou hast turned our mourning into ioy thou hast put to sileÌ„ce y e spirit of error thou hast inflamed y t hearts of thy people thou hast brought princes kings to the obedience of thy sonne Iesus Christ thou hast opened the eyes of y e world to espy out to cry for y e coÌ„fort of y e gospel WheÌ„ al things were in dispaire yet thou didst reserue vnto thy selfe one litle sparkle y t should inkindle agayne light in thy church y t shoulde remoue rubbish fylth out of thy teÌ„ple whose hart should euer be in thy haÌ„d who should do that that good is in thy sight should walke in y â— wayes of her father Dauid This is the hand power of God this is the Lordes doing and it is marueilous in our eyes God giue vs grace to haue these things euer before our eyes that we neuer be vnthankfull Now for al these graces y t God hath so plentifully powred vpoÌ„ vs let vs coÌ„sider what kindnes ought to be rendred on our part O Israel O my people saith almighty God what thing is it y t I require of thee but onely that thou loue me walk in my wayes this is our homage this is our dutie this shalbe loked for at our hands The grace of god saith Paul y t bringeth saluation vnto al meÌ„ hath appered techeth vs y t we shold liue soberly righteusly in this preseÌ„t worlde looking for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of the mighty god and of our sauiour Iesus Christ Such in olde times was the life of all them that professed the name of Christ Tertullian of his
heauen before men for ye your selues go not in nether suffer ye theÌ„ that would enter to come in Of these and against them God speaketh by the Prophet Ieremie Wo be vnto the pastors that destroy scatter the sheepe of my pasture And by the Prophete Zacharie O Idol-shepherd that leaueth the flocke Thou hast eares and hearest not thou hast eyes and seest not thou hast a tongue and speakest not and a heart but vnderstandest not thou art an idole Christ sayde to thee feede my lambes feede my sheepe but thou carest not for them Thou hast the roume of an Euangelist and Pastour and Teacher but thou gatherest not the saintes together thou doest not the worke of the ministerie thou buildest not vp the bodie of Christe They shall perish in their wickednesse but their blood wyll I require at thy handes Here note this ministerie of the Churche was not ordeined to offer sacrifice for forgiuenesse of sinnes Whosoeuer taketh that office vpon hym be doeth wrong iniurie to the death and passion of Christ He only is called of god an high Priest after y e order of Melchisedec He onely by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. He only with one offeringe hath consecrated for euer them y t are sanctified He only hath said Consummatum est It is finished The ransome or price for mans saluation and for forgiuenesse of the sinnes of the worlde is payde in mee in my death vpon the Crosse Of hym alone and onely of hym hath it bene spoken This is my well beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And by Esay With his stripes only we are healed It is he only which hath made of both one It is he only which did put out y â— hande writing of ordinaÌ„ces y â— was against vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vppon the Crosse He alone is our hye Priest the Lambe of God the Sacrifice for sinnes the Altar the Propitiation for sinners and redeemer of the world He only hath appeased the wrath of god He onely appeareth in the sight of GOD to make intercession for our sinnes All others whatsoeuer Apostles Prophetes Teachers and Pastours are not in office to offer any propitiatorie sacrifice but are called to the ministerie of the Saintes to the edification of the bodye of Christe and to the repayringe of the Church of God Thus muche of the holy ministerie of the Church which standeth in the setting foorth of the mysterie of our saluation both by the Preachinge of the woorde of GOD and by the due and reuerent ministration of the Sacramentes The principallest parte of this office is to preache repentance that so wee may amende our lyues and bee conuerted vnto GOD. So Ioel the Prophet followed hys ministerie sayinge Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lorde your God for he is gracious merciful So S. Paul teacheth that true circumcision is by putting off the sinnefull body of the fleesh that it is in mortifying our members that bee on the earth Fornication vncleanesse the inordinate affections euil concupiscence couetousnes which is idolatrie y â— it is in putting away al these thinges wrath anger maliciousnes cursed speakinge filthy speakinge out of your mouth in putting of the old maÌ„ with his works and putting on the new which is renewed in knowledge after y e image of him that created him So Iohn Baptist said Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Prepare ye y â— waies of the Lord make his pathes straight So our Sauiour Christ when he began to preache said Am end your liues for the kingdome of God is at hand Therfore it wil not bee amisse now to speake of repentaunce which some of late yeares haue chaunged into pennaunce and there of haue also made a Sacrament Here it behoueth to rippe vp the whole lyfe of man There is not any man that liueth and sinneth not God sayeth The imagination of mans heart is euyll from his youth The Prophet Ieremie saith The heart is deceitful and wicked aboue all things who can know it Saint Iohn therefore saith If wee say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues trueth is not in vs. Of hymselfe Saint Paul saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Of hymselfe the Prophet Dauid sayeth There is nothiÌ„g sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as a weighti burtheÌ„ they ar to heauy for me He saith If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities O Lord who shal abide it So sayth the Wise man A iustman falleth seuen times God is a righteous God and the auenger of all them that offendeâ—â— Saint Paul saith The wages of sinne is death And the Prophet Ezechiel The soule that sinneth shall dye For this cause then God ordayned the ministerie of his worde and appoynted certayne to this office that they shoulde warne his people of theyr sinnes and feare them by the terrour of Gods assured displeasure and heauy wrath As is seene by y t to Esay Cry aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a trumpet and shewe my people their transgressions the house of Iacob their sins So Saint Paul vnto Timothie I charge thee before God the Lorde Iesus Christ which shal iudge the quick and dead at his appearing in his kyngdome preach the word be instant in season out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine So woulde God haue our filth layde open before our eyes that wee might weigh and iudge our owne heartes that euery man might make charge vppon him selfe and saye I am an vnprofitable seruant my righteousnesse is as a foule and steined cloth My soule hath sinned and hath deserued to dye the death In this case some fall into desperation and saye as sometimes dyd Caine My sinne is greater then can be pardoned God withdraweth his mercie from mee I am vnworthie of it I haue offended against the holy spirit of GOD mine owne conscience accuseth me I haue no parte in the kingdome of GOD and of Christe there is no sacrifice left for my sinnes Thus the wicked liue in trembling and agony as dyd Cain thus they leaue their lyfe with horrour and miserie so haue they no grace to repent no taste nor feelyng of the mercie of God But the children of God though they bee wounded yet they finde reliefe in the certayne hope of Gods mercie Though they say I am a sinner my sinnes are more in number then the heares of my head I haue offended against heauen and earth Yet they know that Christ came to call sinuers to repentance that hee healeth those that are
to GOD. And therefore God blessed his doinges as wee see this daye For it is the cause of GOD and not of man The zeale of the Lord of hostes hath done this I wil bring this to passe saith the Lord not for your sakes but that my name may bee glorified among the nations For God chooseth y e weake thinkes and the foolish thinges of the world As for the Aduersaries be they neuer so strong he that dwelleth in the heauens laugheth them to scorne These through feare and dispaire keepe backe from building the temple Some there be that confesse that manye things are out of frame and ought to be looked on but they say it is no time to fall a buylding We must looke for a generall Councel And God graunt we may once see that daye that a general Councel may be called wherein Christ may sit president and all these matters that are nowe in question maye haue indifferent hearing and maye bee decided by the woorde of God But alas they that make a face and shewe of general Councels them selues stoppe and staye that there may be no generall Councell When Luther made his first appeale from the Pope that then was to a generall councell they made him answeare that it was against the decree of Pope Iulius and Pope Pius that anye appeale shoulde bee made from the Pope to any councel When the Emperour had compelled them to a Councel and the Princes of Germanie common weales had sent learned men thither the Bishops that were there assembled woulde not heare any of them preache or dispute or declare their minde For onely bishops may sit speake in their councel and suche as are sworne to mainteine the Pope Aeneas Syluius otherwise called Pope Pius the second saith if a Bishop speake against the Pope yea although hee speake the truth yet neuertheles hee sinneth against the othe that he hath made vnto the pope And last of all when the Councell hath done all that it can the whole conclusion of the matter hangeth vpon y e determination of the Pope Now iudge you what sentence there is like to be where as hee shalbe iudge in his owne cause Thus when they crye out and speake of Councels they seeke delay they mocke with God and man and indeed meane to haue no councel Saint Paul after hee was called of God and touched in his heart and couscience with Gods trueth appealed not to a generall Councel but saith Non acquieni carni sanguini I communicated not with fleshe and blood The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force There is no Councel aboue God A Councel may testifie the trueth to be truth but it cannot make falshood to be truth Augustine aunsweared most indifferently writing to Maximinus a Bishop of y e Arrsans y t alleaged a general councel holden at Ariminum Nec ego Nicenum nec tu debes Arimincuse tan quaÌ„ praeiudicaturus proferre coÌ„cilium c. Neither may I lay to thee the councel of Nice nor maiest thou lay to me the couÌ„cel of Ariminum either of vs thinking therby to find preiudice against the other But let vs laye matter to matter cause to cause and reason to reason by the authority of the Scriptures whiche are indifferent witnesses for both WheÌ„ Agisilaus minded to make his passage with his army through his neighbors lande he desired licence of the prince of that countrie the prince saide he coulde make him no ready aunswere but that he would take aduise of his councel Wel then said Agesilaus take you aduisement in the meane season I wil passe through So when our aduersaries delay off soiourne til they may take their deliberation in a councel let them deliberate while they wil but in the meane season let vs passe on in the busines of God and take the occasion offered vs to buylde by a house to the Lord. Some other say it is not yet time y e Bishops be they that should redresse the church Would to God they would For they should be Lux muÌ„di The light of the world they should be shepheards Watchmen they should be builders of Gods church But what if the light become darknes What if the shepheardes become wolues What if the Watchmen lye asleepe what if the builders become ouerthrowers Ieremie saith the Pastours haue ouerthrowen the Uineyard and is it likely that they wil reare it vp again Christ said vnto y e bishops you haue made my house a denne of theeues is it likely that they wil bring it againe to the former state and make it a place of prayer But O merciful God what a building is that like to bee where ignorance is the foundation where ignoraunce is deuotion and the greatest corner stone of the buylding I pray God lighten their hearts w t his holy spirite and make them to bee that they professe themselues to be the light of the world and true labourers in Gods Uineyarde faithful buylders of his house In the meane season let vs remember that in the olde Lawe whensoeuer the Byshoppe grewe out of order God raysed vp sometimes Prophetes sometimes Princes to refourme the churche to redresse things that were amisse and to reedifie the decayes For the Prince is keeper of the Lawe of GOD and that of both Tables as wel of the first that pertayneth to Religion as of the seconde that pertayneth to good order For he is the Head of the people not onelye of the commons and Laâ—â—y but also of the Ministers and Cleargye By that authoritye Moses beynge a Magistrate rebuked Aaron the Bishop for making the golden calfe Ioas beeing a king redressed the riot of the Priestes Salomon being King firste builded the temple of God put down the high Bishop Abiathar and set vp Sadoc Afterwarde the same Temple being polluted was restored not by the Bishoppes but by the Kings Ezechias Iosias Abias Iehosaephat at this time after the captiuitie of Babylon it was restored not by the Bishoppes but by Zorobabel the Prince of Iuda And after the comming of Christ when the Emperours became christened Constantine a Godly Emperour threatned the Bishops if they would not be ruled he would take vppon him to see them punished as hauing in deed authority and power ouer Bishoppes And Iustinianus in his law threatneth the Bishops that if they woulde not make their prayers in a loude voyce that y â— people might say Amen he would punish them with his sworde as hath been sayd before But what needeth more examples When the Arke of God was restored home Dauid being King played the chiefest part Dauid being King made Psalmes and ditties Dauid being King daunced before the Arke and being king set the Bishops Priestes in order And for this cause they are kings euen to serue y â— Lord. And therefore they doe not wel that deuide common weales in two and deuise two heads the one for the
and the like murtherers But the Godly when they see any disorder they doe nothing like the other they mourne in their heartes to see that the trueth is not rereyued and to see the mindes of their brethren so obstinately hardened they make prayer to God for them they are deepely touched with the feeling of suche calamittes whiche GOD layeth vppon other The zeale of Moses coulde not like the Idolatrie of the people yet hee went vnto the Lorde againe and sayde Nowe if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilte not I praye thee rase mee out of thy Booke which thou hast written Christ lamented ouer Hierusalem O Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophetes stonest them which are sent to thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickins vnder her wings ye would not Beholde your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate Paul suffered much at the haudes of the wicked Iewes They troubled y e church of god they hindred y e course of the gospell they were enemyes of the Crosse of Christ they were Dogges they were conâ—â—sion Yet he sayeth I haue great heauenes continual sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to be separated froÌ„ Christ for my brethren are my kinsmen accordinge to the flesh which are the Isralites Dauid saith Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Lawe And agayne My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enimies haue forgotteÌ„ thy words Againe I saw the transgressours and was greued because thei kept not thy word And when hee saw the whole nation of Israel wasted by the enimies how mournfull a complaint made he to god O god the heathen ax come into thine inheritance thine holye temple haue they defiled made HierusaleÌ„ heaps of stones The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meat vnto the foules of the heauen the flesh of thy saints vnto the beasts of the earth At this time whâ— the tabernacle was lost wheÌ„ Saul was vnquiet and the Priestes were sâ—ayne and the Prophets despised and the people lef without al comfort hee powreth out his heare in these wordes Zelus domus tuae comedit me O Lorde the zeale I beare vnto thine house hath eaten me vp It inflameth my heart drieth my blood consumeth my marowe Such a care had bee for the house of God it was death vnto him to see it so destroyed and layde wast So Christ when he sawe the temple of God fowly and vnseemely abused that they made the holy place a place for their vnlawfull and vnhanest game by vsurie that they turned Religion into robberie solde oxen sheepe and doues and keept their bankes for exchaunge in the temple when the Priestes and Leuites whiche shoulde serue God were become marchantes and serued them selues when the temple or house of God which Dauid purposed and Salomon finished and Ezechias and Esras and other Godly Princes preserued in whiche was kept the booke of the Law whether al the people assembled together to serue God was not vsed lyke gods house but like a common faire or market and was made a denne of theiues When these grosse abuses were suffered and things were let runne to such extremities and al this vnder pretence of holines as if it were not onely lawfull but needes it must be so moued with zeale hee coulde not abide it He made a scourge of smal cordes droue them all out of the temple and poured out the changers mony and ouerthrew the tables saide make not my fathers house a house of marchaÌ„dise And his disciples remembred that it was writteÌ„ the zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp This was no frantique or melancholy passion neither in Moses nor in Dauid nor in Christ Moses was a very meeke maÌ„ aboue al that were on the earth Dauid was a man that heareth not and in whose mouthe are no reproofes And Christ sayde learne of me for I am humble and meeke When his disciples Iames Iohn grewe wrothfull against the Samaritanes that would not receiue hym and sayde Lord wylte thou that wee commaunde that fire come downe from heauen consume them euen as Elias did He turned about and rebuked them saide yee know not of what spyrite you are Yet through zeale for Gods house Christ whypped out the buiers and sellers Dauid shed foorth teares abundantly and Moses dashte in peeces the tables of Gods commandements Al men ought to bee pacient gentle in matters appertayninge to them selues but in Gods cause no man must yeelde or bee patient In our dayes vppon whom the ende of the worlde is come when wee did lately see those times wher of our sauiour foretolde so longe sâ—theuce that desolatioÌ„ should be in the holy place and such confusion ignorance and blindenes that men shoulde stomble at noone dayes that truth should be a stranger vpon earth that men should forsake wholsome doctrine and giue eare vnto fables that the mysterie of iniquitie should work and the very elect if it were possible bee deceiued what trial was made of true godlye zeale How notably did it shew it selfe agaynst the rage and furie of the wicked What should I speake hereof The exaÌ„ples are fresh you can not forget them you hearde of them so late it is so late since you did beholde them What moued so many so learned so vertuous to yeelde their backes to the scourge their neckes to the tormentours their bodies to the fire to forsake their goodes their friends their parentes their wiues and childreÌ„ but the zeale of Gods house Neither death nor life nor Angels nor thinges present nor things to come was able to separate them from the loue of God They continued stedfast vnto the ende the zeale of Gods house dyd eate them vp But now God hath restored vs he hath taken away the desolation from vs hee hath giuen vs his trueth he hath reuealed the man of sinne he hath raysed vp a banner of hope We se and enioye such thinges as many kings and Prophets would haue eniayed and could not What remayneth but that we take the zeale of the Lords house into our heartes and seeke by all meanes the glory of the same As our good fathers and brethren shewed the vehemencie of their loue in disly king the disorders which troubled y e church of God so in this blessed peace which God giueth to his Church let vs witnesse our earneste zeale in seeking that it may be made beautifull and established for euer Let our next care be to continue possession Kingdomes are preserued by the same meanes by which they were first gotten That which is conquered by zeale by carefull zeale must bee kept It was saide of Annibal that he knew how to get the victorie but howe to vse it bee knew not Many haue lost that by negligence which they had by diligence
seuen in due signification and right meaning taken for sacraments For in such sort as these are called sacramentes that is because they signifie some holy thing wee shall finde a great number of thinges which the godly learned Fathers haue called Sacramentes and yet I trow we must not holde them as sacraments ordeined to be kept and continued in the church for then shoulde there bee not seuen but seuenteene sacramentes S. Bernard calleth the washing of the Apostles feete a sacrament Ablutio pedum sacramentū est quotidianorum peccatorum The washing of feet is the Sacrament of daily sinnes So Leo calleth the crosse of Christ a sacramēt Crux Christi quae saluandis est impensa fidelibus sacramentū est exemplū The crosse of Christ which was giuē to saue the faithfull is both a Sacrament also an example Tertullian calleth the whole state of Christian faith Religionis Christianae Sacramentum The sacrament of Christian religion S. Hillary in diuers places saith Sacramentum orationis sacramentum esuritionis sacramentum sitis sacramentū fletus sacramentū scripturarū The sacramēt of praier the sacrament of fasting the sacramēt of thirst the sacrament of weeping the Sacramēt of the scriptures Thus much for the nūber that by the institutiō of Christ there are but two sacramēts as Cardinal Bessarion confesseth Haec duo sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifesté tradita legimus We reade that these two onely Sacraments were deliuered vs plainly in the Gospel I wil now speake briefly of the sacramentes in seueral leaue all idle vaine questions and onely lay open so much as is needful profitable for you to know Baptisme therefore is our regeneration or newe birth whereby wee are borne a new in Christ are made the sonnes of God heires of the kingdome of heauen it is a sacrament of the remission of sinnes and of that washing which we haue in the blood of Christ We are al borne the children of wrath and haue our part in the offence of Adam S. Paul saith By one man sinne entred into the world August saith Non dixit veniet super eum sed manet super eum Respexit originem c. Christ saide not it shal come vpon him but it abideth on him He had regard to our ofspring whē he saith the wrath of God abideth on him Vpon which when the Apostle also looked hee said and we our selues also were sometimes the children of wrath That which in Adam was imputed to his offence not to bee of nature is now in vs which are come of Adā become natural Therefore saith the Prophet Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinn hath my mother conceiued me So y t we all haue cause to crie out mone with Saint Paule I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading me captiue vnto the lawe of sinne whiche is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodye of this death Here of speaketh our sauiour That whiche is born of the flesh is flesh that which is borne of the spirite is spirite And for this cause saith he except a man bee borne of the water and the spirite hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God For this cause are infants baptized because they are borne in sinne and cannot become spirituall but by this newe birth of the water and the spirite They are the heires of the promise the couenaunt of Gods fauour is made vnto them God saide to Abraham I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenaunt to be God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee Therefore saith the Apostle If the roote be holy so are the branches And againe The vnbeleeuing Husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the Husbande else were your Children vncleane but now are they holy When the Disciples rebuked those that brought little Children to Christ that he might touch them he saide Suffer the little children to come vnto mee and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of GOD. And againe Their Angelles alwaies beholde the face of my Father which is in Heauen The kingdome of Heauen is of such saieth Christ not onelie then of those but of other like infantes which shall bee in al times As God tooke the seede of Abraham to be partakers of the couenant whiche hee gaue to Abraham so hee appoynted that euerie man childe of eyght dayes olde shoulde bee circumcised And Abraham circumcised his sonne Isaac when he was eyght dayes old as God had commanded him May wee thinke that the promise of God hath an ende so that it reacheth not to our children Or might the children of the Iewes receiue the signe of the couenant and may not the children of the Christiās Whatsoeuer was promised to Abraham the same is also perfourmed vnto vs. Wee enioye the same blessinges and free priuiledge of Gods fauour Saint Paule to the Galathiās saith Know ye that they whiche are of faith are the children of Abraham Againe If yee bee Christs then are ye Abrahams seed heires by promise Nowe is the signe of the Couenaunt also chaunged and Baptisme is in steede of Circumcision as Saint Paule declareth and calleth them circumcised which are baptized In whome meaning Christe also yee are circumcised with circumcision made without handes by putting off the sinful bodie of the fleshe through the circumcision of Christ in that you are buried with him thorow baptisme Our Sauiour giueth charge to his Apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost The Apostles baptized not only such as professed their beliefe but whole housholdes The keeper of y ◠prisō was baptized with all that belonged vnto him So was Crispus the chiefe ruler of y ◠Synagogue his housholde and the housholde of Stephanas Infantes are a parte of the Churche of God they are the sheepe of Christ and belong to his flocke Why shoulde they not beare the marke of Christe they haue the promise of saluation Why should they not receiue the seale whereby it is confirmed vnto them they are of the felowshippe of the faithfull Augustine saith Vbi ponis paruulos non baptizatos profecto in numero credentium Where place you young children which are not yet baptised Verily in the number of them that beleeue Why then shoulde not they be partakers of the sacrament together with the faithfull And as the children of the faithfull by right ought to be baptized So such others also as were borne of vnbeleeuing parents and were aliants from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of promise and had no hope if they acknowledge the errour in which they liued and seeke
of our heart And as S. Basil Est spirituale os interioris hominis quo nutritur recipiēs verbū vitae quod verbū est panis qui descēdit de coelo There is a spiritual mouth of y ◠inner mā by which he is nourished by receiuing Christ y ◠word of life whiche is the bread that came frō heauē In this mystery of y ◠death of Christ his death passion is renewed to our remēbrance We are so moued to sorow for our sins which haue bin cause of his death to be thākful for y e great mercy of God whiche by this meanes wrought our redēption as if we did see him presēt before our faces hanging vpō y e crosse We know y ◠Christ hath left his sacraments to his Church that they might be helpes to lift vs vp into heauē By them we are ioyned with Christ and made partakers of his passion Next let vs consider how and after what sort we eat the body of Christ in the sacrament And here I beseech you that you may take the cōfort of the body blood of Christ to giue good eare For of mistaking this mystery grewe the first error in the Church When y ◠disciples of Christ heard Christ speake of this matter and vnderstood him not they were offended and shrounke backe and departed If we take the wordes of Christ in such meaning as they did wee shalbee deceiued and offended as they were This it is then which wee haue to consider whether the bodie of Christ goe into our mouth and our bodies as other meates or whether it be receiued spiritually as a spirituall meate and so passe into and nourishe our soule Hereof somewhat was sayde before by the way and shortly But for cleerer vnderstanding of the same we haue to weigh and declare that the eating of the body of Christ is not grosse or corporall but ghostly and spirituall as a peculiar worke of the minde The trueth hereof is founded in our Creede and is an article of our Christian faith Wee beleeue that Christ did rise againe from the dead and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God in glorie So saith Saint Paule If yee then be risen with Christe seeke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hād of god And again Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we also looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Christ himselfe saith to his disciples It is expediēt for you that I goe away And The poore alwaies ye haue with you but me yee shall not haue alwayes So S. Peter saith Whom the heauen must conteine vntil the time that al thinges be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of al his holy prophets since the world began Whiche speeches haue occasioned the olde auncient learned Fathers to teache the people after this sort touching the body of Christ Vigilius a godlie Bishop and Martyr saith Caro Christi cū esset in terra nō erat in coelo nunc quia est in coelo non est vtique in terra The flesh of Christ when it was in earth was not in heauen and nowe because it is in Heauen doubtlesse it is not in earth Ambrose saith Seeke the things that be aboue and not the things that be vpō earth Therfore we must seeke thee neither vpō the earth nor in the earth nor according to the flesh if we list to finde thee S. August saith According to the flesh that the word receiued according to that he was borne of the Virgin according to that he was takē of the Iewes according to that he was nayled to the crosse according to that he was taken downe and lapt in a shrowde and layde in the graue and rose againe and shewed himselfe in this respect it is true that hee sayde Yee shall not euermore haue mee with you And againe hee saith Donec saeculum finiatur sursum est Dominus c. Vntill the world be ended the Lorde is aboue yet notwithstāding euen here is the truth of y e Lord. For the body wherin he rose againe must needs be in one place So Cirillus sayd Christus non poterat in carne versari cum Apostolis postquam ascēdisset ad patrē Christ could not be conuersant together with his Disciples in his flesh after he had ascended vnto his father It would bee tedious to alleadge all y t might be saide to like purpose Thus Christe and Paul Peter thus Vigilius Ambrose Augustine Cirill and al the olde Catholique fathers say and wee are taught to beleeue that Christ is not corporally in the churche but is ascended into Heauen and that hee hath giuen to his bodie immortalitie but hath not taken from the same the nature of a bodie Vigilius hauing cause to prooue this same article against Eutiches shutteth vp the matter thus Haec est fides professio catholica quam Apostolitradiderunt martyres roborauerunt fideles huc vsque custodiunt This is the Catholique faith profession which the Apostles haue deliuered the martirs haue confirmed and the faithful hitherto doe continue The body then which we eate is in Heauen aboue all Angels and Archangels and powers and principalities Our meate is in Heauen on high and we are heere belowe on the earth Howe may it be that we may reach it or taste or eate it Heere let vs imagine that there are two men in euery man and that euerie man is fleshe and spirite bodie and soule This man thus doubled must bee furnished with double senses bodily to serue the bodye and spirituall to serue the soule Hee muste haue eyes of the bodie and eyes of the soule eares of the bodye and eares of the soule Spirituall senses ars quicke sharpe and liuely They pearce anye thing bee it neuer so thicke they reache anye thing bee it neuer so farre off Christ saieth of Abraham Abraham reioyced to see my daye hee sawe it and was gladde Hee sawe it not with his bodylie eyes but with the inner eyes of the soule When we speake of the mysterie of Christe and of eating his bodie wee must shut vp and abandon all our bodily senses And as wee cannot say that wee see him with our bodily eyes or heare him with our bodilye eares or touche him with bodily feeling so likewise can we not and therefore may wee not saye wee taste him or eate him with our badylie mouth In this woorke wee must open all the inner and spirituall senses of our soule so shall wee not onely see his bodye but heare him and feele him and taste him and eate him This is the mouth and the feeling of faith By the hande of faith we reache vnto him and by the mouth of Faith we receiue his body Touching the eating of Christes bodye S. August taught the people on this wise Crede manducasti Credere in Christum hoc