all respects am farre inferior vnto him but the truth is I haue read it my selfe in Saint Augustine his 18 booke and 23 chapter of the Citty of God the first word of which chap-chapter is eodem and the last word scripserunt Chap. Are the verses you spake of set downe in that Chapter Salt Yes in Lattine Iudicij signum c. Chap. I would I had them in English Salt If you will haue them Englished in the best manner you must craue it at the hands of some other but if you will see the sence as I haue giuen it after the plaine fashion thus it is The earth it selfe shall sweat through feare To shew that iudgement doth draw neere The eternall king from heauen shall come In flesh to iudge at day of dome Faithfull and faithlesse then shall see The glorious God and Saints set free When earth vntilled shall bryars beare TheÌ„ soules with flesh that Iudge shall heare Reijcient simulactra viri cunctam quoque gazam Exuret terras ignis pontuÌ„que poluÌ„que inquirens c. Then shall men cast false Gods away With treasures rich and iewels gay The earth shall burne with fiery flame That shall search sea and heauenly frame The dores of dreadful diuels then Shall broken be in sight of men The bodies of Saints in light shall shine When wicked men in flame shall whine Things done in secret and by night Shall then be knowne and brought to light Then men shall cry alasse and woe And wayling gnash their teeth also The Sun and Moone shall loose their light The heauens dissolue no starre in sight The hils shall downe the vallies rise Each thing made euen in wonderous wise The course of all things then shall stay The earth sore crusht shall quite decay The fountaines then shall dry be found And Trumpets giue a dolefull sound Bemoning then mans misery When hell shall gape most horribly Before the Lord at that same hower Shall Kings be brought and men of power A fearfull fire from heauen shall burne With store of brimston for that turne Chap. In whose time liued that Sibyll Salt He that compareth the 23 Chapter of the 18 booke De Ciuitate Dei with the Chapter aforegoing shall finde that she was in the daies of Romulus and Ezechias Romulus was some 700 yeares before Christ but in the end of that Chapter hee saith some wrote that she was belli Troiani tempore in time of the Troiane warre Chap. Did she write such things so long before the Incarnation of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Salt It should seeme so by S. Austin but since your comming was not for Sibyl-Salt but for Salt Canonicall tell mee how much you will haue Chap. Marry friend Salter tell me first I pray thee what I shall say to these Atheists if they should aske mee how I know that this Salt which coÌ„meth from Bible-Spring doth passe all other Salt Hee which for that matter hath not the inward testimony of the spirit which is the chiefest must bee exhorted to seeke for some outward testimony in the fountaine it selfe whereof the first may be the maiesty of the doctrine euery where appearing in those sacred and Canonicall bookes Vide Whita in dis de sacr Scrip. contren 1. Qâ—aest 3. cap. 3. sect 5. The â—econd the simple pure and heauenly kind of writing neither Plato Aristotle nor Demosthenes nor Cicero nor any other that wrote so purely so holily and so diuinely The third is the antiquity of them for the bookes of Moses are more ancient then the writings of all men other Writers were vtterly ignorant of the History he deducteth from the creation or had it from thence or else bee sprinkled with many fables The fourth testimony is the Oracles which confirme the authority of those books to be very sacred as the which must needes bee diuine for that in them are fore-told some things which came to passe manâ— ages after and names were put vpon somâ— men before they were borne certaine hundreth of yeares as in 1 Kings 13 Chapter the man of God which came out of Iudah by the commandement of the Lord cryed against that Altar in the presence of King Iereboam and said O Altar Altar thus saith the Lord behold a child shal be borne vnto the house of Dauid Iosiah by name and vpon thee shall hee sacrifice the Priestâ— of the high places this he spake more therâ— 300 yeares before Iosiah was borne 44.28 45. â— thâ—â— Prophet Esaie in like manner nameth Cyrus some 100 yeares ere he was borne Chap. How can you proue that Iosiaâ— and Cyrus were named so long before they were borne Salt I find in the 2 Chronicles 13 20. that Ieroboam in whose daies Iosiah was named by the man of God aforesaid being plagued of God died in the daies of Abijah who was then King of Iudah now he that will reckon how many yeares each King of Iudah from Abijah to Iosiah did raigne shall finde the yeares when he fetteth down the whole sumine to be more then 300. And as touching Cyrus named by the Prophet Isay know you that this Prophet prophesied in the daies of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz Isay 1.1 and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah now presuppose that the Prophet Isay named not Cyrus till the last yeare of Hezekiah his raigne and that Cyrus was borne in the 11 yeare of Iehoiakim about which time beganne the captiuity of Babilon if yee reckon the yeares of the raignes of the Kings of Iudah that raigned betwixt Ezekiah 2. Chro. 26.6 Iehoiakim you shall finde them as I said to amount to some hundred yeares lacking some nine monthes for Manasses who succeeded Hezekiah raigned 55 years Amon two yeares Iosiah 31 yeares Ioachas 3 monthes Iehoiakim 11 yeares Chap. Go on now with the rest of the testimonies for the authority of the Scriptures Salt The fift is the number of miracles Chap. What miracles if you meane such are found in the Scriptures assure your selfe that they which doubt of or set light by the Scriptures make little accompt of the miracles or any thing else contained in them though they were not faigned Salt If that testimony seeme weak take the sixt Do. Whitak in dis de sacr Scrip. contro 1 Qu. 3. ca. 3. sest 5 which is the enemies themselues who though they haue oft gone about to take away all the Scriptures from the sight of men yet they could neuer bring it to passe but by their owne paines and punishments vnderstood that it was the word of God that they oppugned The seuenth is the testimony of the Martirs which by their confession and death sealed the doctrine deliuered and set forth in those bookes The eigth the Writers themselues who wrote theÌ„ bring great credit vnto theÌ„ for if ye consider what manner of meÌ„ they were before they were stirred vp by the holy Ghost to take this vpon them wee shall finde that they were very vnfit for such
Salomon which saith My sonne Prou. 24.21 feare the Lord and the King â—nd meddle not with them that are seditiâ—us And S Peter also after these words 1. Pet. 2.17 Honour all men loue brotherly felowship â—aith Feare God honor the King whereâ—y hee teacheth vs that though wee owe a â—inde of honour to all men yet the King is to be honoured aboue all the rest this being so I may safely conclude that the King is to be obeyed in the Lord who commandeth vs to honour him The fifth Commandement also biddeth vs honour Father and Mother Now that stretcheth to the King which is a father to the country as a father then thinketh himselfe not to bee honoured if his sonne obey him not which made Salomon say Prou. 6.20 My sonne keepe thy fathers commaundements And Saint Paul Ephes 6.1 Children obey your parents in the Lord So a King doth not thinke himselfe honoured of those that frame not themselues to obey him in the Lord. To command to goe to Church to heare Gods word to pray to him to praise him to shew forth the Lords death c. is to command in the Lord if then in this and the like wee stubbornely disobey him wee giue him not the honour due vnto him to finde fault with translations and to say we are cut off from the head are stumbling-blockes of their owne laying for our tranâ—â—slations which we haue already dare shew their faces in any place in the world wherâ— their old Latine vulgar edition dare and sâ— long as the Apostle Paul teacheth Thaâ— Christ is the head of the Church Eph. 5.23 Contra Crescomum lib. 3. cap. 5. Dixâ—plane dâ—â—o ibid. which lesson S. Augustine hauing learned wrote thus Christus Christianisit caput let Christ be the Christian mans head And S. Peter that the King is the superior vnto whose ordinances if the Christians were to submit themselues in his time in ciuill matters why should not we submit our selues vnto them in Ecclesiasticall matters also now when God in his mercy hath made them not onely receiuers of the saith but also defenders of the same so long I say as we are thus taught and so haue learned why should any say that we are cut off from the head seeke to ioyne the whole Church militant to one ministeriall head I must needs confesse that it were a blessed thing and very comfortable to all that professe the religion of the crucified Christ if when there bee iarres in the Church wee might finde some one man or many in Rome or any where else that were so assured of his or their not erring M. Hard. in Confut. as that whatsoeuer hee or they said by way of iudgement to vse their owne words and sentence definatiue in doubtful points touching religion might safely be taken for truth for my part if I â—ould méete with any such I would giue them as much reuerence as were lawfull to be giuen to any man Chap. What if they should put forth their feet to be kist Salt I finde that our Sauiour to teach humility washt other mens feet but I doe not read that he required any either to kisse or wash his feete though no man were too good to do it and those that did it were to bee commended for their loue as shee that powred oyntment on him is to bee remembred wheresoeuer the Gospell shall be preached to be remembred I say not by painting her with a whip in her hand Luke 7.38 Math. 26.13 as if shée were a Iesuite but her doing is to bee spoken of Chap. Your talking of translations hath made you digresse from the salt of obedience returne to it againe Salt I will Wee are to obey those in God for whom we must pray Tim. 1.2 Pro. 8 15.1â— Pro. 12.1 which reigne and rule by God and for the glory of God who turneth the hearts whithersoeuer it pleaseth him but godly Kings are such therefore so to be obeyed We are to obey that Ruler which loueth him that speaketh right things Prou. 16.13 Prou. 20.26 scattereth the wicked and causeth the whéele to goâ— ouer them but this is done by a wise King therefore we are to obey him We are to feare to offend him whose wrath and feare is like the roaring of a Lyon Prou. 19.12 Prous 20 2. and in the light of whose countenance is life Prou. 16.15 but such are these things in a King therefore we should feare to offend him We are to loue honour and obey him who sitteth in his Throne Prou. 20.8 Prou. 29.4 chaseth away euill with his eyes and by iudgement maintaineth the Country but so doth a King as Salomon saith ergo we are to loue honour and obey him It is a shame for reasonable creatures hauing a King not to do that which Grasse-hopper swanting both reason and a King do Prou. 30.27 The Grasse-hopper saith the same Salomon hath no King yet goe they forth all by bands meaning they kéepe order though they haue no guide The faithfull subiects that séeke the peace of the Church the common good their own good and the fauour of God are to obey such commandements of their King as are in the same predicament if I may so speake in which were the commandements of that good King Hezechias but these commandements Goe to Church heare Gods word communicate pray for vnity peace and concord c. are of the same kinde as his were therefore they are to be obeyed c. Chap. What commandement of Hezechias do you speake of Salt Such as are mentioned Vers â— 2. Chron. 30. where it is said that Hezekias sent to all Israel and Iudah and also wrote Letters to Ephraim and Manasses that they should come to the house of the Lord at Ierusalem to keepe the Passouer vnto the Lord God of Israel So the Priests went with Letters by the CoÌ„mission of the King and his Princes through all Israel and Iudah and with the commandement of the King saying Yee children of Israel and Iudah turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel and he will returne to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hands of the King of Ashur 7 And be not you like your Fathers like your brethren which trespassed against the Lord God of your Fathers and therefore hee made them desolate as yee see 8 Be not ye stiffe-necked like your Fathers but giue the hand to the Lord and come into his sanctuary which he hath sanctified for euer and serue the Lord your God and the fiercenesse of his wrath shall turnâ— away from you For if you returne vnto the Lord your brethren and your children shall finde mercy before them that led them captiues and they shall returne vnto this land for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if you conuert vnto him Chap. What entertainment had
had to it otherwise they might haue deuised decent apparell differing from that of their enemies the knew wel if Saul had Ioued Steuen hee would neuer haue kept the cloathes of him that stoned him Salt Saul kept the persecutors cloathes as one consenting to his death and he did it willingly and as one that hated Steuens doctrine but these reuerend fathers whose loue to the Gospel and suffering for the same is worthy to be remembred while the Sun and Moone keèpe their course though some whose filthy idolatry cannot be but hated of the iealous God do cal them stinking Mattyrs these godly and true zealous men I say did not consent but lament for the bloudy butchering of all that trusted to be saued by the mercy of God towards them through the merits of Iesus Christ our onely redéemer so the howsoeuer some of them thought good not onely to kéepe them but also to were such things for a time yet it is well knowne they did as much detest their aduersaries cruelty as Saul conuerted was sorry for his persecuting as those graue wise and godly men thought good to beare with the weakenesse of men then hoping that in time they would become perhaps stronger though things fell not out to their expectations so now it may bee those that are in authority thinke that the wearing of â—his coate would bee a politique kind of â—hewing-horne if I may so call it without â—ffence to draw such as are backewards to â—â—ng another note so that the Shepeheards â—ou speake of if they may with any quietâ—â—esse of conscience shall do well as I think â—eing now vrged to obey least they séeme â—o such as be in authority rather opiniatiue â—hen zealous Chap. It may be these Shepeheards are â—erswaded that it is no more expedient for 〈◊〉 professor of the Gospell to weare these â—hings Tertul. de Coron millitis then in Tertullians iudgment as I â—aue heard for a Christian to goe as the â—leathen did with a laurell garland vpon their head Sal. It was méete that the Christians should abstaine from that Beatus Rhenanus in arguâ—â—â—â—â—â— in libro Tertul. de CoÌ„ron iml. as Beatus Rhenanus saith for these causes Partem ne infirâ—nior ex Christianis offenderetur partim â—e echunici in suis erroribus coÌ„firmarenter dum rectius putant esse quod etiam Christianos obseruare vident partly least any of the weaker Christians should bee offended partly least the Heathen also should bée incouraged in their errours thinking that thing for that the Christians themselues do it to be the better but if you haue any more to say touching these Shepeheards speake quickly for I would faine make an end of this matter Chap. What if some of their Sheepe should iudge according to the outward appeerance and say if our Shepeheards yeeld to any thing which heeretofore they haue misliked we will come to the fold with the inside of our cloakes outwards doe you thinke it would not grieue our Shepeheards to heare this Salt If they haue fed their Shéepe with sound fodder heretofore let them do so still let them in that point vse the same whistle and the same note and the wiser sort things béeing as they bée will think neuer that worse of theÌ„ Hungry Shéepe that bée not wanton will hearken to the note not stand staring on the coate they séed vpon fodder not vpon colour vpon substance and not vpon shewes Chap. But it may be if they should yeeld to this they should be vrged further Salt And it may bée if they could or would yéeld so farre they might find such fauour being skilfull and painefull Shepheards that they should be vrged no further Howsoeuer it be God grant for Christ his sake that both commanders and such as be commanded may do his will But now I sée more Chapmen therefore tell mée quickly what â—isease he hath whom you called a maÌ„ of my â—oate for our digressing to others hath â—ade vs almost forgetfull of him for whom you came Cha. It may bee ere I come home to that man I may meete with some of those Shepheards wee haue talked of therefore if you haue any Salt to season them let mee â—aue some Salt I know there is not any Canoniâ—all Salt that sauoreth of obedience but they haue it already and know how to vse â—t Chap. Haue you no other Salt here Sal. If Canonicall Salt will not serue what do you aske for other I haue but a â—ittle other Salt heere and touching these matters I remember I haue some in a Lattine boxe made by one whose labours in searching for the truth all that loue the truth are to praise God Chap. I pray let mee haue that box and if it bee too heard for mee to open I will get some that haue skill to help me Salt I know by some of your former speeches that you can make a shift to open a harder Lattine box then this Chap. Well let me see it Sal. Si non licet obtinere quod cupimus feâ—ramus illos defectus non approbemus modo 〈◊〉 subsit illic impietas aliudue dei verbo repugnans vt si quod Cal. in quadam Epistola verbi gratia idolatriae specimeâ— existeret illi ad mortem vsque resisti a nobiâ— oporteret vbi verò Doctrina ipsa sana at que pura est ac ceremoniae ad ciuilem quandam honestatem vel decorum vsurpantur silentio nobiâ— praetereunda sunt ista magis quam vt corum occasione ad disceptationes et grauiores motus veniendum sit Chap. Will you giue me leaue to open it heere before I goe hence Sal. Yes Chap. If we may not obtaine that which we desire let vs beare those defects not approoue them see that no impietie be there vnder or any other thinge repugnant to the word of God as if for examples sake thereshould be any kinde of Idolatrie we ought to resist it euen to the death But where the Doctrine it selfe is sound and pure and the ceremonies vsed for some ciuill honestie and decencie these thinges are rather to be passed ouer of vs with silence then that for their cause we should come to wrangling and more grieuous broyles now if you haue any more Boxes of this kind I pray you let me haue one more Sal. Itaque primum respondemus The. Beza Epist 12. c. quum non sint ex earum rerum genere quae per se impiae sunt non uideri nobis tanti momenti vt propteria Pastoribus descerendum sit potius Ministerium quam vt vestes illas assumant vel gregibus omittendum publicum pabulum potius quam it a vestitos Pastores audiant Open it now Chap. Therefore first we answere c Sithe these things be not of that sort which are of themselues impious they seeme not to vs to be of so great moment that for them eyther the Pastors should choose to forsake their Ministery rather
of his most precious bloud hath purchased for all them that repent and through a liuely saith bring forth fruites of true repentance cleaue stedfastly to him vnto the end Chap. Freind Salt-man you forget your selfe Sal. Why my good Chapman Chap. I came not to heare you Preach but to haue some Canonical Salt fit for the men you wot of Salt If you had not interrupted mee you had beene gone ere this take now the rest of the Salt say nothing till you haue sufficient What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices 〈…〉 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rarâ—s and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambs nor of Goates 12 When you come to appeare before mee who required this of your hands to tread in my Courts 13 Bring no more oblations in vaine Incense is an abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabboths nor solemne dayes it is iniquity nor solemne Assemblies 14 My soule hateth your new Moones and your appointed Feasts they are a burthen to me I am weary to beare them â—â— And when you shall stretch out your hand I will hide myne eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud 16 Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to do euill 17 Learne to do well speake iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdow 18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like skarlet they shall be as wooll 19 If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the land 20 But if yee refuse and bee rebellious yee shall bee deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it See also Esai 58. what Fast pleaseth God see also Ieremy 7.9.10 against stealing murder c. and such men standing in Gods-house and Ier. 22.15 Did not your fathers c. Whosoeuer then heareth of mee these words and doth the same saith our Sauiour I liken him to a wise-man Mat. 7.24 which hath builded his house on a rock 25 and the rayne tell and the flouds came and the windes blew and beate vpon that house and it fell not for it was grounded on a rocke 26 But whosoeuer heareth these my words and doth them not shal be likened to a foolish man which hath builded his house vpon the sand and the raine fell the flouds came 27 the winds blew and beate vpon that house and it fell and the fall thereof was great Then beganne hee to vbraide the Citties wherein most of his great workes were done Mat. â—â— â—â— 21 Woe bee to thee Corazin woe bee to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had bene done in Tirus Sidon they had repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes c. O Hypocrites 〈◊〉 â—9 7 Esaias prophycied well of you saying This people draweth neere vnto me with their mouth 〈◊〉 29 1â— and honoureth mee with their â—ippes â—ath â—â— 3 but their hearts is farre from mee Bee ye doers of the word and not hearers onely 〈◊〉 â— â—2 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visite the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersity to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Chap. This shall suffice for this time but I pray you tell me why doth the Lord reiect â—hose oblations and say their feasts were a burthen vnto him were they not appointed by the Law Salt Yes but the Lord doth hate this pleasing of our selues with outward shews and ceremoniall seruice for when there is no inward reformation The sacrifice of the wicked is an abhomination Prou 27 21. Therefore I may well say To kill an harmelesse beast and nourish hurtfull sinne To keepe a solemne feast and no sound saith within To come with fat of Rams and make the poore look leane To offer vp yong Lambs with bloudy hands vncleane In sight to fast and pray and make the Tenant cry To heare the word all day and put the widdowes by Such incense hath a smell like brimstone burnt in hell Chap. I would aske you one question more if I might Salt What is that Chap. Why doth the Lord say wash you make you cleane can we cleanse our selues Act. 2.40 Salt Saint Peter saith to some in the Acts of the Apostles Saue your selues from this froward generation And Saint Paul after he had exhorted Timothy to take héed vnto himselfe 1. Tim. 4.10 and vnto learning and to continue therein saith For in doing this thou shalt both saue thy selfe and them that heare thee By which places we are giuen to vnderstand that as such as teach if in their calling they labour to bring men to Christ their Sauiour may assure themselues to bee in the way to saluation if they beléeue and haue a care to follow that word of God which they set before others So if others also which bee exhorted to wash and saue themselues shall after such exhortations through the grace of God by which as the Apostle saith we are made safe reason thus with theÌ„selues 〈…〉 wee vse to wash that which is soule and cleause places that are filthy surely whatsoeuer cleaueth to mee that the Lord which is onely perfectly pure and holy hath forbidden in his word and in iustice from time to time punished threatning eternall death and destruction to such as dy vncleansed that must needes bee foule and filthy in his sight till it be washed away but he hath forbidden threatned and punished idolatry witchery blasphemy periury contempt of the Sabboths treason resisting authority wilfull-muether filthy fornication adultery incest theft fraude wrong lying couetousnes such like therfore these with all their branches and rootes are most foule filthy in Gods sight If thus I say they reason with theÌ„selues being pricked in their hearts through the féeling of their owne filthinesse humbly fall downe before the Almighty iudging coÌ„demning themselues confessing the to theÌ„ belongeth shame confusion death and damnation for that they haue sinned against heauen and earth and shall therewithall pray to God to haue mercy on theÌ„ according to his louing kindnesse and according to the multitude of his mercies to do away theiriniquities to wash and cleanse them thorougly from them in the bloud of his Sonne to create in them a new heart and to renew a right spirit within them hauing therewithall a stedfast purpose to walke in newnesse of life thus if they do they may be said after a sort to wash themselues because as people earnestly defiring to serue God from hence-forth in newnesse of life they haue vsed the means
fellow euen as I had pitty on thee So his maister was wroth and deliuered him to the Iaylors till hee should pay all that was due to him So likewise shall my heauenly Father do to you Note except you forgiue from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses Blessed bee the mercifull Math. 5.7 for they shall obtaine mercy Be ye courteous one towards another Eph. 4 3â— tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue you Whatsoeuer you would that men should doe vnto you euen so doe yee to them for this is the Law and the Prophets If you doe forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also forgiue you your trespasses Math. 6 14 â—â— But if you do not forgiue men their trespasses no more will your father forgiue you your trespasses Now therefore as the elect of God â—ol 3.11 holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of minde meeknesse long suffering Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another 1â— if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue euen so doe yee â—4 And aboue all things put on loue which is the bond of perfectnesse The twelfth Chapman NOW come I. Salt For whom Chap. For one that is very curious in washing his hands and in cleansing the outsides of all his vessels but if one looke into the inside of them he shall finde them so foule and filthy that it would loath a man to eate any thing that commeth out of them Salt I haue some for you besides that which I deliuered to the eight Chapman that is this Woe bee to you Scribes and Pharisies Mat. â—3 25 hypocrites for yee make cleane the vtter side of the cup and platter but within they are full of bribery and excesse 26 Thou blind Pharisie cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter that the outside of them may be cleane also Wo be to you Scribes and Pharisies 27 hypocrites for you are like vnto whited tombes which appeare beautifull outward but are within full of dead-mens bones 28 of all filthinesse so are yee also for outward yee appeare righteous vnto men but within ye are full of hypocrisie and iniquity yee lay the commandements of God apart and obserue the traditions of men Mark 7.28 Chap. This is somewhat a byting Salt Salt It is such as is fit for the men you come for therefore if you like it take it and giue place to another Chap. I like it well but I would haue some more of it for such men cannot haue too much of this kind of Salt Sal. Then you make a great difference betwixt this Salt and that which is commonly set on the Table the which although it be commodious and necessary for many things yet S. Augustine saith thus of it Salem immoderatius acceptum De moribus Manicheorum cap. 8. quis non venenus esse clamauerit who cryeth not that salt immoderately taken is poyson Chap. But store of Canonicall Salt well giuen and well taken doth not poyson but season therfore I pray you let me haue some more Salt Euery one will deceiue his friend Ier. 5.4 and will not speake the truth for they haue taught their tongues to speake lies and take great paines to do wickedly c. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Hosts behold I will melt them 7 and try them c. 8 Their tongue is as an arrow shut out and speaketh deceit one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth but in his heart he layeth waite for him 9 Shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord or shal not my soule be aduenged on such a nation as this Chap. Past grace bee they that make light of this Salt but I will giue place The thirteenth Chapman I am glad I haue his roome Sal. You would bee more glad if you had all Rome Chap. What it hath bene in times past I know not but since I can remember I can see no such good come from thence as should moue any wise-man to bee in loue with it I cannot bee perswaded that superstition idolatry gazing on babies roarinig Buls conspiracies vndermining of states monstruous cruelty c. come from Peters chaire such Babylons cannot but fall and come to confusion the English pillars of it begin to totter already thanks bee to God God grant that the Preachers and professors of the Gospell may loue one another and that euery one may keepe his standing as contented in his place to helpe what hee may to beare vp the roofe of so much of the Lords house as is here amongst vs. Salt Chapman I will bee your Clarke this once and say Amen to your praier but tell me now what you come for Chap. I would haue Salt to season one that trusteth to his riches and is so carryed away with couetousnesse that he thinketh corne is neuer deere enough Salt Take this Iam. 3 24. The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore I will hope in him 25 The Lord is good to them that trusteth him and to the soule that seeketh him 26 It is good both to trust and to waite for the saluation of the Lord. If riches increase set not your hearts vpon them Psal 62 10 Doublesse man walketh in a shadow Psal 39.6 and disquieteth himselfe in vaine he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And hee that receiueth the seed among thornes Mat. 1â— 22 is he that heareth the word but the care of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choake the word and he is made vnfiuitfull Children Mark 10.24 how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdome of God Riches auaile not in the day of wrath Pâ—ou 11.4 but righteousnesse deliuereth from death The liberall person shall haue plenty 〈◊〉 â—â— 25. and he that watereth shall also haue raine Hee that withdraweth the corne the people will cursse him Prou. but blessing shall bee vpon the head of him that selleth corne The graue and destruction can neuer be full 22.9 so the eyes of men can neuer bee satisfied He that hath a good eye he shall be blessed for he giueth of his bread to the poore 27.20 Heare this ye that swallow vp the poore Amos. 8.4 that ye make the needy of the land to faile Saying 5 when will the new moneth beginne that we may sell corne And the Sabboth that wee may set forth wheate and make the Ephah that is the measure small and the Shekell that is the price great and falsefy the waights of deceite That wee may buy the poore for siluer 6 and the needy for shewes yet sell the refuse of the wheate The Lord hath sworne by the excellency of Iacob surely 7 I will neuer forget any of their workes Shall not
open them paraphrastically vsing more words containeth thus much I haue taken thee before God and this congregation to my wedded wife I haue promised to keepe thee in sicknesse and in health to loue and to cherish thee til death and to the end thou maist haue some token to testifie this my promise made vnto thee I giue thee this ring promising to esteeme of thee as mine owne body and to honour thee in bearing patiently with thy weakensse and in acknowledging that though I be thy matrimoniall head yet if thou feare God and beleeue the Gospell cleauing stedfastly vnto Christ the Mysticall Head of his Church â— Pet. 3.7 thou art as the Apostle saith heire together with me of the grace of life Cath. Why then he might say if there must needes bee a ring I giue this ring in token that I take thee to my wedded wife promising to esteeme thee as mine owne flesh Mad. Harke in your eare neighbour when wee women are chosen Clearkes of the conuocation our voices perhaps would be heard for setting downe of orders but vntill then we shall do well to be ordered by our gouernors Cath. Be it so but why doth the man endow his wife with his goods In the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Ghost in the name of which Trinity we are commanded to be Baptized not Wedded Guid. That also must bee enterpreted to the best thus with all my worldly goods I thee endow The blessed Trinity approuing this my doing Cath. But why doe you crosse my child after you haue baptized it sith Christ gaue you no such commandement Guid. Why do you aske me this question which am commanded to do it rather then those that commande mee since you haue no more commandment from our Sauiour to aske mee then them Truely but that I see there be many iarres about these and such like matters and much trotting to the Courts for the same I would not stay so long in answering you to these questions I am perswaded I am bound to obey my superiours commanding such things as are not contrary to the commandement of the highest power of all If by desiring to haue my child baptized I declare that I am of this minde that neither I nor my child ought to be ashamed of Christ crucified if crossing tend to the same end it is not contrary to that end Cath. But we must not adde any thing to the word of God Gui. I grant as néedful to saluatioÌ„ but we crosse not to the end wee would haue any thinke their children cannot bee saued without it If the matter lay in myne owne hands I would not trouble the minds of any that would haue no crossing but things being as they bee I must crosse children or else be crost of men If a man bee warned to the Court hee shall pay as much for not crossing as for committing adultery I meane the fee for the proces is all one I assure you I loue not to empty my poore purse for not stirring my fingers to and fro vpon the childs fore-head It may bee the Proctors and Registers will say I am not amicus curiae for their profite in labouring to make you and others not to be curious in these points but to fauour your pursses but I must craue pardon to speake my minde to those that belong to my charge And this I say to you neighbour Cathara and to all that be of your minde if there be any benefit in crossing your child not hauing it loseth it if there be none he looseth nothing if hee haue it if there hee any offence giuen God will be angry not with you but with the giuer if it bee taken you are to blame none but your selfe if God bee not pleased with crossing they which commande it or doe it must looke to bee shent and not you that cannot let it Cath. I read of late in a booke called the Abridgement of that booke which the Ministers of Lincolnes diocesse deliuered to his Maiesty wherein I found not onely the names of many learned men set down who misliked kneeling at communion crossing and surplesse but also certaine arguments against the said ceremonies so that you may not blame mee if I bee scrupulous in these things which such great Clearkes haue reiected as nourishing idolatry There be many things in vse now which some say were not from the beginning Guid. That Abridgement was set forth as I take it in the behalfe of such brethren in the Ministery as neuer vsed these ceremonies to make knowne why they cannot frame themselues to vse them nor subscribe vnto them You are not to weare the Surplesse nor to crosse after Baptisme and as touching kneeling at Communion though in the AbridgemeÌ„t Aquinas Harding Bellar. B. Watson and others are said to make the practise of the Church in the vse of this gesture one of their strongest arguments to iustifie that their Idolatrous conceite of Transubstantiation because else say they the Church should commit idolatry in knéeling before the Elements yet I cannot see why knéeling before the Sacrament and not bowing to it but to God should more be counted Idolatrie then knéeling before the Minister as many doe when hee is praying Cath. I thinke none of the Popish sort though they kneeled before the Priest did take him for God as they did the Sacrament Guid. Whether they tooke him for a God or a God-maker I leaue it to themselues but this I am perswaded of that neither your selfe nor any sound fauourer of the Gospell do take the Sacrament for God and therefore your knéeling in the sight of it and not to it is no more Idolatricall then knéeling before the Pulpit in the Church or the picture of the King at home bowing neither to Pulpit nor Picture Cath. The superstitious sort kneeling before Images the Sacrament in Churches or their pictures and Crucifixes in their houses doe so fasten their eyes vpon them bow so deuoutly before them and giue them such a kinde of worship as tendeth much to Idolatry if it bee not so altogether Guid. But wheras you sayd the names â—f many learned men are set downe in that Abridgement which would haue these Ceremonies remoued out of the way as stumbling-blockes if I were adicted to them as one that thought our Church might not stand without them I may say there bee other learned men which thinke they may be well vsed of vs though they were abused in Popery I might also say that euen some of those that are named in that Abridgement séeme to some to varry from themselues though rightly vnderstood I do think they do not Cath. What should moue you to say so Guid. In one place I finde these words It is much lesse vnlawfull to man to bring significant Ceremonies into Gods worship now Abidg p. 33 then it was vnder the Law for God hath abrogated his owne not onely those that were appointed to
prefigure Christ but such also as séemed by their prefiguration to teach morall duties so as now without great sin none of them can bee continued in the Church no not for signification Of this iudgement were the Fathers in the Councell of Nice and Iustin Martyr Bullinger Lauater Hospinian Piscator B. Cooper B. Westphaleng and others Do not yoâ— see here that P. Martir is reckoned amonâ— them which held that no significant Ceremonies ought to bee continued in thâ— Church Cath. Yes what then Guid. Marke what is said in anotheâ— place of the same booke Such men as hauâ— béene let on worke in our Church to defenâ— the vse of it meaning the Surplesse both iâ— King Edwards time and since and whâ— were therefore best likely to know the meaning of our Church imposing it haue auouched that it is and ought to bee continueâ— in the Church for signification sake videlicet Peter Martyr Hooker D. Covell Gardiner and Hacket and others Do not you sée that Martyr is there named among those which hold the Surplesse is to bee continued for signification sake If Peter Martyr writing on the Epistle to the Rom. allow of this argument the significant Ceremonies of the Law are abrogated ergo it is not lawfull for man to bring in any significant Ceremonies into Gods worship now and in his Common places auoucheth that the Surplesse is to bee continued in the Church for signification sake he may seeme not to agree with him selfe Mad. As simple as I am mee thinkes I â—â—uld reconcile those 2 places thus In the â—â—rst place he denyes that any significant ceâ—emonies especially of the Law are to bee â—rought in now as parts of Gods worship â—nd in the later he granteth that the Surples â—â—ay continue for significatioÌ„ so it bee rekâ—oned for no part of Gods worship though 〈◊〉 be worne in his seruice But howsoeuer 〈◊〉 be you see neighbour Cathara that as â—ome learned men refuse the Ceremonies 〈◊〉 other learned men which are in authoriâ—y command the vse Heb. 1â— â— neither our Minister â—or we are bid to obey euery learned man â—ut such as haue the ouersight of vs whose â—ules and orders wee are to interpret to â—he best that so with more quietnesse wee â—ay obey Cath. I haue seene the reasons of such â—s mis-like the Ceremonies but I doe not â—emember the reasons of such as speake for â—hem Guid. Haue you not heard the latter Canons Cath. They spake of Dedicating the Childe by the signe of the Crosse I had thought that had beene done by baptisme Tract The Crosse is of great antiquity Guid. The brazen Serpent In 〈…〉 which being lifted vp as Saint Augustine saith did figure the death of the Lord vpon the crosse was of greater Tract I speake not of things before the incarnation of Christ do not you read those words in the New Testament 1. Cor. 18.23 Whosoeuer will follow me let him forsake himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me And these words The preaching of the Crosse is to them that perish Gal. 6.14 foolishnesse Eph. 2 16 And these words God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ And these also That hee might reconcile both vnto God in one body by his Crosse Guid. Yes wee haue read all this and some of vs haue read an Homily also that beareth the name of Saint Chrysostome in praise of the Crosse in which the Crosse is named 53 times together I will not recite all but giue you a taste of them as it is turned into Latine by Tilman a Monke 1 Cruxspes Christianorum 2 Cruxresurrectio Mortuorum 3 Crux dux Coecorum 11 Crux victoria aduersus Diabolum 23 Crux custos infantium 24 Crux caput virorum 26 Crux lumen in tenebris sedentium 51 Crux panis esurientium 52 Crux fons sitientium 53 Crux velamen nudorum The Crosse the hope of the Christians The resurrection of the Dead The guide of the blinde Victory against the Diuell The keeper of Infants The head of men The light of such as sit in darknesse The bread of the hungry The wel-spring for the thirsty The couering for the naked If you apply this and the rest which is found there to the bare signe of the Crosse and not to Christ and his suffering on the Crosse you will haue Saint Chrysostome to robbe Christ of his glory for all these things belong to Him And so likewise these words of our Sauiour and of S. Paul in which wee finde the word Crosse If we thinke they meant the bare signe or a crosse made of Wood Stone Copper or whatsoeuer we shall be found grosse interpreters For to take vp our Crosse is to prepare our selues against persecutions and affliction and to beare it patiently when it commeth and the other places are to bee vnderstood of Christ crucified for to preach that saluation is to besought in Iesus Christ which was fastened to a Crosse with nayles is foolishnesse to them that perish through want of faith in him If was Christs passion on the Crosse wherin the Apostle reioiced Through an earnest meditation thereon the world was crucified to him and hee to the world Christ hath recoÌ„ciled such as beléeue in him both Iewes and Gentiles by his Crosse that is by his sufferings Tract You say sufferings Saint Paul saith Crosse Guid. If you will vse words without their sence then the Crosse hath bloud Tract How so Guid. The Apostle to the Colossians saith Col 1.19.20 That it pleased meaning the Father that in him meaning the Sonne should al fulnesse dwel â—ee Rollocke how hee expouâ— deth and by him to recocile all things vnto himselfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse by the Son both the things in earth and the things in heauen Tract Why doe you say it pleased him meaning the Father Erasmus hath complacitum est Patri it pleased the Father Guid. I said meaning the Father because the word Father is not in the Greek and Erasmus sets it into the text to make it more plaine euen as your vulgar edition vnto the words all fulnesse addeth diuinitatis of God-head Col. 1.19 which is not in the 19. verse in the originall Col. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug per sanguinem crucis c. Mundata sumt omnia peccatâ—â— ipsorum in epi. B. Ioan tra 1. though it bee in the 9 verse of the second Chapter But as that Latine Edition called Vulgata hath in the verse 19 added Diuinitatis God-head so in the 20 verse I meane of the 1. Chapter it doth not set downe as Erasmus doth the Latine of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Sonne But to returne to the words Through the bloud of his Crosse if I should presse you with those worde and say it is a proper speech as you vrge the word Crosse in the places you cited then the Crosse hath
Colos 2. If you will haue mee to reach further then this I must craue pardon and pray you to go to such as haue longer armes then I That hee descended into hell is an Article of our faith and I beleeue it though it be not in the Nicene Creed Tract Is not Christ he that entred into the strong mans house bound him and spoiled him Guid. Yes or else not onely the poore man that was possest might haue remained blind and dumbe to his dying day but he all of vs had bene spoyled for euer Tract Others besides Christ did cast out diuels Guid. They did so but it was in the name of Christ which was the stronger happy are they out of whom this stronger power by the finger of God euen by the working of the holy Ghost casteth out that Diuell that maketh them so blind that they cannot see the way to saluation by a liuely faith in Christ his merits and so dumb that they cannot open their mouth with Paul Ephe 2.8 to say By grace yee are saued through faith and that not of your selues It is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Mad. I remember those words in the second to the Ephesians ver 10. where though hee teacheth them the wee are created vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wée should walk in theÌ„ yet he saith we are saued by grace so forth as you haue rehearsed Rom. What do you talke now of faith and workes my cozen spake of descending into hell answere him to his question Did not Christ bind the strong man that is the diuell in his owne house which is hell Guid. After the diuell entred into Iudas where was his house then Tract He was there as a guest for a time but his dwelling house is hell what is your answere Gui. Besides that which I haue said already Guid. I answere first that this is a matter in controuersie among learned men whose bookes are extant there you may sée this sifted to the vtmost Secondly this I thinke a man may say without offence that as hee was able to heale the Centurions seruant though hee entred not into his house So could he make hell know that he had the key of it though his soule did not take it in his way from the crosse to Paradise Tract It is a greater matter to binde the Diuell to locke him fast and in triumph to carry away the keies of death and hel then to heale a sicke man though hee were at deaths dore Guid. As with God there is great mercy to pardon the great sinnes of such as be greatly grieued for them hauing their repentance seasoned with the Salt of faith to keepe them from desperation which salt was not in Caine and Iâ—â—das So no doubt there is such a mighty power in this Michael Reu. 12.7 as he is able to vanquish the stoutest Dragon be his force and power neuer so great I reade of a battell in heauen but none in hell The Diuine power can binde shut vp Sathan by such a descending as we are not able to expresse For my part I beleeue that Article touching his descending into hell though the manner how be not set downe in the Creed Tract That battel betwixt Michael and the Dragon may be said to bee in heauen in respect of the Church Militant who though she be on earth hath her conuersation with her Captaine Christ in heauen A strong man is not bound and spoyled without great strngling a stronger power wrestled with him and ouercame him Mat. 12.29 and his binding and spoyling is said to be in the strong mans house and what is that but hell Guid. I deny not the binding neither do I stand vpon the place but this I obserue that though it be said in the Apostles Creed and in Athanasius his Creed Aug. de simb ad catherum lâ— 3 aâ— side simb oa 5. in sol 1 3. Hee descended into hell Yet they shew not the manner how and you know the Nicene Crede hath not these words Augustine diuers times speaketh of Christ his death buriall and resurrection omitting the descension but howsoeuer that descending is to be taken or wheresoeuer that binding was this is certaine Col 2 14 15 Rollocke that Saint Paul hath these words Putting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs hee euen tooke it out of the way and fastned it vpon the crosse and spoyled the Principalities and powers hath made a shew of theÌ„ openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same Tract I know wherefore you bring this place euen to proue that wheresoeuer those powers were spoyled yer the shew and triumph was open But how do you interpret those words putting out the hand-writing c. Some of the learned intrepret them thus The ceremonies and rites were as it were a publicke profession and hand-writing of the miserable state of mankind for circumcision declared our naturall pollution the purifyings washings signified the filth of sinne the sacrifices testified that we were guilty of death which were all taken away by Christs death Mad. Maister Guid-well you and Maister Tractable may talke of these matters another time let vs spend this time about that we came for Rom. That is to perswade me to come to your Church vnto the which if I should come you thinke my beeing there would make me to be of your minde I haue heard that all which come to your Churches bee not faithfull zealous and honestalike they differ much in many things Sith God is said to bee no accepter of persons Can you shew any reason why his word or his grace worketh not in all alike Guid. I remember Saint Augustine vnto some such question hath this answere Si gratiae illuminatione sensus tuus Aug. contra Delag â—ypon nost lib. 3. heraetice a tenebris insipientiae esset detectus c. If thy vnderstanding O hereticke by the inlightning of grace were detected from the darknesse of foolishnesse thou wouldst beléeue those diuine testimonies which I spake before or other innumerable found in holy Scriptures not yet cited by mee that God to no merits of man doth giue his grace by which he sheweth himselfe vnto them to bring them to beléeue in him and to serue him and thou wouldst not enquire yea thou wouldst discusse why hee worketh not that in all which alwaies well and iustly worketh all things that hee will and no man resisteth his will for which he hath done all things that he would therefore I would not haue thée to aske mee Metuentem trementem iudicia eius inscrutabilia incomprehensibilia Fearing trembling at his vnsearcheable incomprehensible iudgements why he worketh this to one and not to another because that which I read I beleeued reuerenced without any discussing For what man is there that will reason with God
these such like ought to praise God for his mercies but none of all these are appointed to kneel neere the Minister to heare that Psal read or any thanks to be giuē for their deliuerance there are indeed in the latter cōmunion booke generall thanks-giuing for raine for faire weather for plenty for peace and victory and for deliuerance from the plague all which are fit and due Mad. If this were commanded to bee done for those you speake of I meane the Marchant the Souldier and the sicke man vnto whom you may adde if you list such as be crept out of debt and such as be come out of prison they had no cause to refuse I say nothing of the Minister for if he be appointed to giue thanks for others I hope he will not forget himselfe Cath. If he may giue thankes for himselfe why not we for our selues Mad. We may priuately but sith wee are not allowed to do it publikely I meane to reade aloude that Psalme and such prayers as the Minister is appointed to reade we shall do well to be quiet and to shew our selues obedient because we are not called to make lawes but to obey them it is more fil we should consider what is commanded vs then what is or is not commanded to other Cath. But the woman that goeth to her thanks-giuing must offer the accustomed offerings and that me thinkes is somewhat Leuiticall Mad. Alasse neighbour that is but some little helpe towards the Ministers maintenance You know in some places they payd two pence halfe-peny and a crisom for both which some Ministers take some sixepence and so the woemen are not troubled to buy crisoms Cath. If there should be no crisom some would thinke all is not well Guid. Such as be ignorant and superstitiously addicted to externall things might be weaned from their fond opinions if they would come where they might bee taught you for your part know that the booke saith nothing of crisoms vailes comming with many or few nor of making any dinner wise and modest woemen will haue a care of their health howsoeuer they come and if neighbours that haue mourned with her that trauelled wil reioyce with her also whē time serueth and accompany her going forth to declare her thankefulnesse in the Church which is required in the said book thrre is no cause why any should be offended therewith Cath. But these Churching dinners pincheth the poore sort their husbands labour some three-weekes or a month to get some noble and that must be spent vpon one dinner to keepe custome and because they will do as others do and so after they haue done groning their husbands must grone too Mad. If any forgetting their owne abillity will striue to bee as plentifull as such as bee farre beyond them in wealth they deserue the coat with foure elbowes whether they dwell in towne or country in some places the wealthier wiues send the poore woman at such times in a manner sufficiēt for that dinner so that vnlesse they will play the foole shee need charge herselfe but little and whereas Mistris Rosamond hath espied some washing of bucks and fetching of fier very spéedily that might bee remedied if one poore neighbour at such times especially would help another it becommeth woemen to bee modest and shamefast in all their behauiour Rom. Now let Maister Say-well chide her for not kneeling at Communion Guid. I had more neede chide you for nicke-naming me and for not comming thither at all you know nothing what she doth but by heare-say Rom. I heare say shee despiseth your order Cath. That is not true I despise none of the order Guid. It is euill to despise order I meane any good order Beza in the treatise of the true and visible note of the Catholicke Church some graue and well-learned Diuines say whosoeuer where there is place for order despiseth that order he declareth by this very thing that hee is not of God and therefore not to be heard Cath. I take it hee meaneth despising through pride Guid. But to say something touching kneeling you know neighbour Cathara that when the Minister deliuereth vnto you the Sacramēt of Christ his body which was crucified for vs he prayeth thus The body of our Lord Iesus Christ which was giuen for thee preserue thy body and soule into euerlasting life which is all one as I take it with this The Lord Iesus Christ which suffered for thee in the flesh preserue c. Ioh. 3 16. Surely hee himselfe saith So God loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting if then the Minister in saying the body of our Lord Iesus Christ c. prayeth that Christ which was giuen to the death for you preserue your body and soule c. may you not say amen to it and giue thankes kneeling you know when the Minister saith Lift vp your hearts the people answere not wee lift them vp to the boord but to the Lord neither doth hee afterwards say glory bee to Christ in forme of bread but glory bee to God on high Cath. To receiue a Sacrament is one thing and to pray is another thing wee doe not kneele but stand when the Minister saith I Baptize thee c That seruice which hath no probable reason why it should bee done may seeme blind obedience Mad. It shall well beseeme vs neighbour kneeling before an outward shew of the reuerend regard we haue of that Sacrament and being so straightly required and commanded by some as make no idoll of the same to frame our selues to obedience and enterprete all things to the best The Minister deliuereth vnto vs from the Lord a pledge of his loue a Sacrament to confirme our faith in the crucified Christ on whom the soule feedeth and to whom the knee boweth hee being in glory Cath. The Popish sort when they saw the Sacramēt thought their maker to be really present in forme of bread in a grosse manner by meanes of transubstantiation and so bowed and knocked at the fight therof And therefore I haue refrained knéeling at that time not as thinking wee can bow too much or too oft to God but because I would bee loath to do any hurt by mine example Guid. In time of Popery the Priests taught the people so to do I meane to worship Christ in forme of bread but the Ministers of the Gospell teach their charge to worship him sitting in the glory of the Father If Catechising and Preaching cannot turne the minds of the wilfull your sitting or standing cannot do it Cath. But what say you to the ring giuen in solemnizing of Matrimony and to these words With this ring I thee Wed and with my body I thee worship Guid. That also must haue a fauourable interpretation I meane wee ought to construe this to the best That which is there spoken briefly and in few words if a-any