workes of the spirit namely the fruits of faith charitable and godly motions if we have any at all in him they proceed onely of the Holy Ghost who is the x onely worker of our sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Iesus as David of a poore shepheard to become a Princely Prophet Matthew of a proud Publicane to become an humble and lowly Euangelist Peter of a simple fisher to become a chiefe and mighty Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutor to become a faithfull disciple of Christ and a teacher of the Gentiles Such is the power of the Holy Ghost to x 1 Cor. 6.11 regenerate men and as it were to bring them forth anew so that they shall bee y 2 Cor. 5.17 nothing like the men that they were before Regeneration is begun in Baptisme as the Service thereof expresly delivereth and it is increased afterward in all such as are z Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.18 Eph. 4.15 16. led by the spirit of Iesus Christ Concerning conversion repentance and regeneration the holy Scriptures doe thus deliver Iesus Christ saith Verily I say unto you a Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Except ye b Luke 13.3 repent yee shall all likewise perish Verily verily I say unto thee c Iohn 3.5.3 Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Moses saith d Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the fore-skin of your heart and be no more stiffe-necked The Lord saith by Ieremiah e Ier. 4 3 4 Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your heart lest my fury come forth like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the evill of your doings Hosea saith f Hos 10.22 Sow to your selves in righteousnesse reape in mercie breake up your fallow ground for it is time to seeke the Lord till he come and raine righteousnes upon you Christ said to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and g Rev. 2.5 repent and doe the first workes or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlesticke out of his place except thou repent Saint Paul mentioneth to the Corinthians seven fruits of such repentance saying Godly sorrow worketh h 2 Cor. 7.10.11 repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this selfe same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge c. CHAP. 79. Of our duty towards God as it is delivered in the most sacred Catechisme MY duty towards God is to beleeve in him to feare him and to love him with all my heart with all my minde with all my soule and with all my strength To worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy name and his word and to serve him truely all the dayes of my life Here are mentioned ten sundry matters of our duty towards God and each hath a large extent Now onely there shall bee delivered some briefe exposition of them The first of the duties reckoned up The first duty is to beleeve in God The i Iam. 2.19 Devils saith Saint Iames doe beleeve that there is one God and they tremble also But true Christians doe more they k Iohn 14.1 beleeve in that one eternall God In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 22. Homily of Faith it is said And this is not onely the common beleefe of the Articles of our Faith but it is also a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God l Act 15.11 Rom. 5.1.11 through our Lord Iesus Christ and a stedfast m Eph. 1.18 hope of all good things to be received at Gods hand and that although we through infirmity or temptation of our ghostly enemy doe n Rev. 2.5 fall from him by sinne yet if we o Deut. 30.2 and 4.29.30 returne againe unto him by true repentance that he will forgive and forget our offences for his Sonnes p Dan. 9.17 sake our Saviour Iesus Christ and will make us inheritors with him of his everlasting Kingdome and that in the meane time untill that Kingdome come he will bee our q Psal 91.1 2 4.9.10.11.12 protector and defender in all perills and dangers whatsoever doe chance and that though sometime he doth send us sharpe r Psal 44.19 adversitie yet that evermore he will be a loving father unto us correcting us for our sinne but not Å¿ Psa 89.28 29 30 31 32 33. and 99.8 withdrawing his mercie finally from us if we trust in him and t 1 Pet. 4.19 Psal 37.3.4.5 commit our selves wholy unto him u 1 Pet. 5.7 hang only upon him and call upon him ready to w Heb. 5.9 obey and serve him Read the whole Homily of Faith for therein in wonderfull divine manner is declared what it is to beleeve in God Abrahams beleefe in God is set forth unto us for an example who as Saint Paul saith x Rom. 4.18 against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be It is the property of Christian faith to be y Rom. 4.19 20 21. fully perswaded that what God hath promised hee is able also to performe though the matter farre exceed our naturall comprehension how it can bee The Apostle saith z Heb. 11.1 faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene The second duty The second duty is to feare God The feare of the Lord saith Solomon is to a Prov. 8.13 hate evill And he there reckoneth up the foure chiefe evills which are to be hated namely pride and arrogancie and the evill way and a froward mouth David saith Let all the earth b Ps 33.8 feare the Lord let all the Inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him Peter intimateth unto professors of Christianitie why they should feare God saying Forasmuch as yee call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work passe the time of your sojourning here in c 1 Pet. 1.17 feare David declareth who truly feareth God saying Blessed is the man that d Ps 112.1 as it is in the Divine Service translation feareth the Lord hee delighteth greatly in his Commandements The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that e Ps 103.17.18
Wee are VVitnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him Reade the third part of the * T. 2. p. 229. 230 Homily for Rogation VVeeke and there are expressed many operations of the Holy Ghost for and in the people of Almighty God CHAP. 25. Of the Merit of the Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ THE Church in her most Sacred Catechisme teacheth euery one of her Children to say I beleeue in God the Sonne who hath redeemed me and all Mankind And in the Prayer afore the Ministration of the Communion it is sayd Iesus Christ suffering Death vpon the Crosse for our Redemption made there by his owne Oblation of himselfe once offered a full perfect and sufficient Sacrifice Oblation and satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole World In the second * T. 2. p. 181. Homily of CHRISTS passion it is sayde Hee suffered Death vniuersally for all men And in the same * P. 185. Homily it is sayde God gaue Christ to the whole World that is to say to Adam and to all that should come after him And in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 200. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is sayd The Death of Christ is auaileable for the Redemption of all the World The holy Scriptures testifie the same greatnesse of the merit of the Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Saint Iohn sayth He is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of k 1 Iohn 2.2 the whole World Saint Paul sayth Christ gaue himselfe a ransome for l 1 Tim. 2.6 all And to the Hebrewes he sayth m Heb. 2.9 Iesus Christ tasted Death for euery man To the Corinthians hee sayth If one dyed for all then were all dead and hee dyed for n 2 Cor. 5.14.15 all c. And to the Romanes hee sayth o Rom. 5.18 1 Cor. 15.21.22 Iohn 12.32 As by the offence of one iudgement came vpon al men to condemnation Eue so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came vpon all men vnto iustification of life In the second part of the * T. 1. p. 50. Homily concerning Swearing it is signified That not onely Christs death but his life also c. are meritorious where it is sayd Whosoeuer wilfully * Zechar. 5.4.5 See Chap. 73. forsweare themselues vppon Christs Holy Euangely they vtterly forsake Gods mercy goodnesse and truth the merits of our Sauiour Christs Natiuity Life Passion Death Resurrection and Ascension they refuse the forgiuenesse of sinnes promised to all penitent sinners the ioyes of Heauen the company with Angels and Saints for euer Also the aforesayde actions of Christ are meritorious because they were done for the sake of mankinde CHAP. 26. Of the end for the which Iesus Christ redeemed mankinde and who of yeares of discretion or of perfect age partake of the merit of the same redemption IT is sayd in the second part of the * T. 1. p. 82. Homily against adultery Christ that innocent Lambe of God hath bought vs from the seruitude of the Diuell not with corruptible gold and siluer but with his most precious and deare heart bloud To what intent That we should fall againe into our old vncleannesse and abhominable liuing Nay verily but that we should serue him all the dayes of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse that we should glorifie him in our bodies by purity and cleannesse of life And in the * T. 2. p. 179. Homily for good Friday it is sayd Christ hath not so redeemed vs from sinne that we may safely returne thereto againe but he hath redeemed vs that we should forsake the motions thereof and liue vnto righteousnesse Yea we be therefore washed in our Baptisme from the filthinesse of sinne that we should liue afterward in the purenesse of life In Baptisme we promised to renounce the Diuell and his suggestions wee promised to be as obedient children alwayes following Gods will and pleasure So in the * T. 2. p. 195. Homily of the Resurrection it is sayd Yee must consider that yee be therefore cleansed and renued that yee should from hencefoorth serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of your liues that ye may reigne with him in euerlasting life If yee refuse so great grace whereto yee bee called what other thing doe yee than heape to your selues damnation more and more and so prouoke God to cast his displeasure vnto you and to reuenge this mockage of his Holy Sacramerits in so great abusing of them In the second * T. 2. p. 186. Homily of the Passion it is sayd Now it remaineth that I shewe vnto you how to apply Christs death and passion to our comfort as a medicine to our wounds so that it may worke the same effect in vs wherefore it was giuen namely the health and saluation of our soules For as it profiteth a man nothing to haue salue vnlesse it be well applied to the part infected so the death of Christ shall sland vs in no force vnlesse we apply it to our selues in such sort as God hath appointed Almighty God commonly worketh by meanes and in this thing he hath also ordained a certaine meane whereby we may take fruite and profite to our soules health and that is Faith Not an vnconstant or wauering faith but a sure stedfast grounded and vnfained faith * Pag. 188. For as all they which beheld stedfastly the brazen Serpent were healed and deliuered at the very sight thereof from their corporall diseases and bodily stings euen so all they which behold Christ crucified with a true and liuely faith shall vndoubtedly bee deliuered from the grieuous wounds of the soule be they neuer so deadly or many in number In the * Tom. 2. p. 173 Homily of the Natiuity it is sayd After that Christ was come downe from heauen and had taken our fraile nature vpon him he made all them that would receiue him truely and beleeue his holy Word good trees c. And to shew more plainely who partake of Christs merits the * Tom. 2. p. 179 Homily for good Friday declareth saying That we doe call for mercy in vaine if wee will not shew mercy to our neighbours For if we will not put wrath and displeasure forth of our hearts to our Christian brother no more will God forgiue the displeasure and wrath that our sinnes haue deserued afore him For vnder this condition doth God forgiue vs if we forgiue other God is to be obeyed which commaundeth vs to forgiue if we will haue any part of the pardon which our Sauiour Christ purchased once of God the Father by shedding of his precious bloud And in the second part of the * Tom. 1. p. 94. Homily against contention the Church sayth What crakest thou of thy head if thou labour not to be in the body Thou canst be no member of
love God and others for Gods sake because God is good unto us therefore wee are to grow in Charitie untill wee truly love God because he is good in himselfe and to doe it beyond respect of benefit or punishment from God untill also wee love m Rom. 5.8 10 Mat. 5.44 45 46 47 48. whatsoever God himselfe loveth according as it is prescribed in the holy Scriptures Yea we are to n 2 Thes 1.3 grow in Charity untill we passe into that everlasting kingdome of heaven where all live in perfect Charity into all eternity And if any devout soule in the feare of God hath in some measure received the faith in Iesus Christ and according to the holy Gospels requiry by the delivery of Saint Peter is zealous in adding thereto the seven other things as being matters all o 2 Pet. 1.8 9 10 11. necessary together with faith to be had and exercised in the way unto everlasting salvation if hee be taken forth of this life afore all these things doe abound in him as S. Peter saith they ought he is to bee accounted to dye a true souldier of Iesus Christ one that hath made a faithfull entrance into his holy warfare And even as by the law of God a Virgin espoused to a man is his true q Mat. 1.18 19 20 25. wife although they be not married nor have come together as r Heb. 13.4 after marriage they lawfully may So a devout soule leaving this present world afore that high growth in the mysterie of godlinesse be attained by it which the Scriptures record that sundry of Gods people have heretofore attained unto that holy soule having not Å¿ Rev. 3.16 lukewarmly but t Rom. 10.2 Prov. 19.2 truly zealously pressed hard thereafter by faithfull using all u Mat. 25.23 Luke 12.48 2 Cor. 8.12 helpes vouchsafed unto it by God for the attaining nearer and nearer thereunto is through the mercy of God in Iesus Christ received as a true w Luk. 23.43 2 Cor. 11.2 member of his mysticall body into Paradise into Abrahams bosome to be with the Lord Iesus for evermore Saint Peter saith As new borne Babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may x 1 Pet. 2.2 grow thereby Saint Iohn declareth the different ages in Christ or in the great mysterie of godlinesse from one whereof into the other the obedient people of GOD doe y Eph. 4.15 Col. 1.28 1 Cor. 13.11 grow where he saith I write unto you z 1 Iohn 2.12 13 14. little Children because your sinnes are forgiven you for his names sake I write unto you fathers because ye have knowne him that is from the beginning I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little Children because ye have knowne the Father I have written unto fathers because ye have knowne him that is from the beginning I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and yee have overcome the wicked one Out of which delivery it may appeare that in the Christian Religion there is a childhood a yong manhood and a fatherhood or old age also thereout may bee observed the different spirituall strength and understanding in each age CHAP. 93. Of the Devill THe first of the three things promised and vowed in our name at our Baptisme is That we should forsake the Devill and all his workes So by the signe of the Crosse which we had made on us we are to learne for to fight manfully under Christs banner against sinne the world and the a Eph. 6.11 12. Devill Even in every part of the divine service we are taught to pray for to be defended from the Devill In the Catechisme we are taught to pray for to be delivered from our ghostly enemy In the Baptisme-Service it is said Grant that they may have power and strength to have victory and to triumph against the b 1 Ioh 5.18 Devill the world and the flesh In the Communion-Service it is signified that wee should not come unto the Sacrament but with due preparation lest after the taking thereof the Devill enter into us as he entred into c Iohn 13.27 Iudas and sill us full of all iniquities and bring us to destruction both of body and soule In the Service of Matrimony it is said Be unto them a d Prov. 18.10 tower of strength from the face of their eenemy In the Service for the Visitation of the sicke it is said Let the e 1 Pet. 5.8 enemy have none advantage of him nor the wicked approch to hurt him And defend him from the danger of the enemy And renew in him whatsoever hath beene decayed by the fraud and malice of the Devill In the Collect for the eighteenth Sunday after Trinity it is said Grant thy people grace to avoid the infections of the f 2 Cor. 2.11 Devill and with pure heart and minde to follow thee the onely God In the holy Letany it is said Finally to beat downe Satan under our feete And Graciously heare us that those evills which the craft and g 2 Cor. 11.3 Rev. 20.2.11 subtilty of the Devill or man worketh against us he brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodnesse they may be dispersed In the second part of the * T. 1. p. 57. Homily of falling from God it is said They shall be given into the power of the Devill which beareth the rule in all them that be cast away from God as he did in h 1 Sam. 28.15 16. Saul and i Mat. 27.5 Iudas and generally in all such as worke after their owne wills the children of k Ephes 2.2 mistrust and unbeleefe In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 68. Homily against the feare of death it is said Considering also the innumerable assaults of our ghostly enemie the Devill with all his l Eph. 6.16 fierie darts of ambition pride lechery vaine glory envie malice detraction or backbiting with other his innumerable deceits engines and snares whereby he goeth busily about to catch all men under his dominion ever like a roaring Lyon by all means searching whom he may devoure In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 88. Homily against Adultery it is said Now to avoyd fornication adultery and all uncleannesse let us provide that above all things wee may m Prov. 4.23 keepe our hearts pure and n Iam. 4.8.7 Mat. 15.15 20. cleane from all evill thoughts and carnall lusts for if that bee once infected and corrupt we fall headlong into all kind of ungodlinesse This shall we easily doe if when we feele inwardly that Satan our old enemy tempteth us unto whoredome we by no meanes consent to his crafty suggestions but valiantly resist and withstand him by strong o 1 Pet. 5.9 faith in the Word of God alleaging against him
99. Of sundry of Gods blessings upon obedient people in this present life IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 5. Homily concerning the right use of the Church it is said If we would with diligence resort to the house of the Lord together to serve the Lord with one accord and u Zeph. 3.9 consent in all holinesse and righteousnesse before him wee have promises of benefits both heavenly and worldly Wheresoever two or three be gathered in my name saith our Saviour Christ there am I in the w Mat. 18.20 middest of them And what can bee more blessed than to have our Saviour Christ x Psal 16.11.6.5 Ezech. 48.35 among us In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 93.94 Homily of Fasting it is said Godwhich heard y 1 King 21.29 Ahab and the z Ionah 3.10 Ninevites and spared them will also heare our prayers and spare us so that we after their example will unfainedly turne unto him yea he will blesse us with his heavenly benedictions the time that we have to tary in this world and after the race of this mortall life he will bring us to his a Mat. 7.21 heavenly Kingdome In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 212. Homily for Whitsunday it is said Our Saviour Christ departing out of the world unto his Father promised his disciples to send downe another Comforter that should b Iohn 14.16 continue with them for ever and direct them into c Iohn 16.13 all truth The blessing pronounced at the end of Evening-Service namely d 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Is it not a great comfort to a soule for to enjoy all the same Saint Iohn accounted the fellowship with Gods Spirit the Sūmum bonum the supreame happinesse in this world where hee saith z Pet. 1.11 to the little children in Christ That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truely our e 1 Ioh. 1.1 2 3 fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full In the * T. 2. p. 193. Homily of the Resurrection it is signified That untill the generall resurrection in the last day whiles wee now are in this world Gods holy spirit may be had within our hearts as a f 2 Cor. 1.22 seale and g Eph. 1.13.14 Rom 8.15 16.23 pledge of our everlasting inheritance Yea saith that sacred * T. 2. p. 192 Homily unto every true member of Christ Thou hast received Christs body to have within thee the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for to h Ioh. 14.23 2 Cor. 6.16 dwell with thee for to endow thee with grace to strength thee against thine enemies and to comfort thee with their presence And againe Christ now entred within us how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for where one is there is God i Col. 3.11 Ephes 4.6 1 Cor. 3.16 17. and 6.19 all whole in Majesty together with all his power wisdome and goodnesse and feare not I say the danger and perill of so traiterous a defiance and departure In the first * T. 2. p. 180. Homily of the Passion it is said God give us all grace to follow Christs k 1 Pet. 2.21 1 Iohn 2.6 examples in peace in charity in patience and sufferance that wee now may have him our ghest to enter and dwell within us so as we may be in full surety having such a pledge of our salvation If we have him and his favour we may be sure that we have the favour of God l Mat. 3.17 by his meanes In the third Exhortation afore the Communion it is said If with a true penitent heart and lively faith wee receive that holy Sacrament then we m Iohn 6.63.36 spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drink his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be n 1 Cor. 6.17 one with Christ and Christ with us In the * T. 2. p. 195. Homily of the Resurrection it is said Apply your selves good friends to live in Christ that Christ may still live o Gal. 2. 2 Cor. 4.10.11 in you whose favour and assistance if ye have then p Iohn 3.36 and 6.47 1 Iohn 5.20 have you everlasting life already within you then can nothing q Rom. 8.31 hurt you Whatsoever is hitherto done and committed Christ ye see hath offered you pardon and clearly received you to his favour againe in full surety whereof yee have him now inhabiting and r Rom. 8.9 10 11. Gal 4.6 1 Iohn 3.24 dwelling within you In the first part of Whitsunday * T. 2 p. 209. Homily it is said The Holy Ghost doth not thinke it sufficient inwardly to work the spirituall and new birth of man unlesse he doe also ſ 1 Cor. 3.16 dwell and abide in him In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 60. Homily against the feare of Death it is signified That a true Christian is the very t Ephes 5.30 member of Christ the u 1 Cor. 3.17 Temple of the Holy Ghost the w Rom. 8.14 15 16. Sonne of God and the very x Rom. 8.17 Iam. 2.5 inheritour of the everlasting Kingdome of Heaven Most memorable is that sentence of the Holy Ghost delivered by Saint Paul unto Timothy Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that y 1 Tim. 4.8 now is and of that which is to come David saith The Lord will give strength unto his people The Lord will blesse his people with z Psal 29.11 peace Wisedome saith in the booke of the Proverbs Whoso hearkeneth unto me shal dwell a Prov. 1.33 safely and shall be quiet from feare of evill And Solomon also saith b Prov. 3.16 17 18. Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her Isaiah saith Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Thou c Isa 64.4 5. meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy wayes Peter saith The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his eares are d 1 Pet. 3.12 open unto their prayers Hanani the Seer said The eyes of the Lord runne too and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the e 2 Chro. 16.9 behalfe of him whose heart is perfect towards him David saith The Lord is