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A18346 A fruitfull sermon, vpon the 3.4.5.6.7.&8. verses of the 12. chapiter of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes very necessarie for these times to be read of all men, for their further instruction and edification, in things concerning their fayth and obedience to saluation. Chaderton, Laurence, 1536?-1640.; Dering, Edward, 1540?-1576. 1584 (1584) STC 4926.5; ESTC S1546 34,708 90

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as if shee haue three handes three feet or six fingers by and by she mislyketh her selfe she hateth the superfluity she laboreth to cut it off because she is contended with her selfe desiring no mo partes then shee hath nay hating if it bee but a knob of flesh that is more then needs She would haue manye members but not too many she would haue all her members she wold want none least she should appeare either monstrous which is feareful or maimed which is hatefull Euen so is it with the Church and spouse of Christ in England For as she is grieued for the lack of those partes which are wanting so shee abhorreth and loatheth such as are abounding as namely the callinges of Archbishops Bishops deanes Archdeacons Deacons Chauncellers Commissaries Officials all such as be rather members and partes of the whore and strumpet of Rome then of the pure virgin and Spouse of the immaculate Lambe Therefore she desireth these if they will needs be of her body to shew that they bee created of God and vnited to her by Christ her heade If they will needes be of the heauenly Hierusalem let them shew that they came down from heauen and who gaue them from thence For the Apostles neuer knewe them Sion hath not hearde of them Hierusalem which is aboue wil not acknowledge them the watchmen no doubt beeing a sleepe they haue crept into the Citie of the Lord. But now they are espied now the Church complayneth of them both because they haue no title nor interest in it as publique members and also because by the length of their vnlawfull swoordes they keepe out lawfull members of the body We therefore that are the Lordes remembrauncers must neuer let him rest till he haue expelled them out of Hierusalem wherin they haue no right to exercise such vnlawfull authoritie Therefore we humbly desire and beseech all that are in higher places and haue accesse vnto her excellēt Maiesty that they woulde for the loue they beare to the Church of Christ in tender compassion looke vpon our Church which maketh so iust a complaint that they would send for the Preachers of the word enquire what is lacking and what is too much and so repayre and build vp the walles of Hierusalem the praise of the world The second rule is that the members of the body must haue but one office that is euery one his seueral distinct office For God is not the author of confusion but of good order and necessary distinction So sayth Paule There are diuersity of giftes and administrations of operations yet but one spirite one Lorde one God which worketh all in all And least any should obiect that this maye be and yet no let but that one man hauing manye giftes maye haue diuers offices for though they bee diuers one in respect of an other yet they maye agree in one man we must consider that the Apostle speaketh here of diuers mēbers of one body meaneth y t euery one must haue his seueral gift y t maketh a seueral office for the cōmon profit of others This seuerall and speciall gift bindeth to one seuerall and special office For the same Apostle teacheth that those gifts are not only distinguished in nature but also in person saying To one is giuen the worde of wisedome vnto an other the worde of knowledge c. Therefore euerye personne or member of the Church muste haue his owne proper and seuerall office that he maye vse it to the common commoditie of all his fellow-members If the naturall members of the bodye doe perfectly performe their seuerall dutyes then it muste needes goe wel with the body and nature must needes delight and take greate pleasure in it but if contrarily one member do encroch vpon the office of an other it must needes tend to the destruction of the body So assuredly the estate of the Church is best and most flourisheth when there is neither too many nor too few members according to the first rule neither confusion of offices according to the second Seeing then beloued in our church the Deacon encrocheth vpon the office of the Pastor for he prateth openly and ministreth the Sacraments women vpon the office of men for they baptize priuate men vppon the office of publique persons for one man doth suspend from the Sacramentes and excommunicate the Doctour vpon the office of the Pastour for both indifferently teach exhort and minister the sacraments the Ecclesiasticall person vpon the office of the ciuill Magistrate and contrarily the ciuill vppon the Ecclesiasticall for they interchangeablye handle and discide ciuill and Ecclesiasticall controuersies seeing I saye here is no distinction but confusion no contenting with one duetye but encroching vppon many no wyse order in gouernment but a foolishe and pernicious shuffeling togeather of diuers dueties which the Lorde hath heere and else where in sundry places of his word distinguished haue we not iust and necessary cause to beseech and pray such as be in authority not to suffer their eye-lids either to slūber or sleep til they haue remooued these superfluities supplied these wants and refourmed this intollerable confusion that the body of the Church may appeare in her perfect beauty and health The 3. rule is these many members must haue but one head to whom they are most nearely surely vnited and of whom they must be onely and perpetually ruled All the parts of the naturall body because they are by many iointes and bandes fitly and surely coupled to the head they receiue life sense power motion and strength to perfourme their duties and mutually to helpe one another and all this is done by the vertue of this naturall vnion For if that were not no part were able to serue either it selfe or any other so that beeing in this vnion they liue being seuered they dye and perish Euen so it fareth with the members of y e Church for they beeing by spirituall ioints handes surely vnited knit to Christ their heade he conuayeth into euerye one by his spirite and faith life to quicken them wisedom to lighten them sense for feeling and all other graces and strength to defend them against all aduersary power and to bring them to the perfect vnion and fellowship which is in himselfe We are the tender braunches he is the vine if we be in him we shall receiue spirituall nourishment to life euerlasting and al things that appertaine to our health if we be out of him we can not but die and that eternally He onely is the vine whereinto we must be graffed he onely is the band that bindeth vs vnto him the braunches that are not in the vine must needes wither and die if he binde vs not vnto him selfe we must needes scatter abroade and fall asunder one from an other He onely is the cause of all vnion with him selfe and among the members to make all the members at one with him and with them selues And also