when they are don syncerely by Gods true ministers and faithfull children then are they in deede the right clothing of his sheepe but when such false teachers do put on the same then are they counterfaite clokes to deceaue the simple Wherby we may perceaue that outwarde holinesse of life is not the onely true token of Christianitie The second Secondly they doe hide themselues vnder the sheepes clothing of ordinary power and authoritie long succession and lawefull calling to the ministerie vnder the which title like wolues they haue crept into the Church and from time to time most cruelly persecuted Gods good people and the doctrine by them taught The third Thirdly they are hid and couered vnder the goodly name and title of holy Apostolical Catholike church to the ende they might make men beleeue that all their doctrines traditions and deuises of newe worship proceeded not from themselues but were established by the perpetuall consent of the church and allowed by the sentence and interpretation of the holy counselles fathers doctors and yet beeing rightly and truely examined it is nothing so They tell vs that they haue their priuate Masse their half cōmunion their trifling ceremonies frō the Apostles And all this God knoweth they proue by full simple coniectures because Christ saide to his Apostles Io. 16.12 1. Co. 11.34 I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cānot beare thē now And because S. Paul said to the Corinth Other thinges will I set in order when I come And although it were true that they haue not deuised these things of thēselues but haue receiued thē al frō the Apostles and holy Fathers which thing their owne conscience knoweth to be most vntrue yet notwithstanding the same things so receiued they haue fowly defaced with sundry their superstitions They haue made them necessary to saluatiō they haue bound the people no lesse to them then to the lawe of God so haue they made thē snares for Christian consciences And therefore if it were so that the thing it self came frō the fathers yet the abuse thereof came from themselues and for the same they haue taught the people to breake Gods cōmandemēt Esay 1.22 Thus haue they mingled gods heauenly wine with their puddle water Mat. 23.24 Mat. 16.6 thus haue they strained gnats swallowed camels this is the very leauen of the Scribs Phariseis which Christ calleth hypocrisie Therfore if so be the thing it selfe they haue thus receaued in respect of substance be al one yet being thus abused in respect of their superstitions and deformities it is none one Furthermore as a Lyon is discouered by his clawes what garment so euer he haue vpon him euen so these spirituall wolues though they be couered with the clothing of Christes true sheepe The claws of the spirituall wolues yet if you looke vpon their clawes you shall quickly espie thē what they are The first One of their clawes is cōfidence in the holines of their life wherby they do not only aduance themselues as iust before God the worlde but also contemne despise al other Such a claw had the Pharisei that Christ speaketh of who in disdaine of the poore sinful but yet repentant Publican maketh his vaunt in this manner Lu. 18.21 I thanke shee O Lorde that I am not as other men are extorcioners vniust adulterers nor as this Publican c. Such are these religious men which in these dayes make their vaunts that they are not only able so far to fulfill the law of God that they may be accōpted righteous themselues but also that they haue their workes of supererogation and merites which may be solde and applyed to the benefite of other This is knowen to be the common doctrine of the church of Rome at this day A second clawe Another clawe of these countrfeited wolues is a certaine peculiar holinesse consisting in the obseruation of mans traditions and deuises of which cōmonly they make greater account then of the commandementes of God Such they were whom Christ sharpely reproueth saying Mat. 15.3 ye transgresse the commandementes of God by your tradition Such they are which account themselues holier then other and aboue all other take to themselues the goodly cloke of religious men because they liue after the rule of Benedicke Francis Dominicke c. or because they weare this or that fashion of apparell abstaine from this or that kinde of meates obseruing the choyse of dayes vowe of single life and diuers other like fancies of mans brayne in comparison whereof the commandementes of God are smally or nothing among them regarded The Phariseis sought to please men and to deceaue the people they taught them to walke in the wayes of their forefathers to beleeue as they beleeued to do as they had done They flattered them and saide you are the church of God Mat. 23.14 Luk. 20.47 Eze. 13.2 34.2 you are gods people you are the sonnes of Abraham you cannot erre you cannot be deceaued The Scribes and the Phariseis deuowred vppe widowes houses vnder pretence of longe prayers They gaue almes and made money of their almes giuing They fasted and made money of their fasting This did the Scribes and Phariseis the which although are dead yet their doinges continue still their name is taken away but their profession abideth As they made gaines of their prayers of their almes and fasting so doe the Papistes make great gaynes and waxe rich vnder pretence of holinesse They haue brought in a profession of wilful chastitie and forbidden mariage in some whole estate of men They haue forbidden to eate certaine meates vpon certaine dayes whereas God hath left meates as free to the choyse of man as hee left his sunne to shine freely to the vse of all men asnd they make free libertie for money to eate what euery man liketh They make money of purgatorie money of pardons money of their masses They make money of Peter and of Paule of the Apostles and Martirs of Christ himselfe These are they of whom S. Peter speaketh 2. Pet. 2.3 Through couetousnes shal they with fained words make marchandise of your soules If they be asked frō whom they had their Masse their inuocation of saincts prayer for the dead images their Deifying of Sainctes their erecting of alters vnto them their torches candlelights pilgrimages al the rest of their beggerly trash they are neuer able to aunswere one iot for the maintenance thereof out of the worde of God but wee will follow say they our fathers their traditions Beholde the groūd of Popish religion God giue them grace if it be his will that they may see their owne vanity that they may know that they are but miserable mortall men that a time shall come when their hypocrisie shall be disclosed that they may become godly be in deede the ministers of Christ disposers of
Church is not alwaye seene Ro. 11.4 1. Cor. 6.11 This is the inuisible Church that is known to God alone and is neuer certainely truely and for the whole reuealed to man For they by hypocrisie may seeme members of this Church which indeede are no partakers of it as appeareth by the example of Iudas And contrariwise they to mans iudgement may seeme not to be of this Church which yet in Gods appointment are the certaine members thereof as euidently was shewed in the example of Sainct Paule But the visible church that is discerned of man and by outward tokens is knowne to the world may in this manner be described It is the multitude of all them bee they fewe or many which being vpon the face of the earth and called by the word of the Gospel do protest to beleeue in our sauiour Christ looking for sanctification saluation by him worshipping him according to his word Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 That it is the whole multitude of al beleeuers it is euident when Christ himselfe saith go ye preach the gospel to al creatures He excepteth none therefore the grace of God benefits of his church are not tyed to any one place as to Rome to Hierusalem to Constantinople or to any other place That the number of this church may be aswell small as great Christ himselfe teacheth saying My flocke is very smal Luk. 12 32 Mat. 18 20 And where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of thē Hereby we may learne that the argument of multitude or great nūber is not alway strong For by it the doctrine of the prophets the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles might bee reiected which vndoubtedly were but fewe in comparison of them that misliked and reproued it That this multitude must be called by the word of the Gospell S. Paule affirmeth Ro. 10. Faith saith he commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of god Ro. 10.17 And therefore did Christ sende his Apostles to preach the gospell that therby men might be brought to the beliefe of the Church 196 The Church may erre THe Church is cleane through the grace of God in Christ Iesu and yet by her owne nature and through the manifold infirmities of the flesh which she retayneth euen vntill this temporall death she hath neede to be washed and purged For the which cause the dayly prayeth Mat. 6.12 Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And Sainct Iohn saith if wee saye wee haue not sinne we deceiue our selues 1. Io. 1.10 and there is no truth in vs. Wherfore being deliuered from this flesh we are made perfectly pure in the life to come free from all blemish But so long as the sainctes liue here on this earth clothed with their flesh they are subiect to many infirmities And therefore it is most certaine by this reason that the church both maye and doth erre◠although it cannot be moued Mat. 16.18 Io. 10.27 because she is grounded vpon the true rocke and soe long as she heareth and followeth the voyce of her true pastor shee erreth not 197 The name of the Church abused by Wolues THe false prophets and enimies of the truth do coulor and hide their hypocrisie vnder this goodlye name and title of the holy Apostolical and Catholicke Church wherewith they seeme gloriously to aduaunce set forward themselues as though that all their doctrines traditions and deuises of newe worship proceeded not from themselues but were established by the perpetuall consent of the Church and allowed by the sentence and interpretation of the best counsels learned fathers doctors and yet being rightly and truely examined it is nothing so Consent of the Church in deede to true and godly Preachers is not only a beautifull garment but also most necessarie that men may not faine and deuise doctrines opinions and phantasies of their owne heads but professe beleeue and teach the consent of the true Catholike Church in the doctrine that was first planted by god himself in Paradyse and after renewed and continued by the Patriarches and Prophets and so published into the whole worlde by Christ himselfe and his Apostles The summe whereof is breifly conteyned in articles of our faith teaching vs the inestimable goodnesse of Almightie God towarde vs aswell in making of the world as in redeeming mankinde by the incarnation and death of his sonne c. This faith and beleefe ought to be established and conserued by the consent of the Catholicke Church from the beginning But it is of all Christian hearts to be lamented that most wicked and rauening wolues vnder this title of the Churches cōsent do abuse the people of god bring into the church and maintaine strang worshipping of God and whatsoeuer they haue newly deuised without iust warrant of the holy scriptures and contrarye to the manifest doctrine of the Prophetes Apostles and auncient fathers of the primitiue church Yea and such they haue beene that haue most cruelly persecuted Gods good prophets and the doctrine that they haue taught For who persecuted Ieremy and the other Prophets Were they not those that sayde the Temple of the Lorde the Temple of the Lord Shall the truth departe from the Priestes Were it not they that stroke Micheas Ier. 7.4 Ier. 18.28 1. Kings 22 24. Ier. 32.3 caused Ieremy to be put in prison Who were they that put Christ to death and persecuted his Apostles Do not the Euangelistes and Acts of the Apostles declare Doth not christ giue his Desciples warning that it should be so These thinges sayeth he haue I spoken vnto you that you may not be offended Io. 16.1 They shall excommunicate you out of their Synagogues and all for my names sake 198 What ministers ought to be in the Church IT is required of al those that take vpon them the name of gods ministers that they haue a desire and zeale to bring men vnto God to follow the trace which God hath commanded al his to keepe that is that they winne the world vnto the obedience of him Secondly besides their good zeale they must also haue a certaintie of doctrin so as hee that speaketh may not take any thing vpō him nor passe his bounds 1. Tim. 4.16 1. Cor. 11.23 1. Co. 15.3 but from hande to hande deliuer the thing that is commanded him in such wise as Iesus Christ may always be heard and suffered to speake and all mouthes else be stopped sauing onely in way of hearkening that his doctrine may be knowen vnto vs. 199 The title of the ministerie and duty THe ministers of the worde are called by the holy Ghost the light of the worlde Mat. 5.13 Eze. 34.2 the salte of the earth They are called Pastors and Shepheardes they are called Husbandmen Guides Stewardes and Messengers besides manye other excellent titles giuen them in the holy scriptures 1.
be such After this rest ensueth the perpetuall reste of eternall felicitie whereof the Apostle maketh mention Heb. 4. and this is a spirituall and perpetuall Sabboth Secondly wee doe reste from those labors and actions which are commaunded by god and of themselues are not euill but may be done without sinne yet on the Sabboth day we absteine from them not that idlenesse is allowed of God but to the end we may the better attend vpon spirituall actions whiche God requireth This day is not holy of it selfe neither can we geue any holines to it and also all other daies are aswell as it the Lords daies But the meaning of the commaundement is that on the Saboth day these holy workes are to be done which are commāded to vs all by God as namly that first we confesse that it is god alone that sanctifieth vs and that we suffer him to worke his workes and pleasure in vs and that we our selues do not our owne works and pleasure or will Secondly that we godly associat or ioyne our selues to holy assēblies and sermons prayer and receuing of the sacraments 45 The spirituall Sabboth BY the worde Saboth is vnderstod spiritual rest that is to say ceasing from sinne or the leauing of our owne works and the execution or doing of the works of God of such as are by him commaunded vnto vs do appertaine to his worship and glorie This spirituall Saboth is begun in this life in thē that are conuerted and is finished in the life euerlasting and is tearmed a saboth or rest both because this is indeede a true rest from labors and miseries and our hallowing and dedicating vnto the worship of God and also because that in times paste it was signified by the ceremoniall Sabboth There remaineth as the holie Ghost witnesseth a rest to the people of God Heb. 4.9.10.11.12 Exo. 20.10 Vers 15. Eze. 20.13 22.8 For hee that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his owne workes as God did from his Let vs studie therefore to enter into that rest c. In Exodus 31. The lord commaundeth him to be put to death which shall breake the Saboth Also in the Prophet Ezechiell when he cōplaineth of the corruptiō of the whole worship of God He saith that the saboth is broken of which straightnesse in requiring the keeping of the Saboth ther are euidently apparant two causes especially The one for that the neglecting of the ministery of the Church doth very easily corrupt and blot out the doctrine and worship of God the other for that by the straight requiring of the figuratiue Sabothe God would declare the greatnes and necessitie of the thing signified that is of the spirituall Sabboth 46 The Ceremonious vse of the Saboth The Saboth day had this ceremonious vse to cause at a set time the people to assemble together to heare the Law and to call on the name of the Lord to offer their sacrifices to do al that which should cōcerne spirituall order and pollicie But because this cannot be well and sufficiently vnderstood without some more plainer and more distinct handling therefore let vs first of all note that the Saboth day was a shadowe vnder the Law vntill the comming of Christ to signifie that God wil haue men rest themselues from their owne workes And that this is so Heb. 10.1 S. Paule hath also declared and likewise besids him we haue sufficient testimony in other places of the Scripture In his Epistle to the Colossians Col. 2.17 he hath these words in effect that we haue the substaunce and body of those thinges which were vnder the law we haue them saith he in Christ And therefore it was expedient that the auncient fathers should be exercised in this hope aswel by the sabboth day as by other ceremonies but sith the thing is now giuen vs we ought not to stay our selues on these shadowes True it is that the Lawe is so abolished that yet we ought to keepe the substaunce and truth thereof and as for the shadowes and figures they are done away by the comming of Christ If one then demande howe the auncient fathers knew of this sence and meaning Moses hath made declaration hereof as it is sufficiently shewed in the booke of Exodus For God after he had published his lawe in the xx Chap. he reuealeth vnto Moses in the xxi Verse 13. chapter to what end it serueth and declareth that hee hath ordeined the Saboth day as a signe that the people of Israell shoulde bee sanctified by him Nowe when the scripture speaketh of our being sanctified vnto God it is to separate vs frō all that which is contrary to his worship and seruice But where shall a man finde such purity Wee knowe that we are of God saith S. Iohn the whole world lyeth in wickednesse 1. Io. 5.19 We need not go forth of our selfs to haue battel with God and his iustice because the wisedome of the flesh is enimie against him Rom. 8.7 When men loose the bridle to their thoughts and imaginations to their desires and lustes then make they open battaile with God And wee are not ignorant of the which is declared in Genes vi Verse 5. that the wickednes of man is great in the earth and all the imaginations and thoughts of his hart are only euill continually So then we may wel vnderstand that we cannot be sanctified before our God that is wee cannot serue him in holinesse and purenesse if we be not seperated from that vncleannesse and those defilements which are contrary hereunto and not hauing first abolished all that whiche is of our owne nature 47 The ende of the Saboth The saboth teaching vs our inward corruption stayeth not there neither is that the end of it but leadeth vs to vnderstand that seeing our owne waies bee all corrupted and defiled with sinne insomuch as the ceasing from sinne is no other thing then the ceasing from our owne waies and works it appeareth euidentlie that iustification and holinesse of life haue not their beginning from our selues but are the free and vndeserued graces and workes of God within vs. Which we are compelled to graunte in that we confesseour owne waies to be corrupted and that the ceasing frō sinne is as it was saide before the ceasing from our owne waies and workes For if as the truth is our owne waies be all corrupted and defiled with sinne if any good be in vs it must haue a beginning and spring otherwhere then from our selues Ex. 31.13 The saboth did signifie our newe birth in Christ to be the worke of God in vs as witnesseth the Lord himselfe Keep yee my saboth saieth hee for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations Ez. 20.12 that you may know that I the Lord do sanctifie you For the deniall of their owne waies muste needes witnesse their worke of sanctification to proceede from the Lorde not of
themselues The same is witnessed in Ezechiell And in the Acts of the Apostles the couenaunt made with Abraham for blessing al nations in his seede is said to be performed in Christ in turning euery one of his from their iniquity Act 3.26 Vnto you saieth the holy Ghost hath God raised vppe his sonne Iesus and him hath he sent to blesse you in turning euery one of you from your iniquities The Iews had this speciall ceremonie of rest to exercise them in the doctrine and practise of mortification the trueth of which ceremony is fulfilled in Christ For by the power of his death it is brought to passe Rom. 6.8 that sinne dieth in his It was necessary they should be acquainted with this doctrine for the Lord hath no seruice of vs that he wil accept of if we learne not to renounce and deny our affections Neither can we go truely to the obedience of him but in the deniall of our selues 48 How wee ought to profite by the Saboth THe Saboth day ought to serue vs as it were for a tower to make vs moūt on high to view the workes of the Lord from a farre when we are neither hindered nor occupied with any thing but that wee may applie all our senses and all our whole vnderstāding to reknowledge the gracious giftes and benefites which he hath bestowed vpon vs. And when wee shall haue well practised this on the Saboth daye that is to say when we shall haue deepelie considered the works of God we shall verilie all the rest of our time be giuen hereunto and these meditations shall so fashion and adorne vs that the next day Ex. 20.8 Deu. 5.12 and all the rest of the weeke we shall be ledde to thanke our God when so before hande wee shall haue premeditated on his workes to make our profit therein But when the Saboth day is spent not only in vnlawful games pastimes ful of vanitie but in things with are altogether cōtrarie vnto God that men thinke they haue not celebrated the same except God therein be by many and sundrie waies offended when men vnhallowe in this sort this holy day which God hath instituted to leade vs vnto himselfe it is no marueile if wee become brutish and beastly in our doinges all the rest of the weeke Wherefore let vs know that it is not sufficient to come to church on the Saboth day to receaue some good doctrine and to call vpon the name of the Lord but we must digest those things which we heare and receaue apply al our senses to the better vnderstanding of those benefites which God bestoweth vpon vs Mat. 7.24 Luk. 11.28 Ia. 1.22 c. and that by this meanes we bee so formed and fashioned to the same that the Monday and all the rest of the weeke following coste vs nothing to come and aspire to our God and that wee neede but call to minde that which wee haue learned before at good leasure when our mindes be as it were vnwrapped from all those thinges which hinder vs to receiue the workes of God 49 Of the second table of the law AS the Lord in the fower commaundements of the first table doth perfectlie instruct vs in al the dueties that appertaine directly vnto his worship and seruice euen so in the second table he doth giue vs rules and precepts for the duties that we do owe vnto men The dueties vnto God do admonish vs that al our doings towardes men are nothing where Gods glorie doth not goe before As it is written by S. Iohn In this we know that we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commaundements As like as our dealing with men is nothing when the true seruice of God 1. Io. 5.2 is either not knowne or not regarded so that seruice that is giuen vnto God is not accepted when our brethren are neglected of vs. And therefore our sauiour Christ chargeth vs that whē our neighbour hath any thing against vs we should not presume to offer anie gift vnto God before we be recōciled Mat. 5.23 24. So greatly doth the Lord esteeme of this louing conuersation with men that the holy Ghost maketh it the proofe of our blessed estate We know saith S. Iohn that we are translated from death to life 1. Io. 3.14 Ex. 20 12. Ier 19.3 Col. 3.20 because wee loue our brethren Concerning that which we do owe vnto men the honoring of father and mother hath the first place To honour our parents is to yeelde vnto them all obedience reuerence and gratefulnes Children saith S. Paule Eph. 6.1 obey your parents in all thinges for that is well pleasing vnto the Lord. And our Sauiour Christ Math. 15 so likewise Mark 7. doth declare out of this commaundement how children ought to behaue themselues towardes their parents By father and mother all those are vnderstood who are the conueiers of any speciall goodnes of God vnto vs whom because he hath vouchsafed to be his meanes in conueying of the grace that we do enioy by him he cānot abide that they should be without honour at our handes 50 We must obey our Superiours GOd will proue our obedience and the loue we beare him whē he commandeth vs to walke in all equitie and vprightnes with our neighbours and that wee liue together in such loue and vnitie that anie one be not giuen vnto himselfe but that we communicate together and that euery one according to his abilitie to do well imploy and force himselfe thereunto This way God proueth vs to know whether we worshippe him vnfainedly and from our heart And this is the cause why our Lorde Iesus Christ saieth that the weightier matters of the lawe is iudgement Mat. 23.23 mercy fidelitie Therefore when we liue with men without hipocrisiy and dissimulation when wee are not geuen to our subtill sleightes nor malicious practises when wee studie to minister and to serue euery one in his commoditie when we maintaine right and resiste wrong as much as lyeth in vs wee then shall accomplish the chiefe and principall part of the lawe Not that the seruice of God ought in the meane time to be forgotten or that it is of lesse importaunce but because it is vnpossible that men acquite themselues in their duties towardes their neighbours except they be lead therevnto by the feare of God And although mention bee here expresselye made of father and mother yet there is no doubt but God meant to deliuer a generall doctrine Rom. 13.1 of hauing al superioritie in honour For if it had not touched any thing of the duetie we owe to other superiours as Princes Magistrates and those which haue the sword of Iustice if it had deliuered nothing concerning Masters it woulde haue seemed to haue bene vnperfect Therefore we must conclude that God hath commaunded that all they which are in honour and authority be honored and obeyed Neither ought we to
vs but one onely intercessor Christ in heauen they seeke for none other intercessor there because they haue the same full and perfectlye in Christ But they which do not beleue nor acknowledge Christ for their only and perfect intercessor aduocat such infidels shall neuer be holpen with any prayers of Aungels or saincts if the case stoode so that they did praye for them 191 The Papists will haue Christ to bee in part a Sauiour THe Papistes would weaken the ground of our Faith by a number of corrupt doctrines As first that in part wee haue saluation and remission of sinnes by the merites of sainctes for thus they pray Graunte vs O Christ by the blood of Thomas which he shed for thee thither to go whither he is ascended And to Saint George they pray thus Let him saue vs from our sinnes that we may reste with the blessed in heauen And touching Saint Anne they say thus O God thou which wouldest S. Anne to become the mother of thy mother grāt we beseech thee that by the meritts of the mother and the daughter we may obteine the heauenly kingdome Here are three Sauiours besids Christ in like manner doe they acknowledge a thousand moe Secōdly they say we haue remission of sins and saluation in part by our owne merits and good doings For thus writeth one of their champions that the passion of Christ may be the 1. and principle cause of attayning grace and opening the waye to heauen but it is neuer the whole cause for the euer there goeth with Christ some merit of him that receyueth grace Furthermore what shall bee saide of pardons of Pilgrimages of Purgatory of holy water and a number of such like superstitious and false errors by which not without blasphemy they match transitory things and vain deuises of men with the bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God our sauiour the most excellēt price of our redemption expreslye contrarye to the holye Ghost thus writing by S. Peter 1. Pet. 1. i8 Ye are not redemed with trāsitory things as with golde or siluer but with the bloud of that immaculat lamb Christ Iesus 192 Contrariety betweene the religion of Christ and the Pope WHereas the doctrine of Christ is spirituall altogether consisting wholly in spirit and verity and requireth no outward thing to make a true Christian man but onelye baptisme which is the outward profession of Faithe and receiuing of the Lordes Supper If the religion of the Churche of Roome bee examined it will easily bee founde wholly to consiste in nothing else but altogether in outward and ceremoniall exercises as outward confession absolution at the priestes hande outward sacrifice of the masse buying of pardons purchasing of obites externe worshipping of Images and reliques pilgrimage to this place or that building of churches founding of monasteries outward workes of the law outward gestures garments coulors choyse of meates difference of times and places peculiar rites and obseruancies set prayers and number of prayers prescribed fasting of vigiles keeping of holy dayes comming to church hearing of seruice externe succession of Bishops externe forme and notes of the church c. soe that by this religion to make a true christian and a good catholicke there is no working of the holy Ghost almost required 193 Succession is nothing without the doctrine of the Apostles THe aduersaries of the truth to the intent they might proue themselues to be the true church they obiect the succession of Bishops for the space of many hundred yeares in the Apostolicall sea whereas their doctrine being compared with the doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersitie and contrarietie thereof will easilye appeare to be the doctrine neither of the Apostles nor of anye apostolicall men Succession in deede with continuaunce of Apostolicall doctrine ought to be of great authoritie but without it nothing The sonnes of Aaron had more allowable succession from Aaron then the Bishoppes of Rome haue from Peter and yet because they brought strange fire into the temple of God they were reiected and perished Leu. 10.1 Those which in the church of God doe imitate them and contemning the truth deliuered by God desire strange doctrines and bring into the church the instruction of humaine ordinances them doth Christ sharpely reproue in his Gospell saying Mat. 15.3 you cast away the cōmandements of God to establish your owne ordinance Annas and Caiphas had full succession from Aaron yet it were hard thereupon to conclude that they had the right of the true church christ and his apostles to be Scismatickes 194 Succession proueth nothing THey greatly erre which thinke that any thing may be proued by succession whilest they leaue out that which is of most force therein that is that if like as they haue succeeded in the place of godly men they haue also succeeded them in the spirite of Christ in doctrine in faith grauitye godlinesse humilitie and patience Mat. 23.2 The high priestes and prelates who in the time of Christ did sit on Moses chayre coulde haue deriued the petigree of their succession from thē selues euē to Aaron but because their life and doctrine did not agree with the life and doctrine of Aaron and other godly priestes their succession auayled nothing against Christ and his Apostles neither were Christe and his Apostles false teachers or disseuered from the true Church because they were not able to proue their succession as the Pharesies could For the word of God and the institution of Christ was sufficient for them Wherefore sith euen we also now haue on our side the words of God and the institution of Christ there is no succession of Bishops that can proue vs to bee out of the true Church The histories of Popes and other like Prelates which are written yea euen by their deare frendes and defenders do sufficiently testify that almost all of them haue obteined this dignitie and place by most filthy meanes by simony wicked artes violence murthers and trayterous conspiracies Wherfore if it would please them a little more narrowely to consider hereof they should finde by better aduise there were no iust cause to brag of their succession but rather to burye the same in silence seeing by it their euils and horrible filthines is so clearely detected But God hath done this to th' end the truth might be reuealed and the godly warned to gather them selues together vnder our head Christ and into his true church 195 The description of the inuisible Church and visible THe church sometime in the scripture is taken for the whole number of the elect of God that are and haue bene from the beginning of the world in all places and ages euen to this day And this is that Church which is the piller of truth This is that church that neuer can abide in error Mat. 16.18 This is that church that by imputation of Gods mercy is the immaculate and vndefiled spouse of Christ but this
the flocke of the lord to feed it to preserue it in health and to keepe it from diseases and hurt the which is done by doctrine exhortations reprehension rebuking comfort prayers administration of the sacraments and by the example of a godly and vncorrupt life as may bee proued and knowne many waies by the writings and examples of the Apostles Furthermore it is necessarye of all Christians to be knowne howe they ought to behaue themselus towardes the ministers Io 21.15.16.17 2. Tim. 4 2. Tit. 2.7 and what they ought to thinke of them Chieflye therefore in their function or calling not their persons but Christ that worketh by them is to bee considered Wherefore we must receaue their doctrine when they preach the word of God purely euen as the doctrine of Christ For Christ saith in expresse words in the Gospell he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Lu. 10.16 Wee muste not looke that Christ should come downe from heauen againe and speake vnto vs seeing he dayly speaketh in his church by his ministers which preach the word of Christ Also the ministers for their parts must behaue themselus honestly well and Christianlike in doctrine life and conuersation They must not seeke their owne honor or gaine but the honor of Christe and profit of his Church They must not thinke that they cannot erre but must suffer themselues to be admonished 1. Pet 5.2 being neither stuborn rash nor proud They must not attribute or geue too muche vnto themselues 2. Tim 2.24 but muste bee lowlye gentle sage paineful and faithfull 204 The true duty of the ministers of the gospell THe true ministers of the gospel must not only haue a sweet and amiable voyce to drawe those to the flocke which yealde themselues teachable and suffer themselues to be taught but they must also disclose and driue away the Wolues and the theues they must haue a loude voyce to cry out against all them that scatter the flocke This is the thing whereunto Gods seruaunts muste imploye themselues if they purpose to execute their dutie Tit. 1.9 They must not onely bee instructed to teache other but bee strong and constant to make it good and to fight when question shal bee to maintaine the doctrine of truth that it may remaine safe and sounde Eze. 3.17 The Prophet Ezechiell compareth them to such as kepe watch in a watch tower and surely it is a charge yea and that a verye mightye and heauye charge while other men sleepe to watch and haue a care of al the flock The name and title also which the holy Ghost attributeth vnto the ministers sheweth plainelye what it is Ma. 5.13 Ez. 34.2 1 Co. 4.1 that GOD calleth them vnto and what they ow to his Church that mē may not think they shal be accounted faithful in the meane while geue themselus to rest and sleepe and to follow the pleasures and lusts of the flesh For God doeth not choose them whom he placeth Shepheards in his Church for any outward shew but he bindeth them to his people for otherwise we cannot serue God but by imploying our selues to serue his whole flock and the greatest honor that the ministers of his worde can haue is to be diligent in seruing all the faithfull 205 The calling of the Ministery THe calling of the ministery and preaching of the gospell is no deuise of any mortall man but the ordinaunce of the liuing God It was hee that ordeyned Moyses and the Prophets 2. Pet. 1 21. The prophecy saith Peter came not in the olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Mar. 3.13 The Lorde Iesus himselfe called appointed and sent forth into the world his apostles to preache the gospell It is the holye Ghoste which ordeyneth faithfull ouerseers to feede the Church of God Act. 20 28. It is Christ also at this day which appointeth Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of his sainctes The firste preacher that euer was vppon the earth was GOD himselfe Eph. 4.11 he preached to Adam in Paradise that comfortable Gospell Gen. 3.16 the seede of the woman shall breake the serpents heade After that hee stirred vp Noah and Lot Moses and the Prophets what shal be said of Dauid and Solomon of the which the one was a moste victorious prince 1. Kin 3. and the other moste welthye and yet haue they gotten more glory and credite by their doctrines and instructions then by all their riches and triumphes The first minister and preacher of the newe testament was Iohn the Baptist Of whom Christ our Sauiour sayeth There was not a greater Prophete Ma. 11.11 Mar. 2.2 among womens children Christe himselfe also was a preacher of the Gospell and witnesseth that he came into the worlde to that purpose Mar. i6 i6 After him the Apostles also were sent into the worlde to the same end Seing then that God himself and his sonne Iesus Christ haue vouchsafed to preach the worde seeing so famous men as the Prophets and Apostles were ordeyned to this purpose it must needes followe that the office of preaching is most famous worthye and excellent 206 With what doctrine ministers muste be furnished IF So bee that the Ministers of Christs Gospel wil do their duties as they ought to doe in the erecting and in the enlarging of Christs kingdome by pure preaching of the worde they must not then stande vppon trifles 1. Tim. 1.4 2. Tim. 2.23 vpon curious and vnprofitable questions but they must labour to edifie in all godlinesse This grace of GOD which was shewed at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ is dayly to be published and preached of them Tit. 2.11 For surely it is a wonderfull secreat that GOD shoulde bee manifested in the fleshe and that therewithall hee should shew vs his heauenly glory to the end that wee might bee vnited thereunto and therfore if all the Ministers and Preachers of Gods worde 1. Tim. 3.16 shoulde neuer cease from shewing foorthe the wisedome which GOD hath vttered in the person of his onely sonne the tyme assuredly shoulde not bee spent in vaine Furthermore whosoeuer will preach the gospell faithfully and profitablye hee muste firste of all and chieflye vrge the doctrine of repentaunce To repentance must be ioyned the doctrine of remission of sinnes Ma. 11.28 which belongeth only to them that repent that are humbled and cast downe that feele in their conscience the torment of sinne and condemnation it doth not appertaine to ignorant and senselesse men to hypocrites infidels athistes iusticiaries prophane and carnall men Mat. 9.13 for these haue nothing to do with the doctrine of remission of sinnes 207 Diuersitie in giftes among the ministers NEcessarie it is that euerie minister preach but yet all such shall not be condemned which haue not such like and so full
motion and as they are selfe taught but it is God that giueth it and that of an especiall goodnes I will not the death of a sinner saith the Lord but that hee conuerte and liue Eze. 18.23 33 And how is that possible If we were able to turne our selues vnto the Lord it were a more excellent worke then to create vs and experience it selfe doth sufficientlye condemne vs. It is moreouer an vndoubted doctrine throughout the whole scripture For in euery place our Lord Iesus Christ giueth himselfe the prayse of turning vs shewing that he will soften our stonie hearts Eze. 11.19 20. Phil. 2.3 and make them bowe to obey him and it is his worke not onely to giue vs that we may but that we will and desire to obey his commandementes and to bee shorte there is nothing that the faithfull ought to doe so much as in this behalfe to giue God the glorie confessing that it is in him onely to turne vs that it is he onely that hath adopted vs in such sort that he must needes draw vs by the grace of his holy spirite The Lorde must open our eyes and eares also before we can attayne to this woonderfull wisedome which is conteyned in the gospell Deu. 29.4 Ro. 8.7 because the natural man vnderstandeth not any part of the secrets of God therefore it followeth that it is an especial gift of the holy ghost when he lighteneth our hearts in the faith of his truth 212 Howe we ought to repent THe true preparatiue to repentāce is to be pricked so nearely as we may feele the euill that is in vs condemne our selues for it we must learne to streine our selues to hold our selues as prisoners although the same fall out contrarie to our desire yet neuerthelesse wee must goe on still further that God may winne the vpper hand of vs. We must learn to hate our selues to take displeasure against ourselues and to be reuenged of our owne naughtinesse 2 Co. 7.11 according as the Apostle sayeth 2. Cor. 7. For repentance importeth that men should condemne thēselues and take vengeance on themselues when they see their whole life corrupted and that they should vse an holy anger against it In steede of desiring to bee reuenged of our enemies when they haue doone vs any harme wee should be chafed and angry with our selues yea and punish our selues for faultes when wee cannot frame our selues vnto the will of God Wee should euery man enter into his owne conscience acknowledge howe corrupt and damnable sinners wee are of our selues Mar. 1.15 confesse our sinnes and when we haue doone so let vs enter from them and behold the great mercie of God 213 The qualities of repentance ONe speciall qualitie of repentance is alwayes to bring with it remission of sinnes for where true repentance goeth before there remission of sinnes must necessarily followe after not that repentance deserueth remission of sinnes but because where God worketh repentance there he pardoneth sinne because of his promise Eze. 18.27 When the wicked sayth the Lorde turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath committed and doth that which is lawful and right Esay 55.7 he shall saue his soule a liue And againe let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and he will haue mercy vpon him Here we see to whom forgiuenes of sinnes the mercie of God belongeth as namely to the penitent sinners to those that leaue sinne imbrace godlinesse to those that forsake their owne waies and imaginations and turne vnto the Lorde And as for such as walke on in their own waies and folowe the delightes of sin without any sorrowe or purpose to leaue them they haue nothing to doe with the mercie of God and though Iesus Christ had suffered an hundred deathes which could not be yet shall no vnpenitent sinner haue remission of sinnes by his death nor any other benefites of his passion for they belong onely to his Church and chosen people here vpon the earth He therefore that is not of the church he that is not grafted into Christ by faith he that is not a member of his misticall bodie can enioy nothing by Christs death If a mā abide not in me saith our Sauiour Christ he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth Io. 15.6 and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they burne We may reade also in an other place howe God barreth all stubborne sinners from his mercie Deu. 29.18.19 and doth most terriblie shoot out against them He that heareth the words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shal haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornenesse of my owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst the Lorde will not be mercifull vnto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoke against that man euery curse that is written in this booke shal light vpō him 214 Of Sacraments and what a Sacrament is THE Lorde hath added vnto the preaching of the Gospell most holy Sacramentes as namely Baptisme and the supper of the Lorde The Sacramentes are holy actions of the faithfull in the church of Christ ordeyned by the Lorde himselfe to be signes and seales of true doctrine first doubtlesse bearing witnesse that we are receaued of God into grace and into the couenaunte and that he is our God that he clenseth vs from our sinnes regenerateth and reneweth vs and adopteth or chuseth vs as sonnes and receaueth vs vnto the partaking and fellowship of all good thinges which of vs must bee kept holy and we must liue godly and innocently before him They are also testimonies that the true Messias in times past promised vnto the old Fathers from the beginning of the worlde is nowe exhibited or giuen of God vnto the Church of Christ I meane Christ our Lorde who truely gaue his flesh and bloud vnto death to redeeme vs with his flesh bloud to nourish vs vnto eternall life that we againe as the Church by him redeemed Lu. 22.19 should keepe in continuall memory the death of our Lord 1. Cor. 11.26 praise him extoll him and giue thankes vnto him The Sacraments are also to admonish vs of our duties that wee should lead our liues in true godlines brotherly loue hold that one religion with whose sacramentes we are separated also frō al other religions 215 A Sacrament consisteth of three partes SAcramentes doe consist of three partes the first is the outwarde signe the seconde is the spirituall or inwarde grace and the thirde part is the worde of Christes institutiō or promise which is as it were the life and soule of the Sacrament Water in Baptisme signifieth that as water naturally hath a propertie to wash and clense the filth from the bodie Io. 1.7 so doth the grace of God through Christes bloude wash away
therefore vseth the wordes indifferently as beeing of one meaning Therefore by Christes owne wordes to beleeue in Christ is to eate Christ 230 Of the presence of Christ in the supper CHrist our Lord is indued with a true and natural humane body the truth substance wherof is not taken away by the glorificatiō thereof after the resurrection as the holy scriptures and the articles of our faith do plainly declare Ph. 2.7 Heb. 2.17 for they teach vs in expresse words that there is a diuine and humane nature of Christ to be acknowledged and confessed in one and the same person so that there bee no confusion made of the diuine humane natures of Christ neither of them taken away of vs For although Christ were then in heauen when hee liued vpon the earth and was in this life Io. 5.17 and now also when he is gone vp into heauen Ma. 28.29 Io. 14.18 is neuerthelesse present with the faithfull vntill the end of the world yet the scriptures teach vs that thereby it is not to be concluded that the humane nature was then corporally in heauen when it was fastned vpon the crosse no more then it is now present vpon the earth when it is in heauen also that the vnity of person remayned vndeuided because that the property of the natures remaining cānot seuere or part the same In the meane season it is known to al the faithfull that Christ together and vnseparable true God and man suffered in that part in that which he was subiect vnto suffering that is in his flesh and bloud and that he suffered nothing in that parte in which he could not suffer as namely in spirit or deity Notwithstanding because of the abiding properties of 2. natures yet no man saith that Christ is deuided into 2. persons althought therefore Christ verye GOD and man remain in one and the same person It therefore followeth not that the body of Christ aswell as the diuinity is in this earth and in al places for the humane nature reteyneth his property in Christ therefore he is not corporally in or with the bread yet neuertheles we haue not a supper without Christ For the same Christ which is corporally at the right hand of God and according to his humane nature is not present in this earth Act. 1.11 Mat. 26.11 the very same Christ wholly as the true son of righteousnesse is present in the supper by his spirit power life working I meane in the congregation of the faithful in their harts which celebrate receaue the supper with true faith 231 Christ feedeth vs with his substance OVr Lord Iesus Christ did not onely become mortall man like vnto vs in all things sinne only except to be a brother in deed to al thē that ioyne themselues to him in faith but also he norisheth vs with his substaunce he is our head Heb. 4.15 Io 8.55 Eph. 2.22 4.15 and we must draw our life from him through the vertue of the holy ghost He hath geuen vs a witnesse heereof in his holy supper which we haue as a most certaine pledge and therefore as often as we come to this table wee ought to be confirmed in this that our lorde Iesus Christ is made one with vs and that we can neuer be separated from him That if he be rich we shal not need to feare pouerty if he be strong we shal not need to feare weakenes if he bee the righteousnes of God we shal not need to feare our sins if he be the wisdome of God 1. Cor. 1.30 24. 2.7 we may boldly come vnto him to be made new creatures Moreouer our Lord Iesus Christ doth witnesse that he receiueth vs to him and will haue vs fed with his owne substance and therefore let vs bewarre that we come not to this table vnlesse wee haue this remembraunce whereof the Apostle speaketh the second to Tim. 2. For first of al this is required that we be instructed in the worde And yet it is not enough for vs to be instructed but it must be forcible in vs and wee must consider that if we come to it daily it is a study to exercise our selus with all the daies of our life let vs take diligent heed that we present not our selus to receaue the supper of our lord Iesus Christ vnlesse we haue this before our eyes Ma. 11.19 17.30.31 c. that is vnles we behold the sonne of God which made himself vtterly of no reputation for vs suffered most shamefull reproch and that he went down euen to the lowest and bottomlesse pit of damnation and frō thence was exalted into glory that in the end we might be receaued with him 232 Against the reall presence in the Sacrament OVr Lorde Iesus Christ in his last supper gaue bread vnto his disciples and bread he himself did eate and not his owne body For the eating of Christs body hath a promise of remission of sinnes Christ eating the sacrament had no remission of sins therefore Christ did not eate his owne body Furthermore we are taught in the scripture that Christ is risen ascended into heauen Ma. 26.28 Ma. 28.6 Luk. 24.6 and sitteth on the right hand of the father all the which is spoken of his natural body therefore it is not on earth included in the sacrament I came out from the father saith Christ came into the worlde againe I leaue the world and go to the father the which comming and going he ment of his naturall body Io. 16 28 therefore it is not now in the world One selfe same nature receaueth not in it selfe any thing that is contrary to it selfe but the bodye of Christ is an humane nature distinct from the deity and is a proper nature of it selfe therefore it cannot receaue any thing that is contrary to that nature and varieth from it self But bodily to be present bodily to be absēt to be on earth and to be in heauen Act. 3.21 all at one present time be things contrary to the property of an human nature therefore it cannot be said of the humane body of Christ that the selfe same body is both in heauen and also in earth at one instant either visiblye or inuisibly 233 The wicked do not eate the body of Christ THe Doctors and teachers of the Romish church among other their blasphemous errors and peruerse doctrines do striue for and perswade men to that carnall eating in the sacrament with which as they themselues confesse damnation may be ioyned For they directly against Christs owne words do affirm that the very wicked men and horrible sinners as Iudas and such like doe eate in the sacrament the very reall and naturall body of Christ as fullye as Peter or any other sainct of God or other faithfull Christian hath done or doth The which doctrine of theirs as it is reprochful to the body bloud of