should once set a foote out of doores vntil the next morning By which thing it is giuen vs to vnderstand that neither Christ nor our saluation is to bee found without the church in the sects or schismes of wicked heretikes Christe the Lambe of God doth gather al the faithful into one church wherin he kéepeth them lastly doth saue them Last of al this ceremonie did put gods people in mind of their duetie of thākfulnes especially of y studie of godlinesse harmelesse innocencie They therefore did giue thanks to God for these all other his benefites they praised his name and did vtterly absteine from all leauened bread For ye shal finde nothing so seuerely forbidden in this ceremonie as the eating of leauened bread Who soeuer eateth leauened bread saith the Lord his soule shall perishe from amonge the congregation of Israel whether he be a straunger or an Israelite borne The same saying is afterward often times repeated thoroughly beaten into their braines Nowe the Apostle Paule whose cunning and learning was much in the law of Moses expounding what was meant by the leauened bread doth say Therefore let vs keepe the feast not in the olde leauen nor in the leauen of malice and vnrighteousnesse but in vnleauened bread that is in sinceritie trueth Thus muche hitherto touching y eating of y Paschal lamb To these sacraments were also added sacrifices of sundrie sorts many kindes which were not first inuēted and taught by Moses but were taken vp and vsed immediately after the world was created For Caine Abel offered burnte sacrifices to God the maker of the world the one of the fruites of the earth and the other of the cattaile that was in his flock Like wise Seth Noah Sem Abraham Isaac and Iacob with al the other patriarches are knowne to haue sacrificed vnto the Lorde Nowe since the heathenish sacrifices of the Gentiles as the verie heathen writers them selues did testifie were partely like vnto and in many pointes all one with the Iewish sacrifices it is not vnlikely but that the graunde partriarchs of the Gentiles did teach euerie one his owne nation the manner of sacrificing which they had learned of their forefathers Sem Cham Iaphet and of the holie Patriarche Noah him selfe But it is vndoubtedly certein that the holy fathers did bring in nothing of their owne inuention nor adde any thinge to the sacrifices more then they had receiued learned of God who is the author of all goodnesse although Moses did more precisely distinguish certeinly order the sortes the kindes differences betwixt sacrifice and sacrifice And yet whatsoeuer he did that did hee at the Lords appointment God instructed Moses in all that he did For the booke of Leuiticus wherein are especially described all the kindes of sacrifices doth immediatly after the verie beginning testifie that Moses was called by God and that he learned of the Lord all the ceremonies of the sacrifices which he commaunded the Israelites to kéepe And in the 7 Chap. of y booke of Numb we read And when Moses came into the Tabernacle of appointment hee heard the voice of God speakinge vnto him out of the mercie seate Now as I was about to say there were diuers sacrifices sundrily differing in many pointes amōg thēselues yet hauing many thinges cōmon general one with another It was general to al sacrifices not to be offered in any other but one apointed place alone It was general to all sacrifices that they ought of duetie to be offered by faith according as they were taught by y word of god It was general to al sacrifices to be made according to the Lords cōmandement with holy fire not with strange fire or fire prophanely kindled Nadab Abihu the sonnes of Aaron were slaine for nothing else but for because they vsed prophane or strange fire in sacrificing to the lord For when the Israelites or Leuites did first of all sacrifice as the Lord had commaunded them in the tabernacle of appointmēt then did God by sending fire from heauen giue a token that he did like of that manner of sacrifice Whereupon in the sixte of Leuiticus the priestes are charged to mainteine or kéepe the holie fire alwayes burning first in the tabernacle and then in the temple whiche thinge it is manifest that the heathen did imitate in commaunding the vestall virgins at Rome alwayes to kéep the holie fire burning By this perpetual fire is meant the perpetual working of the holie Ghost in the church of Christe which must be kept quicke stirred vp in the heartes of the faithful with feruent prayers with the sincere doctrine of the Lorde with the right vse of his holie Sacraments It was also generall to all sacrifices that in them neither wilde nor vncleane beasts were offered to y lord Moreouer this generall rule of sacrifices is giuen by Moses in the 22. Chapter of Leuiticus saying Let no deformitie bee in the thinge that thou shalt offer If it be blinde or lame or maymed if it haue pusshes or scabbes or tettar ye shall not offer it vnto the Lorde neither shall ye put ought of it vpō his altar Verily if any man had brought a deformed oblation vnto the Lorde hee shewed him selfe plainly to be a contemner vtterly vnthankfull toward his maker And therefore the Lorde in Malachie cryeth out and saith When ye bring the blinde for sacrifice do ye not sinne and when ye bring the lame and sicke do ye not sinne Offer it nowe I praye thee to thy prince or capteine wil he be content with it or wil he accept thy person saith the Lorde of hostes And so I saye my name is in contempt of no estimation among you The iust and true God therefore doth at all times require trueth liberalitie sinceritie and integritie in them that worship him and on the other side he abhorreth and vtterly detesteth vncleanenesse lying and hypocrisie There are certeine other thinges also which be generally cōmon to all sorts of sacrifices but I will not at this time make particular rehersal of euery seuerall iott or minute But what peculiarities euery sundrie sacrifice hath it wil euidently appeare in the exposition of their sundrie sorts which I wil nowe speake of in order as they lye First of all I will expound to you that kinde of sacrifice which in the scripture is called Holocaustum That sacrifice was wholly consumed with fire so that nothing but the skin or hyde of the beast was leafte for the priest The woorde is deriued of the Gréeke For it is called Holocaustū as one should saye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wholie burnt or consumed with fire This sacrifice was of thrée kindes I meane it was made after thrée sortes to wite with greater with little and with lesse liuing creatures namely with an Oxe a bullocke or a calfe or if any mannes abilitie were not sufficient
haue the king to preach to baptize and to minister the Lords supper or the priest on the other side to sit in the iudgment seate and giue iudgement against a murderer or by pronouncing senteÌ„ce to take vppe matters in strife The Church of Christ hath and reteyneth seuerall and distinguished offices and God is the God of order and not of coÌ„fusion Hereunto tendeth our discourse by demonstration to proue to all men that the magistrate of duetie ought to haue care of religion either in ruine to restore it or in soundnesse to preserue it and still to see that it procéede according to the rule of the woord of the lord For to that end was the law of God giuen into the kinges hands by the priestes that hee should not be ignoraunt of Gods will touching matters Ecclesiasticall and politicall by which lawe hée had to gouerne the whole estate of all his realme Iosue the Capitaine of Gods people is set before Eleazar in deede but yet hee hath authoritie to commaunde the priestes and being a politique gouernour is ioyned as it were in one bodie with the ecclesiasticall ministers The politique magistrate is commaunded to giue eare to the ecclesiastical ruler and the ecclesiastical minister must obey the politique gouernour in all thinges which the law commauÌ„deth So then the magistrate is not made subiect by God to the priestes as to Lords but as to the ministers of the Lord the subiection duetie which they owe is to the lord himself and to his law to which the priestes themselues also ought to be obedient as well as the Princes If the lipps of the priest erre from the truth and speake not the word of God there is no cause why any of the common sort much lesse the Prince should either hearken vnto or in one title reuerence the priest The lippes of the priest sayth Malachie keepe knowledge they seeke the Lawe at his mouth because he is the messinger of the lord of hoastes To refuse to hear such priestes is to repell God himself Such priestes as these the godly princes of Israell did alwayes ayde and assist false priestes they did disgrade those which neglected their offices they rebuked sharpelie and made decrees for the executing and right administring of euerie office Of Salomon wee read that hée put Abiathar beside the priesthoode of the Lord that hee might fulfil the word of the Lord which he spake of Heli in Silo and made Zadok priest in Abiathars stéede In the second booke of Chronicles it is said And Salomon set the sorts of priestes to their offices as Dauid his father had ordered them and the Leuites in their watches for to praise minister before the priestes day by day as their course did require In the same booke againe Ioiada the priest doth in déede annointe Ioas king but neuerthelesse the king doth cal the priest giue him a coÌ„maundement to gather money to repaire the temple Moreouer that religious and excellent Prince Ezechias called the priestes and Leuites and said vnto them Bee ye sanctified and sanctifie ye the house of the Lord our God and suffer no vncleannesse to remaine in the sanctuarie My sonnes be not slacke now because the Lord hath chosen you to minister vnto him selfe Hée did also appoint singars in the house of the Lord and those that should play on musicall instruments in the Lords temple Furthermore king Ezechias ordeyned sondrie companies of priestes and Leuites according to their sondrie offices euerie one according to his owne ministerie What may be sayd of that too that euen hee did diuide to the priestes their portions and stipends throughout the priesthoode The same king gaue charge to all the people to â—éepe holie that feast of Passeouer writing to them all such letters as priestes are wont to write to put them in mind of religion and hartie repentaunce And after all this there is added And the king wrought that which was good right and iust before the Lord his God. When Princes therefore doe order religion according to the woord of God they do the thing that pleaseth the lord This and the like is spoken againe by the godly Prince Iosias Who therefore will hereafter say that the care of religion belongeth vnto bishops alone The Christian Emperours following the example of the auncient kings as of their fathers did with greate care prouide for the state of true religion in the Church of Christe Arcadius Honorius did determine that so often as matters of religion were called in question the bishopps should be sommoned to assemble a counsell And before them againe the Emperours Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius established a lawe wherin they declared to the world what faith and religion they would haue all men to receiue and reteine to witte the faith and doctrine of S. Peter In which edicte also they proclaimed all them to be heretiques which thought or taught y contrarie allowing them alone to be called catholiques which did perseuere in S. Peters faith By this we gather that the proper office of y priests is to determine of religion by proofes out of the woord of God that the princes dutie is to aâ—de the priestes in aduauncement and defence of true religioÌ„ But if it happen at any time that the priests be slack in doing their duetie then is it the princes office by compulsion to inforce the priestes to liue orderlie according to their profession and to determine in religion according to the woord of god The Emperour Iustinian in Nouellis CoÌ„stitut 3. writing to Epiphanius Archbishop of Constantinople saith Wee haue most reuerend Patriarch assigned to your holinesse the disposition of all things that are honest seemelie and agreeable to the rule of the holie scriptures touching the apointing ordering of sacred bishops reuereÌ„d clearkes And in the 7. Constitution hée saith Wee giue charge and commauÌ„demeÌ„t that no bishop haue liceÌ„ce to sell or make away any immoueables whether it be in houses or landes belonging to the Churches Againe in the 57. Constitution hée forbiddeth to celebrate the holie mysteries in priuate houses Hée addeth the penaltie and saith For the houses wherein it is done shal be confiscate and sold for money which shal be brought into the Emperours Exchequer In the 67 Constitution hée chargeth all bishops not to be absent from their Churches but if they be absent he willeth that they should receiue no commoditie or stipend of the prouinciall stuards but that their reuenue should be imployed on y Churches necessities In the 123. constitution the lieuetenauntes of euerie prouince are commaunded to assemble a counsell for the vse and defence of ecclesiasticall lawes if the bishops bee slacke to looke thereunto And immediatlie after hee saith Wee do vtterly forbid all bishoppes prelates and cleaâ—kes of what degree soeuer to play at tables to keepe companie with diceplayers to bee lookers on vpon gamesters or to runne to gaze vppon May games or
labour and bring it to an ende For whosoeuer hath sayth the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell to him shall be giuen that he may haue the more aboundance And euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Whervpon S. Iames the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of God whiche giueth to al men liberally that is willingly not with grudging neyther casteth any man in the teeth and it shall be giuen him Where by the way we sée our dutie which is in reading and hearing the worde of God to pray earnestly and zealously that we may come to that ende for the whiche the worde of God was giuen and reuealed vnto vs But as touching that matter we will say somewhat more when we come to declare in what maner of sorte the worde of God ought to be heard Nowe bycause I haue sayde that the worde of God is reuealed to the intente that it maye fully instructe vs in the wayes of God and our saluation I will in fewe wordes declare vnto you dearely beloued that in the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Prophetes and Apostles is aboundantly contained the whole effect of godlynesse and what thinges soeuer are auaileable to the leading of oure liues rightly well and holyly For verily it must néedes be that that doctrine is full and in all pointes perfect to which nothing ought eyther to be added or else to be taken away But such a doctrine is the doctrine taught in the worde of God as witnesseth Moses Deuter. 4. 12. and Solomon Prouerb 30. What is he therfore that dothe not confesse that all pointes of true pietie are taught vs in the sacred Scriptures Furthermore no man can denie that to be a most absolute doctrine by which a man is so fully made perfect that in this worlde he may be taken for a iust man and in the world to come be called for euer to the companie of god But he that beleeueth the word of God vttered to the world by the Prophetes and Apostles and liueth thereafter is called a iust man and heire of life euerlasting That doctrine therefore is an absolute doctrine For Paule also declaring more largely and fully the same matter sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiratiō of god is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes Ye haue brethren an euident testimonie of the fulnesse of the worde of god Ye haue a doctrine absolutely perfect in al points Ye haue a most perfect effect of the word of God bicause by this doctrine the mā of God that is the godly and deuoute worshipper of God is perfect being instructed not to a certaine fewe good workes but vnto all and euery good worke Wherein therfore caust thou finde any want I do not thinke that any one is suche a sot as to interprete these wordes of Paule to be spoken onely touching the olde Testament séeing it is more manifest then the daye light that Paule applyed them to his scholer Timothie who preached the Gospell and was a minister of the newe Testament If so be then that the doctrine of the olde Testament be of it selfe full by howe much more shal it be the fuller if the volume of the newe Testament be added there vnto I am not so ignoraunt but that I knowe that the Lorde Iesus both did and spake many things whiche were not written by the Apostles But it followeth not therefore that the doctrine of the worde of God taught by the Apostles is not absolutely perfect For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist doth freely confesse that the Lord did many other things also whiche were not written in his booke But immediately he addeth this and sayth But these are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name He affirmeth by this doctrine whiche he conteined in writing that faythe is fully taught and that through fayth there is graunted by God euerlasting life But the ende of absolute doctrine is to be happie and perfectly blessed Since then that that commeth to man by the written doctrine of the Gospell vndoubtedly that doctrine of the Gospell is most absolutely perfect I knowe that the Lord in the Gospell sayde I haue many things to tell you but at this time you can not beare them But therwithal I know to that he immediatly added this saying But when the spirite of trueth shall come he shall leade you into all trueth I knowe furthermore that the spirite of trueth did come vpon his disciples and therefore I beléeue that they according to the true promise of Christ were led into all trueth so that it is most assuredly certaine that nothing was wanting in them But some there are whiche when they can not deny this do turne them selues and saye that the Apostles in déede knewe all things but yet taught them not but by word of mouth only not setting downe in writing al those things whiche doe appertaine to true godlinesse As though it were likely that Christ his most faithful Apostles would vpon spite haue kept back any thing from their posteritie As though in deede he had lyed which sayd These things are written that in beleeuing ye might haue life euerlasting Iohn therefore did let passe nothing whiche belongeth to oure full instructing in the fayth Luke did omit nothing Neyther did the rest of the Apostles and disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ suffer any thing to ouerslip them Paule also wrote fourtéene sundry Epistles but yet the most of them cōtained one and the selfe same matter Whereby we may very well coniecture that in them is wholy comprehended the absolute doctrine of godlynesse For he would not haue repeated one and the selfe same thing so often to so many sundry men if there had yet bene any thing else necessarie more fully to be taught for the obtaining of saluatiō Those things vndoubtedly woulde he haue taught and not haue rehearsed one and the same thing so many times Verily in the thirde chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians he dothe affirme that in the two firste chapters of the same his Epistle he did declare his knowledge in the Gospel of Christ God saith he by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto me as I wrote before in fewe wordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the misterie of Christe And this spake he touching that one and onely Epistle yea and that too touching the two firste chapters of that one Epistle Whervnto when the moste large and lightsome Letters or Epistles of Sainte Paule him selfe and also of the other Apostles are added who I praye you vnlesse he be altogether without sense will once thinke that the Apostles haue left in writing to vs their posteritie a doctrine
Fayth in them that hearde it For they dyed in the desarte And immediately after he sayth Let vs therefore doe our best to enter into that reste so that no man dye in the same example of vnbeliefe If therefore that the worde of God doe sounde in oure eares and therewithall the spirite of God doe shewe foorth his power in our harts and that we in fayth doe truly receiue the word of God then hath the worde of God a mighty sorce and wonderful effect in vs For it driueth away the misty darknesse of errors it openeth our eyes it conuerteth and inlighteneth our mindes and instructeth vs most fully and absolutely in truth and godlines For the Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes beareth witnes sayth The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimony of God is true and geueth wisedome vn to the simple The commaundement of the Lord is pure and geueth light vnto the eies Furthermore the word of God doth féede strengthen confirm and comfort our soules it doth regenerate clense make ioyfull and ioyne vs to god yea and obtaineth al things for vs at Gods handes setting vs in a most happy state in so much that no goods or treasure of the whole worlde are to be compared with the worde of god And thus much do we attribute to the worde of God not without the testimony of Gods worde For the Lord by the prophet Amos doth threa ten hunger thirst not to eate bread and to drinke water but to heare the worde of God. For in the olde new testaments it is sayd that man doth not liue by bread onely but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god And the Apostle Paul saith that all things in the scriptures are written for our learning that by patiēce and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope Also Peter saith ye are born a new not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible by the word of god which liueth lasteth for euer And this is the worde which by the gospell was preached vnto you The Lorde also in the gospell beareth witnesse to the same and sayth Now are ye cleane by the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Againe in the gospell he crieth saying If any man loueth me he will keepe my saying and my father will loue him and we will come into him and make our dwelling place in him Ieremie saith also Thy word became my comfort And the Prophet Dauid saith The statutes of the Lorde are right and reioyce the hart Wherunto adde that saying of the Lordes in the gospell If ye remaine in me and my wordes remaine in you aske what ye will and it shal be done for you In an other place also the Prophet crieth saying If ye be willing and will hearken ye shall eate the good of the land but if ye wil not heare my word the sword shall deuoure you Moreouer Moses doth very often and largely reckon vp the good thinges that shall happen to them which obey the worde of God Leuiticus 26. Deutero 28. Wherefore Dauid durst boldly preferre the word of God before all the pleasures and treasures of this world The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgementes of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they thē gold yea then much fine golde sweeter also then hony and the dropping hony combes For by them thy seruaunt is plainely taught and in keeping of them there is great aduantage Therfore is the lawe of thy mouth more precious vnto me then thousands of siluer and golde Vnlesse my delight had been in thy lawe I had perished in my miserie To this now doth appertaine that parable in the gospell of him which bought the precious pearle and of him also which solde all that he had and bought the grounde wherin he knewe that treasure was hidde For that precious pearle and that treasure are the gospell or worde of God which for the excellencie of it is in the scriptures called a light a fire a Sworde a Maule which breaketh stones a Buckler and by many other names like vnto these Dearely beloued this howre ye haue heard our bountifull Lorde and God who would haue all men saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth how he hath reuealed his word to al men throughout the whole world to the intent that all men in al places of what kinde age or degrée so euer they be may know the trueth and be instructed in the true saluation and may learne a perfect way how to liue rightly well and holily so that the mā of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes For the Lorde in the worde of trueth hath deliuered to his Church all that is requisite to true godlinesse and saluation Whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to be knowne touching God the works iudgments will and commaundements of God touching Christe our faith in Christe and the duties of an holy life all those thinges I say are fully taught in the worde of god Neither néedeth the Church to craue of any other or else with mens supplies to patch vp that which seemeth to be wantinge in the worde of the Lorde For the Lord did not onely by the liuely expressed voice of the Apostles teach our fathers the whole summe of godlinesse and saluation but did prouide also that it by the meanes of the same Apostles shoulde be set down in writing And that doth manifestly appéere that it was done for the posterities sake that is for vs and our successours to the intent that none of vs nor ours should be seduced nor that false traditiōs should be popt into any of our mouthes in stéede of the truth We must all therfore beware we must all watch and sticke fast vnto the worde of God which is left to vs in the scriptures by the Prophetes and Apostles Finally let our care be wholy bent with faith and profite to heare whatsoeuer the Lord declareth vnto vs Let vs cast out and treade vnder foote whatsoeuer by our flesh the world or the deuill is obiected to be a let to godlines We know what the diseases plagues of the séede of Gods worde sowed in the hartes of the faithful are We know how great the power of Gods worde is in them which heare it deuoutly Let vs therfore beséech our Lorde God to powre into our mindes his holy spirite by whose vertue the séede of Gods word may be quickened in our harts to the bringing forth of much fruite to the saluation of our soules and the glory of God our father To whom be glory for euer Of the sense and right exposition of the worde of God and by what maner of meanes it may be expounded ¶ The thirde Sermon DEarly beloued brethren I doe vnderstande that by meanes of my doctrine of the worde of God ther are risen sūdry thoughts in the hartes of many men yea and that of some there
and say Let vs take this affliction frō our people and let vs fight for our nation and our religion Let not any man make an obiection here and say Tush these are workes pertaining to the lawe which we that are in the church of Christ haue nothing to do withall For the Apostle Paul speaking to the Hebrues as concerning Christiā faith doth say These through faith did subdue kingdomes wrought righteousnesse were valiaunt in fight and turned to flight the armies of aliaunts Now since our faith is all one and the very same with theirs it is lawful for vs as well as for them in a rightfull quarell by warre to defend our coūtrie and religion our virgins and olde men our wiues and children our libertie and possessions They are flatly vnnaturall to their countrie and countrimen and doe transgresse this fift commaundement whosoeuer doe vnder the pretence of religiō forsake their countrie afflicted with warre not indeuouring to deliuer it from barbarous souldiers and forreine nations euen by offering their liues to the push and pike of present death for the safegard therof Saint Iohn saith By this we knowe his loue by cause he gaue his life for vs and we ought to giue our liues for the brethren The hyred souldiers who fight vnlawfull battels for pay of wages and sel their bodies for gréedinesse of money shall iudge the men that leaue their countrie in perill and daunger For the one put lesse of life and limmes in aduenture for gaine of a fewe odde crowns whereas the other deintie fooles and effeminate hartes will not hazard the losse of a limme for their religion magistrates wiues children and all their possessions What I beséech you shall those traytours to their country say in that day wherein the Lord shal reward the louers and the vnnatural traytours of their countrie and countrimen when before their eyes they shal sée the Gentiles to excell them in vertue and loue to their countrie people Publij Decij the Father and the sonne gaue their liues fréely for the safegard of the common weale and died willingly for the loue of their countrie Codrus the naturall and louing king of the Atheniens when he vnderstoode by the Oracle of Apollo that Athens could not be saued but by the kings death and that therefore the enimies had giuen commaundement that no man should wounde the King this Codrus layd aside his kinglike furniture and cloathing him selfe in base apparell rushed into the thickest of his enimies and foūd the meanes by egging to prouoke one of them perforce to kyll him The two brethren called Phileni chose rather to lengthen their countrie with a myle of ground then to prolong their liues with many dayes and therefore did they suffer them selues to be buryed aliue But what suffer we for the health and safegarde of our countrie Hierocles sayth Our countrie is as it were a certaine other God and our first and chiefest parent Wherefore he that first called our countrie by the name of Patria did not vnaduisedly giue it that name but called it so in respect of the thing whiche it was in déede for Patria our countrie is deriued of Pater a Father hath his ending or termination in the Feminine Gender thereby declaring that it taketh the name of both the Parentes And this reason dothe couertly leade vs to thinke that our countrey which is but one ought to be reuereneed and loued as well as both our Parentes ioyntly knitting them together to make them equall in honour Furthermore we must make our earnest prayer for the safegarde of oure countrie Babylon was not the countrie of the Iewes but yet for bicause the Iewes for their sinnes were banished by God to Babylon for the space of seuentie yeares Babylon was counted to them in stéede of their countrie And therefore saith the Prophete Ieremie Builde vp houses and dwell therein plant gardeines and eate the fruite therof marrie wiues and beget sonnes and daughters and giue them in marryage that they maye get children Seeke the peace of that citie to which I doe carrie you and praye to the Lorde for it bycause your peace and safegarde is ioyned with the peace thereof Chapter twentie and nine Traytours to their countrie therefore sinne exceedingly whome the lawes of the realme doe commaunde for their foule offence to be hanged and quartered Touching the Magistrate and his office I nieane to speake of them in another place so much as it is necessarily requisite for this present time Saint Peter vttereth where he saith Feare God honour the King. Let vs therefore acknowledge and confesse that the Magistrates office is ordeined of God for mens commoditie and that GOD by the Magistrate dothe frankly bestowe on vs very many and great commodities The péeres do watch for the commō people if they do rightly discharge their office not shewing them selues to be detestable tyraunts they iudge the people they take vp controuersies they keepe iustice in punishing the guiltie and defending innocentes and lastly they fight for the people And for the excellencie of their office which is both the chefest and the most necessarie God doth attribute to the Magistrate the vse of his owne name and calleth the princes and Senators of the people Gods to the intent that they by the very name shoulde be put in minde of their duetie and that the subiects might therby learne to haue them in reuerence God is iust good righteous and one which hath no respecte of persons And such an one ought the good Iudge or Magistrate to be Monkes and Heremites do prayse their profession and solitarie life extolling it aboue the skies but I think verily that there is more true vertue in one politique man who gouerneth the common weale and doth his dutie truely than in many thousandes of of Monkes and Heremites who haue not so much as one word expressed in the holy Scriptures for the defence of their vocation and vowed order of liuing yea I am ashamed that I haue compared the holy office of Magistrates with that kinde of people in whome there is nothing founde worthy to be compared with them in so muche as they flée from the labour and ordinaunce that God hath made profitable for their people and countrimen Truely if the Prince doe faithfully discharge his office in the common weale he heapeth vp to him self a number of very good works and prayse that neuer shall be ended Therefore the Magistrate must be obeyed and all his good and vpright lawes No sedition or conspiracies ought in any case to be moued against him We muste not curse or speake euill of the Magistrate For God him selfe in his lawe doth charge vs saying Thou shalte not speake euill of the Gods nor curse the Prince of the people If he chaunce at any time to sinne let vs behaue ourselues toward him as to our father Of whome I haue spoken a little before It happeneth often times that
plague than an vnprofitable citizen But who I pray you may be thought to be a worse citizen than hée that being accustomed to ease and delicatenes and of a soudeine by some mishap or else by prodigall riottousnes being depriued of them both and driuen to extreme pouertie is compelled perforce to séeke out vnlawfull shiftes to get more wealth againe Furthermore they of old had a Prouerbe worthy to be remeÌ„bred of vs at this time Euerie lande mainteyneth Arte. By this seÌ„tence they meant that learning and science is the surest preparation for euery iourney For they cannot be taken away by theeues but whether soeuer thou goest they beare thée company and are no burthen for thee to beare If therefore mishappe doe spoyle thy children of the wealth that thou leauest them if thou hast taught them an occupation it is enough for them to liue by Kings are depriued of their princelike dignitie and put besyde their excéeding riches so that it is no meruayle though kinges inferiours be spoyled of their wealth banished their countries Dionysius of Syracuse is reported for his tyraÌ„nie to haue bene thrust beside his seate But hauing lost his kingdome he departed to Corinth where he set vp a schole taught children their Grammar and Musicke wherby in that necessitie he got his lyuing Hée had béene hard bested verilie in a miserable taking if he had neuer learned any thing but had settled his hope vppon dignitie and riches vaine hope had bene his destruction For hée had died in extreme beggarie Thus much touching the bringing vp of childreÌ„ in learning or knowledge of some occupation I haue in that which is behinde to speake somewhat touching the correction of those that are coÌ„teined vnder the name of children This correction consisteth partly in words and partly in stripes In both there must be had a middlemeane and measure that nothing be done outragiously Let not the admonition that is giuen in words be bitterer than the fault deserues Let it nippe for the time present but being past let it bespoken off no more Continuall chiding bréedes contempt Thou shalt finde some children also with whom gentle dealing wil somewhat preuayle And vnlesse thou doe sometime prayse them speake well of that which they doe although peraduenture not so well done as thou wouldest require thou shalt perceiue that â—â—ter desperation wil take away hope and courage cleane from them I thincke it not good with too heuie a burden to ouer awe such children as are willing to beare Stripes must not be bestowed but for some great offence and that too not in the fathers anger but moderately not to marre but to amend them Let the parents alwayes remeÌ„ber that golden saying of S. Paul Fathers prouoke not your children to anger For the best witts are hurt by too much rigorousnes Salomon wher he speaketh of moderate correction sayth The rod and correction giueth wisedom but the childe that runneth at randon bringeth his mother to shame Againe chastise thy sonne and thou shalt be at quiet and he shal bring pleasure vnto thy soule These woords of his do vtterly condemne y fathers cockering the mothers paÌ„pering which is the marring of very many children For the pareÌ„ts offend God as much in to much cockering their children as they do in ouer much punishing of them Heli in the scriptures is ill reported of for doating ouer his childreÌ„ he himself dieth miserablie bringeth the shamelesse wicked knaues his sonnes to a shamefull ending What is to be thought of that moreouer that in the 21. of Deut. the parents themselues are comaunded to bring their disobedient children before the iudge there by complaint to sue them to death By this exaÌ„ple which may otherwise séeme to be somewhat to sharpe it pleased God to put other men in remeÌ„brance to kepe their children in awe obedience For God is a god of saluation not of destructioÌ„ so that when disobedient rebels godles people perish through their own default he turneth that destructioÌ„ of theirs to the safegard of his obedient seruants Let parents therefore alwaies remember this saying in the gospell It is not the wil of your heaueÌ„ly father that one of these litle ones shold perish Whosoeuer offeÌ„deth such an one it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the deapth of the sea Now touching the dutie of children I haue spokeÌ„ of it before in that place wher I taught how after what sort pareÌ„ts ought to be honoured Paul as it were in one word knitteth vp much matter and saith Children obey your parents in the Lord. He telleth the reason whie For that saith he is righteous And againe he addeth the cause saying For God hath comaunded it Let children therefore consider thincke vppon the nightly watchings continual labour that their parents toke in bringing them vp and let them learne to be thankful for it content with their present estate when their parents instruct theÌ„ let them learne attentiuely and shew themselues like to godly Iacob rather than to godlesse Esau Let them learn to accustome theÌ„selues to good honest maners Let them willingly learn the art or occupation whereunto they are set Let them yeld submit theÌ„selues to their parents correction Let them not stirre vp or prouoke their parents to anger Let them choose to learn wit and obey their parents of their owne mind accord rather than to be driueÌ„ to it by beating and brawling If parents at their departure leaue litle behind them for their children to inherit let not the good children therfore speake ill by the dead If thy father hath taught thée any art or occupation he leaueth for thée a sufficient inheritance Thriftines also moderate speÌ„ding is a very great reuenue If thy father hath wel and honestly taught thée good maners and trayned thée vp in the true wisedome perfect religion then hath he bequeathed thée a patrimonie sufficient for to mainteyne thée For what else are excéeding great riches left to a foole or irreligious fellow but a sword in a madde mans hand Thou art left wealthie enough by thy fathers legacie if that thou art godly painful heedful honest For goods gotten by the sweat of our own browes do for the most part coÌ„tinue longer prosper better with vs then those which other leaue vnto vs We haue again derely beloued spent an houre and an half in handling this matter touching the honour due vnto parents I haue stayed you longer thaÌ„ of right I shold haue done but ye shal impute it to the loue and good will I beare to the matter I am not ignoraÌ„t how necessarie this argument is almost to all men and therefore stick I the longer vppon it For I indeuour mee self not onely to teach you things profitable and necessarie but also to beate them into your memories so much as I may to
Iudgemente Let therefore the feare of the Lord bee vppon you and take heede and bee dilligent For there is no vnrighteousnes with the Lord our God that hee should haue any respecte of persons or take any rewarde To these I will yet adde a fewe places of the holie Scripture more which shall partlie make manifeste those that wente before and partlie expounde and more plainlie expresse the office of the Iudge In Deuteronomie wée reade The Iudges shall iudge the people with equitie and iustice Thou shalte not peruerte Iudgemente nor haue respecte of personnes nor take a rewarde For a rewarde doeth blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the woordes of the righteous Thou shalte doe Iudgemente with iustice that thou mayste liue and possesse the Land. Againe in Exodus wée finde Thou shalte not follow a multitude to doe euill neither shalte thou speake in a matter of Iustice accordinge to the greater number for to peruert Iudgemente Neither shalte thou esteeme a poore man in his cause keepe thee farre from false matters and the innocent and righteous see thou slaye not for I will not iustifie the wicked Thou shalt take no rewardes for rewardes blinde the seeinge and peruerte the woordes of the righteous In Leuiticus also wee haue this Yee shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgemente thou shalte not fauoure the personne of the poore nor honour the mightie but in righteousnes shalt thou iudge thy neighbour Againe Yee shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgemente in metyarde in weighte or in measure True balaunces true weightes a true Epha and a true Hin shall yee haue I am the Lord your God c. I suppose verilie and am thus persuaded that in these fewe woordes of the Lord our God are comprehended al that which profounde Philosophers and Laweyers of great learning doe scarcelie absolue in infinite bookes and volumes of many leaues Beside all this the most holie Prophete Ieremie crieth to the kinge and saith Keepe equitie and righteousnesse deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not greeue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherlesse or the widowe and shed no innoceÌ„t bloud Thus much touching the office of Iudges But in the eyes of some men this oure discourse may séeme vaine and fruitelesse vnlesse wée do also refute their obiections whereby they indeuour to proue that pleadinges and lawe matters are at an ende because the Lord in the Gospell saith To him that will sue thee at the lawe and take away thy coate let him haue thy cloake also And againe While thou arte yet with thine aduersarie vpon the way agree with him quicklie least hee deliuer thee to the tormentour They adde moreouer the strifes in the lawe which S. Paule the Apostle in the sâ—â—te Chapiter of his Epistle to the Corinthians doth flatlie condemne To al which obiections mine aunsweare is this As the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles doth not abrogate the priuate ordering of particular houses so doeth it not condemne or disanull the publique gouernemente of common weales The Lord in the Gospell after S. Luke chideth with and repelleth the young man who desired him to speake to his brother for an equall diuision of the inheritaunce betwixte them Hée blamed him not for because hee thinketh ill of him that claymeth an equall diuision or that parte of the inheritaunce that is his by righte but because hée thought that it was not his duetie but the Iudges office to deale in such cases The words of our Sauiour in that place are these Whoe hath appointed mee a Iudge betwene you and a diuider of land and inheritaunce And againe as wée reade in the Gospell If any man will sue thee at the lawe and take awaye thy coate giue him thy cloake also So on the other syde againste this doinge of iniurie there is nothinge more busilie handled and required in all the Euangelicall doctrine than charitie and welldoinge But a good deede is done in nothing more than in iudgmente and iustice Since therefore that Iudgemente was inuented for the practisinge and preseruinge of Iustice and vprighte dealinge it is manifeste that to iudge in matters of controuersie is not forbidden in the Gospell The notable Prophets of the Lord Esai and Zacharie crie oute and saye Ceasse to doe euill learne to doe good seeke after Iudgemente helpe the oppressed and pleade the cause of the fatherlesse and widdowe Execute true Iudgemente shewe mercie and louinge kindenesse euerie manne to his brother Doe the widdowe the fatherlesse the straunger and poore no wronge They sinne therefore that goe on to hinder Iudgemente and to thruste Iudges beside their Seates For as they pull awaye from the true God no small parte of his woorshippe so doe they open a wide gate to wronge robberie and oppression of the poore The Lorde I graunte commaunded that which oure aduersaries haue alledged meaninge there by to settle quietnesse amonge his people but because the malice of menne is inuincible and the longe sufferinge of sillie Soules makes wicked knaues more mischiefous therefore the Lord hath not forbidden nor condemned the moderate vse of Iudgements in lawe Moreouer wée reade in the Actes of the Apostles that Paule did oftener than once vse the benefite of Iudgemente not for monie or goodes but for his life which hée endeuoured to saue and defende from them that laye in waite to kill him Neither consented hée to the vniuste iudgemente of Festus the President but appealed to Caesar and yet wée know that Paule did not offend therein against the doctrine of the Gospell of Christe The same Paule in his Epistle to the Corinthians did not absolutely coÌ„demne the Corinthians for going to lawe aboute thinges belonginge to their liuing but because they sued and troubled one an other before Heathen Iudges It is good and séemely without doubte to suffer wronge with a patient minde but because it pleaseth the Lord to ordeine iudgement to bée a meane of helpe and succour to them that are oppressed with iniurie hée sinneth not at all that seekes to kéepe himselfe from wronge not by priuate reuengement but by the vprighte sentence of Iudges in lawe And therfore did the Apostle commaunde the Corinthians to choose out to themseluâ—s amonge the faithfull such Iudges as might take vp temporall matters in coÌ„trouersie betwixt them that fell at variaunce Thus haue I declared vnto you the seconde parte of the magistrates office which consisteth in Iudgement I will now therefore descende to the exposition of the third and laste parte which comprehendeth reuengemente and punishment For the magistrate by his office beareth the sworde and therefore is hée commaunded by God to take reuengement for the wronge done to the good and to punish the euill For the Sword is Gods vengeaunce or instrumente wherewith hée strikes the stroake to reuenge himselfe vppon his enimies for the iniurie done vnto him and is in the scripture generallie taken for vengeaunce and punishment The
whom God worketh the wealth of the people Hée that despiseth him that is sonte despiseth him that sendeth Hée that honoureth the deputie séemeth to giue more honour to him that appointed the deputie than to him that is the deputie Moreouer Salomon in the 16. of his Prouerbes saith Prophecie is in the lippes of the kinge therefore his heart shal not go wronge in iudgement And in the 8. of that Preacher I must keepe the kings commaundement because of the othe that I haue made to God for the same Againe Prouerbes 24. My sonne feare thou the Lord and the king and keepe no companie with them that slyde backe from the feare of them For their destruction shall rise soudeinly And Paule said Whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God but they that resist shall receiue iudgemente to themselues Of this sorte I haue rehearsed certaine testimonies in the exposition of the fifte precept Secondarilie let subiectes pray for their Princes and magistrates that that Lord may giue them wisedome knowledge fortitude temperaunce iustice vpright seueritie clemencie and all other requisite vertues and that he wil vouchsafe to lead them in his wayes and to preserue them from all euill that wée may liue vnder them in this world in peace honestie This doth Paule require at the handes of subiectes in the seconde Chapiter of his first Epistle to Timothe and Ieremie in the tweÌ„tie ninth of his prophecie I haue in an other place recited their veâ—ie words therefore at this time I let them passe The mindes of many men are herein verie slowe and carelesse and that is the cause many times whiâ— they feele the thinges that willingly they would not and beare the burthens with griefe enough that other wise they should not and woorthilie too For if they would but doe their duetie willingly in praying for their magistrate earnestly their case vndoubtedly would bée farre better than it is But how feruent a desire they in the Primitiue Church had to pray for their magistrate we may gather euen by these wordes of TertulliaÌ„ in the 30. chapiter of his Apologie Wee pray alwayes saith hee for all Emperours desiring God to giue theÌ„ long life a sure reigne a safe house valiant armies faithfull counsellers honest subiectes a quiet worlde and whatsoeuer else a man or Emperour may desire Let the people also obey the good vpright lawes of their princes or magistrates yea let subiectes obey them holilie reuerently and with a deuout minde not obeying their lawes as the lawes of men but as the lawes of the ministers and deputies of God himselfe for Peter biddeth vs obey them for the Lord and Paule saith Wée must not obey them for anger onely but for conscience sake also that is we must not obey the magistrate onelie for feare least our conteÌ„pt and disobedience doe bréede our punishment but wée must obey him least we sinne against God himself and so our owne conscience do argue our wickednesse But in the fifte commaundement I proued by testimonies and examples out of the scriptures that wée oughte not to obey godlesse magistrates so oft as they commaund any wicked thing which is flatly contrarie to the word of god The Apostles and faithfull meÌ„ of the primitiue Church did choose rather to be shut vppe in prison to bée sent in exile to be spoiled of their substaunce to be caste to wilde beastes to be killed with the sword to be burnt with fire and to be strangled than to obey any wicked commaundements That blessed martyr bishop Polycarpus answeared the Romane Proconsul and said Wee are taught to giue to Princes and to the powers that are of God such honour as is not contrarie to true religioÌ„ And S. Iohn Chrysostom said to Gaina It is not laweful for a godly Emperour to assaye any thinge contrarie to Gods commaundementes Lastlie lâ—t subiectes pay tribute to their magistrates yea let them if necessitie so require not sticke to bestow their bodies and liues for the preseruation of their magistrate and countrie as I haue alreadie taught you in the fifte commaundement The Lord in the Gospell doth simplie say Giue to God that which beloÌ„geth to God to Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar They therefore are worthilie blamed that pinch grudg at or defraude the magistrate of any part of his tribute Tares and tributes are due to the magistrates as the hire of his labour as it were the synewes of publique tranquillitie and coÌ„mon weale For who goeth to warrefare of his owne proper coste Euerie man lyueth by that labour wherin hee is occupied The Prince taketh paines in gouerning the common weal and preseruing it in peace hée neglecteth his owne priuate and household businesse whereby hée should liue and prouide thinges necessarie for himself and his familie by looking and attending on his countries affayres it were against reason therfore but that hée should be fedde and mainteyned vppon the publique treasure and cost of his country It is requisite also that kingdomes and coÌ„mon weales be sufficiently furnished with money and substaunce to helpe in distresse either of warre famine fire and other miseries or else to the setting vppe againe of men fallen into pouertie or putting away of greater calamities I say nothinge now touching the kéeping in reparation of common buildinges as the citie walles bulwarckes trenches ditches gates bridges highe wayes wells conduits iudgement halls and markette places with many more of the same sort There are also certeine common persons as sergeants watch meÌ„ and such like which are to be nourished and mainteyned of the coÌ„mon coste and treasurie And vnlesse that money be stil at hand and in readines there can no kingdome nor any common weale stand longe in assuraunce They therefore that grudge to paye tribute denie the hire of the magistrats labour and goe the next way to work to subuert the common weale and to bring it to nought The men that in the coÌ„mon weales affayres as some of custome be are negligent and carelesse sinne not against any one Lord but against the whole common weal and therefore thou maist sée that such slouthfull workemen are séeldome times inriched with the good blessinges of god But now here by the way all magistrates and Princes must be admonished to loue the people subiect to their charge and gouernmeÌ„t to beare with them bountifullie and not to nip them with immoderate exactions which is easille done if they themselues willâ— thriftâ—e and keepe themselues moderately from riottous gluttonie and ouer sumptuous pride Let a good Prince consider what a sinne it is to haue his Palace abound in riottousnes and surfettinge while his cities and townes are tormented and pined with famine and hunger Let magistrats consider that tributes and subsidies are not the priuate goods of them in authoritie but the publique substance of the whoale coÌ„mon weal. God hateth pilers and robbers God abhorreth immoderate exactioÌ„s God curseth polling tyrauntes but blesseth
lawe sinne grace the Gospell and repentaunce Neither doe I as I thinke handle them irreligiously For I vse to conferre one Scripture with an other than which there is no way better and safer to follow in the handling of matters touching our religion And forbecause you are the true defender of the Christian fayth it cannot bee but well vndoubtedly to haue Christian Sermons come abroad vnder the defence of your Maiesties name My minde was according to mine abilitie and the measure of fayth which is in mee to further the cause of true religion which now beginneth to budd in England to the great reioysing of all good people I haue therefore written these Sermons at large and handled the matter so that of one many more may bee gotten Wherein the Pastors discretion shall easily discerne what is most auayleable and profitable for euery seuerall Church And the Pastors duetie verily is rightly to moawe the word of truth and aptly to giue the fodder of life vnto the Lords flocke They will not thinke much I hope because in these Sermons I doe vse the same matter the same arguments and the very same words that other before mee both auncient and late writers whom I haue iudged to followe the Scriptures haue vsed yer nowe or which I my selfe haue else wher alledged in other bookes of mine heretofore published For as this doctrine at all times in all pointes agreeable to it selfe is safest to be followed so hath it alwayes beene worthily praised of all good and godly people If the Lord graunt me life leysure strength I will shortly add the other eight Sermons of the fourth Decade which as yet are behinde And all that I say heere I speake it still without all preiudice to the iudgement of the right and true Church Our Lord Iesus the king of kinges and Lord of Lords lead you with his spirite and defend you to the glorie of his name and safetie of all your Realme At Tigure in the moneth of March the yeare of our Lord. 1550. Your Maiesties duetifullie bounden and daily Oratour Henrie Bullinger minister of the Church at Tigure in Swicerland THE THIRD DECADE of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the fourth precept of the second Table which is in order the 8. of the 10. Commaundementes Thou shalt not steale Of the owning and possessing of proper goods and of the right and lawfull getting of the same against sundrie kinds of theft ¶ The first Sermon FOR the susteyning and nourishing of oure liues families wee men haue néede of earthly riches Nexte therefore after the comaundements touching the preseruation of mans life and the holy kéeping of wedlocks knot in this fourth commaundement a lawe is giuen for the true getting possessing vsing and bestowing of wealth and worldly substance to the ende that wée should not get them by theft or euill meanes that we should not possesse them vniustly nor vse or spend them vnlawfully Iustice requireth to vse riches wel and to giue to euery man that which is his now since the lawes of God bee the lawes of Iustice they do verie necessarilie by way of comaundement say Thou shalt not steale These words againe in number are fewe but in sense of ample signification For in this precept theft it self is vtterly forbidden all shifting subtilties are flatly prohibited deceipt and guile is banished al cousening fetches are cleane cutt off couetousnes idlenes prodigalitie or lauishe spending and all vniuste dealing is herein debarred Moreouer charge is here giuen for mainteining of iustice and that especially in contractes and bargaynes Wonderfull turmoyles verily are raysed vpp and begonne amonge men of this world about the getting possessing and spēding of temporall riches it was expedient therefore that God in his lawe which he ordeyneth for the health cōmeditie and peace of vs men should appoint a state and prescribe an order for earthly goods as in this lawe hee hath most excellently done And that yee maye the better vnderstand it I wil at this present by the help of Gods holy spirite discourse vppon the proper owning and vpright gettinge of worldly riches in which treatise the whoale consideration of theft in all his kinds shal be plainly declared For the proper owning and possessing of goods is not by this precept prohibited but wée are forbidden to gett them vniustly to possesse them vnlawfully and to spend them wickedly yea by this commaundement the proper owning of peculiar substance is lawfully ordeined firmely established The Lord forbiddeth theft therefore hee ordeineth confirmeth the proper owning of worldly riches For what canst thou steale if all things be common to all men For thou hast stollen thine owne and not another mans if thou takest from an other that which hée hath But God forbiddeth thefte and therefore by the making of this lawe hée confirmeth the proper possession of peculiar goods But because there is no small number of that furious secte of Anabaptistes which denie this proprietie of seuerall possessions I will by some euident testimonies of Scripture declare that it is both allowed and ratified of old Of Abraham who in the Scripture is called the father of faith Eliezer his seruaunt saith God hath blessed my maister merueylously that hee is become great hath giuen him sheepe and Oxen siluer and gold men seruaunts and mayde seruaunts camels and asses and to his sonne hath he giuen all that he hath Loe then Abraham was wealthie did possesse by the right of proprietie al those things which God had giuen him and he left them all by the title of inheritaunce as peculiar and proper goods vnto his sonne Isaac Isaac therefore and Iacob possessed their owne and proper goods Moreouer God by the hand of Moses brought the Israelites his people into the land of promise the groūds whereof he did by lot diuide vnto the tribes of Iosue his seruaunt appointing to euery one a particular portion to possesse and did by lawes prouide that those inheritaunces should not be mingled and confounded together In Solomon and the Prophets there are very many preceptes and sentences tending to this purpose But I knowe verie well that these troublesome wranglers do make this obiection and say That Christian men are not bound to these proofes that are fetched out of the old Testament And although I could confute that obiection and proue that those places of the old Testament doe in this case binde vs to marke and followe them yet wil I rather for shortnesse sake alledge some proofes out of the Scriptures of the newe testamēt to stop their mouthes withall Our Lord Iesus Christ doth greatly commend in his disciples the woorkes of mercie which doe consiste in feedinge the hungrie in giuing drincke to the thirstie in cloathing the naked in visiting prisoners and those that be sick and in harbouring strangers and banished men Hée therefore graunteth to his disciples a proprietie and possession of peculiar goodes wherewith they may frankly
apparel For as the man is such is his talk such is his cloathing therefore the rayment doeth note of what conuersation the priests ought to be Whereuppon it commeth that in the Scriptures wee are bidden to put on other cloathing whē the meaning of the holy Ghoste is that wee should chaunge our wicked conuersation so that the very garmentes doe partly instruct the priests what they haue to doe and what is seemely for them But nowe the time and course of this treatise inuiteth mée to speake somewhat of the priests office Their office did consist in many thinges but especially in teaching instructing For the chiefe cause whie the priestes were ordeyned of God was to instruct the Church in true pietie and to teach the people the lawe of god For thus wée read that the Lord did say vnto Aaron Thou thy sonnes that are with thee shall drincke neither wine nor stronge drinke when ye enter into the tabernacle of wittnesse least happily ye die Let it be an euerlasting ordinaunce among your posterities that ye may put disferēce both betwixt holie vnholie betwixt cleane and vncleane that ye may teach the sonnes of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken vnto them by the ministerie of Moses Leuit. 10. The same lawe doth Ezechiel in as many wordes almost rehearse in the 44. Chapiter of his Prophecie And Malachie declareth it also as it is to be seeae in the second of his Prophecie They therefore are vtterly deceyued which thincke that the Leuiticall priestes were appointed onely for to kill the sacrifices Moreouer the lord doth euery where in his lawes minister matter for the Leuitical priesies to instruct his people in and that matter was not the heathenish Philosophie the edicts of kinges or decrees of Senatours but the very woord of God deliuered to them by God himselfe And that this doctrine might be the more conunodiously vttered to the people the priestes appointed certaine holy dayes wherein the people should assemble together to heare them preach the word of God. The next point of their duetie after teaching was to blesse the people That blessing was not free for euerie priest to vse as hee listed but was bounde to a certaine forme of words very solemnly vttered which is thus expressed in the 6. of Numbers And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto Aaron his sonnes saying On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee keepe thee The Lord shewe his face vnto thee and be merciful vnto thee the Lord lift vp his countenance vppon thee and giue thee peace This manner of blessing did they vse vndoubtedly in their holy assemblies esspecially at the breaking vpp of the congregation when the people did depart In an other place it is said that God did blesse but here that Aaron and his sonnes did blesie the people whereuppon wée haue to note that God doth woorke inwardly and performe in the faithful what soeuer the priestes in that forme of blessing did wishe vnto the people so that still to blesse is the onely and proper worke of God alone And therfore verie significantly after that solemne blessing vttered by the mouth of the priest God doth add And they shall call or put my name ouer or vpon the children of Israel and I will blesse them The priestes therefore do lay before the people the name of the Lord they commend vnto them the mightie power of his Godhead and shew them that all goodnesse doeth flowe from God teaching them how they may obteyne it through faith in Christ who is the blessed séed that blesseth al that call vppon his name Nowe in this solemne blessing sixe principal points are chiefly conteyned First the priest sayth The Lord blesse thee That is The Lord bestowe vpon thée whatsoeuer belongeth to the safetie of thy bodie and soule Secondarily he saith The Lord keepe thee For it is not sufficient to receiue good thinges at the hand of the Lord vnlesse they bée preserued by his power and not taken from vs by his wrathfull indignation nor lost againe by oure owne negligence Thirdly hee sayth The Lord shew thee his face or The Lord make his face shine vppon thee The Lord doth thē shew vs his louing face when after his anger hee sheweth vs his fauour and doth become good and gratious to vs And therefore in the fourth clause doeth followe a more plaine exposition where the priest sayth The Lord bee mercifull vnto thee as if hee should haue said The Lord be alwayes gentle and fauourable vnto thée in all that thou goest about either in words or déeds The fift blessing is The Lord liftvpp his countenaunce vppon thee Now the Lord lifteth vpp his countenaunce when he looketh vppon vs when hée watcheth ouer vs and doth direct and guide our wayes The last desire is Peace which is taken for the saluation and chiefe goodnesse that happeneth to mankinde although in an other sense it is put for the contrarie to warre or battel and the peace of the conscience is no smal felicitie to mortall men These were the good things that the priestes did wish to light vppon the people teaching them withal to beséech the Lord for those blessings with ardent prayers carnest supplications Euen till this day there doe remaine the Psalmes that the priestes did make for the peoples sake to singe For after that Dauid had brought musick into the temple then did the playing vppon musical instrumentes with swéete melodie and singing of Psalmes beginne to be taken for an office among the priests Touching this musicke vsed in the temple the first booke of Chronicles speaketh very much where it treateth of Dauid and his dealinges how he distributed the singers into 24. orders and that by course Moreouer the priestes were commaunded to minister the Sacraments and to sacrifice For they did circumcise the infants their office was to see the Passeouer eaten and to offer sacrifices of sundrie sorts vnto the Lord of which I will speake hereafter in place cōuenient And that they might more commodiously offer their sacrifices Dauid by the inspiration of the holy ghost diuided the two families of Eleazar and Ithamar into 24. orders For they did minister by course as is to be séen in the 24. Chapiter of the first of Chronicles All the while that their turne to minister did laste the priestes remayned still within and neuer did set a foote out of the temple For there were houses builded within the temple for the priests to dwell in when their lot did come to serue the Lord they neuer went vnto their owne houses vntill their course were expired and their time to minister were fully finished The priestes also did kéepe the holy vessells and make them cleane they kept the candels burning the holy fire that it should not goe out to be short they had the charge of all thinges which
that this saluation is common both to the Iewes and Gentiles saying Is he the God of the Iewes onely Is hee not also of the Gentiles yes euen also of the Gentiles For it is one God that shal iustifie the circumcision by faith the vncircumcision through faith Hee fetcheth the confirmation of that which he saide from the nature of god There is but one God who is of his owne nature both life righteousenesse And he is the God bothe of the Iewes and the Gentiles therefore he is the life and righteousenesse of both the people which righteousenesse hee bestoweth on them by faith therefore faith doeth iustifie or make them both righteous This is declared by the example of Cornelius the Centurion For he is iustified or as I should rather saye being once iustified hee is declared to be acceptable to God by the sendinge downe of the holie Ghoste in a visible fourme vppon him when as hee neither was circumcised nor yet had kept the lawe but had onely heard y preaching of the Gospell and had beléeued in Iesus Christ Nowe GOD did not iustifie Cornelius so alone but wil also iustifie all other nations by faith euen as hee wil not by anye other meanes than by faith alone iustifie the Iewes It followeth in Paule Doe wee then destroy the lawe through faith God forbidde but we rather mainteine the lawe For the defenders or the disputers in the defence of works or rather of iustification by workes are wont to obiecte if faith alone in Christ doth iustifie then is the lawe or doctrine of the lawe altogether vnprofitable For to what ende are wee commaunded to doe good woorkes if good workes do not iustifie The Apostle aunswereth that the lawe is not abolished by faith but rather mainteined For since faith doeth directly tende to Christe in whome alone it doth séeke and finde all fullnesse and that the lawe it selfe is the scholemystresse vnto Christ and doth shut vpp all vnder sinne so that iustification is by faith giuen to the faithfull it is moste euident that the lawe is not destroyed or darkened but confirmed and made lighte by the doctrine of faith The Apostle goeth on in his confirmation and saith What shal wee saye then that Abraham oure father as pertaining to the fleshe did finde For if Abraham were iustified by woorkes then hath hee wherein to boast but not before god For what saith the Scripture AbrahaÌ„ beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousenesse There are verily many examples of the holy fathers but among all the rest the Apostle chose out this of Abraham to handle it at large For he in the Scriptures is called the father of them that do beléeue Wherevppon it is assuredly certeine that the children shal be iustified after the same sorte that theire father was as the Apostle hath in expresse woordes taught in the latter ende of the fourth Chapter Moreouer Abraham was famous for good workes aboue all the rest of the holie fathers therfore if any other could haue beene iustified by his good woorkes or merites much more might Abraham before all the rest But forbecause he was iustified by faith and not by workes it is manifest therefore that all the Sainctes also both haue béene and are iustified by faith and not by workes Furthermore Abraham liued 430 yeres before the lawe was reuealed by Moses wherevppon it followeth that his woorkes cannot be called the workes of the lawe by them that are the denyers of the iustificatioÌ„ by faith without the lawe Therefore the workes that hee did hee did them of faith and his woorkes were the works of faith and yet was he not iustified by them but by faith Therefore the â—lorie of the iustification of faith remaineth sounde vnspotted and vnmingled with any thing else What saith he shal we saye that oure father Abraham founde concerninge the fleshe to wite so farre forth as he is a man and we also men of him What I saye shal wee saye that hee deserued To this demaunde this answere must be added hee founde nothing and by his woorkes hee deserued nothing For the proofe followeth if by his workes he deserued any thing or was by his merits iustified then hath he wherein to boaste But he hath nothing wherin to boast therfore is he not iustified by his workes For God alone is righteous and kéepeth this his glorie vnto him selfe alone without any partener or ioyntpossessour with him freely iustifying them that are of the faith of Iesus Christe to the end that his grace may be alwayes praised But Paule him selfe by bringing in a place of Scripture doeth shewe that Abraham had nothinge wherein to make his boast For what saith he doth the Scripture say Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vn to him for righteousenesse Lo here the Scripture doth moste plainly say that Abraham was iustified by faith or rather that faith was imputed to him for righteousenesse and therefore that Abraham was for his faith counted righteous before the moste iuste and righteous God. But let vs heare Paule howe he applyeth this place of Scripture vnto his purpose It followeth then To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousenesse Which woordes verily maye bee briefely reduced into this kinde of argument Who soeuer doeth with his woorkes deserue anye thing to him the rewarde is giuen as a thing of duetie due vnto him and not imputed freely as though it were no debte But faith is imputed to Abraham vnto righteousenesse therefore he receiued righteousenesse not as a rewarde of duetie ought vnto him but as a gifte not due but freely giuen him And againe To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is reckoned for righteousenesse But to Abraham faith was imputed vnto righteousenesse therefore he obteined righteousenesse by faith and not by workes Nowe there is an Emphasis in that he fayth But beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly For therby is signified that he which is to be iustified doth bring nothing with him but the onely acknowledginge of his owne miserie and vngodlynesse to séeke for mercie at the hande of the Lorde For he vnderstandeth that he is destitute of good workes and such as may abide the tryall of Gods iust iudgement He doth therefore flye to the mercie of God presuming for a certeintie that the righteousenesse of faith is the ayde or helpe of the sinner that must be freely saued by the grace of God. Here by the way ye must note that Christians righteousenesse both is is saide to be imputatiue righteousenesse Which thing alone is able to breake the necke of all our boastinge for imputation is the contrarie vnto debte God is not of duetie bound to vs either for our owne sakes or for our woorkes sakes but so farre forth as hee
He that obeyeth the commaundement of Christe and in his name maketh inuocation the same néedeth not at al the mediation of Saintes Hath not he all thinges plentifully in Christe We say therefore and affirme that onely Christe is the mediatour intercessour and aduocate with the father in heauen of all men whiche are in earth and in such sorte the onely mediatour c. that after him it is néedelesse to haue other aduocates Many do graunt that Christe is giuen vnto vs an intercessour with God but bycause they ioyne with him many other they do not surely send all vnto him alone neyther yet do they preache one onely mediatour They imagine that Christe is the mediatour of redemption yea and the onely mediatour how be it not the onely mediatour of intercession but together with him many more But the scripture setteth foorth vnto vs Christ as the only mediatour of redemption so also of intercession The office of a mediatour touching redemption and intercession is one and the selfe same A mediatour putteth him selfe in the middest betwéene them that are at variance or disagréement and he is ioyned to eache in disposition and nature An intercessour putteth him self in the midst betwéene them that are at strife and dissention and vnlesse he be indifferent for eyther side he can not be an intercessour On both parts reconciliation or attonement is required and looked for There muste néedes therefore be a certeine cause of discorde which being taken away the discord or debate doth also ceasse The cause of discorde is sinne It is the duetie therefore of a mediatour or intercessour quite to raze out sinne that disagréement may no longer remayne For this there is no amendes or satisfaction made with wordes or with prayers but with bloude and death Hebr. 9. Wherevpon we doe necessarily gather that only Christ is the mediatour or intercessour with the father For principally Christ may set him selfe in the middest betwéene God and men bycause he onely is partaker of both natures The Saints participate but onely one For they are men But Christe is both God and man Furthermore he that is an intercessour muste also be a reconciliatour or an attonement-maker For the end wherat he y maketh intercession doth shoote is reconciliation But Christe is the onely reconciliatour of men therfore also the onely intercessour For it belongeth to an intercessour to disolue the cause of contention and discorde that is to say to abolish and take away sinne But Christ alone and no creature taketh awaye sinne It remayneth therefore that Christe is the onely intercessour Hetherto doe nowe perteine the testimonies of scripture Paul sayth There is one god and one reconciler or mediatour of God and men the man Christ Iesus who gaue him selfe the price or raunsome for the redemption of all And although the Apostle speake expressely of redemption yet notwithstanding these wordes are placed in the middest betwéene the disputation of the inuocation vppon God which is done by Christ who is the onely mediatour of redemption and intercession For as he alone redeemed vs so doth he alone euen now commend vs being redéemed vnto the father Touching this let the Apostle be heard once againe saying to the Romanes Christe when as yet we were sinners dyed for vs muche more therefore no we being iustified or made righteous by his bloud we shall bee saued from wrath through him And yet againe somewhat playner For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to god by the death of his sonne much more being recoÌ„ciled we shall be saued by his lyfe For in an other place the same Apostle sayth Christ euer liueth for this ende to make intercession for vs. And againe It is God that iustifieth who is hee that can condemne Christ is he that dyed yea that is raysed vp who also is at the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs The same Christe openeth the waye or maketh accesse for vs vnto the father Hebr. 4. chapter and Ephes 2. chapter For the Lorde Iesus him selfe in the gospel doth not shew vnto vs many doores but one onely doore I am sayth he the dore And againe I am sayth he the way the truth and the life None commeth to the father but by me Doth not he which sayth I am the way the truth and the life yea and such a way that there is accesse to the father by none other than by me that is by me onely and alone exclude all other meanes al other wayes and al other patrones or aduocates what so euer Also in an other place of the Gospell least any through shamefastnesse â—nowledge of their owne vnworthinesse and guiltinesse of sinnes or the maiestie and glory of Christ the sonne of God shoulde be hindered from calling vppon God in the name of Christe and commiting them selues to Christ his defence he in his owne person plainly and louingly calling all vnto him to the benefite of his defence cryeth Come vnto me al you that labour are heauie loaden and I wil giue you rest Out of the Epistle to the Hebrues no lesse euideÌ„t testimonies thaÌ„ these and that good store may be gathered Amongst other this one is excellent Christe for that hee endureth for euer saith the apostle hath an euer lasting priesthoode Wherefore he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth for this ende to make intercession for theÌ„ For such an high priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmlesse vndefiled separated from sinners and made higher than the heauens c. Marke I praye you howe many arguments in this testimonie of Paule we haue to proue that Christe is the onely intercessour of the faythfull in heauen with the father The proper or peculiar office of the prieste is to make intercession But only Christe is priest in the presence of God He therefore is the only intercessour Nowe also the priesthoode of Christe is euerlasting or vnchangeable Therefore not by once offering vp hath he redeemed vs being made the onely and alone mediatour of redemption but the euerlasting and perpetuall mediatour also of intercession making intercession for vs euen till the end of the world For albeit our Lorde be a iudge yet notwithstanding he is a iudge of the vnfaythfull a defender and vpholder of the faithfull and at the length when the worlde is at ende a iudge of all And if so be he haue an euerlasting priesthood and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not conueyable I say or remoueable which can not eyther by succession resignation or part-taking passe ouer to any other then certeinely Christe onely and alone remayneth intercessour of the faithfull Moreouer there is no cause why we should choose and take to our selues eyther after Christe or with Christe other intercessours For he is able him selfe alone to worke oure saluation at the full leauing vnto others nothing at all whereabout to
right hand of the father in heauen doeth not so oftentimes humbly fal downe on his knées and make intercession for vs as we doe sinne In the dayes of his flesh when he did offer vp praiers supplications with strong crying and teares hee was once heard in that which he feared For nowe he alwayes appeareth for vs in the presence of god Al our matters are manifest in his sight the father beeholdeth the face of his Christe for whose sake he is pleased with all his members hearing them and giuing them whatsoeuer healthful things they require according to that saying of our sauiour Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he shal giue it you Therfore here wee must imagine no turmoyles no molestation no labour wherwith he shuld be wearied which is the intercessour aduocate priest of al before God the father in heaueÌ„ Whereof also I put you in minde in my last sermoÌ„ where I entreated of inuocation and intercession Wherfore our priest executing his office before God in heauen hathe néede of no altar of inceÌ„se no censer no holy vesselles or garments muche lesse hath he néede of the altar of burnt offerings For on the crosse which was his altar he offered vp him selfe but once for al. Neither was there any mortal man worthie to offer to the liuing god the liuing sonne of god And that only sacrifice is alwayes effectuall to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of all men in the whole world And though in the discourse of the ceremoniall lawes I haue alleadged many testimonies touching these things yet I caÌ„ not stay my self here but must cite vnto you some that be notable For this matter wherin the fruite of Christes diuinitie humanitie to be short al our saluation consisteth cannot worthily and diligently ynough be printed in mens harts Paule vnto the Hebrues speaking of the priestes of the olde Testamente and comparing Christ our high priest with them yea by all meanes preferring him sayth And among them many were made priests because they were not suffered to indure by reason of death But Christ because he indureth for euer hathe an euerlasting or vnchangeable priesthod for that it doth not palle ouer to another by succession Wherfore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them For such an high prieste it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinnes made higher than the Heauens which needed not daily as those high priests to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes then for the peoples for that did hee once when he offred vp himself And againe he sayth Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands whiche are the similitudes of the true sanctuarie but into heauen it selfe to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs Not that he should offer himselfe often as the highe priestes entred into the holie places euerie yere in strange or with other bloud For theÌ„ muâ—t he haue often suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the worlde hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die and after that coÌ„meth the iudgement Euen so Christ once offered to take away the sins of many the second time shal be seene without sinne of them whiche waite for him vnto saluation And againe the same Paule saith Euerie priest appeareth daily ministring and oftentimes offereth one manner of offering which can neuer take away sinnes but this ma after he had offered one sacrifice foâ— sinns sitteth for euer at the right hand of God and from hencefoorth tarrieth til his enimies be made his footstoole For with one offering hath he made perfect or consecrated for euer theÌ„ that are sanctified All these sayinges hitherto are the Apostle Paules And I think that these testimonies are not to be made manifest and agréeable to our purpose by a larger interpretation For they are all euen without any exposition of ours most euident and verie aptly agrée to the matter which we haue in hand For they doe plainely set forth and lay before our eyes to beholde the whole priesthood of Christ specially that which belongeth to the intercession and the onely and euerlasting sacrifice or satisfaction for sinnes It belongeth also to the same priesthoode to consecrate priestes vnto God all the faithfull not that we should offer for the satisfaction of sinnes but that we shoulde offer our prayers thankesgiuinges and our selues and the dueties of Godlinesse as it were euerie momente For Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangeliste sayeth Iesus Christe prince of the Kinges of the earth loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloud made vs kinges and priestes vnto God and his father We may finde the same sentence also in the Epistle of Saint Peter So that in these we may sée what fruite riseth and floweth vnto vs from the diuinitie and humanitie of Christe oure king and highe priest For he coulde not be prince of kings highe priest vnlesse he were God and man. Here this place requireth to speak somewhat of the name of a Christian and of the dueties of a Christian man We haue the name of Christians of Christ to whome being vnseparably knitte we are the members of that bodye whereof he is head And Christe is not his proper name for he is called Iesus but a name of office deriued from the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche signifieth annoynting so Christ signifieth asmuch as annointed Therfore Tertullian saith it is not a proper name but a name attributed And hee addeth Annointed is no more a name than cloathed or apparelled a thing accident to the name But the kinges high priestes were annointed with oyle therefore Christ signifieth vnto vs him that is king high priest or Bishop And because we are named Christians of Christe who hath annointed vs with the holy ghost truely we also are kings priestes Where you may sée how great a benefite we haue receiued of Christe God man for he hath made vs kings priestes We sée what the dutie of christians is namely to mainteine this dignitie euen to the last gaspe lest it be taken from vs againe by sathan Furthermore if we be kings we are Lordes ouer thinges and are frée ruling not ruled or in subiection Frée I say froÌ„ sinne and euerlasting death and from all vncleannesse Lords ouer sathan prince of this worlde and ouer the world it selfe For we rule the world and the fleshe wee are not ruled by them Herevnto belong those wordes of the Apostle Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that ye shoulde therunto obey by the lustes of it Neither giue ye your members as instruments or weapons of
thinges of a fatherly affection with a good courage constancie and wisedome Wherevnto if there be ioyned not an hypocriticall but a holy and vpright life in déede together with honest modest and comely behauiour all wise men shall perceyue that there is sufficient authoritie thereby proued to a godly minister I woulde not yet the Donatistes or Anabaptistes shoulde hereby clayme any kynde of defence or protection were it neuer so small They contende that the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes executed by a minister whose lyfe is vncleane becommeth thereby of no value But albeit a holie life be requisit in a minister yet their ministerie becōmeth not of no value through the ministers vnhonest life so his doctrine be sounde and perfect For the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to heare them that teache in Moses chaire but he forbiddeth to follow their doinges for they teache good thinges but doe them not Of this matter I haue spoken in the seconde Sermon of this Decade Nazianzen very properly sayth The printe of a seale is all one whether it be grauen in yron or in golde And it is one and the same Gospell it is one and the selfe same heauenly treasure sent of the father whether it be brought by a good messinger or a bad But in the meane space the vnhonest lyfe of the ministers of the church ought not to be winked at but to be chastened and suche as are past cure ought to be put out of the ministerie least through their continuall offence they make the holie ministerie infamous But many will say Why handle you these thinges in publique preaching These thinges were to be tolde the ministers priuately I answere that the verie lawes whiche properly perteyned to the Priestes were in times past communicated to the magistrates and gouernours of the people and read before the people them selues Moreouer it is manifest that Christe our Lorde handled those thinges in publique Sermons whiche properly perteyned to the Doctours and Pastours of the people Herevnto may be added that Saint Paule speaking of Elders or Ministers saythe Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare The holie Scripture with greate diligence describing good and faythfull shepeheardes and teachers with no lesse faythfulnesse and diligence doth painte out the false teachers and false shepheards or wolues to the end all men may knowe them and take héede of them These thinges are euery where to be séene in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles Yet singular places if any man wold knowe are to be séene Deut. 13. and and 18. Isaic 56. Iere. 23. Ezech. 34 Dan. 11. Math. 7. and 23. The Epistles of Paule in describing and confuting of them are very plentifull And Sainte Peter in ouerthrowing of suche men spendeth a greate part of his latter Epistle The testimonies and examples of the same Prophetes and Apostles do shew that godly ministers faithfull Pastours shal be vexed with al kynds of afflictions persecutions Yet the very same neuerthelesse doe witnesse euidently that the ministerie shal neuer be vtterly oppressed but that the ministers shall continually haue the victorie yea euen when they are slayne For the Lorde alwayes giueth ministers vnto his Church who though they be tried as golde is in the fire yet they ouercome throughe him which hath ouercome the world and the Prince of the worlde The last times shall be verie wicked as we reade the times of Noe and Loth were but as then also in that vttermost corruption those two most excellent men with a fewe other singular men in all godlinesse and true worshippers of God are read to haue florished and done their duetie euen so vnto the verie ende of the worlde the ministerie of the worde shall also indure and worthy doctours and pastours shall flourish striuing against and persecuting all vngodlinesse and loosenesse of life Let the enimies of the truth ceasse to hope for the ouerthrowe of the ministerie and ministers of the worde of god I will sayth the Lord in the Gospell be with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He can not lye who hath spoken this He shall consume Antichriste sayth the Apostle with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe him with the brightnesse of his comming vnto iudgement There shall be therefore ministers in the Churche and preachers yea in despite of the gates of hell rage they neuer so horribly euen vnto the ende of the world These thinges hetherto haue I comprehended as briefly as I coulde touching the ministerie of the worde and the ministers of the Churches of Christe But it is not in our power to frame or giue suche Pastours By the grace and goodnesse of God good Pastours are giuen and the wicked are taken away Let vs all therefore call vppon God praying him to giue vs faythfull and godly ministers whereby his name may be alwayes sanctified and the Church of God may be happily gouerned to the saluation of all those the beléeue Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thanksgiuing and the force of prayer is entreated The fift Sermon AFter the ministerie of the woord of God in the churche of Christ handled mee thincketh I haue conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull wherevnto godly ministers neuer leaue to stirre vp the church The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers and in daily vse At this present we vse it after the same maner y Dauid the Prophete vsed it saying Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thee For prayer is an humble and earnest laying forth of a faithfull mind wherby we either aske good things at gods handes or els giue him thanckes for those things which we haue receiued And of prayer chieflye there are two parts inuocation or asking thanks giuing By petition we lay open vnto God the requestes and desires of dure heart beséeching him to giue vs good thinges and that he will turne from vs euill thinges as may be to his glorie and good pleasure and according to our necessitie In inuocation or petition we comprehend obsecration whiche is a more vehement prayer also intercession wherby we cōmend other mens matters to the lord For we offer prayers to the Lord our God not onely for our selues but also for our brethren and for their manifold necessities for them that are distressed with perils for those that ve sicke for them whiche suffer persecution or are in a manner oppressed with other calamities and afflictions Neither do we exclude beséechinges whereby we earnestly desire euils to be turned away from our selues or frō others There are also complaints whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expostulate with God. Thanckesgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praises and also celebrateth with a ioyfull spirite God his noble power
our Aduocate For since hee sayeth Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name hee will giue it you howe much more effectually doe wee obteine that which wee aske in the name of Christ if wee aske it in his prayer Thus farre hée From hence ariseth a question Whether wée be so tyed to the words of the Lords prayer that wee maye not pray in other woordes at all I aunswere That the Lord would not so tye vs to his woordes sett downe and conceiued as though it were not lawefull to vse other woords or another fourme but he set foorth vnto vs certeine vniuersall thinges vnto the whiche wée might referre all our prayers For Augustine also to Proba De orando Deo Of praying vnto god sheweth that there is nothing in any place in the holy Scriptures prayed for which is not comprehended in the Lords prayer For sayeth hee if you runue ouer through all the words of all holie prayers you shall finde nothinge whiche this prayer of the Lord doeth not comprehend conteine To which woordes hee addeth immediatly So that it is free to vse such and such woordes in praying howbeit to say the same thinges but to speake other thinges it is not free Most warelie therefore and wisely do they who referre all their prayers vnto the Lords prayer vnto the whiche they attribute the chiefe and principall place and kéeping it continually in their minde doe meditate therevppon and exercise themselues therein There is wont also another question to be asked What néed there is to expresse and opâ—n oure desires in woordes vnto God since hée alreadie knoweth all thinges Wée tould you anon after the beginning of this Sermon that our prayer is an humbling of oure selues before the maiestie of God where vnto moreouer wee add this Wée doe not expresse and open oure desires vnto God as thoughe hée knewe them not or that wée would teach him being ignoraunt or that we would entreate and gett gods fauour with our curious laboursome and eloquent prayer but for oure owne sakes wée vse woordes wherewith to stirre vpp our selues And to this end all the most holy men of God are read in the Psalmes and holy histories to haue declared their desires largly vnto the Lord. Wee are not sayeth S. Hierome declarers but crauers For it is one thing to declare a thing to him that is ignoraunt and another thinge to craue a thing of him that knoweth In that it is a declaratioÌ„ in this a duetie There wee faithfully declare here wee lamentably beseech And Sainct Augustine sayeth Wordes are needfull for vs wherewith wee maye bee moued and diligently consider what wee should aske not wherewith wee should beleeue that the Lord is either taught or entreated Wherefore when the Lord forbad much babbling or vaine lipplabour in prayer he did not simplie tye the prayer of the faithfull vnto a fewe and short summe of woordes but hée forbiddeth vs after the manner of Ethnickes to powre out many woordes without witt reason meaning and vnderstanding so finally to thincke that wée shal be heard for oure muche babbling sake and often repeating of prayers as at this day they doe falslye thinke which say a certeine number of prayers which they call Rosaries of prayers For the Lord addeth They thincke they shal be heard for their much babbling sake S. Augustine maketh difference betwene babbling much and praying much To babble much sayeth he is in praying to make many superfluous woordes in a necessarie matter But to praye much is to call vnto him whome we pray vnto with a longe godly stirring vpp of the heart For this businesse for the most part is accomplished more with sighinges than with speakings And anon It is not wicked and fruitlesse when wee haue leasure to pray the longer For it is written of our Lord himselfe that he speÌ„t the whole night in prayer and prayed a long time Wherein what did he else but giue vs an example Thus farre hée And if it be a hard matter for any man to pray long and continually he may breake off his prayer howbeit hee must to it againe and oftentimes renue the same a fresh For such short speaking in prayer is praise-worthie And that we may make an end of this place let no man thinke that in praying hee declareth oure affaires vnto God as not knowing them Let no man thincke that hee is heard for his setting forth and euen for his laboursome and exact setting foorth and that oftentimes repeated and with most earneâ—t out-cries instilled or powred into the eares of God Let no man thinke that his prayer must stand vppon a certeine number that is to fay that Pater nosters must be numbered vpp to our God as not hauing a good memorie to a Lord ill to be trusted vppon corrals beades put together vppon a lace seruing as it were to make a reckoning or accompt And béecause I haue said which all godly men also throughout the whole world confesse that a most perfecte platforme of praying is deliuered vnto vs in the Lords prayer by our Lord Iesus Christe him selfe it remaineth that we cite word for word that most holy fourme of praying orderly made with most diuine words euen by the mouth of the Lord as Matthewe the Apostle hath lefte it recorded vnto vs and then to expound the same as briefly and plainely as may be to the intent that euery one may the better vnderstand what he prayeth â—éele a more effectuall working inwardly Of that most Heauenlye prayer this is the fourme O Our father which arte in Heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done as well in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespase against vs And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill A men This most holy prayer of our lord Iesus Christ our sauiour our doctour or teacher highest priest deliuered to the catholique church to be a catholique fourme or rule to praye vnto God is wont to be diuided into a litle preface and sixe petitions some reckon seuen Some say that the thrée former petitions serue chiefely to the spreading abroad of Gods glorie the thrée latter concerne the care of our selues and aske those thinges that are néedefull for vs But they séeme in manner all to conteine both The little preface is this O our father which art in heauen By this wée call vppon GOD and dedicating oure selues vnto him wée committ oure selues wholie vnto his protection and mercie And euerie word hath his highe mysteries For our Lord would haue vs rather pray with vnderstanding than with woordes These therefore doe admonishe vs and suffice to bee thought vppon but the minde beeing instructed with the holy Ghoste whiche I told you is néedefull before all thinges to them that pray and being lifted vpp to the beholding of God
bee able to doe all Therefore to his goodwill to vs ward which in these woords Our father wée haue expressed wee do now ioyne knowledge of all thinges and power to do althings adding Which art in heauen By these wordes the faith of them that pray is stirred vpp and confirmed Nowe there doe followe in order sixe petitions The first is Hallowed be thy name Wée haue called God our father and our selues his sonnes But it is the part of sonnes to honour or glorifie their father and therefore immediatly vppon the beginning we desire that the name of the Lord God and our father might be sanctified or hallowed That truely is holy and vndefiled alwayes in it selfe neither is it made any whitt the better or the worse by vs Wherevppon we pray that that which is and remaineth holy in it selfe should be acknowledged of vs to bee such and alwayes sanctified of vs. A name is the definition of any thing whatsoeuer and names are inuented to make a difference of one thinge from another whereby they mighte bée knowen amonge themselues But GOD is infinite and vnmeasurable moreouer hee is one therefore hée hath not a name whereby to bee defined hee néedeth not a name whereby to be discerned from other Gods. Therefore those names that are attributed vnto him in the Scriptures are attributed for our infirmitie to the end that by some reason and comparison wee mighte vnderstand somethinges that are spoken of him that is vnmeasurable and infinite Therefore the name of GOD in verye deede is GOD him selfe with all his Maiestie and glorie To Sanctifie or Hallowe otherwhiles signifieth to separate thinges from a prophane vnto an holy vse In this place it signifieth to magnifie to praise and to glorifie Wée desire therefore that GOD himselfe who of his owne nature is a good holie and for euer blessed gentle bountifull and a mercifull father might as hée is in himselfe bee acknowledged and magnified of all vs that all nations leauing their errour and heresies mighte consecrate them selues in trueth to this one onely father and God that all thinges which defile the name of the Lord of whiche sort are wicked deceiptes or practises vngodlinesse Epicurisme an vncleane life and especially corrupte and antichristian doctrine may bee taken awaye that béeing inlightened wee mighte sanctifie or hallowe the name of the Lord. Wherefore in this petition we desire the holy ghost the verie onely authour it selfe of all true sanctification Wée pray for true faith in GOD by Christ thoroughout the whole world Wée pray for holy thoughtes and a pure life wherewith wée might glorifie the name of the Lord whiche is done while euerie one doeth his owne duetie while Sathan the authour of al vncleannesse is cast out while corrupt doctrine is taken awaye and deceipt ceasseth while the filthinesse of the world is banished This petition the most excellent king and Prophete Dauid setteth forth in these wordes GOD be mercifull vnto vs blesse vs shewe vs the light of his countenaunce and bee mercifull vnto vs that thy way may be knowen vppon earth thy sauing health amonge all nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee And as followeth in the thréescore and seuenth Psal. To this belongeth the whole prayer of oure Sauiour described by S. Iohn in the 17. Chapiter of his Gospel The second petition is Thy kingdome come For the name of God and our father cannot bee sanctified or hallowed vnlesse hee reigne in vs There is one kingdome of GOD another of the diuel Furthermore one kingdome of God is said to bee of glorie and another rightly of grace The kingdome of glorie is not of this world but of another world The kingdome of Grace is the kingdome of Christe in this world wherein Christ reigneth by the holy spirite in his faithfull ones whiche of their owne accord submit themselues vnto him to bee gouerned saying and doeing those thinges which beautifie and beséeme christians The diuell also reigneth in the children of vnbeléefe which yeeld themselues vnto him to be gouerned according to his vngodlinesse and wickednesse doeinge those thinges which are not onely delightfull to the flesh but whiche turne to the reproch of Gods maiestie whom after this life by the iust iudgement of God the diuel the king of the vngodly catcheth vnto hell into the kingdome of death and iudgement there continually to burne Moreouer the earthly kingdome which princes of this world gouerne is called either the kingdome of God or the kingdome of the diuell euen as it shall fashion frame it selfe to one of the twaine All these things wée do knit vpp in fewe words because wée haue more plentifully entreated of them in another place Wherefore we pray in this second petition that Christe might reigne and liue in vs and wée in him that the kingdome of Christ might be spread abroad and inlarged and preuaile thoroughe the whole world that Doctours or teachers and ecclesiasticall magistrates finally that princes also yea and scholes too and whosoeuer may further the kingdome of Christe béeing annoynted and watered with his graces may flourish ouercome and triumphe furthermore we pray that the kingdome of the diuel and antichriste maye bée broken and vanquished least it hurte and annoye the Sainctes that with with the kingdome of the diuell all vngodlinesse may be dasht and troden vnder foote to be short that all the weapons and armour of Antichristianisme may be broken into shiuers and come to naught Lastly we pray in this second petition that after we haue sayled out of the tempestuous gulfe of this worlde we might be receiued and gathered vnto Christ and all the Saintes into the euerlasting kingdome of glory For as we desire the kingdome of God to come vnto vs and God to reigne in vs so we praye to come or to be receiued into his kingdome and to liue for euer with him most holily The thirde petition is Thy will be done as wel in earth as it is in heauen God reigneth not in vs vnlesse we be obedient vnto him therefore after his kingdome we desire the grace of perfect obedience For we desire not that God do what he will. For continually Gods will is done albeit we neuer pray for it and though we wrestle and striue against it with all our might For the Prophet sayth Our God is in heauen he hath done whatsoeuer pleased him in heauen and in earth We aske therefore that what he will the same he maye make vs both to will and to do For his wil is alwayes good but our wil through the corruption of sinne is euill Therefore we pray him to be present with vs with his grace that our will may be regenerated and framed to the good wil of God that of it own accorde it yealde it selfe to the holie Ghoste to be framed that his grace will that which he inspireth that he finish in vs that which
déede is holie not in respecte of the wordes rehearsed or by crosses and other signes made but because God hath instituted it and in respecte of the holie vse and prayers of the godly Of whiche matter I spake not long agoe when I intreated of the sanctification or consecration of the Sacramentes And Christe commaunded his disciples to baptise with water for diuerse causes For types or figures wente before Baptisme in water as the â—loud as the redd sea through which the people of Israel passed as diuerse cleansinges and set washings mentioned in the lawe Neither doe the Apostles of Christe dissemble those thinges For Peter sayth that Noe was saued in the water of the floud but the wicked drowned in the water Paule affirmeth that all our fathers were baptised by Moses in the Cloude and in the Sea. Therefore mortification and viuificatioÌ„ is prefigured And truely the principall badge of the newe testament is Baptisme witnessinge that full remisâ—ion of sinnes is brought vnto vs by Christe And the holye Prophetes of God by the mouth of the Lorde foreshewinge and promisinge this haue willingly shadowed out this inestimable benefite by water therefore Baptisme must be ministred in water This also serued notably to represent the mysterie Of which matter I haue spoken in my last sermon when I intreated of the analogie or likenesse of signes And for these causes chiefly baptisme ought to be ministred in this and not in any other element There is contention also aboute this Whether once or thrise hee that is baptised oughte to bee dipped or sprinckled with water Truely the Apostles haue not curiously commaunded any thing in this behalfe So that it is frée either to sprinckle or to dip Sprincklinge séemeth to haue béene vsed of the olde Fathers For honestie and shamefastnesse forbiddeth to vncouer the body And also the weake state of infants for the moste parte cannot away with dipping since sprinckling also doeth as much as dippinge And it standeth in the choyce of him that minstreth baptisme to sprincle him either once or thrise after the custome of the Church wherof he is minister Tertullian contra Praxeam sayeth The Lorde commaunded to baptise into the father and into the sonne and into the holie Ghoste Not into one For wee are baptised not once but thrise at eache name into eache person And Gregorie aunswering Leonarde the byshop saith A diuerse custome hindereth nothing the holye church so that it be done in one faith Wee by thrise dipping doe signifie the mysterie of Christes lying in the graue three dayes Againe the reuerend fathers in the fourth counsel helde at Toledo doe allowe but one dipping in baptisme and then ad immediatly this reason And lest any should doubt of the mysterie of this Sacrament why wee allowe but one dippinge he may se therein our death and resurrection For the dipping into the water is as it were the goinge downe into the graue and the comming vpp againe out of the water is the rysing againe out of the graue Also hee may perceiue that therein is shewed the vnitie of the Godhead and the trinitie of the persons The vnitie is figured when we dipp once the trinitie when we baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste This I doe not alleadge to stay my selfe vppon mans testimonyes but by mans testimonie to shewe that it is frée to followe that whiche serueth moste to the edifying of the Church Also there is a question moued touching the place of baptisme Whether it be not lawfull to baptise in any other place than in the Churche I say that the Churche is consecrated to ministeries and to the worshipp of God and therefore that comelynesse it selfe requireth to baptise openlie in the Churche But if necessitie will not permit this the baptisme of Christe is tyed to no place For we heare that Philipp baptised out of the founteine in the broade fielde Yet let vs take héede that wee make not necessitie a pretence for our lewde affections But let all thinges in the Churche bee cleane which perteine vnto Baptisme let all superfluitie be laide aside let all filth and vncleannesse bee banished let all thinges as saith the Apostle be done honestly and in order Touching the time there is no lawe prescribed of the Lord that is left frée to the iudgement of the godly They that beléeued the preaching of S. Peter at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecoste the Eunuch also whome Philip baptised Cornelius the Centurion likewise finally Paule the Apostle at Damascus yea and Lydia the purple-seller a religious or deuout woman and the kéeper of the prison they of Philippos also and other faithfull men and women as soone as they had tasted of the gyftes and graces of Christe and beléeued his worde foorthwith they dersired to be baptised they did not foade it off till another next time Wherfore they do verie wel whiche neither in themselues neither in their families do linger in receiuing baptisme The delaying of circumcision in his children fel not out wel vnto Moses As therfore we graunt that the time of baptisme is frée so it ought to bee our duetie to take héede that we abuse not our libertie being always mindefull of these wordes spoken by God The vncircumcised manchilde in whose fleshe the fore-skinne is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people because he hathe brokeÌ„ my couenant But we are not ignorante that baptisme came into the place of circumcision Therefore the omitting of baptisme is not free There were some in the time of Cyprian which helde opinion that baptisme ought to bee receiued on the eighth day after the manner of circumcision But Cyprian and the 66. Bishops and Elders that were with him in the Counsell ordeyned the contrarie to wit that euery one without any delay shoulde receiue baptisme and procure the same spéedily in their familie That place is extant epist. li. 3. Epist. 8. Furthermore Socrates the hystoriographer Lib. 5. Ca. 22. saith I knowe also another custome in Thessalie according to the whiche they baptise onely on the dayes of Easter Whereby it commeth to passe that sauing a verie small number they dye vnbaptised But after a certeine time there was a lawe made that the Infantes of the faithfull should not bee baptised but at the feastes of Easter and Whitsuntide They excepted the time of necessitie We may read this in Decret Syricij Pont. in Isidore in the Epistles of Pope Leo vnto the Bishopp of Campania and Sicylia which in order are reckoned to be 57. and 62. But the thinges that moued them herevnto are suche as may bee easily disproued and ouerthrowne Truely from the beginning the time of baptisme was not so limited Neuerthelesse that Lawe of baptising the faithfull at the feast of Easter Pentecoste was renued by Pipine Charles Lodouick Lothar French kinges and was spread farre as their dominions
spiritually But how well the same hath framed or doth frame with them the whole world speaketh it at this day The vowes which they vowe are most foolish They vowe chastitie which they haue not Chastitie is the gift of god it is not incident to all men And S. Paul sayth whoso caÌ„not liue continently let them marrie For it is better to marry than to burne Generally he sayde to burne whether it were in a vowe or out of a vowe Neither is it lawfull that an humane vow and which was foolishly taken in hande and vowed shoulde preiudice the law of god What maner of pouertie it is whiche is in Abbyes experience it selfe teacheth They put off pouertie when they put off their coÌ„mon garments and with their coule they put on great riches For Monkes a thing whiche in the old time would haue semed a strange and monstruous matter are made Princes The common sort of them liue idely and eate their bread fréely and for nought against the Apostles rule in the 2. Epistle to the Thessalonians cap. 3 where such be also accursed They forsake their parentes and kinsfolke whome by the lawe of GOD they are bound to serue and obey and betake themselues vnto straunge men by whome they are enforced to iâ—finite superstitions And they which are thus fréely set at libertie by their parentes either they are set at libertie through superstition or to the intent they may haue all the dayes of their life wherewithall to lye and rot in idlenesse So that it is euideÌ„t that such put on the coule for their bellies sake not for any religion What obedience is that which is quite contrarie to the obedience whiche is reuealed by the worde of God When the magistrate commaunded them to susteine and beare publique burdens with the residue of the faithfull they be euermore frée and exempted In olde time ministers of straunge religions had vnder the Kinges of Iuda princely priuileges and customes confirmed by prescription of long time but forasmuche as their ministerie was not allowed by the worde of God but was rather repugnant to the woorde of God they were not vngodlily neither vniustly or sacrilegiously broaken and disolued by holie kinges Who can well abide to heare their excuse who being admonished to doe penance for the sinnes whiche they haue committed make this exception that by vertue of their othe they are referred to their monkish order so that with safe conscience they cannot depart from the same For it is euident that the othe which they pretend is altogether a rash oth which is not to be perfourmed as I haue declared in the 3. sermon of the seconde Decade What I pray you can a bond which is made by man without God yea rather against the worde of God binde one vnto specially béeing made vnwisely or vnaduisedly If the crosse of Christ bée of so great vertue that it hathe released vs from the curse vnto which we were all subiect how much more shal it deliuer vs froÌ„ outward bonds wherewith we were intrapped not by God but otherwise through the follie or wickednesse of men or crafte of the diuell The Apostle Saint Paule crieth out Yee were bought for a price become not the seruantes of men But if happily through the malice of men or our owne follie wée become seruants the godly muste endeuour that through true faith and obedience they may be restored to the libertie of the children of god Verily the Gospell is preached vnto vs to the intent wée should bée deliuered from all vniust captiuitie and serue GOD in spirite and trueth Moreouer where some obiect that it were good and conuenient that all monasteries through out the whole worlde were refourmed and brought back to the first simplicitie We aunswere how that in this our vnhappie age it were in vaine yea plaine follie to hope for it They cannot be reduced to the auncient simplicitie neither will the Princes and Monkes suffer such reformation to be made for then they know that they must depart not onely with muche of their profites honoures and pleasures but with all together Howbeit they had rather that the whole worlde were together by the eares than they wold deliuer vp to God his kingdome whiche they haue hitherto enioyed But admit this thing were easie enough to accomplish who shall persuade vs that if Abbyes were refourmed according to the auncient institution that in this our age they shoulde bée aswell or better gouerned than they were in the olde time We sée what beginning they had howe they haue gone forward and howe increased We see what hypocrisie ambition couetousnesse pleasure and idlenesse could doe and to what point al things are come Do wée thinke that mens desires at this day will bée more moderate Doe wée thinke that discipline shall nowe be lesse corrupted by vs and our posteritie than it was by our forefathers yea we are constreined not to hope for the better but to feare the worse who euery day do experiment that which is worse than other For wée liue in the dregges of the worlde and in the verie latter end of all ages wherein the dragon of the bottomlesse pitte through the malice and vngodlinesse of men hath gotten to him selfe great power and force to disturbe and corrupte all thinges that are in the whole worlde Howbeit in so great perils this comforteth vs not a litle which is written in the word of truth that for the elects sake those dayes shall be shortened and that he shal be loosed for a short time and then anon be caste into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Moreouer if we will make a iust reformation we muste néedes goe to the founteines themselues But in the Primitiue Church wée read of nothing set down in the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles concerning Monkerie and there by wée vnderstand that it is not necessary for the Church yea we haue learned by experience that it is noysome and hurtefull to the Churche Wherfore true reformation persuadeth vs altogether to abrogate monkerie not reiecting or neglectinge in the meane season such as do repent whom the wickednes of the time hath made vnprofitable both for themselues and others but gently to receiue them into the care almes of the Church Thus much hitherto haue wée sayde by occasion and as it were by the way concerning monkerie which wee haue declared to haue had no place in the primitiue Churche of Christe and his Apostles Let vs therfore returne to other necessary institutions of the Church Likewise the faithfull Churche of Christe vseth discipline aboute the sicke and such as are departing out of this life There come aboute them neighbours and brethren and euerie one for his part sheweth the dueties of loue and charitie they relieue the néedie with their goods and if the sick be not néedie then do they shew other dueties of goodwill There commeth also the minister of the Churche who in
comforting the sicke person prepareth him to die by makeing firste his confession of sinnes to God which he pronoūceth out of the word of God to be forgiuen if he doe stedfastly beléeue He requireth of him also that he forgiue and bée in loue and charitie with all men and that hée kéepe no olde grudge or malice in his hart After this sōe publique prayer is made to God by the sicke person by those that are about the partie that is at the point of death Hée is also admonished of sundrie thinges hée is confirmed in the fayth hée is called to patience hée is instructed according as his goodes and euerie thing else requireth and he is taught that at his departing out of this worlde he commend his soule into the hands of God the father according to the doctrine and example of our redéemer who at the very pointe of death cried aloud saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirite This discipline haue wee learned of the Apostles of our LORDE Christe For the Apostle Saint Iames saieth If any bee sicke among you lette him sende for the elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of the Lorde And the prayer whiche is made in fayth shall deliuer the sicke And the Lorde shall rayse him vp againe And if he bee in sinne they shal be forgiuen him Confesse your sinns one of you to another pray one for another that you may bee safe for the heartie prayer of the iust is of greate force c. This is the Apostolique discipline But if you say vnto mée Where is the oyle I answere that in Saint Iames the Apostles time and certeine ages after there remained yet in the Churche the miraculous gifte of healing the sicke Of this wée reade in Saint Markes Gospell And the disciples going foorth preached the gospell that they mighte repent and they cast out many diuels they annoynted many with oyle that were sick and healed them And again in the same place saieth Moreouer These signes shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels c. And anon he sayth They shall lay their handes vppon the sicke and they shall be healed And because this benefite remayned yet in the Church Saint Iames biddeth vs vse oyle and to vse it in the name of the Lorde as the Lorde had commaunded But seing that gift is now ceassed in the Churche and wée finde by experience that oyle doth no good to the sicke according to the time and as our duetie bindeth vs we do the best we can to assuage and cure the diseases of the sicke by medicines most conuenient for the sicknes being applied in the name of Christ I knowe howe by this testimonie of the Apostle the Papistes go about to set out and cōmend their extreame vnction or last annoyling but they labour in vaine But to let passe that Saint Iames speaketh nothing of the hallowed oyle and that they do not admit this medicine but in verie extremitie where S. Iames commaundeth to annoynt euery on that is sick how I pray you can they defend out of Saint Iames wordes that which the priest demaundeth of the sick person Doest thou beleeue that the Lord will heare our prayers for the merites sake and prayers of the Saintes The sick man answering I do beléeue He then saith Let vs therefore pray to God and his Sainctes Or where I beséech you hath Saint Iames or any other Apostle of Christe taught that which they bring in their annointing In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost I annoynt thee with holy oile that by this anointing thou mayest receiue full remission of thy sinnes What scripture I pray you teacheth vs that full remission of sinnes is obteined by that anointing These thinges are done manifestly against the principall article of our religion whiche teacheth that we are purged from all our sinnes onely by the bloud of Christ and that most fully To him onely is the glory due not to the oyle nor to any creature in the whole worlde Moreouer the Church of Christe doth not reiect the bodies of the dead as if it were a deade dogge For it acknowledgeth that their bodies haue béene the Temples of the holy ghoste which hath dwelt in them It acknowledgeth that they are buried in hope of resurrection and glorie of life euerlasting wherefore the Churche doeth in moste reuerent manner take the bodies windeth them in a shéete and couereth them verie decently and béeinge put into the coffine carefully carrieth them vnto the place of buriall or churchyard y neere friends neighbours and brethren following after and accompanying the corse While the bodie is set downe and laid in the earth there are publique prayers made by them that brought the corse For they giue thankes vnto God for that he hath called the partie deceased out of this world in the true faithe and they pray also that it may please the Lorde to take them likewise vnto him spéedily beeing lightened with the true faith Moreouer the name of the dead brother or sister is recited in the publique assemblie of the Churche with honour and all the people are put in minde of their own destinie and spéedily to prepare them selues to die And after this manner we read in the scriptures that the ancient fathers buried their dead yea the moste holie of them We reade nothing of canonizating of woorshipping of reliques of monethes and yeares mindes for the dead which are offered to the ende the soules of the departed shoulde be deliuered from the paynes of purgatorie There be certeine burialles described vnto vs in the olde Testament as the buriall of Abraham Sara Isaac Iacob and Ioseph Aaron Marie Iosua Samuel and Dauid c. And in the new Testament of Iohn Baptiste and Stephan but they were all sparing and without all manner of superstition In that Iosephes bones were carried forth they were carried in a mysterie that the Israelites might gather thereof that they shoulde bee brought into the Lande of promise Wherevnto also that belongeth that the Patriarches chose a buriall in Hebron Otherwise the place auayleth nothing to purchase the better or worse spéed to the bodie that is buried in it We must thinke that the place by reason of the bodies of the saintes and holy men which are there buried is after a maner sanctified or at the least wise called holie not that the bodies do gett any holinesse or safetie by the grounde Therefore vnlesse it séeme good otherwise to the diuine prouidence of God the saints would gladly lye with their auncestours in the selfe same place of buriall But if it please God otherwise they acknowledge that they are notwithstanding receiued into the same earth without any exception and that they are not separated from their auncestours by distance of place Wherefore there is no superstition in the Churche