Here then we learn what to iudge of those functions with their gifts which Christe hath giuen for the perfect building vp of his Church to wit as of the excellent and singular graces of God For the office of the Pastor and Doctor and Elder the Deacon the attender vpon the poore and impotent togeather with this of the Apostle are all Streames flowing from one spring or head by the which the manifold graces of God and waters of eternall life are conuayed into his Church that euery member drinking thereof shoulde neuer thirste againe but haue full fountaines issuing out of him to eternall life Wherefore let all men of what calling or authority soeuer they be take heed least by them selues by others or by any other meane they stop and damme vp these heauenlye streames of waters which should run into the Lords vineyard to water it or else least they defile and corrupt these waters with casting into them mingling with them the dregs and filthy puddle waters of mans inuentions popish traditions For assuredly all the ordinarye graces of God giuen to vs are such so y t they cannot abide either addition detraction or change Such also is the giuer hereof y t as he is ielous ouer them so he will moste seuerely reuēge him selfe of all those y t shall add detract or any manner of way corrupt his gifts against his will written word Thus we see what profitable instruction may be gathered out of this former part touching the person of Paule the minister or publisher of this generall Law as also of that special which followeth Now let vs heare to whom this generall Law was giuen To euery one of what estate vocation soeuer that was among the christians at Rome and in them to all that then were or are now of the houshould of God For hee saith To euerye one that is among you Which is as if hee shoulde say whether you be pastors or Teachers Elders Deacons or prouiders for the impotent and sicke Fathers Children Masters Seruants bond free Iewes Gretians publique or priuate persons I giue vnto all in generall and to euery one in particuler this general law rule of life charging euery one in the sight of God to keepe it vndefiled to the comming of the Lord Sauiour Christ. Hereby it is manifest that the law or Precept following is generall not speciall appertaining to al not only to some necessary profitable for all times not onely conuenient for that present estate of the christian church at Rome and therefore perpetually to hee taught and practized of Gods Ministers learned and obeyed of his people vrged and established by the power and authoritie of the Magistrate his heauenly ordinaunce And in so doing the Magistrate the Minister and the people shall by their humble seruice and subiection vnto God both approoue their pure consciences their sound and vnfained faith to all that feare God and also stoppe the mouth of the aduersarie which speaketh euill of the truth because manye which outwardly professe it either haue not learned or will not obey this commandement of the Lorde Now seeing we know the commaundement is from God and that the Minister hereof is the chiefest Apostle that euer was and that as it concerned the Romanes so now they beeing a sleep in the Lorde it appertaineth to all and euery one of vs which are here assembled let vs mark first what this generall Law is then according to the Apostles order what is the speciall deriued out of the generall and to whom it is giuen The Law is this Phronein eis to Sophronein that is as if he shoulde saye I command in the person of God euery one that is among you to the wise or to vnderstand according to sobreity as it is translated As for the wordes that goe before these and that follow in this vers they are no part in this law but rather a more full and familiar declaratiō therof For wheras it is saide That no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand it is a manifest prohibition by a negation of that which is commanded by an affirmation Againe where it is sayde As God hath dealt to euery one the measure of faith it is certaine the purpose of the holy Ghoste is more playnely to declare and expresse the meaning of his Lawe and generall commaundement But first of the Lawe it selfe then of those which serue for the farther declaration thereof The Greeke Uerb which is heere translated vnderstand doth properly signify to bee indued with a reasonable minde or Soule wherein because Wisedome and knowledge is and because shee hath as it were her mansion house in it it signifieth also to bee wise in which signification it is vsed in this place and for so much as Wisedome principally consisteth in a discreet moderation and comelye order of all actions and workes I take it heere to signify by a trope of the cause for the effect the moderate and sober exercise of Wisdome and true vnderstanding The worde translated sobrietie properlye signifieth to haue a sounde minde not troubled with anye diseaze in which signification it is here vsed So that the whole commaundement expressed in these two wordes appearethe playnlye to bee this I commaunde euerye one which is amonge you truely to vnderstande soberlye to esteeme soundlye to iudge and modestlye to vse the giftes hee hath receiued of GOD being fullye contented and satisfied therewith Wherefore let vs consider I beseech you the excellencye the dignitye the profite and vse of this generall Law For what can be more excellent then for euery member of the misticall body of Christ truely to knowe his proper gifts and wisely and soberly to esteeme and vse them What can bee of greater dignity and worthinesse then for all the people of God scattered thorough the Face of the Worlde hauing so dyuerse gyftes and offices being so farre distaunt in place by an humble sober and discreet iudging of their giftes abilitie and callinges to serue and worship in the vnitie of spirit and truth and in the bond of peace one true and immortal King of glory Finally what can be more profitable for the Church of Christ our mother then that all her Children according to their age strength giftes place and callinges shoulde without hatred enuie or anie neglect of dutie loue relieue maintaine euery one an other as becommeth the dearly beloued children of God This law wel learned and diligently practized bringeth with it all these and many mow commodities Therefore it is not onelie in this place but in many other places of the scripture most faithfully registred In the booke of Numbers chap. 3. we maye read and see plainely how that the Lorde did not onely by precept distinguishe between the calling of the Leuites and people but threatneth the transgressours and inordinate walkers with death For the Leuites were either called Priestes or by the common name
A fruitfull Sermon vpon the 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. verses of the 12. Chapiter of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes Very necessarie for these times to be read of all men for their further instruction and edification in things concerning their fayth and obedience to Saluation GOD IS MY HELPER AT LONDON Printed by Robert Walde-graue 1584. The chiefe heades of the Sermon AN interpretation of the beginning or enteraunce page 2. VVisedome and discretion obtayneth credite and auoydeth suspicion page 3. English ministers must imitate it either voluntarily or by compulsion page 5. The ministerie is a grace page 6. It must not be abused this water must not be stopped page 7. The persons commanded all goe generally page 9. Magistrate people minister must come vnder it to approoue their consciences and stop the aduersaries mouth page 9. 10. The law and two applications page 10. 11. 9 c. The exposition and excellencie vvorthinesse and profit proued out of the 3. of Numbers pag 11. c. God nor onely did institute it but punished the breakers as Azaria Vzza Corah page 14. It serueth vnder the Gospell 1. Cor. 7. page 15. Obiection aunswered so ordaine I in all Churches 1. Cor. 7. therfore euery one must keepe it none breake it page 16. He vvisheth for this lavv page 17. The vvant is the cause of all disorder in the land euils page 18. The contrary to the lavv is pride ambition pag. 19. Brasen vvall page 19. Ambitiō hurteth both the cōmon vvealth Church It is the cause of discord in the church page 20. Diotrephes page 21. Scribes Pharises page 22. Iames and Iohn mooue their mother page 22. Preach to add affliction page 22. It hurteth common vvealth page 23. Histories diuine Moses Ioshua ibidem Humaine in England 24. Exhort to mortifie them ibidem Exhort magistrates to roote out euill and to establish the lavv page 25. 26. As the Lorde hath delt c. the exposition page 27. 28. c. The abuse tendeth to the hurt of the bodye it is shevved in the naturall body page 28. 29. It is applyed to our Church page 29. Ignorant ministers dishonour God page 30. Discredite the Gospell confirme aduersaries incorage rebels page 31. All magistrats must looke to it and ministers page 32. The similitude containing fovver 1. Cor. 12. page 33. First rule many members 1. Cor. 12. what a member is hovve named nothing vvanteth page 33. 34. Applied to the Church vvhich vvanteth her members euery perticular hath but tvvo members the pastour and the sheepe page 34. She hath too much by Archb. Lordbish as is novv espied page 37. Tvvo rules distinction of gyftes 1. Cor. 12 page 30. Ob. ans in person distinguished applied and shewed in our Church desired to be refourmed page 39. 40. 3. Rule one head vnion he the vine the cause of vnion Christ by the ministerie of these vve are lead to the vnitie of faith to haue triall rule gouernment for and in Christ not by Pope Archb. or Bish. page 41. 43. Appeal to their honors pag. 45. Protestation of the author and in the name of the Godly brethren of their loue tovvards her maiesty page 45. Euery member must serue others page 46. There must be loue to performe duties pag. 46. To approue and like one of another pag. 47. The maimes of our Church greate and no man lamenteth them pag. 49. A speciall lavve appertaining to some pag. 50. The rule knovvne pag. 51. Perpetuall and not to be broken pag. 51. A commandement to keepe them pag. ibid. They are giuen of God Ephes. 4. 1. Cor. 12. 52. Graces giuen tvvo notes cōcerning them 1 Euerye calling must haue a grace pag. ibi 2 The giftes are the graces of God pag. ibidem Proportion of Fayth vvhat it is pag. 53. A prophet vvhat pag. 56. Office hovv taken pag. 56. A Doctor vvhat pag. 57. The proofe of euery part pag. 57. Canonical Scriptures only to be read in the Church pag. 58. A Doctor must teache purely and continually to his ovvne Schollers pag. 59. An obiect concerning the doctors office pa. 60. The aunswere pag. 60. Pastor vvhat pag. 60. Of all the parts pag. 61. Note the vvisdome mercy of God pag. 64. These gifts giuen in the day of Christes coronation pag. 65. Deacon vvhat and the proofe pag. 65. Elder vvhat pag. 67. They must be obeyed pag. 68. They are necessary ibid. To preuent offences ibid. Difference betvveen the elder the deacon pa. 69. Shewer of mercy what 70. Many dye and perish for lack of these offices pag. 71. Good statutes inacted but because they are besides the word they doe no good pa. 72. VVant of al these the cause of al euils pag. 72. The fruit of this gouernment 73. Enemies to the realme to the common wealth ibid. Secrete deuises against all good might bee easilye knowne ibid. Prodigall maintainers of popish honour pag. 74. Preuented conspiracies ibid. Good lawes should be kept ibid. Pastours Doctours more fruitfully discharging their duties 75. Their duties ibid. Reasons to prooue that the offices appointed in the primatiue Church are perpetuall pag. 77. They are sufficient pag. 78. The conclusion pag. 79. The parts and order of the Sermon These sixe verses necessarily inferred of the former contain a perpetuall lawe touching the gouernment of Christes Church the cōtinual keeping wherof as it is the safetie of the body so the breach of it is the destruction therof The same is eyther Generall appertayning to all the members of the Churche declared by two familiar argumentes One of the contrary vnto the law for the clearer vnderstanding therof vers 3. ioyned in the same sentence with the Lawe The other of a similitude wherein as in a glasse wee may see the trueth and necessitie of this law taken from the naturall disposition of the bodie vers 4. 5. Or it is speciall belonging only to publike persons that is eyther to 1. Prophetes the disposers of the worde and secrets of God whom he diuideth either into 1. Doctors as in the latter end of the 7. verse 2. Pastors as in the beginning of the 8. verse 2. Officers occupied aboute other necessary duties diuided into Deacons Rulers Attenders on the po A Godly Sermon made vpon the 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. and 8. verses of the 12. Chapiter of the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes 3 For I say through the grace which is giuē vnto me to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but that he vnderstande according to sobrietie as God hath delt to euerye man the measure of faith 4 For as we haue many members in one body and all members haue not one office 5 So we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one an others members 6 Seeing then that we haue giftes that are diuers according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue prophecie let vs
prophesie according to the proportiō of faith 7 Or an office let vs wait on the office then hee that teacheth on teaching 8 Or he that exhorteth on exhortion he that distributeth let him do it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with chearefulnesse THese sixe verses necessarily inferred of the former containe a perpetuall Lawe touching the gouernement of Christes Church the continuall keeping whereof as it is the safety of the bodie so the breache of it is the destruction thereof The same is either generall appertaining to all the members of the Church declared by two familiar argumentes One of the contrarie vnto the law for the cleerer vnderstanding therof verse 3. ioyned in the same sentence with the law The other of a similitude wherin as in a glasse we may see the trueth necessitie of this law taken from the natural disposition of the bodye verse 4. 5. Or it is speciall belonging onely to publique persons that is to Prophetes the disposers of the word and Secreates of God whom he deuideth either into Doctors as in the latter ende of the 7. Uers. Pastors as in the beginning of the 8. verse officers occupied about other necessarie duties diuided into Deacons Rulers Attenders on the poore This generall law thus inferred necessarily vpon y e former exhortation as a most readie way and ordinarie meane whereby to haue certaine experience and triall what the good acceptable and perfect wil of God is teacheth the duetie and way of all Christians wherin they ought to walk continually without wearinesse The giuer whereof is not man but God For albeit Paule writ those wordes and this Epistle to the Christian sainctes at Rome yet he was but onely the pen man of the Lordes inditement or as Moses was the writer of the Lordes lawe and commaundement For he saith not I by mine owne authoritie or by any gift and grace in me but I saye thorough the grace that is giuen to me meaning no doubt that grace of his Apostolical authoritie which he being a blasphemer had receiued of God to publish by word and writing his will and counsel to the Gentiles that their faith religion might not be groūded builded vpon the weake sand of humaine traditions but vpon y e commandemēt of Christ the strong rocke and euerlasting foundation Where it is said I say it is all one in effect as if he should say I commaund For this Uerbe Lego in Greeke as also the Hebrue verb equiualent to the same especially beeing ioyned to the infinitiue Mood without an article is often vsed in that sense importing not a bare saying or affirmation but as here of necessitie it must seeing the Apostle sheweth not what hath beene is or shall be but what ought to be a flat law and commaundement So that for a more plaine demonstration of the truth it maye be thus expounded and resolued for I Paule by the authoritie of my Apostleship beeing a singular grace receiued by the free gift of God giue vnto euery one of you this generall lawe in the name of him whose Apostle I am inuiolablie and perpetually to be kept euen to the comming of Christ. Thus the Apostle maketh his enterance vnto the law with great wisdome and singular discretion for in that he sheweth his law not to proceede from himselfe or any other mortal man but onely from the lord of hostes whose apostle he was it doth not onely purchase great reuerence credite vnto it but also remoueth al iust occasion of enuy wherof he might haue bin suspected of vsurped authority wherwith the enemies of y e gospell might haue charged him if he shold not thus haue dō But now considering this law is his who only is the lawgiuer which is able to saue destroy no man can iustly contemne it or think it of small importance Also seeing the minister heereof was called and commaunded of this lawgiuer to write and preach it no man can safely enuy and contemne him or suspect him arrogantly to haue vsurped any vnlawful authority ouer the Romans or the Church of God Nowe then if Paul who was not in any spirituall gifts necessary for his calling inferior to the cheefe Apostles thought it a necessary point of wisdome and Christian duety both in respect of him selfe and of the Church here else where plainly to declare as wel who was this lawgiuer as the authour of his function and Apostleship how much more necessary deare brethren ought you to thinke it is for the Ministers in our time whose giftes in comparison of Paules are very fewe and small to let vs see both the authour of their doctrin and laws and also of their particuler function For if they commaund vs any thing hauing not receiued it from this Law-giuer by whose spirite wee must liue in all obedience of his will why shoulde we obey Nay why may we not cast it from vs as a vayne and fond tradition of man Againe if they cannot shew vs the authour of their Ministery and the grace they haue receiued for the godly and acceptable discharge thereof why may we not iustly iudge them to be either prowd vsurpers of vnlawful functions inuented of man or couetous intruders of them selues into the lawfull callings for the which they are vnmeete I would all those which haue any publique place in the Churche of England seeing they will not voluntarily follow this wisdome of Paul might be compelled by the godly wise Magistrates to shew the proof of their ministerie out of y e word and the gifts which God hath giuen them meete for the discharge of their calling For thē I assuredly perswade my selfe that the Lord iniustice and mercy would so direct their sword that it would cut off not onely the head shoulders armes legges and all the rotten members of popish religion but also shred of from the true Church of God and the beloued spouse of Christe all ignoraunt idle wicked and hurtfull hirelings with all the reliques of Antichristian vsurped power which nowe to the greate and present perill of the Lordes Uineyarde do occupy the place and roome of most faithfull and painfull work-men But a fitter place for this matter shall be offered hereafter It is not to be omitted that Paule tearmeth his Apostolical function A grace giuen of God For herein he giueth the Romans vs in them to vnderstand that if they shall reiect or lightly regard his function and the precepts he giueth to euery one of them by the vertue thereof That then they openly shew thēselues reiectors or light esteemers not onely of him his word but also of the grace and gift of God which after this manner appeareth in him for their saluation The which cogitation might breede in them a reuerent opinion of his person being the Ambassadour of Christ a godly care diligently to receiue and louingly imbrace the grace of God giuen him and by him offered vnto them
of Leuites If Priests then either the high Priest as Aaron and Eleazar after him or such as were vnder him ouer the rest as Eliazaph the ouerseer of the Gershonites or Elizaphan the ouerseer of the Coathites and Zuriel of the Merarites Their office was publikely to teach to praye to offer sacrifice to keepe the vessels of the sanctuary The office of the other Leuites was to minister and serue the Priestes in all thinges belonging to the discharge of their necessarie duties And this is the distinction betweene the office of Priest and the office of the Leuite Hereby therefore it appeareth that the Lord allotted vnto euery one his seueral office to be as it were his standing place out of the which he should not step one foote either to the left hande or to the right neither dislike his place but fullye content him selfe therewith without enuying of anye that were in more excellent roomes And as the Lorde knew this order of distinguishing offices to be verie expedient and good for his Church so he hath reuenged himselfe most seuerely vpon the breakers hereof of what calling soeuer they were or with what affection or intent soeuer they did transgresse this established order of gouernment King Azaria as we reade in the seconde of the Chronicles the 26. Chapiter otherwise called Vzzia was striken with an vncurable leprosie because lifting vp his hart he vsurped the office of the Priest went into the Temple to burne incense vppon the Altar Vzza for supporting the Arke which was the only office of the Leuites notwithstanding his good intent for the Oren did shake the Arke was strikē with sudden death Corah Dathan Abiram because they presumed aboue their vocation went down aliue into the pit for the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp with all that they had All which ought to teach vs how acceptable this order of seuerall callinges is to God and to breed in our hartes both a care and conscience to keep it and a feare and terrour to breake it But least any should imagin this distinction of vocations to serue onelie for the law hauing no vse or profit vnder the Gospell let vs search the new Testament Was there no difference I pray you betweene Iohn Baptist and his Disciples and the Disciples of Christ None betweene them and other Christians that were Baptized and followed Christ None betweene the Prophet and Apostle betweene the Pastour and the Deacon What were all Apostles Were all Prophetes Had all the giftes of healing Were all Teachers Or did all interpret What was the bodie one member No no the Lord hath ordained in his church many members yet but one body Whereby it is certaine that as it pleased God vnder the lawe to establishe this distinction of callinges in Israel So hath he done now vnder the Gospell in the new Ierusalem For our Apostle in the 12. to the Corinth the first Epistle straightly chargeth euery one to walke in that calling wherin he is His words are these Let euery man abide in that same vocation wherin he was called Againe a little after Let euery man wherein he was called therin abide with God In which words he teacheth that the most excellent gifts of a Christian which we by faith receiue of Christ the eternall feed of regeneration can not neither ought to mooue vs to loath our former calling be it neuer so lowe or base neither to desire to step into any other till it please God to offer vnto vs some iust necessary cause of change to ad vnto y e cōmon giftes of a Christian some speciall which are proper and peculier for that lawfull calling whereunto our desires are wholly and onely carried and the Lorde effectually calleth vs. But least any should obiect that this generall law is not so straightly to be kept of all besides that the wordes of this text will confute him he may read the 17. verse of the 7. Chapiter to the Corinthians Or if he proceede and say it is no ordinance established or not in all Churches the very wordes of the Text there will ouerthrowe him But as God hath distributed to euery man as the Lord hath called euery one so let him walke and so ordaine I in all Churches Then wee see in effect what this generall Lawe is Namely that as Souldiers in Warre haue and keepe euery one his standing place in the sight of their Captaine so euerye Christian shoulde haue and keepe his seuerall calling in the presence of the Lorde of life who hath in wisedome and mercy called them thereunto For if they do not as experience teacheth in warre and in peace then they must needes tumble and indanger them selues vere and greeue others hurt and disquiet the church whose peace and felicity all her Children oughte to redeeme euen with the losse of bloud and life O that this Lawe were deepely printed and grauen in the hearts of all Christians and were as easely to bee learned seene in our liues as it may be in this precept then we should see with no smal ioy the Church our mother with cheerefull countenaunce to lift vp her heade which now to the greefe of many hangeth verie low and whose heart lamenteth the loosenesse securitie the aspyring and vnquiet mindes and y e continuall disorder of her children which had rather do any thing then that which principally concerneth them For if it be demanded from whence commeth al this disorder at home abroad in publique and priuate persons in common wealth and in the Church in towns in Uniuersities and in Cities the cause is euident no man can deny it father and childe husband and wife master and seruaunt rich and poore magistrate and subiect Pastor and people haue broken and transgressed this generall Law and commandement of God They know not truely their giftes and callings they haue not humbly and soberly esteemed of them they haue not wisely discreetely and with a single eye iudged themselues they haue not with care and conscience discharged their duetie to God Finallie they haue broken out of their standing places and burst asunder the lists of their callings cannot neither will be bounde to order obedience no not with the bondes of the Lawe of their Creator The causes of all this disorder in all degrees shall appeare and bee declared in their proper places next following as also the remedies wherby it may be remooued and good order the health of both the bodies restored and brought again into the Church and common-wealth It followeth in the text That no man presume to vnderstande aboue that which is meete Paul declareth this generall Law first as you see by the contrary that wee might the better vnderstand see by this negation what he ment by the affirmation and also that we might wisely collect the cause of the former disorder whereof I haue spoken A wise and vsuall order in exhorting obserued of the Prophetes