that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life So spake Almightie GOD to his people Take heede that you doe as the Lorde your GOD hath commaunded you turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte Thou shalt not doe the thing that seemeth right in thine owne eyes Thou shalte not followe the zeale of thine owne heart Thinke that thou maist be deceiued dispose thy selfe to hearken to the voyce of the Lord whatsoeuer he shall commaund thee that onely shalt thou doe For my thoughts are not your thoughtes neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher thē the earth so are my waies higher thē yourwaies my thoughts aboue your thoughts The will of y e Lord is the only measure whereby all trueth must be tryed Heereunto the Prophet Dauid humbleth himselfe and speaketh vnto GOD in this manner Lighten mine eies O lord O teach me to do thy wil teach me to follow it to practise it Hereof S. Paul speaketh Vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Leaue the pretence of zeale leaue the deuotion of your owne heart rest not vppon the will of your forefathers nor of flesh blood Learne to feele and taste the will of God it is good and gracious and merciful thereby direct your steppes therein shall you finde the possession of life We were drowned in darkenesse sayth the Apostle yet thought we had the light I my selfe saith hee was a blasphemer and did persecute the Church of God I followed the way of my fathers I had a great zeale and thought I did well but the way wherein I walked was slippery the light was darkenesse I delighted in vanitie and had pleasure in leasings I was blinde yet perceiued it not and therefore was my blindenesse and miserie so muche the more But now is our Saluation come neere vnto vs our bodies are made the Temples of God and his spirit dwelleth within vs. We haue the woorde of life put both in our mouth and in our heart the kingdome of God is in the middes amongst vs. The Sonne of God calleth vnto vs Come vnto me al ye that trauel and be heauily laden and I wil refresh you S Iohn saith We haue looked vpon and our hands haue handeled the worde of life And againe The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and of trueth So neere is the Lorde to them that seeke him So neere vnto vs is our saluation When Dauid heard the voyce of the Lorde he awaked and rose vp hee gaue thankes vnto God and powred out his heart before him saying O Lorde our Lorde howe wonderfull is thy Name in all the worlde And againe Prayse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holie Name When the Apostles hearde this voyce of the Lorde they were awaked they forsooke all they had they tooke vp their Crosse and went ouer all the worlde preaching the Gospell of saluation When Paul heard the voyce of Christ from heauen aboue he fell flat on the earth and being astonied sayde Lord what wilt thou that I do I am thy seruaunt and the sonne of thy handemayde make me to doe that thou commandest me to doe Then coulde neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depthe nor any other Creature separate Paule from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesus our Lorde then hee esteemed not to knowe anye thinge sauing Iesus Christ and him crucified He brake his sleepe rose vp and went forwarde In like manner the Prophet Esay stirreth vp Hierusalem Arise be bright for the light is come and the glorie of the Lorde is risen vppon thee Knowe thy time and the day of thy visitation awake thou that sleepest and stande vp from the dead for the Sonne of God hath shined ouer thee The Apostle therfore saith It is nowe time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe We are the children of God we are the children of the trueth we are the sonnes of the Prophets we are they whom GOD hath chosen out of the worlde Whosoeuer putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is vnmeete for the kingdome of heauen These thinges are sent for our vnderstanding GOD hath giuen his worde vnto vs. We haue seene the workes of God the doumbe to speake the deafe to heare the blynde to see the lame to goe the dead to rise and come out of their graues the Sunne to be darkened the earth to quake rockes to rent and the Diuell to confesse the Sonne of God for he was forced to say Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Nowe doth the kingdome of heauen suffer violence The night is passed the daye is at hande we haue slumbered enough in ignoraunce it is nowe time we knowe the blessinges which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs it is time wee shoulde be thankefull and awake out of the sleepe of forgetfulnesse that wee humble our selues vnder the mighty hande of God and dreame no more of our owne strength our conscience is charged we cannot pleade ignoraunce it is time that we rise the mercie of God the aboundaunce of his blessing the feare of his iudgement the regarde of our saluation so requireth Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse they bee vnfruitefull lothesome and horrible They darken the hearte and blinde the conscience hee that doeth them shall bee cast into vtter darkenesse Let vs bee afrayde let vs be ashamed hereof such things are not fit for the children of light Let vs put on the armour of light God hath chosen vs to bee his Souldiers and hath called vs foorth into the fielde Our fight is not against fleshe and blood but against the Diuell the Prince of this worlde and the Father of darkenesse hee rampeth like a Lyon and lyeth in waite and seeketh whom hee may deuour All the vanities of this life our bodies our owne heartes conspire against vs the fight is terrible the daunger great Let vs not be vnprouided let vs not stande open to the stroke of the enimie Let vs take vnto vs the whole armour of God let our loyues be girded with beritie let vs put on the shielde of Faith the brestplate of righteousnesse the sworde of the spirit the helmet of saluation These bee the weapons of righteousnesse these be the armour of light Let vs not feare to declare the truth though thereby wee shoulde daunger our life Let vs bee faithfull vnto the ende let it appeare that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes and imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against God so shal our armour be complete so shall we shewe glorious in the fielde and be terrible to the enimie
wil be their God and they shalbe my people Let vs then know this our selues of others let vs with the prophet Esay say Therfore let them see and knowe let them consider and vnderstande together that the hand of the Lorde hath done this Hee is able to set starres and heauens out of course to set the Sunne backe and to make it stand to open the earthe to deuide the sea to make the drie rocke to yeelde water to make the clouds to giue breade to make Children to preach to make an Asse to speak to make the diuels to confesse his holy name to say I know who thou art euē y e holy one of god With this power he blew downe the walles of Hiericho with this power he beateth downe whatsoeuer holde is built vp against god This power standeth not in worldly strength but is shewed in weakenesse God hath chosen the weake thinges of the worlde to confounde the mightie things saith the Apostle Paule Some trust in chariots some in horses but wee will remember the name of the Lorde our God Our helpe is in the name of the Lorde which hath made both heauen and earth Thus is the prince of darknesse caste out thus is the Gospell of Christe caried throughoute the world this is the ouerthrowe of Hiericho this is the might of Gods hande But is Hiericho so layde flat that no mā wyl attempt or wishe to restore it Uerily it was afterward restored in the dayes of Achab but bee that restored it was accursed Euen so it fareth with this spirituall Hiericho it is neuer so blowne downe but some woulde wyshe to rayse it vp God deliuered his people out of Egypt and yet there were that looked backe and wisht to bee there agayne and when they had Manna in their mouthes they thought it a lothsome and a squamishe meate and wisht for their Goordes and Ouyons and hauinge the Angels of God to goe in visible forme before them to hee their guydes both daye and night yet wyshed to bee vnder Pharao in the house of bondage to be tormented with labors to liue in tyrannie and oppression where they had their children slayne before their faces Notwithstandinge God had deliuered his people from the captiuitie of Babilon yet the greatest part of them remayned still there and would neuer returne to see Ierusalem Babylon the great citie is fallen and is become the habitation of deuils yet Iohn sayeth Many shall mourne and weepe lament and cry ouer her alas alas the great citie Babilon the mightie citie Babilon that was clothed in fine linnen and purple skarlet gylded with golde precious stone pearles What citie was like to this great citie Dauid sayth Their sounde is gone foorth through all y t earth their words into the ends of the world And the prophet Esaye Howe beautifull vpō the mountaines are y e feete of him y t declareth publisheth peace y t declareth good tydings publisheth saluation Yet S. Paul saith They haue not al obeyed the gospel And Esay Lord who hath beleeued our report or to whō is the arme of the lord reueled And againe I haue spred out my hands all the day vnto a rebellious people whiche walked in a way y t was not good after their owne imaginations The truth of god is not alway taken it is neuer so receiued that euery man liketh thereof The Lord knoweth who are his and to whom he wil make himselfe knowne Christ himselfe was a stumblinge stone vnto the vnbeleeuinge Iewes and a signe that should be spoken against Saint Iohn saith This is the condēnation that light is come into the world men loued darknes rather thē light because their deedes were euill The Gospel of Christ is the power of god to saluation it is the sauour of life vnto life yet is it also the sauour of death vnto death For many wyll not suffer wholesome doctrine but hauing their eares itching shal after their owne lust get them a heape of teachers and shal turne their eares from the truth and shal be giuē vnto fables shal giue heede vnto sprits of error doctrins of deuils Because wisdom cannot enter into a wicked hart nor dwell in a body that is subiect to sinne the deuil the prince of this worlde was cast foorth yet S. Peter sayeth He walketh about like a roaring lion seking whō he may deuour And euen so standeth it with Ierusalem the Cittie of the Lorde and that cursed Cittie Hiericho Many refuse the blessinge of the Lorde in their deliuerance from vnder Pharao and feedinge them with heauenly Manna and giuinge them his Angels to be their guides they wyll not returne home to their owne countrey out of their captiuitie in Babylon though they see the iudgements of God done vpon proude Babilon yet they mourne and lament ouer it they looke not vpon the hands that are spread all the day vnto them they obey not the gospel Christe is vnto them a stumbling stone and so seeke they to restore agayne Hiericho which the Lord hath ouerthrowen and which he would not haue built againe but curseth them that shall seeke to restore it And this doe they because they knowe not how amiable the Tabernacles of the Lord are because they did neuer taste and see howe sweete the Lord is Three speciall helpes the deuil hath vsed to further this purpose of restoring Hiericho First the hard heart blindnes of the people secondly the eloquēce and subtil perswasion of the learned thirdly the sworde and violence of tyrants Of these three the first is the greatest for blindnesse and stubburnnesse wyll preuayle where cunning and tyranny can doo nothinge Hereof the prophet Ieremy complayneth My people is foolish they haue not known me they ar foolish childrē haue none vnderstādīg they ar wise to do euil but to do wel they haue no knowledge Of this sort our sauiour speaketh This peoples heart is waxed fat their eares are dul of hearing with their eies haue they winked least they shuld see with their eies heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts should returne that I might heale them Of this sort Esay reporteth It is a rebellious people lying children and children that would not heare the law of the Lorde whiche say vnto the Seers see not vnto the prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophesie errors depart out of the way goe out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from vs. Through blindnes stubburnes al the children of Israel murmured against Moses Aaron Wherfore now hath the lord brought vs to this land to fal vpō the sworde were it not better for vs to return into Egipt Therfore y e lord said I wil do to thē as they haue spoken they shal not see the
the people hearde they knewe not what No man coulde say Amen to their prayers The matters were such that he might be reconed happie which heard them not They abused the Church of God with vaine fables If you doubt hereof rede their Legendes and festiuals They know this they acknowlege it It might well be spoken of them which Hillarie said Sanctiores sunt aures populi quam corda sacerdotum The eares of the people are more holy then the hearts of the Priests I beseech you marke the fourme and fashion of their prayes To the blessed virgin they sayd Aue Maria salus et consolatrix viuorum et mortuorum Haile Marie the sauiour cōforter both of quick dead And agayne O gloriosa virgo Maria libera nos ab omni malo et a paenis inferni O glorious virgin Mary deliuer vs from al euil frō the paines of hel Agayne Monstra te esse matrem shewe that thou art a mother They cal her Regina Coeli domina mundi vnica spes miserorum Queene of heauen Lady of y ◠world the only hope of them that be in miserie It were tedious and vnpleasant to recite the like their blasphemies Howe did these men accompt of the crosse and passion of Christ What leaue they to be wrought by the price of his blood To speak nothing of the multitude of their intercessours and patrones of their false miracles of their deceiueable merits and workes of supererogation how fowle a kinde of Idolatry was it to worship the image with the selfsame honour wherwith they worshippe the thing it selfe that is represented by the Image As if the thinge it selfe bee worshipped with godly honour then must the Image thereof bee worshipped with godlye honour The holy Scriptures which are the light to direct our wayes and the power of God to saue our soules wer hid vnder a bushel Whosoeuer built him selfe and his faith vpon them was adiudged an Heretike Marriage was forbidden and fornication suffered They did not onely deuoure widowes houses but drew to them selues the fat of the land by pretence of their long praiers I spare your chaste and godly eares otherwise I were able to rehearse many their foule abuses and workes of darkenesse Yet will I shewe you one of their night-birdes lately hatched in the nest of all superstition It is the Agnus dei heere it is It was latelie consecrate by the holie Father and sent from Rome They teache that by the vertue of their consecration or rather coniuration and blessing these little thinges haue power to defende the faithfull from lightening and tempest O merciful God what hath the Pope to doe with the lightening what can a piece of waxe preuaile to the staying of a tempest The Lorde of heauen and earth it is hee that sendeth forth lightnings and raiseth vp tempestes Fire and haile snowe and vapours stormie winde execute his woorde God will sende foorth his lightening and consume them Beholde saith Ieremie the tempest of the Lorde goeth foorth in his wrath and a violent whirle winde shal fal downe vpon the head of the wicked O what a shepheard is he that nowe in this light of the day thus mocketh and deceiueth the lambes and sheepe of Christ Is this to woorshippe Christ in spirite and trueth Is this the hope we haue in Christ Is this the profession of the Gospell Is this the will of GOD to commit our liues to so vile a cake Howbeeit there is no cause why any man shoulde maruell hereat For ignorance which is the mother of errour by their owne confession is become the mother of deuotion and these bee the fruites and children of blindnesse and ignorance I will speake nothing of that man from whence this geare commeth Woulde God hee were the man he woulde seeme to bee But if the light it selfe be darkenesse how great then is the darknesse Yet they say of him his voyce must be receiued as the voyce of Peter and the worde of God him selfe must take authoritie and credite of him Thus hath hee come betweene like a Cloude and eclipsed the sunne of Gods glorious Gospell If wee beholde eyther their Schooles or their Churches their quier their pulpit their prayers their Sacramentes their Cleargie their people their doctrine or their life wee may truely saie as the Prophete saide Surely our fathers haue inherited lies and vanitie wherein was no profite We may truely say the Law hath perished from the Priest counsell from the wise and the worde from the Prophet the blind did leade the blind they haue turned siluer into drosse and fedde the people with chaffe in steede of wholesome and good meates Blessed be the name of God who hath giuen vs eyes to espie their dealinges and hath reuealed vnto vs his worde to guide our feete into the way of peace I knowe these thinges are defended boldely and obstinately no maruell For the Apostle saith They haue not all obeied the Gospell There haue bin that haue called the light darknesse and the darknesse light If our Gospel be hid saith he it is hid in them that perish in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes I will not here make answeare to any particular albeit occasion be offered and happely it bee looked for Contention and quarrels haue no ende All doctrine shall bee brought to tryall the day of the Lorde shall reueal◠errours and giue witnesse for the trueth God will turne all to his glorie What so euer stirre is raysed vp against the trueth it is but a smoke it will soone fade and come to nothing There are this day many to all appearance godly men of good life of righteous dealing of great zeale and conscience but yet haue not eyes to see these thinges I protest in their behalfe as did Paul they haue a greate zeale of Gods glorie woulde God it were according to knowledge Wee may say with the Prophet O Lorde thy iudgementes are like a great deepe Who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde or who is of his counsell God knoweth his time He hath the key of Dauid hee openeth and no man shutteth he is the Father of lightes Wee are in his hande both we and al our counsels God graunt we may put off all fleshly affections and put on Iesus Christ and that all the earth may see his glory Nowe on the other side let vs consider howe mercifully God hath dealt with vs. Hee hath restored vnto vs the light of his Gospell and hath taught vs the secrets of his heauenly will We heare him talke with vs familiarly in the Scriptures as a father talketh with his child Thereby hee kindeleth our faith and strengtheneth our hope thereby our heartes receiue ioye and comfort We haue the holy ministration of the Sacraments we know the couenant of baptisme wee knowe the couenaunt and mysterie of the Lordes Supper Wee fall downe together and confesse our life before God
and I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto y e Lord. Call to minde how you haue gotten your goods how you haue vsed thē whether you haue delighted in thē or put any confidence in thē Call to minde how you haue taken care for your Children seruantes if by your good meanes they haue bene nourtered in the feare of y t Lord. In these such other parts of your lyfe lay open your sinnes let them come forth before you acknowledge thē against yourselfe vnto the Lord say boldly because you may saye it truelye I am an vnprofitable seruant I haue not done that which I ought to haue done there is no good thinge dwellinge in mee the Law in my members hath preuailed agaynste the Lawe of my minde It can not bee but God wyl cast his eyes vpon you and wyl heare you and wil pardon the wickednes of your sinnes What wanteth in you to the fulnesse of righteousnesse is already satisfied in the rigeteousnes of Christ God hath saide and sworne As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not y e death of the wicked but y t the wicked turne from his way liue And againe if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes y t he hath cōmitted al his transgressions y t he hath committed thei shal not be mētioned vnto him The Lord is ful of compassion mercy For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercie towared them that feare hym As far as the East is frō the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes frō vs. Christ himselfe saith God so loued the world y t he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And S. Paul god setteth out his loue toward vs seeing y t while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs much more thē being iustified by his blod we shalbe saued frō wrath through him Thus in time of sicknes are we put in minde to examine and view our sins to solace our selues in y t bloodshedding of Christ Farther he that is sicke is counsailed to call to minde what any man hath trespassed him to forgiue them because God is y e God of loue and if any man hate his brother hee abideth in death and we are commanded to saye forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs if we doe forgiue men theyr trespasses our heauenly father will also forgiue vs. But if we do not forgiue men theyr trespasses no more wil our heauenly father forgiue vs our trespasses That so all we which are redeemed with one price by the precious blood of the vnspotted lambe may ioyne together as partakers of one inheritance and the children of one father and so goe forewarde to one glorie by one way and become al one in Iesus Christ our Lorde In this case the good father calleth his sonne vnto him and exhorteth him in this manner My sonne harken vnto mee these be the last words which I shal speake vnto thee Thou seest in me the weakenes and decay of flesh thou shalt be as I am now One passeth before another the worlde and the beauty thereof fade away and come to an ende Trust not the worlde it wil deceiue thee walke aduisedly knowe y t thou shalt giue an accompt of thy doings For we must al appeare before y e iudgement seate of christ y t euery man may receaue the things which are done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it be good or euil Deceiue no man by wrongful dealing encrease not thy goodes by extortion nor by vsury he that giueth his money vnto vsurie shall not enter into the tabernacle of the Lorde Hee that taketh vsury of his neighbour killeth him without a sword The Lord wyll auenge it he wil not blesse yl gotten goods they cannot prosper they wyll neuer continue nor remayne vnto the third heire My sonne in all thy doings feare the Lord. If thou feare the Lord thou shalt prosper in the day of thine ende thou shalt bee blessed Medle not much with other mens busines least thou be entangled with controuersies abhorre the flanderer double tongued Let my doings which am thy father be euer before thyne eyes Those few goodes which I haue were truly gotten I haue not gathered them of the teares and heauines and vndoing or hindering of any Be faithfull to thy wife and besides her know none other Helpe thy neighbour accordinge to thy power and turne not thy face from the poore needie Be mercifull after thy power If thou hast much giue plentiously if thou hast licle do thy diligence gladly to giue of that litle Be not slowe to visit the sick whatsoeuer thou takest in hande remember the ende and thou shalt neuer do amisse As for me I haue passed the vanities and miseries of this world The Lorde hath giuen and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. He is the Lorde my God let hym doe with me as it seemeth good vnto hym I knowe that this shall hasten my saluatien And that Christ shalbe magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue neither am I afrayde to die for we haue a gracious Lord. I know that if my earthly house of this tabernacle bee destroyed I haue a building giuē of God that is an house not made with handes but eternal in y ◠heauens They that die in the Lord are blessed they shall rest from their labors Christ is vnto me both in lyfe and in death aduantage In such sort do the Godly prepare themselues to their iourney out of this life Then the Minister prayeth that he e may bee constant in this faith he strengtheneth him confirmeth him in it He exhorteth the sicke to commende him selfe vnto God he prayeth vnto God that he will giue his Angels charge ouer him to keepe him and defende hym that hee fall not into temptation He teacheth him to saye O lord in thee haue I trusted let mee neuer be confounded Come Lord Iesus come and take mee vnto thee Lord let thy seruant depart in peace thy kindome come I am thy sonne thine am I O saue me into thine hands O Lord I commende my spirite thou hast redeemed mee O Lorde God of trueth In this state he dyeth and hath his eyes alwayes fastened vpon God and so seeth how indeede the dead are blessed which dye in the Lord. Thus doth the Churche of God instruct all men to liue and to die and to bee in readinesse Thus ar the sicke amonge vs annointed with the inner in uisible oyle of y ◠mercie of God Thus are they put in minde to haue the oyle of faith and of a good conscience and that their lampes may euer be burning that so they may enter in with the
al other Sacramentes be the people hereby was taught to consider of other things When the people was strong with Serpentes in the wildernesse and were swollen and heaued vp and perished in the wildernesse without hope of cure Moses erected vp a brasen serpent vppon a pole the people beheld it their anguish abated their swelling slaked and they were healed Christ was this serpent he was lifted vpon the crosse who so trusteth in him shal neuer be ashamed In certaine of their sacrifices they had a Lambe they stickte him they killed him and made sacrifice of him this Lambe was Christ the Sonne of GOD he was killed stickt and made a sweete smelling Sacrifice for our sinnes Of him sayeth God himselfe This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased Of him saith Iohn Beholde the Lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the world Of him Saint Peter speaketh among men there is none other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we must be saued In his righteousnesse onely we are receyued as righteous his blood clenseth vs from all sinne there is no other sacrifice wherewith we may be reconciled to GOD our heauenly Father all these were Allegories that is to say certaine resemblaunces and significations of secrete matters That striking of the Rocke that feeding vppon Manna that lifting vp of the Serpent that killing of the Lambe were certayne mysticall kinds of speaking And let no man thinke these things are impertinent or frō the purpose they are incident vnto the matter and grow necessarily of the things we haue to speake of When Iosuah that noble and worthy Captayne by Gods speciall conducte had past thorow the water of Iorden and taken possession in the Lande of Canaan a Land flowing with mylke and hony there to plant the people of Israel according to the promises that GOD had made them the Citizens of Hiericho that stoode in the frontiers of the Countrey rampyred their wall and placed their artillerie and appoynted them selues to resist him and to withstand his force To assault this City Iosuah practised a straunge kynd of battery He commaunded that the Arke of Gods Maiesty shoulde be carried reuerently about the Walles seuen dayes together and that the whole hoste in armour shoulde goe before it that after them shoulde followe seuen Priestes with seuen Trumpets that all the rest of the people shoulde followe after the Arke and that thus they should doe euery day once The seuenth day he encreased their labour and bade them to goe about seuen times in like order The people within laughed them to scorne to see their folly At the seuenth and last turne Iosuah commaunded them all to make a showte Straight way after so long silence they lifted vp their voyces and showted with a greate showte so many hundred thousands of men women and children the Trumpets blewe in euery corner the whole Heauen and earth was ful of their noyse and the Wall fell downe flat Here let vs consider and glorifie the power of God there was neyther mine nor ramme nor other engine nor warlike force nor worldly pollicy practised onely at this roare and sounde of Trumpets and voyces of men the rampyers were broken the walles fell downe and sunke and were made euen with the grounde the Souldiers went ouer and slewe without mercy man woman and child and cattell and whatsoeuer creature they found before them they fired the citie and consumed it and burnt it to ashes Then Ioshua sware at that time saying Cursed be the man before the Lorde whosoeuer hence foorth shall take in hande to restore this City of Hiericho let him lay the foundation thereof in the death of his eldest sonne and in the death of his youngest childe let him close vp and finishe the gates let him neuer more reioyce in the fruite of his bodie but let him liue as a manne accursed in the middes of the people let his name and memorie and all his posterity perish with him this was the tenure of Ioshuas curse Sixe hundred yeeres after in the time of the wicked King Achab one Hiel hauing no regarde to this curse set vppon to restore Hiericho and it came to passe euen as it was foresaide by Ioshua Gods curse fell vppon him he buryed his eldest sonne bee huryed his youngest sonne hee was left without comforte euen as a man that the Lorde had cursed for Gods will was that Hiericho shoulde lye waste and desolate for euer as an euerlasting remembraunce of his wrath that all people should feare to withstand his wil. This is the plaine story onely according to the letter But as touching the Allegorie or the matter which therein lyeth couered it hath a farre deeper meaning This Hiericho whereof the story speaketh was a citie in Canaan in a lowe sowre barren ground in the middest of a rotten and pestilent water by reason whereof before the same water was cured by the Prophet Elizeus the men that dranke thereof died of sundry diseases the women also became vnfruitfull This citie withstoode the people of God and laboured to keepe them from their inheritaunce that God had giuen them That Hiericho of whiche we haue nowe to consider is a spirituall power of darknesse that resteth onely in flesh and in worldy promises that withstandeth Gods people and exalteth itselfe against God For euen in this life as there is a Ierusalem so is there a Hiericho as truth hath her house so is there also a house wherein falshoode and errour dwelleth As there is a glory of the light so is there a power of darkenesse This Hiericho of falsehood and darkenesse God ouerthroweth when it seemeth good in his sight with the breath of his mouth and with the blast of his holy woorde hee doeth ouerthrow it and whosoeuer wil seek to restore it shalbe accursed Three things therfore I haue thought good by Gods sufferance to treate of 1 First how high this Hiericho is built and how strongly it is fenced and yet how easily it is ouerthrowen 2 How vainely and how miserably they loose their labour that seeke by any meanes to restore it 3 What good remedies may be deuised that this Hiericho be not restored againe Whatsoeuer my simple learning or vtterāce shalbe yet I doubt not but the very bare consideration hereof of it selfe vnto the godly must needs be comfortable They that goe down to the sea in shippes and occupy by the great waters they see the works of the lord his wōders in the deep For God is maruelous in the surges and tempestes of the Sea he is marueilous in the firmament of Heauen but much more marueilous is he in the surges and stormy Tempestes of his Church Here may we beholde the worke of his hands This is y e shop of his power of his wisdome of his light and truth and righteousnesse and patience and mercy Here may we see the children of light and the children of darknesse the
vessels of honour and the vessels of shame the assaultes of falshood and the glory and victory of truth Here shall we see how God leadeth euen into Hell and yet bringeth safely backe how he killeth and yet reuiueth howe he refuseth the full and feedeth the hungrye howe he is the ruine of many and the resurrection of many Here may we see the wonderfull wayes and the vnsearcheable iudgments of GOD. It is a place full of terrour and a place full of all comfort In respect hereof the Prophete Dauid saith O Lorde our Lorde how wonderful is thy name in al the world Againe he saith One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I wil require that I may dwel in the house of the Lorde al the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lorde and to visit his Temple Hiericho was a mighty strong Towne wel manned well victualed well walled well fenced and in affiaunce thereof it withstood the whole power of Gods army Iosuah notwithstanding he had great force of armed men during the assaulte suffered no man to vse his weapon hee willed them all to walke quietly and silent without doyng violence his strength was not in the number and courage of men but onely in the Arke that is in the presence and power of God Thus it fareth oftentimes in spirituall warfares falsehood is armed truth goeth naked falsehood maketh outcries and trueth saith title falsehood is bold and truth is outfaced Blindenesse of it selfe naturally is hardy and ventrous and falsehoode is wyly and shifting When the high priestes captaines of the temple the elvers were come to lay handes on Christ he said vnto them This is your very houre and the power of darknesse Their hearts were darkened their eyes were blynded they saw not their wayes they knewe not their daungers they would not vnderstand they woulde not be taught malice and frowardnes had made them blinde therefore the feare of God was not before their eyes Herein stoode their power therfore they were bolde and sayde Let vs breake their bandes and cast their cordes from vs Therefore they sayde Wee will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. Therefore they sayde The word that thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lorde we will not heare it of thee Thus cryed they because of the blindnes which was in them and because of the folly of their hearts Yet is there no souldier so stoute in defence of Hiericho as hee that thinketh his cause is good and that his doing pleaseth God well and therefore is moued thereto in conscience None so desperate and wilfull for the falsehoode and darkenes of Hiericho as such who haue zeale without knowledge as are blinde and followe their blinde guides who when they slaunder or persecute or kill others for righteousnesse sake thinke they make a sacrifice vnto God and that GOD is highly pleased with their doing Such were they that cryed against Christ Crucifie him crucifie him he hath blasphemed Therefore Christe maketh his prayer for thē Father forgiue them for they know not what they do They know not me they knowe not whence I come nor who it is that sent me they take light for darkenesse and darknesse for light Therefore the wise man saith Leane not vnto thine own wisdom do not the thinges that seem right in thine own eies There is a way which seemeth right to a mā but the issues therof are the waies of death It seemeth Catholique it seemeth holy but the ende thereof leadeth to death S. Paule saith of the Jewes If they had known the wisdome of God they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory If their eyes had beene open to see him if their heart and vnderstanding had been open to know him they had not been guilty of innocent blood they woulde not haue betrayed the Lord of glorie But Hiericho is not onely thus fensed with blinde zeale and wilfull ignoraunce but also oftentimes hath helpe of mans strength and the fauour and succour of worldly power The Aegyptians had mighty Chariots straked and barred with yron in the strength whereof they put their trust The people of Babylon built themselues a Tower as high as the Heauens to shew forth their pryde and get themselues a name Hereof Dauid sayth The kinges of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord against his Christ He sayeth not the vulgar people or a sort of Raskals onely but Kinges and Princes and they which beare authoritye in the worlde assemble them selues against the Lord and in this power they thinke they are inuincible When Moses and Aaron did the message of God vnto Pharao saying Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israel Pharao sayd Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither wil I let Israel goe What is his power what hurt can he doe I knowe him not I care not for him Israel shall not depart my Countrey So said Nabuchodonosor who is that God that can deliuer you out of mine hands In like sort did Sennacherib king of the Assyriās vaunt himselfe in the pride of his strength and bidde defiance against the God of Israel Thus shal ye speake to Ezechiah king of Iuda and say Let not thy God deceiue thee in whom thou trustest saying Ierusalē shal not be deliuered into the hand of the King of Asshur Haue the gods of the heathen deliuered thē which my fathers haue destroied And euē so doeth Saint Iohn bewray the folly of Babylon She saith in her heart I sit being a Queene and am no widow and shall see no mourning In trust heereof they sayde sometymes and commāded the Apostles that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus They sayde We are the children of Abraham wee are the sonnes of the Prophetes They sayde we cannot erre for it is written The Priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and they shoulde seeke the Law at his mouth In trust hereof they saide Doeth any of the rulers or Pharisies beleue in him but this people which know not the law are cursed In trust hereof they haue sayde Let vs cut them out of the land of the liuing let the name of Israel he had no more in remembraunce this doctrine is schismaticall this Religion is new it hath no grounde it shall not preuayle it shall not stande Such courage haue the Citizens of this ignoraunt Hiericho taken in the strength ofmannes arme and in the helpe of worldely policy Then they fell to sworde and persequution and all kinde of tormentes and cruell death the people despayred the very electe beganne to faynte Saint Paule sayeth Wee are made a gasing stocke vnto the worlde and to the Angels and vnto men The Prophet Dauid prayeth vnto GOD against suche Arise O God mainteine thine
not according to this worde it is because there is no light in them Chrisostome saith Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo per Scripturas By no meanes may it by knowne whiche is the true Church of Christ but onely by the Scriptures Without them our faith is no faith without the helpe of them wee cannot knowe Christ from Antichriste wee cannot know the Church of Christ from the Sinagogue of Sathan Hereby let vs learne to knowe Hierusalem hereby let vs learne to knowe Hiericho Certainely if the woorde of GOD and the breathe of his mouthe bee not able to shewe this tradition and custome shall be much lesse able It is a good thinge to bee thankefull and to prayse the Name of the most high the seruants of God finde cause of thankfulnes in consideration of the great wonderful mercies continually powred vpō them Moses comanded Nisan to bee the firste moneth in the yeere because God had deliuered Israell from the hande of Pharao in that month In like sort Mardocheus the Iewe and Esther the Queene sent letters vnto al the Iewes that were through all the prouinces of the king Assuerus both nere farre enioying them that they shoulde kepe the fourteenth day of the month Adir with ioy and feasting for that vppon that daye God had deliuered them from the hande of Haman and that they woulde not fayle to obserue the fame euery yeare Upon this day euen vpon this day I say the xvii of this moneth God sent his handemaide and deliuered vs. Let vs be kinde and thankfull vnto God for so great blessing I say not let vs make it the first day of the yeere Yet this I say let vs haue it in remembrance let vs singe with the prophet When the Lord brought againe y e captiuitie of Sion we were like them that dreme thē was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy The Lord hath done great things for vs wherof we reioyce Let no man be offended herewith it is onely a remembrance of the mercy of God it behoueth vs to remember it it is good to speake of it For if we haue eyes to see and neglect not our owne saluation wee haue nowe much greater cause to reioyce then Dauid had because the things which are this daye restored vnto vs by the goodnesse of our God are farre greater and worthyer then those which Dauid and the people of Israell receiued in their deliuerance out of the capitiuitie of Babylon For by howe much the heauens are greater then the earthe and God is more excellent then a creature so much doeth the knowledge of God and his true worshippe passe all worldly blessinge and all other felicitie that can bee deuised vnder the Sunne For what knoweth hee which knoweth not God Or what worshippeth he whiche worshippeth not God Hee that worshippeth not God hath not the comforte of GOD but hee that hath God and knoweth God and serueth God hath a sure helpe and defence in all assayes Let vs therefore bee glad and reioyce let vs witnesse our ioye and singe vnto the Lorde a new songe Let vs kindle in our heartes the fire of the loue of God and of our neighbour and let the flame thereof breake out to the glory of God Let vs decke the Altars of our heartes with the florishing branches of vertue and good woorkes let vs sacrifice and kill our lustes and affections In this maner if wee shewe our thankefulnesse towardes GOD wee shall hinder the wicked purpose of thē that wish the restoring of Hiericho we shal see the lande of Gods promise and enter into his rest The fourth stay to hinder this buyldinge is discipline whiche is so needefull that neyther without it shall yee be able throughly to discomfort those that seeke to build vp Iericho againe nor your selues happely and prosperously to goe on forward in setting foorth the glory and maiestie of our God and to passe safely to the countrie promised It is as the sinewes of the church to strengthen it and to ioyne and knit the parts thereof together But because the time is passed and this matter weightie and worthy of larger discourse I wyll leaue it to your godly considerations and for some other time And thou O mercifull father rise vp we beseeche thee to iudge thine owne cause stablishe the thinge thou hast begonne in vs guide our feete in the way of peace giue force vnto thy worde blesse thine inheritance blow downe the walles of Hiericho so shal Hierusalem prospet and her walles be made strong so shall the daye starre lighten our hartes so shall Israel reioyce and all the people truly know thee and prayse thy name for euer Amen Aggaeus 1. Thus speaketh the Lord of hostes saying This people say The time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded Then came the word of the Lord by the ministery of the prophet Hagge saying Is it time for your selues to dwell in your seiled houses and this house lie waste THese words be written in the first Chapter of the Prophet Aggaeus For better vnderstandyng wherof I must call to your remembrance the storie of that time vpon occasion wherof these words were spoken Almighty God beinge for many and sundrye causes highly displeased with his people the Iewes after he had chastened thē many wayes and sawe none amendement at the laste gaue them ouer into the handes of their enemies and suffered both the kinge and all the people of the countrie to be carryed away prisoners into Babylon where they continued in miserie the space of seuentie yeeres In the meane season their countrey partly lay waste and grewe full of wylde beastes partly was inhabited by foreyners the temple that Salomon had built them the stateliest richest work of the whole world was burnt to the grounde and all the ornaments therof rauened vp and caried into Babylon After fiftie yeres king Cyrus shewed fauour towardes his people did lycence them to depart home agayne But as they were aboute the building vpon occasion of cōplaint of their enemies the whole worke was stayed At y ◠length after 70. yeeres God remembred his promise and mercy and stirred vp the heart of king Darius king of Persia who had then conquered the Chaldees to lycence the Iewes to depart home agayne into their countrie and to reedifie theyr Citie and Temple This king Darius as the Rabbines or Doctors of the Iewes and most parte of learned men coniecture was sonne vnto the king Assuerus begotten of the good Ladie Queene Hester which Ladie Hester he maried after he had imbased diuorced from hym the prowd and stubborne Queene Vasthi This was Gods marueylous prouidence by that meanes twice to deliuer his people Fyrst by the good Lady Hester from the tyranny of Hamā as it appeareth by the storye and after by her child Darius cleerely to delyuer them and
and the like murtherers But the Godly when they see any disorder they doe nothing like the other they mourne in their heartes to see that the trueth is not rereyued and to see the mindes of their brethren so obstinately hardened they make prayer to God for them they are deepely touched with the feeling of suche calamittes whiche GOD layeth vppon other The zeale of Moses coulde not like the Idolatrie of the people yet hee went vnto the Lorde againe and sayde Nowe if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilte not I praye thee rase mee out of thy Booke which thou hast written Christ lamented ouer Hierusalem O Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophetes stonest them which are sent to thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickins vnder her wings ye would not Beholde your habitation shall be left vnto you desolate Paul suffered much at the haudes of the wicked Iewes They troubled y e church of god they hindred y e course of the gospell they were enemyes of the Crosse of Christ they were Dogges they were conâ—â—sion Yet he sayeth I haue great heauenes continual sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to be separated froÌ„ Christ for my brethren are my kinsmen accordinge to the flesh which are the Isralites Dauid saith Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy Lawe And agayne My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enimies haue forgotteÌ„ thy words Againe I saw the transgressours and was greued because thei kept not thy word And when hee saw the whole nation of Israel wasted by the enimies how mournfull a complaint made he to god O god the heathen ax come into thine inheritance thine holye temple haue they defiled made HierusaleÌ„ heaps of stones The dead bodies of thy seruants haue they giuen to be meat vnto the foules of the heauen the flesh of thy saints vnto the beasts of the earth At this time whâ— the tabernacle was lost wheÌ„ Saul was vnquiet and the Priestes were sâ—ayne and the Prophets despised and the people lef without al comfort hee powreth out his heare in these wordes Zelus domus tuae comedit me O Lorde the zeale I beare vnto thine house hath eaten me vp It inflameth my heart drieth my blood consumeth my marowe Such a care had bee for the house of God it was death vnto him to see it so destroyed and layde wast So Christ when he sawe the temple of God fowly and vnseemely abused that they made the holy place a place for their vnlawfull and vnhanest game by vsurie that they turned Religion into robberie solde oxen sheepe and doues and keept their bankes for exchaunge in the temple when the Priestes and Leuites whiche shoulde serue God were become marchantes and serued them selues when the temple or house of God which Dauid purposed and Salomon finished and Ezechias and Esras and other Godly Princes preserued in whiche was kept the booke of the Law whether al the people assembled together to serue God was not vsed lyke gods house but like a common faire or market and was made a denne of theiues When these grosse abuses were suffered and things were let runne to such extremities and al this vnder pretence of holines as if it were not onely lawfull but needes it must be so moued with zeale hee coulde not abide it He made a scourge of smal cordes droue them all out of the temple and poured out the changers mony and ouerthrew the tables saide make not my fathers house a house of marchaÌ„dise And his disciples remembred that it was writteÌ„ the zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp This was no frantique or melancholy passion neither in Moses nor in Dauid nor in Christ Moses was a very meeke maÌ„ aboue al that were on the earth Dauid was a man that heareth not and in whose mouthe are no reproofes And Christ sayde learne of me for I am humble and meeke When his disciples Iames Iohn grewe wrothfull against the Samaritanes that would not receiue hym and sayde Lord wylte thou that wee commaunde that fire come downe from heauen consume them euen as Elias did He turned about and rebuked them saide yee know not of what spyrite you are Yet through zeale for Gods house Christ whypped out the buiers and sellers Dauid shed foorth teares abundantly and Moses dashte in peeces the tables of Gods commandements Al men ought to bee pacient gentle in matters appertayninge to them selues but in Gods cause no man must yeelde or bee patient In our dayes vppon whom the ende of the worlde is come when wee did lately see those times wher of our sauiour foretolde so longe sâ—theuce that desolatioÌ„ should be in the holy place and such confusion ignorance and blindenes that men shoulde stomble at noone dayes that truth should be a stranger vpon earth that men should forsake wholsome doctrine and giue eare vnto fables that the mysterie of iniquitie should work and the very elect if it were possible bee deceiued what trial was made of true godlye zeale How notably did it shew it selfe agaynst the rage and furie of the wicked What should I speake hereof The exaÌ„ples are fresh you can not forget them you hearde of them so late it is so late since you did beholde them What moued so many so learned so vertuous to yeelde their backes to the scourge their neckes to the tormentours their bodies to the fire to forsake their goodes their friends their parentes their wiues and childreÌ„ but the zeale of Gods house Neither death nor life nor Angels nor thinges present nor things to come was able to separate them from the loue of God They continued stedfast vnto the ende the zeale of Gods house dyd eate them vp But now God hath restored vs he hath taken away the desolation from vs hee hath giuen vs his trueth he hath reuealed the man of sinne he hath raysed vp a banner of hope We se and enioye such thinges as many kings and Prophets would haue eniayed and could not What remayneth but that we take the zeale of the Lords house into our heartes and seeke by all meanes the glory of the same As our good fathers and brethren shewed the vehemencie of their loue in disly king the disorders which troubled y e church of God so in this blessed peace which God giueth to his Church let vs witnesse our earneste zeale in seeking that it may be made beautifull and established for euer Let our next care be to continue possession Kingdomes are preserued by the same meanes by which they were first gotten That which is conquered by zeale by carefull zeale must bee kept It was saide of Annibal that he knew how to get the victorie but howe to vse it bee knew not Many haue lost that by negligence which they had by diligence
dissention betweene two brothers brought all Graecia Asia al y e Easte parts of Christendome into the possession of the Turke But what needeth vs to goe to Hierusalem or to Turkie for examples This kingdome of ours the mightiest y e noblest the richest y e blessedest lande that is or euer was vnder heauen coulde neuer yet be conquered by any enemie but onely at such time as the people were at variaÌ„ce within theÌ„mselues TheÌ„ was Iulius Caesar with a smal number then were the English Saxons then were the Danes then was y e Duke of Normandie able to ouerrunne vs and to possesse our countrie Therefore the prince that desireth to be a conquerour laboureth not so muche to furnishe his owne men and to make himselfe strong as to set discord among his enemies For that is a manifest token of their vndoing that Gods vengeance is at hand And for that cause Herodian an old writer pronounceth y â— as much as warre is worse then peace so much is ciuill sedition worse then warre And Titus Liuius in his storie saieth haec res sola facit vt magna imperia sint mortalia DissensioÌ„ only saith he causeth that great Empires can not continue but haue an end For if the one part conquere and haue the victory it is euen as if a man with his right hand would maime himselfe and chop off the left This example Christ vseth to confound the malice of the Pharisies The secoÌ„d reason is this If I cast out deuils by the power of Beelzebub by what power doe your children my disciples Iohn Iames Peter Andrew the rest cast them out They graunted that Christes disciples wrought miracles onely by the name of God And yet that they allowed in the scholers euen of malice hatred and contrarie to their conscience they repoued and blasphemed in y e master Hereof Christ concludeth if I cast out deuils in the power of god then doubtlesse the kingdome of God is among you your own childreÌ„ shalbe iudges ouer you Now to applie these wordes vnto this our present time wherein vnder a most godly and gracious prince the trueth of Christes Gospell is freely preached Gods holy name therfore be praysed for euer As Moses in his time was counted a sorcerrer as the Jewes were called despisers of al religion seditious and heady agaynst their Princes as the Apostles were counted dronken and full of new wine as al Christians were called idolaters worshippers of Bacchus Ceres murtherers incestious adulterers as S. Paul for his preaching was iudged a Rebel and al Christians were taken for enemies of all common estates euen so in these latter daies all these or other y â— like crimes haue bene laid to y â— preachers professors of Christes Gospel y â— thei haue bene godlesse seditious rebelles despisers of good orders incestious adulterers masters of al sinne and wickednesse But this is our comfort that nothing can be deuised to be spokeÌ„ against vs but y â— same aforetime hath bene deuised spoken against Christ hymselfe For he himself was called a Samaritan a coÌ„panion of publicans harlotes a glucton a lyar a blasphemer a subuerter of y â— whole nation a seducer of the people a rebell against Caesar a sorcerer a worker by the deuill and a breaker of the Sabboth day We are set vp saith Paul as a marke for meÌ„ to speake against whatsoeuer be spoken of vs be it neuer so vntrue or vnlikely yet are there some that wyll beleeue it Yea such thinges as woulde not bee beleeued spoken of a theefe or a murtherer wyl soone be beleeued of hym that professeth the name and Gospell of Jesus Christ Woe is mee my mother sayth Ierimy that thou hast borne me a contentious maÌ„ a man that striueth with y e whole earth I haue neither lent on vsury nor men haue leÌ„t vnto me on vsurie yet euery one doth curse mee The vntrue report of these things caused such extremitie as this day you may heare of in other countries and some times haue seene presently before your eyes Princes noble men hated the doctrine of the Gospel before they knew it They hated it and thought ill of it not of malice nor against their conscience nor against y e testimony of the holye ghost but only of ignorance because they lacked instruction They had a zeale a feeling of god but not according to knowledge And therefore doinge as they did they thought they dyd God high seruice This curtesie had christ our sauieur shewed him when he was in the worlde The same curtesie must they looke for that wil become christs disciples They sayd of Christ that whatsoeuer he did he did it in the name of Beelzebub y e chief of the deuils Euen so whereas it hath pleased almightie God to blesse vs with the true Preachinge and light of his holy Gospell yet there are some that condemne it and call it heresie beare the people in hand that all this doctrine is nothing els but a renuing of old heresies It is a greeuous matter for a Christian man iustly to be accused of heresie For whosoeuer is an heretique is an enemie of god and a waster and destroyer of all true Religion And therefore vnlesse the crime bee marueilous euident he doeth great wrong that calleth any man heretique and though a man be falsely charged yet may he not dissemble it Ruffinus would say that maÌ„ were not a Christian whosoeuer would abide to be called an heretique All other iniuries may be borne withall but this is suche and so hainous a crime that vnlesse it be manifestly euident no man may suffer to be so iudged and it should not be beleeued when it is layde to the charge of any Christians Wherefore for as much as the cause is gods and pertaineth to the conscience of a great many let it be as lawfull for the poore man that is vniustly hurt to make his salue as others think it lawfull for them to giue the wound Christ our Sauiour when he was thus charged made answer Si ego in Beelzebub eiicio daemonia filii vestri in quo eâ—iciunt If I through Beelzebub cast out deuils by whoÌ„ doe your children cast theÌ„ out So may we say to such as this daye bee aduersaries to this cause and speake agaynst vs. If we be heretikes that teach this doctrine what are the ancient Fathers the Doctours and the Apostles that haue taught the same If they were Catholiques and haue bene euermore so taken writinge as they dyd howe is it that onely wee are not Catholiques writing saying as they did they shal iudge on our side against you And would God in y â— greatest specialest poynts of our controuersies all parts would be contented to stand to their iudgment so should al contention be soone at anend For I call Heauen and Earth to witnesse and speake it before God and his holy Angels and before the consciences
and shee shall call his name Emanuell In him shall all Israel bee saued hee is the light to lighten the Gentiles his name shall be called wonderfull counseller the mightie God the euerlasting father the Prince of peace in him shal al the endes of the worlde bee blessed This light they behelde when it was not cleerely opened vnto them they did see it comming and reioyced in it they were vnder a Schoolemaister and had not the perfect knowledge of this light But nowe God hath scattered all these Cloudes and wee beholde as in a mirrour the glorye of the Lorde with open face Our elder Fathers in the olde Testament had onely a dimme candle to guide their Feete we haue the bright Sunne beames They had onelye the greene blade of the Corne wee haue the plentifull encrease euen as in the time of haruest they had the shadowe we haue the light they had onely a droppe to refreshe themselues wee haue the whole streame of Gods mercie powred out vppon vs. Nowe hath God remembred his holie couenaunt and the othe whiche hee sware to our father Abraham nowe the woorde was made fleshe and dwelt with vs. The day starre is sprong vp in our heartes the Spirite of God hath filled the whole world the earth is full of his glorye The Idols of the Heathen are fallen and are put to silence their greatest mysteries appeare to bee follies and are laught to scorne the children make games of them in their streetes Sathan the Prince of this worlde which is the accuser of our brethren is now cast foorth Nowe is it knowen that saluation and power and glory belongeth to our God Hee hath raysed his Christe and hath established his kingdome the kings and nations of the worlde shall walke in his light and his light shall not bee put out and his kingdome shall haue no ende Nowe is that newe Hierusalem the glorious Citie of our God reuealed from on high nowe hath God made the Heauens newe and a newe earth and hath fixed his Tabernacle and dwelling place among men The fulnesse of time is come the sounde of the Apostles is gone through all the earth the Sunne of righteousnesse hath appeared he is the light and comfort of the whole worlde This is the gracious yeere of mercye this is the daye whiche the Lorde hath made Nowe is the mercy of the Lorde shewed more and more towardes vs and his trueth endureth for euer When Balaam the false Prophete beholde the glorye of this time hee brake out and sayde Who shall liue when GOD doeth this Who shall liue and see and enioy these thinges Awake therefore or arise from sleepe the time so requireth For nowe is our Saluation neerer then when we beleeued it Of those few words haue growen diuers senses al good and godly yet in my iudgement the simplest and playnest sense is this When we were heathen and sate in darknesse we thought we did well and that wee shoulde be saued in that way in whiche wee walked and that there was no hope of saluation but onelie in that and wee had a great liking in our doinges This is the vanitie and miserie of man oftetimes where he thinketh himselfe most sure he is deepely deceyued The Turks the Iewes at this day others the enemies of the crosse of Christ thinke there is no other true religion but theirs in y t they are woonderfull zealous and stande in it vnto death no perswasion nor force can remooue them When the people of Ephesus heard of the preaching of Paul they raysed vproare and filled the Citie full of tumult they caught Gaius and Aristarchus men of Macedonia and Pauls companions in his iourney and woulde haue slayne them they made an outcrie saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians she is a goddesse she hath made Heauen and Earth we haue put our trust in her we will call vpon her and she will heare vs. Christ she weth his Disciples The brother shal betray the brother to death the father the sonne the childrē shal rise against their parents and shall cause them to die and ye shal be hated of al men for my Name For zeale to their GOD the Priestes of Baal cut themselues with kniues and launcers Through zeale manie fathers slewe their owne children and burnte them quicke in fire in the honour of the Idol Moloch Circumcelliones which were a sorte of Heretikes sprong out of the Donatistes about 420. yeeres after Christ through zeale murthered one another they threwe them selues downe from high rockes and destroyed them selues and thought that the onely way to please God so hot and feruent was their deuotion The children of light haue seldome suffered more or more willingly or with more affiance then the children of darkenesse so striued they for God but against God and abused his name agaynst him selfe and wittingly and willingly went downe to Hell They haue great zeale and earnest desire of the glorye of GOD but not according to knowledge They contented them selues with that they had receiued of their Fathers would seeke no further they thought they did serue GOD but they blasphemed the Name of the Sonne of GOD. In suche sorte did God suffer them to walke in the blindenesse of their heart In the latter day many shall say vnto Christ Lorde Lorde haue wee not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Diuels by thy Name done many greate workes Wee haue prayed and giuen almes for thy sake was it not done of zeale deuotion towardes thee So well shall they be perswaded of their doinges they shall presse boldely to the throne of Gods Maiesty and require their meede But Christ shall aunsweare them I neuer knewe you you serued your fancie you serued not mee your almes and miracles and your prayers shall condemne you Therfore Christe sayde to the Woman of Samaria Yee worshippe that which you knowe not You are ledde with a zeale and followe your Fathers but are deceiued Euen so hee prayed his father for them that crucified him and stood by and reuiled him O Father thou art full of mercie forgiue them they are moued of zeale and thinke they please thee they knowe not what they doe they knowe not thee nor mee thy Sonne whom thou hast sent Saint Hierome saith Nomine vnitatis fidei infidelitas scriptae est Infidelitie hath bin written vnder the name of faith and vnitie For herein they thought them selues good and holie and Catholike if they departed not from the vnitie of the world Therfore they followed the generall consent of others they thought them selues saieth hee the true Church and seemed to follow vnitie though in deede they fell to infidelitie Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne whatsoeuer it be be it neuer so holy neuer so glorious it is sinne it displeaseth God the ende thereof is destruction Therefore Christ sayeth I am the light of the worlde hee
wee pray together and vnderstande what we pray This was the order of the Primitiue Churche this was the order of the Apostles of Christe If wee compare this with the former wee shall soone see the difference betweene light and darknesse The kingdome of God nowe suffereth violence The sounde of the Gospell hath gone ouer all the worlde and the whole worlde is awaked therewith and draweth to it The sunne is risen the day is open God hath made his kingdome woonderfull among vs. It is nowe time nowe is it time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe for nowe is our saluation neere Nowe it is in our mouth wee can speake of it GOD graunt it may bee neerer vs euen in our heartes The night is past GOD graunt it be past for euer that we be neuer againe throwen into the darkenesse of death that the worde of life the trueth of Christ be neuer againe taken from vs. And it shall neuer be taken away if wee bee thankefull Unkindenesse can neuer scape vnplagued Let vs wake let vs wake our sleepe is deadly Let vs pray to GOD to awake vs hee is able to rayse the dead Our Sauiour saith The houre shall come when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God and they that heare it shall liue Lazarus was dead yet hee hearde the voyce of Christe and rose vp agayne and came abroade Let vs put on Iesus Christ let it appeare vpon vs that we weare him let vs not be ashamed of his Gospell it is the power of God to saluation If we be ashamed of him and of his wordes hee will be also ashamed of vs when he commeth in the glorie of his father with the holy Angels Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse and all doctrines of superstition and ignorance Let vs beholde the troubles and miseries of other countries Heauen and earth our brethren the care of our saluation the Sonne of God himselfe put vs in minde that it is nowe time Whiles we haue time let vs doe good let vs seeke God whiles hee may bee founde The Lorde wayteth when hee may shewe his mercies Let vs turne vnto him with an vpright heart So shall he turne to vs so shal we walke as the children of light so shall wee shine as the sunne in the kingdome of our Father so shall God bee our God and will abide with vs for euer And thou O most mercifull Father wee beseeche thee for thy mercie sake continue thy grace and fauour towardes vs let the sunne of thy Gospell neuer goe downe out of our heartes let thy trueth abide and be stablished among vs for euer Helpe our vnbeliefe encreace our faith giue vs heartes to consider the time of our visitation Apparrell vs throughly with Christ that hee may liue in vs and so thy Name may bee glorified in vs in the sight of al the world Amen FINIS ¶ Ornatissimo viro Thomae Randolpho armigero serenissimo ad Scotos Legato integerrimo QVis te iunxit amor docto Randolphe Iuello Oxonia exilium musa laborque notant Et quod ad exequias defuncti ducere plectrum Triste Buchananos Patritiosque facis Quis tibi gratus erit pro tali munere certè Auctior hoc studio gratia facta tua est Nec nihil ex illo referes Sacra signa redemptor Essent vt fidei tessera fida dedit Haec tuus exposuit sanctè tibi dedico ne sit Tam rarae fidei tessera nulla piae Tuae dignitatis studiosus Iohan. Garbrandus ⧠A treatise of the Sacraments gathered out of certaine Sermons which the Reuerend Father in God Bishop Iewel preached at Salisburie I Haue opened vnto you y â— contents of the Lordes prayer shewed you vpon whom wee ought to call what to aske and y â— articles of our ChristiaÌ„ faith in God y e father y â— sonn the holy Ghost of y e church of remission of sins of the resurrection of life euerlasting c. And I haue opened vnto you the ten commandements in them what our duetie is towards God towards our Prince and magistrates towards our pareÌ„ts towards our neighbour towards our selues Al this haue I done simply plainly without al shewe of learning that it might the better sinke into our heartes Nowe I thinke good to speake of the Sacraments of the Church that al you may know what they are because you are all partakers of the holy sacraments Christ hath ordeined them that by them hee might set before our eyes the mysteries of our saluation and might more strongly confirme the faith which wee haue in his blood might seale his grace in our hearts As Princes seales confirme and warrant their deedes and charâ—ers so doe the Sacramentes witnesse vnto our conscience that Gods promises are true and shall continue for euer Thus doeth God make knowen his secret purpose to his Church first he declareth his mercie by his worde then he sealeth it and assureth it by his sacraments In the word we haue his promises in the sacraments we see them It woulde require a long time if I should vtter that might be saide in this matter especially in laying open such errours and abuses as haue crept into the Church But I wil haue regard to this place and so frame my speech that the meanest simplest may reape profite thereby That you may the better remember it I wil keepe this order I wil shewe you what a Sacrament is Secondly who hath ordained them thirdly wherfore they were ordained and what they worke in vs fourthly how many there are and then I will briefly speake of euery of them A Sacrament is an outwarde and visible signe whereby GOD sealeth vp his grace in our heartes to the confirmation of our Faith Saint Augustine saith Sacramentum est inuisibilis gratiae visibile signum A SacrameÌ„t is a visible signe of grace inuisible And y t wee may the better vnderstand him hee telleth vs what thing we should call a signe A signe is a thing that besides the sight itself which it offreth to the seÌ„ses causeth of itself some other certaine thing to come to knowledge In Baptisme the water is the signe and the thing signified is the grace of God Wee see the water but the grace of God is inuisible we cannot see it Moreouer he saith Signa cum ad res diuinas adhibentur Sacramenta vocantur Signes wheÌ„ thei be applied to godly things be called sacramentes The signification and substance of the sacrament is to shew vs how we are washed with the passion of Christ and how we are fedde with the body of Christ And againe If Sacraments had not a certain likenes and representatioÌ„ of the things wherof they be sacraments then indeed they were no sacrameÌ„ts And because of this likenesse whiche they haue with the things they represent they be ofttimes termed by the names of the things themselues Therefore after a
of our heart And as S. Basil Est spirituale os interioris hominis quo nutritur recipiēs verbū vitae quod verbū est panis qui descēdit de coelo There is a spiritual mouth of y ◠inner mā by which he is nourished by receiuing Christ y ◠word of life whiche is the bread that came frō heauē In this mystery of y ◠death of Christ his death passion is renewed to our remēbrance We are so moued to sorow for our sins which haue bin cause of his death to be thākful for y e great mercy of God whiche by this meanes wrought our redēption as if we did see him presēt before our faces hanging vpō y e crosse We know y ◠Christ hath left his sacraments to his Church that they might be helpes to lift vs vp into heauē By them we are ioyned with Christ and made partakers of his passion Next let vs consider how and after what sort we eat the body of Christ in the sacrament And here I beseech you that you may take the cōfort of the body blood of Christ to giue good eare For of mistaking this mystery grewe the first error in the Church When y ◠disciples of Christ heard Christ speake of this matter and vnderstood him not they were offended and shrounke backe and departed If we take the wordes of Christ in such meaning as they did wee shalbee deceiued and offended as they were This it is then which wee haue to consider whether the bodie of Christ goe into our mouth and our bodies as other meates or whether it be receiued spiritually as a spirituall meate and so passe into and nourishe our soule Hereof somewhat was sayde before by the way and shortly But for cleerer vnderstanding of the same we haue to weigh and declare that the eating of the body of Christ is not grosse or corporall but ghostly and spirituall as a peculiar worke of the minde The trueth hereof is founded in our Creede and is an article of our Christian faith Wee beleeue that Christ did rise againe from the dead and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God in glorie So saith Saint Paule If yee then be risen with Christe seeke those thinges whiche are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hād of god And again Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we also looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ Christ himselfe saith to his disciples It is expediēt for you that I goe away And The poore alwaies ye haue with you but me yee shall not haue alwayes So S. Peter saith Whom the heauen must conteine vntil the time that al thinges be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of al his holy prophets since the world began Whiche speeches haue occasioned the olde auncient learned Fathers to teache the people after this sort touching the body of Christ Vigilius a godlie Bishop and Martyr saith Caro Christi cū esset in terra nō erat in coelo nunc quia est in coelo non est vtique in terra The flesh of Christ when it was in earth was not in heauen and nowe because it is in Heauen doubtlesse it is not in earth Ambrose saith Seeke the things that be aboue and not the things that be vpō earth Therfore we must seeke thee neither vpō the earth nor in the earth nor according to the flesh if we list to finde thee S. August saith According to the flesh that the word receiued according to that he was borne of the Virgin according to that he was takē of the Iewes according to that he was nayled to the crosse according to that he was taken downe and lapt in a shrowde and layde in the graue and rose againe and shewed himselfe in this respect it is true that hee sayde Yee shall not euermore haue mee with you And againe hee saith Donec saeculum finiatur sursum est Dominus c. Vntill the world be ended the Lorde is aboue yet notwithstāding euen here is the truth of y e Lord. For the body wherin he rose againe must needs be in one place So Cirillus sayd Christus non poterat in carne versari cum Apostolis postquam ascēdisset ad patrē Christ could not be conuersant together with his Disciples in his flesh after he had ascended vnto his father It would bee tedious to alleadge all y t might be saide to like purpose Thus Christe and Paul Peter thus Vigilius Ambrose Augustine Cirill and al the olde Catholique fathers say and wee are taught to beleeue that Christ is not corporally in the churche but is ascended into Heauen and that hee hath giuen to his bodie immortalitie but hath not taken from the same the nature of a bodie Vigilius hauing cause to prooue this same article against Eutiches shutteth vp the matter thus Haec est fides professio catholica quam Apostolitradiderunt martyres roborauerunt fideles huc vsque custodiunt This is the Catholique faith profession which the Apostles haue deliuered the martirs haue confirmed and the faithful hitherto doe continue The body then which we eate is in Heauen aboue all Angels and Archangels and powers and principalities Our meate is in Heauen on high and we are heere belowe on the earth Howe may it be that we may reach it or taste or eate it Heere let vs imagine that there are two men in euery man and that euerie man is fleshe and spirite bodie and soule This man thus doubled must bee furnished with double senses bodily to serue the bodye and spirituall to serue the soule Hee muste haue eyes of the bodie and eyes of the soule eares of the bodye and eares of the soule Spirituall senses ars quicke sharpe and liuely They pearce anye thing bee it neuer so thicke they reache anye thing bee it neuer so farre off Christ saieth of Abraham Abraham reioyced to see my daye hee sawe it and was gladde Hee sawe it not with his bodylie eyes but with the inner eyes of the soule When we speake of the mysterie of Christe and of eating his bodie wee must shut vp and abandon all our bodily senses And as wee cannot say that wee see him with our bodily eyes or heare him with our bodilye eares or touche him with bodily feeling so likewise can we not and therefore may wee not saye wee taste him or eate him with our badylie mouth In this woorke wee must open all the inner and spirituall senses of our soule so shall wee not onely see his bodye but heare him and feele him and taste him and eate him This is the mouth and the feeling of faith By the hande of faith we reache vnto him and by the mouth of Faith we receiue his body Touching the eating of Christes bodye S. August taught the people on this wise Crede manducasti Credere in Christum hoc
crucified and his blood shed for the remission of sinnes that if wee beleeue in Christ wee are through the promise of GOD so certainely nourished in our soules to euerlasting life by the passiō of Christ Iesus our Sauiour as our bodies are truely nourished w t the creaturs of bread wine Thus Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel and instructed according to the perfect maner of the law of the fathers Thus Timothie was brought vp to knowe the holy Scripturs of a childe How are we become so superstitious Why haue we bene so delited in darkenes why is it so harde a matter to remoue vs from the errours wherein wee haue liued Why had wee rather fal downe before dombe things and worship them continue still in ignorance rather then harken vnto the worde of God Why haue we plaied y t parte of the Iewes cried Crucifige vpon our deare frendes and kinsmen vpon those whome we coulde not iustly accuse of any crime who offended vs no wayes but in that they did poynt vs to Christ and called vs to seek saluation onely in him Hereof there cannot any better cause be yeelded then this that wee were ignorantly bred vp without knowledge of God without vnderstanding of his worde The wise man saith Teach a childe the trade of his way and when he is olde hee shal not depart from it And againe Who so awaketh vnto wisedome betimes shall haue no great trauel for he shal find her sittīg at his dores Therefore wicked rulers as Iulianus Licinius Maximinus and such others haue forbiddē that children should be brought vp in the knowledge of God They taught them to blaspheme Christ and holy men and to speake yll of them before they knewe them But let vs looke vpon our children as vpon the great blessings of god They are the Lords vessels ordained to honour let vs keepe thē cleane they are christs lambes and sheepe of his flocke let vs leade them foorth into wholsome pasture They are the seede plot of heauen let vs water them that god may giue the encrease their angels behold y e face of God let vs not offende them they are the temples tabernacles of the holy ghost let vs not suffer y e foule spirit to possesse thē dwell within them God saith your children are my childrē They are the sonnes of God They are borne a new are wel shapen in beautiful proportiō make thē not mōsters He is a mōster whosoeuer knoweth not God By you they are borne into the world be careful also that by your meanes they may be begotten vnto God you are careful to traine thē in nourture and comely behauiour of the bodye seeke also to fashiō their mindes vnto godlines You haue brought them to the fountaine of baptisme to receiue the marke of Christ bring them vp in knowledge watch ouer them that they be not lost So shal they be confirmed and wyll keepe the promise they haue made wil growe vnto perfite age in Christ Of mariage I shall neede say y e lesse the matter is so knowne cōmon This felowship was first ordeined by God himselfe in paradise God himself said It is not good that man shoulde be himselfe alone I wil make him an helper meete for him God which fashioned man and breathed in him the breath of life knoweth his very heart raines said it is not good it is not fit that man should be hymselfe alone Although man were in Paradise although he were in the perfection of vertue yet saith God he hath neede of a helper Christ disdayned not to be at a mariage he honoured it both by his presence by y e working of a miracle S. Paul saith Mariage is honorable in al men the bed vndefiled In al men sayth hee in the Patriarkes in the Prophets in the Apostles in Martyrs in Byshops That al the Apostles S. Iohn onely excepted were maried appeareth by Ignatius Clemens Eusebius Spiridiō was a maried Bishop yet he was therby nothing hindred nether to discharge his dutie nor to any other godly purpose Tertullian was a Priest and married as appeareth by his owne Booke written to his wyfe Gregorie S. Basils brother was Bishop of Nyssa yet married Another Gregorie was Byshop of Nazianzū yet maried neuertheles a faithful seruāt steward of y e mysteries of God Hilarie was Bishop of Poitiers yet married All these were holy and Godly and chaste in bedy and in spirit and yet were married Gregorie Nazianzene saith Mariage is worthy of praise for y e quietnes and contentation that is in it And Clemens Alexandrinus saith As well mariage as also chastity haue their peculier offices pertaining to God Chrysost saith marriage is voide of fault and is no hindrance to vertue Againe So precious a thing is matrimonie that with the same thou maiest be promoted euen to a Bishops chaire What are they then that call mariage vncleanes filthines a worke of the flesh that say it defileth a man therefore Gods ministers may not be maried How can they thus speake that haue any knowledge of y t which God hath spoken May we not worthily say vnto such despisers of lawfull matrimonie y t which S. Bernard in like case said Fingunt se amore castitatis ista dicere cum ea magis causa turpitudinis fouendae multiplicandae adinuenerint They Beare vs in hande that they speake these things for loue of chastitie where as in deede they haue deuised the same to the ende to nourish to increse their filthines Or as Augustine sometime said to y e Manichees Non cōcubitum sed vt ab Apostolo longe antè dictum est vere nuptias prohibetis Ye forbid not copulatiō but as it was lōg ago forespoken by the Apostle in deede yee forbid verye marriage If you marke these fewe wordes which I deliuered it wyll easely appeare how reuerent an accompte is to bee made of that state of lyfe For if you regarde the necessitie thereof God founde it good to giue man a wyfe if the antiquitie it was ordained in the beginning of the worlde if the place in Paradise if the time in the innocencie of man If you regarde any thing the rather because of him that ordeined it God was the authour of marriage euen God which made heauen and earth and which is the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ If you seeke the allowance Christe approued it by his birth in marriage and by his presence at marriage if the dignitie it is honourable if among whome in all men of all estates of all callinges in Prince in subiect in minister in Priest and in people It is honourable in Prophetes honourable in Apostles in Martirs in Bishops Marriage is honourable in all men but whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge Their portion shalbe with the infidels they shal bee cast into vtter
heauen before men for ye your selues go not in nether suffer ye theÌ„ that would enter to come in Of these and against them God speaketh by the Prophet Ieremie Wo be vnto the pastors that destroy scatter the sheepe of my pasture And by the Prophete Zacharie O Idol-shepherd that leaueth the flocke Thou hast eares and hearest not thou hast eyes and seest not thou hast a tongue and speakest not and a heart but vnderstandest not thou art an idole Christ sayde to thee feede my lambes feede my sheepe but thou carest not for them Thou hast the roume of an Euangelist and Pastour and Teacher but thou gatherest not the saintes together thou doest not the worke of the ministerie thou buildest not vp the bodie of Christe They shall perish in their wickednesse but their blood wyll I require at thy handes Here note this ministerie of the Churche was not ordeined to offer sacrifice for forgiuenesse of sinnes Whosoeuer taketh that office vpon hym be doeth wrong iniurie to the death and passion of Christ He only is called of god an high Priest after y e order of Melchisedec He onely by his owne blood entred in once into the holy place obtained eternall redemption for vs. He only with one offeringe hath consecrated for euer them y t are sanctified He only hath said Consummatum est It is finished The ransome or price for mans saluation and for forgiuenesse of the sinnes of the worlde is payde in mee in my death vpon the Crosse Of hym alone and onely of hym hath it bene spoken This is my well beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And by Esay With his stripes only we are healed It is he only which hath made of both one It is he only which did put out y â— hande writing of ordinaÌ„ces y â— was against vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vppon the Crosse He alone is our hye Priest the Lambe of God the Sacrifice for sinnes the Altar the Propitiation for sinners and redeemer of the world He only hath appeased the wrath of god He onely appeareth in the sight of GOD to make intercession for our sinnes All others whatsoeuer Apostles Prophetes Teachers and Pastours are not in office to offer any propitiatorie sacrifice but are called to the ministerie of the Saintes to the edification of the bodye of Christe and to the repayringe of the Church of God Thus muche of the holy ministerie of the Church which standeth in the setting foorth of the mysterie of our saluation both by the Preachinge of the woorde of GOD and by the due and reuerent ministration of the Sacramentes The principallest parte of this office is to preache repentance that so wee may amende our lyues and bee conuerted vnto GOD. So Ioel the Prophet followed hys ministerie sayinge Rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lorde your God for he is gracious merciful So S. Paul teacheth that true circumcision is by putting off the sinnefull body of the fleesh that it is in mortifying our members that bee on the earth Fornication vncleanesse the inordinate affections euil concupiscence couetousnes which is idolatrie y â— it is in putting away al these thinges wrath anger maliciousnes cursed speakinge filthy speakinge out of your mouth in putting of the old maÌ„ with his works and putting on the new which is renewed in knowledge after y e image of him that created him So Iohn Baptist said Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Prepare ye y â— waies of the Lord make his pathes straight So our Sauiour Christ when he began to preache said Am end your liues for the kingdome of God is at hand Therfore it wil not bee amisse now to speake of repentaunce which some of late yeares haue chaunged into pennaunce and there of haue also made a Sacrament Here it behoueth to rippe vp the whole lyfe of man There is not any man that liueth and sinneth not God sayeth The imagination of mans heart is euyll from his youth The Prophet Ieremie saith The heart is deceitful and wicked aboue all things who can know it Saint Iohn therefore saith If wee say that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues trueth is not in vs. Of hymselfe Saint Paul saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Of hymselfe the Prophet Dauid sayeth There is nothiÌ„g sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinnes For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head as a weighti burtheÌ„ they ar to heauy for me He saith If thou O Lord straightly markest iniquities O Lord who shal abide it So sayth the Wise man A iustman falleth seuen times God is a righteous God and the auenger of all them that offendeâ—â— Saint Paul saith The wages of sinne is death And the Prophet Ezechiel The soule that sinneth shall dye For this cause then God ordayned the ministerie of his worde and appoynted certayne to this office that they shoulde warne his people of theyr sinnes and feare them by the terrour of Gods assured displeasure and heauy wrath As is seene by y t to Esay Cry aloude spare not lift vp thy voyce lyke a trumpet and shewe my people their transgressions the house of Iacob their sins So Saint Paul vnto Timothie I charge thee before God the Lorde Iesus Christ which shal iudge the quick and dead at his appearing in his kyngdome preach the word be instant in season out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine So woulde God haue our filth layde open before our eyes that wee might weigh and iudge our owne heartes that euery man might make charge vppon him selfe and saye I am an vnprofitable seruant my righteousnesse is as a foule and steined cloth My soule hath sinned and hath deserued to dye the death In this case some fall into desperation and saye as sometimes dyd Caine My sinne is greater then can be pardoned God withdraweth his mercie from mee I am vnworthie of it I haue offended against the holy spirit of GOD mine owne conscience accuseth me I haue no parte in the kingdome of GOD and of Christe there is no sacrifice left for my sinnes Thus the wicked liue in trembling and agony as dyd Cain thus they leaue their lyfe with horrour and miserie so haue they no grace to repent no taste nor feelyng of the mercie of God But the children of God though they bee wounded yet they finde reliefe in the certayne hope of Gods mercie Though they say I am a sinner my sinnes are more in number then the heares of my head I haue offended against heauen and earth Yet they know that Christ came to call sinuers to repentance that hee healeth those that are
handekerchifes sometimes by laying on of handes and by touchinge sometimes with oyle as is in the sixth of S. Marke they cast out many deuils they anointed many y â— were sicke with oyle healed theÌ„ euen as Christ also by many sundrie wayes healed many He healed sometimes though he were absent sometimes by his worde sometimes by mourning and sorowinge sometimes by hys garment sometimes by touching sometimes with specle dust for at that time the Church had the especial gift of working miracles Therefore S. Iames putteth them in mynde that they dispise not to vse the meanes whiche God hath appoynted that whosoeuer falleth into sickenes he call for the Elders and that they vse their gift of healinge and anointe him with oyle because it hath pleased GOD thereby to worke health This was the maner and order of those times Euen as christ vsed dust and spetle so S. Iames willeth them to vse oyle for the restoring of health As the Corinthians dyd abuse the gift of tongues were taught by S. Paul how to vse it better so dyd many abuse y â— gift of healing were therfore warned by S. Iames howe they should vse it better As the gift of tongues was not to last for euer but only for a time so y â— gift of healing was not to continue euer but for a time Christ saith When thou fastest anoint thine head wash thy face Hee dooth not in these words giue an vniuersal commandement that must euer be kept in our fasting that wee vse the ceremonie of anointing but meaneth thereby that in our faste we bee fresh and mery Euen so S. Iames in saying anoint him with oyle doth not set downe an order wherunto hee would haue the Church of God tyed for euer it is not an vniuersal commandement that the after ages should do the like but onely a particular ordinance for the time to vse the gift of healing This is the meaning of his words Let vs marke what abuses haue growne by mistaking them S. Iames speaketh of bare and simple oyle They vnderstande it of their oyle which they consecrate and halow in vnaduised order For these wordes the Bishop vseth when hee consecrateth it Aue sanctuÌ„ oleum chrisma balsamum Haile O holy oyle chrisme and balsame Againe exerciso te immuÌ„de spiritus in nomine patris filii spiritus sancti vt recedas ab hoc oleo vt possit effici vnctio spiritualis vt spiritus sanctus possit in eo habitare I adiure thee thou vncleane spirit in y â— name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost that thou depart from this oile y t it may be a spiritual ointment and y â— the holy ghoste may dwell in it Agayne Emitte quaesumus sancte pater spiritum sanctum paracletum tuum de coelis in hanc pinguedinem oliuae ad refectioneÌ„ corporum sanationem animarum O holy father we beseeche thee send downe thy holy spirit y â— comforter froÌ„ heauen into this fatnesse of y â— oliue to the refreshing of body soule In like sort they are taught to pray ouer y â— sicke Per hanc sactam vnctionem suam piissimam misericondâ—â—m ignoscat tibi deus vt per hanc vnctioneÌ„ habeas remissionem omniuÌ„ peccatorum By this holy anointing by his great mercye God pardon thee that by this anointinge thou maiest haue remission of al thy sinnes I deuise not these thinges I imagine them not of my selfe nor reporte them vntrulye The Byshop in such wordes blesseth the oyle with such wordes doeth the Priest anoynt the sicke with oyle In their Bookes it is easie to bee seene Now iudge you if this were S Iames doctrine or if this order were kept in the church in the time of the Apostles Would you thinke that S. Iames gaue curtesie by bowing his bodie and saying Aue to the oyle dyd he speake wordes of coniuration to driue foorth the euyll spirite woulde he euer say that the Oyle doth heale both bodye and soule or that remission of al sinnes is giueÌ„ by annointing S. Iames knew that remissioÌ„ of sinnes is not giuen by any creature that there is no name in heauen or earth by which wee are saued but the name of Iesus onely that the holy ghost resteth not nor dwelleth in oyle but in the hearts of the faithful that God giueth health not in respect of the corruptible creature but at the praiers of the Church which are offered vp to hym by his sonne our sauiour So great difference is there betweene the late meaning and the meaning of S. Iames. Such vse of y â— oyle we haue not neither doth the Church of God allow it Yet holde we the rule of the Apostle in visitation of the sicke When any is sicke among vs the Minister coÌ„meth vnto him and discretlye instructeth hym in what sorte he should prepare hymselfe to depart this life so leadeth hym to comforte and laboureth to make hym stronge in the certayne hope of euerlasting lyfe Thus he saith Brother you are entringe the way of al flesh Al y â— sonnes of Adam are heires of this sentence of God vpon Adam thou arte duste and to dust thou shalt returne Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and ful of trouble He shooteth foorth as a floure is cut downe hee vanisheth also as a shadowe and continueth not Humble thy selfe vnder the mightie hand of God Hee is our good father dooth correct those children whome hee loueth Blessed is he whom the Lord doth chastise and instruct in his wayes Here is the proofe trial of your patience faith remember the patience of Iob in al his miseries he praised y â— name of the Lord. Although saith hee he shoulde kill me yet wyl I put my trust in God Although my bowels be consumed within mee and my members of my body bee rent a sunder and the pangues bee neuer so great yet can I not but trust in him Loue not the world nor y t things that be in the world The world passeth away the lust therof The wise man saith I haue coÌ„sidered al the works that are done vnder the sun behold al is vanitie vexatioÌ„ of spirit Againe great trauel is created for al men an heauy yoke vpoÌ„ the sonnes of Adam froÌ„ the day y e thei go out of their mothers wombe til the day y t they return to y e mother of al things Christ hath therfore willeâ— vs to wake bee ready because wee know not in what houre our master will come He saith Behold I come as a thief blessed is he which watcheth kepeth his garments least he walk naked men see his filthines Examine your selfe consider howe and in what thinges you haue offended God make a true and humble confession of your sinnes say with Dauid I haue sinned against the Lorde