our Lord Iesus doth hee not now euer gouerne the worlde with his Father and whether to this matter doth he call any man making him his imitator or follower that with him he should gouerne heauen and earth and all Christ by S. Austines iudgement calles no man to bee partaker with him in his gouernement of heauen and earth therefore not the Pope Primasius also S. Austines scholler writes thus Let no man glorie in men in false Apostles no nor in any eyther king or priest for all thinges are yours In 1. ep ad Cor. cap. 3. eyther Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death we are yours you are not ours c. Nowe if Peter had béen Christs vicar then the saints had béene his as they were Christs whose place he sustained But Primasius saith plainly that the Corinthians were Christs they were not Peters Therefore Peter was not in any respect their head but their seruant or minister That Christ alone is the head of the Church Theodoret writes thus Theod. in 2 ca. ad Col. Againe saith he he cals Christ the head and the congregation of the faithfull the bodie And he hath put downe all this place metaphorically for euen as in the bodie the braine is the root of the sinewes and by the sinewes the bodie hath feeling so the bodie of the Church by Christ our Lord receiues both fountaines of Doctrine and matter of saluation And that thing which sinewes are in the bodie that are Apostles prophets and teachers in the assemblie of the Church Thus much Theodoret the Apostles are but ligaments or sinewes by his iudgement nowe it is monstrous and against all reason to make a sinew a head In 1 ep Co. 10 And in another place he writes thus This is required of Stewards that they bee founde faithfull not that hee should take vnto him the honour o◠dignitie of his maister but that he should keepe his maisters good will In 1 ep ad Cor. cap. 9. And in another place of S. Paul hee writes thus Am I not free that is as much to say I am vnder no mans iurisdiction I am not in the place of a disciple But to whose credite the whole world was committed because he was called after Christs assumption And the same prerogatiue he yeelds also to S. Paul in another place vpon these words whereof I am made a minister The saluation of the Church was committed to me meaning S. Paul to me was committed the office of preaching that I should fill you all with heauenly doctrine And that word you doth not onely meane them but also the faithfull that are in the world Gregorie also writes thus In 5. psal penit Christ is one person with his whole Church which either now is conuersant here on earth or is in heauen now with him And as there is one soule which quickens the diuers members of the bodie so one onely holie spirit quickens and lightens the whole Church And as Christ which is the head of the church was conceiued by the holy Ghost so the holy Church which is his bodie is filled with the same holy spirit that it may liue and by his power is strengthned that it may stand in the ioining or coupling togither of one faith and charitie By which the whole bodie being ministred vnto built by ioints and couplings growes to the increase of God Gregorie here makes plainly Christ his Church whether in heauen or in earth to be but one bodie And that by the holie spirite he quickens strengthens and gouernes the same euen as our soule quickens and gouernes our bodies And that by ioints couplings not by any ministeriall head as the papists do imagine nay he saith that his triumphant and his militant Church is but one bodie So that then if they will make Peter the head of the militant Church he must also be the head of the triumphant which I thinke they will not graunt Lastlie to conclude to make the matter more plaine and to shew how farre Gregorie was from imagining Peter to bee the head of the whole Church he writes thus in another place In psal penit 3. 5. The Apostles were called feet because that as feet carrie the bodie so the Apostles carried Christ into the knowledge of al nations which were moued when they doubted that he whom they saw did suffer was the sonne of God In the bodie of the Church he compares Apostles to féete not to heades and that verie fitlie alledging that place of the Apostle Ro. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of thē which bring glad tydings of peace And of the gouernment of his Church by his holie spirit our sauiour most manifestly speaketh himselfe And I will praie the Father and hee shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer Io. 14.15 euen the spirite of truth As though he should say you are discomforted because I goe from you but I in my stead will send you a comforter which shall neuer forsake you but shall abide with you for euer And after I wil not leaue you like Orphans without a guide or gouernour but I will come vnto you meaning by his holie spirite The holie spirit then is the gouernour and guardian of Christs Church here on earth wee are not orphanes And the same lesson he taught al his Apostles again immediatlie before his ascension It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Act. 1.7.8 But you shall receiue the power of the holy ghost when he shall come on you Héere is the authoritie heere is the power and the gouernment of the Church And you shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and vnto the vttermost part of the earth Héere also is the estate and condition of all the Apostles put downe no one of them is made better then an other They are all appointed witnesses of him no one of them Lord or Iudge And this authoritie and office of gouernment in the Church to declare that it was of God giuen to the spirit of God the spirit of God expresly oftentimes executed As when Peter doubted what the vision ment Act. 10.19 the spirit sayd vnto him Behold three men seeke thee Arise therfore and get thee downe and goe with them doubt nothing For I haue sent them What can be more plaine then this The holie ghost sent those thrée men from Caesarea to Ioppe and also sent Peter with them Is not this to gouerne If Peter had béen head appointed by Christ vnder him he might haue gone by his owne authoritie but here he is namelie sent of another to declare that the authoritie was not in himselfe And when Peter came again to Ierusalem Act. 11.3 They of the Circumcision contended with him about this matter And he alleadgeth this
of the Arke is finished in a cubit as some thinke or else the eaues were round about the Arke a cubit in breadth to put awaie raine from the window and from the arke it selfe This maie teach vs mortification of the flesh If wee would iudge our selues 1. Cor. 11.31 we should not be iudged of the Lord. Fasting and prayer from a liuely faith are that narrowe roofe that repelles al stormes from Gods Church 1. King 21.27 Vnder this narrow roofe Ahab when God threatned him vengeance for his sinnes and Queene Hester Hest 4.16 when Haman like a mightie clowde and huge tempest did hang ouer her head and the heads of her people did shrowd themselues So did Niniueh at the preaching of Ionas Ionas 3.7 Wouldest thou escape the stormes then of Gods wrath let the Roofe of thy house then be narrowe Whosoeuer thou art iudge thy selfe and God will not iudge thee as S. Paul counselleth all christians And the doore of the Arke shalt thou set in the side thereof Verse 16. Here is also Iesus Christ described verie liuely vnto vs Ioh. 10.9 who is the verie doore into the church who suffered his verie side to be opened with a speare for our sakes Ioh. 19.34 that we might haue an entrance into heauen By this doore we enter boldlie into heauen and appeare before the maiestie of God In this wide wound as in the clift of a most safe rocke Cant. 2.14 we hide our selues from all the persecutions of the enemy And this doore is but one there are not manie doores into his house Ioh. 10.9 Acts 4.12 as our Sauiour himselfe tels vs I am the doore The same also Peter testifieth There is but one way to saluation and that is Iesus Christ there is but one séede Gal. 3.16 in whome all the nations of the world shall be blessed and that is Iesus Christ Ioh. 3.14 there is but one brazen Serpent lift vp in the wildernesse which cured al the Israelites from all the stingings of the Serpent whatsoeuer and that is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no other name vnder heauen giuen to men by which we must be saued but onely the name of Iesus Christ He is that one doore that was made in the side of the Arke And thou shalt make it with the low second and third Roume Verse 16. Ro. 12.6.13.1 1. Cor. 7.25 1. Pet. 4.1 There are degrées in Gods church of manie estates and conditions of Kings and other inferiour magistrates and subiects of Byshops Pastors and their flockes of virgins married folkes and widowes and therefore God commanded Noah to make hie roumes and middle and lowe roumes in the arke Euerie one of these haue their proper places in Gods Church There are also in the church children which stand need of milke 1. Cor. 3.1.2 there are also strong men which can digest stronger food which are doctors in christianitie Heb. 5.12 and some others to whom the rudiments and principles of christian religion appertaine and all these doe belong to Gods church Verse 17. And behold I will bring a floud of water vpon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life vnder heauen and all that is in the earth shall perish But with thee will I stablish my couenant and thou shalt go into the Arke thou and thy sonnes and thy wife and thy sonnes wiues with thee Here is the floud a signe and type of Gods wrath and iust iudgement for sinne Here is the onely means of saluation Gods frée mercie For it is said before That when as God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and al the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man in the earth Verse 5. and he was sorie in his heart c. That Noah yet found grace in the eies of the Lord. Noah his saluation was the frée mercie of God and his most gratious couenant They onely which doe obserue his couenant doe escape this his fierce wrath as here appeareth And this couenant Noah preached vnto those wicked men in his daies but they would not beléeue him but euerie one followed his owne wicked waies and so in the end for lacke of faith were drowned Mat. 5.7 Mar. 16.16 Luk. 6.37.38 Ioh. 16.27 The like couenants God hath made with vs let vs reade them and marke them and beléeue them if we minde to escape this deluge of the wrath of God least we perish with those men in the daies of Noah The obedience of Gods couenant is the only way of saluation no deuise of man can saue els whatsoeuer Verse 21. And take thou with thee of all meate that is eaten and thou shalt gather it to thee that it may be meate for thee and them God will not haue his pined he will haue meate in his house and therefore Iesus Christ was borne also in Bethlehem Mat. 2.1 which in the Hebrew signifies a house of bread And Noah is commanded to gather to him all manner of meates There are varietie of meates in Gods house Exod. 12.9 There is the head of the lamb the purtenance and the feete Gen. 30.14 Psal 51.7 Prou. 31 6. Psal 75.8 2. Tim. 2.15 Luk. 12.42 There are sower lettice there are mandrakes which make fruitfull there is purging Isope there is pretious balme There is wine and strong drinke for the afflicted there are dregs for the wicked And here is required the wisedome of all Gods ministers They must be stewards they must not giue all meate at once but euerie kinde of meate in his proper time Neither all kindes of meat to euerie Christian but euerie condition or state hath his proper food euen as in Noah his Arke euerie kind of liuing creatures had also The doctrine of Kings and Magistrates is not to be set before the people 2. Ti. 2.15 nor the doctrine of the people to be taught the Magistrates this were lacke of discretion This were not rightly to deuide the word of God Noah therefore did according to all that God commaunded him euen so did he Here is the conclusion and summe of all Vers 22. Noah did all according as God commaunded him Euen in this materiall worke of making the Arke of wood and timber he missed not an Inch of that length bredth or height or of anie other thing which God commaunded him much more then in the spirituall building of the Church the same is to be obserued The maister builders may not goe a haires bredth beyond the commaundement of God Mat. 28.20 1. Cor. 11.23 Gal. 1.6 2. Pet. 1.16 though that which they doe séeme in their owne eies neuer so conuenient or profitable or necessarie or stately They must learne this lesson of Noah their good predecessor and their Schoolemaster As God commannded so did Noah according to
heresie now discourage anie of Gods children So did they reuile and hate the verie names of the true prophets of God Luk. 6.22 as our Sauiour witnesseth So at this day the Papists goe about by all means possible to defame and discredite the persons of the professours of the Gospell But as Saint Paul passed not for the name of Heretike no more let vs. Beleeuing all that is written in the Law and the Prophets Here is another marke of the true Church here is a ground of a true Christians conscience concerning his faith and religion To beleeue all that is written in the lawe and the Prophets This was Saint Paules ground he beléeued no more and according to that he worshippeth God and he cares not let them cal him what they wil. Whosoeuer lacks this ground shall be caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine Ephe. 4.14 like children To confirme and strengthen vs in our faith God hath put in his Church Apostles and Euangelists Ephes 2.20 and Wee are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone The like marks of the true Church Saint Paule setteth downe in the Epistle to the Romans as arrowes out of the same quiuer of our Sauiour to confound the enemies that would craftily créepe into Gods house Rom. 1.9 2. Pet. 2.1 God is my witnesse saith he whom I serue in my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne Here also is the platforme of the true Church and a patterne of a true Christian God is only my witnesse saith Saint Paul not anie Saint or Angell The true Church must here with Saint Paul attribute this knowledge and searching of hearts to God alone and not to anie Saint or Angell else whatsoeuer Act. 1.24 15.8 Secondly she must serue this God onely and none els for to whom this knowledge belongeth to him also diuine seruice and Latria as they call it belongs Thirdly Whom I serue in my spirit saith Saint Paule not with anie outward or externall things or ceremonies like a Iew but with my heart as Iesus Christ now hath taught all men to worship the Father Fourthly in the Gospell of his Sonne here he describes the maner how the true Church of God must worship him Our seruice of God must be according to the Gospell of his Son And hereunto Dauid also agréeth in the Psalme There is no speech nor language Psal 19.3 where their voices are not heard speaking of the preaching of Gods word And he addeth Kauam as it is in the Hebrew that is their line their leuell their square is gone through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world To teach vs that Gods word is a line leuell square to rule limit and square the faiths of all nations by But to conclude Let vs marke what Saint Paule also writes concerning this matter to the Thessalonians and how he describes the Church and Gods house there From you the word of God was spread 1. Thes 1.10 not only in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith towards God came into euerie place So that we neede say nothing thereof for they shew and declare what an entrance we had vnto you how you turned vnto the Lord from idols to serue the liuing and true God and to looke for his sonne from heauen whom he raised from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the anger to come Here are most manifestly set downe the markes of the true Church and the Catholike faith which was in Saint Paules dayes preached through the whole world To turne from Idols and to serue the true and liuing God And here first that blind distinction of Dulia and Latria which the Papists make to cloak the worshipping of creatures is quite ouerthrowne not onely Latria but as by this place appeareth Dulia is due vnto God Secondly we must serue the true and liuing God These two Adiuncts take away all worshipping of false gods and also of Images We must worship no false nor dead thing whatsoeuer we worship it must be liuing and true And therefore we must worship no Images which are dead stockes nay wee must worship nothing but God alone Those Images which the Prophet Dauid describeth Psal 115. what are they els but Papists Images That Psalme followeth the 114. Psal which containeth Israels going out of Egypt it may séeme to describe the spirituall Egypt Thirdly we must now euery day waite and looke for the comming of his Sonne Iesus Christ from heauen We must not thinke that he will not come yet as the Papists teach by their doctrine of Antichrist Fourthly wee must constantly beléeue that Iesus hath not onely deliuered vs by his passion from the guilt of sinne but from the punishment also thereof and anger to come And lastly if the Papists will thereof conclude that the Church of Rome is the mother Church of all the worlde Rom. 1.8 because Saint Paule saith that their faith was published throughout all the world Then the Church of Thessalonica must be her elder sister 1. Thess 1.8 because her faith also was spread through all the worlde and that before hers as should seeme For Saint Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romans when hee giues this testimony to the Roman Church Rom. 15.26 1. Thess 1.8 the fruits of Macedonia and Achaia which was planted by the Church of Thessalonica And in a word to make an end of this matter let all men marke that plaine lesson which Dauid teacheth them in the Psalme Kings of the earth and all people Psal 148.11 Princes and all Iudges of the world young men and maides old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. For his name onely is to bee exalted and his praise is aboue the heauens and the earth All Gods seruants must praise his name and they must praise it alone and they which praise anie thing else do not rightlie vnderstand as yet the maiestie of God his praise is aboue heauen earth that is all heauen and earth is not able to expresse the greatnesse of his praise And here is the reason Because he exalts the horne of his people he aduanceth to honor and makes mightie and strong which is a praise for all his saints euen for the children of Israel Gnam kerovo a people that drawes néere vnto him as it is in the Hebrew Would you haue God exalt your horne would you be his people then you must praise him alone then you must draw neere to him and not fly from him to any other The which God giue all grace to do for Iesus Christs sake to whom be praise for euer Amen Certaine Prayers fit for euerie true Catholique dayly to vse both for himselfe and his family taken out of the scriptures Granatensis and others Matt. 7 7. Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and
of her fornication She is contrarie to the true Church which teacheth to worship God alone the Creator but this Synagogue hath causâ—d men to drinke of the wine of her fornication that is to worship others besides God and to worship the creatures and this is spirituall fornication And hath not the Church of Rome done so Who seeth it not Hee is onely to bee worshipped according to the truth of the Gospell that made heauen and earth but what Saint or Angell had any fellowship with God in that worke And therefore the Church of Rome in teaching the worship of these is Babylon and therefore she dissenteth most manifestly from the truth of the Gospell And therefore she is that whoore whose fornication is rather in doctrine then in maners Now she being thus manifestly descried the third Angell followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forhead or on his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine that is poured out of the cup of his wrath and he shal be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe c. O terrible sentence for all obstinate Papists which as yet the Gospell being so long and so manifestly preached will worship the image of the beast that is which will acknowledge the Popes supremacie or put their trust in his characters and consecrated creatures For as S. Iohn hath taught before He shall make an image of the Beast Reu. 13.14 that is as the Roman Emperor was Monarch ouer the world so he shall challenge a Monarchy ouer the Church And hath not the Pope done thâ—s God giue all men eyes to see this And here gentle Reader if peraduenture in this Treatise I do dissent in some points from the godly brethren I must desire thee to beare with me patientlie I dissent not with a contentious mind but with a mind longing and searching for the truth and according to my simple Talent deliuering it to thee and to thy iudgement Our dissensions are as diuers boughes proceeding from the same roote of the tree and as diuers arrowes shot out of the same quiuer aiming at the same marke shot against Babel Thou which art endued with Gods Spirit Ierem. 50.14 Rom. 8.9 1. Cor. 2.15 and art Iesus Christs iudge charitably who comes neerer the marke condemne not any Gods souldiers are commanded to shoote not on one side against Babel but round about her I vrge the fasts of Wednesdayes Fridayes and of Lent which the Fathers and the Primitiue Church solemnly obserued Who as they were not superstitious in these their fasts as the Papists were so they were not so curious in the numbring of the dayes of Lent as wee are They fasted about fortie dayes which was called of them Quadragesima and euerie weeke the fourth and sixt day not superstitiously but religiously to studie the Scriptures and to came the flesh The which fasts I vrge now againe in our dayes to rouse out of the sleepe of security the men of our age which eate and drinke as the men did in the dayes of Noe Luke 17.27 of whom our Sauiour giueth vs warning to beware least we perish with them I wish that all men would watch in their priuate prayers and that publike prayers also might be early in the morning which times of praying are both agreeing with the Scripture and to the Primitiue Church I commend the signe of the Crosse as an holy signe which diuers godly learned men haue thought to be that signe of the Sonne of man which shall appeare before the day of iudgement whereof mention is made in the 24. of Saint Matthewes Gospell If that sword of Goliah that killed him were kept reuerently lapt vp in a cloath and that in no obscure place but behind the Ephod in the Tabernacle Why should not that sword which killed the true Goliah indeed which vaunted himselfe against all Israel I meane the Crosse with which sword the diuell had thought to haue killed our Sauiour Iesus Christ 1. Sam. 21.9 1. Sam. 17.10 and wherof that other Goliah was but a shadowe bee had in reuerence in Christs Church amongst vs Christians And here we may note also that the Ephod may signifie Christ as the signification of the name it selfe may seeme to import which signifies to put on aboue or to couer ouer all And all Christians must put on this Ephod aboue all their other garments of their good works be they neuer so perfect And in this respect also they may bee called Kings and Priests Then Goliah his sword must not be placed before the Ephod or lapt vp with the Ephod but lapt vp in a cloath behind the Ephod So the Crosse is not to be made equall with Christ as the Papists haue made it but to be placed behind the Ephod lapt in a cloath that is as a reuerend and sacred thing to be accounted of So that this estimation of the signe of the Crosse for there is a mutuall relation betweene the signe and the thing signified makes nothing for Popery As concerning the testimonies of the Scriptures which concerne these points of doctrine which are handled in this Treatise in some places I alleage them not because I haue handled them else where in the exposition of the Epistle of Saint Iude. And I haue here alleaged the sayings of manie of the Romish Writers whom they call Catholikes In translating of whose sayings I protest I haue vsed as great faithfulnesse as can be and that I haue many times stucke so vnto the letter that I haue lost the grace of the sense Thus fare thou well good Christian Reader and the Lord Iesus giue thee a right iudgement and vnderstanding in all things Thine in the Lord FRANCIS TRIGGE Faults escaped amend thus Pag. 25. line 36. for sonne read sum of all Hammashe p. 94. l. 8. merit r. mercie p. 96 l. 37. put out onely pag. 103 in margin Dom. 18. post c. r. Dom. 8. pag. ibid. l. 33. works r. worlds p. 133. adde in margin De orat med die Lunae p. 148. l. 31. r. that they may c. p. 160. l. 25. now r. not p. 161. l. 11. adde saith p. 163. l. 20. after declared r. often deceiued p. 174. l. 4. meanes r. names p. 187. l. 30. the r. this p. 227. in margin cap. 40. r. cap. 4. p. 242. lin 5. It is not r. Is it not p. 247. l. 26. count r. cannot p. 255. in margin adde Ferus in Acta Apost cap. 1. p. 293. lin 33. caried r. cured p. 307 l. 8. dele foure p. 326. l. 4 dele the first in p. 342. l. 13. â—o r. to p. 370. l. 36. as r. is p. 441. l. 29. r. Lash vak 462. l. 21. r. Banah p. 577. l. 8 r. Stater p. 585. l. 3. r. out of their c. p. 586.
in margin word r. world THE TRVE CATHOLIQVES Alphabet or A. B. C. taken out of Saint Ierom. OOR Sauiour Christ in the gospel Mat. 10.1.11.1 Luke 6.13 often cals all those which followed him Disciples that is Schollers now the first thing that a scholler must learne is his Alphabet And that Christians might haue as it were an Alphabet to learne the holy ghost hath put downe that also in manie places of the scriptures First in the 119. Psalme Of which Psalme euerie part begins in the Hebrew with a letter as they are placed in order in the Alphabet Gra. lib. 1. Deuot. cap. 5. nay that Psalme containes in it as some haue noted the word Lawe or Testimonie almost in euery verse To the ende no doubt that euerie Christian should be a scholler and learne that Psalme It is verie easie it is euen milke for children The Prouerbs of Salomon also end with an Alphabet they are also short and fit lessons for yoong beginners in the Lords schoole to learne The Lamentations of Ieremy haue foure Alphabets in them as Ierom notes in the preface of the Lamentations And he expounds euerie letter of the Hebrew Alphabet verie excellently in that place to euerie Christians comfort and edification teaching therein which is the true Church and which teacheth her children the true Alphabet which I haue set downe here as thy Alphabet good Christian Reader if thou wilt be Christs and S. Ieroms scholler Euen as saith he in our writings we cannot come to reade and spell the words vnlesse wee begin at the elements or letters Ieron in praef Lam. 1. so in the Scriptures we cannot know the greater matters vnlesse we beginne at the morall precepts contained in them According as the Prophet saith By thy commandements I get vnderstanding that is after his good workes he got the vnderstanding of secrets But now I must fulfill your request saith he to Eusebius that I may expound euery letter and the meaning thereof Aleph signifies learning Beth a house Gimel fulnesse or plentie Daleth a Gallerie or boards * Ista or â—aec He those Vau and Zain these Ceth life Teth goodnesse Iod a beginning Caph a hand Lamed of learning or of the heart Mem of them Nun euerlasting Samech helpe Gnain a fountaine or eie Pe a mouth and not a bone Tsadi of righteousnesse Koph a vocation Resh of the head Shin of the teeth Tau signes And here marke well least thou be deceiued with the ambiguity of the letters for there are many of them one very like another After the exposition of the letters now the order of the vnderstanding and meaning of them is to be shewed The first connexion of them is Aleph Beth Gimel Daleth that is doctrine a house fulnesse of boards Because the doctrine of the Church which is the house of God is fully and plentifully found in the fulnesse and plentie of the holie scriptures The second connexion is of He Vau Zain Ceth that is those and these be life for what life can there be else without the knowledge of the scriptures by which Christ himselfe is knowen who is the life of the faithfull The third connexion hath Teth and Iod that is a good beginning because that although now we know all things which are written yet we know but in part 〈◊〉 now we sée as it were thorough a glasse darkely but when as â—â—e shall be accompted worthy to be with Christ shal be like the Angels then we shall néede bookes no more The fourth connexion hath Caph Lamed that is the hand of the heart or of discipline The hand is meant in working the heart and discipline is meant in vnderstanding because we can doe nothing vnlesse we first know what we must doe The fift connexion hath Mem Nun Samech that is of these we haue an euerlasting helpe This néedes no exposition but is clearer then the sunne that by the scriptures euerlasting helps are ministred to the faithfull The sixt connexion hath Gnain Pe Tsadi that is the fountaine or the eye of the mouth of righteousnesse agreeing with that we haue expounded in the third number The seuenth connexion which is the last that there maie be also a secret meaning or mysterie in the number of seuen hath Koph Resh Shin Tau that is the calling of the head the signes and the téeth By the teeth a distinct voice is formed and by these signes we go to the head of all which is Christ by whom we come to the kingdome of heauen Now haue we added these things saith Ierom that we might instruct the Reader that these things were not in vaine set downe of the Prophet according to the lawes and order of the letters but all things which are written doe belong to the mysteries of Christ and his Church If this be the true meaning of the Hebrew Alphabet by Saint Ieroms iudgement and as it were also an Alphabet of Christian Religion which belongs to Christ his church and that she is the true church which teacheth her children the same then surely the church of Rome is not the true church which doth not teach her children this Alphabet nay which teacheth doctrine quite contrarie to this that the fulnesse of Christian doctrine is not contained in the scriptures that lay men maie haue life without the knowledge of the scriptures and that they maie doe such good workes as please God without the knowledge of them that they are not helpers but hinderers of their saluation and the verie fountaines of heresies But the scriptures are by Saint Ieroms iudgement the very beginning and first steppe to Christianitie and that in heauen we shall not néede them but here we doe and that no man can doe anie thing well vnlesse he know first what he must doe And no doubt his meaning is that he ought to haue this knowledge out of the scriptures and that they are not authors of heresies but euerlasting helpers to our saluation and containe in them plentifully all the doctrine which is necessarie for the Church Surely it appeares by this that the Church of Rome teacheth not her children the verie first steppe to heauen and this good beginning and therefore shee is Antichrists Synagogue and the mother of perdition by Ieroms iudgement and that without Gods great mercie shée endangereth the saluation of her children Maister Bellarmine in his Hebrew Grammar yéeldes the meaning of euerie Hebrew letter and also makes mention of Saint Ieroms exposition here declared but belike it pleased him not he puts downe another of his owne The true Catholiques Pater noster or Lords prayer expounded briefly by Saint Augustine Ench. ad Laur. cap. 114. CVrsed is euery one as the holy scriptures witnesse that puts his trust in man And by this also whosoeuer shall trust in himselfe is within the compasse of this curse And therefore we are to desire of none other but of God whatsoeuer we hope either to doe
doe not doubt the theefe did on the crosse This is Poligranes his opinion But here first howe contrarie is he in this his doctrine to that saying of Saint Paul which he alleadgeth If we be iustified freely by the grace of Iesus Christ and for his sake by the redemption which is in him then we are not iustified for our owne sakes No part of this redemption remaines in our selues And what is it els to be iustified but a condemned man to be acquited not onely from his crime he hath committed but also from the punishment due to that crime For herein consisteth the chiefe part of iustification to be deliuered and discharged from the punishment or els he will make our iustification with God like the pardons of some kings when as the malefactors be hanged and the pardons about their necks But the pardon which our mercifull and louing Sauiour hath obtained for vs is most frée is most ample it containes in it no such exceptions of anie part of the punishment of vs after to be redéemed This worke of redemption man must let that alone for euer either in part or in whole either for himselfe or for his brother As the Psalmist teacheth all men high and low rich and poore one with another Psal 49.1.2.7.8 And he yéeldes them also the reason So precious is that redemption of their soules that it requires such a great price as all the goods and riches and lands in the world giuen or bestowed will not serue the turne And to this place of the Psalme alludes no doubt Saint Peter in his Epistle 1. Pet. 1.18 Knowing saith he that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of your fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot This point of doctrine all Christians must know that it is onlie the bloud of Iesus Christ that is the ransome of their soules and not any worke of man whatsoeuer as this Papist teacheth no not all their goods and lands giuen to the poore can challenge anie part herein This requires a greater price So precious is the redemption of soules as Dauid teacheth Secondly they must know that the traditions of their fathers will not be a sufficient warrant for them before God vpon which thing at this daie manie simple Catholiques ground their faith and religion To deliuer vs from that vaine conuersation which we had learned from our fathers Christ died And shall wee follow our fathers steps still Shall their doings be a light vnto vs God hath giuen vs another light to follow Psal 119.105 Thy word saith Dauid is a Lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes I would to God all true Catholiques would learne these two lessons out of Saint Peter And heere what neede we anie such supplies Christ Iesus himselfe hath suffered for vs as saint Peter also telles vs and that not sparinglie but abundantlie Col. 1.24 And the same Author goeth forward in this matter thus vpon that place of saint Paul Now I reioice for you in my sufferings I fulfil those things in my flesh which are wanting of the passions of Christ for his body which is the Church Here saith he he giues vs couertly to vnderstand that hee suffers in his flesh to profit the Church and that in these his sufferings that which Christs passions wanted his did supply Not that the sufferings of Paul were more forcible then the sufferings of Christ but because Christ by his passion tooke away the fault but Paul and other iust men working and suffering for the body of Christ fulfilled that which was wanting that is to say the releasing of the punishment which was due to the fault and the daily encrease of grace And therefore these merites of the Saints although they haue beene fully rewarded for them yet because they were also doone for others must needs profit them Wherefore by good right they doe belong to the treasure of the Church to be bestowed of any man for some speciall cause or for the great affection of his deuotion together vvith the merites of Christ Marke here how he obscures the glorie of Christ teaching that he did not wholie and absolutelie redeeme vs but in part onelie and from the fault and not from the punishment due to the fault And he teacheth that Paul and other iust men working doe deserue not some part of the punishment onelie as he said before but simplie and absolutelie the punishment due to the same fault naie more then that also the dailie increase of grace Is not that here plainelie fulfilled which is written in the Reuelation And the fourth Angell blew his Trumpet Reu. 8 1◠and the third part of the Sunne was stricken and the third part of the Moone and the thirde part of the Starres Is not this to obscure the thirde part of the Sunne not as Gagneius a Papist expoundes this place the Pope and his Cardinals who saieth he are as it were Sunnes Gag in 8. cap. Apoc. and giue light to the people But the true sunne of righteousnes Iesus Christ The Holie ghost here names but one sunne If his exposition had beene true it should rather haue been said sunnes in the plurall number But doeth not saint Iohn himselfe expound vnto vs who is this sunne Reu. 1.16 And hee had in his right hand seauen Starres and out of his mouth went a sharpe two edged Sword and his countenance was as the Sunne in his power Who is this but Iesus Christ This sunne Iesus Christ was obscured a third part of it was stricken not his whole glorie but some part thereof was diminished Howe can this prophesie more fitlie be fulfilled then by this doctrine let all men iudge Séewhat shifts they are driuen to to maintaine their pardons Nay not only the third part of the Sunne but also the third part of the Starres Those also whome saint Iohn expounds to bee ministers of the Church were smitten by the Popes fall from heauen by his prowde supremacie That proude Boniface who obtained this superioritie of Phocas fulfilled Greg. lib. 4. Epist 2. ep 32. which Gregorie his predecessour affirmed That if hee should challenge to himselfe that name of vniuersall Bishop or Bishop of the whole world as the Pope doth now the honour and dignity of his fellow Byshops should be diminished Saint Peter also liuelie paintes out this sunne vnto vs 2. Pet. 1.19 We haue also saieth he a most sure word of the prophets to the which you doe well that you take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and that day Starre or as the Gréeke word importeth that light-bringer that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true Sun Iesus Christ arise in your hearts Saint Peter also whome they would seeme to make so great accompt of tels
Paul to the Colossians thus In 1. cap. ad Col. I supply the wants or rather the remnants of the afflictions of Christ as Ambrose doth translate it not that Christs passions are insufficient for vs but that the afflictions of his mysticall body the Church that is of the holy Martyrs are accompted the afflictions of Christ which he accompts his saying That which ye haue done to one of the least of these ye haue done to me Thus Gagneius expounds this place out of Ambrose he confesseth that Christs passion is sufficient for our redemption and that the passions and afflictions of the Saints are honoured with that honourable title that they are called also the afflictions of Christ because he is the head of his Church He brings in also another exposition of Photion that to fulfill the wants and remnants of Christs passion is nothing els then to suffer for him as he suffered for vs. For Christ suffered for you saith Peter leauing you an example that you should follow his steps Christ therefore suffered for vs what now remaines but that we should also be afflicted and suffer togither with him he that doth this fulfils that was wanting of the afflictions of Christ not on Christs behalfe but on his owne For although Christs afflictions were sufficient to redéeme all men yet on our behalfe this is wanting to them that we should suffer for the Church and one for another For by many tribulations we must go into the kingdome of heauen Therefore saith Saint Paul The want of his afflictions that is that which wanteth for vs to doe after his afflictions I fulfill in my flesh in stéede of Christ by so long and grieuous afflictions for his bodie which is the Church Our afflictions are Christs steps we must follow him in them they are no part of the price of our redemption they are the waie which wee must walke in if we will go to heauen they are not the purchase of heauen And these S. Paul endured for the Church in seruing it not in sauing it Stella also of Christs redemption writes thus In cap. Luc. 1â— Fourthly looking for their maister they make all things readie they strewe and sweepe their whole house So we also which looke for our maister must furnish our vnderstanding with the knowledge of God and our wils with his holy loue and our memories with the remembrance of all the good things which we haue receiued of his bountifull hand For when we were vtterly lost and vndone through the sinne of our first parents he redeemed vs so perfectly that Paul saith where iniquity abounded there grace superabounded for by his death he opened to vs the gates of heauen and gaue vs the resurrection of the flesh Stella here plainly confesseth that Christ redéemed vs perfectlie and that by his redemption whereas by the fall of Adam sin abounded to punish vs and to condemne vs now grace more abounds to pardon vs and to iustifie vs. Christs grace is not limited within the banks of the Babylonicall Euphrates that his merites should take awaie crime and not paine that thereby the merites of Friers and such like might gaine riches to the Church of Rome but it spreades it selfe farre beyonde all the bankes of mans reason and deuice The vertue force of Christs passion no man is able to comprehend his riches which all Gods ministers are commanded to preach with Saint Paul are vnsearchable they are without bottome or ende Ephâ—l 3.8 Euen vnto me saith Saint Paul the least of all Saints is this grace giuen that I should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearcheable riches of Christ And dare the Pope saie that hee hath found out the bottome of them to establish his pardons In cap. 8. Act. Ferus also verie excellentlie teacheth all Pastours what is meant by that phrase when it is said that the Apostles preached Christ To preach Christ saieth he is to teach that hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and that there is saluation in none other And it is to preach righteousnesse sanctification remission of sinnes and redemption For Christ is become all these thinges vnto vs. Therefore hee preacheth not Christ which teacheth to trust in works or to seeke by any meanes else saluation then of Christ As the false prophets doe which teach vs to seeke righteousnesse and remission of sinnes some where else then in Christ For they say Behold here is Christ behold him there In Christ onely these things are to be found For there is no other name vnder heauen in which we must be saued To this all the law and the prophets beare witnesse that we doe receiue remission of sinnes by his name If this be true then Poligranes and all the Popes pardon-sellers which teach that not onelie by Christs merites sinnes are forgiuen but ioine the merites of Martyrs and the treasure of the Church vnto them preach not Christ by his iudgement naie they are false Prophets Neither here nor there in no place else nor in nothing else remission of sinnes is to be had but onlie in Iesus Christ no not at Rome in the yeare of Iubile saieth Ferus In cap. 11. Act. Againe to the same effect the writes thus To preach Christ is to teach that all our trust is to be put in him alone man can doe no more but preach and exhort the which he that shall diligently do is guiltlesse before God if anie perish Ferus of Christes satisfaction verie excellentlie writes thus What sorrow was euer like mine Part. 4. pass 26. from the crowne of my head to the sole of my feete there was no found part what therefore remaineth O father but seeing that I make satisfaction so aboundantly but that thou lay apart thine anger forgiue them haue mercie vpon them and powre vpon them the streames of thy grace Ibideâ— Vpon these words It is finished Ferus writes thus Beholde now the Lord be praised by me is finished whatsoeuer my Father hath decreed I haue suffered whatsoeuer the law and the prophets haue foretold and whatsoeuer was necessary or profitable to mans saluation The sacrifice is made the figures are fulfilled the shadowes are taken away From whence springs the patience of Martyres but hereof Bar. in Ser. Cant. 61. that a Martyre by deuout and continuall meditation doth hide himselfe in the stripes and woundes of Christ The Martyre standes in this tryumphing and dauncing although his body bee all rent and the Sword pierce his side he beholds the holy bloud to boile out of his fide not onely valiantly but ioyfully Where then is the Martyrs soule Surely in safety that is to say in the rocke that is to say in the bowelles of Iesus His wounds being open that he may enter in thither If he were in his owne bowelles searching them without all doubt he would feele the Sword hee were notable to abide the paine he would yeeld he
manifest then this Therefore all Catholiques as M. Bellarmine affirmeth do not affirme Peter to be the rocke whereupon the Church was built or if they do they do erre as here Ferus forced with truth doth very manifestly proue and confesse And here I cannot let passe a sleight which some Catholikes haue vsed to salue this matter whereas in a copie printed at Paris 1594. after Ferus death we read thus as I haue alleaged It belongeth onely to Christ that he should be the rocke In a copie printed at Rome 1597 it is thus read It belongs to Christ that he should be the first chiefe rocke where the word Onely is quite left out and the word first or chiefe is put in or added What dealing is this to adde or put out at their pleasures and that to maintaine the Popes supremacie Ferus in his first copie saith that It belongs only to Christ to be a rocke And the Catholikes in their copie printed at Rome say It belongs to Christ to be the chief rocke and put out onely and adde chiefe because they would haue the Pope ioined with him And Ferus himselfe did not alter this during his life for both the copies were printed after his death That at Paris by Philippus Agricola preacher at Moguntia and as it should séeme Ferus successour But howsoeuer they would salue the matter with the word chiefe or first Ferus hath so plainely put downe his iudgement heerein as all the world may sée and perceiue their iuggling for he said before It belongs not to any man to be a rocke Therefore hee takes awaie plainly all secondarie rockes of Peters successors which they would establish But to declare plainly what Ferus meant by the chiefe Rocke which perchance sometime he vseth he addeth after vpon these words And vpon this rock I wil build my church What the Church is saith he we haue declared else where but now we must search out what is the rocke vpon which the Church is built The scripture sometime takes a rocke for strength firmity and securitie as in the Psalm He hath brought me out of the lake of miserie and hath set my feet vpon the rocke By which words he meanes nothing else then that he was placed in a safe and sure place that is in safetie So also in another place he saith Set me vpon a rocke When as Christ therfore saith I will build my Church vpon this rocke hee meanes nothing else then he will build his Church vpon a sure and vnmoueable foundation against which all the assaults of his enemies can bee able to do nothing By this it is manifest that Christ built not his Church vpon Peter as a chiefe foundation For we are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone or vpon any other man for no man is so firme or constant that he cannot be moued as we may also see in Peter Therefore another rocke is to be sought for And truly in the Scriptures Christ himselfe is often called a rocke or stone as in Esay I will put in Sion a corner stone approued and chosen whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded And in the Psalme The same stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner And Peter comming to Christ as to a liuing stone is to be built vpon him Thou hearest what Peter saith that Christ is that stone then he wils that we all should be stones which then is done when wee are built vpon Christ And he is built vpon Christ that beleeues in Christ and trusts vpon those things which Christ hath and is able to do Christ therefore is principally the rocke vpon whom the whole Church is built according to that Another foundation can no man lay besides that which is laid Iesus Christ Then because by a true faith we are ioined to Christ we also after a maner if wee may so speake as it were become rockes All Christians are secundarie rockes And therefore the Christian faith it selfe and the truth of the Gospell is that firme and vnmoueable rocke on which Christ hath built his Church Thus far Ferus And héere we may note first that the rock whereon Christ will build his Church must be firme sure and vnmoueable against which the assaults of no enemies can preuaile Secondly he saith that Peter was not such a rock as we may manifestly perceiue Againe whereas he saith that he built it not vpon Peter as on a chiefe foundation he addeth For we are builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Amongst whom he reckons Peter And lastlie he concludes that principally or chiefly Christ is the rocke vpon which the whole Church is built And secondly the Christian faith or truth of the Gospell is that firme and vnmoueable rocke vpon which Christ built his Church So that where Ferus doth say that Christ is the chiefe rock he meanes not to make Peter or his successours the second as the Papists doe conceiue but Christian faith and the truth of the Gospell But afterward hee also declares most euidently what was giuen to Peter To thee saith he I wil giue c. he promiseth that he wil giue him the keyes he gaue them not in this place therefore let vs seeke where he gaue him the keyes indeed And we shall find in no other place but that which is in Iohn Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes you forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes you shall retaine they shall be retained The keyes therefore of the kingdome of heauen are power to forgiue or retaine sinnes The which also is proued out of this place For Christ forthwith added Whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth c. But what means this here to Peter only the keyes are promised yet they are also giuen to the other Apostles Here I will alleage the sentence of S. Ierome For the ordinary Glosse alleageth him The other Apostles haue saith he power of Iurisdiction to whom it was said after the resurrection Receiue Euery Church also hath this power in her Bishops and Priests but therefore they are promised specially to Peter that all men may vnderstand that whosoeuer shall separate himselfe from the vnitie of the faith and from the fellowship of the Church which is but one neither to be loosed from his sins nor can enter into heauen Thou hast heard what be the keyes and what is the ecclesiasticall power let vs marke the vse of the keyes and the execution of this power Thus far Ferus Here we may note most manifestly both by Ferus and Ieromes iudgement that the power and authoritie here promised to Peter alone was afterward giuen indéede to all the Apostles and that euerie Church in her Bishops and Priests hath now the same power what then can the Bishop of Rome Peters successour or the Church of Rome brag of more then any other bishops or Church
another take his Bishopricke he calls his bishopprick his Apostolical office or functioÌ„ not an empire or a Lordship And not without cause for they expound a Bishoppricke to be a watching or an ouerseeing the which is the proper office of the Apostles But the Pope will not onely haue an Empire but be aboue Emperors And after But what constant and true witnesses needs Iesus Christ He that is one of Christs witnesses needs not to the execution of his office an externall sword weapons but rather a readie and exercised toung by which he may do exercise faithfully the charg committed vnto him For it is the dutie of an Apostle to excell in tongue worde And againe The authoritie of the christian faith is great which is declared to vs of witnesses which haue declared vnto vs not onely thinges heard but thinges seene and most assured Peter and Iohn the chiefe amongst the Apostles haue witnessed this vnto vs most assuredly Here wee maie note how he ioines Iohn with Peter as two principall or chiefe amongst the rest of the Apostles If Peter had had this prerogatiue to him committed alone of our sauiour Ferus had done him wronge to haue ioined Iohn with him in this primacie And againe Speaking of the election of Matthias none of these although now verie skilful in the gospell by himselfe cares for procures or goes about this busines but being all called together without preferring themselues or disdaining one of the other they all waite for indifferently the sentence of the holy ghost They waited not for Peters sentence but for the sentence of the holy ghost as Christs vicegerent in his Church And the same as he was Christs vicar generall as they terme him in the beginning so shall he be for euer so the Apostles after in their councell place him in the first place It seemes good say they to the holy ghost and to vs not to Peter and to vs. And againe Ferus saith It is no maruaile though we teach diuers doctrines Fâ—r in ca. 4. Act when as wee all are not gouerned and doe not speake with the same spirite The spirite here by Ferus his iudgment keepes the vnitie of the church and not the Pope Againe Fer. in 2. Act. In Peter we are to marke the example of a good shepheard the people being in an vprere Peter steps forth into the midst not that he should with violence staie the murmurers but that out of the scriptures he might reueale and teach the will of God Peter stoode not onely in bodie but in minde And he tooke to him the other eleuen least he should seeme to exercise tyrannie among theÌ„ He was the first in order of the Apostles he was the first that ought to speake wheÌ„soeuer the matter required an euangelicall teacher or preacher These things of Peter are to be imitated of all pastors There are other things read of Peter as that he disswaded Christ from his passion Let that be farre from thee ô Lord saith hee c. Also that hee slept in the garden wheÌ„ as notwithstanding he had promised Christ that he was ready to goe to prâ—son and to death with him And also that being ouercome through mans frailnes he denyed Christ at his passion also that he vsed the materiall sword when Christ was taken But these things of Peter are not to be imitated of pastors for in these he was alwaies chiddeÌ„ of the Lord Although in these in our daies he hath more followers then in that wherin he chiefly is to be followed Ferus here plainely teacheth that Peter was but first in order amongst the Apostles and hee nâ—ppes priuilie the Pope and his cleargie who rather follow Peter in his sléeping and in his materiall sword then in his diligence and preaching And after he writes thus vpon these words In 3. ca. Act Peter and Iohn went vp to praie Behold saith he the chiefe of the Apostles goe before A good shepheard must goe before and then his sheepe doe followe him He makes here againe Peter and Iohn the chiefe amongst the Apostles as he had done also before And againe Fer. in ca. 6. Act. The Apostles of all thing accompt this the chiefest that belongs to their office to preach but of this now some are ashamed No doubt hee meanes the Poâ—e who neuer preacheth himselfe And a little after The highest office in the Church is the ministerie of the word To this we ought to imploy our chiefest care for vnlesse the worde of God be purely and diligently taught all thinges else whatsoeuer are corrupt therefore Paul after here in the 20 chapter doth notablie expresse what is the chiefe part of the office of an Apostle or Bishoppe You know saith he how I haue kept nothing backe from you but that I might declare vnto you all the counsell of God c. If the ministerie and preaching of the word of God be the highest office in the Church by Ferus iudgment then the Pope is not the highest officer and person in the Church as other Papists would haue him who neuer executes this office And if this be the office of an Apostle hee is not the successor of the Apostles who neuer doth his office And after he writes thus to the same effect The proper dutie of an Apostle is to praie and preach For prayer obtaines of God what is to be taught and that by and by the fruit of the word heard may follow the preaching And hereof Paul sayth I make mention of you in my prayers c. Therefore they are not to be accouÌ„ted in the nuÌ„ber of the Apostles which neglect either both these or either of them much lesse they which giue themselues to ease and pleasure Thus far Ferus And after in another place speaking of religion which is maintained by fighting not by preaching by the sword not by the word Fer. in 10. ca. Act. as now a daies the Pope goes about to maintaine his O miserable religion saith he which cannot be defended otherwise theÌ„ with the weapons of desperate villaines and by the iniuries and spoyles of tyrants And after he nippes in another place the Popes couetousnes Here we see saith he that in the beginning of the Church hyprocrisie and couetousnes crept in In ca. 8. Act. speaking of Simon Magus but Peter verie diligently withstood both of them whom I would to God his successors had followed And after Peter neuer spake more bitterly then against Ananias and Sapphira for no plagues are more hurtfull in the Church then hypocrisie and couetousnes So Christ threwe out of the temple those which sold If he stroke them with such a terrible sentence which would haue bought what would he saie of our sellers which open and shut heauen for money which kill soules and quicken them againe for a handfull of barlie Thus farre Ferus No doubt he toucheth here the Popes pardons And after hee makes the holy
bulwarks and towers of defence of the Church which S. Austen knewe in his daies First generall councells then the apostolicall seas no one apostolicall sea more then the rest no not Rome and lastly some especiall godly learned men with their inuincible arguments and forces of reason Where also we maie note that as he preferreth no one apostolicall sea before all the rest so that he doth preferre generall councels before them all So that by Augustines iudgment a generall councell is to be preferred before the Church of Rome And here Augustine declaring the bulwarks of Gods Church against heretiques had shewed himselfe to be a verie vnskilfull Captain of the Lords armie if so be that he had quite forgotten the chiefe bulwarke aboue all the rest against them that is that the Pope cannot erre This had been the forciblest bulwarke that the Church could haue had against all heretiques But Austen in his daies knewe no such and therefore no doubt hee makes no mention of it And also in another place of Peters prerogatiue he writes thus As some things are sayd which seeme properly to belong to Peter himselfe and yet they are not rightly expounded In psal 108. vnlesse they be referred to the Church of which hee is acknowledged in a type to haue borne the figure for the primacie that hee had among the Apostles As this To thee I will giue the keies of the kingdom of heauen and other speeches of our sauiour to him like to this so Iudas likewise as it were sustaineth the person of the Iewes that bee enemies vnto Christ which then hated Christ and now also their wickednes continuing as it were by a succession doe hate him still Here Austen acknowledgeth a primacie of Peter amongst the Apostles But for all that by this his primacie by Austens iudgement hee gaineth nothing to his successor or to the Bishop of Rome but to the whole Church whose Image he sustained because he was the chiefe among the Apostles He plainly affirmes that Peter was a type of the whole Church to it conueyed that priuiledge giuen to him and not to his successor the Bishop of Rome as that papists now would haue him And to expound that saying of our Sauiour To thée will I giue the keies of the kingdom of heauen as the papists doe nowe to Peter himselfe is not rightlie to expound them what can be plainer then As Iudas sustaineth the persons of all the wicked Iewes so doth Peter not of the bishop of Rome but of the whole Church This is Austens iudgment concerning this matter and he ouerthrowes the papists exposition of these words To thee will I giue the keies which referre them to Peter himselfe and his successors And to Austen agrées Chrysostome both concerning the authoritie of Rome and of Peter he manifestlie preferres Antioch before Roome Ho. 17. ad pop Ant. What saith he is the dignitie of our Citie it chanced first saith he that the disciples at Antioch were called Christiās this dignitie hath no citie else that is in the world no not Romulus his citie And therefore she that is Antioch may lift vp her eyes and ouerlooke all the world beside for this fire of her loue toward Christ for this her great confidence and boldnes for this her valiantes He cals Rome but Romulus his citie if she had béen then accounted the catholique mother church as the papists nowe affirme that she is he would not haue béen too bould with her he would haue giuen her some more honorable stile then to call her Romulus his citie nay he would not haue preferred Antioch before her yea and not onlie Chrisostome but the Emperor himselfe yéelds that same priuiledge to Antioch Ho. 21. ad pop Ant aeditione Harma 21. And haue I not saith hee alwaies preferred that citie before all other and haue I not accompted it dearer to me then mine owne natiue countrie The Emperor preferred Antioch before all other cities in the world and therefore before Rome and it is not likelie that he erred in iudgment And after of the Emperors authoritie in the same homilie Chrysostome writes thus Oh howe great is the force of Christian religion It restrained and bridled a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that on earth had none to be compared with him that Lord that can ouerthrowe and destroy all things and taught him such heauenly philosophie as a meane man would neuer haue embraced c. He plainly here affirmes that the Emperor is the chiefe man here vpon earth And that there is none equall to be compared with him no not the Pope Victorinus an auncient father vppon the Reuelation concerning the church writes thus These seuen starres are seuen churches Victor in 1. cap. Ap. which he calls by their names and to whom also he writes his Epistles Not that they were the principall Churches of all other but that which hee speakes to one hee speakes to all for there is no difference as when one doth preferre the standerd of a fewe souldiers to a greater number Paul taught first that all the churches of the world were but seuen and those seuen which he named to be that one catholique Church The which thing that he might obserue him selfe he exceeded not the nūber of seuen Churches but he wrote to the Romanes Corinthians Galathians Ephesians Philippians Collossiās and to the Thessaloniās And afterward he wrote to particular persons least he should exceede the nūber of seauen Churches And briefly knitting vp togither the whole summe of his preaching he saith to Timothie That thou maist know how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the Church of the liuing God We read also that this type was declared by the holy Ghost by the prophet Esay of seuen women that should lay hould of one man Christ is that one man which was not borne of mans seede the seuen women are the churches taking their bread and with them that is their garments they are couered who desire that their reproch may bee taken from them and that the name of the Lord may be called vppon them They take their bread which is the holy Ghost which nourisheth into his eternal life promised them by faith and their garments also which are promised thē which desire that they may be clothed Of which S. Paul speaketh this mortalitie must be clothed with incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie And they desire that their reproch may be taken away their reproch is their old accustomed sinne which is taken away in baptisme and a man then beginnes to be called a Christian which is as much to say as let thy name be called vpon Therefore in these seuen churches it may be that of one Church is made seuen c. Victorinus here plainly makes but one catholique Church and the Romane church being one of the seuen whereunto S. Paul wrote his Epistles a member thereof In psal 99. in praelat Austine writes thus Eyther
are taught in this place first by this fact of our Sauiour that the authoritie of a kinge is of God which is both worthie of honour and reuerence So hee payde tribute to Caesar and to the tol gatherers of Caesar he would that tribute should bee paide of Peter and being asked whether tribute should be payde to Caesar hee answered Giue to Caesar the thinges that are Caesars He would be subiect to lawes euen from the beginning of his birth least he which should bee to others an example of life and holinesse should trouble the cōmon wealth which also came to amende that was amisse that he might also insinuate that a iust Empire hath lawes acceptable to all mē while the common wealth is maintained in peace iustice And for this cause no man ought to resist the higher powers when as Christ the example of humilitie would be subiect vnto them Thus farre Stella He excepts none from that subiection and obedience and paying of tribute neither Pope nor cleargie And whereas the Papists saye that one ministeriall head is necessarie for the gouernment of the Church August in psal 56. and that such a head is the Pope S. Austen concerning this matter writes thus Because all Christ is a head a bodie which I doe not doubt but that you knowe well enough our Sauiour himselfe the head who suffered vnder Pontius Pilate who now after he rose from the dead fitteth at the right hand of his father The Church is his bodie not this Church or that Church but that which is spred ouer the whole world nor that onely which is among men which now presently liue but they also belonging to her which were before vs and those also which shal be after vs to the worlds ende For the whole church consisting of all the faithfull because all the faithfull are mēbers of Christ hath now that head which is now placed in heauen which gouernes his bodie And although hee bee separated from sight yet hee is not separated from loue Therefore because all Christ is a head and his bodie therfore in al Psalmes let vs so heare the voice of our head as we also heare the voice of his bodie For he would not speake seuerally because he would not be separated Saying I am with you euen vnto the ende of the world If hee bee with vs he speakes in vs he speakes of vs and hee speakes by vs because we speake by him And therefore we speake truth because we speake in him For if at any time wee shall speake in our selues and of our selues we shall continue liers Thus far Austen where he saith plainly that Christ himselfe is a head gouerning his Church And that which is the chief part of a gouernor he speakes vnto it and that not by anie one but by all his ministers Fer. in 14. ca. Ioh. To whome hee hath promised He wil be with to the end of the world And how this gouernment is executed that is by his holie spirit Ferus verie excellentlie declares Christ alwaies saith he doth the part of a most faithfull Father For euen as a father his children being yet young doth not onely leaue them his inheritance and all the goods he hath but also placeth Tutors and guardians ouer them that may keepe that inheritance for his children and may resist those that would iniurie them which thing the children themselues orphanes could not doe So Christ here being not content by his testament to leaue vs his inheritance and his goods but moreouer he promiseth and appointeth the holie spirit to be our tutor and guardian who should take vpon him the care and guardianshippe of his Orphanes and should in euerie court before any Iudge King or tyraunt defende by his lawfull pleading the inheritance of the father bequeathed them in his testament nay written with his owne bloud and should haue a care least the children by their owne negligence should lose their inheritance Thus farre Ferus Now to be appointed tutor or guardian of the church what is it else but to be appointed gouernour of the Church Ieron in 4. ca. Mal. The Papists doe teach that before Antichrist Elias in his owne person shall come Concerning which thing Ierome writes thus The Iewes and heretiques following the Iewes before their Messias thinke that Elias shall come shall restore all things And hereupon in the Gospell this question was made to Christ Why the Pharisees doe say that Elias shall come To whome he answered Helias truly shall come And if you beleeue he is comed alreadie by Elias meaning Iohn Thus much Ierome Where we may note that Ierome calles them Iewish heretiques that looke for Elias And yet the Papistes at this daie looke for Elias If this had béen a point of Catholique doctrine in the Church in Ieromes daies no doubt hee would not haue béen ignorant of it neither would he haue called the professors thereof heretiques So that it should séeme the papists opinion concerning Antichrist was comed since Ieroms daies whereof this comming of Elias is a principall braunch And that the Papists are of this opinion Gagneius writes thus Neither in this place a mystical exposition of the number Gag in cap. xx Apoc. can fitly be applied when as in deede in the time of Antichrist that Elias shall come and preach according to the testimonie of Malachie we holde for a suretie Maister Bellarmine also affirmes the same De Rom. pont lib. 5. cap. 6. The third demonstration saith he is drawne from the comming of Enoch and Elias which as yet liue and liue to this ende that they may oppose themselues against Antichrist when he commeth and should preserue the elect in the faith of Christ and at the length should conuert the Iewes These are the causes why Maister Bellarmine saith that Elias and Enoch shall come But these causes haue no ground in the scripture and therfore the effect of them shall not follow For S. Paul saith Eph. 6.17 that the word of God is the sword of the spirit with which sworde no doubt all Gods enemies amongst whom Antichrist is chiefe must be wounded and confounded And S. Paul saith plainly that Antichrist must be consumed with the breath of Gods mouth 2. Thess 2.8 that is no doubt with this sword And as our Sauiour Christ fought against Antichrists father the Deuill saying Luk. 4.48 It is written and not saying thus it is taught by tradition so must all his souldiers fight against his sonne the sonne of perdition Antichrist himselfe saying Thus it is written Euerie Christian armed with the sword of the spirit that is with the word of God must oppose himselfe against Antichrist This sword is able to confound him and cut off his head There néedes not Elias and Enoch to come to oppose themselues against him They blunt the edge of this sword which teach this doctrine And with this sword also Saint Iohn armes euerie
heauenly phisition hath bought for thee with the price of his bloud hath bestowed freely vpon thee what to these things shall those most miserable men answere what shall they say for themselues what shall they doe surely euen that which our Sauiour euen here saith Then shall all the kinreds of the earth lament c. Thus farre Granatensis But here some will say all the infidels in the world shall wéepe at the beholding of this signe And shall they all be saued I answere The scripture saith not that all those which then wéepe shall be damned And therefore where the scriptures hold their peace let man take héed how he pronounceth sentence Let vs leaue them to the mercy of God God may among those weepers saue some if it please him as among two théeues he saued one on the crosse Luke 25.43 Hab. 3.1 That saying of Abacucke may then be fulfilled When thou art angrie thou wilt thinke vpon mercie And Dauid saith I will sing of mercie and iudgement Psal 101.1 Luke 16.9 Iudgement excludes not mercie euen in that terrible and great day of account Mercie must saue all Christians Io. 2.13 and why may it not at that time saue some Iewes also Especially séeing God promiseth here by his prophet that he will powre vpon them the spirit of grace and mercie and then they shall weepe This wéeping thall procéed of grace and therefore shall be healthfull This powring forth of the spirit of grace and mercie and this hauing respect then to him whom they haue pearced and this weeping belong all to one kind of people and are fruites and effects the one of the other The former the powring out of the spirit of grace and mercy doth belong to the elect and this latter the beholding of him whom haue they pearced and these teares to the reprobate As Ribera would haue it on that place of Zacharie And that the crosse was taken for the signe of the sonne of man in the primitiue Church Eusebius testifieth Rib. in za c. 12. For so when as the Christians admitted vnto their society one Basilides he saith they gaue him the Lords signe And the next day he was martyred And he that translated Eusebius addes in the margine that by the Lords signe he vnderstands the crosse But if we shall not admit his exposition Eus lib. ca 5. let vs heare what Sibylla an ancient Prophetesse prophecieth of Christs comming to iudgement and of this signe Sib. lib. 8. Orac fol. 383. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Verses are thus turned into English Vnto all men a famous signe whereby they may be knowne In those daies shal be giuen euen by the wood a trumpe most dire Of all the faithfull much esteemd but to the worlds state Reposing trust in earthly things a cause of great offence Here Sibylla in her Achrostickes as she doth most truly and plainly paint out vnto vs Christes name and his merits This King saith she whom we haue described in the first letters of our verses is our God and our eternall Redeemer and Sauiour who suffered for vs And of his comming againe to iudgement why should she not also saie the truth in the appearing of this the signe of the crosse It is a great argument to make one be trusted if he shall haue borne true witnes often before in other matters The true faith of Sibylla in the former may also win her credit with vs in this latter And to confirme the authoritie of her prophecie Cic. lib. 2. de Diuin Au. de ciuit dei lib. 18. ca. 23. that it is no new thing forged of late since Christs passion Cicero makes mention of this her Achrosticks who was before Christ and Lactantius in his booke often cites her verses And saint Austen saith That a certaine noble man called Flactianus who was the Emperors Lieutenāt when as they two talked togither of Christ shewed him a Greeke booke saying that they were the verses of Sibylla Erithrea and that he shewed him in a certaine place of that booke in the beginning of euerie verse letters set in such an order that these words might be read therein Iesus Christ Son of God Sauiour This account all these famous men made of Sibylla her verses and shal we discredite them Gualter also a learned man of our daies of famous memorie so expoundes that place of saint Matthewes gospell and by the signe of the sonne of man vnderstandeth the signe of the crosse These be his wordes Most of the auncient fathers expound the crosse to be this signe whose image as Eusebius witnesseth with this inscription In this signe thou shalt ouercome appeared to Constantine when he made warre against Maxentius that he might helpe the Church which seemed then forsaken In cap. 24. Euan. secun Mat For because Christ by the merit of the crosse ouercame all the power of the enemie the signe of the crosse appeareth most fitly before any other to our victorie and by it also we shall ouercome And it is verie profitable for vs often to muse vpon this and it is a shame for vs to feare any misfortune when as the verie name of the crosse promiseth vs most certaine victory Thus farre Gualter Wherein he doth not onely declare his owne opinion but also the opinion of the fathers concerning this matter That same learned father also Thomas Cooper sometimes Byshoppe of Lincolne in his visitation there agreed with Gualter in this his exposition who spake to this effect to his cleargie in Latine in my hearing all the rest of his Sermon being in English Annon potestis ferre fratres mei Anno Dom. 1583. signum illud formari hîc in terra quod ante aduentum iudicis erit conspicuum in coelo Can you not abide my deere brethren that that signe should be made here on earth which shall appeare manifestly before the iudge come in heauen In cap. 4. Ioh. Ferus also of the conuersion of the Iewes writes thus Allegorically as the foresaid woman of Samaria was a figure of the Church of the Gentiles so this noble mans sonne was a figure of the Iewes And it makes much to the purpose that the woman came to Christ at the sixt houre but he was healed first at the seuenth houre For the Church of the Gentiles beleeued the true sonne of Righteousnesse Christ Iesus ascending into heauen but when as he shall begin to come downe againe that is when he sendeth before him the signes and wonders of his comming to iudgement then shall the people of the Iewes beleeue Ferus thinkes that the verie signes and wonders which shall immediately precede Christs comming to iudgement shall cause the Iewes to beléeue and not the preaching of Elias and Enoch And it is verie likely that he means among those signes which shall appeare immediately before the iudgement which shall conuert the Iewes shall be the signe
did they then kéepe Gods people in awe how afraid were they then to breake anie of the Popes or his cleargies commandements whatsoeuer And as for God the most part of his commandements they knew not and those which they knew were so corrupted by them that they had as good almost not to haue knowne them at all They did as the Pharisées did teach the people Gods commandements but the kéeping of them after their expositions was a breaking of them Matt. 23.16.17.18 So they taught in those daies as may seeme not to sweare by God but by creatures by cocke apie and such like they made no account to sweare by which was horrible blasphemy against the maiestie of God to giue his glorie to a vaine thing to cocke apie or a mouse foote For to sweare by God Deut. 10.20 is a part of his honour and therefore euen as he that should set the crowne of a king vpon a swineheards head did more hainously offend against the maiestie of the king then he that should put it on the head of some of his nobles in anie rebellion so did they more grieuously offend in giuing gods honor to these base creatures Psal 63.11 Ier. 5 7. whereas it is a most hainous offence to giue it to anie creature So they taught to keepe holy the Sabaoth from bodilie labours but to doe the workes of the Sabaoth they regarded not as to heare Gods word and such like They gaue also Gods glorie to creatures by calling vpon Angels and Saints naie euen to stocks and stones by kneeling downe and putting off their cap◠vnto them Psal 76.11 nay by their offrings and making their vowes vnto them And in these consisted the chiefe part of Antichrists religion And this lesson concernes vs for it followes For the houre of his iudgement is come There be some that shall erre in these points euen immediately before the daie of iudgement But let such take héede for as I haue noted before God at the day of iudgement shall command all those his Saints to be gathered togither to him Psal 50.5 that haue made a league and couenant with him with their sacrifices And Dauid commandeth all Gods Saints to binde their sacrifices with cordes Psal 118.27 Heb. 13.10 Psal 82.1 to the hornes of the Altar now the Altar is Iesus Christ as who knowes not This is that which that Psalme teacheth also Sing we merily vnto God our strength make a cheerfull noise vnto the God of Iacob for this is a statute to Israel and a iudgement of the God of Iacob This he ordained in Ioseph for a testimonie when he came out of the land of Egypt This law of God must we obserue also comming out of the spirituall Egypt where also we heard a language that we vnderstood not To the hornes of that Altar Iesus Christ and to the mightie promises of this Altar must al Gods Saints binde all their sacrifices and all their praiers The houre of his iudgement is come nowe worship him that made heauen earth the sea and the fountaines of waters Here is an Antithesis or contrarietie betwéene God and his works As though the holy Ghost should say Worship now the creator and no creature whatsoeuer no not Saint or Angell Let al true catholiques obey this commandement and go no further Let them worship him that made heauen and earth let them worship the creator Thus farre the passage is sure If they shall go anie further they haue no warrant the passage is dangerous 1. Sam. 15.23 2. Sam. 6.7.8 1. King 13.24 22.28 they maie perchance be drowned in the sea of disobedience with king Saul and others which durst venture further then they had commission These are then the markes of the true Church reformed from the corruptions of Antichrist To preach the Gospell and the euerlasting Gospell to teach men to feare God and to feare to offend to breake his commaundements and to giue all glorie to God and to worship him that made heauen and earth Laye this rule to the Church of Rome and euerie one maie see howe farre out of square she is Reu. 14.8 And another Angel followed saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylō the great Citie for she made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here now followes Babylon here followes the false church that hath doctrines contrarie to those which was alofte as should seeme before and in great glorie Oh let not this her great glorie beguile anie For it is fallen it is fallen shee shall come to the ground shee shall not alwaies be alofte howe sure and firmely soeuer in mans eies she séems to be vnderpropped and therefore her fall here is doubled And although her doctrine might sufficiently haue béene gathered by the contrarie of those which haue béene taught before yet here also are some principall parts thereof manifested and declared least that Gods people should be deceiued and that in two words Here doctrine is called wine because it was pleasant to flesh and bloud as their Church seruice their guildes their pilgrimages doe most plainlie prooue Secondly it was wine of fornication She withdrew mens hearts from the only loue of the seruice and worship of God by this her wine and so made man to commit fornication euen as Israel did by ioyning euer some Idoll or deuise of their owne with the true worship of God Dauid saith in the Psalmes Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in heauē but thee meaning to worship to trust in to call vpon For thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee That is that trust in worship or call vpon any other yea though they be in heauen besides thee Exod. 20.3 And this also is the meaning of the first commandemēt Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me And the third Angell followed them saying with a loude voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand Vers 9. the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine that is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Now the gospell being preached it is a daungerous thing to follow Antichrist now light being come into the world still to embrace darkenes is death So that here followes a third Angell that threatens a most terrible sentence against all such And here also are put down markes of the false Church the first is to worship the beast and the image of the beast This beast is the Roman Emperour as appeareth in the chapter going before whose deadly wound the beast that came out of the earth healed Reu 13.12 and to him it was permitted to do wonders in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make
he is the propitiation of our sinnes But this propitiatorie is but a cubit and a halfe it is limited 2. Cor. 6.2 Heb. 3.15 Ma. 25.12 Gen. 6.3 Io. 3.4 it is not infinite Now is the accepted time saith saint Paul now is the day of saluation He that comes not to day and heares his voice but hardens his heart if he come the next day with the foolish virgins shall be excluded The olde world had a hundreth and twentie yeeres to repent in and Niniuie fortie daies Vers 20. And the Cherubims shall stretch their wings on hie couering the mercie seat with their wings and their faces one to another To the mercie seat ward shall the faces of the Cherubims be The Cherubims stretch out their wings ouer the mercie seate and so ouer the whole arke to teach vs that all Angels attend vpon Iesus Christ are his seruants to defend his Church as he himselfe witnesseth to Nathaniel Io. 1.50.51 And Iesus answered and said vnto him because I said vnto thee I saw thee vnder the figge tree beleeuest thou thou shalt see greater things thē these And be said to him Verily verily I say to you hereafter shal ye see heauen open the Angels of God ascending descending vpon the son of man Cyril in 2. ca. Io Heb. 1.14 1. Pet. 1.2 ◠as Cyrill expounds it at his commaundement ascending descending for the saluation of the faithful as S. Paul also witnesseth Are they not al ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shal be heirs of saluatiō And they turne their faces to the mercie seate because as Peter saith they which haue preached the gospell by the holy ghost sent downe from heauen haue preached such pretious things as the Angels desire to behold And thou shalt put the mercy seat aboue vpon the Arke and nothing else Vers 21. The true Arke of God then must alone worship Iesus Christ and for his sake hope for mercie at Gods hands only Vers 21. Exod. 16.34 Deut. 10.2.31.26 1. King 8.9 Heb. 9.4 Io. 6.33 Rom. 10.9 And in the Arke thou shalt put the testimonie I will giue thee Euery member of the true Church must haue those thrée things which after were put in the Arke in his heart that is the law of God which was contained in the two tables A Gomer of Mannah that is Iesus Christs incarnation for he is the true Mannah that came down from heauen And Aarons rod that budded that is his death and resurrection So that he that hath all these in the closet of his heart shall be saued and is Gods Arke and is no doubt a member of the true Church And there I wil declare my selfe vnto thee Verse 22. from aboue the mercie seate betweene the two Cherubims which are vpon the Arke of the testimonie I will tell thee all things which I wil giue thee in commandement vnto the children of Israel From this mercie seat procéeds all Gods spéeches with vs Iosuah 7. Exod. 12.13 2. Cor. 4.1 Lam 3.22 here he heares all our prayers Of his mercie he passed ouer the houses of the Israelites when as he destroyed the Egyptians Of his mercie Paul became an Apostle It is the Lords mercie saith Ieremy that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not The table also being couered all with gold Verse 23. Leuit. 24.5 being placed in the Tabernacle whereon the shew bread or as it is called in the Hebrew the bread of faces was set Verse 29. which loaues were changed euerie sabbaoth and the crowne of gold round about the table and the instruments for the table as dishes incense cups and gobblets and the pure incense that was put vpon them what doe all these signifie but the ministerie the preaching of the Gospell The crowne about the table signifies how glorious the preaching of the Gospell shall be 2. Cor. 3.7 If the ministration of death saith S. Paul written with letters and engrauen in stone was so glorious that the children of Israel could not behold the face of Moses for the glorie of his countenance which glorie is done away how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be much more glorious The word of God also may fitly be called the bread of faces For God himselfe séeth both his stewards that distribute this bread and his seruants that receiue it And at that great day of account he shall pronounce that steward blessed Luk. 12 4◠that hath giuen meat to his family in due season And again those seruants which haue receiued much of them shall much be required Luk. 12.48 Esa 35.11 not a crum of this bread shall be lost not one word of God shall returne to him emptie it shall be either the sauour of life or of death 2. Cor. 2 1◠And this bread was renewed euery sabboth Still bread was set vpon the table but new bread euerie Sabboth day to teach faithfull Pastors that they should euerie Sabbath day preach and breake this bread of life to their flockes Luk. 4.16 So we read of our Sauiour that as his custome was he taught the people euerie sabbath day to leaue all faithfull Pastors a patterne to follow And these loaues were set in order six on one side and sixe on another to teach vs that the word of God hath meat fit for al states conditions of men Psal 2.10 Psal 82.2 Rom. 13.1 Iam. 5.13.7 Act. 2.42 Ios 6.10 for all times and seasons for kings and euen for meanest subiects for the time of prosperitie and of affliction The pure incense placed vpon these loaues declares that we must ioyne prayers with preaching and that our prayers must bée grounded on Gods word In the ouerthrow of Iericho the people should shout but when Iosuah appointed them so in their spirituall warfare must all the souldiers of Iesus Christ not shout nor pray no otherwise then he appointeth The frankinsence must be put vpon the loaues because prayer and hearing the word preached must be ioyned together He that turneth away his eares from hearing the law saith Salomon his prayers be abominable Prou. 2◠9 The dishes also and Goblets and cuppes which were made as instruments for the table declare the diuers states and conditions of men which should be in Christs Church and the diuersities of their gifts 1. Cor. 12.4 Matt. 12.4 1. Pet. 2.5 Reu. 1.6 Exod. 26.31 Rom. 15.4 And that the Priests should only eat of that bread signifies that all Christians should bee Kings and Priests and should now be partakers of those heauenly dainties And this Table should be placed toward the North to teach vs that the Scriptures were written as S. Paul witnesseth that through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope They are the only table of refreshing Ephes 6.15 amongst the cold and Northren blasts of this life We must bee shod with the shooes of
the Gospell against the manifold thornes and pricks which Satan here in this life strewes in our wayes and in our iourney to heauen Exod 25.31 The golden Candlesticke which God commaunded Moses to make hauing one foot and a shaft beaten our with hammers hauing on euerie side therof three brāches cōming out of it euery branch hauing 3 bowles like to an Almond vpō it one knop one flower declares vnto vs also the ministery in the Church of God Act. 26.18 Luk. 12.42 whose office is aswell to giue light and to teach all as to giue meate and food and therefore héere they are compared to the candlestick And as before there was but one table so heere there is but one Candlesticke to declare the vnitie that should be among the ministers and pastors of Christs Church They should all be as one 1. Cor. 1.10 There should be no sects or schismes amōgst them They should go out to battell against their enemies as the Israelits did Iud. 20.8 euen as one man The foote of this Candlesticke is Iesus Christ who alone sustaines vs Matth. 28 2◠Reu. 1.13 who is said to be among the golden Candlestickes The shaft thereof is the Apostles out of which procéede thrée branches on the right side and thrée on the left side to teach vs that as there were false Prophets in the law as Peter teacheth 2. Pet. 2.1 so there should be also in the Gospell This Candlesticke shall haue aswell left branches as right branches euerie branch shall haue thrée bowles like Almonds and a flower and an apple The bowles like Almonds declare the doctrine they must preach They must preach the Gospel that is Mark 16.15 comfortable doctrine and glad newes And this is to be bowles like Almond nuts Leuinus Lemnius de herb◠biblicis cap. 4◠For the Almond is comfortable and restoratiue They must also haue an apple and a flower They must not haue only flourishing words but good works that they may say with Paul Brethren be followers of me And againe Phil. 3.17.4.8 Furthermore brethren whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise think on these things which ye haue both learned and receiued heard and seene in me Those things do and the God of peace shall bee with you By this type we may learne the necessitie of the ministerie in the Church Who would dwell in a house which lacked light What ioy can I haue saith Tobias that sit in darknes Tob. 5.12 and see not the light of heauen Such is the estate of all men without the preaching of the word vers 38. The snuffers also and the vessels to put the snuffes in doe teach first that ministers must haue a care of their doctrine that it be cleare and pure grounded of the Scriptures Matth. 15. ◠that no dregges of mans traditions be mingled with it God will haue all his torches burne cleare Secondly the vessels wherein the snuffes were put doe comfort those which haue meaner gifts in the Church Those which cannot be Apostles or great Doctors must not discourage themselues God had in his Tabernacle as well vessels to hold the snuffes of the torches as the torches themselues Lastly this candlestick must bee Mikshah beaten with hammers not melted sound not hollow 2. Cor. 2.4 to teach all Gods Ministers to beware of hypocrisie They must not make merchādize of the word of God The forme and fashion of this Tabernacle how vnlike is it to the Church of Rome In the making of this Tabernacle all things were voluntarie but the Roman Church commands she puts a necessitie in all her doings The Arke being all couered with the gold of charity 1. Cor. 16.14 condemnes that couetous Synagogue Let all your affaires be done through loue saith S. Paul but they do all for money She hath separated those foure rings from the sides of the Arke and the barres also she hath pulled forth from the rings which God commaunded should not be separated while she neither suffred the Bible to be in the Church neither the Pastors to preach it Neither were these rings fastened to the sides of the Ark neither were the tables of Gods commandements and that heauenly Manna and Aarons rod contained in the Ark while the gospell of Iesus Christ his most glorious death passion was not plainly taught the people It was neither in their houses nor in their harts She taught that the mercie seat couered not all the Ark but that the blessed Virgine was without sinne And that not as the Cherubims do all men should turne their faces to the mercie seat but that praying we may turne our faces some other way She hath also taken away the table of the shew bread from Gods house and hath not commanded his stewards to giue meat to his familie in due season but hath laid this burthen on other mens shoulders Likewise she hath made Gods house a most darke dungeon by taking from thence the light of Gods word Salomons temple also was a figure of Christs Church as first the verie author therof may teach vs. Salomon in Hebrew signifies peaceable Phil. 4.9 so the great God of peace Iesus Christ the true Salomon builded Gods Church Ioh. 14.27 Ephes 3.14 1. King 6.1 Matt. 6.33 1. King 7.1 Luk 2.46 1. King 5.13.14 He is our peace saith S. Paul He is our Salomon Secondly Salomon built the Temple in the fourth yeare of his raigne to teach vs that we must first seek the kingdome of God Salomon built Gods house before his owne house so Iesus Christ being but twelue yeares old began to build his Temple disputing with the Doctors And this exāple of Salomon proueth that kings though they be not builders themselues yet they may commaund the workmen they may cause the Lords house to be built So kings though they be no ministers yet may deale in ecclesiasticall affaires they may command the builders they may by their authoritie command and procure that Gods temple be built The Temple was builded in the moneth Zif which signifies brightnesse to declare 1. King 6.2 1. Ti. 4.13.15 that knowledge learning is required to the building of Gods house The which thing Pet. Berchorius in his Moralizations doth verie excellētly expresse Berch lib. 11. Moral super 3. Reg. cap. 5. Salomon saith he built the house of the Lord of squared wood and grauen stones and he deuided it into three roomes in height and whereof the lower was deuided into the inward oracle and outward house And thus it was made that all the walles of the lower Temple were couered with boords of Cedar and the floore with firre boords And aboue the boords all things were couered with plates of gold round
about so that there was nothing in the Temple that was not couered all ouer with gold And hee made sielings and caruings and the ioyning of the boords so close in so much that no rift or partition could be perceiued In the middle of the boords he graued Cherubims and Palm-trees standing out further then the rest So in the truth when the true Salomon God would build his Church he built it of grauen and foure squared stones that is of holy valiant and sound men That Temple consisted of foure kind of things of grauen stones of Cedar and firre boords and of plates of gold So the Church hath some men which were grauen that is Martyrs which were as it were carued by their martyrdomes Shee had some boords of Cedar also that is professours of Christian religion which were wholy in conteÌ„plation engrauen with vertues She had likewise some firre-boords that is holy religious men in the world who were in the lowermost parts She had also plates of gold that is Doctours which were famous for the brightnesse of their wisdom In all which were the images of vertues the Characters of sciences and of the holie scriptures the bonds and ioints of concord because in the persons of the Church as in the boords of the Temple there was such close ioyning of charitie that no rift or partition could appeare where of Iob saith Iob. 41. â— One is ioyned so to another that no aire can come betweene Amongst these also as amongst other things there ought to be grauen two especiall images that is of the Palme tree which signifies victorie and of the Cherubims which signifies knowledge for Cherubim signifies fulnesse of knowledge to declare vnto vs that all the faithfull and members of the Church must haue a palme that is perseuerance in vertues all their life and victorie and also Cherubim that is discretion knowledge and wisedome wherof it is said in the seuenth of the Reuelation that they were clothed in white robes and they had Palmes in their hands And to conclude there ought to be nothing in this Temple but it should be couered with gold of charity and knowledge So that as well the roofe the wals and the floore that is as well the superiors as the middle sort as also the inferiors should shine in faith and maners In the 20. of the Reuelation The Citie is of pure gold The TeÌ„ple had 3. parts because the Church also hath 3. sorts of men of superiors maried folks virgins or ecclesiastical persons which also was deuided again into two parts into the holy holiest of holies that is saith he into the regular Church and the Church of Friers which liue vnder their orders and into the secular Church He maketh the Sancta sanctorum the holy of holies to signifie their Church of Monks and Friers Heb. 9.7.12 but héerein he erres euen against the scriptures who applie that to Christ only And after he addes These are the three sorts of men which shal be saued which in Noah the superiour and in Iob the maried man and in Daniel the virgin were prefigured in the 14. of Ezechiel And therefore hereof may that be verified Gen. 29. He saw a well in the field and three flockes of sheepe lying by it And that the Temple was built vpon a hill it signifies that the Church of Christ must haue her heart dwell aloft in paradise and not to seeke heere an abiding citie but rather one that which is to come saying that of the Apostle Philip. 3. Our conuersation is in heauen Thus farre Berchorius Where wee may note that hee requires knowledge especiallie 1. King 6.5 and perseuerance in euerie member of the Church vers 6. There were galleries made round about the Temple and euery of them one aboue another Psal 1.2 Leu. 15.4 and their beames did not pierce thorough the walles to declare first that Christians should meditate on the word of God They should be cleane beasts they should chew the cud Secondly The beames of the galleries were not fastened in the walles but onely rested vpon the walles â—he wall being taken in 1. Cor. 7.31 that they might rest on it to teach vs not to be carefull if the beames of Gods temple were not fastened in the walles there of vers 4. how much lesse should the beames of our houses that is our cares be fastened on our walles We should vse the world as though wee vsed it not The windowes of the Temple were wide outwardly but narrow inwardly to declare that the Pastors of Christs Church which are as it were the windowes thereof should shine as great lightes outwardlie by their doctrine and life but be narrow within that is not to be proud of their labours count theÌ„selues with Paul the least of al others Nay 1. Cor. 15.9 1. Cor. 9.27 with him should tame and pinch themselues inwardly lest that hauing preached to others they should be reproued themselues There was not the noise of an hammer heard in the Temple vers 7. Matth. 5.40 Col. 3.13 Phil. 2.2 1. Pet. 3.8 1 King 6.8 to teach what great peace God requires of all Christians wée should haue no suites nor quarrels amongst our selues wée should all be as one man and of one soule The doore of the middle chamber was on the right sâ—de of the house and men went vp with winding staires into the miâ—dlemost chamber and out of the middlemost into the third Ioh. 10.7 1. Ti. 2.5 Iâ— is Christ is this doore the way of perfection the Mediator betweeâ— God and vs. We ascend by winding staires because euerie one must say with Dauid O Lord Psal 40.5 how many are thy thoughâ— to vs ward If I would declare and speake of them they should be moe then I am able to expresse God leades vs not the straight way to heauen but by a compasse as he did the Israelites Eâ— 13 17.18 Iat 1.2 Eccle 9.1 through manie temptations by little and little as it were by staires and degrées he brings vs thither we not knowing all our worldlie affaires are so vncertain we ascend by winding staires And all these temptations as they are trials of our faith so they are degrées of our glorie 1. Pet. 1.7 and our patience in them makes all our workes perfect 1. Iam. 4. And to the entring in of the Oracle he made two doores of Oliue trees and the vpper post and the side postes were fiue square vers 31. Ibid. Petrus Berchorius thus vnfolds this allegorie That the Prelates of the Church are these doores by whose ministerie we enter into the Church and to the Sacraments And they must be two vnited together through charitie And they must be made of Oliue trees because they must giue almes They must haue posts fiue square that is the strength of vertues able to guide their fiue senses and they must be grauen with the grauing of Cherubims