able to make the like vnlesse by some measure of speciall illumination from Gods Holy Spirit as many vnderstanding ones do now thinke yea and affirme And if the Heauen mentioned in the Booke of the Reuelation which is commaunded or exhorted to q Acts 18.20 reioyce ouer Babylon fallen be the reformed Church of Christ as some do expound it Is it not probable that the Apostles which are there willed to reioyce with that Heauen are the Archbishops and Bishops therein and * By putting part or the chiefe for the whole or all figuratiuely the rest of the Clergie thereof And that the Prophets there willed also to reioyce are all such as then receiued a speciall enlightening from Almighty God vnto the setting forward of the reformation and among them more especially such as were composers of the aforenamed bookes of the sacred Liturgy of the Church of England CHAP. 39. Of Lordship which Archbishops and Bishops haue IT is written that Å¿ Heb. 7.1.2 Melchisedec Priest of the high God was withall King of Salem or Ierusalem Abraham was a t Gen. 20.7 Prophet and withall a man of great u Gen. 14.14 15 temporall power Moses was a w Deut. 34.10 prophet and withall the supreme x Acts 7 35. Num. 26.16.17 Gouernour of the people of Israel vnder Almighty God He is called a King Deut. 33.5 Iethro was y Exod. 3.1 Priest of Midian and according to some interpretation he was z Exod. 2.16 in the Margent Sicautem Caldaeus Paraphrastes vertit viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Midian Eli was Priest and also a 1. Sam. 4.18 Iudge ouer Israel Samuel was a b Acts 13.20 Prophet and also c 1 Sam. 7.6 Iudge ouer Israel Dauid was a d Mat 27 35. Prophet and King also Solomon was a e Eccles 1.1 Preacher and a King also Simon was f Ecclus. 50.1 high Priest and g 1. Mac. 13.42 1. Mac. 14.47 Captaine and Gouernour of the Priests and Iewes and defender of them all If then some of the Ministery haue bin the supreme Gouernours in Nations may they not now be Gouernours if the Royall Maiestie so ordaine them Saint Iude calleth those persons h Iude 18. filthy dreamers which doe despise dominion and speake euill of dignities CHAP. 24. Of the Liturgie or Diuine Seruice of the Church in generall IN the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 6. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church the publike Seruice of the Lord is sayd to be The teaching and hearing of his Holy Word the calling vpon his holy Name the giuing thankes vnto him for his great and innumerable benefits and the due ministring of the Sacraments In the * T. 2. p. 138. Homily of Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd That Basilius Magnus and Iohannes Chrysostomus did in their time prescribe publike orders of publike administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appointed the people to answere vnto the prayer of the Minister sometime Amen sometime Lord haue mercy vpon vs sometime And with thy Spirit and We haue our hearts lifted vp vnto the Lord c. In the same * To. 2. p. 134. Homily it is also sayd By the histories of the Bible it appeareth that publike and common Prayer is most auaileable before God and therefore is much to be lamented that it is no better * Euen shortly after that the Diuine Seruice was set foorth the Diuell wrought in many people a more and more neglecting of it esteemed among vs which professe to be but one body in Christ It is said in the Preface before the Common Prayer That the first original and ground of the diuine Seruice of a man would search out by the ancient Fathers he shall finde that the same was not ordained but of a good purpose and for a great aduancement of godlinesse c. Saint Paul sayd vnto Timothy i 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Moses from the Lord prescribed vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes a forme of blessing the people saying k Num. 6.23.24.25.26 On this wise yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe the The Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace It is very considerable hereto that which is written of King Hezekiah in the booke of Chronicles That he and the Princes commanded the Leuites to sing praise vnto the Lord l 2. Chro. 29.30 with the words of Dauid and of * With the wordes also which Asaph deliuered which were as a Forme of praise or of praising God Asaph the Seer My sonne sayth m Pro. 1.8.9 Solomon heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother For they shall be an ornament of grace vnto thine head and chaines about thy necke Solomon repeateth this precept of God to the ende wee may take it all vnto heart as a matter most greatly concerning vs. n Pro 6.21 22.23 My sonne keepe thy Fathers commandement and forsake not the law of thy Mother Binde them continually vpon thine heart and tye them about thy necke For the commandement is a Lampe and the law is light o Haeresi septua gesima qâ—inta contra Aâ—â—â—um de quâ—busâ—am traditionibus loquens Ecclesia inquit necessariò hoc persâ—eâ—â— traditione à patribus accepta Quis autem poterit statutum nâ—atâ—â—s dissoluâ—re aut legem patris velut Solomon dicit Audi fili sermonem patris tui ne repud es statuta matris tuae ostendens per hoc quòd in scriptis sine scripto dacuit pater hoc est Deus vnigenâ—tus spiritus sancius Mater autem nosira Ecclesia babet statuta in se posita indissolâ—â—bil a quae dâ—solui non possunt Epiphanius an ancient holy Father vnderstandeth by the word mother in this Scripture to be meant the Church who hath besides the holy Scriptures the Commandement of God our Father a distinct law teaching or instruction the which all her members are bound to obserue most diligently by vertue of this charge thereto giuen by God through the ministery of Solomon The Christian Church is our mother if God bee our Father as it is written Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the p Gal. 4.26 mother of vs all God ordinarily begetteth none without his Church but in the q Psal 110.3 wombe of his Church they are conceiued thence they come to the r Isa 66.8.9 birth they Å¿ Isa 66.11.12
not their obedience to their father commended by the Lord and their fathers making such lawes approved by God in that he said k Ier. 35.18 19. Because yee have obeyed the commandement of Ionadab your father and have kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded Therfore thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever And if all the commandements and precepts of a private father are to bee kept which God hath not forbidden Then how much more all the commandements precepts and ordinances of the fathers of the Church which God hath not forbidden ought to bee most conscionably observed S. Peter commanded the people of God to submit unto l 2 Pet 2.13 every ordinance of man for the Lords sake even of such governours as were not Christians How much more then to every ordinance of Christian powers ought wee to be obedient The Ceremonies now used by the Church of England are as * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionysius said of the like in his time resemblances framed according to things spiritually understood whereunto they serve as a hand to lead and a way to direct God hath commanded his people to use Ceremonies for to put them in minde of their duties as it is written in the booke of Numbers m Num. â—â— 38 39 40. Speake unto the children of Israel and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations and that they put upon the fringe of the border a ribband of blue And it shall be unto you for a fringe that yee may looke upon it and remember all the Commandements of the Lord and doe them Such as oppose to the established Ceremonies of the Church of England say They would have nothing used in the worship of God but what the Scripture expresseth and with the word Scripture Scripture they triumph among the simple But when as the truely learned in the holy Scriptures do examine their deliveries they discerne that much which those spirits of disobedience do call Scripture is Scripture of their own framing For it is most usuâ—l with them when a Scripture is alleaged testifying expresly against them to put it off by saying wee must not cleave to the letter but to the meaning namely a meaning which they will devise contrary to the letter which is the Scripture Also the leaâ—â—eder among them pretending the originall Text to make for them against the sacred deliveries of holy Church doe either adde thereto or take there from or wrest the same and that ye seeke not after your owne heart and your owne eyes after which yee use to goe a whoring That yee may remember and doe all my commandements and be holy unto your God CHAP. 42. Of wearing a Surplisse IN the order where morning and evening prayer shall be used and said set before the beginning of the common prayer it is delivered That the Minister at the time of the Communion and at other times in his ministration shall use such Ornaments in the Church as were in use by Authoritie of Parliament in the second yeare of the Reigne of Edward the sixt according to the Act of Parliament set in the beginning of this a Namely of the bocke of Common Prayer booke Among which Ornaments the Surplisse is one In Canon 74. it is said The true ancient and flourishing Churches of Christ being ever desirous that their Prelacie and Clergie might bee had as well in outward reverence as otherwise regarded for the worthinesse of their Ministery did thinke it fit by a prescript forme of decent and comely apparell to have them knowne to the people and thereby to receive the honour and estimation due to the speciall Messengers and Ministers of Almighty God And towards the end thereof it is said In all which particulars concerning the apparell here prescribed our meaning is not to attribute any holinesse or speciall worthinesse to the said garments but for decencie gravity and order When Almightie God ordained his Leviticall Priesthood he commanded Moses saying b Exod 28.2 Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty Whereof Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith c Ecclus. 45.7 8 9 10 11 12. God beautified Aaron with comely Ornaments and cloathed him with a robe of glory The Lord by Ezekiel in the restauration of his worship in the Temple giveth speciall charge how the Priests shall be clad in their ministration saying d Ezek. 44.17 18. And it shall come to passe that when they enter in at the gates of the inner Court they shall bee cloathed with linnen garments and no Wooll shall come upon them whiles they minister in the gates of the inner Court and within They shall have linnen Bonnets upon their heads and shall have linnen Breeches upon their loynes they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat In Exodus it is said e Exod. 39.27 There were made Coates of fine linnen of woven worke for Aaron and for his sonnes Is it any where forbidden in the new Testament to the Ministers of the Christian Religion for to weare garments in any manner like to the garments which God ordained his Ministers to weare afore the Incarnation of Iesus Christ Doth not rather the equitie and f Rom. 8.4 righteousnesse of Moses law concerning ministeriall garments now binde Gods Ministers whiles they are executing their Office in the Church to bee attired differently from lay men Wherefore have Angels since Christs death appeared in their service cloathed in long g Mar. 16.5 white raiment but to signifie that such manner garment best beseemeth Gods Ministers his h Mal. 3.1 Rev. 1.20 Augels whiles they are in performing the Divine service Why is it written in the Revelation that the seven Angels came out of the Temple cloathed in pure and i Rev. 15.6 white linnen but to signifie that pure white linnen is the fittest rayment for Angels or Ministers whiles they serve in any Temple And if it bee granted to the wife of the Lambe that shee should be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and k Rev. 19.8 Hieronymus contra Pelagian libro primo scribit Quae sunt rogâ— inimicitiae contra Deum si Episcopus Presbyter Diaconus reliquus ordo Ecclesiasticus in administratione sâ—c rificiorum câ—ndida veste processerint white for the fine linnen is the. righteousnesse of the Saints Why may it not bee granted to her more excellent Members to be so arrayed in presence of that Lambe and in his publike service with materiall fine linnen cleane and white in fignification of the righteousnes of Saints wherewithal they ought most conspicuously or eminently to be l Ps 132.9 arrayed The generall rule without all exception given by the Holy Ghost concerning matters in publike worship cannot but
saith to the Ephesians See then that yee walke circumspectly not as fooles but as t Eph. 5.5.16.17 wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evill Wherefore be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is To the Romans he saith u Rom 12.2 Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Doe nothing without w Ecclus 32.19 advice and when thou hast once done repent not Solomon saith He that walketh with wise men shall bee x Prov. 13.20 wise but a companion of fooles shall be destroyed The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge and the eare of the y Prov. 18.15 Of Iustice wise seeketh knowledge Concerning Iustice that is said to be a vertue whereby to every one his own is rendred or given Hereunto the Apostle exhorteth saying z Rom. 13.7 Render to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honour a Isa 56.1 Isaiah saith Thus saith the Lord keepe ye judgement and doe justice Christ saith b Mat. 22.21 Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods Isaiah complained saying c Isa 59.4.14.15 None calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for the truth Iudgement is turned away backward and justice standeth afarre off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter Of Tempetāce Concerning Temperance it is defined to be the vertue which moderateth the pleasures of the flesh which are taken by tasting and touching Saint Paul saith d Rom. 13.14 Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof The Lord Christ saith Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be e Luke 21.34 overcharged with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Every one saith Saint Paul that striveth for the masterie is f 1 Cor. 9.25 temperate in all things now they doe it to obtaine a corruptible crowne but we an incorruptible Iesus the Sonne of Sirach saith g Ecclus. 31.12 15 16 17 19 20 27 28 29. If thou sit at a bountifull Table be not greedy upon it and say not there is much meat on it Iudge of thy neighbour by thy selfe and be discreet in every point Eate as it becommeth a man those things which are set before thee and devoure not lest thou be hated Leave off first for manners sake and bee not unsatiable lest thou offend A very little is sufficient for a man well nurtured Sound sleepe commeth of moderate eating Wine is as good as life to a man if it bee drunke moderately Wine measurably drunke and in season bringeth gladnesse of the heart and cheerfulnesse of the minde But wine drunken with excesse maketh bitternesse of the minde with brawling and quarrelling There are more profitable instructions concerning temperance in the said Booke called Ecclesiasticus and many in the Bookes of Solomon and the rest of the Holy Scripture Of Forritude Concerning Fortitude or strength the other vertue it is delivered to bee that whereby painfull labours yea and the perils of death are both undergone and also unto the very end endured Solomon saith The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous are h Prov. 28.1 bold as a Lyon Saint Peter saith If you suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are yee and bee not i 1 Pet. 3.14.15 afraid of their terrour neither bee troubled Saint Paul saith My brethren bee k Eph. 6.10.11 strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand against the wiles of the Divell And to the Corinthians hee saith Watch yee stand fast in the faith quit you like men be l 1 Cor. 16.13 strong David complaineth that some set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not m Ps 78.8 9 10 stedfast with God The children of Ephraim being armed and carrying bowes turned backe in the day of battell They kept not the Covenant of God refused to walke in his Law The n Rev. 21.8 fearefull and unbeleeving c. saith Saint Iohn shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death The duty of Souldiers Such as are sent forth unto warre ought to pray for to bee endued with the spirit of fortitude and * Ps 144.1 and 18.39 valour They are also to remember the Gospels Cōmandement o Luke 3.14 Doe violence to no man neither accuse any falsely and be content with your wages It is the duty of all Christians to live prudently justly temperately and couragiously So shall they keepe the golden meane to doe nothing too much nor nothing too little So shall they observe the Scriptures rule p Prov. 4.27 Turne not to the right hand nor to the left remove thy foot from evill CHAP. 84. Of the seven gifts of Grace IN the first part of the Service of Confirmatiō or Bishopping it is prayed for such as receive that Blessing of the Church saying Strengthen them wee beseech thee O Lord with the Holy Ghost the Comforter and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of Grace the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and ghostly strength the spirit of knowledge and true godlinesse and fulfill them O Lord with the spirit of thy holy feare Sixe of these gifts of Grace are by the Prophet Isaiah reckoned up together and foretold should be in Iesus Christ where hee saith There shall come forth a rod out of the stemme of Iesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the q Isa 11.2 spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and the feare of the Lord. In Iesus Christ dwelleth all the r Col 2.9 fulnesse of the Godhead bodily God gave not the spirit by ſ Ioh. 3.34 measure unto him And of his t Ioh. 1.16 fulnesse we all receive Hereby saith Saint Iohn wee know that we dwell in him and hee in us because he hath given us of his u 1 Ioh. 4.13 spirit And S. Paul saith If any one have not the w Rom. 8.9 Spirit of Christ the same is none of his He meaneth If one have it not in some measure In Baptisme some measure of Christs x 1 Cor. 12.13 Gal. 3.27 Spirit is received and in y Acts. 8.14.15.16.17 Bishopping an ampler measure thereof is obtained if one duly prepared according to the prescription of Holy Church doth submit to that Divine ordinance and receive the same Cōcerning Wisdome there is a memorable delivery of many sundry properties to bee therein in the
the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost without any difference or inequality CHAP. 3. Of God the Father IN the third part of the * 2 To. p. 40. Homily against perill of Idolatry it is sayd Deus est spiritus â—aturà simplex lux in accessibilis c Augustinus initio lib. quaest vet Noui Test ad Quaest quid sit Deus How can God a most pure Spirit whom neuer man saw be expressed by a grosse bodily and visible similitude How can the infinite Maiestie and greatnesse of God incomprehensible to mans minde much more not able to be compassed with the sense be expressed in a small and litle image That God in his Essence is Spirit Christ hath witnessed saying x Iohn 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth In the Nicene Creede it being sayd concerning God the Sonne That he is Light of Light we are taught that God the Father is the Light Eternall Saint Iohn sayth y 1 Iohn 1.5 God is Light and in him is no darkenesse at all In the first * 2 Tom. p. 179 Homily concerning the passion of Christ it is sayd Christ delighteth to enter and dwell in that soule where loue and charity ruleth and where peace and concord is seene For thus wrighteth Saint Iohn z 1 Iohn 4.8.16 God is Charity he that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in him Which to be spoken of God the Father also it appeareth out of the Words afore that Text where Saint Iohn sayth We haue seene and do testifie that the a 1 Iohn 4.14.15 Father sent the Sonne to bee the Sauiour of the World And we haue knowne and beleeued the loue that God hath vnto vs c. Also of b Rom. 11.36 Not si quis roget quodnaÌ„ sit quod colamus atque adoremus promptam est respondere quod sit Charitas Etenim vt à Spiritu Sancto pronunciatum est Deus noster Charitas est coque nomine magis quà m quovis alio delectatur Nazianzen Orat. 14. him and through him and to him are all things To whom be glory for euer Amen CHAP. 4. Of God the Sonne IN the Nicene Creed it is sayd I beleeue in one Lord IESVS CHRIST the onely begotten Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God Tertul libro contra Praxean capite octauo pretulit Deus Sermonent sicut radix fruticem et sol radium Et mox Quia omnis origo parent est et omne quod ex origine profertur progenies est Multo magis sermo Dei qui etiam proprie nomen silij accipit Nec frutex tameÌ„ à radice Nec fluvius à fonte nec radius a sole discernitur Sieut nec à Deo Sermo Light of Light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made The which Saint Iohn testifieth saying c Iohn 1.1.9.3 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God He was the true Light which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made In the third part of the * T. 2. pa. 228.229 Homily for Rogation weeke it is sayd concerning God the Sonne d Heb. 1.3 That he is the brightnesse of his Fathers glory and a very cleere Image and patterne of his substance It is there also sayd That Christ is the euerlasting Wisedome as in the booke of the Prouerbs it so of it selfe speakes saying I e Pâ—o. 8.12.22.23.30 Wisedome dwell with Prudence The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning or euer the earth was Then was I by him as one brought vp with him and I was dayly his delight rejoycing alwayes before him The eternall Sonne of God is signified in Genesis where it is sayd f Gen 19.24 The Lord rained upon Sodome and vpon Gomorrah Brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heauen And likewise in the Psalme where Dauid sayth The g Psal 110.1 Lord sayd vnto my Lord sit thou at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole A saying of Iesus the sonne of Syrach is memorable hereto who in his prayer vttered these words h Eccles 51.10 I called vpon the Lord the Father of my Lord that he would not leaue me in the dayes of my trouble and in the time of the proud when there was no helpe Vnto God the Sonne it is sayd in the Scripture i Heb. 1.8.9 Thy throne O God is for euer and euer a Scepter of righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdome Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquity We are taught in the sacred Lyturgie most piously to say vnto God the Father k In Saint Ambrose his song The holy Church throughout all the World doth acknowledge thine honorable true and onely Sonne And vnto God the Sonne for to say Thou art the King of Glory O Christ Thou art the euerlasting Sonne of the Father CHAP. 5. Of God the Holy Ghost IN the first part of the * 2. To p. 207. Homily concerning the comming downe of the Holy Ghost it is sayd The Holy Ghost is a spirituall and diuine substance Opus est spiritu sancto ut piè dexterè loquamur de Trinitate per quem folum Deus intelligitur exponitur auditur Divus Nazianzenus oratione prima de fugae sua in Pontum the third person in the Deity distinct from the Father and the Sonne and yet proceeding from them both As for his proper nature and substance it is altogether one with God the Father and God the Sonne that is to say Spirituall Eternall Vncreated Incomprehensible Almighty he is God and Lord euerlasting Concerning the Holy Ghost Christ hath sayd to his Disciples l Ioh. 15.26 When the comforter is come whom I will send vnto you from the Father euen the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me That the Holy Ghost is God it is manifest out of St. Peters words vnto Ananias saying m Acts 5.3.4 Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lye vnto the Holy Ghost Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God So where Saint Paul saith n 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6 Now there are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit And there are differences of administrations Spiritus Sanctus à patre procedit Qui quatenus ab illo procedit Creatura non est quatenus rursuÌ„ genitus non est filius non est quatenus autem inter ingenitum et genitum medius est Deus est D. Nazianzenus oratione 37. but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations but it is the same God which worketh all
euery yeare did seruice in the most Holy The house of the Lord which Solomon built consisted likewise of three parts The k 1. Kings 6.3 Porch answering to the Court of the Tabernacle The l 1. Kings 6.5 Temple answering to the holy Place and the Oracle answering vnto the most holy Place Concerning the signification of the Temple it is deliuered in the first part of the Homily of the right vse of the Church and also in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 127 T. 2. p. 2. P. 209. Homily concerning the place and time of Prayer Indeed the chiefe and speciall Temples of God wherein he hath greatest pleasure and most delighteth to continue and dwell in are the bodies and minds of true Christians and the chosen people of God according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture declared in the first Epistle to the Corinthians m 1. Cor. 3.16 17. Knowe yee not saith Saint Paul that yee bee the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy for the Temple of God is Holy which yee are And againe in the same Epistle n 1 Cor. 6.19.20 Know yee not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost dwelling in you whom yee haue giuen you of God In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 68. Homily against the perill of Idolatry there is cited a memorable Sentence of Saint Ierome That it is the Temple of the Lord wherein dwelleth true Faith godly conuersation and the company of all vertues Reade there also his interpretation of the goodly ornaments of the Temple built by Salomon which Exposition is very remarkable To Conclude this point Although God would haue our inward man to bee a Tabernacle or Temple for the o Pro. 23.26 Ephe. 3.17 1 Peter 3.4 2 Cor. 6.16 dwelling of his holy Spirit Yet all this notwithstanding as it is sayd in the first part of the * Tom. 2. p. 2. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church The materiall Church or Temple is a place p 1 Chron. 28.11.12 Psal 74 8. Luke 4.16 appoynted aswel by the vsage and continuall examples expressed in the old Testament as in the New for the people of God to resort together vnto c. CHAP. 20. Of Saint Iohn Baptists Preaching IN the Collect for Saint Iohn Baptists day it is said That by Gods prouidence he was wonderfully borne and sent to prepare the way of Iesus Christ our Sauiour by Preaching of Pennance That the Birth of Iohn the Baptist was wonderfull it may appeare by the Words of Zacharias to the Angell fore-telling of Iohns birth saying q Luke 1.18 Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in yeares That hee was sent to prepare the way of the Lord may appeare also from the Angels Words saying r Luke 1.15.16.17 Hee shall be filled with the Holy Ghost euen from his mothers Wombe And many of the children of Israel shall hee turne to the Lord their God And hee shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the Disobedient to the wisdome of the iust for to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. And that this preparing was by Preaching of Pennance or Repentance it is testified by St. Luke who sayth Å¿ Luke 3.3.4.5.6 Iohn came into all the Countrey about Iordan Preaching the Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of sinnes As it is written in the Booke of Esaias the Prophet saying t Esay 40.3.4.5 According it is read in the Epistle for St. Iohn Baptists day Hoc ita distinguendum esse ostendit Hebraea distincti comparatio sequentis membri Iunâ—us in annot ad Esay 40 30. MysteriuÌ„ in hac Historia à Propheta Esaia olim praedicta et tanto studio à sanctis Euangelistis ad notata latere aliquiâ— majus suspicor quam aut capere ipse satis aâ—t satis queaÌ„ admirari Causa bonus in Annal Bar. A voyce cryed in the Wildernesse Prepare the way of the Lord in the Wildernesse make straight the pathe of our God in the Desart Let all Vallies bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill bee layd low VVhat so euer is crooked let it be made straight and let the rough bee made plaine fields For the glory of the Lord shall plainely appeare and all flesh shall at once see and behold it The which Doctrine is called by Saint Marke the u Marke 1.1 beginning of the Gospell of Iesus Christ And the Prophet Malachy thus Preached it w Mal 3.1 Behold I will send my Messenger and hee shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom yee seeke shall suddainly come to his Temple euen the Messenger of the Couenant whom yee delight in behold hee shall come sayth the Lord of Hosts Great was the Ministery of Iohn the Baptist as it may appeare out of the words of Zacharias his Father who Prophesied of him saying x Luke 1.76.77.78.79 And thou childe shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes to giue knowledge of Saluation vnto his people by the remission of their sinnes To giue Light to them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of Death and to guide our feet into the way of peace Christ himselfe testified of him that y Mat. 11.11 among them which are borne of Woemen there hath not risen a greater than Iohn the Baptist And that all the Prophets and the Law were z Luke 16.16 Mat. 11.13 vntill Iohn So great a one hee was that hee had a Luke 11.1 Disciples after a speciall manner differing from the Clergy of Iewry in his time Hee was not onely the b Mat 3.1 first Minister of the Sacrament of Baptisme but also hee that c Math. 3.13.14 15.16 Baptized the Lord IESVS CHRIST And therefore hee is in an especiall manner more than any other Minister as it were surnamed the Baptist or the Baptizer CHAP. 21. Of the Holy Incarnation and Natiuity of our Lord Iesus Christ IN the Preface to be Read vpon Christmas day it is sayd That God did giue Iesus Christ his only Son to be borne as this day d Esay 9.6 for vs who by the operation of the e Math. 1.20 Holy Ghost was made very man of the substance of the Virgin Mary his mother and that without spotte of sinne io make vs f Ephe. 5.25.26.27 cleane from all sinne And in the * T. 2. p. 173. Homily of the Nativity it is deliuered That hee made all them which would g Iohn 1.12 receiue him truely and beleeue his Word good h Esay 61.3 trees and i Esay 32.15 16 and 51.3 good ground fruitfull and pleasant k
Iohn 15.2 Branches Children of l 1 Thes 5.5 Light m Eph. 2.19 Hebr. 12.22.23.24 Phil 3.20 Citizens of Heauen sheepe of his n Iohn 10.16 Fold members of his o Ephe. 5.30 body p Rom. 8.17 Iames 2.5 Heires of his Kingdome his true q Iohn 15.14.15 friends and r Heb. 2.11.12 Brethren sweet and liuely Å¿ 1 Cor. 10.17 bread the t 1 Peter 21 10. Hosea 2.23 Elect and chosen people of God But for the better vnderstanding and consideration of this thing let vs behold the end of his comming so shal we perceiue what great commodity and profite his Natiuity hath brought vnto vs miserable and sinfull Creatures The end of his comming was to u Math. 1.21 saue and w Luke 1.74 deliuer his people x Math. 5.17 Iohn 15.10 to fulfill the Law for vs to y Iohn 18.37 beare Witnesse vnto the Truth * As in the second past of the Homily agaynst Adultery it is sayd See Math. 5.21 22.27.28 c. T. 1. P. 84. to restore the Law of his Heauenly Father vnto the right sense vnderstanding and meaning to teach and z Luke 4 18. Preach the words of his Father to giue a Iohn 12.46 Light vnto the World to b Luke 6.32 call sinners vnto repentance c Math. 11.28 Acts 3.19 Esay 40.29 to refresh them that labour and be heauy laden to d Iohn 12.31 east out the Prince of this World to e Col 1.21.22 reconcile vs in the body of his flesh to f 1 Iohn 3.8 dissolue the works of the Diuell last of all to become a g 1 Iohn 2.2 propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole World These were the chiefe endes wherefore Christ became man not for any profite that should come to himselfe thereby but only for our sakes that we might h Iohn 15.15 vnderstand the will of God be i Iohn 17.22 partakers of his Heauenly light be deliuered out of the k Math. 4.24 2 Tim. 2.26 Diuells clawes released from the l Hebrewes 12.1 Rom. 6.18.22 burthen of sinne m Rom. 3.24.25 iustified through faith in his blood and finally n Psalme 73.24 Colos 3 4. 1 Pet. 5.10 receiued vp into euerlasting glory there to o Rom. 8.17 2 Tim. 2.11.12 reigne with him for euer Therefore sayth the Church in the conclusion of the sayd * P. 174. Homily Dearely beloued let vs not forget this loue of our Lord and Sauiour let vs not shew our selues vnmindfull or vnthankefull towards him but let vs loue him feare him obey him and serue him Let vs confesse him with our mouthes prayse him with our tongues beleeue on him with our hearts and p Iohn 15.8 glorifie him with our good workes q Iohn 1.9 Christ is the Light let vs receiue the Light Christ is the r Reue. 3.14 Truth let vs beleeue the Truth Christ is the Å¿ Iohn 14.6 way let vs follow the way Happy are they sayth the Scripture t Mat. 24.13 which continue vnto the end Be u Reue. 2.10 faithfull sayth God vntill Death and I will giue thee a Crowne of Life Againe he sayth in another place Hee that putteth his hand vnto the w Luke 9.62 Plough and looketh backe is not meete for the Kingdome of God Therefore let vs bee strong stedfast and vnmooueable x 1 Cor. 15.58 abounding alwayes in the workes of the Lord. Iesus Christ sayth y Iohn 3.16.17 God so loued the world that hee gaue his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life For God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued It is written in the Booke of Baruch This z Baruch 3.35 36.37 is our God and there shall none other bee accounted of in comparison of him Hee hath found out all the way of knowledge and hath giuen it vnto Iacob his seruant and to Israel his beloued Afterward did hee shew himselfe vpon earth and conuersed with men CHAP. 22. Of Christs death IN the beginning of the second * Tom. 2. p. 181 Homily concerning the death and passion of our Sauiour Christ it is sayd That we may the better conceiue the great mercy and goodnesse of our Sauiour Christ in suffering death a Heb. 2.9 2. Cor. 5.14.15 See chapter 25 of the merit of Christs death vniuersally for all men it behooueth vs to descend into the bottome of our conscience and deeply to consider the first and principall causes wherefore hee was compelled so to doe When our great Grand-father Adam had broken Gods commaundement in eating the apple forbidden him in Paradise at the b Gen. 3.6 motion and suggestion of his wife he purchased thereby not onely to himselfe but also to his c 1. Cor 15.22 posterity for euer the iust wrath and indignation of God c. He became d Rom. 5.12.14 mortall he lost the fauour of God He was e Gen. 3.23.24 cast out of Paradise he was no longer a Citizen of Heauen but a fire-brand of Hell and a bond-slaue to the Diuell To this doth our Sauiour beare witnesse in the Gospell calling vs f Mat. 18.11 lost sheepe which haue gone g 1. Pet. 2.25 astray and wandered from the true Shepheard of our soules To this also doth Saint Paul beare witnesse saying h Rom. 5.18 That by the offence of only Adam death came vpon all men vnto condemnation And it is sayd in the * T. 2. p. 169. Homily of the Natiuity of Christ When the i Gal. 4.4 fulnesse of time was come that is the perfection and course of yeares appointed from the beginning then God according to his former couenant and promise sent a Messias otherwise called a Mediatour into the world not such a one as Moses was not such a one as Ioshua Saul or Dauid was but such a one as should deliuer mankind from the bitter curse of the Law and make perfect satisfaction by his death for the sinnes of all people namely he sent his deere and onely Sonne Iesus Christ borne as the Apostle saith of a woman and made vnder the law that he might k Gal. 4.5 redeeme them that were in bondage of the law and make them the children of God by adoption Concerning the necessity of Christs death the Apostle declareth to the Hebrewes saying l Heb. 9.15.16.17.18 23. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the new Testament that by meanes of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were vnder the first Testament they which are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testatour For a Testament is of force after men be dead
ye seeke a proofe of Christ speaking in me He also inwardly instructeth his people as it is testified of Lydia That the Lord Å¿ Acts 16.14 opened her heart that she attended vnto the things which were spoken by Paul Also he is the foreceller of things to come as it is written t Reuel 1.1 The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him to shew vnto his seruants things which must shortly come to passe u Heb. 1.1 God saith the Apostle to the Hebrews who at sundry times and in diuerse manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken vnto vs by his Sonne who hath sayd w Heb 2.12 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren CHAP. 29. Of Christs Kingdome IN the third part of the * Tom. 2 p. 227. Homily for Rogation weeke it is sayd To Iesus Christ our Sauiour and Mediatour hath God the Father giuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction and authority to distribute his goods and gifts committed vnto him For so writeth the Apostle x Ephes 4.7 To euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of Christs giuing And thereupon to execute his authority committed after that he had brought sinne and the diuell to captiuity to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his Father againe and from thence sent liberall gifts to his well beloued seruants and hath still the power to the worlds end for to distribute his Fathers gifts continually in his Church to the establishment and comfort thereof In the first part of the * Tom. 1â— 54 Homily concerning falling from God it is sayd Whereas God hath shewed to all them that truly beleeue his Gospel his face of mercy in Iesus Christ which doth so lighten their hearts that they if they behold it as they ought to doe be transformed to his image be made partakers of the heauenly light and of his Holy Spirit and be fashioned to him in all goodnesse requisite to the children of God So if they after doe neglect the same if they be vnthankefull vnto him if they order not their liues according to his example and doctrine and to the setting forth of his glory he will take away from them his Kingdome his Holy Word whereby he should reigne in them because they bring not forth the fruite thereof that he looketh for Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes y Rom 5.20.21 The law entred that the offence might abound but where sinne abounded grace did much more abound That as sinne hath reigned vnto death euen so might grace reigne through righteousnesse vnto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord. z Math. 28.18 All power sayth Christ is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth Concerning his Kingdome Isaiah thus writeth a Isa 9.6.7 Vnto vs a childe is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen and the gouernment shall be vpon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderfull Counseller the mighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace of the increase of his gouernement and peace there shall bee no ende vpon the Throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with iudgement and with iustice from hencefoorth euen for euer b Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God saith Paul is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost c Luk. 17.20.21 The Kingdome of God saith Iesus Christ commeth not with obseruation neither shall they say Loe here or Loe there for behold the Kingdome of God is within you d Psal 145.13 Thy Kingdome saith Dauid is an * Or a kingdome of all ages as in the Margent euerlasting Kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations Christ must e 1. Cor. 15.24.25 reigne saith Paul till he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Then commeth the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the Kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power CHAP. 30. Of Christs mediation for his people and of the reconciliation IN the third part of the * Tom. 2. p. 228 Homily for Rogation weeke it is said God the Father of all mercy wrought the high benefit vnto vs of reconciliation not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane than his onely beloued Sonne whom he spared not from any paine and trauaile that might doe vs good And in the said part of the * Page 228. Homily it is further deliuered That as by him being the euerlasting Wisedome he wrought all the world and that is contained therein so by him onely and wholy would he haue all things restored againe in heauen and in earth In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 118. Homily concerning Prayer it is sayd Whereas we must needes vse the helpe of some mediatour and intercessour let vs content our selues with him that is the true and only f Heb. 9.15 Mediatour of the new Testament namely the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For as Saint Iohn sayth g 1. Ioh 2.1.2 If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sinnes And Saint Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy sayth h 1 Tim. 2.5.6 There is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men to be a testimony in due time The Prophet Isaiah declaring the state of man fallen saith i Isa 59.2 Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Saint Paul sheweth the Saints of Ephesus what Christs mediation had wrought for them saying k Eph. 2.13.14.15.16 But now in Christ Iesus Yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs hauing abolished in his flesh the enmity euen the law of commandements conteined in ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace Likewise he sayth to the Saints of Colosse l Colos 1.18 19.20 21.22.23 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And hauing made peace through the bloud of his crosse by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by him I say whether they bee things in earth or things in heauen And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and vnblameable and vnreproueable in his sight If yee continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c. And for as much as Christ is for his people an
Christ For it is written As I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall confesse vnto God So then euery one of vs shall giue account of himselfe to God And to the Saints of Corinth he said c 2 Cor. 5.10 11. Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receiue the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord wee perswade men And vnto Timothy Saint Paul said d 2. Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome c. Himselfe hath also said The Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall he e Mat. 16.27 reward euery man according to his workes Againe f Mat. 25.31 32.33.40 When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard diuideth the Sheepe from the Goates and he shall set the Sheepe on his right hand but the Goates on the left c. And these shall goe away into euerlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians g 2 Thâ— 1.7.8.9 The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Wherefore sayth Saint Peter h 1 Pet. 1.17 If yee call on the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning here with feare And sayth the Apostle to the Hebrewes i Heb. 1228.29 wherefore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot bee moued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare For our God is a consuming fire The which Apostle also sayd k Heb. 10.30.31 The Lord shall iudge his people And it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God CHAP. 32. Of the Church of Christ IN the Nicene Creed we are taught to beleeue and confesse one Catholicke and Apostolike Church In the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 213 Homily for Whitsunday the Church of Christ is thus described The true Church is an vniuersall congregation or fellowship of Gods faithfull and elect people l Eph. 2.20 built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or markes whereby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine The Sacraments ministred according to Christs holy institution and the right vse of Ecclesiasticall discipline This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the ancient Fathers so that none may iustly finde fault therewith Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes concerning the mysticall vnion of the Church m Rom. 12.4 5. As we haue many members in one body and all members haue not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one members one of another And to the Corinthians he sayth n 1. Cor. 12.12 As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ That they are faithfull people or true beleeuers in Iesus Christ it appeareth in that they are called the o Gal 6.10 houshold of faith Also they are faithfull vnto God as it may appeare out of Saint Pauls words to the Ephesians saying Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the p Eph. 1.1 faithfull in Iesus Christ Likewise to the Collossians hee sayth To the Saints and q Col. 1.2 faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse They are also faithfull each to other and faithfull towards all people as it is sayd vnto seruants concerning maisters Let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather doe them seruice because they are r 1. Tim 6.2 faithfull c. Siluanus a member of the Church of Christ is sayd to be a Å¿ 1. Pet. 5.12 faithfull brother vnto those to whom Saint Peter wrote So Saint Iohn testified of Gaius saying Beloued thou doest t 3. Iohn 5. faithfully whatsoeuer thou doest to the brethren and vnto straungers So Saint Peter shewing the dealing of the true members of Christ and how they to whom he wrote were to behaue themselues among the vnbeleeuers sayth u 1. Pet. 2.12 Hauing your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation So Saint Paul to the Thessalonians prescribeth w 1 Thes 5.15 Euer follow that which is good both among your selues and to all men They are also elected of God as Saint Peter sayth x â— Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirite vnto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Likewise Saint Paul to the Thessalonians signifieth saying y 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth And to the Ephesians he sayth z Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him from before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue The Church also professeth pure and sound doctrine as Christ signifieth saying a Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Againe b Ioh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Saint Iohn sayth c 1 Ioh. 4.6 He that knoweth God heareth vs. Saint Luke recordeth of the Christians d Acts 2.42 That they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers St. Paul sayth to Timothy e 1 Tim 3 15. That the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God is the pillar and ground of the truth Moreouer the Church of Christ hath the Sacraments ministred according to his holy institution as the Church of Corinth receiued f 1 Cor. 1.14.16 Baptisme and celebrated the g 1 Cor. 11.2.20 Lords Supper In the Acts of the Apostles it is sundry times mentioned that when any beleeued they were h Acts 8.12 Baptized Also it is recorded that the Disciples or Baptized ones j came together to
breake bread that is to eare the i Acts 20.7 Lords Supper The Church of Christ also rightly vseth Ecclesiasticall discipline as the Church of Corinth k 1. Cor. 5.4 5 11. excommunicated the incestuous one according to the Law If any man that is called a brother be a fornicator c. with such a one no not to eate and afterward when he was l 2. Cor. 2.6.7.8 penitent the Church receiued him againe into her holy communion CHAP 33. Of the Ministerie which Christ appointed in his Church in generall IN the Booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons in the Prayer afore the consecration of a Bishop it is said That Christ being ascended into heauen powred downe his gifts abundantly vpon men m Eph. 4.11.12 making some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors to the edifying and making perfect his congregation And in the prayer afore ordering Priests it is added By whose labour and Ministerie he gathered together a great flocke in all parts of the world to set forth the eternall praise of his holy Name It is there also added So that as â—ell by these thy Ministers as by them to whom they shall be appointed Ministers thy holy Name may be alwayes glorified and thy blessed kingdome enlarged The Apostle saith to the Hebrewes n Hebr. 5.1 â— 4.5 Euery high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sinnes who can haue compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himselfe also is compassed with infirmity And by reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himselfe to offer for sinnes And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron The ground of Christs Ministery is signified in Saint Peters deliuery out of Amos by whom the Lord said o Acts 15.16.17 After this I will returne and will build againe the tabernacle of Dauid which is fallen downe and I will build againe the ruines thereof and I will set it vp that the residue of men might seeke after the Lord and all the Gentiles vpon whom my name is called saith the Lord who doth all these things Paul and Barnabas said vnto the Iewes p Act. 13.46.47 It was necessary that the word of God should first haue beene spoken vnto you but seeing yee put it from you and iudge your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe wee turne to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded vs saying I haue set thee to be a light of the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for saluation vnto the ends of the earth Also it is signified thereof to the Hebrewes where it is said If perfection were by the Leuiticall Priesthood for vnder it the people receiued the Law what further neede was there that another Priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a * Cur ergo baptizas si tu â—on es Christus ille neque Elias neque Propheta illâ— Ioh. 1.25 Hinc doceri potest Iudaeos ipsos non ignorasse mutationem aliquam fore in religione sub Mesâ—ia inquit quidam in annot ad Ioh. 1.25 in bibl Iun. change also of the Law CHAP. 34. Of Deacons IN the sacred Seruice for the ordering of Deacons it is said It appertaineth to the office 〈◊〉 λ a Deacon in q Heb. 7.11.12 the Church where hee shall be appointed to assist the Priest in Diuine Seruice and specially when he ministreth the holy Communion and to helpe him in distribution thereof and to reade holy Scriptures and Homilies in the Congregation and to instruct the youth in the Catechisme to Baptize and to Preach if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop And furthermore it is his office where prouision is so made to search for the sicke poore and impotent people of the Parish and to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell to the Curate that by his exhortation they may be relieued by the Parish or other conuenient almes The Deacons saith Saint Paul vnto Timothy must be such as hold the r 1. Tim. 3.8.9.10 Mystery of the faith in a pure conscience Their ordination is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles where it is deliuered Å¿ Act. 6.2.3.4 5.6 that the Apostles said to the multitude of Disciples It is not reason that we should leaue the word of God to serue tables Wherefore said they looke out among you seuen men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdome whom we may appoint ouer this businesse and they choose Stephen Philip c. whom they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laide their hands on them t Act. 6.9.10 Steuen forthwith mightily defended the Christian faith by disputing against the aduersaries thereof and afterward made a diuine declaration recorded in the seuenth of the Acts. u Act. 8.5.12 Philip after Steuens death went downe vnto the Citie of Samaria and preached Christ vnto them and baptized both men and women CHAP. 35. Of Priests IN the Diuine Seruice of the ordering of Priests in the exhortation to be read vnto them afore hands be laid on them it is said And now we exhort you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to haue in remembrance into how high a d gnity and to how chargeable an office ye be called that is to say the w Mal. 3 1. Messengers the x Isa 56 10. Watchmen the y Ier. 3.15 Pastors and the z 1 Cor 4.1.2 Stewards of the Lord to teach to a Eze. 33.7.8.9 premonish to b Ioh. 21.15.16.17 feede and prouide for the Lords family to c Ezech. â—4 6. seeke for Christs sheepe that be dispersed abroad and for his children which be in the d Phil. 2.15 middest of this naughty world to be saued through Christ for euer Wherefore consider with your selues the end of your Ministery towards the childen of God towards the spouse and body of Christ and see that you neuer cease your labour your care and dilâ—gence vntill you haue done all that lyeth in you according to your bounden dutie to bring all such as are or shall be committed to your charge vnto that e Eph. 4.13 agreement in faith and knowledge of God and to that ripenesse and perfectnesse of age in Christ that there be no place left among you either of errour in religion or for viciousnesse of f Col. 1.28 life It is said vnto euery one receiuing the order of the Priesthood hee humbly kneeling vpon his knees by the Bishop when he with the Priests present lay hands on him g Ioh. 20.22.23 Receiue the Holy Ghost whose sinnes thou doest forgiue they are forgiuen and whose sinnes thou doest retaine they
sucke at the breasts they are borne on her sides and dandled vpon her knees Shee feedeth them with t 1. Cor 3.2 milke first afterward with stronger meate she nourisheth cherisheth and bringeth them vp vntill they become to be u Col. 1.28 perfect in Iesus Christ The Church of England our mother hath in her Booke of Common Prayer as Iohn the Baptist w Luke 11.1 taught his Disciples to pray set foorth vnto vs formes of prayer and thankes giuing for vs to vse and for our better information how to speake vnto the great God of heauen and earth And in her booke of Homilies she hath deliuered a x 2. Tim. 1.13 2. Tim. 2.2 forme of wholesome Doctrine in faith and loue to be publikely read vnto her members And saith Paul to Timothy Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which which is in Christ Iesus Most memorable is that saying of his vnto the Philippians Finally brethren y Phil. 4.8 whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are louely whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there bee any praise thinke on these things And what he sayth to the Romanes is considerable Yee haue obeyed from the heart that * Rom 6.17 forme of doctrine which was deliuered you CHAP. 41. Of the Ceremonies of the Church of England in generall IN the Treatise of Ceremonies why some be abolished and some retained set afore the Common Prayer it is said Of such Ceremonies as bee used in the Church and have had their beginning by the institution of man some at the first were of Godly intent and purpose devised c. Other there bee which although they have beene devised by man yet it is thought good to reserve them still as wel for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first devised as because they appertaine unto z 1 Cor. 10.31 and 14.12 Rom. 14.19 edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth ought to bee referred And although the keeping or omitting of a Ceremonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing Yet the wilfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God a 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order The appointment of the which order pertaineth not to b Hag. 1.14 2 King 18.4 2 Chron. 34.3 4 5 6 7. 17.6 private men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor to presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except hee be lawfully called and authorized thereunto In the said Preface it is afterward said Christs Religion is content onely with those Ceremonies which doe serve to a decent order and Godly discipline and such as bee apt to stirre up the dull minde of man to the c Num. 15.38.39.40 remembrance of his dutie to God by some notable speciall signification whereby hee might be edified c. But now as concerning those persons which peradventure will bee offended for that some of the old Ceremonies are retained still If they consider that without some Ceremonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceive just cause to reforme their judgements And if they thinke much that any of the old remaine and would rather have all devised anew then such men granting some Ceremonies convenient to bee had surely where the old may bee well used there they cannot reasonably reproove the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to have reverence unto them for their antiquity if they will declare themselves to be more studious of d Eph 4.3 unity and concord than of innovations and new fanglenesse which as much as may be with the true setting forth of Christs Religion is alwayes to be eschewed And saith the Church afterward in these our doings wee e Rom. 14.4.13 Luke 6.17 condemne no other Nations nor prescribe any thing but to our owne People onely For wee thinke it convenient that every Country should use such Ceremonies as they shall thinke best to the setting forth of Gods honour and glory and to the reducing of the People to a most * The end why the Apostolical Church of England useth Ceremoniâ—â— perfect and Godly living without errour or superstition Also in the Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer set afore the beginning thereof it is said If there shall happen any contempt or irreverence to be used in the Ceremonies or Rites of the Church by the misusing of the orders appointed in this Booke the Q. Majestie may by the like advise of the said Commissioners or Metropolitane ordaine publish such further ceremonies or rites as may be most for the advancement of Gods glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christs holy Mysteries and Sacraments That the Church hath power to ordaine Ceremonies signifying good things not onely that saying of Salomon f Prov. 6.20.23 Forsake not the Law of thy mother for her Law is a light prooveth it but the example of the Reubenites Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh in their building an Altar whereunto they had no precept in the Law of Moses who when they were accused by others of the children of Israel to have committed a trespasse against the God of Israel to have turned away from following the Lord in building an Altar which hee had not commanded in Moses law answered g Ios 12. â—2 c. We have not built it in rebellion nor in transgression against the Lord to turne from following the lord or to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering or peace offerings but rather have done it for feare of this thing saying In time to come your children might speake unto our children saying what have you to doe with the Lord God of Israel For the Lord hath made Iordan a border betweene us and you c. Wee have built it that it may be a witnes betweene us and you and our generations after us that wee might doe the service of the Lord c. Which answer when Phinehas the Priest heard hee said h Ios 22.30 31 32 33 34. This day wee perceive that the Lord is among us because yee have not committed this trespasse against the Lord. And the children of Reuben and Gad called the Altar Ed For it shall bee a witnesse betweene us that the Lord is God Had not Ionadab the sonne of Rechab power to command his sonnes to i Ier. 35.6 7 8 9 10. drinke no wine to build no house nor sow seed nor plant Vineyard nor have any but all their dayes to dwell in tents And was
Iesus concerning you And Isaiah signifieth that thankesgiving acceptable to God consisteth not in words onely where he saith u Isa 5.16 God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousnes In another place he saith w Isa 66.5 Heare ye the word of the Lord yee that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you that cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appeare to your joy and they shall bee ashamed Memorably saith the Church in the Communion service It is very meet right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places give thankes unto thee O Lord Holy Father Almighty Everlasting God Of confession to God Concerning publike confession of our sinnes unto God the Divine Service beginneth with one that is generall and likewise there is a generall confession to be made afore receiving of the holy Communion The Prophet Daniel made a solemne x Dan. 9.4 confession unto God in the behalfe of the Iewes in generall that were with him in captivity in Babylon And Baruch wrote a long y Bar. 1.14.15 c. confession for the Iewes at Ierusalem to make reading it in the House of the Lord upon the feasts and solemne dayes There is also private confession of our sins to be made unto God whereof it is said in the second part of the * T. 2. Homily of repentance that it is the second part of repentance And the Homily saith If we will with a sorrowfull and contrite heart make an unfeined confession of our sinnes unto God hee will freely and frankly forgive them and so put all our wickednesse out of remembrance before the sight of his Majestie that they shall no more be z Heb. 8.12 thought upon Hereunto doth pertaine the golden saying of David where he saith on this manner a Ps 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne unto thee neither did I hide mine iniquitie I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse unto the Lord and thou forgavest the ungodlinesse of my sinne These are also the words of Iohn the Evangelist b 1 Iohn 1.9 10. If wee confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and righteous to forgive us our sinnes and to make us cleane from all our wickednesse Which ought to be understood of the confession made unto God This is then the chiefest and most principall confession that in the Scriptures and Word of God wee are bidden to make and without the which wee shall never obtaine pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes The Prodigall sonne made such a confession saying c Luke 15.21 Father I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Salomon saith d Prov. 28.13 Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsakes them shall finde mercy CHAP. 45. Of singing Psalmes and spirituall songs in publike and in private and also of singing with musicke IN the title of the Psalmes in meeter in the Booke of Common prayer it is thus said The whole booke of Psalmes collected into English meeter by c. Conferred with the Hebrew with apt notes to sing them withall Set forth and allowed to bee sung in all Churches of all people together before and after morning and evening prayer as also before and after sermons and moreover in private houses for their godly solace and comfort laying apart all ungodly songs and Ballads which tend onely to the nourishing of vice and corrupting of youth Iames 5.13 If any be afflicted let him pray and if any be merry let him sing Psalmes And then in the Common prayer booke of that forme which is appointed for Churches there is added a Treatise made by Athanasius the great cōcerning the use and vertue of the Psalmes whose beginning is thus and a delivery most memorable All holy Scripture is certainly the teacher of all vertue and of true faith but the booke of Psalmes doth expresse after a certaine manner the very state and condition of the soule For as he which intendeth to present himselfe to a King first will compound with himselfe to set in good order both his gesture and his speech lest else he might be reputed rude and ignorant even so doth this godly booke informe all such as be desirous to lead their life in vertue and to know the life of our Saviour which hee ledd in his conversation putting them in minde in the reading thereof of all their affections and passions whereto their soule is inclined c. And then doe follow 99. signifyings of what Psalmes may be sung even upon most occasions that come to passe in this present life And both before and also after the Psalmes in meeter there are sundry spirituall songs which may be sung upon sundry occasions unto the great comfort of the minde * Of singing with musicke Concerning singing in publike it is said in the booke of Ezra e Ezra 3.10 11. When the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord they set the Priests in their apparell with Trumpets and the Levites the sonnes of Asaph with Cymbals to praise the Lord after the Ordinance of Dauid King of Israel And they sang together by course in praising and giving thankes unto the Lord because hee is good for his mercy indureth for ever towards Israel And in the booke of Chronicles it is said f 1 Chron. 16.7 David delivered a Psalme to thanke the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren The which holy Prophet hath said g Ps 148.11 12 13 14. Kings of the earth and all people Princes and all Iudges of the earth both young men and maydens old men and Children let them praise the name of the Lord. h Ps 149.1 3. Sing unto the Lord a new song and his praise in the congregation of Saints let them sing praises unto him with Timbrell and Harpe i Ps 150.1 Praise yee God in his Sanctuary k Ps 95.1 2. O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyfull noyse to the rocke of our salvation Let us come before his presence with thankesgiving and make a ioyfull noyse unto him with Psalmes l Ps 100.1 Serve the Lord with gladnesse come before his presence with singing Saint Paul said to the Church of Ephesus Be m Eph. 5.18 19 filled with the spirit speaking to your selves in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord. n Ps 150.3 4 5. Praise the Lord saith David with the sound of the Trumpet praise him with the Psaltery and Harpe Praise him with the Timbrell and daunce praise him with stringed instruments and Organs Praise him upon the loud Cymbals praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals It is written that Moses and the Children of Israel o Exod. 15.1 sang a song unto the Lord. And that p
and 15.20 21. Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron tooke a Timbrell in her hand and all the women went out after her with Timbrels and with daunces And Miriam answered them Sing yee to the Lord c. Singing the same song as did Moses and the Children of Israel And Saint Iohn in the Revelation foretelling the actions of Christs Church to come to passe saith q Rev. 15.2 3. I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the Harpes of God And they sung the song of Moses c. see Revel 14 2 3 4 5. and 5.8 and 1 Cor. 14.7.26 and from thence and other Scriptures it is manifest that Christian people have used musicke in praising the name of the Lord and there is not in the whole Bible any manner of mention concerning abolishing of the same CHAP. 46. Of the publike reading of the holy Scriptures as also the Homilies and of making an Exhortation in publike IN the Preface afore the Common prayer it is said The ancient fathers for a great advancement of godlinesse so ordered the matter that all the whole Bible or the greatest part thereof should be read over once every yeare intending thereby that the Clergy and especially such as were Ministers of the Congregation should by often reading and meditation of Gods Word be stirred up to godlinesse themselves and be more able to exhort others by wholesome doctrine and to confute them that were adversaries to the truth And further that the people by dayly hearing of holy Scripture read in the Church should continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God and be the more inflamed with the love of his true religion What care hereto our fathers have had may appeare out of the sacred Kalender and out of the order how the Psalter is appointed to be read and out of the order how the rest of the holy Scripture beside the Psalter is appointed to be read all which are set before the Common prayer It is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles that at Antioch in Pisidia in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day there was the Å¿ Act. 13.15 reading of the Law and the Prophets In another place it is said Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being t Act. 15. â—1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Saint Paul saith to the Colossians When this Epistle is read amongst you cause that it be u Col. 4.16 read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Of reading the Homilies Concerning reading the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the publike authoritie of the Church in the Preface published afore them it is said Considering how necessary it is that the Word of God which is the onely food of the soule and that most excellent light that we must walke by in this our most dangerous pilgrimage at all convenient times be preached unto the people that thereby they may both learne their duty towards God their Prince and their neighbours according to the minde of the Holy Ghost expressed in the Scriptures and also to avoide the manifold enormities which heretofore by false doctrine have crept into the Church of God and how that all they which are appointed Ministers have not the gift of preaching sufficiently to instruct the people which is committed unto them whereof great inconveniences might rise and ignorance still be maintained if some honest remedy be not speedily found and provided The Queenes most excellent Majestie tendering the sole health of her loving subjects the quieting of their coÌ„sciences in the chiefe principall points of Christian religion and willing also by the true setting forth and pure declaring of Gods Word which is the principal guide leader runto all godlines and vertue to expell drive away as well all corrupt vicious and ungodly living as also erroneous and poysoned doctrines tending to superstition and Idolatry hath by the advise of her most honourable Counsellors for her discharge in this behalfe caused a booke of Homilies which heretofore was set forth by her most loving brother a Prince of most worthy memorie Edward the sixt to bee printed anew wherein are contained certaine wholesome and godly exhortations to move the people to honour and worship Almighty God and diligently to serve him every one according to their degree state vocation And in the latter part of the Preface it is said That all her people of what degree or condition soever they be may learne how to invocate and call upon the name of God and know what duty they owe both to God and man so that they may pray beleeve and worke according to knowledge while they shall live here and after this life bee with him that with his blood hath bought us all And at the end of the first Tome of the Homilies it is said concerning the Homilies of the second Tome Hereafter shall follow sermons of fasting praying almesdeeds c. with many other matters as well fruitfull as necèssarie to the edifying of Christian people and the increase of godly living From al which aforesaid delivery it is most manifest that the one only end why the reverend Fathers and the most learned Doctors of the Church composed the sermons commonly called Homilies was for the edification of the congregations in holinesse and righteousnesse and for a helpe unto Ministers that with the said sacred sermons the people committed to their charge might be the more instructed in the faith and life of the true Christian religion As therefore we have received from our fathers the CommoÌ„ prayer as a forme of prayer thanksgiving and confession so ought wee not to receive from our fathers hands their booke of Sermons the Homilies as a forme of wholesome words in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Saint Paul charged Timothy to hold fast the w 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.17 forme of sound words which he had heard of him in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Let any one unpartially weigh every particular sentence in the booke of Homilies and there will appeare nothing but Christian faith and godly love intended and held forth therein Moreover ought wee reverently to heare the Sermons of such as bee but young Students in Divinity and ought we not with great reverence to attend unto the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the chiefest Divines in the whole Church of our Land We ought not to be partiall towards the established Doctrine of our Church We commonly ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her Common prayer profitable for us to pray with unto Almighty God We ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her translation of the
soone as hee shall be able to learne what a solemne vow promise and profession he hath made by you And that hee may know these things the better ye shall call upon him to a Neh. 8.2 Deut 31.12 heare sermons and chiefly you shall provide that he may learne the b 2 Tim. 1.13 Creed the c Luke 11.1 Lords prayer and the d Deut. 11.19 20 21 22. Exod 34.28 ten Commandements in the English tongue and e Prov. 22.6 all other things which a Christian man ought to know and beleeve to his soules health and that this Child may be f Eph. 5.4 vertuously brought up to lead a godly and a g Gen. 18 Christian life c. The Prophet Isaiah hath written h Isa 8.1 2 3. The Lord said unto me Take thee a great Roule and write in it with a mans Pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz And I tooke unto me faithfull witnesses to record Vriah the Priest and Zechariah the sonne of Ieberechiah And I went unto the Prophetesse and shee conceived and bare a sonne then said the Lord to mee call his name Mahor-shalal-hash-baz Hence it is * Atque ex hoc ritu profectum esse illum nostruÌ„ conslat quo certi homines speciatim maximè verò calamitosis temporibus ut ista futura erant adbibentur iestes accessus ad Christum et ad ecclesiam per baptismum nominis baptismo inditi ex quo ritu Propheta occasionem sumpsit ut testes filijsui ad alterâ—â— hoc singulare testimonium adhiberet Hos vulgus compatres commatres Graeci olim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellarunt Iunius in Annot. ad Is 8.2 observed that Isaiah tooke unto him Vriah and Zechariah for witnesses of the Childes naming the Prophet would not name the Child but before some of the Church Also childrens names were given at their circumcision as it is testified of Iohn the Baptists i Luke 1.59 60 63. naming Yea also when our Lord Christ had the k Luke 2.21 name Iesus by Ioseph pronounced on him Moreover from the holy Prophets example of taking of witnesses unto the Childes naming and from that the Children were named in their circumcision the ancieÌ„t holy fathers ordained that there should be witnesses of childrens names given at their baptisme as also of their baptizing and withall they should l Phil. 2.4 1 Cor. 12.25 Ecclus. 4.10 Iam. 1.27 undertake to doe unto them that good Christian Office as afore was related out of the Exhortation in the Baptisme Service said unto the God fathers and God mothers CHAP. 53. Of the signe of the Crosse made on the forehead of the child having received Baptisme IT is said in the rubricke set after the words of the act of baptizing concerning the child baptized that then the priest shall make a crosse upon the childes forehead saying Wee receive this child into the congregation of Christs flocke and doe signe him with the signe of the crosse in token that hereafter hee shall not be ashamed to confesse the faith of Christ crucified and manfully to fight under his banner against sinne the World and the Devill and to continue Christs faithfull souldier and servant unto his lives end Even as those of the children of Israel which built an Altar for which they had no commandement in the Law of Moses transgressed not for that they did it for a m Ios 22.22 c. good signification So the Church our mother who hath power to make n Pro. 6.20 See Chap. 41. afore See the twentieth Article of the religion established law teaching or instruction besides what is expressed in the holy Scriptures so that nothing be done contrary to the everlasting precepts of the Gospell of Iesus Christ shee in using this ancient godly Ceremonie though to use the which there is no expresse commandement in the Bible in no wise transgresseth for that shee doth it for a good signification and to informe her members of a maine duety which all of yeares of discretion are bound to endeavour faithfully to performe under o Rom. 8.13 Rev. 21.7.8 Ps 78.8.9.10 paine of perishing everlastingly Our mother doth by that signe made on our foreheads put us in remembrance of the Christian warfare that every one baptized is to enter into and to p Mat. 10 22. Rev. 2.10.11 1 Tim. 5.12 continue in unto the end that will be saved Wee are not signed with the signe of the Crosse in token of any superstitious matter but of a matter most necessary required by the Gospell that all must confesse namely the faith of Christ q Gal. 6.14 Gal. 3.13.14 Cal. 2 14.15 crucified and also of manfull fighting under Christs banner against sinne the world and the Devill and also of continuing Christs faithfull souldiers and servants unto our lives end These maine Christian duties who so unfainedly endeavoureth to performe is in no wise offended at the signe used for to put people in mind of them but thanketh God that hee is borne in a Church where not onely the true Christian life is taught by tongue and penne but also is signified by some Ceremonie for ones r Num. 16 38 39 40. more remembrance of the same S. Paul said s God forbid that I should glory save in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world He saith unto Timothy t 1 Tim. 6.12 fight the good fight of faith v 2 Tim. 2 3 4 5. Thou therefore endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Iesus Christ w 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought the good fight To the Corinthians hee saith The x 2 Cor. 10.3 4 5 6. weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds To the Ephesians he lively declareth the spirituall enemies and with what weapons y Eph. 6.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. wee are to fight against them saying Finally my brethren bee strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against powers against the Å¿ Gal 6.14 rulers of the darkenes of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that yee may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand c. In the booke of the Revelation the spirituall blessings or promises which are made to the seven Churches in Asia are propounded unto each Church to that person which z Rev 2.7.11.17.26 Rev. 3.5.12.21 overcommeth also it is added a Rev. 2.26 which keepeth my workes unto the end and bee thou faithfull unto the b Rev. 2.10 death It is said in another place He that c Rev. 21.7.8 overcommeth shall inherit
and not earthly an invisible meat and not bodily a ghostly substance and not carnall c. By the advice of the * p. 201. Councill of Nicene wee ought to lift up our minds by faith and leaving these inferior and earthly things there seeke it where the Sunne of righteousnesse ever shineth Take then this lesson O thou that art desirous of this table of Emissenus a godly father that when thou goest up to the reverend Communion to bee satisfied with spirituall meats thou looke up with faith upon the holy body and blood of thy God thou marvell with reverence thou touch it with the mind thou receive it with the hand of thy heart and thou take it fully with thy inward man What the use is which we are to make of the Sacrament Concerning the use which we are to make of receiving the Sacrament it is signified in the prayer to bee read after the Prefaces in the Communion-service where it is said Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eate the flesh of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ and to drinke his blood that our sinfull bodies may bee made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore w Iohn 6.56 Iohn 14.23 dwell in him and he in us And it is also signified in the second prayer after the receiving where it is said We now most humbly beseech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy x Act. 2.42.46 Heb. 10.25 Col. 2.19 Eph. 2.19 fellowship and doe all such good workes as thou hast y Eph. 2.10 That the Sacrament is to be received often-times prepared for us to walke in through Iesus Christ our Lord. Concerning the oftennesse of the receiving of the Sacrament it is said in the rubricke afore the Service for the Communion of the sicke That Curats are to exhort their parishioners to the oft receiving in the Church of the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ which if they doe they shall have no cause in their sudden visitation to bee unquiet for lacke of the same It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Matrimony-service The new maried persons the same day of their mariage must receive the holy Communion And in the end of the Churching-service it is said in the rubricke The woman that commeth to give her thankes must offer accustomed offerings and if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Communion-Service That in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches where be many Priests and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister every z Acts 10.7 Sunday at the least except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary And in the end of that rubricke it is said Every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the yeare of which Easter to bee one c. Also when any receive any order of the Ministery they are then to communicate as it is prescribed in the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons It is written in Genesis a Gen. 14.18 19. That Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was the Priest of the most high God And hee blessed Abraham c. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians b 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Our Fathers were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea And did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Wisedome saith in the Proverbes c Pro. 9.5 Come eate of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Saint Matthew recordeth that as Iesus and his Disciples were eating the Passeover Iesus tooke d Matth. 26.26 27 28. bread and blessed it and brake it gave it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinke ye all of it for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Saint Iohn writeth that Iesus afore had said unto the Iewes c Ioh. 6.53 54 55 56.63 Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life It is written in the Acts f Acts 2.42 That the disciples continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians g 1 Cor. 10.16 17. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of one bread Also he saith h 1 Cor. 12.13 We have all been made to drinke into one spirit And further he delivereth i 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come CHAP. 56. Of preparing ones selfe for to receive worthily the holy Sacrament IT is said in the third Exhortation to be read afore the Communion The danger is great if we receive the holy Sacrament unworthily for then we bee guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour wee eate and drinke our owne damnation not considering the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath against us wee provoke him to k 1 Cor. 11.30 plague us with diuers diseases and sundry kindes of death Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or l 1 Cor. 5.11 slanderer of his Word an adulterer or be in m 1 Iohn 3.15 Mat. 5.23 24 25. malice or envy or in any other griveous crime bewaile your sinnes c. Iudge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truly for your sinnes past have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour Amend your lives and be in perfect charitie with all men so shall yee be meet partakers of those holy mysteries Therefore it is to be said unto them that come to receive the holy Communion in the last words of exhortation afore the generall Confession be made You that doe truly and earnestly repent you or your sinnes and be in love and
the chapter thereof set in the beginning of the Booke of Common Prayer CHAP. 60. Of the thankesgiving of women after Childbirth commonly called the Churching of Women IN the beginning of the Service for the Churching of women it is said Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his goodnesse to give you safe deliliverance and hath preserved you in the great danger of Childbirth Yee shall therefore giue hearty thankes unto God and pray The Law of God was that a woman when the dayes of her purifying were fulfilled for a sonne or for a daughter should bring an f Lev. 12.6.7.1 offering into the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation unto the priest who was to offer it before the Lord and to make an atonement for her c. And it is recorded by Saint Luke that the blessed Virgn Mary observed this g Luke 2.24 Law of the Lord after shee had brought forth her sonne the Saviour of the world Although that Law as concerning the ceremony be ceased yet the h Rom. 8.4 righteousnesse thereof is to be fulfilled in those which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit For which cause our Mother the Church whose godly wisedome wee ought to obey in i Eph. 5.24 every particular matter knowing that the new Law commandeth Christians in every thing to k 1 Thes 5.18 give thankes hath accounted it righteous before God that women for so great a deliverance as from the danger of child-birth should so soone as is convenient come to the Temple of the Lord and there with him who is to bee her mouth unto the Lord l Heb. 13.15 offer the sacrifice of praise unto God the fruit of her lips giving thankes unto his name Saint Paul said I will that women adorne themselves in m 1 Tim. 2.9.10 modest apparell with shamefastnesse and sobriety as becommeth women professing godlinesse And saith hee in another place Whatsoever things are honest just pure lovely or of n Phil. 4.8 good report if there bee any vertue or praise therein thinke on those things Let all things be done o 1 Cor. 14.40 decently in order Is it not therefore more seemly more signifying modesty of minde that women when they goe to be Churched or are Churched at home bee so covered on their heads according as in former times rather than bee so attired like as those bee which goe to a market or a faire or to a wedding or the like CHAP. 61. Of Commination or denouncing Gods curses due unto sinners which will not repent or doe neglect the same IN the beginning of the service of Commination the Church saith It is though good that at this time meaning in the beginning of Lent on Ashwensday in your presence should bee read the generall sentences of Gods cursing against impenitent sinners gathered out of Deut. 27. and other places of scripture And that yee should answer to every sentence Amen to the intent that you being admonished of the great indignation of God against sinners may the p Prov. 1.7 16.6 rather bee called to earnest and true repentance and may walke more warily in these q 2 Tim. 3.1 Mat. 24.21.22 dangerous dayes fleeing from such vices for the which yee affirme with your owne mouthes the curse of God to bee due The Lord saith by Moses r Deut. 29.19.20.21 If when one heareth the words of this curse hee blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of mine heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his Iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Saint Paul saith s Rom. 2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10 Thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which doe such things as are abominable and dost the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God or despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and Revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render to every man according to his deeds To them who by patient continuance in well doing seeke for glory and honour and immortality eternall life But unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse indignation and wrath Tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile But glory honour and peace to every man that worketh good to the Iew first and also to the Gentile The Church our mother declareth her faithfulnesse unto her t Isa 54 5. husband the Lord of Hosts her maker unto her redeemer the Holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth in this very thing most apparantly namely that she doth not like as the false Prophets and false Prophetesses doe who doe say u Ier. 8.9.10 11. Ezech. 13.9.10 Peace and there was no peace and one built up a wall and loe others dawbed it with untempered morter Shee doth not with w Ezech. 13.22 lies make sad the heart of the righteous whom God hath not made sad neither doth shee strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life But shee x 2 Cor. 4.2 renouncing the hidden things of dishonestie not walking in craftinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commendeth her selfe to every mans conscience in the sight of God In her Exhortation which followeth immediately after the curses doth she not in a most wonderfull divine manner declare as it were the summe of the everlasting doctrine of Iesus Christ Is not that her exhortation the beginning therof is Now seeing that all they bee accursed as the Prophet y Psal 119.21 David beareth witnesse which doe erre and goe astray from the commandements of God let us c. so divine a delivery as the like in briefe can scarce be shewed in the writings of any Church or of any Writer Is it not worthy to bee most often read of every man woman and child And is there not a power in it through the blessing of God to worke the feare of the Lord in the heart of the diligent Reader thereof And is not the said exhortation very greatly profitable to bee often read of such as have in their minds Gods feare for to helpe keepe them in the same and to preserve them from pride of spirit z Pro. 8.13 arrogancy a Isay 46.12 stoutnesse and b Zachar. 7.11 hardnesse of heart As it is good for all ancient people to reade or heare it in private read
many times in a yeere so is it exceeding furthersome for all younger people to have it all in perfect memory and at least once a weeke to examine themselves by the same CHAP. 62. Of Excommunication IT is said in the second part of the * T. 2. p. 213. Homily concerning the Holy Ghost or in the Homily for Whitsunday Christ ordained the authority of the keyes to excommunicate notorious sinners and to absolve theÌ„ which are truly penitent In the second part of the * Homily concerning the right use of the Church T. 2. p. 9.10 it is said In the primitive Church which was most holy and godly and in the which due discipline with severitie was used against the wicked due discipline with severitie suffered once to enter into the house of the Lord nor admitted to Common Prayer and the use of the holy SacrameÌ„ts with other true Christians untill they had done opeÌ„penance before the whole Church And they that were so justly exempted and banished as it were from the house of the Lord were taken as they be indeed for men divided and separated from Christs Church and in most dangerous estate yea as Saint Paul saith even given unto Satan the Devill for a time and their company was shunned and avoided of all godly men and women untill such time as they by repentance and publike penance were reconciled Iesus Christ said unto Peter To thee I will give the c Mat. 16.19 keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven The same d Mat 18.18 19 20. authority hee afterward pronounced unto the rest of his Apostles Also when after his resurrection hee breathed on them and said Receive ye the Holy Ghost he gave the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven unto them all saying e Ioh. 20.22 23. Whose soever sins yee remit they are remitted unto theÌ„ whose soever sinnes ye retaine they are retained Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians concerning excommunicating the incestuous person In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ To f 1 Cor. 5.4 5. deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may bee saved in the day of the Lord Iesus He said of Hymenaeus and Alexander that he had g 1 Tim. 1.20 delivered them unto Satan that they might learne not to blaspheeme Concerning what persons are to be excommunicated if otherwise they will not be reformed it is observed that the Apostle signifieth where he saith If any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or covetous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with h 1 Cor. 5.11 such a one no not to eate Vnto the Thessalonians he saith And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have i 2 Thes 3.14 no company with him that he may be ashamed The Apostle speaketh of disorderly living and living out of a vocation by the sweat of other mens browes or eating other mens bread for nought The Apostle also faith If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be k 1 Cor. 16.22 anathema Maran atha The speech here l Sunt enim haeâ— dicendi genera Haebraeis non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Buxtorfiuâ— in Gram. Heb. pag. 548. excusâ anno 1620. love not is observed to signifie hateth Anathema is interpreted a curse a cursed thing or one accursed Maran signifieth our Lord and atha signifieth commeth The excommunication which was called anathema maranatha is accounted to be the greatest kinde thereof and so the very last namely when as one for his persevering wilfull hatred against Iesus Christ is quite forsaken by the Church and left unto the just judgement of Christ of whom Enoch said m Iude 14.15 Arabs juxta sensum reddidit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apud Rabbinos est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contractè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Videt ur dicià syriacâ— verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nominare quòd hâ—c sit nominatissima excommunicatio Vulgò taâ—en volunt esse nomen compositum ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Deus venit Alij ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. ibi mors Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him The holy scriptures deliver other causes also for which there may be excommunication the which the Church of England hath partly mentioned in the Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiasticall as also when any being summoned to appeare before ecclesiasticall authority will contemptuously refuse c. The Lord Christ Iesus hath in his Gospell given an everlasting generall rule If any one neglect to heare the Church let him be unto thee as an n Mat. 18.17 Heathen man and a Publicane CHAP. 63. Of Confession and Absolution in particular manner BEsides the generall Confession and Absolution to be said and pronounced in the beginning of the Divine Service and afore receiving the holy Communion holy Church hath ordained that a private may be made In the second Exhortation to be read afore the Communion it is said Because it is requisite that no man shold come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet conscience therefore if there be any of you which by the meanes aforesaid cannot quiet his owne conscience but requireth further comfort or counsell then let him come to me or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods Word and open his griefe that he may receive such ghostly counsell advice and comfort as his conscience may be relieved and that by the ministery of Gods Word he may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoyding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse In the Rubricke of the Service for the Visitation of the Sicke it is said The sicke person shall make a speciall confession if he feele his conscience troubled with any weighty matter After which confession the Priest shall absolve him after this sort * The forme of absolution used to one in particular Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truely repent and beleeve in him of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences and by his authority committed to me I absolve thee from all thy finnes In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen Concerning Confession the Church in the 113. Canon delivereth That if any man confesse his secret and hidden sinnes to the Minister for the
* T. 1. p. 48. Homily concerning Charity it is said Charitie hath two Offices the one contrary to the other and yet both necessary to be used upon men of contrary sort and disposition The one Office of Charitie is to cherish good and harmelesse men c. The other Office of Charity is to rebuke correct and punish vice without regard of persons and is to be used against them onely that be evill men and malefactours or evill doers And that it is as well the Office of Charity to rebuke punish and correct them that be evill as it is to cherish and reward them that be good and harmelesse Saint Paul declareth writing to the Romanes saying That the high powers are ordained of God not to bee dreadfull to them that doe well but unto Malefactors to draw the sword to take * Rom. 13.4 vengeance of him that committeth the sin The Lord saith by Ezekiel that his Priests in controversie shall stand in judgement and they shall b Ezech 44.24 judge it according to my judgements The power of Gods Ministery in a Nation where the King is a c Isa 49.23 nourishing father of the Church and the people all professing to be Christians is of a different manner from where it is without such love of the supreame power towards it and where but a few are Professors of Christianity This may bee observed in the state of the Church of God the Nation of the Iewes from the time of Moses his rule over them untill they were carried away captive to Babylon That Gods Ministery had then another manner of outward power than it had under the Romane Empire untill the dayes of Constantine the great Moreover the Ministery of God after the Ascension of Christ not having the Magistrates helpe in their administration had from God d Mar. 16.20 Heb. 2.4 extraordinary power to cause fear in peoples hearts as Peter had concerning Ananias and Saphira his wife that they were both smote with sudden death which caused e Acts 3.11 great fear to come upon all the Churches Paul had power to cause Elimas the Sorcerer to be f Act 13.11 smitten with blindnesse Herod the Persecutor of the Christians was smitten with a g Act. 12.23 24 dreadfull death where after the Word of God grew and multiplied The Lord then wrought with his Ministers extraordinarily and confirmed the Word with signes following as the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith h Heb. 2.4 God also bearing them witnesse both with signes and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost according to his owne will CHAP. 65. Of visiting the sicke IN the Order for the Visitation of the sicke at the beginning of the Service thereto it is said The Priest entring into the sicke persons house shall say i Mat. 10.12 13. Luke 10.5 6 9. Peace be to this house and to all that dwell in it And that when he commeth into the sicke mans presence hee shall say kneeling down Remēber not Lord our iniquities c. Then there is prescribed a very Divine Exhortation divided into two parts wherewith the Minister is to exhort the sicke person the which is most profitable for all people to meditate on when they feele themselves ill at ease or in any adversitie And the Exhortation being read the Minister is to examine whether he continueth in beliefe of all the Articles of the Christian faith and whether he be in charity with all the world c. And to exhort him for to set his state in order whereto men when they be in health should be oft admonished and earnestly to move him to liberalitie toward the poore because it is the last Almes that ever hee shall give The Church hath ordained an Homily an Exhortation against the feare of death to be read unto the people And if the sicke person can well indure to heare the reading of it he may be much comforted by the same The visitation of the sicke is one of the k Mat. 25.35.26 sixe duties of Charitie whereof Iesus Christ will speake when he sitteth to judge all Nations That it is also a worke l Iam. 5.14 with Heb. 5.1.2 3 4 5. Ministeriall S. Iames in his Epistle plainely expresseth It is the last kindnesse that one can shew unto another whiles being is in earthly Tabernacle Man being in that misery desireth to be visited And one reason is that thereby hee hopeth either bodily or ghostly to receive the more comfort Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to m Iam. 1.27 visite the fatherlesse and widowes in their affliction and to keepe himselfe unspotted from the world It is written for our learning That when Iobs three friends heard of his calamitie they made an appointment together to come for to n Iob 2.11 Rom. 12.15 mourne with him and to comfort him Saint Paul saith blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to o 2 Cor. 1.3.4 comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selves are comforted of God Iesus the sonne of Sirach saith Bee not slow to p Ecclus. 7.34 35. visite the sicke for that shall make thee to bee beloved It is the duty of the sick to send for their Minister as Saint Iames saith Let him * Iam. 5.14 send for the Elders of the Church And therefore it is said in Articles of our Church discipline Whether doth your Minister visite the sicke when he is thereunto desired to comfort and instruct them CHAP. 66. Of the Communion of the sicke VVHereas in the * T. 2. p. 199. Homily concerning the Sacrament the Communion is said To bee a salve of immortality and soveraigne preservative against death and in the Catechisme it is called a refreshing therefore not without cause doth the conscience of the sicke sometimes desire it Wherefore holy Church in the Rubricke afore that Service saith If the sicke person be not able to come unto the Church and yet is desirous to receive the Communion in his house then he must give knowledge over-night or else early in the morning to the Curate signifying also how many be appointed to Communicate with him c. In the Rubricke of the same Service the Church delivereth also most comfortable counsell saying But if any man either by reason of extremitie of sicknesse or for want of warning in due time to the Curate or for lacke of company to receive with him or by any other just impediment doe not receive the Sacrament of Christs body and blood then the Curate shall instruct him that if he doe truly repent him of his sinne and stedfastly beleeve that Iesus Christ hath suffered death upon the Crosse for him and shed his blood for his Redemption earnestly remembring the benefits he hath
to give diligent eare with all reverence and silence c. And in the last * P. 10. part thereof it is saith Thus yee have heard dearely beloved out of Gods word what reverence is due to the Holy house of the Lord how all godly persons ought with diligence at times appointed thither to repaire how they ought to behave themselves there with reverence and dread before the Lord what plagues and punishments aswell temporall as eternall the Lord in his holy word threatneth as well to such as neglect to come to his holy house is also to such who comming thither doe unreverently by gesture or talke there behave themselves Holy Church hath also made a Constitution or * Canon 18. Canon concerning reverence and attention to bee used within the Church in time of divine Service saying In the time of Divine Service and of every part thereof all due reverence is to bee used For it is according to the Apostles rule c 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things bee done decently and according to order Answerable to which decencie and order wee judge these our directions following No man shall d 1 Cor. 11.4.7 Omnis vir prophetans nempe ut inquit Iun. in annot ad 1 Cor. 11.4 memoriter aut de scripto enuncians verbum ipsum Dei sermone aut cantu nam etiam Prophetae Cymbolis et Levitae olim in templo instrumentis musicis personantes in testamento vetere dicti sunt prophetare aut mente enunciantem sequens ut privaâ—â— in ecclesia faciunt cover his head in the Church or Chappell in the time of Divine Service except hee have some infirmity In which case let him weare a e Mal. 1.6 night-cap or Coife All manner of persons then present shall reverently kneele upon their knees when the generall Confession Letanie and other Prayers are read shall stand up at the saying of the Beleefe according to the rules in that behalfe prescribed in the Booke of Common prayer And likewise when in time of Divine Service the Lord Iesus shall bee mentioned due lowly reverence shall be done by all persons present as it hath beene accustomed * Consider now unpartially that each of the reverences is prescribed for a godly signification Testifying by these outward Ceremonies and gestures their inward humility Christian resolution and due acknowledgement that the Lord Iesus Christ the true and eternall Sonne of God is the onely Saviour of the world in whom alone all the mercies grace and promises of God to mankinde for this life and the life to come are fully and wholy comprised As the Church hath thus zealously and holily prescribed that Almighty God may have due reverence of people assembled before him for to worship so there was not long agoe set forth an Advertisement hereto by the late most Reverend Father in God George Archbishop of Yorke being then Lord Bishop of London The which being a delivery ever memorable it hath seemed good for to adde here and it is as followeth To all and every the Ministers Church-wardens and Side-men within the City Suburbs and Diocesse of London VVHereas I am daily advertised by the relations of many honest and Religious persons of a generall misbehaviour in most Churches in and about the Citie of London in time of Divine Service Men and Boyes sitting then covered with their Hats on their heads without all shew of reverence or respect either of that holy place or action the one being the house of Almighty God the other a continued vicissitude as it were of speech betweene God and his people The due consideration whereof might easily induce any well disposed Christian to use such outward Posture and gesture of his body as becommeth that sacred place and the great Majestie of that God to whom they come at that time professedly to performe a divine worship I have therefore thought it my duty instantly to recommend to you the Ministers Church-wardens and Side-men the reformation of this profane abuse scandalous to our Religion against an expresse Law in that case provided and condemned by the contrary practice of all Christians in all ages in their like solemnities and assemblies praying and requiring you to joyne together your utmost and best endeavours to effect the same for which purpose it shall bee necessary for you the Church-wardens and Side-men during the time of Divine Service diligently to looke about the Church and where you see any covered if Boyes or of the younger sort these to shame openly by pulling off their Hats and chastice with such discipline as you have been laudably accustomed to inflict upon such rude and unmannerly fellowes If of the elder or better sort though I well hope that none of that condition out of their owne judgement will hereafter offend in this kinde those to admonish gravely of their duety representing unto them the inconveniences of this their ill example and how directly repugnant it is to the Apostles rule of decency in the Church thus to celebrate Diuine Seruice and to performe a professed and Religious worship of Almighty God After which your admonition if any shall obstinately refuse to uncover his or their heads in Service time you shall then present them to mee or my Chancellour to the end that they by the severity of censures may bee amended by whom brotherly and gentle perswasions have beene contemned Moreover also I am certainely informed that the publike Service of Almighty God in the Churches is much omitted and thereby come to neglect and almost scorned forasmuch as the Ministers reade not Divine Service the first and second service before their Sermons according to the order of our Church Liturgie and the Canon in that case provided I doe therefore hereby require all the Parsons Vicars and Curates in my Diocesse to take care that they offend not in this kinde strictly likewise requiring you the Church-wardens and Side-men that according to your oathes you present to me or my Chancelour those Ministers that shall be faulty in this kind c. The Law of the Lord is Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and f Lev. 19.30 reverence my Sanctuary The Prophet David saith God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in g Ps 89.7 reverence of all them that are about him The Lord by his Prophet Malachi complaineth that reverence is not done unto him saying A son honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I be a Father where is mine h Mal. 1.6 honour And if I bee a Master where is my feare saith the Lord David therefore saith Serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce unto him with i Ps 2.11 as in the divine Service translation Of putting and keeping off or not wearing the common uppermost covering of the head in time of divine Service reverence S. Paul saith to the Corinthians I would have you know that the head of every man
so many places of the holy and sacred Scriptures doth bid us returne unto him Therefore we must take good heed unto our selves lest whereas we have already by our manifold sinnes and transgressions provoked and kindled the wrath of God against us wee doe by breaking w Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 Mar. 6.12 Luke 13.3 this his Commandement double our offences and so heape still damnation upon our owne heads by our daily offences and trespasses whereby we provoke the eyes of his Majestie we doe well deserve if he should deale with us according to his justice to be put away for ever from the x 2 Thes 1.8.9 fruition of his glory y Heb. 2.3 How much more then are we worthy of the endlesse torments of Hell if when we be so gently called againe after our rebellion and coÌ„manded to returne we will in no wise hearken unto the voyce of our heavenly Father but walke still after the z Deut. 29.19 20. stubbornnesse of our owne hearts The second cause that should move us to repent is the most comfortable and sweet promise that the Lord our God did of his mcere mercy and goodnesse joyne unto his Commandement For he doth not onely say Returne unto me O Israel but also a Ier. 4.1 if thou wilt returne and put away all thine abominations out of my sight thou shalt never be moved The third cause which should move us to repent is the filthinesse of sinne which in such that as long as wee doe abide in it God cannot but b Ps 5.4 5 6. Ps 66.18 detest and abhorre us neither can there be any hope that we shall enter into the heavenly Ierusalem except we be first made c Rev. 21.27 cleane and purged from it But this will never be unlesse d Pro. 9.6 Eph. 4.22 23 24. forsaking our former life we doe with our whole heart returne unto the Lord our God and with a full purpose of amendment of life flee unto his mercy taking sure hold thereupon through e Rom. 3.25 Gal. 5.6 faith in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ The fourth cause which should move us to repentance is the uncertainty and brittlenesse of our owne lives which is such that wee cannot assure our selves that wee shall live one houre or one halfe quarter of it Which by experience we doe finde daily to be true in them that being now merry and lusty and sometimes feasting and banquetting with their friends doe fall suddenly dead in the streetes and otherwhiles under the Board when they are at meate These daily examples as they are most dreadfull and terrible so ought they to move us to seeke for to bee at f 2 Cor. 5.20 1 Cor. 6.17 one with our heavenly Iudge that we may with a good g 2 Cor. 5 9 10 11. 1 Iohn 2.28 conscience appeare before him whensoever it shall please him for to call us whether it be h Mat. 24.42 43 44 46. suddenly or otherwise for we have no more Charter of our life then they have But as wee are most certaine that we shall dye so are we most uncertaine when we shall dye For our life doth lye in the hand of God who will take it away when it i Ps 31.15 pleaseth him And verily when the highest Summer of all which is Death shall come he will not be said nay but we must bee packing to be present before the k Heb. 9.27 1 Pet. 1.17 Ier. 17.10 judgement Seat of God as hee doth finde us according as it is written Where as the l Eccles. 11.3 Luke 16.22 â—3 tree falleth whether it be toward the South or toward the North there it shall lye Whereunto agreeth the saying of the holy Martyr of God Saint Cyprian saying As God doth finde thee when he doth call so doth he judge thee Let us therfore follow the counsell of the Wise man where he saith m Ecclus. 5.7 Ps 119.60 Make no tarrying to turne unto the Lord and put on off from day to day For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in thy security shalt thou be destroyed and shalt perish in the time of vengeance And afterward it is said Specially when thou art either by the preaching of Gods Word or by some inward motion of his holy n Eph. 4.30 Spirit or else by some other means called unto repentance neglect not the good occasion that is ministred unto thee lest when thou wouldest repent thou o Mat. 17.4 5. hast not the grace for to doe it For to repent is a good p Acts 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 gift of God which he will never grant unto them who living in carnall security doe make a q 2 Pet. 3.3 Gal. 6.7 mocke of his threatnings or seeke to r Act. 7.51 rule his Spirit as they list as though his working and gifts were tyed unto their will The fift cause that should move us to repent is the avoyding of the plagues of God and the utter destruction that by his righteous judgement doth hang over the heads of them all that will in no wise returne unto the Lord whereof read the 28. Chapter of Deuteronomie and the Exhortation in the service of Commination Of Regeneration Concerning Regeneration or birth spirituall it is signified in the end of the first part of the * T. 2. p. 211. Homily for Whiltsunday to bee a Å¿ 1 Pet. 1.22.23 Iohn 1.13 new birth in all goodnesse righteousnesse sobriety and truth It is also said in that part of that * p. 109. Homily It is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth t Psal 80.18 Ephes 2.1.5 quicken the minds of men stirring up good and godly motions in their hearts which are agreeable to the will and Commandement of God such as otherwise of their owne crooked and perverse nature they should u 2 Cor. 3.5 Gen. 6.5 never have That which is borne of the w Iohn 3.6 spirit is spirit As who should say Man of his owne nature is fleshly and carnall corrupt and naught sinfull and disobedient to God Whereas it is said in 1 Iohn 4.7 8. Every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God and he that loveth not knoweth not God we may prove our sâ—lves whether wee grow in regeneration after we be come to the yeeres of discretion if we unfainedly strive to increase in the 16. vertues of charity or godly love reckoned up together by the holy Apostle Saint Paul in 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7 8. Many now a dayes doe frame to themselves a new birth or regeneration not duely attending what the holy Scripture and the divine Service of the Church declareth new birth or regeneration to be and so they come short of the comforts of the same without any sparke of goodnesse in him without any vertuous or godly motion onely given to evill thoughts and wicked deeds As for the
wherefore David having experience of Gods goodnesse in his deliverance from the hand of Saul said I will love thee O Lord my strength The Lord is my rocke and my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will e Ps 18.1.2.3 trust my Buckler and the horne of my salvation and my high tower I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to bee praised so shall I bee saved from mine enimies It proceedeth also from beliefe in God and in his word which beliefe God graciously giveth unto those that feare him and diligently pray for the same as Saint Paul signifieth to the Ephesians saying In whom wee have boldnesse and accesse with f Eph. 3.12 confidence by the faith of him Ieremiah saith Cursed bee the man that g Ier. 17.5.6.7.8 trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. But blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is The seventh duty is to call upon God The seventh duty to call upon God And that is to pray unto him David saith offer unto God thankesgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most High and h Ps 50.14.15 call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me It proceedeth also out of beliefe as it is written How shall they i Rom. 10.14 call on him in whom they have not beleeved People obedient to Christ and his k Mat. 18.17 Church which humble themselves and faithfully endeavour to observe all the ordinances of Christs Church have the promise to be heard when they call on the Lord and doe in the name and mediation of Iesus Christ aske such things as bee agreeable to his will as Saint Iohn saith Whatsoever we l 1 Ioh. 3.22 aske wee receive of him because wee keepe his Commandement and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight The eight duty is to honour Gods Holy name The eight duty To honour Gods holy name And for the performance thereof wee pray when we say Hallowed be thy name They that make conscience of breaking the third Commandement of m Exod 20.7 taking his name in vaine are such as have a regard to honour his n Mal. 3.16.17.18 name By the Name of the Lord is not onely meant a word or words proper to the Creator whereby he is distinguished from all creatures in speaking of him or unto him but also sundry other things whereby the Lord becommeth knowne unto us The name of the Lord is observed sometimes to signifie God himselfe his holy being which is infinite almighty c as where it is said The o Prov. 18.10 Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe Where name may signifie also power and protection So in Moses where it is said If thou wilt not observe to doe all the words of this Law that are written in this Booke that thou maist feare his glorious and fearefull p Deut. 28.58 Name The Lord thy God then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull c. It signifieth also the will and Commandement of God as where it is said whosoever will not hearken unto my words which my Prophet shall speake in my q Deut. 18.19 Name I will require it of him Officers under the Royall Majestie use the word name in the like sense when they say I charge thee in the Kings name c. It also signifieth the religion or worship of God as where it is said in Micah All people will walke every one in the name of his god and wee will walke in the r Micah 4.5 name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Other significations it is observed to have It is our duty to honour to reverence both with soule and body with heart and mouth and with due respect for to esteem whatsoever Name God is called by or knowne The Lord said by Samuel unto Eli Them that s 1 Sam. 2.30 honour me I will honour And his Omnipotencie looketh for honour to be performed by us unto him signifying it by his Prophet Malachie saying A sonne honoureth his Father and a servant his Master If then I bee a Father where mine t Mal. 1.6 honour And if I be a Master where is my feare The ninth duty To honour Gods holy word saith the Lord of Hosts unto you O priests that despise my name and yet yee say wherein have we despised thy name The ninth duty is to honour Gods holy word David saith I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving kindnesse for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy u Ps 138.2 word above all thy name Christ saith to his Father Sanctifie them through the truth thy w Ioh. 17.17 word is truth And David saith unto the Lord Thy x Ps 119.142 Law is the truth Now for to make mention of any sentence in any deliverie by the Kings Majestie or by the Parliament or by the Convocation without due reverence thereto is justly a lightnesse or rather a lewdnesse Likewise for to mention any sentence of holy Scripture Gods holy word without due reverence thereto both with heart and voice honouring it as a word that y 1 Pet. 1.23.24 25. endureth for ever and as that whereby we shall every one without respect of persons bee z Iob. 12 48. judged in the last day lightly to alleage any divine deliverie is by all that truely feare God judged to proceed from a heart full of impiety and iniquity Isaiah signifieth that wee are to a Isa 66.5 tremble at Gods word and in no wise to make jests with any of it or rashly to utter any part of it but when wee speake any portion of holy Scripture to have a most serious care that it may tend directly to the glory of God and as much as may bee to the b Eph 4 2â— edification of the hearers Also we are not onely at all times with feare and honourable respect to recite holy Scripture when wee have occasion thereto but also to bee obedient or obediently enclined unto every document thereof which wee mention Else our honouring of Gods word is but a c Mat. 15.8.7 lip honour whereof Christ saith This people draw nigh to mee with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Which doing Christ in the verse afore signifieth to be but a kind of hypocrisie Herein saith Christ is my Father glorified or his word honoured that yee beare d Ioh. 13.8.16 much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples He is not accounted a true honourer of the Lawes of a Realme which meerely with due regard doth rehearse them but hee that also conscionably endeavoureth to live according to every of them The tenth duty to serve God truly all the dayes of
31.12 13. Neh. 8.2 sermons and that they learne the d Heb. 5.12 13. Creed the Lords prayer and the ten Commandements in the English tongue and all other things which Christians ought to know and beleeve to their soules health In the Service of Matrimony it is signified That they are to be brought up in the feare and nurture of the Lord. And the * T. 2. p. 239. Homily of the state of Matrimony addeth also That they be brought up by the parents godly in the knowledge of Gods Word that thus the knowledge of God and true religion might be delivered by e Psal 78.4 5 6 7. succession from one to another that finally many might enjoy that everlasting immortality * T. 1. p. 88. In the third part of the Homily against Adultery it is said As man and wife are bound to f 1 Cor. 7.5 live together in all godlinesse and honesty so likewise is it their duty vertuously to bring up their children and provide that they fall not into g Ecclus. 7.23 24 25. Sathans snare nor into any uncleannesse but that they come pure and honest unto holy wedlocke when time requireth In the * T. 2. p. 253. Homily against Idlenesse it is said Let all parents and others which have the care and governance of youth so bring them up either in good learning labour or some honest h Tit. 3.14.25 in the margent occupation or trade whereby they may be able in time to come not only to sustaine themselves competently but also to releeve and i Ephe. 4.28 supply the necessity and want of others In the * T. 2. p. 103. Homily against Excesse of Apparell it is said God utterly condemneth and disalloweth whatsoever draweth us from our duty towards God or diminisheth our charity towards our neighbours and children whom we ought to love as our selves Saint Paul saith Ye fathers k Eph. 6.4 provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And to the Colossians hee saith Fathers provoke not your children to anger lest they be l Col. 3.21 discouraged Parents are not to expect from m 1 Thes 2.7 1 Cor. 3.1 and 13.11 children and youths the gravity of men nor manly understanding That is to be desired which every age is capable of Whatsoever is upright naturall in children is not to be checked Children oftentimes being unnaturally used have beene so discouraged as that with griefe their spirits have bin so daunted as that either they have become ever after stupide and without the common understanding or else have had their hearts broken and have perished yea sometimes have beene so provoked as to depart from their parents or to destroy their owne selves Honest n Zechar. 8.5 recreations are not to bee denied unto youth but often to be granted at convenient times The Church requireth that every sonne and daughter so soone as they be able to learne be taught to say by heart readily all the Catechisme called the A. B. C. The Scripture saith o Prov. 22.6 Traine up a child in the way he should goe and when he is old he will not depart from it All parents if possibly they can ought to have their children taught to reade to write and to cast account and if it may be to understand the Latine Grammar because of such a measure of skill or of almost so much every housholder may have sometimes occasion Saint Paul also saith Parents ought to p 2 Cor. 12.14 lay up for their children And Solomon saith A good man leaveth his q Pro. 13.22 inheritance to his childrens children If any r 1 Tim. 5.8 provide not for his owne and especially for those of his owne house he hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidell Of Childrens duty to their Parents Concerning the duty of children to their parents it is signified in the second part of the * T. 1. p. 35. Homily of good Workes where it is spoken against the Pharisies For that they taught the people such a devotion that they offred their goods into the treasure house of the Temple under the pretence of Gods honour leaving their fathers and mothers to whom they were chiefly bound Å¿ Mat. 5.12 13. Ecclus. 3.12 14 15 16. 1 Tim. 5.4 unholpen and so they brake the Commandements of God to keepe their owne traditions In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 125. Homily concerning the place and time of prayer it is said Good naturall children will not onely become obedient to the commandement of their parents but also have a diligent eye to their doings and gladly follow the same The Apostle saith to the Colossians t Col. 3.20 Children obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. To the Ephesians he saith Children obey your parents in the u Eph. 6.1 2 3. Lord for this is right So long as parents require nothing contrary to Gods Word they are in every thing to be obeyed That counsell in Ecclesiasticus is ever memorable The Lord hath given the w Ecclus. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 father honour over the children and hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the sonnes Who so honoreth his father maketh at onement for his sinnes And he that honoreth his mother is as one that layeth up treasure Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his owne children and when he maketh his prayer he shall be heard He that honoreth his father shall have a long life and he that is obedient unto the Lord shall be a comfort to his mother He that feareth the Lord will honour his father and will doe service unto his parents as to his masters Honour thy father and mother both in word and deed that a blessing may come upon thee from them For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of children but the curse of the mother rooteth out foundations More counsailes hereto follow on in the same chapter very profitable to bee observed Of Masters and Dames duties to their Servants Concerning the duty of Masters and Dames to their servants it is said in the rubricke at the end of the Confirmation-Service That they shall cause their servants and prentices which haue not learned their Catechisme to come to the Church at the time appointed and obediently to heare and bee ordered by the Curate untill such time that they have learned all that is here appointed for them to learne In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 88. Homily against Adultery it is delivered That all Masters and Rulers ought to provide that no whoredome nor any point of uncleannesse bee used among their servants In the * T. 2. p. 254. Homily against Idlenesse it is said God of his mercy put it into the hearts and minds of all them that have
house of the Rechabites for keeping all the precepts and for doing according to d Ier. 35.18 15. all that they were commanded by Ionadab their father much more doth he expect that people should doe according to every particular which e 1 Tim. 3.15 Isa 2.2 3. Micah 4.1 2. Zech. 8.23 Act. 15.2 4 6 22. holy Church prescribeth unto them We are also hereto for to remember the counsell given by Isaiah f Isa 55.6 7. Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is neere We are to seeke afore the doore be g Mat. 25.10 11 12. shut against us and afore the master of the house be h Luke 13.25 26 27. risen up as Christ admonisheth The Lord by Hosea saith That it commeth to passe that there is a time when such as have dealt treacherously against the Lord which will not frame their doings to turne unto their God but retaine the spirit of Whoredome in the midst of them and not know the Lord but walke on in spirituall pride They shall goe with their flockes and with their heards to seeke the Lord but they shall not i Hos 5.6 find him he hath withdrawne himselfe from them Ieremiah signifieth of the manner of k Ier. 50.4 5. seeking the Lord where he saith In those daies and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Iudah together going and weeping they shall goe and seeke the Lord their God They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten We are not to travell toward Canaan for to enjoy there the milke and honey retaining within our selves a lusting after the l Exod. 16.3 1 Cor. 10.6 fleshpots of Egypt Also unlesse we seeke the Lords kingdome with our m Ier. 29.13 whole heart we shall never finde it It is most memorable what is written in the booke of Chronicles That all Iudah had sworne with n 2 Chron. 15.12 15. all their heart to seek the Lord and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about There are some that seeke as they say after Christs kingdome but it is according to the imagination of their owne heart and not according to the prescriptions expressed in Gods word and declared in the Divine Service of the Church And it commeth to passe with them as Isaiah saith o Isa 29.8 9 10. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but hee awaketh and his soule is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his soule hath appetite So shall the multitude of all Nations bee that fight against mount Zion Stay your selves and wonder cry ye out and cry they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke For the Lord hath powred out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe and hath closed your eyes c. CHAP. 91. Of the Christian unity IT is the last of the complaints which the holy Fathers of the Church have made in the sacred prayer after the Letany in the last Fast booke There hath beene little or no care among us to keepe truth and peace together for the preserving of our Church State In the Collect for Simon and Iudes day wee are taught to pray Grant us so to bee joyned together in unity of spirit by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that we may be made an holy p Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. Heb. 3.6 1 Pet. 2.5 See also the margent temple acceptable to thee through Iesus Christour Lord. In the Collect for All Saints it is said Almighty God which hast knit together thy Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall q Eph. 2.22 23. and 4.15 16. body of thy Sonne Christ our Lord grant us grace so to r Phil. 3.17 Heb. 13.7 follow thy holy Saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joyes which thou hast Å¿ Isa 64. 4 5. Psal 31.19 Mat. 25.21 prepared for them that unfainedly love thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the prayer for the whole state of Christs Church militant here in earth it is said We beseech thee to inspire continually the universall Church with the spirit of truth unitie and concord and grant that all they that doe confesse thy holy name may * 1 Cor. 1.10 agree in the truth of thy holy word and live in t 1 Cor. 12.13.25 Ioh. 17.21.22.23 unity and u Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 Eph. 5.2 Ioh. 13.35 godly love In the Collect to be read after private absolution it is said Preserve and continue this sicke member in the w Ps 122.3 Act. 1.4 Eph. 5.3 Ps 133.1.2.3 unitie of the Church In the second Collect for Peace it is said O God which art Authour of peace and lover of concord c. In the Collect to be read on the fourth Sunday after Easter it is said Almighty God which dost make the mindes of all faithfull men to bee of one x Phil. 2.1 3.2.5 and 3.16 will c. In the sacred Letanie it is said That it may please thee to give to y Ps 67. Zechar. 14.9 Eph. 1.10 Is 11.9 all Nations unity peace and concord In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 89.90 Ps 22.27.28.29 Ezech. 37.22 Homily against contention it is said Among all kinds of contention none is more hurtfull than is contention in matters of Religion Eschew saith Saint Paul foolish and unlearned z 2 Tim. 2.23.24 questions knowing that they breed strife It becommeth not the servant of God to fight or strive but to be meeke toward all men This contention and strife was in Saint Pauls time among the Corinthians and is at this time among us English-men For too many there bee which upon the Ale-benches or other places delight to set forth certaine questions not so much pertaining to edification as to vaine glorie and shewing forth of their a 1 Tim. 6.20 cunning and so unsoberly to reason and dispute that when neither part will give place to other they fall to chiding and b 1 Tim. 6.3.4.5 contention and sometime from hot words to further inconvenience Saint Paul could not abide to heare among the Corinthians these words of discord or dissention I hold of c 1 Cor. 3.3.4.5 Paul I of Cephas and I of Apollo What would he then say If he heard these words of contention which be now almost in every mans mouth d Iam. 4.11 Rom. 14.12.13 Hee is a Pharisee he is a Gospeller he is of the new sort he is of the old faith hee is a new broched brother he is a good Catholike father
the fire and they are burned Caiaphas prophesied that Christ should dye for that Nation and not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in h Iohn 11.52 one the Children of God that were scattered abroad The Lord by Ieremiah complaineth saying My people hath beene lost sheepe their shepheards have caused them to goe astray they have turned them away on the Mountaines they have gone from Mountaine to hill they have forgotten their i Ier. 50.6 resting * In Ps 26.13 the words His soule shall longe at ease are in the Hebrew His soule shall lodge in goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is rendred in the Margent place which is in the holy faith and godly life prescribed plentifully in the Divine Service of the Church of England Solomon saith k Pro. 13.10 Luke 1.51 1 Pet. 5.5 Onely by pride commeth contention God l A cause of the differences betweene many people scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts They never come into unity the life of Christianity which will not bow their understandings under the Doctrine of the Church and their lives under her lawes and prescriptions As all that despise to bee in minde and life conformed to the deliveries in the bookes of Divine Service doe live for the most part as a wilde people in many respects so such persevering in such wilfull disobedience unto holy Church doe commonly perish in the l Iude 11. Num. 16. gainsaying of Core Ever most memorable hereto is Christs prayer unto his Father that all his Disciples might here on earth live in unity and draw all m Iam. 4.8 nearer and nearer together into some likenesse of the unity of the holy blessed and glorious God the Father and God the Sonne saying Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word That they may all be n Ioh. 17.20 21 21 23. one as thou Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in us The most Sacred Majesty and the holy Fathers of the Church for the increase of Christian unity peace and concord in our Nation declare most godly care and that the Gospels Ordinance of Catechizing the laying of the foundation of the true Christian faith and life the unity of the holy Spirit is injoyned to bee more and more used according to the Sacred Constitution concerning the same that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest mee I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in mee that they may be made perfect in one c. Memorable also are the sacred words in His Majesties Declaration afore the Articles of Religion viz. Wee hold it is most agreeable to this Our Kingly Office and Our owne religious Zeale to conserve and maintaine the Church committed to Our charge in the unity of true Religion and in the bond of peace And therefore His Highnesse in that Divine declaration requireth all his loving subjects to continue in the uniforme profession of the said Articles and prohibiteth the least difference from them It is also the requiry of His Most Sacred Majesty that all his loving Subjects for a ground of uniforme profession of Christian faith and of Christian life should conforme to the universall prescription in the Bookes of the Divine Service according as they concerne every one in his place either in Clergy or in Laity CHAP. 92. Of Growing in the Christian faith and in the Christian life IN the generall Confession we are taught to pray Grant O most mercifull father for Iesus Christ his sake that wee may hereafter live a godly righteous and sober life to the glory of thy Holy name In the Absolution following it is said And that the rest of our life hereafter may be pure and holy so that at the last wee may come to his eternall joy through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the Sacred Letanie it is said That it may please thee to give to all thy people increase of grace to heare meekely thy word and to receive it with pure affection and to o Mat. 3.10 Gal. 5.22.23 bring forth the fruits of the spirit Wee are taught in the end of the Service of Baptisme to be p 1 Cor. 15.58 Rom. 8.13 continually mortifying q 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 5.24 all our evill and corrupt affections and r 2 Cor. 4.16 daily proceeding in s Eph. 5.9,10 all vertue and godlinesse of living In the Collect for the foureteenth Sunday after Trinity it is said Almighty and everlasting God give unto us the increase of faith hope and charity and that wee may obtaine that which thou doest promise make us to love that which thou dost command through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the prayer to be said immediately afore the ordering of Priests it is said Grant unto us all that wee may daily encrease and goe forwards in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Sonne by thy Holy Spirit In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 29. Homily of faith it is said As you professe the Name of Christ good Christian people let no phantasie and imagination of faith at any time beguile you but be sure of your faith t 2. Cor. 13.5 try it by your living looke upon the fruits that commeth of it marke the increase of u Gal. 5.6 Iam. 2.17.18.26 love and charity by it towards God and your neighbour and so shall you perceive it to bee a true lively faith If you feele and perceive such a faith in you rejoyce in it and bee diligent to maintaine it and keepe it still in you let it bee daily increasing and more more by well working so shall you be sure that you shall please God by this faith c. In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 3. Homily an exhortation to the reading of of Holy Scripture it is said * A delivery to be continually remembred in reading the holy Scripturer declareing unto what end they should be read In reading of Gods Holy word hee most profiteth not alwayes that is most ready in turning of the Booke or in saying of it without the Booke but he that is most turned into it that is most inspired with the Holy Ghost most in his heart and life altered and changed into that thing which he readeth He that is daily lesse and lesse proud lesse wrathfull lesse covetous and lesse desirous of worldly and vaine pleasures hee that daily forsaking his old vicious life increaseth in vertue more and more In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 144. Homily an Information of certaine places of Scripture it is said If some man will say I would have a true patterne and a perfect description of an upright life approved in the sight of God can wee finde thinke
is dressed receiveth blessings from God But that which beareth thornes and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And againe where hee saith If wee sinne g Heb. 10.26 27 28 29. wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certaine fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries Hee that despised Moses Law dyed without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foote the Sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of Grace Or else sinne against the Holy Ghost is committed by such who will not at all bee made partakers of that holy Spirit but doe as did many Iewes to whom Saint Stephen said Ye stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares Yee doe h Acts. 7.51 alway resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe ye They also of whom Solomon mentioneth are not much differing where it is said I Wisedome will powre out my i Prov. 1.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. spirit unto you I will make knowne my words unto you Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded but yee have set at nought all my Counsell and would none of my reproofe I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth When your feare commeth as desolation and your destruction commeth as a Whirlewinde when distresse and anguish commeth upon you Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me for that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. They would none of my Counsell they despised all my reproofe Many of the Pharisees among the Iewes were of such a condition who of set malice against Christ k Ioh. 7 7. witnessing unto them that their workes wee evill against the common light of reasō with which Gods holy Spirit endueth l Ioh. 1.9 Rom. 2.14.15 mankind even universally said that Iesus Christ did cast out Devils by m Mat. 12.24 Beelzebub the prince of the Devils when as they and their n Mat 12.27 children had received it as an infallible principle that Satan did not cast out Satan but that onely in o Mat. 7.22 Mat. 9.38.39.40 Gods name and by Gods power the evill spirit was cast out And therefore unto them thus wilfully and spitefully speaking contrary to their very consciences the Lord said p Mat. 12.31.32 All manner of sinne and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Sonne of man it shall bee forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not bee forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come It most greatly therefore concerneth all which would in life death and for ever have Gods mercy in Iesus Christ to take heed that they at no time speake or doe against the true light of conscience remembring that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the q Heb. 10.31.30 avenging hands of the living Gods CHAP. 97. Of sundry of Gods Curses upon disobedient people IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 54. Homily of falling from God it is said The displeasure of God towards us is commonly expressed in the Scripture by these two things by shewing his r Ps 34.16 Ps 6.1 fearefull countenance upon us and by turning away his face or by ſ Lam. 3.44 Isa 59.2 hiding it from us By shewing his dreadfull countenance is signified his great wrath but by turning his face or hiding thereof is many times more signified that is to say that hee clearly t Deut. 31.17 18. Ier. 33.5 forsaketh us and giveth us over When God doth shew his dreadfull countenance towards us that is to say doth send dreadfull plagues of sword famine or pestilence upon us it appeareth that he is greatly wroth with us But when he withdraweth from us his Word the * A delivery what the true Word preached is right Doctrine of Christ his gracious assistance and aid which is ever u Ier. 23.22 joyned to his Word and w 1 Sam. 28.15 leaveth us to our owne wit our owne will and strength he declareth then that he beginneth to forsake us In the second part of the said * T. 2. p. 57. Homily it is said What deadly griefe may a man suppose it is to be under the wrath of God to be forsaken of him to have his holie Spirit the Authour of goodnesse to bee taken from him to be brought to so vile a condition that hee shall bee left meet for no better purpose than to be for ever condemned in hell That place of x Isa 5.5 c. Isaiah sheweth that God at length doth so forsake his unfruitfull Vineyard that hee will not onely suffer it to bring forth weedes bryars and thornes but also further to punish the unfruitfulnesse of it He saith he will not cut it he will not delve it and hee will command the Clouds that they shall not raine upon it whereby is signified the teaching of his holy Word which Saint Paul after a like manner expressed by y 1 Cor. 3.6 planting watering meaning that hee will take that away from them so that they shall be no longer of his Kingdome they shall bee no longer governed by his holy Spirit they shall be put from the grace and benefits that they had and ever z Luke 19.42 44 Mat. 23.37 38. Ps 81.12 13 14 15 16. Isa 48.18 19. might have enjoyed through Christ they shall be deprived of the heavenly light life which they had in Christ a Iohn 15.4.6.5.7 Rom. 11.17 20 22 23. whiles they abode in him they shall be as they were once as men without God in this world or rather in worse taking And to bee short they shall bee given into the power of the Devill which beareth the rule in all them that be cast away from God as hee did in Saul and Iudas and generally in all such as worke after their owne wils the Children of mistrust and b Eph. 2.2 unbeliefe In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 5. Homily concerning the right use of the Church it is said We shall not in this life escape his heavy hand and vengeance for this contempt of the house of the Lord and his due service in the same according as the Lord himselfe threatneth in the first Chapter of the Prophet Aggeus after this sort c Hag. 1.9 10 11. Because ye have left my house desert and without company
the Holy Ghost PAG. 373 CHAP. 97 Of Sundry other Gods Curses upon disobedient people PAG. 377 CHAP. 98 Of deferring Repentance untill likelyhood of bodily death PAG. 382 CHAP. 99 Of sundry of Gods blessings upon obedient people in this present life PAG. 386 CHAP. 100 Against separating from the Church of England by law established under the Kings Majesty in any manner PAG. 390 THE CHRISTIAN DIVINITY OVT OF the Divine Service CHAP. I. That there is a GOD. IN the third part of the * In the second Tome in folio page 228. Homily for Rogation Weeke it is sayd That faith is the first entry into the Christian life according as the Scripture deliuereth He a Heb. 11.6 that commeth to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him The * Heb. 4.2 Mal. â— â—4â— want of which beleefe is the cause that mâ—â— in these dayes are so negligent in seeking thâ—â—ord some being cold in Religion others 〈…〉 warme Some there are that say in thâ—â— b Psal 14. â— hearts there is no God through c Psal 10. â— their priâ—â— they will not seeke after him God is not in all their thoughts Sundry others there are which though they doe d Titus 1.16 with their mouthes professe to know God in their Workes they deny him being abhominable and disobedient and vnto euery good Worke * Or voyde of Iudgement as the Margent hath it Reprobate That there is a God it needeth no demonstration for euery e Psalme 19.3 Nation on the face of the whole Earth doth acknowledge it There was neuer any one borne into the world Rom. 10.18 Nulla est gens tam barbara quae non fateatur esse aliquem Deum adeò quidem vt homines falsum Deum haebere inalint quà m nulluâ— omnino tam alte nimiruÌ„ sensus divinitatis indit incordibus nostris Ciceâ—o which at one time or another if he or she liued vnto ripe yeares testified f Rom. 2.15 Act. 14.7 not vnto it It is a principle or g Iohn 1.9 light which God hath set in euery Humane soule That sayth the Apostle which h Rom. 1.19.20 is naturally knowne of God is manifest in mankinde for God hath shewed it vnto them For the invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearely seene being vnderstood by the things that are made euen his eternall power and Godhead so that they are without excuse The i Psal 9 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thâ—â—yâ—â—â—des iudgments which euen in all ages come vpon wilfull breakers of Gods Lawes as on Traytors on such as breake their lawfull oathes or take false oathes Also the iudgments on wilfull murderers who being apprehended and examined commonly cannot but confesse their deed also on Blasphemers and the k 〈◊〉 5 9. like declare plainely that there is a Righteous most mighty power though in his Essence or being he is l 〈◊〉 â—1 27 vnseene to al eyes of flesh on Earth Also the m Heb. 〈…〉 horrours and terrours which come into the hearts of such as liue wilfully disobedient to Gods Lawes and especially when as 〈◊〉 haue n Mat 27.37 〈…〉 10. committed some great Wickednesse The o Acts 2.37 heaâ—â— and â—â—ings and the p Wisd 17.11 Conscience remorses the inward q Gen. 3.10 Rom. 6.21 â—â—â—me which followeth after transgressing of Gods euerlasting Law and the like Effects shew the r Colos 1.29 Iob 33.14.15.16.17.18.29.30 working of the infinite Godhead in the minds of Mankind Vnto this God blessed for euer the Church sayth Å¿ In Saint Ambrose his song All the earth doth worship thee the Father euerlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heauens and all the powers therein To theâ— Cherubin and Seraphin continually do cry Holy holy holy Lord God of * Or hosts See Rom. 9 29. with Isa 1.9 Sabaoth Heauen and earth is full of the Maiesty of thy glory CHAP. 2. That there is a Trinity in the Godhead In Hebraico Bibliorum exemplari non rarò Trinitatis mysterium significatur vti in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob. 35.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 149.2 vide Isa 54.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Eccles 12.1 IN the Athanasian Creed it is sayd The Catholike Faith is this That we worship one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie Neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the Holy Ghost But the Godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost is all one * Ioh. 10.30 Ioh. 17.22 the glory equall the Maiestie co-eternall Saint Iohn sayth t 1. Ioh. 5.7 There are three which beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Saint Mathew sayth u Mat. 3.16.17 Tetragranimaton ut Author est Galatinus in Targum antiâ—â—itus scriptum erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Trinitatis divinae mysterium inunondum When Iesus was baptized of Iohn he went vp straight way out of the water And loe the Heauens were opened vnto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vhon him And loe a voyce from Heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased There was Iesus the Sonne in his humane nature baptized with water There was the Holy Ghost descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him There was the Father speaking from heauen and saying This is my beloued Sonne And in the name of each person of the Trinity Christ commaunded his Ministers to baptize saying * Mat. 28.19 Goe yee and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost The Church in the Preface to be read vpon the feast of the Trinity onely Singula sunt in singulis omnia in â—â—ngulis singula in omnibus omnia in omnibus unum omnia Qui videt hoc vel ex parte vel per speculum in aenigmate gaudeat cognoscens Deum sic ut Deum honoret gratias agat Qui autem non videt tendat per pietatem ad videndum non per caecitatem ad calumniandum quoniam unus est Deus sed tamen Trinitas nec confuse accipiendum est ex quo omnia per quem omnia in quo omnia nec dijs multis sed ipsi gloria in secula seculorum August lâ—bro sexto de Trinitate capite ultimo teacheth vs to say It is very meete right and our bounden duty that we should at all times and in all places giue thankes to thee O Lord Almighty and euerlasting God which art one God one Lord not one onely Person but three Persons in one substance For that which we beleeue of the glory of the Father the same we beleeue of
workes of the spirit namely the fruits of faith charitable and godly motions if we have any at all in him they proceed onely of the Holy Ghost who is the x onely worker of our sanctification and maketh us new men in Christ Iesus as David of a poore shepheard to become a Princely Prophet Matthew of a proud Publicane to become an humble and lowly Euangelist Peter of a simple fisher to become a chiefe and mighty Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutor to become a faithfull disciple of Christ and a teacher of the Gentiles Such is the power of the Holy Ghost to x 1 Cor. 6.11 regenerate men and as it were to bring them forth anew so that they shall bee y 2 Cor. 5.17 nothing like the men that they were before Regeneration is begun in Baptisme as the Service thereof expresly delivereth and it is increased afterward in all such as are z Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.18 Eph. 4.15 16. led by the spirit of Iesus Christ Concerning conversion repentance and regeneration the holy Scriptures doe thus deliver Iesus Christ saith Verily I say unto you a Mat. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven Except ye b Luke 13.3 repent yee shall all likewise perish Verily verily I say unto thee c Iohn 3.5.3 Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Verily verily I say unto thee except a man be borne of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Moses saith d Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the fore-skin of your heart and be no more stiffe-necked The Lord saith by Ieremiah e Ier. 4 3 4 Break up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Circumcise your selves to the Lord and take away the fore-skins of your heart lest my fury come forth like fire and burne that none can quench it because of the evill of your doings Hosea saith f Hos 10.22 Sow to your selves in righteousnesse reape in mercie breake up your fallow ground for it is time to seeke the Lord till he come and raine righteousnes upon you Christ said to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Remember from whence thou art fallen and g Rev. 2.5 repent and doe the first workes or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlesticke out of his place except thou repent Saint Paul mentioneth to the Corinthians seven fruits of such repentance saying Godly sorrow worketh h 2 Cor. 7.10.11 repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this selfe same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge c. CHAP. 79. Of our duty towards God as it is delivered in the most sacred Catechisme MY duty towards God is to beleeve in him to feare him and to love him with all my heart with all my minde with all my soule and with all my strength To worship him to give him thanks to put my whole trust in him to call upon him to honour his holy name and his word and to serve him truely all the dayes of my life Here are mentioned ten sundry matters of our duty towards God and each hath a large extent Now onely there shall bee delivered some briefe exposition of them The first of the duties reckoned up The first duty is to beleeve in God The i Iam. 2.19 Devils saith Saint Iames doe beleeve that there is one God and they tremble also But true Christians doe more they k Iohn 14.1 beleeve in that one eternall God In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 22. Homily of Faith it is said And this is not onely the common beleefe of the Articles of our Faith but it is also a true trust and confidence of the mercy of God l Act 15.11 Rom. 5.1.11 through our Lord Iesus Christ and a stedfast m Eph. 1.18 hope of all good things to be received at Gods hand and that although we through infirmity or temptation of our ghostly enemy doe n Rev. 2.5 fall from him by sinne yet if we o Deut. 30.2 and 4.29.30 returne againe unto him by true repentance that he will forgive and forget our offences for his Sonnes p Dan. 9.17 sake our Saviour Iesus Christ and will make us inheritors with him of his everlasting Kingdome and that in the meane time untill that Kingdome come he will bee our q Psal 91.1 2 4.9.10.11.12 protector and defender in all perills and dangers whatsoever doe chance and that though sometime he doth send us sharpe r Psal 44.19 adversitie yet that evermore he will be a loving father unto us correcting us for our sinne but not Å¿ Psa 89.28 29 30 31 32 33. and 99.8 withdrawing his mercie finally from us if we trust in him and t 1 Pet. 4.19 Psal 37.3.4.5 commit our selves wholy unto him u 1 Pet. 5.7 hang only upon him and call upon him ready to w Heb. 5.9 obey and serve him Read the whole Homily of Faith for therein in wonderfull divine manner is declared what it is to beleeve in God Abrahams beleefe in God is set forth unto us for an example who as Saint Paul saith x Rom. 4.18 against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be It is the property of Christian faith to be y Rom. 4.19 20 21. fully perswaded that what God hath promised hee is able also to performe though the matter farre exceed our naturall comprehension how it can bee The Apostle saith z Heb. 11.1 faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seene The second duty The second duty is to feare God The feare of the Lord saith Solomon is to a Prov. 8.13 hate evill And he there reckoneth up the foure chiefe evills which are to be hated namely pride and arrogancie and the evill way and a froward mouth David saith Let all the earth b Ps 33.8 feare the Lord let all the Inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him Peter intimateth unto professors of Christianitie why they should feare God saying Forasmuch as yee call on the Father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work passe the time of your sojourning here in c 1 Pet. 1.17 feare David declareth who truly feareth God saying Blessed is the man that d Ps 112.1 as it is in the Divine Service translation feareth the Lord hee delighteth greatly in his Commandements The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that e Ps 103.17.18
feare him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children To such as keepe his Covenant and to those that remember his Commandements to doe them Iesus the sonne of Syrach saith They that f Ecclus. 2.15.16 17. feare the Lord will not disobey his Word and they that love him will keepe his wayes They that feare the Lord will seeke that which is well pleasing unto him and they that love him shall bee filled with the Law They that feare the Lord will prepare their hearts and humble their soules in his sight They g Isa 66.5 tremble at Gods Word they dread to transgresse h Iam. 2.10 any part of it David saith Serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with i Ps 2.11 trembling Paul saith to the Romanes Bee not high minded but k Rom. 11.20 21. feare For if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest hee also spare not thee To the Philippians he saith Work out your owne salvation with l Phil. 2.12 The third Duty To love God feare and trembling The third is To love God with all our heart with all our minde with all our soule and with all our strength To love God is to love that which God is as namely heavenly m 1 Iohn 1.5 light n 1 Iohn 4.7.8.16 charity o Pro. 8.12 14. Wisd 7.25 26. with Heb. 1.3 wisdome for God is in Scripture said to be Light Charity Wisedome Hence Christ saith Yee are my p Ioh. 15.14 friends or lovers if yee doe whatsoever I command you This is the q 2 Ioh. 5.3 love of God saith Iohn that wee keepe his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous Againe he saith This is r 2 Ich. 6. love that wee walke after his Commandements Wherefore Christ saith If yee s Ioh. 14.15.21 23.24 love me keepe my commandements He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth mee If a man love me he will keepe my words He that is of God t Ioh. 8.47 heareth Gods words The entrance of Gods words giveth u Ps 119.130 light God is a w Ioh. 4.24 spirit of light a spirit of love and a spirit of eternall wisdome They therefore that love this Holy Spirit blessed for ever cannot but love his nature and propertie They delight to have heavenly x Ps 43.3 light come more and more into their understanding they delight to y Eph. 5.2 1 Cor. 16.14 walke in love They unfainedly desire to doe all things in z 1 Sam. 18.5 Prov. 13.16 Wis 7.8 Col. 1.9 godly wisdome God requireth that we a Prov. 23.26 Luke 10.27 give him our whole heart minde soule strength and that the b Iam. 4.7 1 Ioh. 5.18 ill spirit have no part nor portion of us David a man after Gods owne heart said to God With my c Ps 119.10 whole heart have I sought thee The Lord saith by Ieremiah Yee shal seeke me and find me when yee shall search for me with your d Ier. 29.13 whole heart The Lord Iesus saith If any man come to me and e Luk. 14.26 hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also hee cannot be my Disciple To hate in this place signifieth to love lesse as it is observed to signifie so in sundry f Gen. 29.31 Deut. 21.15 Mat. 6.24 other places The holy Prophets and Apostles which for the Lords sake left not onely their earthly substance but their friends wives and children yea and their owne bodily lives they in some measure loved God as the commandement requireth So such as unfainedly strive to be more and more dead unto g Rom. 6.11 sinne to bee more and more buried with Christ in his h Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 1 Cor. 15.31 death to i Rom. 6.6 crucifie the old man and utterly to abolish the whole body of sinne as it is prescribed in the Baptisme-service to the end that the k 2 Cor. 4.10.11 life of Iesus may be manifest in their mortall flesh and that his kingdome of grace may l Zach. 14.9 Obad. 21. Luk. 17.21 onely and wholy be administred in their soules they in some measure love God as his Law requireth The fourth duty is to worship God Christ saith God is a spirit to be worshipped in m Ioh. 4.23.24 spirit and in truth The fourth duty To worship God Paul saith Glorifie God in your n 1 Cor. 6.20 body and in your spirit which are Gods As I live saith the Lord every knee shall o Rom. 14.11 bow to mee and every tongue shall confesse to God Of the outward worships due to God read the 68. Chapter afore There are also other bodily worshippings of God mentioned in the Holy Scriptures besides those as to p Gen. 17.3 fall downe on ones face to the earth unto the Lord c. The receiving of the Sacraments is said to bee a part of Gods worship yea and the due observation of all his other outward ordinances as r Mat. 15.9 See concerning Gods inward worship or worship in spirit in the end of T. 2. p. 75 teaching c. is worship to God also The inward worshipping of God is the doing of all such duties within the spirit as thēce are to be performed unto God immediately as to ſ Micah 6.8 humble ones selfe so as to walke with God to do our parts towards the t Iam. 4.8 purifying of our hearts to u Ioel. 2.13 Ezech. 36.31 beare sorrow for our sinnes committed to rent our hearts to do our parts towards the w Ezech. 18.31 making of a new heart and a new spirit c. The fift duty is to give thankes unto God The fift duty to thanke God And this duty is to bee done within the spirit in bearing a gratefull minde x Eph. 5.20 continually unto God for all his mercies So did the Virgin Mary when she said My soule doth y Luk. 1.46.47 magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour So did David when hee said Blesse the Lord O my soule and al that is within me blesse his Holy name z Ps 104.1.2 Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Concerning thanking God outwardly see Chapter 44. The sixt duty To trust wholy in God The sixt duty is to put our whole trust in him We are said to trust wholy in God when wee a Ps 37.7 rest on him and b Ps 37.5 depend totally upon him with hope of receiving his promises wee faithfully doing our parts in keeping the c 2 Kings 18.4.5.6 conditions wherewith his promises are made Trust or confidence in God proceedeth partly out of knowledge of Gods Attributes or properties as it is written They that know thy d Ps 9.10 Name will put their trust in thee