from the priesthood That they shoud not eate of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with d Ezra 2.63 Vrim and * In the service of Consecration of Bishops in the Prayer after the Letanie then road the true signification of the words Vrim and Thummim is delivered namely truth of Doctrine and innocencie of life See 1 Esdras 5.40 Thummim Saint Peter saith e 1 Pet. 2.13.14 Submit your selves unto every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as Supreme or unto governours as unto them that are sent by him c. Samuel told Saul that God had made him the f 1 Sam. 15.17 See the 37. Article of Religion Head of the Tribes of Israel Therefore our King is Head of the Tribe of Levi the supreme governour over all degrees and orders of the Clergie in his Majesties Realmes Dominions aswell as over all other persons Concerning bearing faith and true allegiance to the Kings Highnesse his heirs and successors according as it is prescribed in the oath of allegiance it may first bee considered that in the whole Bible there is no mention of any of Gods people at any time to have done contrary unto such allegiance but ever to have borne faith and true allegiance unto to their Soveraigne the supreme Magistrate over them The Lord Iesus Christ both by g Mat. 12.20.21 precept and also by example taught loyalty to bee performed unto Caesar by all professed Christians all others The Apostle Paul enjoyned Titus to put all professours of Christianity in minde to be h Tit. 3.1.2 subject to Principalities and powers to obey magistrates to bee ready unto every good worke to speake evill of no man to bee no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekenesse unto all men Almost the whole 13. chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes is a declaration how subject and faithfull every soule not excepting any Ecclesiastical person ought to bee unto his Prince which beareth the sword which receiveth tribute and custome The higher powers unto whom Saint Paul commanded Christians to bee subject for Conscience sake and to render all their dues to owe nothing but love and honour and hee for to exclude universall ill attempts against ones Soveraigne saith Loveworketh no ill to ones neighbour were not defenders of the Christian faith neither were they favorers of the Gospell the highest powers over i 1. Pet. 1.1 Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia unto whom Saint Peter required those to whom hee wrote for to bee loyally subject If people were not in Conscience bound to bee universally faithfull unto their Soveraigne the society of mankinde could not consist together but the whole world would in short time bee turned into a wildernesse To release any from their duty to their superiours was the k ◠Marke 7.7.8 9 10 11 12 13. Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharises the mortall enemies to Christianity who taught that one having offered a certaine gift though hee honoured not his father or his mother should bee free making thereby the fifth Commandement of God of non effect by that their damnable traditiō And are not Kings l Isa 49.23 fathers Queenes mothers according to the language of the Holy Scriptures Saint Peter saith Feare God and m 1 Pet. 2.17 honour the King Salomon also saith n Eccles 10.20 Curse not the King no not in thy thought How zealous was David that hee would neither do nor o 1 Sam. 24.6.7 and 26.9 suffer to bee done any manner of annoyance towards the Lords annoynted though he were disobedient unto the Law of the Lord Let any search the whole Scripture and more especially all the new Testament and let him observe what manner of innocent life the life of the Christian Religion is prescribed for to bee or is described there and he shall plainely see that it is contrary to the universall Christian p Mat. 20.16 Rom. 16.19 Rom. 13.10 1 Thes 5.15 1 Cor. 13.4.5.6.7 nature for any people not to beare such faith and such true allegiance unto their Soveraigne as is expressed in the oath of allegiance and expounded or delivered in the Booke intituled God and the King What it is to be defective in duty towards ones Soveraigne the Church hath also most divinely declared in the Homily an Exhortation cōcerning good order obedience to Rulers and Magistrates and amply in the Homily against disobedience and wilfull Rebellion the which deliverie of holy Church all persons should often read or heare read unto them CHAP. 71. Of submission to all Powers inferiour to the Kings Majesty IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 69.70 Homily of obedience it is said Take away Kings Princes Rulers Magistrates Iudges and such estates of Gods order no man shall ride or goe by the high way unrobbed no man shall sleepe in his owne house or bed unkilled no man shall keepe his wife children and possession in quietnesse all things shall be common and there must needs follow all mischiefe and utter destruction both of soules bodies goods and Common wealths But blessed be God that we in this Realme of England feele not the horrible calamities miseries and wretchednesse which all they undoubtedly feele and suffer that lacke this godly order and praised be God that we know the great excellent benefit of God shewed towards us in this behalfe God hath sent us his high gift our most deare Soveraigne Lord king Charles with a godly wise and honourable Counsell with other superiours and inferiours in a beautifull order and godly Wherefore let us subjects doe our bounden duties giving hearty thankes to God and praying for the preservation of this godly order Let us all obey even from the bottome of our hearts all their godly proceedings Lawes Statutes Proclamations and Injunctions with all other godly orders Let us consider the Scriptures of the Holy Ghost which perswade and command us all obediently to be subject first and chiefly to the King Majestie Supreme Governour over all and the next to his Honourable Counsell and to all other Noblemen Magistrates and Officers which by Gods goodnesse be placed and ordered In the second part of the * T. 2. p. Homily of fasting but it is said Positive lawes made by Princes for conservation of their Policie not repugnant unto Gods Law ought of all Christian subjects with reverence of the Magistrate to bee obeyed not onely for feare of punishment but also as the Apostle saith for q Rom. 13.5 Conscience sake Conscience I say not of the thing which of it owne nature is indifferent but of our obedience which by the Law of God we owe unto the Magistrate as unto Gods minister That saying of the holy Ghost by Saint Peter confirmeth all Submit your selves to ever ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it bee to the King as supreme or unto r 1 Pet.
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
is Christ and the head of woman is the man and the head of Christ is God Every man praying or prophecying having his head k 1 Cor. 11.2.3.4.7 Turpia vitiosaque legi debent bonesta contrà et vitio carentia detegiac ostendi Quod si vir operto capite preces agit ostendit suum caput esse vitiosum et preinde tegendum Atqui viri caput Christus est qui vitij est expers Itaque debet viri caput detegi quò Christum qui viri caput est vitij expertem esse indicetur Mulâ—eris verò caput vir est qui cuÌ„ sit nocens et vitiosus debet mulier suuÌ„ caput tegere Haec quidam anonymus Of the gesture to be used in prayer covered dishonoureth his head But every woman that prayeth or prophecieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head For man indeed ought not to cover his head forasmuch as hee is the Image and glory of God But the woman is the glory of the man It is written that the Lord Iesus l Luke 22.41 kneeled downe and prayed So m Acts. 7.60 did Saint Stephen when hee prayed though stones then were throwne against him where through hee presently died c. Peter n Acts. 9.40 kneeled downe and prayed c. Paul o Acts. 20.36 and 21.5 kneeled downe and prayed c. And Davids saying is which is appointed to bee read on every Sunday morning O come let us worship and fall downe and p Psal 95.6 Of the gesture to be used wheÌ„ the confession of Faith and the Gospel for the day is read kneele before the Lord our maker Moreover concerning the reverence done by standing up when we make confession of our Faith it is to be considered that then to sit is altogether unseemely because it is as it were a speaking unto God And sitting is no gesture of reverence When any civill person goeth unto his superiour and declareth any matter unto him hee will doe it standing And thus to demeane our selves in speaking to our superiours wee are taught even by the very light of q 1 Cor. 11.14 Thereout Balaam willed Balak to rise up Therupon Eglon arose up out of his seate nature Ought wee not then when wee make confession of our faith unto our God to stand up reverently We read not in Scripture of any that spake unto God sitting but either kneeling or standing or fallen downe on the face as * Gen. 17.17 18. Abraham did Kneeling commonly when they prayed and standing in making confession or profession It is recorded of King Salomon that hee and all the Congregation r 1 King 8.14.22.55 stood whiles hee confessed or made acknowledgement of the goodnesse of God towards them and blessed the name of the Lord. And afterward when he fell to prayer it appeareth hee s 1 King 8.54 kneeled on his knees It is also written that Abraham t Gen. 18.22 Gen. 19.27 stood before the Lord whiles he spake unto him Very many are the Scriptures which mention the gesture of standing before the Lord in speaking unto his Omnipotent Majestie Whereas also the Church prescribeth That when the Lord Iesus shall bee mentioned due and lowly reverence shall bee done by all persons present as it hath beene accustomed testifying by these outward Ceremonies and gestures their inward humility c. It is to bee understood that not onely all are to bow the knee when the Lord Iesus is mentioned in saying the Beleefe but also in the reading of the holy Gospell when as the the Lord Iesus is mentioned therein For which cause that people may then performe that reverence unto the Lord Iesus is it not requisite that all stand up whiles the Gospell which is in the divine Service is in reading And that people are to stand up in hearing the speciall messages from Almighty God not a few Scriptures doe teach Of standing up when the Gospel for the day is read When Ehud came to king Eglon as he was sitting in a Summer Parlour Ehud said I have a message from God unto thee And the King u Iudg. 3.20 arose out of his seat Why is it written that he rose up but for our learning that when we heare the Gospell which the Church hath upon specical consideration for the day appointed to be read we should stand up and then may make due and lowly reverence Of bowing the knee when the Lord Iesus is mentioned when the w Phil. 2.9 10 11. Rom 14.11 Isa 45.23 Ephes 3.14 Ioh. 5.22.23 Psal 72.9 and 95.6 Lord Iesus shall be mentioned as it hath beene accustomed The word Gospell in the originall signifieth a good or joyfull message It is written in the booke of Samuel That as Samuel and Saul were going downe to the end of the City Samuel said unto Saul Bid the servant passe on before us and he passed on but x 1 Sam. 9.27 stand thou still a while that I may shew thee the Word of God Hee doth not bid him sit still a while whiles he delivered to him the speciall message The Prophet Isaiah saith unto women when they were to heare his speciall delivery unto them from the Lord y Isa 32.9 Rise up ye women that are at ease heare my voice ye carelesse daughters give eare unto my speech Rising up in the hearing of a matter published is a token of the more carefull attention thereunto It is recorded that when Ezra opened the booke for to read all the people z Neh. 8.5 stood up Even very nature taught the heathen when any message was said to bee published unto them as from God that they were to stand up in hearing of it Wherupon Balaam said unto King Balak a Num. 23.18 Rise up Balak and heare hearken unto me thou sonne of Zippor Against sleeping in the Church in time of Gods publike worship Furthermore people ought not to sleepe whiles the publike worship of God is in performing no not in hearing an Homily or Sermon It is recorded by Saint Luke for our learning that when Christ preached the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were b Luke 4.20 fastned on him And the judgement that befell c Act. 20.7 8 9 10. Entychus sleeping whiles Paul preached is written also for our admonition It is also remarkable what is said in the first part of the * T. 1. p. 53. Homily How dangerous a thing it is to fall from God Whosoever is occupied with fables and tales when the Word of God rehearsed Of attentive harkening to the publike worship he is turned from God Whosoever in time of reading Gods Word is carefull in his minde of worldly businesse of mony or of lucre he is turned from God whosoever is intangled with the cares of possessions filled with the covetousnesse of riches whosoever studieth for the glory and honour of this world he is turned from God So that
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
in all In all the Sacred Song of the Church which is to be sayd or Sung in the Ordering of Priests which also is commonly set afore the Psalmes in Meeter what the Holy Ghost is and what his gifts and workings are it is very Divinely deliuered and remarkablely it is sayd in the second Staue thereof Thou art the very o Iohn 14.16 Comforter in all woe and distresse The Heauenly p Luke 11.13 gift of God most high which no tongue can q 2 Cor. 12.4 as in margent expresse The fountaine and the liuely spring of r 1 Thes 1.6 ioy Celestiall The n = s Acts 2.3.4 fire so bright Omnes quod sumus ac vigemus inde est Regnat spiritus ille sempiturnus à Chriso simul et parente missus intrat pectora candidus pudica qua Templi vice consecrata videÌ„t Post quam combiberint deuÌ„ medullis Sed siquid vitij dolive nasci inter visceraiam dicata sensit ceu spurcum refugit â—eler satellum Et nonnullis interjectis Hic pastui anima est saporque verus Poâ—â—â— prâ—dentiâ—â— the t Rom. 5.5 loue so cleare and u 1 Ioh. 2.20.27 vnction Spirituall And now concluded be these Collections concerning the Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity with that of the Prayer to the Holy Ghost to be sung before the Sermon All glory to the Trinity that is of mighties most The liuing father and the Sonne and eke the holy Ghost As it hath beene in all the time that hath beene heretofore As it is now and so shall be henceforth for euermore CHAP. 6. Of certaine Attributes vnto God IN the beginning of sundry Prayers and in other places of the Divine Service Of Gods Eternity for the more expressing of the glory of God there are added vnto his name sundry Attributes As it is sayd oftentimes O euerlasting God O euerliuing God And in the Athanatian Creede hee is sayd to bee the One Eternall Moses in his Prayer which is in the Booke of the Psalmes doth in like manner confesse the Eternity of God saying Before w Psal 9â— 2 the Mountaynes were brought foorth or euer thou hadst formed the earth and the VVorld euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art God The Euerlasting is in the Booke of Baruch mentioned as one of Gods names where it is sayd Let them x Baruch 4 14. that dwell about Syon come and remember yee the Captivity of my Sonnes and Daughters which the Euerlasting hath brought vpon them God is also sayd to be Infinite or Incomprehensible Of Gods infinitenesse or immensity as in the first part of the * 2 T. p. 221. Homily for Rogation VVeeke where it is sayd He is y Iob 9.11 invisible euery where and x Acts 17.27.28 in enery Creature and a Ieremia 2 3.24 fulfilleth both Heauen and earth with his presence In considering whereof Dauid said Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit Or whether shall I flee from thy Presence if I goe vp into Heauen thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the Wings of the morning and dwel in the vttermost parts of the Sea euen there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me b Psal 139.7.8.9.10.13 Thou hast possessed my Reines thou hast couered me in my mothers Wombe In the Booke of Wisedome it is sayd The c Wisd 1.7 Spirit of the Lord filleth the World and that which contayneth all things hath knowledge of the Voyce And d Wisd 12.1 thine incorruptible spirit is in all things Of Gods Almightinesse Moreouer God is often called Almighty as in the prayer to be sayd in the time of Warre O Almighty God King of all Kings and Gouernour of all things whose power no Creature is able to resist The Almighty power of God is liuely expressed in the end of the Visitation of the sicke where it is sayd The Almighty Lord which is a * Pro. 18.10 strong Tower to all them that put their trust in him to whom all things in Heauen in Earth and * Phil. 2 9.10 vnder the Earth doe bowe and obey be now and euermore thy defence and make thee know and feele that there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in whom and through whom thou mayest receiue health and saluation but only the name * Act. 4.12 of our Lord Iesus Christ The Prophet Dauid sayth The c Psalm 103.19 Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heauens and his Kingdome ruleth ouer all Esay sayth Behold f Esay 40.15.17 the Nations are as the drop of a Bucket and are counted as the small dust of the Ballance Behold he taketh vp the Iles as a very little thing All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity Incomparable Wisdome is also ascribed vnto God as in the first part of the * 2. T. p. 219. Sermon for Rogation VVeeke Of Gods Wisdome where it is sayd I do not take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable Wisdome of Almighty God as though I would haue you beleeue that it might be expressed vnto you by Words And in the second part of that Homily it is sayd Page 224. His sight looketh through Heauen and Earth and seeth all things presently with his eyes Nothing is too darke or hidden from his Knowledge not the priuy thoughts of mens mindes Dauid sayth Great g Psal 147.5 is our Lord and of great power his vnderstanding is infinite The Apostle to the Hebrewes sayth there is not any h Heb. 4.13 Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and opened vnto the eyes of him with whom we haue to do Againe concerning Gods Wisedome Dauid sayth O i Psal 104 24. Lord how manifold are thy Works in Wisedome hast thou made them all Of Gods goodnesse Goodnesse also is attributed vnto God euen through out all parts of the Divine Seruice In the first part of the * 2. Tom p. 217. Homily for Rogation Weeke there is amply declared the goodnesse of God towards mankind in sundry particulars Wherein Holy Church doth as the Scripture sayth aboundantly k Psal 145 7.9 vtter the memory of Gods great goodnesse The Lord is good to all Of Gods Ivstnesse Iustnesse also is ascribed vnto God as in the Prayer to be sayd in time of Warre where it is written To God it belongeth iustly to punish sinners and to be mercifull to them that truely Repent Dauid saith The O Lord is righteous in all his wayes And m Psal 62.12 thou rendrest vnto euery one according to his workes Nehemiah sayd vnto God Thou n Nehem. 9.33 art iust in all that is brought vpon vs for thou hast done right but we haue done wickedly Zephaniah sayth
The o Zeph. 3.5 iust Lord is in the midst of Ierusalem He will doe none iniquity Euery morning doth he bring his iudgement to light he fayeth not but the vniust know no shame The Lord saith Hosea hath a controuersie with Iudah Hosea 12. â— and will punish l Psal 145.17 Iacob according to his wayes according to his doings will he recompence him God also is often in the Diuine Seruice mentioned to be Mercifull Of Gods Mercifullnesse as in the third Collect to be read on good Friday it is sayd Mercifull God who hast made all men and hatest * Some obiect against this Divine Doctrine of the Church the saying in the Scripture I haue hated Esau The Scripture sayth not that God hated Esau vnto euerlasting damnation afore hee was borne but signifieth that hee loued him lesse than hee loued Iacob in that for a time he was to serue Iacob That the word hâ—te doth in Scripture signifie to Loue lesse See Iunius on Genes 29.31 Deut 21.15 See Math. 6.24 Luk. 14.26 And that Esau was to be vnder Iacob foratime See Genes 27.40 Saint Paules Doctrine hereabout is one of his sayings hard to be vnderstood 2. Peter 3.16 There is in it an Allegory as in Gal. 4.24 See 2. Esaras 6.8.9 Also in Genes 25.23 mentioned By Saint Paul in Rom. 9. Iacob and Esau are called two Nations and two manner of people And that Esau was sayd to be hated was not expressed in those words vntill many ages after Namely in the dayes of the Prophet Malachy 1.3 See Ezech. 33.11 and 2. Peter 3.9 Math. 23.37 Acts 7.51 See Pro. 1. from verse 20. vnto the Chapters end All Ezechiel 18. Eccles 15.11 to the end nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the death of a Sinner but rather that he should be conuerted liue haue mercy vpon all Iewes Turks Infidels and Hereticks c. So in the last Prayer sauing one of the Commination it is sayd Oh most mighty God and Mercifull Father which hast compassion of all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made which wouldest not the death of a sinner but that he should rather turne from sinne and be saued c. Dauid sayth The q Psal 145.9 Lord is good to all and his tender Mercies are ouer all his workes Likewise Saint Paul witnesseth God hath concluded all men in vnbeleefe that he might haue Mercy vpon r Rom. 11.32 all In the Booke of Wisedome it is sayd Thou Å¿ Wisedome 11.23 24. haste Mercy vpon all for thou canst do all things and winkest at the sinnes of men because they should amende For thou louest all the things that are and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made for neuer wouldest thou haue made any thing if thou hadst hated it Vnto the which Eternall Incomprehensible Almighty Wise Good Iust and Mercifull God be glore through Iesus Christ for euer Amen CHAP. 7. Of the Creation of the World and of the Angels in speciall IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 67. Homily an Exhortation concerning good order and obedience to Rulers and Magistrates it is sayd Almighty God hath created and appointed all things in Heauen Earth and Waters in a most excellent and perfect order In Heauen hee hath appointed distinct and seuerall orders and states of Archangels and Angells In the beginning sayth the Scripture God t Genesis 1.1 and 2 1. Created heauen and earth and all the Host of them Also that by the u Col. 1.16 Sonne of God were all things Created that are in Heauen and that are in Earth Visible and Inuisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were Created by him and for him That there are Archangels aswell as Angels it appeareth out of Daniel where it is Written that Michael one of w Dan. 10.13 the chiefe Princes came to helpe him Michael is called an Archangell in the x Iude 9. Epistle of Iude. There is mention of another Archangell in y 2. Esdras 4.36 Esdras namely Vriel In Saint Ambrose his Song it is sayde vnto God To thee all Angels crye aloud the Heauens and all the powers therein To thee Cherubin and Seraphin continually do crye Holy holy holy Lord God of * Or Hosts Sabaoth That there are Powers in heauenly places and also Principalities among them not only the text aboue cited out of the Epistle to the Colossians prooueth but also Saint Paules words to the Ephesians saying To z Eph. 3.10 the intent that now vnto the Principalities and Powers in heauenly places might be knowne by the Church the manifold VVisedome of God Of Cherubins Novem Angelorum est cordâ—nes testante sacro eloquio scimus scilicet Angelos Archangelâ—s virtutes potestates principatut dominatiâ—nes thâ—onos Cherubin aeque Seraphim Greg. in Hâ—mil there is often mention in the tenth Chapter of Ezechiel And of Seraphins it is mentioned in the sixt Chapter of Isaiah In the Collect to be read on the day of the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel the Church sayth Euerlasting-God which hast o dayned and constituted the Services of all Angels and Men in wonderfull order Mercifully grant that they which alway do thee seruice in Heauen may by thine appoyntment succour and defend vs in Earth through Iesus Christ our Lord. Heb. 1.14 Are a they not all ministring Spirits as the Apostle sayth sent foorth to minister for them who shall be Heires of Saluation Dauid sayth Because b Psal 91.9.10.11.12 thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge euen the most High thine Habitation there shal no euill befall thee neyther shal any Plague come nigh thy dwelling For he shal giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes They shal beare thee vp in their hands least thou dash thy foot agaynst a stone Some of the Angels sinned in not c 2 Pet. 2 4. Iude 6. keeping their first estate but left their owne habitation and are cast downe to Hell reserued in euerlasting Chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day It is our duty as the Church d In the Communion Service exhorteth with the holy Angels and Archangels and with all the Company of Heauen to laud and magnifie the e Deut. 28.58 glorious name euermore praysing him and saying f Reue. 4.8 Esay 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Heauen and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high CHAP. 8. Of the Creation of Man and of his estate in his innocency IN the * To 2. p. 167. Homily concerning the Nativity of our Saviour Iesus Christ it is sayd That among all the Creatures which God made in the beginning of the World most excellent and wonderfull in their kinde there was none as the Scripture beareth VVitnesse to be compared almost in any point vnto man who as well in Body and Soule
liuing and deedes sheweth the cortrary For how can a man haue this true faith this sure trust and confidence in God that by the merits of Christ his sinnes be forgiuen and he reconciled to the fauour of God and to be partaker of the Kingdome of Heauen by Christ when he liueth vngodly and * Tit. 1.16 Mat. 10 33. denieth Christ in his deeds Surely no such vngodly man can haue this faith and trust in God For as they know Christ to bee the onely Sauiour of the World so they know also that Wicked men shall * 1 Cor. 6.9.10 not enioy the Kingdome of God They know that God * Psal 5.4.5.6 hateth vnrighteousnesse that he will destroy all those that speake vntruely that those which haue done * Iohn 5.29 good workes which cannot bee done without * Iohn 15.5 a liuely faith in Christ shall come foorth into the Resurrection of life and those that haue done euill shall come vnto the Resurrection of iudgement Very well they know also that to them that be Contentious and full of strife and to them that will not be obedient vnto the truth but will obey vnrighteousnesse shall come * Rom. 2.8.9 indignation wrath and affliction c. The great and mercifull benefits of God if they be well considered do neyther minister vnto vs occasion to be idle and to liue without doing any good workes neyther yet stirre vs vp by any meanes to doe euill things But contrariwise if we be not desperate persons and our Hearts harder than stones they mooue vs to render our selues vnto God wholy with all our Wils Heartes Might and Power to serue him in all good deedes obeying his Commaundements during our liues to seeke in all things his glory and honour not our sensuall pleasures and vaine glory euermore dreading willingly to offend such a mercifull God and louing Redeemer in Word Thought or Deede And the sayd benefits of God deepely considered mooue vs for his sake to bee euer ready to giue our selues to our neighbours and as much as lyeth in vs to study with all our endeauour to doe good vnto euery man these be the fruites of true faith In the Collect for Innocents day we are Divinely taught to pray That in our Conuersation our life may expresse the Faith in God which with our tongues we do confesse Whence we may also learne that the true Christian faith is not a matter meerely holden in the mind but which hath its operation outwardly And so Saint Paul sayth k Gala. 5.6 In Iesus Christ neyther Circumcision availeth any thing nor vncircumcision but Faith which worketh by loue Saint Iames sayth l Iames 2.14.26 What doth it profite my brethren though a man say he hath faith and hath not workes can faith saue him As the body without the spirit is dead so faith without workes is dead also And Iesus the sonne of Sirach sayth m Eccles 32.24 Hee that beleeueth in the Lord taketh heed vnto the Commandement Reade all three parts of the Homily of faith for in them the true Christian faith is described in a wonderfull Divine manner CHAP. 13. Of the Faith in the people of God which liued afore the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ euer since the fall IT is sayde in the second part of the * T. 1. p. 25. Homily of Faith All the Fathers Martyres and other Holy men whom Saint Saul spake of had their Faith surely fixed in God when all the World was agaynst them They did not onely know God to bee the Lord Maker and Gouernour of all men in the World but also they had a speciall confidence and trust Idem enim omnino erat etiam tli Deus idem Spiritus idem Christus eadem fides eadem doctrina eadem Spes eadem haereditas idem soedus eadem vis verbi dei Et Eusebius ait Omnes fideles vsque ab Adamo re quidem ipsa Christianos fuissè quāvis non ita dicerentur c. Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae excusa Londini Anno 1626. p. 97.98 that hee was and would be their God their Comforter Ayder Helper Maintainer and Defender This is the Christian faith which these Holy men had and wee also ought to haue And although they were not named Christian men yet was it a Christian faith that they had for they looked for all the benefits of God the Father through the merits of his Sonne Iesus Christ as wee now doe This difference is betweene them and vs that they looked when Christ should come and we be in the time when hee is come Therefore sayth Saint Augustine the time is altered and changed but not the Faith For wee haue both one faith in one CHRIST The same Holy Ghost also that wee haue had they sayth Saint Paul For as the Holy Ghost doeth teach vs to trust in God and to call vppon him as our Father So did hee likewise instruct and teach them to say as it is Written * Esay 63.16 Thou Lord art our Father and redeemer and thy name is without beginning and euerlasting God gaue them grace to bee his Children as hee doth vs now But now by the comming of our Sauior Christ wee haue receiued more aboundantly the Spirit of God in our hearts whereby we may conceiue a greater faith and surer trust than many of them had But in effect they and wee be all one Wee haue the same faith that they had in God and they the same that we haue And Saint Paul so much extolleth their faith because we should no lesse but rather more giue our selues wholly vnto Christ both in profession and liuing now when Christ is come than the olde Fathers did before his comming And by all the declaration of Saint Paul it is euident that the true liuely and Christian faith is no dead vaine or vnfruitfull thing but a thing of perfect vertue of wonderfull Operation or working and strength bringing foorth all good motions and good Workes Saint Stephen in his last Sermon to the Iewes making mention of the Faith that was concerning Christ many Ages afore his Incarnation relateth what Moses sayd vnto the Children of Israel A Prophet n Acts 7.37 shall the Lord your God rayse vp vnto you of your brethren like vnto me him shall yee heare And afterward hee sayd Which o Acts 7.52 of the Prophets haue not your Fathers persecuted And they haue slayne them which shewed before of the comming of the Iust one of whom yee haue beene now the betrayers and murtherers Christ told the Iewes Your p Iohn 8.56 Father Abraham reioyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad He also sayd before q Iohn 8.55 Abraham was I am Afore the dayes of Moses and the Prophets God had his Priesthood on earth after the order of r Genesis 14.18 Melchizedec The which Priesthood did ſ Psal 110.4 figure foorth Christs euer-lasting Priest-hood like
as the Leviticall had t Heb. 8.5 and 10.1 shaddowes of the same Melchizedec Priest of the most high God bringing foorth bread and Wine vnto Abraham ministred vnto him therein u Pro. 9.5 bread and Wine euen the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ The mystery whereof Melchizedec knew and all Priests that were of his Order if there were any thereof afore or after him Saint Paul sayd to the Corinthians That w 1 Cor. 10.2 3.4 the Fathers were all Baptized vnto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea And did all eate the same Spiritual meat and did all drinke the same Spirituall drinke For they dranke of that Spirituall Rocke which followeth them and that Rocke was Christ Also all the people of God that liued after the fall vntill the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ had their Faith in that Seed which was promised that it should bruise the Serpents head and x Rom. 16.20 bruise Sathan vnder their Feete y Heb. 13.8 Iesus Christ according to his eternall Divine nature the same yesterday and to day and for euer CHAP. 14. Of the Arke which Noah built and of other things in the Story of the olde Testament IN the first Prayer for publicke Baptisme the Church sayth Almighty and Euerlasting God which of thy great mercy diddest saue Noah and his Family in the * Genesis 7.23 Arke from perishing by Water and also diddest safely leade the children of Israel thy people through the red sea figuring thereby thy holy baptisme and by the baptisme of thy well beloued Sonne Iesus Christ diddest sanctifie the floud * Mar. 1.9 Iordan and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of sinne c. And in the first part of the * Tom. 1. p. 69. Homily concerning good order and obedience to Rulers and Magistrates it is sayd Where there is no right order there reigneth all abuse carnall liberty enormity sinne and Babylonicall confusion By which deliueries and sundry other of like nature in the Diuine Seruice Holy Church doth teach vs not onely to beleeue the truth of the histories in holy Writ but also to learne that spirituall matters were figured forth by them Saint Paul hauing mentioned to the Corinthians the Israelites Fathers passing through the sea out of Egypt into the Wildernesse towards the land of Chanaan and what befell sundry in the wildernesse addeth z 1. Cor. 10.11 Now all these things happened vnto them for * Or Types as in the margent In 1. Cor. 10.6 it is sayd Now these thinges were our examples or figures as in the margent ensamples and they are written for our admonition vpon whom the ends of the world are come Likewise he writing to the Galatians concerning Abraham Sarah Isaac Hagar and Ismael sayth a Gal. 4.24 Which things are an Allegory or whereby other things are also meant for these are the two * Or the two Testamenâ—s as it is read in the margent Couenants c. Saint Peter sayth b 1. Pet. 3.20.21 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing wherein a few that is eight soules were saued by water The like figure whereunto euen Baptisme doth also now saue vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answere of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ Saint Iohn sayd also of Gods two witnesses slaine That their c Reuel 11.8 dead bodies should lye in the streetes of the great Citty which spiritually is called Sodome and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified Yea and sundry of Moses Lawes besides the Leuiticall ceremonies had a further meaning than the grammaticall or literall sense onely as Paul sayd It is written in the law of Moses Thou shalt not d 1. Cor. 9.9.10.11 muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Doth God take care for Oxen Or saith he it altogether for our sakes For our sakes no doubt this is written That he which ploweth should plow in hope and that he which thresheth in hope should be partaker of the hope If wee haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we shall reape your carnall things In the aforesayd Prayer and Homily The words Arke Babylonicall Red sea sloud Iordan and Land are intimated to haue a spirituall signification Dauid in the Psalmes and euen all the Prophets doe in their writings often vse Moses his words in a mysticall sense as e Psal 143.10 Leade mee into the land of vprightnesse And f Psal 116.9 I will walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing And g Psal 89.15 With Num. 10.6 Whitherto the marginall quotation referreth See Num. 23.21 Blessed is the people that knoweth the ioyfull sound They shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance CHAP. 15. Of Circumcision IN the * T. 2. p. 134. Homily concerning Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd Circumcision was a Sacrament which preached vnto the outward senses the inward cutting away of the fore-skinne of the heart and sealed and made sure in the hearts of the circumcised the promise of God touching the promised seed that they looked for It was first prescribed vnto Abraham as it is written h Gen. 17.11.13 Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skinne and it shall be a token of the couenant betwixt you and me And my couenant shall be in your flesh for an euerlasting couenant The which Sacraments signification Moses taught the Iewes exhorting them saying i Deut. 10.16 Circumcise the fore-skinne of your heart and be no more stiffe necked Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes k Rom. 4.11 Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had yet being vncircumcised Also he saith l Rom. 15.8 That Iesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirme the promise made vnto the Fathers And to the Colossians the Apostle further sayth m Col. 2.11 In Christ yee are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ To the Romans he declareth n Rom. 2.28 29 That he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outwardly in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God There is a memorable sentence concerning circumcision in an ancient booke of the Iewes called Zohar wherein it is sayd * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We haue learned that at what time soeuer when any one shall be marked with this holy sealing or signing of this signe of circumcision from that time he hath a sight of God and the holy soule is vnited with him This
otherwise it is of no strength at all whilest the Testatour liueth Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without bloud It was therefore necessary that the patternes of things in the heauens should be purified with these but the heauenly things themselues with better sacrifices than these And in another place the same Apostle sayth m Heb. 2.9.10 We see Iesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for euery man For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sonnes vnto glory to make the Captaine of their saluation perfect through sufferings For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the diuell And Christ signified the same vnto the two men going to Emmaus saying n Luke 24 26. Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glory The Prophets o Psal 2â— Dauid p Isa 53. Isaiah and q Dan. 9.24.25.26 Daniel foretold expresly of his death And r 2. Esdras 7.29 Esdras hath mentioned the same CHAP. 23. Of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ IN the * T. 2. p. 189. Homily of the Resurrection of our Sauior Iesus Christ it is sayd So great surely is the matter of this Article and of so great waight and importance that it was thought worthy to keepe our Sauior still on earth forty dayes after he was risen from death to life to the confirmation and establishment thereof in the hearts of his Disciples Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians Å¿ 1. Cor 15 14.1â— If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vaine yea and wee are found false witnesses of God because we haue testified of God that he hath raised vp Christ And if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine yee are yet in your sinnes The Church deliuereth also in the aforesayd * P. 191. 192. Homily It had not beene enough to be deliuered by his death from sinne except by his Resurrection wee had bene t Rom. 4.25 endowed with righteousnesse And it should not auaile vs to be deliuered from death except he had risen againe to open for vs the gates of Heauen to enter into life euerlasting He died to destroy the rule of the Diuell in vs and he rose againe to send downe his holy Spirit to rule in our hearts to endow vs with perfect righteousnesse The second Antheme to be sayd on Easter day is u 1. Cor. 15.20.21 Christ is risen againe the first fruites of them that sleepe For seeing that by man came death by man also commeth the resurrection of the dead For as by Adam all men doe dye so by Christ all men shall bee restored to life Therefore sayth the Church in the Preface to be read on Easter day Chiefly are we bound to praise thee for the glorious Resurrection of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord for he is the very w 1. Cor. 5.7 Paschall Lambe which was offered for vs and hath x Ioh. 1.29 taken away the sinne of the world who by his y 1. Cor. 15.54.55 death hath destroyed death and by his rising to life againe hath restored to vs life z 1. Thes 4.14 Iohn 5 24.28.29 Rom. 8.11 Ioh. 6.33 1. Cor. 15.23 euerlasting Also by his rising againe he was manifested to be God as it is written And declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of Holinesse a Rom. 1.4 by the Resurrection from the dead Reade diligently the Homily of the Resurrection wherein the Doctrine thereof and the vse which we are to make of it is in most Diuine manner deliuered Now concerning Christs Ascension it is signified in the * T. 2. p. 189. Homily of the Resurrection That he ascended vp to his Father into the heauens there to receiue the b Ioh. 20.17 Iohn 17.5 1. Iâ—eâ— 3.22 glory of his most triumphant conquest and victory And in the Preface to be read vpon the Ascension day it is sayd that Iesus Christ our Lord after his most glorious Resurrection manifestly appeared to all his Apostles and in their c Acts 1.9.10.11 sight ascended vp into Heauen to prepare a place for vs that where he is thither might we also ascend and reigne with him in glory That Christ was glorified being ascended into Heauen Dauid declareth saying d Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captiuity captiue thou hast receiued gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord might dwell among them Saint Paul sayth e Heb. 12.2 That Christ for the ioy which was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God That hee also ascended to f Iohn 14.2.3 prepare in Heauen a place for his true Disciples hee testifieth by his VVordes saying In my Fathers House are many Mansions if it were not so I would haue told you I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I g Iohn 17.24 Iohn 12.26 am there yee may bee also The Apostle to the Hebrewes writting concerning the Ascension sayth also h Hebr. 9.24 Christ is not entred into the Holy places made with hands which are figures of the true but into Heauen it selfe now to appeare in the presence of God for vs. And to the Ephesians hee sayth i Ephe. 4.10 Hee that descended is the same also that ascended vp farre aboue all Heauens that he might fill all things CHAP. 24. Of the comming downe of the Holy Ghost HOly Church in most Diuine manner in the Sacred Letany mentioneth together all the great things done and suffered by Christ for Mankinde teaching vs to pray that by all and euery of them we in particular may be deliuered saying By the Mystery of thy Holy Incarnation by the Holy Natiuity and Circumcision by the Baptisme Fasting and Temptation Good Lord deliuer vs. By thine Agony and Bloody Sweate by thy Crosse and passion by thy precious death and buriall by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension and by the comming of the Holy Ghost Good Lord deliuer vs. Wherein we are taught to consider that the comming of the Holy Ghost is a matter pertaining to our deliuerance or saluation and now here to be meditated on In the Preface to be read on Whitsunday it is sayd That according to the most true promise of Iesus Christ our Lord the Holy Ghost came downe this day from Heauen with a suddaine great sound as it had beene a mightie wind in
we shall also liue with him If we suffer we shall also reigne with him If we deny him he also will deny vs. Saint Iohn sayth f 1. Iohn 1.7 If we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne To the Hebrewes the Apostle sayth g Heb. 5.9 Christ is the Author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him And hereto may be added that saying of Dauid vnto Solomon h 1. Chro. 28.9 And thou Solomon my sonne know thou the God of thy father and serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde For the Lord searcheth all hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seeke him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for euer Of childrens partaking of Christs merits As concerning infants that they partake of the efficacie of Christs passion and oblation The Church in the first part of the * Tom. 1. p. 1â— Homily of saluation thus deliuereth Infants being baptized and dying in their infancie are by the sacrifice of Christ washed from their sinnes See chap. 51. following brought to Gods fauour and made his children and inheritors of his Kingdome of Heauen And now this point be concluded with the words of the Church in the second * T. 2 p. 168. Homily of the passion The Lord for his mercy sake graunt that we neuer forget the great benefit of our saluation in Iesus Christ but that we alwayes shew our selues thankfull for it abhorring all kind of wickednesse and sinne and applying our minds wholly to the seruice of God and the diligent keeping of his commandements CHAP. 27. Of Christs Priesthood IN the second part of the * T. 2. p. 116. Homily concerning Prayer it is sayd Christ sitting in heauen hath an euerlasting Priesthood and alwayes praieth vnto his Father for them that be penitent obtaining by vertue of his wounds which are euermore in the sight of God not onely perfect remission of our sinnes but also all other necessaries which we lacke in this world In the second part of the * To. 2. p. 162. Homily of Almes deedes it is sayd The godly do learne that when the Scriptures say that by good and mercifull workes we are reconciled to Gods fauour we are taught then to know what Christ by his intercession and mediation obtaineth for vs of his Father when we be obedient to his will Yea they learne in such manner of speaking a comfortable argument of Gods singular fauour and loue who attributeth that vnto vs and to our doings which he by his Spirit worketh in vs and through his grace procureth for vs. In the first * T. 2. p. 180. Homily of the Passion it is likewise sayd Christ sitteth on the right hand of God his Father as our Proctour and Atturney pleading and suing for vs in all our needs and necessities Wherefore if we want any gift of godly wisedome we may aske it of God for Christs his sake and we shall haue it The Prophet Dauid speaking of Christs euerlasting Priesthood sayth i Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest * Riblia vulgata habent in aeternum aeternitas omnium temporum complexu describitur vt quod suit est crit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pluraliter in Eccles. 1.10 tempus prateritum denotat for euer after the order of Melchisedee The Apostle sayth to the Hebrews k Heb. 2.17.18 In all things it behooued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining vnto God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted hee is able to succour them that are tempred l Heb. 7.23 And they truely were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because he continueth for euer hath an vnchangeable Priesthood Wherfore he is able to saue them to the vttermost that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them m Heb. 10.11.12.13.14 And euery Priest standeth dayly ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes for euer sate downe on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foote-stoole For by one offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified n Rom. 8.26.27 His Spirit saith the Apostle to the Romanes helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs with groanings which cannot be vttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Concerning the Priesthood of the Lord Iesus Christ reade Isaiah 53. CHAP. 28. Of Christs Prophetship IN the third part of the * T. 2. p. 228.229 Homily for Rogation weeke it is sayd By Iesus Christ our heauenly Mediatour do we know the fauour and mercy of God the Father by him know we his * Iohn 15.15 will and pleasure towards vs. For he is the * Heb. 1.3 brightnes of his Fathers glory and a very cleare image and patterne of his substance It is hee whom the Father in heauen delighteth to haue for his well beloued Sonne whom he authorized to be our teacher whom he charged vs to heare saying * Maâ— 17 5. Heare him Moses sayd vnto the Fathers as Peter relateth o â—euâ— 1â— 15 Acts 3.12.23 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise vp vnto you of your brethren like vnto me him shall ye heare in all things whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you And it shall come to passe that euery soule which will not heare that Prophet shall be destroyed from among that people The first text whereon Christ preached declared his Propheticall office wherein it is sayd of him p Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospell vnto the poore he hath sent me to heale the broken harted to preach deliuerance to the captiues and recouering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord. S. Iohn said of him q Iohn 1. â— That he was the true light which lighteth euery man that commeth into the world He sheweth to all men that be in errour the light of the truth to the intent they may returne into the way of righteousnesse as it is deliuered in the Collect for the third Sunday after Easter He teacheth through his Ministers as Paul sayd r 2. Cor. 13.3 Since
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
or most chiefely in observing Ceremonies It is written in the booke of Ester that the Church of God then p Esther 9.21 celebrated two dayes in memorie of the Lords most wonderfull protection of them and deliverance of them from the plot of Haman It is not written that they had any law of God requiring it neither that they received any speciall revelation for to signifie unto them that they ought so to doe but that they did it from the Common q Prov. 8.14 15 16. wisedome with which God endueth his Church at all times There is also mention of a seast in the Gospell according to S. Iohn called The feast of the r 1 Mac. 4.59 dedication which the Church of God then the people of the Iewes had along time observed in ſ Ioh. 10.22.23 celebration whereof it seemeth that Christ was present which was not ordained by divine Law nor by Revelation but by the common devotion of the Church as it is recorded in the Book of Maccabees Moreover the people of God on such holy dayes were not onely to abstaine from their ordinary t Lev. 23.7 vocation or worke but also they were to assemble unto the place of Gods publike worship and there to perfome such religious duties as God and his Church had appointed The which may appeare out of the booke of Chronicles where it is delivered that David ordained of the ministerie to stand every morning to to thanke and praise the Lord and likewise at even and to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the Sabbaths in the new moones and on the u 1 Chron. 23.30 31. set feasts by number according to the order commanded unto them continually before the Lord. Of the place wherein holy duties are to be performed by people or a cōgregation Now concerning the place where holy duties upon Sundaies and other Holy dayes are to bee performed the first part of the x T. 2. p. 126 127 128. homily concerning the place and time of prayer declareth to bee the materiall temple or the parish-Church unto which the people are by the Law required for to repaire and duly frequent where Christ hath promised to bee y Mat. 18.20 present and where he will heare the prayers of thē that call upon him Our godly predecessours and the ancient fathers of the primitive Church saith that Homily spared not their goods to build Churches no they spared not their lives in time of persecution and to hazard their blood that they might assemble themselves together in Churches And shall we spare a little labour to come to Churches Shall neither their example nor our duty nor the Commodities that thereby should come unto us move us If we will declare our selves to have the feare of God if wee will shew our selves true Christians if wee will be the followers of Christ our master and of those godly fathers which have lived before us and have now received the reward of true and faithfull Christians wee must both willingly earnestly reverently come unto the materiall Churches and Temples to pray as unto fit places appointed for that use and that upon the Sabbath day as at most convenient time for Gods people to cease from bodily and worldly businesse to give themselves to holy rest and godly contemplation pertaining to the service of Almighty God Whereby wee may reconcile our selves to God be partakers of his holy Sacraments and bee devout hearers of his holy word so to bee established in faith to Godward in hope against all adversity and in charity toward our neighbours * T. 2. p. 131. Also to have our poore and needy neighbours in remembrance and from the Church to depart better and more godly than wee came thither The Lord hath said p Exod. 16.29 Abide yee every man in his place Let no man goe out of his place on the seventh or Sabbath day Yet there was prescribed a Sabbath dayes q Act. 1.12 journey and that appeareth to be but as unto ones owne parish Church ordinarily The aforesaid * T. 2. p. 127. Homily saith That the Tabernacle was as it were the parish Church of the Iewes being in the Wildernesse Vide Tremel annot ad Iam. 2. A Chaldee Paraphrase upon Ruth saith and the Chaldean Paraphrases are the most ancient interpretations of Moses and the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are now common to the Church of God That we are commanded to observe the Sabbath good dayes not to walke unlesse 2000 cubits which distance appeareth to bee the space between the place of the Camp and the place where the Arke was as Ioshua said r Ios 3.3 4. There shal be a space between you it above 2000 cubits by measure And such a distance the suburbs belonging to Cities were to be from them round about as it is written in the booke of f Num. 35.5 Numbers Lastly concerning the due celebration of the Sabbath day it is also said in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 2. Homily concerning the right use of the Church That unto the house or Temple of God at all times by common order appointed are all people that bee godly indeed bound with all diligence to resort unlesse by sicknes or other most urgent causes they be letted therefro And all the same so resorting thither ought with all quietnesse and reverence there to behave themselves in doing their bounden duty and service to Almighty God in the Congregation of the Saints In the said part of that * P. 4. Homily it is further delivered That Iesus came t Ioh. 8.2 early in the morning into the Temple and all people came unto him and hee sate downe and taught them And in S. Luke it is said v Luke 21.38 Iesus taught in the Temple and all the people came early in the morning unto him that they might heare him in the Temple Here yee see as well the diligence of our Saviour in teaching the word of God in the Temple daily and specially on the Sabbath dayes as also the readinesse of the people resorting all together and that early in the morning into the Temple to heare him The Lord commāded the people of Israel to w Num. 28.9.10 offer more on the Sabbath day then on any other day And was it not for our x 2 Tim. 3.16 instruction in righteousnesse that wee ought on that day to spend more time in every religious exercise than on any other day cōmonly The * In Canon 90. and Article 30. of our Church-discipline also Law of the Church is that We be present in the Temple at the beginning of the divine Service and that unlesse through some urgent occasion we depart not untill every part of the divine Service be ended Also all persons of every Family that are able in any wise to understand any part of the publike worship unles such
heare sermons And if they duely hearken unto the Homilies read in their Parish Church they in part doe their duty concerning hearing sermons For the Homilies are nothing else but * And so are often named in the booke of Homilies sermons And yet they are such sermons as are not made by any private spirit but by the publike spirit of the Church and are allowed by the whole Clergy of the same In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 265. Homily of repentance it is said Wee must bee diligent to read and heare the Scriptures and the Word of God which most lively doe paint out before our eyes our naturall uncleannesse and the enormity of our sinfull life For unlesse wee have a through feeling of our sinnes how can it bee that we should earnestly be sory for them Afore n 2 Sam. 12.7 c. David did heare the word of the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan what heavinesse I pray you was in him for the adultery and the murder that he had committed So that it might be said right wel that he slept in his owne sin We read in the Acts of the Apostles that when the people had heard the sermon of Peter they were compunct o Act. 2.37 pricked in their hearts Which thing would never have been if they had not heard that wholesome sermon of Peter They therfore that have no p Ier. 5.9 and 2.13 mind at all neither to read nor yet to heare Gods Word there is but small hope of them that they will as much as once set their feet or take hold upon the first staffe or step of this Ladder of repentance but rather will sinke deeper and deeper into the bottomlesse pit of perdition Besides the Sermons the Homilies the Church willeth us to heare other also such as are made by Preachers lawfully licensed and are preached according to the Law of the Church also The constitutions and * Canons Ecclesiasticall require Every beneficed man Canon 46. that is not allowed to bee a Preacher to procure sermons to be preached in his Cure once in every moneth at the least by Preachers lawfully licensed if his living in the judgement of the Ordinary will be able to beare it And upon every Sunday when there shall not bee a sermon preached in his Cure he or his Curate shall reade some one of the Homilies prescribed As the Ordinary disposeth unto every Parish concerning preaching so is every Parishioner to rest contented therewith The true Christian religion doth not totally consist in the q Iam. 1.22 23 24 25. Mat. 7.24 25 26 27. hearing of sermons preached every Sunday Christs Kingdome of grace as the Apostle Paul hath delivered is not in r 1 Cor. 4.20 word but in power It is Å¿ Rom. 14.17 18 19. righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace things wherwith one may edifie another That Counsell given by Iesus the sonne of Syrach is in no wise to bee neglected t Ecclus. 8.9 When a sermoÌ„ is made every person of that Parish ought to be present at it if he may Misse not the discourse of the Elders for they also learned of their fathers and of them thou shalt learne understanding to give answer as need requireth but as the Apostle saith u 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and according to order A devout person may heare as many sermons preached as hee can but so as he transgresseth no law of the Church therby For if he doth transgresse the Ecclesiasticall law by his going abroad to heare sermons preached if he offendeth the Pastour or Curate over him if he by absenting himselfe from his Parish Church be a scandall to those of his Parish then is his hearing of sermons preached in other Parish Churches but as Sauls sacrifice unto whom Samuels saying is worthy of perpetuall memory w 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voyce of the Lord behold to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rammes For rebellion is as the sinne of Witchcraft and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symmacbus vertit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stubborne ones are Idolaters in that they worship or follow their owne minde and will and refuse to follow the minde and will of Christ and his Church See Ezek. 14.4 5 6. stubbornnesse is as iniquity and Idolatry The Gospell of Iesus Christ commandeth thus x 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake y Rom. 13.1 2. Let every soule be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Wherefore Paul said unto Titus Bishop of the Church of the Cretians z Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates to bee ready to every good worke Saint Paul also said to the Christians a Phil. 3.17 Brethren bee followers together of me and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an ensample Who said most remarkeably b 1 Cor. 9.19.20 21 22 23. Though I be free from all men yet have I made my selfe servant unto all that I might gaine the more And unto the Iewes I became as a Iew that I might gaine the Iewes To them that are under the law as under the law that I might gaine them that are under the law To them that are without law as without law being not without law to God but under the law to Christ that I might gaine them that are without law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some And this I doe for the Gospels sake or as Saint Peter saith for the c 1 Pet. 2 1â—1 Lords sake who hath commanded all that would be his people for to obey every Ordinance of man that is not contrary to the everlasting OrdinaÌ„ces of his holy Gospell Such as breake the order of the Church where they live in contemning or neglecting the Divine service there under pretence of conscience unto hearing of the Word preached would they conscionably but consider of matters they might by the grace of God see their aberration It is preaching that they cry out for Let them marke what is said in the Acts Moses of old time hath in every Citie them that preach him being d Act. 15.1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Doth not the Apostle signifie in those his words that in reading of
us therefore read and revolve the holy Scripture both day and night for blessed is he that hath his whole x Ps 1.2 Ios 1.8 ecclus 50.18 meditation therein c. In the last of all the * T. 2.318 Homilies in the sixt part thereof and in the last part of the same the necessitie of knowing the Scriptures is most lively declared where it is said The holy Scriptures doe teach that the people which y Acts 28.27 will not see with their eyes nor heare with their eares to learne and to understand with their hearts cannot be converted and saved And the wicked themselves being damned in Hell shall confesse ignorance in Gods Word to have brought them thereunto saying z Wisd 5.6 7. We have erred from the way of the truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us the sun of understāding hath not risen unto us we have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and perdition have walked cumberous and crooked wayes but the way of the Lord we have not knowne And as well our Saviour himselfe as his Apostle S. Paul doth teach that the ignorance of Gods Word a Luke 8.12 2 Cor. 4.4 commeth of the Devill and is the cause of all b Ps 95.10 as in the Divine service translation errour and misiudging as falleth out with ignorant subjects who can rather espie a little Mote in the eye of the Prince or a Counsellour than a great Beame in their owne and universally it is the cause of all evill and finally of eternall c Ioh. 3.19 20 21. damnation Gods judgement being severe toward those who when the light of Christs Gospell is come into the world doe delight more in darknesse of ignorance than in the light of knowledge in Gods Word For all are commanded to d Rev. 1.3 read or heare to search and study the holy Scriptures and are promised c Pro. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6. understanding to be given them from God if they so doe all are charged not to beleeve either any f Isa 8.19 20. dead man nor if an g Gal. 1.8 9. Angell should speake from heaven much lesse if the Pope doe speake from Rome against or contrary to the Word of God frō the which we may not h Deut. 5.32 decline neither to the right hand nor to the left In Gods Word Princes must i Deut. 17.18 19 20. learne how to obey God and to governe men In Gods Word subjects must learne obedience both to God and their Princes Old men and young rich and poore all men and women all estates sexes and ages are taught their severall duties in the Word of God For the Word of God is bright k Ps 19.7 8. giving light unto all mens eyes the shining l Ps 119.105 Prov. 6.23 Lampe directing all mens paths and steps In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 91. Homily against contention it is said Let us read Scripture that by reading thereof we may be made the better m Iam. 1.22 23 24 25. livers rather than the more n 1 Tim. 1.5 6 7. and 6.3 4 5 20 21. contentious disputers And saith the first part of the first * T. 1. p. 3. Homily of all In reading of Gods Word he 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 o Ier. 48.11 Rom. 12.2 2 Cor. 3.18 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 He that daily for saking his old vicious life * increaseth in vertue more and more See Chap. 92. The Bereans as it seemeth by the last translation were accounted more noble then those in Thessalonica p Acts 17.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syrus vertit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utireddidit Arabs for that they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so David saith q Ps 1.2 The delight of the blessed man and woman is in the Law of the Lord and therein will meditate day and night Iob said Hee r Iob 23.12 esteemed the words of Gods mouth more then his necessary food Now concerning * Of the means whereby people may be holpen in understanding of the holy Scriptures meanes which may helpe peoples understanding of the Scripture it is most Divinely delivered in the second part of the first of all the * T. 1. p. 5 6. Homilies where it is said Read it humbly with a meek lowly heart to the intent you may ſ 1 Cor. 10.31 glorifie God and your selves with the knowledge of it and read it not without daily praying unto God that hee would direct your reading unto good effect and take upon you to expound it no further than you can plainely understand it For as Saint Augustine saith the knowledge of holy Scripture is a great large and a high place but the doore is very low so that the high and t Mat. 11.25 26. Dan. 12.10 Ps 25.9 Mat. 13.10 11. arrogant man cannot runne in but he must stoope low and u 1 Pet. 5.5 6. Ecclus 3.19 humble himselfe that shall enter into it Presumption and arrogancy is the mother of all errour and humilitie needeth to feare no error For humility will only search to know the truth it will search and bring together one place with another and where it cannot finde out the meaning it will pray it will w Acts 8.34 aske of other that know and will not presumptuously and rashly define any thing which it knoweth not If one bee ignorant hee ought the more to read and to search holy Scripture for to x Pro. 1.1 2 3 4 5 6. bring him out of ignorance I say not nay but a man may prosper with onely hearing but he may much more prosper with both hearing and y 2 Cor. 1.13 Rev. 1.3 reading And concerning the hardnesse of the Scripture he that is so weake that he is not able to brooke strong z Heb. 5.12 13 14. 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. meat yet he may sucke the sweete and tender milke and deferre the rest untill he waxe stronger and come to more knowledge For God receiveth the learned and the unlearned and casteth away none but is a Iam. 1.5 Wisd 6.7 Rom. 2.11 indifferent unto all And the Scripture is full as well of low valleyes plaine wayes and easie for every man to use and to walke in as also of high hits and mountaines which few men can climbe unto And whosoever giveth his minde to holy Scriptures with diligent study and burning desire it cannot bee saith Saint Chrysostome that he should
be b Ps 25.12 13 Isa 50.10 left without helpe For either God Almighty will c Acts 8.29 send him some godly Doctour to teach him as he did to instruct the Eunuch or else if wee lacke a learned man to instruct and teach us yet God himselfe from above will give d 2 Sam. 22.29 See the Collect for the third Sunday after Easter light unto our mindes and teach us those things which are necessary for us and wherein we bee ignorant And in another place Chrysostome saith That mans humane and e 1 Cor. 1.19 20 21. Rom. 1.22 Col. 2.8 1 Cor. 2.14 3.19 20. worldly wisdome or science needeth not to the understanding of Scripture but the f Mat. 11.27 Ioh. 14 26. 16.13 revelation of the holy Ghost who inspireth the true meaning unto them that with humility and diligence doe search therefore c. In the second part of the * T. 2 p. 149 150. Homily an information concerning certaine places of Scripture It is said If ye will be profitable hearers and readers of the holy Scriptures yee must first g Mat. 16.24 1 Cor. 4.18 deny your selves and keepe under your h 1 Cor. 2.14 Isay 55.7.8 Rom. 8.5 6 7. carnall senses taken by the outward words and search the inward meaning i Rom. 4.18 19 20 21 22. reason must give place to Gods holy Spirit you must submit your worldly wisedome and judgement unto his diuine wisedome and judgement Consider that the Scripture in what strange forme soeuer it be pronounced is the word of the living God It cannot therefore bee but k Tit. 1.2 Pro. 8.6 7 8 9. truth which proceedeth from the God of all truth it cannot be but wisely and prudently commanded what Almighty God hath devised how vainly soever through want of grace we miserable wretches doe imagine and judge of his most holy Word In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 231. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said l Wisd 7.14 Wisedome is an infinite treasure unto men which who so use become partakers of the love of God I might with many words move some of this audience to search for this wisedome to sequester their reason to follow Gods Commandement to cast from them the wits of their braines to savour this wisedome to renounce the wisedome and policy of this fond world to taste and savour that whereunto the favour and will of God hath called them and willeth us finally to enjoy by his favour if we m Prov. 1.33 2.1 2 3 4 5. 8.34 35. would give eare The elect as they can search n Iob 28.12.20.23.28 where to finde this wisedome and know of whom to o Iam. 1.5 Ephes 17. aske it So know they againe that in time it is found and can therefore attemper themselves to the occasion of the time to suffer no time to p Eph. 5.15 16 17. Prov. 14.23 passe away wherein they may labour for this q Ecclus. 51.30 See all c. Ecclus. 24. wisedome And to encrease therein they know how God of his infinite mercy and lenitie giveth all men here time and place of r Rom. 2.4 Rev. 2.21 repentance The naturall man saith Saint Paul receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither Å¿ 1 Cor. 2.14 can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Wherefore the Lord Christ said verily verily except a man be borne againe he t Iohn 3.3 cannot see the kingdome of God The Prophet David saith u Psal 25.12 13 14.9 What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that he shall choose His soule shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherite the earth The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his covenant The meeke will hee guide in judgement and the meeke will hee teach his way Saint Paul also saith Let no man deceive himselfe If any man among you seemeth to bee wise in this world let him become a w 1 Cor. 3.18 19 20. foole that hee may bee wise For the wisedome of this world is foolishnes with God We are to beleeve that every word syllable and x Mat. 5.18 Gal. 3.16 1 Cor. 15.27 Heb. 2.8 letter of the holy Scriptures is truth though the matter be farre y Rom 4.18.20 21 22. See in Homily in T. 2. p. 149. aboue our comprehension or * Some words are to bee understood not naturally but spiritually as in Rev. 11.8 and some figuratively as John 15.8 Luke 22.20 Psalme 6.6 Matth. 3.5 namely when as the naturall or proper sense of them cannot stand consonant either with the context or with other Scriptures The letter is to be retained alwaies in every understanding for let any jot or title passe and where is the Scripture then understanding The Lord saith Till heaven and earth passe one z Mat. 5.18 jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled The Scripture cannot be a Iohn 10.35 broken Yee shall not b Deut. 4.2 adde unto the word which I command you neither shall ye diminish ought from it that yee may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you c Pro. 30.6 Adde not thou unto his words lest he reproue thee and thou be found a lier Saint Peter saith that in Saint Pauls Epistles are some things d 2 Pet. 3.16 hard to bee understood which they that are unlearned and unstable doe wrest as they doe also the other Scriptures unto their owne destruction Againe the Lord Christ saith If ye e Iohn 8.31.32 continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed And ye shall c know the truth and the truth shall make you free Againe hee said unto the Iewes If any man will doe the f Iohn 7.17 will of God my Father he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Saint Iames saith If any want wisedome let him g Iames 1.5 aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be giuen him Christ saith your heauenly Father will h Luke 11.13 give the holy Spirit to them that aske him and which also i Acts 5.32 obey him which holy Spirit teacheth k 2. Pet. 1.3 all things that pertaine unto life and godlines and l Iohn 16.13 Psal 25.5 leadeth the obedient into all truth unto m Eph. 4.3 Ioh. 17.21 221 unity n Iam. 3.17.18 Gal. 5.22 23. peace and o Act. 1.14 Act. 2.46 and 4.32 Col. 2.2.5 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.2 concord Solomon most memorably saith p Prov. 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. My sonne if thou wilt receive my words and hide my Commandements with thee so that thou encline thine eare unto wisedome and apply
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
to afflict his soule is it to bow downe his head as a Bulrush and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord Is not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavie burdens and to let the oppressed goe free and that yee beake every yoake is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that are cast out to thy house when thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Moreover that there ought to be made fervent prayer in the fasting dayes of the foure Ember-weekes it is signified in an Exhortation at the consecrating of an Elected Bishop where the Archbishop saith Brethren it is written in the Gospell of Saint Luke that our Saviour Christ continued the b Luke 6.12 13. whole night in the prayer or ever that hee did choose and send forth his twelve Apostles It is written also in the Acts of the Apostles that the Disciples which were at Antioch did c Act. 13.1 2 3. In every solemne fast wee ought to give some almes fast and pray or ever that laid hands upon or sent forth Paul and Barnabas Whereas Isaiah signifieth that the use which is to be made of fasting is charitablenesse some observe that when one fasteth hee is to give somewhat to the poore what hee hath spared from his owne selfe to let some poore member or members of Christ to bee comforted therewith CHAP. 78. Of Conversion Repentance and Regeneration IN the * T. 1. p. 53. Homily concerning Falling from God it is said out of Saint Origen He that with minde with study with deeds with thought and care applieth and giveth himselfe to Gods Word and thinketh upon his Lawes day and night giveth himselfe wholly to God and in his Precepts and Commandements is exercised this is he that is turned to God or one converted Conversion is the charge of the streame of minde and life of meditation and conversation from following ones d Isa 55.7 8 9. owne will or the lusts of e 1 Pet. 4.2 others unto an unfeined indeavour for to know all the Commandements of f Mat. 28.20 Iohn 15.14 Christ and his g 1 Cor. 11.2 Icr. 35.18 19. Church and to live obediently unto every particular of the same Then saith David shall I not be ashamed when I have a h Ps 119.6 respect unto all thy Commandements If I i Ps 66.18 regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Ezekiel saith If the wicked k Ezek. 18.21 22. will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my Statutes and doe that wâ—â—ch is lawfull and right he shall surely live he shall not dye Christ charged his Ministers to teach all Nations to observe l Mat. 28.20 all things whatsoever he hath commanded them He also saith Yee are my m Iohn 15.14 friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you And concerning the duty that all owe unto his n Luke 10 16. Church hee saith Who so heareth you heareth me and he that desoiseth you despiseth me and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent me If any neglect to heare the o Mat. 18.17 Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publicane When one is in converting or turning unto God he is said in holy Scripture p Luke 15.17 to come to himselfe to q Psal 22.27 remember himselfe to take his owne estate into r Ezech. 18.28 Of repentance consideration Concerning repentance it is said in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 256. Homily thereof There is nothing that the Holy Ghost doth so much labour in all the Scriptures to beate into mens heads as Å¿ Acts 17.30 repentance amendment of life and speedy returning unto the Lord God of hostes * p. 258. Afterward there is signified That repentance is a returning againe of the whole man unto God from whom wee bee t Rom. 3.23 fallen away by sinne But that the whole discourse therof may be the better born away wee shall first consider in order foure principall points that is from what we must returne to whom wee must returne by whom we may be able to convert and the manner how to turne unto God First from whence or from what things we must returne Truly we must returne from those things whereby wee have beene withdrawne pluckt and led away from God and these generally are our sinnes which as the holy Prophet Isaiah doth testifie doe u Isa 59.2 separate God and us and hide his face that he will not heare us But unâ—â—â— the name of sinne not onely those grosse words and deeds which by the common judgement of men are counted to be filthy and unlawfull and so consequently abominable sinnes but also the filthy lusts and inward concupiscences of the flesh which as Saint Paul testifieth doe w Gal 5.16 17. 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom. 7.23 resist the will and Spirit of God and therefore ought earnestly to be bridled and x Gal. 5.24 kept under We must repent of the y Isa 44.20 Isa 59.13 false and erroneous opinions that we have had of God and the wicked superstition that doth breed of the same the z Rev. 9.20 unlawfull worshipping and service of God and other like All these things must they forsake that will truely turne unto the Lord and repent aright For sith that for such things the a Eph. 4.6 wrath of God commeth upon the children disobedience no end of punishment ought to be looked for as long as we continue in such things Secondly we must see unto whom we ought to returne The Lord saith Returne as farre as unto mee We must labour that we doe returne as farre as unto him and that we doe never cease nor rest till we have b Phil. 3.12.13 14. Act. 17.27 apprehended and taken hold upon him But this must be done by c Eph. 3.17 faith For sith that God is a Spirit he can by no other meanes be apprehended and taken hold upon Therefore thirdly we are to consider by whom we must returne unto God because we have of our owne selves nothing to present us to God and doe no lesse flee from him after our fal then our first Parent Adam did who when he had sinned did seeke to d Gen. 3.8 hide himselfe from the sight of God Wee have therefore neede of a Mediatour to bring and reconcile us unto him who from our sinnes is angry with us The same is e Col. 1.22 Iesus Christ And hee himselfe in his Gospell doth cry out and say I am the f Iohn 14.6 way the truth and the life no man commeth to the Father but by mee * P. 259. Fourthly as concerning the manner of our
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
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
brother in Malachi seemeth to signifie every one of Adams posterity where it is said Have wee not z Mal. 2.10 all one Father hath not one God created us we are cōmanded to e Mat. 5.44 love our enemies and to pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us The second duty to doe unto all others as we would they should do unto us The second duty mentioned is that wee doe to all men as we would they should doe unto us And so taught Iesus Christ in his f Mat. 7.12 Gospell and likewise the Law and the Prophets They that alwaies keepe this Duty in remembrance and make it a rule for their thoughts words and deeds are thereby with the g Phil. 4.13 helpe of Christs Spirit moved to h Isa 1.16.17 Ps 34 14. cease from much evill and to endeavour much good The delivery is also in a manner an explanation of the sentence immediately afore namely of loving ones neighbour as ones selfe For who so i Rom. 13.10 loveth his neighbour as himselfe doth nothing unto him in word or deed but what hee would his neighbour should doe unto him The third duty to love honour and succour our Parents The third Duty is that we love honour and succour our Parents That every one should love the Father which begat him and the Mother which bare him in her wombe nature or common reason teacheth That they are to be * Mat. 15.4 5 6 Ecclus. 3.8.12.14.16 Lev. 19 3. honoured the fift Commandement requireth That they are to be succoured Saint Paul instructeth saying Let them learne first to shew piety at home and to k 1. Tim. 5.4 requite their parents For that is good and acceptable before God The fourth duty to honour and obey the King and his Ministers The fift duty to submit to all our superiours The fourth Duty is that we honour and obey the King and his Ministers or officers And that is amply declared afore in the Chapters 70. and 71. The fift Duty is to submit ones selfe to all his governours teachers spirituall Pastors and masters And so the Holy Ghost cōmandeth saying l Heb. 13.17 1 Pet 5.5 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves And ye younger submit your selves unto the Elders And ye m 1 Pet. 2.18 The sixt Duty To order ones selfe lowly and reverently to all one 's betters servants be yee subject to your Masters with all feare not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward The sixt Duty is That we order our selves lowly and reverently to all our betters as it is written n Rom. 13.7 Render to al their dues honour to whom honour is due Bee kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour o Rom. 12.10 preferring one another Thou shalt p Lev. 19.32 rise before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and feare thy God q Eph. 5.21 The seventh Duty To hurt no body by word nor deed Submit your selves one to another in the feare of God The seventh Duty is To hurt no body by word or deed So Saint Paul signifieth that we speake r Tit. 3 2. evill of no man and that we worke ſ Rom. 13.10 1 Thes 5.15 The eight Duty To be true and just in all our dealing ill to none The eighth Dutie is That wee bee true and just in all our dealing So saith the Apostle That no man t 1 Thes 4.6 Zechar. 7.9 10. The ninth Duty To beare no malice nor hatred in our heart goe beyond and defraud his brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such The ninth Duty is That we beare no malice nor hatred in our heart The Apostle Peter signifieth That we should lay aside all u 1 Pet. 2.1 Eph. 4.31 1 Iohn 3.15 1 Cor. 14 20. The tenth Duty To keepe our hands from picking and stealing malice And Saint Iohn saith Who so hateth his brother is a murtherer The tenth Duty is That we keepe our hands from picking and stealing as Saint Paul saith Let him that hath stolne w Eph. 4.28 steale no more And Titus he willeth to teach that there should bee no x Tit. 2.10 The Eleventh Duty To keep ones tongue from evil speaking lying and slandering purloyning but a shewing of all good fidelity or faithfulnesse The eleventh Duty is That every one keepe his tongue from evill speaking lying and slandering S. Iames saith y Iam. 1.26 if any one brideleth not his tongue his religion is in vaine S. Paul saith Let all z Eph. 4.31 32 bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking be put away from you with all malice To the Colossians he saith a Col. 3.9 Lye not one to another And David saith Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill Hee that b Ps 15.1 2 3. backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evill to his Neighbour nor taketh up or receiveth a reproach against his Neighbour The twelfth Duty To keepe ones body in temperance sobernesse and chastity The twelfth Duty is That every one keepe his body in temperance sobernesse and chastity S. Paul said that he did c 1 Cor. 9.27 25. keepe under his body and bring it into subjection And that every one which striveth for a mastery is temperate in all things now they doe it to obtaine a corruptible Crowne but we an incorruptible Saint Peter saith Adde to your knowledge d 2 Pet. 1.6 temperance Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians Let us who are of the day be e 1 Thes 5.8 sober Sobernesse or sobriety is often times commanded in the Gospel and he willeth Titus to teach f Tit. 2.5 Chastity To the Corinthians hee saith Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all g 2 Cor. 7.1 filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God To the Colossians he saith Mortifie your Members which are upon the earth h Col. 3.5 The thirteenth Duty Not to covet nor desire other mens goods fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence c. The thirteenth Duty is That we should not covet nor desire other mens goods And so the i Exod. 20.17 last of the ten Commandements requireth The Apostle saith Let your conversation be without k Heb. 13.15 covetousnesse and be content with such things as yee have For God hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The fourteenth Duty To learn to labour truly for to get our owne living The fourteenth Duty is That we learne and labour truely to get our owne living The Apostle saith We did not eate any mans bread for nought but l 2 Thes 3.8 wrought with labour and travell night and day that we might not be chargeable
lusts which warre against the soule having your conversation h 1 Pet. 2.11 12. honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as evill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of Visitation Whence it may appeare that that is Honesty which is not onely expresly approved by the holy Scriptures but also whatsoever is accounted honourable or worthy of praise according to the light of true reason S. Paul saith For when the Gentiles which have not the law doe by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law to themselves which shew the i Rom. 2.24 15 worke of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts the meane while accusing or else excusing one another c. Also nothing ought to be supplicated unto a King but what is rightfull and Honest For Solomon saith Righteous lips are the delight of Kings and they love him that speaketh k Prov. 16.13 right Of Courtesie IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 157. Homily concerning Almes-deeds it is said Be courteous unto the poore Saint Peter saith Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitifull be l 1 Pet. 3.8 9. Courteous not rendring evill for evill or railing for railing but contrariwise blessing King Rehoboam for giving m 1 King 12 13 14 16. uncourteous answeres to his subjects when they came unto him lost the most part of his Kingdome thereby Solomon signifieth that a Superiour should not without just cause answere his inferiour discourteously saying He that n Prov. 14.21 despiseth his neighbour sinneth but he that hath mercy on the poore happy is hee He that o Prov. 14.31 oppresseth the poore reproacheth his Maker In Ecclesiasticus wholesome counsaile is given hereto Turne not away thine eye from the needy and give him none occasion to curse thee for if he curse thee in the bitternesse of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him Let it not grieve thee to bow downe thine eare to the poore and give him a p Ecclus. 4.5 6 8. friendly answer with meeknesse We ought not to despise any for any bodily deformity or infirmity The Apostle saith q 1 Pet. 2.17 Honour all men Bee gentle shewing all r Tit. 3.2 meeknesse unto all men Of retaining the memory of Saints IN the Kalender set afore the Common Prayer the names of sundry men and women which in their life time here on earth were famous for piety and vertue are inserted for perpetuall memory as Cyprian Benedict Anne Katherine c. Wherein holy Church doth according to the Scripture which saith The Prov. 10.7 memory of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot The righteous shall be had in everlasting t Psal 112.6 remembrance In the third part of the * T. 1. p. 65. Homily concerning the feare of death there is a Saints saying mentioned namely Saint Martin who said Good Lord if I be necessary for thy people to doe good unto them I will refuse no u Phil. 1.24 labour but else for mine owne selfe I beseech thee to take my soule In the eleventh Chapter to the Hebrewes the memoriall of many Saints is blessed so in Ecclesiasticus Chap. 44.45 46 47 48 49 50. Of Veracity or True Speaking IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 47 48. Homily concerning Swearing it is said Every Christian mans word saith Saint Hierome should be so true that it should bee regarded as an oath And Chrysostome witnessing the same saith It is not convenient to sweare for what needeth us to sweare when it is not lawfull for one of us to make a w Col. 3 9. Isa 63.8 lye unto another Hee that useth truth and plainnesse in his bargaining and communication hee shall have no need by such vaine swearing to bring himselfe in credence with his neighbours nor his neighbours will not mistrust his sayings The Prophet Ieremiah saith Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walke with slanders and they will deceive every one his neighbour and will not speak the truth they have taught their tongue to speake x Ier. 9.4 5. lies and weary themselves to commit iniquity David saith Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy hill He that walketh uprightly worketh righteousnesse and y Psal 15.1 2 3. speaketh the truth in his heart Of Diligence IN the admonition to all Ministers Ecclesiasticall set afore the second Tome of Homilies it is said It shall be necessary that yee z 1 Tim. 4.12 1 Pet. 5.3 above all other doe behave your selves most faithfully and diligently in your so high a function After it is said It shall be well done to spend your time to consider well of such Chapters before hand whereby your a Eccles. 12 9 10 11. prudence and diligence in your office may appeare c. In the first part of the * T. 2 p. 115. Homily concerning the place and time of prayer it is signified That by the fourth Commandement it appeareth no man in the sixe dayes ought to be sloathfull or idle but b Exod. 20.9 Rom. 12.11 diligently to labour in that state wherein God hath set him Most divinely doth the Church counsell us unto diligence in the third part of the * T. 2. p. 232. Homily for Rogation weeke saying Brethren howsoever the c 1 Cor. 11.32 world in generality is d Hos 4.6 forgetfull of God let us particularly attend to our time and e Eph. 5.15.16 Col 4.5 winne the time with diligence and apply our selves to that light and f 2 Cor. 6.1 2. grace that is g Tit. 2.11.12 offered us let us if Gods favour and judgements which he worketh in our time cannot stir us to call home to our selfe to h Phil. 2.12 doe that belonging to our salvation At the least way let the malice of the devill the naughtinesse of the world which wee see exercised in these i 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 c. perilous and last times wherein we see our daies so dangerously set provoke us to k Mar. 13.33 34 35 36 37. Ephes 4.1 watch diligently to our l 1 Cor. 1.9 vocation to walke and goe m Phil. 3.13 14. 2 Pet. 1.3.10 Prov. 4.18 forward therein In the * T. 2. p. 241. Homily concerning the state of Matrimony it is said But to this prayer must bee joyned a n 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. singular diligence c. In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 272. Homily of Repentance it is said If we should suspect any uncleannes to be in us
wherefore the earthly Prince should loath and abhorre the sight of us what paines would we take to remove and put it away How much more ought we with all diligence and speed that may be to put away that uncleane o 2 Cor. 7.1 filthinesse that doth p Isa 59.1 separate and maken division betwixt us and our God and that hideth his face from us that he will not heare us The Apostle to the Hebrewes saith Wee desire that every one of you doe shew the same q Heb. 6.11 12. diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end that yee be not sloathfull but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises To the Clergy Saint Paul saith Preach the Word be r 2 Tim. 4.2 instant in season out of season reprove rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Solomon saith Be thou ſ Prov. 27.23 diligent to know the estate of thy flockes and looke well to thy heards In another place he saith Seest thou a man t Prov. 22.29 diligent in his businesse he shall stand before Kings he shall not stand before meane men Of Watchfulnesse IN the * T. 2. p. 252. Homily against Idlenesse it is said Let us u Iam. 4.7 1 Pet. 5.8 9. resist the Devill with our diligent watching in labour and in w 1 Pet. 4.19 well doing For he that diligently exerciseth himselfe in honest * See Mat. 12.44 where the originall of the word empty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifieth being idle businesse is not easily catched in the Devils snare Saint Paul saith unto Timothy x 2 Tim. 4 5. Watch thou in all things Christ saith y Mat. 26 41. Watch ye and pray lest ye enter in temptation What I say unto you I say unto all z Mar. 13.37 Watch. Of Contentednesse IN the * T. 2 p. 106. Homily against the excesse of Apparell it is said Let us content our selves quietly with that which God sendeth be it never so little And if it please him to send us plenty let us not waxe a Prov. 30.9 1 Tim. 6.17 18. proud thereof but let us use it moderately aswell to our owne comfort as to the reliefe of such as stand in necessity Afterward it is said Every Christian ought to content himselfe in our Saviour Christ thinking himselfe sufficiently * A most considerable sentence garnished with his heavenly vertues Saint Paul saith Godlinesse with b 1 Tim 6.6 7 8. contentment is great gaine For wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can cary nothing out and having food and rayment let us be therewith content Let your c Heb. 13.5 conversation be without covetousnesse and be content with such things as ye have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Saint Paul said concerning himselfe I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be d Phil. 4.11 content Of Simplicity IN the * T. 2. p. 106. Homily against the excesse of Apparell it is said Let us take unto us simplicity chastity and comelinesse submitting our necks to the sweet e Mat. 11.30 yoke of Christ The Lord Iesus said to his Apostles Behold I send you forth as sheepe in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmlesse or f Mat 10.16 simple as doves Saint Paul said to the Corinthians I feare lest by any meanes as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the g 2 Cor. 11.3 simplicity that is in Christ In another Epistle he saith He that giveth let him doe h Rom. 12 8. it with simplicity And I would have you wise unto that which is good and i Rom. 19.19 simple concerning evill Concerning himselfe he said Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in k 2 Cor. 1.12 simplicty and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you wards Singlenesse of minde is one of the heavenly vertues Let us heare what David saith of the contrary nature They speake vanitie every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a l Psal 12.2 3. double heart doe they speak The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things Of Zealousnesse IN the second part of the * T. 2. p. 131 132. Homily concerning the place and time of prayer it is said But now forasmuch as ye perceive it is Gods determinate pleasure ye should resort unto your Churches upon the day of holy rest seeing yee heare what displeasure God conceiveth what plagues he powreth upon his disobedient people seeing ye understand what blessings of God are given what heavenly commodities come to such people as desirously and zealously use to resort unto their Churches seeing also ye are now friendly bidden and joyntly called beware that ye slacke not your duty take heed that you suffer nothing to let you hereafter to come to the Church at such times as you are ordinarily appointed and commanded Ever memorable is that which the Lord said to the Angell of the Church of the Laodiceans I know thy workes that thou art neither cold nor hot I would thou were cold or hot So then because thou art lukewarme and neither cold nor hot I will spue thee out of my mouth As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be m Rev. 3.15 16 17 18.19 Ier. 48.10 as in the margent zealous therefore and repent Paul signified of some that had a n Rom. 10.2 zeale of God but not according to knowledge Hee telleth Titus therefore whereof all should be o Tit. 2.14 zealous namely of good workes Great also ought to be the zeale of every Christian concerning Gods house his Temple and every part of his publike worship and concerning every circumstance thereto ordained by the Church that nothing thereof be profaned but every particular with all due reverence used or performed according to the example of Iesus Christ of whom it is said that the p Iohn 2.17 zeale of his fathers house had eaten them up Of Modestie IN the * T. 2. p. 94. Homily against Gluttony and Drunkennesse it is said Almighty God to the end that wee might keepe our selves undefiled and serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse according to his word hath charged in his Scriptures so many as looke for the glorious appearing of our Saviour Christ to lead their lives in all q Tit. 3.12 13. sobriety modesty and temperance whereby wee may learne how necessary it is for every Christian that will not be found unready at the comming of our Saviour Christ to live sober minded in this present world forasmuch as otherwise being unready he r Mat. 25.10 11 12. cannot enter with Christ into glory And being
Commandements to be i Ps 119.29 30 removed from the way of lying and to have God grant them his law graciously who choose the way of truth and lay Gods judgements before them who pray to be k Ps 119.33 taught the way of Gods Statutes for to keepe that way unto the end thereof who l Ps 119.14 rejoyce in the way of Gods Testimonies as much as in all riches who pray to be made m Ps 119.27 understand the way of Gods Precepts who pray to bee quickned or made lively in the way of the Lord who pray to God for to n Ps 138. â—3 24 search them and know their hearts to try them and to know their thoughts and to see if there be any * Or way of paine or griefe as it is rendred in the Margent wicked way in them and to lead them in the way everlasting Such as are like David thus affectioned doe honour the godly wisdome of the Church of England their Mother o Phil. 2.16 held forth in the books of her Divine Service and doe at length by the grace of our Lord Iesus and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost come into the p Act. 4.32 Ier. 32.39 unity of the most holy faith and upright life prescribed in the said sacred Bookes and in the other bookes of her Doctrine discipline established by publike coÌ„mon Authoritie But it is now with some as it is mentioned in holy Writ There is a generation that are pure their owne eyes and yet is not q Pro. 30.12 13 14. washed from their owne filthinesse There is a generation O how lofty are their eyes and their eye lids are lifted up There is a generation whose teeth are as swords and their jaw-teeth as knives c. Of such also the same Divine Writer saith All the wayes of a man are r Prov. 16.2 cleane in his owne eyes but the Lord weigheth the spirits Every way of a man is Å¿ Prov. 21.2 right in his owne eyes but the Lord pondereth the hearts To neglect examining judging and amending ones own selfe and to be a censurer of others is the damnable Pharisaicall nature Saint Luke recordeth that the covetous Pharisees heard Christs sayings and derided him And he said unto them Yee are they which t Luke 16.15 14. justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God And he spake this Parable unto certaine which u Luke 18.9 10 11 12. trusted in the uselves that they were righteous and despised other Two men went up into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publicane The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himselfe God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners unjust Adulterers or even as this Publicane I fast twice in the weeke I give tithes of all that I possesse c. Christ tels the Laodicean Angel what he thought of himselfe saying Thou sayest I am w Rev. 3.17 rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked c. Saint Paul foretold that wisedome in ones own eies or selfe wisdome good opinion of ones owne wayes and the like spirituall pride would be the disease of the last dayes And he reckoneth it up in the first place of the seventeene reigning sinnes of these times saying unto Timothy This know also that in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be x 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. lovers of their owne selves c. not y 2 Cor. 13.5 examiners z 1 Cor. 11.28.31 judgers and a Ezech. 36.31 condemners of themselves according to the requiry of the holy Gospell Much considerable hereto is that ever memorable sentence of the Holy Ghost delivered by Saint Iohn Every one that hath this hope in him namely to be like God in holinesse and righteousnesse and to see him as he is when hee shall appeare b 1 Iohn 3.3 purifieth himselfe even as hee is pure The meeter of the fift verse in the 4. Psalme is memorable Sinne not but stand in awe therefore examine well your heart And in your chambers quietly see you your selves convert CHAP. 90. Of seeking Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof IN the prayer for raine it is said O God heavenly Father which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ hast promised to all that seeke thy Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof all things necessary for their bodily sustenance c. In the booke of the Wisedome of Solomon it is said c Wisd 1.12 13 14 15 16. Seeke not death in the errour of your life and pull not upon your selves destruction with the worke of your hands For God made not death neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living For he created all things that they might have their being and the generations of the world were healthfull and there is no poison of destruction in them nor the Kingdome of death * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inferoruÌ„ juxta vulgatam versionem atque Innianam or hell upon the earth For righteousnesse is immortall But ungodly men with their words and workes called it to them for when they thought to have it their friend they consumed to nought and made a covenant with it because they are worthy to take part with it In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 275. Homily against Disobedience and wilfull Rebellion it is signified That as long as in the first Kingdome the subjects continued in due obedience to God their King so long did God embrace all his subjects with his love favour and grace which to enjoy is perfect felicity whereby it is evident that d 1 Sam. 15.22 23. Ier. 7.22.23 obedience is the principall vertue of all vertues and indeed the very root of all vertues and the cause of all felicity But as all felicity and blessednesse should haue continued with the continuance of obedience so with the breach of obedience and the breaking in of rebellion all vices and miseries did withall breake in and overwhelme the world We were e Psal 51.5 shapen in iniquity and in sinne did our mothers conceive us f Iob 14.4 uncleane have we beene borne into this world And growing up in the world commonly when wee come to the yeares of discretion more or lesse there seizeth on us the g Psal 143.3 4. power of darknesse Other Lords h Isa 26.13 besides the Lord God have had dominion over us Satan hath had his i 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph. 2.1 2 3. kingdome more or lesse upon us But God would that wee should bee as his people the Colossians were whiles they were here in this world delivered from the k Col. 1.13 1 Pet. 2.9 power of
preached unto others I my selfe should bee a cast away Hereto Saint Peters counsell is to be remembred Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims c 1 Pet. 2.11 abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule Of Patience Furthermore Saint Peter saith Adde to Temperance Patience Saint Paul saith unto Timothy Thou therefore d 2 Tim. 2.3 4 5 12. endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Iesus Christ No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier And if a man also strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully If wee suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Much considerable hereto is the holy delivery of the Church in the sacred * T. 2. p. 195 196. Homily of the resurrection Truth it is that sin is strong and affections are unruly Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature so corrupt and leavened with the sower bitternesse of the poyson which wee received by the inheritance of our old father Adam But yet take good courage saith our Saviour Christ for I have e Iohn 16.33 overcome the world and all other f Col. 2.14 15. enemies for you g Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not have power over you for ye be now under grace saith Saint Paul Though your power be weake yet Christ is risen againe to h Phil. 3.10 strengthen you in your battaile his holy Spirit shall i Rom. 8.26 27 helpe your infirmities In trust of his mercy take you in hand to k 1 Cor. 5.7 8 6. purge this old leaven of sinne that crrupteth and sowreth the sweetnesse of our life before God that yee may bee as new and fresh Dow voide of all sower leaven of wickednesse so shall ye shew your selves to be sweet bread unto God that hee may have his delight in you And in the same * T. 2. p 193. Homily it is said By the assistance of Christs holy Spirit we be replenished with all righteousnesse by whose power we shall be able to l Rom. 6.12 Rom. 8 1◠2 Cor. 10.4 5 6 subdue all our evill affections rising against the pleasure of God When the Iewes returned from their captivity in Babylon unto Ierusalem and went about reparing the Temple of the Lord which was ruinated and laid wast they were sorely vexed and hindered by the m Ezra 4.1 4 5 c. Chaldeans under which Nation they had beene in captivity afore yet they n Neh. 4.15 16 17. patiently endured and tooke their times and best occasions to set the worke forward and were not discouraged as utterly to leave off the enterprised businesse but constantly persevered untill it was o 1 Esd 7.5 finished We may make use of the Sacred Story applying it unto the p 1 Pet. 2 5. Eph. 2.21 22. spirituall worke which Christ requireth at our hands Of Godlinesse Saint Peter further saith Adde to Patience Godlinesse Whereas the inward warre of the flesh q Gal. 5.17 against the spirit is very great and our warre is not onely against flesh and blood and visible enemies in this outward world but also against enemies working within our soule and spirit namely against r Eph. 6.12 principalities against powers against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse or * wicked spirits in high or * heavenly places and so our sufferings sorrowes agonies and the like spirituall miseries are greater ** As in the margent of the last translation than our ſ Ps 143.3 4 7. naturall strength is able to abide therefore we are to betake our selves as Saint Paul saith to t Eph. 6.18 pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance that God would u Ps 144.1 2. teach our hands to warre and our fingers to fight that he would be our fortresse and high tower and our deliverer our shield wherin to trust also to w Ps 18.31 34 39. gird us with strength unto the battell and to subdue under us those that rise up against us And thus to be devoted unto prayer is Godlinesse whereunto wee are exhorted in the most Sacred Catechisme where it is said My good Child know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serve him without his speciall x 1 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 5.20 21. grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent prayer And then in the answere concerning what wee desire in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray unto God That it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will y 2 Tim. 4.18 keepe us from all sinne and wickednesse and from our ghostly z Ioh. 1.10 enemy and from everlasting death Of Brotherly kindnesse Saint Peter also saith Adde to Godlinesse Brotherly kindnesse And because when wee through the grace of God in Iesus Christ by prayer have obtained our requests and for every benefit received of God are bound to render most hearty a Ps 116.1 2 12 17. thankes unto him and to expresse our love unto him not in word onely but in b 1 Iohn 3.18 deed also For that the Lord hath no need of our goods seeing the whole world is his and c Ps 24 1. all therein therefore saith David O my soule thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord my goodnes d Ps 16.2 3 4. extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth to the excellēt in whom is all my delight Their sorrowes shall bee mutiplied that hasten after another god or * As it is also rendred in the margent there give gifts to another It is our duty to love e Iam. 2.14 15 16. 1 Iohn 3.17 1 Iohn 5.1 really those whom God loveth namely our brethrē whom the Spirit with the f Iam. 1.18 word of truth hath begat as well as us into some measure of Gods Image which is g Eph. 4.24 Col. 3 10. righteousnesse and true holinesse Vnto them we are to h Rom 12.13 impart of our goods and for them to doe all good Offices we can and to performe unto them all other duties according as it is prescribed unto us in the Gospell of Iesus Christ Yea and as we have i Gal. 6.10 opportunity wee are also for the Lords sake to doe good unto all other people though especially to them that are of the houshold of faith Of Charity Lastly Saint Peter saith Adde to Brotherly kindness Charity Forasmuch as our aforesaid love towards God and towards others for Gods sake is k 1 Iohn 4.18 imperfect whiles it hath joyned with it the love of our selves that is whereas we
doers and for the praise of them that doe well If such as are seditiously inclined would sometimes reade through the whole Homily of obedience and the whole Homily against disobedience and wilfull rebellion and also would call to minde the end of all seditious ones and of all privie conspiratours in former times even in all privie conspiratours in former times even in all ages and almost in all places they by the grace of Christ might be of a cleane contrary disposition Saint Paul from God Almighty denounceth that hatred variance emulations wrath strife z Gal. 5.20.21 seditions heresies or sects or factions envyings c. Are workes of the flesh and that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God And now for conclusion about mentioning particular sins referring every devout soule unto a diligent reading or hearing of the whole Bible and to observe thereout what the spirit of God hath delivered and prescribed for every one in his severall vocation and state either to doe or to leave undone and to shunne and also to a most serious search of the whole divine Service of the Church of England for to performe every particular duty mentioned therein which concerneth him and to shunne whatsoever it is there dehorted from let us heare what holy Church delivereth unto us in the first Homily * T. 2. p. 176. of the Passion concerning the detestation which we ought to have within us continuall against all sinne No man can love sinne which God a Ps 5.4.5.6 hateth so much and be in his favour No man can say that hee b Ioh. 14.23.24 loveth Christ truly and have his great enemy sinne I meane aut hour of his death familiar and in friendship with him So much doe we love God and Christ as wee hate sinne Wee ought therfore to take great heed that wee be not favourers thereof lest wee be found enemies to God and traitours to Christ We can no otherwise live to God but by c 1 Cor. 15.31 Rom. 6.8.11 dying to sin If Christ bee d Rom. 8.10.11 in us then is sinne dead in us and if the spirit of God be in us which raised Christ from death to life so shall the same spirit raise us to the Resurrection of everlasting life e Rom. 6.16 But if sinne rule and raigne in us then is God which is the fountaine of all grace and vertue f Ier. 6.8 departed from us then hath the Devill and his vngratious spirit g 2 Pet 2.19 rule and dominion in us And surely if in such miserable h Eccles. 11. â—â— Heb. 9.27 state wee dye we shall not rise to life but fall downe to death and damnation and that without end David therefore saith Ye that love the Lord i Ps 97.10 Ps 119.104 hate evill CHAP. 96. Of the sinne against the Holy Ghost IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 261. Homily of repentance it is said But of the finall falling away from Christ his Gospell which is a sinne against the Holy Ghost that shall never bee forgiven because that they doe k Heb. 10.26 utterly forsake the knowne truth doe l Cor. 16.22 hate Christ and his m Ioh. 8.47 word they doe n Heb. 6.6 crucifie and o Heb. 10.29 mocke him but to their utter destruction and therefore fall into desperation and cannot repent In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 150. Homily of certaine places of Scripture it is said concerning three sorts of people whose company the Prophet David would to be shunned by every one that would be blessed The third sort the Prophet calls p Ps 1.1 scorners that is a sort of men whose hearts are so stuffed with malice that they are not contented to dwell in sinne and to lead their lives in all kind of wickednesse but also they doe q 2 Tim. 3.3 Prov. 29.27 contemne and scorne in other all godlinesse true religion all honesty and vertue Of this sort I thinke I may without danger of Gods judgemeÌ„t pronounce that never any yet converted unto God by repentance but continued still in their abominable wickednesse r Rom. 2.5 2 Tim. 3.8.13 heaping up to themselves damnation against the day of Gods inevitable judgements What sinne against the Holy Ghost is it may the better appeare by considering first what is sinne against God the Father and what is sinne against God the Sonne Sinne against God the Father is all transgression committed whiles one is in the first s Luk. 15.18.24 Eph. 2.1 death of trespasses and sinnes and in minde is t Eph. 5.14 asleepe not attending unto the gracious call of God the Father nor following his profered u Ioh. 6.44 Hos 11.4 Ier. 31.3 drawing or leading unto repentance Sinne also is said to be against God the Father which is coÌ„mitted through humane w 1. Ioh. 2.12 weakenesse and frailty And sinne against God the Sonne is the speaking of a word against the x Mat. 12.31.32 sonne of man Iesus Christ which sinne Saul afterward called Paul committed y 1 Tim. 1.13.16 ignorantly in unbeleife Yea and Peters z Luke 22.56 c. deniall of Christ for a time appeareth to bee a sinne of that nature Also when one is a disciple of Christs Gospell and through meere ignorance or the like infirmity offendeth against Christ as Peter did when hee said unto Christ Bee it a Mat 16.22 farre from thee Lord This shall not bee unto thee meaning the suffering which Christ signified that hee should endure All sinne committed against God the Father is b Rom. 3.25 forgiven through his great mercy in Iesus Christ c Ezech. 18.21 22. when one repenteth for the sinne All sinne committed against God the Sonne is forgiven for his d 1 Ioh. 2.12 Eph 4 32. names sake unto such as e 1 Tim. 6.12 Rev. 2.10.11 fight the good fight of faith and truly endeavour to lay hold on eternall life Now concerning sinne against the Holy Ghost it is either committed by such as have beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost of whom S. Paul saith to the Hebrewes That it is impossible for those who where once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made f Heb. 6.4.5.6.7.8 partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come being * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronymus vertit Prolapsi sunt Syrus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui rursum peccaverunt id est a justitia deficientes certamalitia in omne peccatum projecti sunt c Iunius fallen away to renew them againe to repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame For the earth which drinketh in the raine that commeth oft upon it and bringeth forth hearbes meete for them by whom it
99. Of sundry of Gods blessings upon obedient people in this present life IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 5. Homily concerning the right use of the Church it is said If we would with diligence resort to the house of the Lord together to serve the Lord with one accord and u Zeph. 3.9 consent in all holinesse and righteousnesse before him wee have promises of benefits both heavenly and worldly Wheresoever two or three be gathered in my name saith our Saviour Christ there am I in the w Mat. 18.20 middest of them And what can bee more blessed than to have our Saviour Christ x Psal 16.11.6.5 Ezech. 48.35 among us In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 93.94 Homily of Fasting it is said Godwhich heard y 1 King 21.29 Ahab and the z Ionah 3.10 Ninevites and spared them will also heare our prayers and spare us so that we after their example will unfainedly turne unto him yea he will blesse us with his heavenly benedictions the time that we have to tary in this world and after the race of this mortall life he will bring us to his a Mat. 7.21 heavenly Kingdome In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 212. Homily for Whitsunday it is said Our Saviour Christ departing out of the world unto his Father promised his disciples to send downe another Comforter that should b Iohn 14.16 continue with them for ever and direct them into c Iohn 16.13 all truth The blessing pronounced at the end of Evening-Service namely d 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with us all evermore Is it not a great comfort to a soule for to enjoy all the same Saint Iohn accounted the fellowship with Gods Spirit the Sūmum bonum the supreame happinesse in this world where hee saith z Pet. 1.11 to the little children in Christ That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truely our e 1 Ioh. 1.1 2 3 fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ And these things write wee unto you that your joy may be full In the * T. 2. p. 193. Homily of the Resurrection it is signified That untill the generall resurrection in the last day whiles wee now are in this world Gods holy spirit may be had within our hearts as a f 2 Cor. 1.22 seale and g Eph. 1.13.14 Rom 8.15 16.23 pledge of our everlasting inheritance Yea saith that sacred * T. 2. p. 192 Homily unto every true member of Christ Thou hast received Christs body to have within thee the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for to h Ioh. 14.23 2 Cor. 6.16 dwell with thee for to endow thee with grace to strength thee against thine enemies and to comfort thee with their presence And againe Christ now entred within us how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost for where one is there is God i Col. 3.11 Ephes 4.6 1 Cor. 3.16 17. and 6.19 all whole in Majesty together with all his power wisdome and goodnesse and feare not I say the danger and perill of so traiterous a defiance and departure In the first * T. 2. p. 180. Homily of the Passion it is said God give us all grace to follow Christs k 1 Pet. 2.21 1 Iohn 2.6 examples in peace in charity in patience and sufferance that wee now may have him our ghest to enter and dwell within us so as we may be in full surety having such a pledge of our salvation If we have him and his favour we may be sure that we have the favour of God l Mat. 3.17 by his meanes In the third Exhortation afore the Communion it is said If with a true penitent heart and lively faith wee receive that holy Sacrament then we m Iohn 6.63.36 spiritually eate the flesh of Christ and drink his blood then we dwell in Christ and Christ in us we be n 1 Cor. 6.17 one with Christ and Christ with us In the * T. 2. p. 195. Homily of the Resurrection it is said Apply your selves good friends to live in Christ that Christ may still live o Gal. 2. 2 Cor. 4.10.11 in you whose favour and assistance if ye have then p Iohn 3.36 and 6.47 1 Iohn 5.20 have you everlasting life already within you then can nothing q Rom. 8.31 hurt you Whatsoever is hitherto done and committed Christ ye see hath offered you pardon and clearly received you to his favour againe in full surety whereof yee have him now inhabiting and r Rom. 8.9 10 11. Gal 4.6 1 Iohn 3.24 dwelling within you In the first part of Whitsunday * T. 2 p. 209. Homily it is said The Holy Ghost doth not thinke it sufficient inwardly to work the spirituall and new birth of man unlesse he doe also ſ 1 Cor. 3.16 dwell and abide in him In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 60. Homily against the feare of Death it is signified That a true Christian is the very t Ephes 5.30 member of Christ the u 1 Cor. 3.17 Temple of the Holy Ghost the w Rom. 8.14 15 16. Sonne of God and the very x Rom. 8.17 Iam. 2.5 inheritour of the everlasting Kingdome of Heaven Most memorable is that sentence of the Holy Ghost delivered by Saint Paul unto Timothy Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that y 1 Tim. 4.8 now is and of that which is to come David saith The Lord will give strength unto his people The Lord will blesse his people with z Psal 29.11 peace Wisedome saith in the booke of the Proverbs Whoso hearkeneth unto me shal dwell a Prov. 1.33 safely and shall be quiet from feare of evill And Solomon also saith b Prov. 3.16 17 18. Length of dayes is in her right hand and in her left hand riches and honour She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her Isaiah saith Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the eare neither hath the eye seene O God besides thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Thou c Isa 64.4 5. meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousnesse those that remember thee in thy wayes Peter saith The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his eares are d 1 Pet. 3.12 open unto their prayers Hanani the Seer said The eyes of the Lord runne too and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the e 2 Chro. 16.9 behalfe of him whose heart is perfect towards him David saith The Lord is