law that lawe especially which forbad all these incestes whence ensued forth with the putting away of all their strange wiues and that by the common consent of the people and of the Priests themselues which at the reading of the law were convicted of their faults This was a hard sentence you will say as also an harder execution to part asunder so many housholds and to rent in two the wife from the husband the children from the mother And what became then all this while of Esdras his wisdome Was there no Pope amongst them in those daies that might haue dispensed with them for this But rather if thou beleevest the Lord when he hath spoken wouldst thou haue had him cast Gods people againe into that furnace from whence they were but newly come and that the wrath of the Lord for disobedience they are the very wordes of the law should waxhot against them Deut â— 4. and destroy them suddenly So certaine is that maxime in al good divinitie that wee ought to obey God without looking back and in a matter of reformation we ought to do nothing by roate but haue alwaies recourse vnto this booke Our Lord therefore which was come in our flesh to reform the Church doth giue vs also the same rule a rule indeed pronouÌ„ced by him in this one case but yet it extendeth it selfe over all whatsoever concernes Gods service and therefore is it herein so much the more to bee put in practise as this is a matter of greater mysterie and weight As also we learne the same in Gods law concerning his service So saith he in another place where hee instructeth his Disciples Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets Matth. 5. v. 17. The reformation of the church hath alwaies bin subiect to this slander I am come to fulfil them to recal the law vnto his right observation to restore vnto it his due and natural interpretation and to keepe it from all traditions inventions and Pharisaical glosses the which vnder a colour of giuing light vnto it doe indeed darken it insteede of establishing it doe destroy it insteed of honouring it doe make a mocke of it You haue hearde that it was saide by them of the old time your Doctors your Fathers Thou shalt not kill for whosoever killeth shall bee culpable of iudgement V. 21. For to avoide this iudgment they haue taught you that it was enough not to kill at all likewise it was saide Thou shalt not commit adulterie V. 27. And they haue made you beleeue that you were free from this law if only you kept your selues from acting this sin Like wise V. 43. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie And in like manner all the other coÌ„mandements But I say vnto you I that am the true law giuer that knowe the meaning of the Father of that eternall Father the creatour of bodies and spirites which giveth his lawe alike to the one and to the other That whosoever hateth his brother hath already killed him whosoever looketh on a womaÌ„ to lust after hir hath already committed adultery with her And if so be you do not helpe your greatest enemies euen those which persecute you then are you not his children but the children of hell Calling them backe in this manner from their Fathers as we haue observed throughout in the state of the church of Israell to the God of their Fathers froÌ„ the glosse to the text from the letter to the spirit to the right purpose of the Law giver to the reasonâ— of the law And this did the Pharisies saie we to blaspheme the Temple and to call Moses in question in these daies amongst vs men would say it were to condemne the Fathers and to overthrowe the Church Behold therefore this rule which our Sauiour giveth vs from the beginning it was not so This was not the will of him that made the Testament let this rule but bee stretched out over the building of the church and then whatsoever shall be found to bee out of this line or out of the squire let it be censured to be also out of the worke let it bee condemned to be battered by the hammer and to be cut of from the faith doctrine of the church Let S. Paul bee an example vnto vs even in those first times For men in matters of religion can never go on very farre without straying vnlesse they alwaies take this guide along with them EveÌ„ in his time was the holy supper of the Lord prophaned amongst the Corinthians in this church of God by theÌ„ that were sanctified in Christ Iesus Cor. 1.2 and Saints by calling for so hee tearmeth them But what saith he to them Everie man when they should eate 〈◊〉 11. v. 21 taketh his owne supper afore c. And one is hungry and another is drunken This is not to eat the Lords Supper This is not to celebrate that holy Sacrament it is rather to despise his church Here then is a remedie for it I haue received saith he of the Lord V. 23 that which I also haue delivered or taught vnto you Theodor iâ— 1. de 〈…〉 â— 7 And herevpon doth hee rehearse vnto them at large the whole institution of the Lords Supper in the same manner as we finde it in the Gospell As I haue receiued it euen so haue I delivered it vnto you It is now your dutie if you will be Christians to obserue it accordingly S. Peter also perceiving that hee was nowe shortly to leaue this worlde Gelas Cilic in Act. Conc. â—ic doth not tell the churches to the which he wrot after my decease doe not much trouble your selues about that which you are to do I will instruct you sufficiently by revelations and visions there shall scarce bee one weeke in the which I will not giue you some new Article of faith or deliuer vnto you some new ceremonie or other But on the contrarie he saith Seeing I know that the time is at hand that I must laie downe this my tabernacle 2. Pet 1. v. 14 15. I will indevour therefore alwaies that after my departing ye also may be able to haue remeÌ„brance of these things that is of the doctrine of saluation which openeth vnto theÌ„ an entrance into the everlasting kingdome of Christ Iesus To wit I my selfe beating this doctrine into you so deepe whilest I am yet amongst you in this Tabernacle that after I shall haue left you you caÌ„not forget it Which also was the reason why that great Emperor Constantine in the middest of all the hard contentions of his time went no where for helpe but thither There is nothing more vnworthy said he to the Bishoppes of his time then to wrangle one with another about the controversies of divine matters seeing that vvee haue the doctrin of the holy Ghost in writing And the bookes of the Evangelists and Apostles togither
fit to bee done before vs but what Christ the first of all which is before all hath done because also we ought not to followe the customes of men but the truth of God And to the same purpose doth hee bring in many places out of the holy Scriptures both before and after The reason thereof is to be sound in S. Ambrose Ambr. de fide l. 1. c. 5. Because that no man commeth to the Father but by the SoÌ„ be it what it will that thou meditatest coÌ„cerning the Father Chrysost Homil 57 in Matth. And likewise thou caÌ„st think nothing touching divine matters but by the Sonne Wherevpon Chrysost saith Heare him in all things In all without exception that from hence forth Hiero Matt. 6.17 saith S. Hierome we might no more pitch anie taberna cle but to him obey none but him no loÌ„ger Moses nor Elias they are but seruaÌ„ts it is no lesse their dutie then ours to raise him up a tabernacle within their hearts He that spake thus of theÌ„ what would he haue saide of such as are com since of all those founders of new orders vnto which notwithstanding we erect as well as to Christ yea in some sort aboue Christ temples al tars and sacrifices and obey theÌ„ rather theÌ„ the law the Gospell or the Sonne of God himselfe But passe we this ouer not to anger the world Yet truly we see that this lesson as being engrauen with the finger of God in their souls doth remain deep he imprinted in all there writings whereas Iames telleth vs there is one lawgiuer I am 4.12 which is able to saue distroy who art thou that iudgest another man that takest vppon thee to giue him a law how great so euer thou art that may binde his conscience and giue or take from him life euerlasting 1. Ioh. 1. And S. Iohn That which we haue seene and heard of that word of life declare we vnto you we haue learned it both for you and for our selfes that you might haue felloship with vs that our fellowship might be with the father and with his son Iesus Christ This is the reward of hearing him Farre different from that which once they asked to witt his right haÌ„d or his left hand here on earth S. Peter also alleadging for a reason this same vision 2. Pet. 1.8 16.17 For we followed not deceauable fables whenwe opened vnto you the comming and power of our Lord Iesus Christ but with our eies we saw his Maiestie when there came such a voice to him sent froÌ„ that excellent glory This is my beloued sonne c. then making a difference betweene the doctrine of the law that of the Gospell between Moses and Elias which he had seene and that Iesus whome he was coÌ„manded to harken vnto he goeth on thus We haue the word of the prophets V. 9. â— to the which ye doe well that yee take heed But as to what as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place and how long vntil the day dawne and the day starre arise in your harts This Iesus the Sonne of righteousnes the true light of our soules of the which all the Prophesies are but litle sparkes this Iesus of whom Peter said when he had knowne him To whom should we goe Lord thou hast the words of everlasting life Thou hast them that is to say none hath them but thou but by thee thou art the only head-spring spring of them all others 〈◊〉 but stinking cisternes In sonâ— other place perhaps wee might find the words of life but of a temporall life of a mortall life of an immortall death Wordes of saluation and happinesse are not found but in Iesus onely in my Iesus alone And therefore with good reason was it told vs in the mountaine Heare him S. Paul was not at this vision and yet stickes not to taker the same lesson for himself also Heb. 1. v. 1 2. God saith he hauing at sundry times and in divers maners spokeÌ„ in the old time to our fathers by the Prophets in these last daies hath spokeÌ„ vnto vs by his son 2. I 16. In these last daies saith hee that is to say for the last time and for good reason sith that by this sonne the heire as he addeth of all things by whom also hee made the worlds that euerlasting wisdome that assisted him when he â—epared the heavens Prov. 8. v. 27. when hee â—et the compasse vpon the deepe â—eing descended neuerthelesse â—ratiously from heauen from â—he bosome of the father for to set vs aright in his waies For which cause also he relateth not â—nto vs these visions and reueâ—ations of his which hee had seen 2. Cor. 12. taken vp into the third heaven into Paradise those wordes which cannot be spoken What could not he haue told vs if hee would but haue entertained the time with such discourses But those things barely which hee had learned of our Lord for the saluation of the Churches that is to say of the assemb lies of the faithfull of all sortes men women children learned and vnlearned vnto which hee did write 1. Cor. 1 v. 23. 1 v. 3. I haue saith hee receiued of the Lord that which I haue delivered vnto you I haue delivered vnto you that which I received the Gospell whereby you are saved if you keepe in memorie after what manner I preached it vnto you If you keepe it still the same that I gaue it you without adding therevnto any thing of your owne And the rather because I neither received it of man Gal. 1. v. 12. nor was I taught it but by revelation of Iesus Christ Is not that man therefore very arrogant that dares passe beyond that within which these great Apostles doe keepe themselues bound both their preaching and writings And after yea besides this well beloued Son this Sonne in whom the Father is well pleased to teach and expound vnto vs what the pleasure of God is and with what service he is pleased and therevpon to adde somewhat of his owne minde and display his owne fancies and inuentions Doth not this deserue that God should say vnto vs Who hath required these thinges at your hands Not to bee allowed not to bee approued in your accounts It is in vaine that you serue me to please men and according to the inventions of men He are him whome I haue sent you him of whom I haue told you long since that whosoever will not harken vnto his words I will require it of him Deut. 18. v. 19. 20 For the Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my name which I haue not commaunded him to speake even the same Prophet shall die shal incurre everlasting damnation And here let these looke to themselues which against their own knowledge conscience doe preach vnto the simple people so many things which they haue not heard froÌ„ our Lord
Whosoever shall put away his wife except it bee for whoredome and marrie another committeth adulterie How many thinges might the Pharises haue to say hereupon in a matter wherein Moses was touched that great captaine of Gods people which had spokeÌ„ to him face to face had receiued the law from his hand authorised by so many miracles By a prescription of two thousand yeares By so long a forbearaÌ„ce And that vnder so many kings Priests and Prophets And yet they stand here at a stay yeeld without once coÌ„tradicting this sentence From the beginning it was not so In Paradise this was ordered otherwise If then this hold in a law that concernes only ciuill societie howe much more in Ecclesiasticall lawes which concerne religion and Gods service the articles of our faith the saluation of our souls and things spirituall Wherein the naturall man discerneth nothing nor the spirituall man perceiueth anâ—e more then as far as the Spirit of God guideth him and being guided by the spirit of God caÌ„ go no farther then as he keepes himselfe to his word how illuminated soeuer he either bee or seeme to be he caÌ„ adde nothing to Gods work to his commandement whatsoeuer he putteth to it is but imperfect and full of filth And hence it is that the Politicians do so often rehearse vnto vs that to the vpholding of the lawes of any common-wealth it is necessarie that they should be recalled from time to time to their principles to wit against all tricks side-stroaks as it were of such as wrest de praue them And therefore for a greater cause was Gods people enioind so carefully to knowe the law of God and his seruice at their fingers end that so as many men as there were of theÌ„ so many coÌ„trollers there might be in the church for to keep hir in and call her backe againe to her bounds And therefore was it that Esay cryed so lowd To the Law and to the Testimony Esay 8.20 if they speake not according to this word it is because ther is no light in them No saluation for this people TheÌ„ is this a rule which is to be receiued for the direction of Gods church to containe all whatsoeuer concernes the true religion the whole duty of man towards God his owne saluation and for such a one hath it indeede alwaies bin vsed as often as there was in hande any reformation of the Church David had established Gods seruice in the middest of his people according to the ten or of his law And many of his successors either dronken with the seruice of false Gods or neglecting the seruice of the true God had partly corrupted it and partly suffered it to go to decay and now that good king Iosaphat mooued with a true zeal of God is about to restore it againe It is said 2. Chron. 17 v. 3. vn to the 9. That he walked in the first waies of his father David He stood not vpon that which his father Asa though a godly Prince had either done or tolerated and stood as little also on that which so many other in all this while had done for to drawe a president from their example but turned back euen vnto David vnto the first waies of David vnto his best yeares and those very best ones yet did he examine by the lawe of God when it is added that he sought the God of his father not that which his father had done but that which the God of his father had appointed to he done he walked in his commandements and not according to that which Israel had done he ordered himselfe according to the law and not after the vsuall custome of the church he tooke away the high places and the groues out of Iuda which had bin tolerated amongst them by most of their best kings To a young and tender king this toleration might haue scrued for an excuse And that his people might also seeke the same waies he sent Priestes and Leuites as also some of the chiefe men of his Estate to assist them That they should teach those of Iuda But how Having the booke of the law of the Lorde with theÌ„ for to recall their faith to this beleefe their worship to his ordinances their crooked depraued waies to this square to this rule And we find not that in all this circuite which they make any one doth once obiect vnto them either the tradition or the authority of the church or the toleration of the Fathers So well had every one of them learned remembred euen in the middest of that corruption that there where the God of their fathers spake was no place at all to hearken vnto either the Church of Israel or all their fathers togither Likewise Hezekiah when he came to the crowne he had had to his father king Ahaz which had broken the vessels of Gods house and shut vp his temple that is to say had cast down his seruice 2 Chron. 28. v. 24. built vp altars to the false Gods in all the citties of Iuda insteed of the true Altar many thousands of false ones as superstition of its owne nature doth multiply all this might haue beene a great stumbling blocke to this youÌ„g Prince but yet he goeth on farther Euen in the first yeare of his raigne hee openeth the dores and repaires them and which is more doeth send for the Priests and Leuites those which ought rather to haue preuented him and commanded them to cast forth the filthines By filthines he meant all kinds of strange seruices All what was not in the law that counted he to be strange because they might haue said as we at this day haue not our fathers liued as wel as thou what wilt thou theÌ„ do He cutteth theÌ„ short with this our fathers haue trespassed 2. Chron. 29. v. 6.7 and done evill in the eies of the Lord our God haue turned away their faces from him and turned their backs they haue quenched the lampes of the Temple What light theÌ„ can we look for or what darknes ought not we to expect from them And therefore did they arise at this word and gathered their brethren and being convicted and sorrowfull in their hearts sanctified themselues cleansed the house of the Lord caried the filth therof out vnto the brook that it might neuer at any time be remembred And all this was done according to the commaÌ„dement of the king as it is saide there But what is added V. 15. By the word of the Lord as before was said of Iosaphat And that for to abolish all false worshippings He beginneth afterwarde to establish the true worship the maner of their sacrifices by the same authority and in the like method according to the coÌ„mandement saith he of David and Gad and Nathan V 25. This might seeme enough to content them seeing these were such excelleÌ„t prophets But doth he stay there and thinketh he therby
TWO HOMILIES CONCERNING the meanes how to resolue the controversies of this time First written in French by Ph. Mornay and now translated into English AT OXFORD Printed by Ioseph Barnet 1612. To the Reader THou hast here gentle Reader two homilies for so the authour himselfe whosoever hee bee entitleth them written first in French and now for thine vnderstanding translated into English Two homilies indeed very necessary in these times not only for the authours countrymen and such like who liue amongst opē Papists but also for vs of England amongst whom it is to be feared too too many Papists do lurk The authour by his writing shews himselfe to be a French-man that a true religious zealous Protestant a French mā he may be thought to be because he writs in french as also the same may be gathered out of his second homily wherein in some two or three places he speaketh according to the discipline of the reformed French P. 84. 134. Churches which haue no Bishops over them and wherein no clergy man hath any temporall iurisdiction A Protestant he is for how would he else haue thus writtē against the errours of the Romish church that a true religious and zealous one for how coulde hee else haue written them vvith such earnestnes and soundnes of doctrine The homelies thēselues need not be commēded vnto thee they will commend thēselues sufficiently if thou wilt but take the paines to read thē over advisedly Farewell HVNC AVDITE Matth. 17. v. 5. YOV Christians that are perplexed in your minds amidst the controversies of this time hovering betweene the choice of that which is Diuine that which is humane of that which is Authenticall and that which is Apocryphal of that which is true and that which seemes to bee true two only words out of the holy Gospell are able to put you out of doubt and to cause you to see the difference betweene them And behold here is one of them for you Hunc au dite Heare him Him and no other Our Lord Iesus had nowe takē apart three of his disciples Peter Iames Iohn brought thē vp into an high mountain There had hee beene transfigured before them his face shining as the Sun his cloathes being becōe as white as snowe which in this basenes were as pledges of his future glorie of that glorie which hee tooke againe when it pleased him and which hee had neuer put away There were Moses Elias seene by his disciples talking with him Moses and the Prophets as in a manner giuing up there charge into his hands his indeed which was the marke and the end the perfection and accomplishmēt both of the law the Prophets Here Peter comes in as it were in opposition Master it is good for vs to be here Being already ravished and drunken with the shew of this glory these spirituall delightes Let vs make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias And we doubt not but in this first he reserued a roome for himselfe and his fellow-disciples But as he spake and knew not saith both S. Mark and S. Luke what he said Mar. 9. v. 6 Luc. 9. God from heauen directed him Out of a cloud that shadowed them came a voice saying This is that my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him No longer Moses no longer Elias the old things are come to an end I bring you new tidings good new tidings There is here no longer any need of Tabernacles or that wee should passe from one figure to another She hath from henceforth a place where shee may rest She is to be built on the firme ground Wilt thou Peter wil yee my disciples one day enioy this glory and possesse eternally that which you haue seene as in a glimpse behold here the meanes the only means to wit my welbeloved your happinesse and all my delight But Heare him For it is he of whom Moses the same which you haue scene talking with him which did here come to rēder homage vnto him for the whole law told you heretofore very neere two thousand yeares agoe See how the Lord fulfilleth his sayings in their due time Deut. 18.1.18 The Lord said vnto mee I will raise them vp a Prophet from amongst their brethren like vnto thee and will put my words in his mouth and hee shall speake vnto them all that I shall cōmand him And whosoever will not harken vnto my words which hee shall speake in my name I will require it of him It is thē profit to heare him and daunger to turne the eare from him It is he of whom I spake vnto you by Esay my Prophet Esay 42. v 1. Behold my servant hee is mine elect I haue put my spirit vpon him And do not stand vpon his lownesse or his humiliation in that he will not cause his voice to bee heard in the street nor will not make much noise For so much the rather ought you to harken vnto him whatsoeuer you see him to be yet he shall bring forth iudgement in truth And is not that it which you ought to looke for in these daies Hee shall not faile nor bee discouraged Vers 4. til he haue set iudgement in the earth till he haue instructed the whole world Finally it is he of whom Iohn the Baptist that Elias which you looked for which you haue seene spake vnto you in these daies hee being not the worde made flesh vnto the which you ought at this time to harkē but the voice which cryeth in the wildernesse the forerunner of this word Not that light which lighteth every man that commeth into the world but a lamp that beareth witnesse of that light This is he of whom I said hee that commeth after mee was better thē I oh 1.15 for he was before me Before me in as much as hee is the everlasting word After mee in as much as hee is the vvord made flesh V. 16. Of his fulnesse haue al we receiued Moses Elias all the Prophets V. 17 For the law was given by Moses the law that entertained vs with figures vs euery one bound ouer also to sinne therefore to death Grace and truth is come vnto you by Iesus Christ And againe therefore Heare him the rather truly because no man hath seene God at any time No man can tell you any thing concerning diuine matters concerning things that appertaine to your salvation but by him But the only sonne more then any other and after another manner For as much as he is from everlasting in the bosome of the father Prov. 8. From euerlasting and before all ages That eternall wisdome which was with him in the creation of all things and in the which he took his delight Shee which cryed so long agoe Giue eare for the opening of my lips shal teach thing that be right Prov 8. v. 6 7.
Iesus Christ no nor from his Apostles which are grounded only vpon visions in the aire vpon pretended reuelations and certaine tales farre worse then Apocryphall These notwithstanding are articles of beleefe more to be beleeued observed nay more indeed beleeued and obserued then the worde of Christ and the holy Scriptures But it may be that this is spoken to those three onely those three which were taken apart by our Lord were to learne some particular mystery thereby But that which is only spoken to one of them saith our Lord is spoken vnto all The mysteries and the secrets of God are not of the same nature that others are of They are spoken in the eare but to bee preached on the house tops And indeed thou seest that S. Paul did not sticke to apply these wordes to himselfe and the fathers haue told thee that it concernes all the Apostles And if all the Aposties then also all their disciples and successors all such as haue beleeued their word and haue receiued from them their calling to teach the word wee may say all Christians all the faithfull all the sheepe of our great sheepheard For saith he my sheep heare my voice Ioh. 10. they vnderstand not the voice of a stranger they flie backe from him We may say the very Catholike vniuersall Church For it is said vnto her Harken ô daughter Ps 45.10 consider and incline thine eare And how often hath it bin told vs that that which is said to Peter is said to all his successours and to the whole Church And for what reason should it not hold herein also To bee short when our Lord saith vnto his Apostles Hoc facite do this thou drawest from thence a perpetuall institution of a Sacrament of a sacrifice when God therefore saith here solemnly Hunc audite Heare him What right hast thou to restrain it to these few and to some peculiar mystery to the end that all thinges may be lawfull vnto you With what face canst thou deny that these words doe containe a lesson which is to bee continuall and vniuersall vnto the ende of the world how to limit the faith and life of a Christian within the compasse of Christ his voice of Christ his lawe of Christ his schoole which is the only Lawgiuer the only Master and only teacher in his Church But there is more in it yet for this lesson is more necessary for vs then it was then for them or at any other time whatsoeuer since his Apostles For vs I say on whome the last ages are come for vs whom so many ages by a consequent so many forestalled in their iudgement haue preuented by anticipat opinioÌ„s by inueterated customs by presidents of antiquitie by renowne and maiestie which wil offer to part stakes with the Godhead and make themselues to be heard aboue the sonne of God aboue the Father himselfe For is there almost any age that hath not brought forth its own teachers Any teacher that would not haue his priuat opinions his owne inuentions I might say heresies And is there any of them that hath not built his own stubble on Christs fouÌ„dation sowne his owne tares in Christs field And how may al this be remedied Onely by this word alone Heare him heare none other let euery other voice be suspected by you Vnto him that sear cheth for the truth doubteth of his way and seeketh life he who is the truth the way and the life which also wil teach them doth of his own accorde offer himselfe And where then shall wee seek him This againe was an easie matter for his Apostles which had him at hand which were dayly in his company and did as it were draw it out of his breast For S. Paul likewise to whom it was yet graunted to heare him though in lightning in thunder But whither sendest thou vs to heare him He which is asceÌ„ded into heauen and fitteth at the right haÌ„d of the Father will not descend from thence vntill he comes to iudge the worlde And in the mean time what shal become of our doubtings Await patiently our Lord is not so farre from thee as thou imaginest Say not in thy heart Rom. 10. v. 6 7. 8. who shall ascend into heaven That is to bring Christ from aboue Or who shall descend into the deepe That is to bring Christ againe from the dead The word is neere thee This is the word of faith The Gospell which we read by the grace of our God which we preach Iesus Christ hath not left vs Orphans Hee hath not beene preuented by death hauing death in his owne power He is not dead without making a Testament nor gon from earth vp into heauen without a last will By his Testament he speaketh yet at this day and did speake in all the ages past and giueth his law to his family A Bastard he is or vnthankful that doth not heare him It is his Gospell and his holy Scriptures in the which he liueth and teacheth and iudgeth and beareth rule in his Church This Gospel by whose rule hee directeth the faithfull correcteth and reproueth the hereticks and vnbeleeuers and putteth a difference between the one and the other Of which S. Ireneus tels thee That Gospell which the Apostles haue preached haue they since given and delivered vnto vs tradiderunt in the Scriptures by the will of God to bee the foundation of our faith Then is it not by occasion only or by their owne instinct as some would make vs Beleeue August de â—onâ—enâ— â—vang l. 1. S. Augustin All that which our Lord would that wee should haue concerning his â—â—tieÌ„s and his sayings he hath commanded saith he to his Apostles to write it as with his owne hands As if therefore hee had writtten it himselfe if wee read it wee heare himselfe And S. Cyrill addeth All that Cyril l. 12 in loh c. 68. which they haue thought to suffice as well for manners as for doctrine Will we bee more able then they S. Iohn also the beloued Disciple of our Lord Ioh. 20. v. 31. These things are written not casually not by humane instinct but that you might beleeue that Iesus is that Christ that son of God and that in beleeving yee might haue life through his name And this beleeuing truely presupposeth hearing according to the wordes of the Apostle Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God The Gospell hath succeeded the law but as the truth succeedeth the shadow and manhood infancie that the doctrin might be made cleane and the condition of the Church amended God not being content that his lawe had bin written with his owne finger commaunded also that it should bee written in a booke that they should look in it that euery houshold from their first yeares should bee instructed in it Truly Christ the son of God our only lawgiuer hath in like manner prouided for his Gospell being to
leaue this world to withdraw his voice together with his flesh from vs. hee hath perpetuated it vnto vs in his Gospell He hath giuen vs EuaÌ„gelists Apostles whose pens he hath inspired In them by them if thou wilt hee speaketh vnto thee thou needest not climbe vp into a mountaine for it or enter into a cloud or be ouertaken with feare thou needest only his bountifulnesse and grace alone of him I say speaking in these Euangelists his heauenly father telleth thee as well now as then Heare him â—â—are him in them As well as our Lord at euery table where his Sacrament is celebrated according to his institution telleth thee yet throughout the whole world Hoc facite Doe this And communicateth vnto thee on the one part his Spirit in his word on the other his body his flesh and his blood in his holy table Which also is the reason why every one of these good ancient fathers in al those conflicts of heresies did in times past betake themselues to this testament did therein take couÌ„saile from the mouth of Iesus as in old time froÌ„ God in the Arke and did therehence carie awaie healthfull answers to the peace of their conscience and the pacification of the Church Miserable men that we are if some meÌ„ had said vnto vs heare Plato hearken vnto Aristotle wee would vnderstand it so Opt S. Aug. that he had directed vs to their books and would goe to buy them at the Stationers nor would wee any way trouble our selues to seeke their persons either in Hell or in their feined Elisian fieldes But when it is said vnto vs Heare Christ we begin to wauer make as if we were very idiors but indeed are malicious aske where hee is Herevpon marke what Optatus saith that great African Doctour contesting against the Donatists Opt. Milevit l. 5. contra Parmen You Donatists say yea we Catholiks say Nay In the midst of your yea and our nay mens soules are in doubt None will beleeue you nor vs also because therefore that we are at ods we must seeke iudges The Christians saith he are the parties themselues the heathen cannot conceiue our mysteries And therfore can there be found no iudgement on earth Must wee seeke it in heaven Note here the question marke how hee answeres it But what go wee to seeke for in heaveÌ„ seeing we haue a Testament in the Gospell So long as the father is present hee chargeth every one of his childreÌ„ what they are to do There is as yet no need of any testament And so Christ gaue to these Apostles their charge whilest yet he was on earth But as an earthly Father seeing himselfe to be neere the graue maketh his will for to preuent and end all controversies betwixt his children then men goe not to seeke him in his tombe but in this will wherein he speaketh as if he liued and though dumbe yet is vnderstood so indeed Christ he that hath made the TestameÌ„t is in heaven but let vs seeke his will in his Gospell as in his testament For even these very things which some of you do now hee did euen at that time see you do them And as at that time he did foresee them as being God euerlasting vnto whom all things are knowne from eternity so without doubt hee hath manifestlie prouided against them he hath preuented all chances and anticipated all tricks and cauils heare also S. Augustin Optatus his Country-man which either had learned it of the other or was inspired by the same spirit We are brethren why striue wee one with another Our father died not without a Testament he made a will and then died died rose againe Men do pleade concerning the succession of the dead vntill the will be brought forth It being brought forth every one is silent that it may be opened rehearsed The Iudge harkeneth at tentiuely the Advocates holde their peace the Cryers cause silence the people stands in suspeÌ„se whilest that the wordes of the deceased are a reading who lyeth in his tombâ— without feeling and yet his words haue their force Christ is seated in heaven shall he bee contradicted in his Testament August in Psal 21. Open then and let vs read we are brethreÌ„ why are we at variance Let vs appease our anger our father hath not left vs without a Testament His Gospels A Testament saith S. Basill Basil de Fide vnto which nothing ought to be added It would be false nay sacriledge The Apostle saith he by a worldly example forbiddeth vs exprestie to adde any thing to the holy Scripture wheÌ„ he saith And notwithstanding no maÌ„ reiecteth the Testament of a maÌ„ or addeth any thing therevnto if it hath once beene established Wherefore we haue alwaies knowne that we must flie from every voice and all meanings which are beside the doctrin of our Lord. Beside saith he and not against And now in the mouth of these three witnesses shall not our speech be confirmed vnto you God will haue it hath appointed that his well beloued Son should be heard Heard here beneath so long as he conuersed here in his owne person and heard in his holy Gospell sealed vnto vs by his Apostles by the will of the Father and the commaÌ„dement of the Sonne since that he hath been lifted vp from this world Heard doe you tell vs in his Gospell I you to heare him Then behoveth it vs to reade May we do so without being excommunicated or anathematised A book so dangerous full of ambushes full of snares HOW the world is changed nay euen the very voice of the Church since the time of these good fathers That the law of our Lord which is to decide all our controuersies should be esteemed of in these daies as a matter of question and this Testament which ought to bring to an agreemeÌ„t the most contentious brethren as a bundle of contradictorie clauses Could this Testament euer haue beene altered Seeing that we agree in this that it could not what remaines then but that this alteration proceeds not from the truth of the thing but from the malice of the persons Thy father hath made a wil doth it not concern thee to see what hee leaueth thee and vnder what title to know also what things he chargeth thee to doe Were hee the greatest stranger in the world wouldst thou not be so curious as to reade it Hee that would conceale it from thee yea and keepe thee from reading it couldst thou beleeue he did this without fraud And being curious in euery other thing wilt thou be negligent in this Thou that seemst to bee a quicke fellow and wouldst bee esteemed of for such a one in all thy businesse wilt thou in this bee an idiot lesse then a babe Canst thou doe this without a contempt to God Canst thou doe this if Gospell and an eternall life Tell mee in thy conscience if thou hadst lived in
Temple You may imagine to what a straight the church was brought when the high Priest himselfe findeth this booke but by a chance No sooner had he found it but hee sendeth it to Iosiah by Shaphan the Secretarie which read it be fore him therein hee findeth that it was a thing of nothing to build vp againe the Temple of God vnlesse hee also would establish againe his seruice that it rained not only on the hoâ—se top as they say but that the inside also was posaned and the Sanctuarie filled with Idolatry And hereupon beginneth hee nowe to detest the sinne of the Church rent his cloathes taketh counsell with the Prophetesse and humbleth himselfe Here the Priest might haue coÌ„forted himselfe with this that he knew his lesson by hearte might haue contented him with the tradition of the Church which neuer faileth never lieth but what do'es he He gathereth together the Priests and the Levits in the house of God all Iuda all Ierusalem from the verie least to the greatest At that time was it not the fashion to get a dispensation for to read the holy Scriptures In the middest of them all he causeth this booke to bee read which being read hee maketh a couenant to obserue it and bindeth therewith all the people And after al this he purgeth the Temple from all idolatrie and superstition and driueth out al the Priests thereof hee casteth their vessels into the fire and breaketh down the high places euen those that were in the cities of Iuda hauing beene tolerated by so many good kings in the which the Priests of the stock of Leui those that had their lawfull calling did sacrifice vnto the true God And hereupoÌ„ there might haue beene much to gainesay what is there wanting to these sacrifices Are they not offered to him and by those to whome and by whom they ought to be offered Is this therefore any thing else but a desire of noveltie And put the case that there is some defect in them is it not for all that tolerable having already beene tolerated by so many good kings by so many high Priests for so many yeares to gether And is it not in this that that law of policy is to take place that a thing once well setled though it bee euill ought not to bee taken away but to shun all inconueniences it ought to be left still in his place And neuertheles our rule makes him not sticke at all this Deut. 12 v. 11. From the beginning it was not so There shall be a place saith Moses which the Lord shal chuse to cause his name to dwell there thither shall you bring all your burnt offerings and your sacrifices c. Take heed V. 1â— that thou offer them not in every place that thou seest and which thou thinkest to be fit for thy purpose As if he said for I will not take any of thy pretended supererogations for sacrifices or worshipping I will be worshiped according to that which I haue commanded thee and not after thine owne fansie Because indeed that God the very reason and cause of all things hath his end in all whatsoeuer he ordeineth for to direct all nations to the sacrifice of his onlie sonne alone hee would haue but one temple one sanctuarie and one altar whereas thou dost darken and confound his meaning by thine owne inventions by thy pretended good purposes and by such a multitude of thine high places and thine altars every sacrifice of thine is a wroÌ„g worship Therefore also is it said in that which followes that he commanded the people to keep the Passeover But how As it is written in the booke of the covenant 2 Kin. c. 23 according to the word of the Lord delivered by the hand of Moses He sendeth them to the originall to the old form thereof and indeed it is added There was no Passeover holden like that from the daies of the Iudges that iudged Israell V. 22. nor in all the daies of the kings of Israell and of the kings of Iuda not in Samuels time no nor in the time of Hezekiah himselfe So necessarie a thing did hee esteeme it to keepe himselfe exactly to the law of the Lord and to his holy Scriptures In the time of the captiuitie of Babylon the Church of God Gods Israell in the midst of the Chaldeans those great masters of ceremonies and patrons of al idolatrie and superstition could not possibly haue stood out so long without being corrupted What does then Esdras in this case when he bringeth back the people into Ierusalem Howe doth he proceed to set them in order againe Truely it is said that as soon as they were come into Ierusalem Ieshua the son of Iozadak with his brethren the Priests and Zerubbabel the sonne of Salathiel the captaine of the transmigration Builded the altar of the God of Israell to offer thereon Esd 3 v. 2 not according to their owne fansy nor according to that which they might haue learned in that medlie of the heathen but saith hee as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God As if it were said that they calling to minde the punishment of the sonnes of Aaron which were consumed by the fire of the wrath of God for hauing offered vnto him a strange fire they reestablish after the same manner the service of God in Ierusalem as it is written in the booke of Moses they are not ashamed to go and learne their lesson therein And yet are wee not to thinke that they wanted amongst theÌ„ such men as were of courage and had in theÌ„ presumptioÌ„ enough to adde somewhat of their own therevnto Lastly to apply somwhat neerer our text to this purpose Esdras the restorer of the Church at that time was fully informed how that many of the cheefest of the people yea soÌ„e Priests also against the expresse law of the Lord had taken vnto themselues strange wiues Chap. 9. of those nations which were forbidden them whereupon hee rent his clothes pluckt of the haire of his heade and of his beard fell on his knees and coÌ„fessed both his owne and the peoples sinnes in the preseÌ„ce of God V. 7. from the daies of our fathers saith he haue wee beene in a great trespasse vnto this day The longer that the sinne had lasted the greater doth hee acknowledge to bee the fault so farre was he from taking thereby any right occasion to continue it But did he stay here only No he returned to his principle Thou hadst forbidden vs to do so Levit 18. â— 25 27. saith he by thy servants the Prophets Deut. 7.3 c. And now shall wee returne to breake these commandements Shall wee goe on stil ô Lord in these abominations So that being strengthned by the assistance of honest men amongst others by Shechaniah the sonne of Iehiel hee caused the people to sweare bound them with a newe oath to the keeping of Gods
of sacrifice taken in a large sense with this word did they qualifie the christian service their prayers their Sacraments their Almes How farre safer had it beene to keep them in their owne proprietie and to teach them the right end of the old sacrifices that is their end in my cone only Sacrifice I had also appointed for a sacrameÌ„t of this one sa crifice of my flesh crucisied and of my blood shed for you That bread which you break 〈◊〉 Cor. 10 〈◊〉 16. the CoÌ„munioÌ„ of my body that cup which you blesse the Communion of my blood The reall communication in summe of all the blessings and benesittes that redound vnto you by this sacrifice And in as much as their devotion did wax cold instead of making my people participate of them they haue thought it enough onely to she we them vnto them they haue also taken my cup from them But I say vnto you that From the beginning it was not so Do but read the Apostle Without sheading of blood is no remission of sinne Heb 9. v. 22. And wilt thou therefore for the remission of thy sinnes take vnto thy selfe the place of the Iewes wilt thou once againe shedde my blood Read on further that which hee rehearseth vnto thee so often Christ hath appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of him selfe V. 26. It is not then for nought that they shewe him so manie times vnto thee Againe We are sanctified by the offering of the body of IeÌ„sus Christ once made C. 10. v. â—0 With one offering hath hee consecrated vs for ever and iffoneuer V. 14. why then doe we begin againe euery day That therefore which I haue fulfilled at once effectually and perfectly doe not thou accuse it of imperfection by reiterating it doe not darken the truth nor belie the vertue therof by the friuolous repre sentations That which I haue giuen thee for a Sacrament thanksgiving of that vnspeakable benesit do not thou account it as a Sacrifice That which God hath ioined seeing I haue ioined them to wit the sacraments in my holy Supper thou man vnder what colour soeuer it be do not separate them But lastly could our Fathers then oversee so grosly These good kings Iosaphat Hezekiah Ioziaâ— those good servantes of God Hilkiah Esdras others did never make this questioÌ„ Seing they had the booke of the law and did know that therein they had the ordinaÌ„ces of God they rent their clothes beate their breastes confessed both their owne their fathers sins before the Congre gation they exhorted and by their own example brought the whole people to repentance What therefore coulde our Saviour euer leaue vs as Orphanes and his barke without a guide On the contrary hath he not left vs a lieuetenaÌ„t general a vice-God this man God on earth Else what becomes of that Tues Pe trus Pasce oves meas Thou art Peter and feed my sheepe But here our Lord wil answer thee I am that everlasting word that was made flesh for thee The on ly Emmanuell God with thee with you by my Spirit in mine holy word I am with you vntill the end of the world Maâ—th 28 As for lieuetenants I haue as many as there are good Pastors and holy dispensers of my word and Sacraments here on earth But as for Generall or Vice-God there ought none to be over my state because I am every where present I haue no need of any how much so ever the maÌ„ be limited to a certaine place or be he as quick as he wil or is able to be I haue said indeode vnto Peter one of mine Apostles and vnto one for all Thou art Peter on this Rocke wil I build my church On this Rocke that is on his coÌ„ fession for he had confessed vnto me Matth. 16 Thou art the Christ the son of the living God And therevpon haue you placed vnder an Altar at Rome the supposed Reliques of Peter and haue called them the confessioÌ„ of Peter On this pretended confession haue you built S. Peters church It was not so that this holy Apostle vnderstood it when he told vs Peâ— 2. v. â— Be yee as liuely stones made a spirituall house But vpon what truly not vpon this your coÌ„fession but vpon his owne vpon him that is that living stone reiected by me and yet the chiefe Corner-stone elect and precious in Gods eies I told him also the gates of hel should not prevaile against it and all the power of Sathan shall be found weake against it And you haue thereby gathered that it must be a temporall puissant and invincible Empire But Peter vnderstood farre better this my style language He that shall beleeue in it in this liuing Stone in mee that am the Rocke of Israel shall never be confouÌ„ded I had likewise said vnto Peter I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven Ioh. 22. whatsoever thou bindest on earth shall bee bound in heaven And I gaue them indeede vnto him vnto all his fellowes after my resurrection to wit the ministrie of reconciliation by the preaching of the Gospell And thence you haue concluded Thou art Peter Ergo the Bishop of Rome is the vniversal Bishop of the world hee shutteth and no man openeth he openeth no man shutteth Hee hath in his hands al power both temporall and spiritual he openeth heaven he shutteth hell quencheth the fire in Purgatorie he commandeth the Angels hee keepeth in awe the Divels he saveth or daÌ„neth men at his owne pleasure he giueth dispeÌ„â—ations contrary to the lawe of God and to his Gospell being not so much in the place of God as against God himselfe And yet are wee bound to beleeue that God is changed in opinion when he is altered in his But betweene these two propositions Thou art Peter The Bishop of Rome is Vice-God nay more then God What a gulfe is there to be filled And whence can it be filled but froÌ„ that bottomlesse deepe How much better did the holy Apostle vnderstand this Feed my sheepe that is with my word Feed saith he you Priests my fellowes in the Priest hood the flocke of Christ which is coÌ„mitted to your charge not as bearing rule over the inheritance of the Lord bee they of the Clergie or lay-men but so that ye may defend the flock And wheÌ„ the chiefeÌ„ shepheard shal appeare you shal receiue that incorruptible crowne of glory And not here on earth a triple crown or kingdome This therefore was the meaning of the Lord farre different from thy glosse yet Peter himself is the interpreter And therfore would he haue answered thee here as before FroÌ„ the beginning it was not so The first Bishops of Rome for the space of 300. yeares vnder the HeatheÌ„ Emperors for the most part were all Martyrs knewe neuer what this temporal iurisdiction meant As for the 400. years following vnder the
Christian Emperours they were hūble seruants they obteined frō them their grants immunities and priuiledges and helde as it were from them their chiefe authority so farre were they from once speaking of giuing thē any or making thē their feudarie vassals As for the 300. ensuing yeares they begin to embrace them to vndermine them by tricks smooth dealing defeat the one by an other do at the length set themselues in their place they seaze vpon their dwellings they put on their scarlet inuest themselue◠with their crowne set footing vpon their Empire bewitch their subiectes and with their feete they spurne at their owne persons A long time after and as it were through a long wood come in by degrees the Iubilies Indulgences Faires or Markets of sin the bankes of Pardons the Agnus Dei the hallowd graines every day some new bables or others In so much that for these 600. yeares and more the most learned flourishing yeares of the Christian church she could not looke so deepely into these mysteries as to vnderstand evē the Romish church it selfe as much Latin as she was the vertue force of these two Latin words ecce duo gladij Beholde here two swords What likeliehood is there in it Therfore he that vseth them with both his handes at this day though hee haue no other Mission no other Commission yet shal be vnto vs a Vice-God And what else can he be being he wil haue himself to be so calleth himselfe so if he be it not Thus therefore by this one word Non sic fuit ab initio from the beginning it was not so doeth our Lord here call vs backe to a reformatió of the abuses of the church in all hir partes according to his first institution according to his word And let these few pointes serue vnto vs for scantlings as one beame of the Sunne one drop of the Sea You may after the like manner run over all the rest And would to God that in good time wee had practised this rule in Christendome how many contentions schismes wars massacres cōfusions might we thē haue spared avoided of the which we are culpable and hereafter must giue account Whereas at the sighes groanes of so many greate and holy persons throughout all Christendome for so many ages togither wee haue out of pure pride only answered them with this It was impossible the church should erre shee cannot erre What conscience was there in this And had not they thē cause enought to be leeue that this was the voice of that woman in the Apocalypse I am a Queene and shall never be a widdow Say we therfore with the Prophet Wee haue departed frō thy precepts from thy iudgements Our Kings our Priests Dan. 9. v. 5 our fathers all our people let vs not stand any longer vpō our reputation or thinke to mainetaine our credit V. 7. Vnto thee belōgeth righteousnes and vnto vs open shame Vnto thee ô Lord be the glory of our repentance of our confession of our confusiō and of our shame to the edification of thy church and the salvatiō of our own souls through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Soli Deo gloria Errata PAg. 18. lin 4. for giuest read giue p. 31. l. vit for cleane r. cleare p. 42. l. 31 for connected r. converted p 52. l. 22. for see r. set p 58. l. 7. for extuberacie r. an extuberancie p. 62 l 4 for they r. then p. 67. l. 19. for vnprofitable r. vnprofitably l. 21 for to our r. and to our p. 68. l. 8. for all r. already p. 87. lin 6 for take r. tooke p. 93. l 4. for rent r. rents