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
are retained And be thou a faithfull h 2 Tim 2.15 1 Cor 9.17 dispenser of the word of God and of his holy Sacraments in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen The Lord by Ezechiel finding fault with the shepheards of Israel intimateth therein what their duety is saying i Ezech. 34.2.4 Zechar. 11.16 Woe be to the shepheards of Israel that doe feede themselues should not the shepheards feed the flockes The diseased haue ye not strengthened neither haue yee healed that which was sicke neither haue ye bound vp that which was broken neither haue yee brought againe that which was driuen away neither haue ye sought that which was lost Saint Paul testified of his diligence in the Ministery saying k Col. 1.28.29 Christ we preach warning euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus Whereunto I also labour striuing according to his working which worketh in me mightily Such as were consecrated to the Ministery receiued the gift of the Holy Ghost by the l 2. Tim. 1.6 â— Tim. 4.14 Acts 13.23 Acts 26.17.18 laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie And by the receiuing of the sayd gift of God in some measure one becommeth to be a Minister of Iesus Christ to haue some ability in diuiding the word of truth aright as also some power in the vse of the m Mat. 16 19. Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen Whereas also the Apostle sayth n Rom. 12.6.7.8 Hauing then gifis differing according to the grace that is giuen to vs whether prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of Faith or Ministery let vs waite in our Ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or hee that exhorteth on exhortation * Ministers not hauing the faculty of preaching out of the Pulpit but preaching or publishing the truth which is after godlinesse in other manner according as the Church hath orceined are to bee accounted true Ministers of Christ though they can minister but the milke of the word of God It appeareth that such of the Priesthood which haue not the gift of prophesie or preaching without booke from the memory onely or from the most part forth of the Pulpit but doe reade the holy Scriptures the common Prayer and o Inferiour Ministers may teach with the Doctrine deliuered by the superiour Ministers 2. Tim 2.2 the Homilies vnto the people instructing them also in the Catechisme of the Church and obseruing all other prescriptions enioyned to vnpreaching Ministers faithfully endeauouring also to informe the people committed to their charge as occasion is offered and requireth with the Diuine Seruice deliueries the sincere milke of the Word are to be accounted true Ministers of God and such as haue the gift of teaching or exhorting though not the greater gift of prophecying or preaching Also that such their ministration may much edifie the people both in right vnderstanding the truth which is after godlinesse and also vnto the obeying of the same by holinesse and righteousnesse in all manner of conuersation CHAP. 36. Of the Bishopricke that it is a degree aboue the Priesthood and so ordained to be by Iesus Christ THe Preface afore the Diuine Seruice for ordering of the Ministerie saith It is euident vnto all men diligently reading Holy Scripture and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there haue euer beene these orders of Ministers in Christs Church * Aug. in Psal 44.17 vt in Biblus vulgâ—tit Quid est pro pat tbus tuâ—s nâ—tisunt tibi silij Patres mâ—si sâ—nt Apostoli cro Apostolis silij nati sunt tibi constituti sunt Episcopi Hadie enim Episcâ—pt qui sunt per totum mundum vnde natisunt Ipsa Ecclesia patres illos appellat ipsa illos genuâ—t ipsa illâ—s constitu it insedibus patrum Anacletus Pontifex Martyr ep 2. ad vniuâ—rso Episcopos Italiae Cap. 2. Ipsis nempe Apost elis decedentibus in locum eorum successerunt Episcopi Et paucis interiectis Videntes autem Apostoli messem esse multam operarios paucos rogauerunt Dominum messis vt mitteret operarios in messem suam Inde clecti sunt ab tjs septuarinta duo Discipuli quorum typum gèrunt Presbyteri atque in corum locum sunt consatuti in Ecclâ—sia Bishops Priests and Deacons The Apostle Paul ordeined Timothy Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians as it is expresly deliuered in the end of the second Epistle vnto him where it is sayd The second Epistle vnto Timotheus ordeined the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians was written from Rome c. So Titus was Bishop of the Church in Creet as it is also deliuered in the end of the Epistle vnto him where it is sayd It was written to Titus ordeiued the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians from Nicopolis of Macedonia These Bishops Timothy and Titus had authority of ordaining Priests and of ruling ouer them as it is most manifest out of Saint Pauls sayings vnto them Vnto Timothy he sayd p 1. Tim. 1.3.4 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus when I went into Macedonia that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other Doctrine neither giue heed to fables and endlesse Genealogies which minister questions rather than edifying which is in faith So do What Timothy was to doe concerning such as were to be ordered Deacons Paul sayth q 1. Tim. 3.10 And let these also first bee proued then let them vse the office of a Deacon being found blamelesse Againe concerning Priests or Elders hee sayth r 1. Tim. 5.17.19.20.22 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine Against an Elder receiue not an accusation but before two or three witnesses Them that sinne rebuke before all that others also may feare Lay hands suddenly on no man Also he sayd Å¿ 2 Tim. 2.2.14 The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also Of these things put them in remembrance charging them before the Lord that they striue not about words to no profit but to the subuerting of the hearers Saint Paul vnto Titus sayth t Tit. 1.5.6 For this cause left I thee in Creet that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in euery City as I had appointed thee If any be blamelesse c. And it is written That u Heb 7.7 without all contradiction the lesse is blessed of the better As Melch sedec w Heb. 7.6 Gen. 14.19 blessing Abraham was the superiour in God So is euery Bishop his superiour in God whom he blesseth and ordereth to be a Priest They are therefore in the seruice of ordering iustly stiled Reuerend Fathers in God Moreouer a Bishop in
his consecration receiueth a greater measure of the Holy Ghost than a Priest doth in his ordering Which may appeare out of the Diuine Seruice for consecrating a Bishop where it is sayd The Archbishop and Bishops present shall lay their hands vpon the head of the elected Bishop the Archbishop saying x 2. Tim. 1.6.7 Take the Holy Ghost and remember that thou stirre vp the grace of God which is in thee by imposition of hands For God hath not giuen vs the spirite of feare but of power and loue and sobernesse For euen so Saint Paul after a peculiar manner expressed vnto Timothy Bishop of Ephesus as it is deliuered in his second Epistle vnto him CHAP. 37. Of the distinction or disparity among Bishops or of Archbishopricke IN the Preface afore the Common Prayer it is sayd For as much as nothing can almost be so plainely set forth but doubts may rise in the vse and practising of the same To appease all such diuersity if any arise and for the resolution of all doubts concerning the manner how to vnderstand doe and execute the things contained in this booke The parties that so doubt or diuersly take any thing shall alwayes resort to the Bishop of the Diocesse who by his discretion shall take order for the quieting and appeasing of the same so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in this booke And if the Bishop of the Diocesse be in doubt then he may send for the resolution thereof vnto the y 1. Pet. 5.5 Archbishop An Archbishop therefore in the seruice of consecrating is called Most Reuerend Father in God vnto whom euery Bishop consecrated to Diocesse within his Prouince professeth and promiseth by oath all due reuerence and obedience like as euery Priest doth vnto the Bishop within whose Diocesse he is Pastour Now that such an order among the Bishops is of Diuine ordinance it is euident from that the first persons named Bishops in the Primitiue Christian Church * 2. Tim. 1.6 Timothy and * Tit. 1.4.5 Titus were ordered or ordained by their superiour in God the Apostle which degree was the highest in the Christian Clergie according as Paul saith z 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath set in the Church first Apostles c. And the Apostleship is callâ—d Bishopricke where it is sayd And his a Acts 1.20 Bishopricke let another take It being therefore a Bishopricke aboue that which Timothy and Titus had properly it is named in respect thereof an Archbishopricke But some there are which say that such distinction was not by Christ or dained to continue in his Church but onely was appointed in the primitiue state thereof whiles Churches were in planting and is now long agoe quite ceased The which affirmation is no where deliuered in Holy Scripture nor intimated neither from any sentence therein can be truly concluded But the direct contrary Doctrine is deliuered by Saint Paul to the Ephesians and that in most expresse manner Let Saint Pauls whole deliuery or the most part thereof hereto bee vnpartially considered His words are b Ephes 4.7.8.11.12.13 14.15 Vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he sayth When he ascended vp on high he led captiuity captiue and gaue gifts vnto men And hee gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastours and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the vnity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with euery winde of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in waite to deceiue but speaking the truth in loue may grow vp into him in all things which is the head euen Christ c. The which deliuery of the Apostle declareth most plainely that Christ gaue such different and distinct measures of grace vnto his Church not for a worke then onely necessary but now also needfull viz. For the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Also he gaue the sayd measures of grace to continue not onely during the first age of the Primitiue Church but till we all come in the vnity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ And the cause or ende of Christs such giuing doth continually concerne his Church Namely That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with euery wind of doctrine by the â—light of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they â—ye in waite to deceiue but speaking the truth in loue may grow vp into him in all things which is the head euen Christ Moreouer Christ doth not giue lesse measure of grace to his Church in these times than in former times Isaiah sayth c Isa 59.1 The Lords hand is not shortned And the Lord himselfe sayd Loe d Math. 28. â—0 I am with you alway euen vnto the end of the world Furthermore let be considered what the Apostolicall worke was and the Archiepiscopall now will appeare to be the same in substance Timothy had for his Diocesse but the Church of the Ephesians and Titus the Church of the Cretians but Paul had for his Prouince or charge the care of all the Churches of the f Gâ—l 2 7.8 Gentiles Paul preached the Gospell he Baptised he g 2. Tim. 1.6.7 1. Tim. 1.3 Tit. 1.5 consecrated Bishops h Acts 14.23 with Tit. 1.5 1. Pet. 5.1.2.3 4. Acts 20.17.28 he ordered Priests and instituted them to e 2. Cor 11.28 be Pastours he Bishopped or k Act. 19.6 with Acts 8 17. confirmed beleeuers he m 1. Tim. 1.20 excommunicated he sate in n Acts 15.12 councell about Church matters c. And euen as the Tabernacle of God was all one as concerning the substance and spirituall vse thereof when it was o 1. Kin. 8.6.13 seated in Solomons Temple as it was when it remoued from place to place so the supreme p Eph 4.7 8.11 with 1. Cor. 12 28. grace and gift of Christ to his Church the Apostolicall gift or grace was all one for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ when it is setled in a country as it was when the q 2. Cor. 4.7 vessell which beared it remoued from country to country as he had commission thereto from the Spirit of the Lord. Also there is not expresse mention that euery Apostle trauailed from country to country whom Christ ordained or gaue to his Church Did not Saint Iames r
the great indignation and curse of God against them in this life and the terrible wrath and judgement of our Saviour Christ at the great day of the last judgement when he shall justly judge both the quicke and the dead according to their workes For whosoever forsaketh the truth for love or displeasure of any man or for lucre and profit to himselfe doth forsake Christ and with Iudas betray him And although such perjured mens falshood be now kept secret yet it shall be opened at the last day when the secrets of all mens hearts shall be manifest to all the world And then the truth shall appeare and accuse them and their owne conscience with all the blessed company of heaven shall beare witnesse truely against them And Christ the righteous Iudge shall then justly condemne them to everlasting shame and death As in a great part of the booke intituled God and the King we may find much divine instruction concerning taking a lawful oath so where there is delivered the nature of an oath in generall it is much remarkeable It is * there said An oath is a most sacred bond and with a secret terrour imprinted by the immediate singer of God in the taking thereof doth so straitly oblige the inmost soule and conscience that although many men bee obdurate unto other grievous sinnes yet they will be tender and sensible of the violation of an oath Very often saith Saint Augustine men provoke their wives whom they suspect to bee adulterous to cleere themselves by an oath which they would not doe unlesse they did beleve that those which feare not adultery may feare perjurie For indeed saith hee some unchast women which have not feared to deceive their husbands by wantonnesse have beene afraid to use God unto them as a witnesse of their chastitie When one layeth his hands upon the Gospell booke and signifieth that according as he testifieth the truth so he expecteth and desireth helpe from God and the contents of that booke he sweareth by or taketh for witnesse the everlasting word of the Lord Iesus Christ in praying for benefit by that word according as then hee beareth witnesse unto the truth To sweare therefore by the everlasting word of God is an high oath For David saith Thou hast magnified thy word n Psal 138.2 above all thy name CHAP. 74. Of Honouring the Ministery IN the Preface afore the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons it is said That from the Apostles time there hath beene these orders of Ministers in Christs Church which officers were evermore in p. 18. had in such reverent estimation that no man by his owne private authority might presume to execute any of them except he were first called c. In the rubricke afore the Service for the ordering of Deacons it is said First when the day appointed by the Bishop is come there shall be an exhortation declaring the duty and office of such as come to be admitted Ministers how necessarie such orders are in the Church of Christ and also how the people ought to esteeme them in their vocation Saint Paul said to the Thessalonians Wee beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteeme them very o 1 Thes 5.12 13. highly in love for their workes sake And unto Timothy he saith Let the Elders that rulewell be counted worthy of p 1 Tim. 5.17 double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine And unto the Corinthians hee saith Let a man so q 1 Cor. 4.1.2 account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithfull Iesus the sonne of Syrach saith Feare the Lord with all thy soule and r Eccsus 7.29 30 31. reverence his Priests Love him that made thee with all thy strength and forsake not his Ministers Feare the Lord and honour the Priest and give him his portion as it is commanded thee c. The Lord saith in his Law Take heed to thy selfe that thou Å¿ Deut. 12.9 forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Saint Paul saith to the Galathians Let him that is taught in the Word t Gal. 6.6 communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things And unto Timothy he saith The labourer is u 1 Tim. 5.17 18. worthy of his reward To the Corinthians he saith The Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should w 1 Cor. 9.14 live of the Gospell It is written that Melchisedek having ministred to Abraham bread and wine and having blessed him Abraham gave him x Gen. 14.20 Tithes of all It is recorded of certaine women whom Iesus had healed of evill spirits and infirmities Mary Magdalen and Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods Steward and Susanna and many others to have ministred unto Christ of their y Luk. 8.2 3. substance It is also written that when people went to a man of God for to receive information they caried some z 1 Sam. 9.7 8. 1 Kings 14.3 2 Kings 8.8 present with them as a token of due thankfulnesse The Ministers of Almighty God are to be a Heb. 13.17 Deut. 17.12 obeyed to bee b Hag. 2.11 Mal. 2.7 consulted with diligently to bee c Neh. 8.3 Acts 10.33 Ecclus. 8.8 9. Psal 84.10 and 121.1 heard when they teach to be credited People may not d Hos 4.4 strive with them but ought so much as they may to e 1 Cor. 16.11 preserve them from being despised and from being put in feare Also the blessing with which the Priests of God doe f Num. 6.23.24 25 26 27. Ezech. 44.30 blesse people is much to be regarded CHAP. 75. Of using the Perambulation of the Circuit of the Parish called going a Procession IN the * T. 2. p. 234. Homily an exhortation to bee spoken to such Parishes where they use their Perambulation in Rogation weeke for the oversight of the bounds and limits of their Towne it is said Although we be now assembled together good Christian people most principally to laud and thanke Almighty God for his great benefits by beholding the fields replenished with all manner of fruit to the maintenance of our corporall necessities for our food and sustenance and partly also to make our humble suits in prayers to his fatherly providence to conserve the same fruits in sending us seasonable weather whereby we may gather in the said fruits to that end for which his fatherly goodnesse hath provided them yet have we occasion secondarily given us in our walkes on those dayes to consider the old ancient bounds limits belonging to our Township and to other our neighbours bordering about us to the intent that wee should be content with our owne and not contentiously strive for others to the breach of charity by any incroching
ye seeke a proofe of Christ speaking in me He also inwardly instructeth his people as it is testified of Lydia That the Lord Å¿ Acts 16.14 opened her heart that she attended vnto the things which were spoken by Paul Also he is the foreceller of things to come as it is written t Reuel 1.1 The Reuelation of Iesus Christ which God gaue vnto him to shew vnto his seruants things which must shortly come to passe u Heb. 1.1 God saith the Apostle to the Hebrews who at sundry times and in diuerse manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken vnto vs by his Sonne who hath sayd w Heb 2.12 I will declare thy name vnto my brethren CHAP. 29. Of Christs Kingdome IN the third part of the * Tom. 2 p. 227. Homily for Rogation weeke it is sayd To Iesus Christ our Sauiour and Mediatour hath God the Father giuen the power of heauen and earth and the whole iurisdiction and authority to distribute his goods and gifts committed vnto him For so writeth the Apostle x Ephes 4.7 To euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of Christs giuing And thereupon to execute his authority committed after that he had brought sinne and the diuell to captiuity to be no more hurtfull to his members he ascended vp to his Father againe and from thence sent liberall gifts to his well beloued seruants and hath still the power to the worlds end for to distribute his Fathers gifts continually in his Church to the establishment and comfort thereof In the first part of the * Tom. 1â— 54 Homily concerning falling from God it is sayd Whereas God hath shewed to all them that truly beleeue his Gospel his face of mercy in Iesus Christ which doth so lighten their hearts that they if they behold it as they ought to doe be transformed to his image be made partakers of the heauenly light and of his Holy Spirit and be fashioned to him in all goodnesse requisite to the children of God So if they after doe neglect the same if they be vnthankefull vnto him if they order not their liues according to his example and doctrine and to the setting forth of his glory he will take away from them his Kingdome his Holy Word whereby he should reigne in them because they bring not forth the fruite thereof that he looketh for Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes y Rom 5.20.21 The law entred that the offence might abound but where sinne abounded grace did much more abound That as sinne hath reigned vnto death euen so might grace reigne through righteousnesse vnto eternall life by Iesus Christ our Lord. z Math. 28.18 All power sayth Christ is giuen to me both in heauen and in earth Concerning his Kingdome Isaiah thus writeth a Isa 9.6.7 Vnto vs a childe is borne vnto vs a Sonne is giuen and the gouernment shall be vpon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderfull Counseller the mighty God the euerlasting Father the Prince of peace of the increase of his gouernement and peace there shall bee no ende vpon the Throne of Dauid and vpon his Kingdome to order it and to establish it with iudgement and with iustice from hencefoorth euen for euer b Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God saith Paul is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the Holy Ghost c Luk. 17.20.21 The Kingdome of God saith Iesus Christ commeth not with obseruation neither shall they say Loe here or Loe there for behold the Kingdome of God is within you d Psal 145.13 Thy Kingdome saith Dauid is an * Or a kingdome of all ages as in the Margent euerlasting Kingdome and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations Christ must e 1. Cor. 15.24.25 reigne saith Paul till he hath put all his enemies vnder his feete Then commeth the end when he shall haue deliuered vp the Kingdome to God euen the Father when he shall haue put downe all rule and all authority and power CHAP. 30. Of Christs mediation for his people and of the reconciliation IN the third part of the * Tom. 2. p. 228 Homily for Rogation weeke it is said God the Father of all mercy wrought the high benefit vnto vs of reconciliation not by his owne person but by a meane by no lesse meane than his onely beloued Sonne whom he spared not from any paine and trauaile that might doe vs good And in the said part of the * Page 228. Homily it is further deliuered That as by him being the euerlasting Wisedome he wrought all the world and that is contained therein so by him onely and wholy would he haue all things restored againe in heauen and in earth In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 118. Homily concerning Prayer it is sayd Whereas we must needes vse the helpe of some mediatour and intercessour let vs content our selues with him that is the true and only f Heb. 9.15 Mediatour of the new Testament namely the Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ For as Saint Iohn sayth g 1. Ioh 2.1.2 If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous who is the propitiation for our sinnes And Saint Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy sayth h 1 Tim. 2.5.6 There is one God and one Mediatour betweene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men to be a testimony in due time The Prophet Isaiah declaring the state of man fallen saith i Isa 59.2 Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Saint Paul sheweth the Saints of Ephesus what Christs mediation had wrought for them saying k Eph. 2.13.14.15.16 But now in Christ Iesus Yee who sometimes were farre off are made nigh by the bloud of Christ For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs hauing abolished in his flesh the enmity euen the law of commandements conteined in ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace Likewise he sayth to the Saints of Colosse l Colos 1.18 19.20 21.22.23 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell And hauing made peace through the bloud of his crosse by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe by him I say whether they bee things in earth or things in heauen And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and vnblameable and vnreproueable in his sight If yee continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c. And for as much as Christ is for his people an
Christ For it is written As I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bow to me and euery tongue shall confesse vnto God So then euery one of vs shall giue account of himselfe to God And to the Saints of Corinth he said c 2 Cor. 5.10 11. Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery one may receiue the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord wee perswade men And vnto Timothy Saint Paul said d 2. Tim. 4.1 I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his kingdome c. Himselfe hath also said The Sonne of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall he e Mat. 16.27 reward euery man according to his workes Againe f Mat. 25.31 32.33.40 When the Sonne of man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate them one from another as a Shepheard diuideth the Sheepe from the Goates and he shall set the Sheepe on his right hand but the Goates on the left c. And these shall goe away into euerlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Saint Paul saith to the Thessalonians g 2 Thâ— 1.7.8.9 The Lord Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ who shall be punished with euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Wherefore sayth Saint Peter h 1 Pet. 1.17 If yee call on the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your soiourning here with feare And sayth the Apostle to the Hebrewes i Heb. 1228.29 wherefore we receiuing a kingdome which cannot bee moued let vs haue grace whereby we may serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare For our God is a consuming fire The which Apostle also sayd k Heb. 10.30.31 The Lord shall iudge his people And it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God CHAP. 32. Of the Church of Christ IN the Nicene Creed we are taught to beleeue and confesse one Catholicke and Apostolike Church In the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 213 Homily for Whitsunday the Church of Christ is thus described The true Church is an vniuersall congregation or fellowship of Gods faithfull and elect people l Eph. 2.20 built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone And it hath alwayes three notes or markes whereby it is knowne Pure and sound doctrine The Sacraments ministred according to Christs holy institution and the right vse of Ecclesiasticall discipline This description of the Church is agreeable both to the Scriptures of God and also to the doctrine of the ancient Fathers so that none may iustly finde fault therewith Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes concerning the mysticall vnion of the Church m Rom. 12.4 5. As we haue many members in one body and all members haue not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one members one of another And to the Corinthians he sayth n 1. Cor. 12.12 As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ That they are faithfull people or true beleeuers in Iesus Christ it appeareth in that they are called the o Gal 6.10 houshold of faith Also they are faithfull vnto God as it may appeare out of Saint Pauls words to the Ephesians saying Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the p Eph. 1.1 faithfull in Iesus Christ Likewise to the Collossians hee sayth To the Saints and q Col. 1.2 faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse They are also faithfull each to other and faithfull towards all people as it is sayd vnto seruants concerning maisters Let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather doe them seruice because they are r 1. Tim 6.2 faithfull c. Siluanus a member of the Church of Christ is sayd to be a Å¿ 1. Pet. 5.12 faithfull brother vnto those to whom Saint Peter wrote So Saint Iohn testified of Gaius saying Beloued thou doest t 3. Iohn 5. faithfully whatsoeuer thou doest to the brethren and vnto straungers So Saint Peter shewing the dealing of the true members of Christ and how they to whom he wrote were to behaue themselues among the vnbeleeuers sayth u 1. Pet. 2.12 Hauing your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speake against you as euill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation So Saint Paul to the Thessalonians prescribeth w 1 Thes 5.15 Euer follow that which is good both among your selues and to all men They are also elected of God as Saint Peter sayth x â— Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father through sanctification of the Spirite vnto obedience and sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ Likewise Saint Paul to the Thessalonians signifieth saying y 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and beleefe of the truth And to the Ephesians he sayth z Eph. 1.4 He hath chosen vs in him from before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue The Church also professeth pure and sound doctrine as Christ signifieth saying a Ioh. 10.27 My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Againe b Ioh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Saint Iohn sayth c 1 Ioh. 4.6 He that knoweth God heareth vs. Saint Luke recordeth of the Christians d Acts 2.42 That they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers St. Paul sayth to Timothy e 1 Tim 3 15. That the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God is the pillar and ground of the truth Moreouer the Church of Christ hath the Sacraments ministred according to his holy institution as the Church of Corinth receiued f 1 Cor. 1.14.16 Baptisme and celebrated the g 1 Cor. 11.2.20 Lords Supper In the Acts of the Apostles it is sundry times mentioned that when any beleeued they were h Acts 8.12 Baptized Also it is recorded that the Disciples or Baptized ones j came together to
able to make the like vnlesse by some measure of speciall illumination from Gods Holy Spirit as many vnderstanding ones do now thinke yea and affirme And if the Heauen mentioned in the Booke of the Reuelation which is commaunded or exhorted to q Acts 18.20 reioyce ouer Babylon fallen be the reformed Church of Christ as some do expound it Is it not probable that the Apostles which are there willed to reioyce with that Heauen are the Archbishops and Bishops therein and * By putting part or the chiefe for the whole or all figuratiuely the rest of the Clergie thereof And that the Prophets there willed also to reioyce are all such as then receiued a speciall enlightening from Almighty God vnto the setting forward of the reformation and among them more especially such as were composers of the aforenamed bookes of the sacred Liturgy of the Church of England CHAP. 39. Of Lordship which Archbishops and Bishops haue IT is written that Å¿ Heb. 7.1.2 Melchisedec Priest of the high God was withall King of Salem or Ierusalem Abraham was a t Gen. 20.7 Prophet and withall a man of great u Gen. 14.14 15 temporall power Moses was a w Deut. 34.10 prophet and withall the supreme x Acts 7 35. Num. 26.16.17 Gouernour of the people of Israel vnder Almighty God He is called a King Deut. 33.5 Iethro was y Exod. 3.1 Priest of Midian and according to some interpretation he was z Exod. 2.16 in the Margent Sicautem Caldaeus Paraphrastes vertit viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Midian Eli was Priest and also a 1. Sam. 4.18 Iudge ouer Israel Samuel was a b Acts 13.20 Prophet and also c 1 Sam. 7.6 Iudge ouer Israel Dauid was a d Mat 27 35. Prophet and King also Solomon was a e Eccles 1.1 Preacher and a King also Simon was f Ecclus. 50.1 high Priest and g 1. Mac. 13.42 1. Mac. 14.47 Captaine and Gouernour of the Priests and Iewes and defender of them all If then some of the Ministery haue bin the supreme Gouernours in Nations may they not now be Gouernours if the Royall Maiestie so ordaine them Saint Iude calleth those persons h Iude 18. filthy dreamers which doe despise dominion and speake euill of dignities CHAP. 24. Of the Liturgie or Diuine Seruice of the Church in generall IN the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 6. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church the publike Seruice of the Lord is sayd to be The teaching and hearing of his Holy Word the calling vpon his holy Name the giuing thankes vnto him for his great and innumerable benefits and the due ministring of the Sacraments In the * T. 2. p. 138. Homily of Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd That Basilius Magnus and Iohannes Chrysostomus did in their time prescribe publike orders of publike administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appointed the people to answere vnto the prayer of the Minister sometime Amen sometime Lord haue mercy vpon vs sometime And with thy Spirit and We haue our hearts lifted vp vnto the Lord c. In the same * To. 2. p. 134. Homily it is also sayd By the histories of the Bible it appeareth that publike and common Prayer is most auaileable before God and therefore is much to be lamented that it is no better * Euen shortly after that the Diuine Seruice was set foorth the Diuell wrought in many people a more and more neglecting of it esteemed among vs which professe to be but one body in Christ It is said in the Preface before the Common Prayer That the first original and ground of the diuine Seruice of a man would search out by the ancient Fathers he shall finde that the same was not ordained but of a good purpose and for a great aduancement of godlinesse c. Saint Paul sayd vnto Timothy i 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Moses from the Lord prescribed vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes a forme of blessing the people saying k Num. 6.23.24.25.26 On this wise yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe the The Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace It is very considerable hereto that which is written of King Hezekiah in the booke of Chronicles That he and the Princes commanded the Leuites to sing praise vnto the Lord l 2. Chro. 29.30 with the words of Dauid and of * With the wordes also which Asaph deliuered which were as a Forme of praise or of praising God Asaph the Seer My sonne sayth m Pro. 1.8.9 Solomon heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother For they shall be an ornament of grace vnto thine head and chaines about thy necke Solomon repeateth this precept of God to the ende wee may take it all vnto heart as a matter most greatly concerning vs. n Pro 6.21 22.23 My sonne keepe thy Fathers commandement and forsake not the law of thy Mother Binde them continually vpon thine heart and tye them about thy necke For the commandement is a Lampe and the law is light o Haeresi septua gesima qâ—inta contra Aâ—â—â—um de quâ—busâ—am traditionibus loquens Ecclesia inquit necessariò hoc persâ—eâ—â— traditione à patribus accepta Quis autem poterit statutum nâ—atâ—â—s dissoluâ—re aut legem patris velut Solomon dicit Audi fili sermonem patris tui ne repud es statuta matris tuae ostendens per hoc quòd in scriptis sine scripto dacuit pater hoc est Deus vnigenâ—tus spiritus sancius Mater autem nosira Ecclesia babet statuta in se posita indissolâ—â—bil a quae dâ—solui non possunt Epiphanius an ancient holy Father vnderstandeth by the word mother in this Scripture to be meant the Church who hath besides the holy Scriptures the Commandement of God our Father a distinct law teaching or instruction the which all her members are bound to obserue most diligently by vertue of this charge thereto giuen by God through the ministery of Solomon The Christian Church is our mother if God bee our Father as it is written Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the p Gal. 4.26 mother of vs all God ordinarily begetteth none without his Church but in the q Psal 110.3 wombe of his Church they are conceiued thence they come to the r Isa 66.8.9 birth they Å¿ Isa 66.11.12
and 15.20 21. Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron tooke a Timbrell in her hand and all the women went out after her with Timbrels and with daunces And Miriam answered them Sing yee to the Lord c. Singing the same song as did Moses and the Children of Israel And Saint Iohn in the Revelation foretelling the actions of Christs Church to come to passe saith q Rev. 15.2 3. I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the Harpes of God And they sung the song of Moses c. see Revel 14 2 3 4 5. and 5.8 and 1 Cor. 14.7.26 and from thence and other Scriptures it is manifest that Christian people have used musicke in praising the name of the Lord and there is not in the whole Bible any manner of mention concerning abolishing of the same CHAP. 46. Of the publike reading of the holy Scriptures as also the Homilies and of making an Exhortation in publike IN the Preface afore the Common prayer it is said The ancient fathers for a great advancement of godlinesse so ordered the matter that all the whole Bible or the greatest part thereof should be read over once every yeare intending thereby that the Clergy and especially such as were Ministers of the Congregation should by often reading and meditation of Gods Word be stirred up to godlinesse themselves and be more able to exhort others by wholesome doctrine and to confute them that were adversaries to the truth And further that the people by dayly hearing of holy Scripture read in the Church should continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God and be the more inflamed with the love of his true religion What care hereto our fathers have had may appeare out of the sacred Kalender and out of the order how the Psalter is appointed to be read and out of the order how the rest of the holy Scripture beside the Psalter is appointed to be read all which are set before the Common prayer It is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles that at Antioch in Pisidia in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day there was the Å¿ Act. 13.15 reading of the Law and the Prophets In another place it is said Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being t Act. 15. â—1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Saint Paul saith to the Colossians When this Epistle is read amongst you cause that it be u Col. 4.16 read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Of reading the Homilies Concerning reading the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the publike authoritie of the Church in the Preface published afore them it is said Considering how necessary it is that the Word of God which is the onely food of the soule and that most excellent light that we must walke by in this our most dangerous pilgrimage at all convenient times be preached unto the people that thereby they may both learne their duty towards God their Prince and their neighbours according to the minde of the Holy Ghost expressed in the Scriptures and also to avoide the manifold enormities which heretofore by false doctrine have crept into the Church of God and how that all they which are appointed Ministers have not the gift of preaching sufficiently to instruct the people which is committed unto them whereof great inconveniences might rise and ignorance still be maintained if some honest remedy be not speedily found and provided The Queenes most excellent Majestie tendering the sole health of her loving subjects the quieting of their coÌ„sciences in the chiefe principall points of Christian religion and willing also by the true setting forth and pure declaring of Gods Word which is the principal guide leader runto all godlines and vertue to expell drive away as well all corrupt vicious and ungodly living as also erroneous and poysoned doctrines tending to superstition and Idolatry hath by the advise of her most honourable Counsellors for her discharge in this behalfe caused a booke of Homilies which heretofore was set forth by her most loving brother a Prince of most worthy memorie Edward the sixt to bee printed anew wherein are contained certaine wholesome and godly exhortations to move the people to honour and worship Almighty God and diligently to serve him every one according to their degree state vocation And in the latter part of the Preface it is said That all her people of what degree or condition soever they be may learne how to invocate and call upon the name of God and know what duty they owe both to God and man so that they may pray beleeve and worke according to knowledge while they shall live here and after this life bee with him that with his blood hath bought us all And at the end of the first Tome of the Homilies it is said concerning the Homilies of the second Tome Hereafter shall follow sermons of fasting praying almesdeeds c. with many other matters as well fruitfull as necèssarie to the edifying of Christian people and the increase of godly living From al which aforesaid delivery it is most manifest that the one only end why the reverend Fathers and the most learned Doctors of the Church composed the sermons commonly called Homilies was for the edification of the congregations in holinesse and righteousnesse and for a helpe unto Ministers that with the said sacred sermons the people committed to their charge might be the more instructed in the faith and life of the true Christian religion As therefore we have received from our fathers the CommoÌ„ prayer as a forme of prayer thanksgiving and confession so ought wee not to receive from our fathers hands their booke of Sermons the Homilies as a forme of wholesome words in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Saint Paul charged Timothy to hold fast the w 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.17 forme of sound words which he had heard of him in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Let any one unpartially weigh every particular sentence in the booke of Homilies and there will appeare nothing but Christian faith and godly love intended and held forth therein Moreover ought wee reverently to heare the Sermons of such as bee but young Students in Divinity and ought we not with great reverence to attend unto the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the chiefest Divines in the whole Church of our Land We ought not to be partiall towards the established Doctrine of our Church We commonly ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her Common prayer profitable for us to pray with unto Almighty God We ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her translation of the
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
2.13.14.15 Governours as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evill doers and for the praise of them that do well For so is the will of God that with well doing yee may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Saint Paul exhorteth Timothy that first all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men For Kings and for Å¿ 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 all that are in authority that wee may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty The Apostle saith to the Hebrewes t Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you The Lord hath commanded his people by Moses saying If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgement between blood and blood betweene plea and plea and between stroke and stroke betweene matters of controversie within thy gates Then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose And thou shalt come unto the Priests the Levites and unto the u Deut. 17.8 c. Iudge that shall be in those dayes and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgement And thou shalt doe according to the sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall choose shall shew thee and thou shalt observe to doe according to all that they enforme thee c. In the Book of Ioshua there is recorded an example of profession of obedience where the people answered Ioshua saying w Ios 1.17.18 All that thou commandest us wee will doe and whithersoever thou sendest us wee will goe According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things so will wee hearken unto thee only the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses Whosoever he be that doth rebell against thy commandement and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him hee shall bee put to death onely bee strong and of a good courage That which is afterward mentioned concerning the obedience of the Reubenites Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasseh is written for all professed Christians to marke for an example the which Ioshua spake and said unto them Yee have keept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in * Ios 22.1.2 all that I commanded you Salomons saying is hereto considerable I counsell thee to keepe the y Eccles. 8.1 Kings commandement and that in regard of the oath of God Yea for to maintaine peace and to avoide giving of any the least offence to such as are in office it is the duty of Christians to condiscend unto the performance of any indifferent matter though there be no expresse Law or statute requiring the same And this may appeare to bee a subjects duty from the precept of Christ who knowing that tribute was there properly to be paid by strangers and that the Children were free notwithstanding saith hee lest wee should z Mat. 17.24 25 26 27. offend them pay thou for mee and for thine owne selfe CHAP. 72. Of Magistrates duties in generall IN the Prayer for the whole estate of Christs Church militant here in earth the dutie of Magistrates is signified where it is said And grant unto his whole Counsell and to all that be put in Authoritie under him that they may truly and indifferently minister Iustice to the punishment of wickednesse and vice and to the maintenance of Gods true religion and vertue Likewise in the Letany where it is said That it may please thee to blesse and keepe the Magistrates giving them grace to execute justice and to maintaine truth In the second part of the * T. 1. p. 44 45. Homily of Charity it is said As every loving father correcteth his naturall sonne when he doth amisse or else hee loveth him not So all governours of Realmes Countries Townes and Houses should lovingly correct them which be offenders under their governance and cherish them which live innoceÌ„tly if they have any respect either unto God or their office or love unto them of whom they have governance And such rebukes and punishments of them that offend must be done in due time lest by delay the offenders fall headlong into all manner of mischiefe and not onely bee evill themselves but also doe hurt unto many men drawing other by their evill example to sinne and outrage after them As one Theefe may both robbe many men and also make many Theeves and one seditious person may allure many and annoy a whole Towne or Countrey And such evill persons that be so great offenders to God and the Common-weale charity requireth to bee cut from the body of the Common-weale lest they corrupt other good and honest persons like as a good Surgion cutteth away a rotten and festered member for love hee hath to the whole body lest it infect other members adioyning to it In the * T. 2. p. 254 255. Homily against idlenesse it is said God of his mercy put it into the hearts and mindes of all them that have the sword of punishment in their hands or have families under their governance to labour for to redresse this great enormitie of all such as love idlely and vnprofitably in the Common-weale to the great dishonour of God and the grievous plague of his silly people To leave siâ—â—e unpunished and to neglect the good bringing vp of youth is nothing else but to kindle the Lords wrath against us and to heape plagues upon our owne heads Let all Officers therefore looke straitly to their Charge Let none maintain vagabonds idle persons but deliver the Realme and their housholds from such noysome loyterers that idlenesse the mother of all mischiefe being cleane taken away Almighty God may turne his dreadfull anger away from us and confirme the covenant of peace upon us for ever a Exod. 18.21 Iethro signified to Moses of what affection Governours should be saying Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as feare God men of truth bating covetousnesse c. So King Iehoshaphat in saying to the Iudges b 2 Chron. 19.6 7 11. Take heed what you doe for yee judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement wherefore now let the feare of the Lord bee upon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts Deale couragiously and the Lord shall bee with the good The Prophet David saith c Ps 82.1 2 3 4 6 7. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty hee judgeth among the gods How long will ye judge unjustly and accept the persons of the wicked Defend the poore and fatherlesse doe justice to the afflicted and needy deliver the poore and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked I have said Yee are gods and all of you are the Children of the most High but ye shall dye like men
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
unarmed in this behalfe he must needs be in continuall danger of that cruell adversary the roaring Lyon against whom the Apostle Peter warneth us to prepare our selves in continuall Å¿ 1 Pet. 5.8 9. sobriety that we may resist being stedfast in faith To the intent therefore that this sobernesse may be used in all our behaviour it shall be expedient for us to declare unto you how much all kinde of t Ephes 5.18 excesse offendeth the Majestie of Almighty God and how grievously he punisheth the immoderate abuse of those his creatures which he ordaineth to the maintenance of this our needy life as meats drinks and apparell In the * T. 2. p. 108. Homily against the excesse of apparell it is said It is not the goodlinesse of apparell nor the excellency of beauty nor the abundance of gold that maketh a woman to be esteemed but u Prov. 31.30 1 Tim. 2.9.10 modestie and diligence to live honestly in all things In the third part of * T. 2. p. 271. Homily of Repentance it is said The true parts and tokens of repentance are an hearty w Ps 51.17 contrition and sorrowfulnesse of our hearts unfained x Ps 32.5 confession in word of mouth for our unworthy living before God a stedfast y Rom. 3.24.25.26 faith to the merits of our Saviour Christ for pardon and a purpose of our selves by Gods grace to z Isa 55.7 renounce our former wicked life and a full a Ezech. 18.21 conversion to God in a b Ioh. 15.8 new life to glorifie his name and to live c Col. 2.5 orderly and charitably to the comfort of our neighbour in all d Eph. 5.9.10 righteousnesse and to live soberly and modestly to our selves by using abstinence and e 1 Cor. 9 25. temperance in word and deed in f Col. 3.5 mortifying our earthly members here upon earth Saint Paul unto Timothy signifying with what conditions a Minister of the Church is to bee endued mentioneth modesty among the rest saying He must be blamelesse the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behaviour or * 1 Tim. 3.2 as in the margent modest given to hospitality apt to teach c. The Apostle commandeth women to adorne themselves in g 1 Tim. 2.9 modest apparell Also he teacheth that aged men bee h Tit. 2.2.3 sober grave temperate sound in faith in charity in pacience The aged women likewise that they bee in behaviour as becommeth holinesse not false accusers not given to much wine teachers of good things That they may teach the yong women to be i Tit. 2 3.4 sober to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chast keepers at home good obedient to their owne husbands that the word of God bee not blasphemed Young men exhort likewise to be sober minded The instruction in Ecclesiasticus is memorable k Eccius 32.7.8.6 Speake young man if there bee need of thee and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked Let thy speech bee short comprehending much in few words bee as one that knoweth and yet holdeth his tongue If thou be among great men make not thy selfe equall with them and when l Ecclus. 7.14 ancient men are in place use not many words Of Patience IN the Collect for Saint Iohn Baptists day it is said Make us so to follow his Doctrine and holy life that we may truly m Luk. 3.3 4 5 6. repent according to his Preaching and after his example constantly n Mat. 10.32 Phil. 2.16 speake the truth boldly o Lev. 19.17 rebuke vice and patiently p Mat. 5.10.11.12 Iam. 1.2.3.4 1 Pet. 3.14 suffer for the truths sake In the first * T. 2. p 178. Homily of the Passion it is said Let us therefore now open our harts againe to Iesus Christ study in our lives to bee thankefull to such a Lord and evermore to bee mindfull of so great a benefit yea let us take up our q Mat 10.38 crosse with Christ and follow him His Passion is not onely the r 1 Tim 2.6 ransome and whole amends for our sinne but it is also a most perfect s Heb 12.1 2 3 4. example of all patience and sufferance For it behooved Christ thus to t Luk. 24.46 suffer and to enter into the glory of his Father Why should it not become us to beare patiently our small crosses of adversity and the troubles of this world For surely as saith Saint Peter Christ therefore suffered to leave us an u 1 Pet. 2.21 example to follow his steps And if we w 2. Tim. 2.11.12 suffer with him we shall be sure also to reigne with him in heaven Not that the x Rom. 8.18 sufferance of this transitory life should be worthy of that glory to come but gladly should we be contented to suffer to be y Rom. 8.29 1 Ioh. 2.6 like Christ in our life that so by our z Mat. 5.16 workes we may glorifie our Father which is in heaven And as it is painefull and grievous to beare the Crosse of Christ in the griefes and displeasures of this life so it a Heb. 12.11 bringeth forth the joyfull fruit of b Rom. 5.3.4.5 hope in all them that bee exercised therewith Let us not so much behold the paine as the c Heb. 11.26.27 reward that shall follow that labour Nay let us rather endeavour our selves in our sufferance to endure innocently and guiltlesse as our Saviour Chirst did Perfect patience careth not what nor how much it suffereth nor of whom it suffereth whether of friend or foe but studieth to suffer d 1. Pet. 2.19 and 3.14 innocently and without deserving Yea he in whom e Mat 5.48 perfect Charity is careth so little to revenge that he rather studieth to doe good for evill to blesse and say well of them that curse him to pray for them that pursue him according to the example of our Saviour Christ who is the most perfect example and patterne of all meekenesse and sufferance Saint Iames saith My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh f Iam. 1.2.3 patience but let patience have her perfect worke that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing Saint Paul to the Thessalonians saith Be g 1 Thes 5.14 patient toward all men And againe Saint Iames saith Bee h Iam. 5.7.8.9.10.11 patient therefore brethren unto the comming of the Lord Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill hee receive the early and latter raine Bee ye also patient stablish your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an ensample of suffering affliction and of patience Behold wee count them happy which
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
of the Lord Iesus Christ should onely live walke dwell rule and raigne Saint Paul unto Timothy signifieth that people till they bee penitent for their sinfull life and doe bring forth fruits meet for repentance are in the snare of the n 2 Tim. 2.26 Devill taken captive of him at his will Saint Iohn foretold how that o Rev. 20.2 7 8 9. Satan should bee bound a thousand yeares and after that he must bee loosed a little season when the thousand yeares were expired Satan should be loosed out of prison and should goe out to deceive the Nations which are in the foure quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battell the number of whom is as the sand of the sea And that they would goe up on the breadth of the earth and compasse the campe of the Saints about and the beloved City but fire should come downe from God out of heaven and devoure them Saint Paul likewise foreknowing how that in the time when Satan was let loose out of the prison wherein hee had beene bound a thousand yeeres p Mat. 24.12 iniquity would abound and the love of many would waxe cold foretelleth what sinnes would raigne then yea in the professours of the name of Christianity saying This know also that in the q 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. last dayes perillous times shall come For men will be lovers of their owne selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God having a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof How mighty soever the Devill is and that he is like a roaring Lyon yet if the obedient people of God doe resist him Saint Iames saith that he will r Iam. 4.7 flee from them Saint Iohn saith He that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe and that ſ 1 Ioh. 5.18 wicked one toucheth him not Such as doe t Iam. 4.8 9 10. draw nigh unto God cleansing their hands and purifying their hearts submitting themselves unto God humbling themselves in the sight of the Lord unto such as Iames saith God draweth nigh he giveth grace he lifteth them up into u Ephes 1.3 and 2.6 heavenly places in Christ Iesus Iob the obedient child of God witnessed by God himselfe to be a perfect and upright man a fearer of God and an eschewer of evill was by Gods Almighty power and wisdome w Iob 1.1 10. hedged in round about so that the Devils hand could not reach him untill for a time and with x Iob 1.12 limitation there was permission Wonderfull is the providence of God for such as y Psal 34.7 9 18. feare him and have a religious and conscionable z Psal 119.6 respect unto all his Commandements It is ever remarkably signified in the prayer towards the end of the most sacred Letany That such in whom is the sighing of a contrite heart and of a spirit sorrowfull for committing sinnes are graciously heard so that those evills which the craft and subtiltie of the Devillor man worketh against them be brought to nought and by the providence of Gods goodnesse be dispersed that the obedient servants of Christ being hurt by no persecution according as the Eternall Wisdome seeth it most requisite to dispose may evermore give thanks unto God in his holy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. CHAP. 94. Of the Seven deadly Sinnes SAint Paul a 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. reckoneth up seventeene deadly sins that among many professours of the name of Christianity would raigne in these latter times And holy Church according to the delivery of godly antiquity in the third part of the * T. 2. p. 293 294. Homily against disobedience and wilfull rebellion saith Thus you see that all good Lawes are by rebels violated and broken and that all sinnes possible to bee committed against God or man be contained in rebellion which sins if a man list to name by the accustomed names of the seven capitall or deadly sinnes as Pride Envie Wrath Covetousnesse Sloth Gluttony and Lecherie he shall find them all in rebellion and among rebells c. We are taught to pray in the sacred Letany From fornication and all other deadly sinne and from all the deceits of the world the flesh and the Devill Good Lord deliver us Of Pride IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 7. Homily of the misery of man it is said The holy Ghost in writing the holy Scriptures is in nothing more diligent than to pull down mans vaine glory and pride which of all vices is most universally grafted in all mankinde even from the first infection of our first father Adam And therefore wee read in many places of Scripture many notable Lessons against this old rooted vice to teach us the most commendable vertue of b 1 Pet. 5.5 humility how to know our selves and to remember what we be of our selves In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 52. Homily of falling from God it is said Of our going from God the wise man saith That c Ecclus. 10.12 13. Pride was the first beginning for by it mans heart was turned from God his maker For Pride saith he is the fountaine of all sin He that hath it shall be full of cursings and at the end it shall overthrow him And as by pride and sinne wee goe from God so shall God and all goodnesse with him goe from us In the * T. 2. p. 109. Homily against excesse of apparell it is said That people in hell too late repenting themselves shall openly complaine with these words d Wis 5.8.9.13 What hath our pride profited us or what profit hath the Pompe of riches brought us all these things are passed away like a shadow As for vertue wee did never shew any signe thereof and thus we are consumed in our wickednesse In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 214. Homily for Whitsunday it is said Saint Gregory saith Pride is the roote of all mischiefe And Saint Austines judgement is this that it maketh men devils And * T. 2. p. 216. afterward it is said Wheresoever ye finde the spirit of arrogancie and pride c. Assure your selves that there is the spirit of the devill not of God albeit they pretend outwardly to the world never so much holines For the spirit of Iesus is a e Mat. 11.29 a lowly spirit c. Habbakkuk saith Behold his soule which is f Hab. 2.4 lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith Whereby the Prophet giveth us to understand that faith whereby Gods people doe live is a property quite cōtrary to loftinesse of minde Also God g Iam. 4.6 resisteth the proud but giveth grace to
the lowly as the Scripture sundry times delivereth to the end we should take serious notice of it Of Envie VVEE are taught in the Letany to pray From Envie hatred and malice and all uncharitablenesse good Lord deliver us In the first * T. 2. p. 180. Homily of the Passion it is said As peace and charity make us the blessed children of Almighty God so doth hatred and Envie make us the cursed children of the Devill Concerning the great perill of living in Envie read the whole Homily against Contention Saint Iohn saith He that h 1 Ioh. 3.15 hateth his brotheer is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him The Revelation saith i Rev. 21.8 Murtherers shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Of Wrath. IN the second part of the * T. 1. p. 95. Homily against contention it is said That Pericles being provoked to anger with many villanous words by one answered not a word But wee stirred but with one little word what foule worke doe we make How doe wee fume rage stampe and stare like mad-men many men of every trifle will make a great watter and of the sparke of a little word will kindle a k Iam. 3.5 great fire taking all things in the worst part But how much better is it more like to the example Doctrine of Christ to make rather of a great fault in our neighbour a small fault reasoning with our selves after this l 1 Cor. 13.7 Prov. 10.12 sort He spake these words but it was in a sudden heate or the drinke spake them and not hee or hee spake them at the motion of some other or be spake them being ignorant of the truth hee spake them not against me but against him whom he thought mee to be And so along in most divine manner we are there counselled And afterward it is there signified That anger is a kinde of madnesse and that hee which is angry is as it were for a time in a Phrensie Wherefore let him beware lest in his fury he speake any thing whereof afterward he may have just cause to be sory And he that will defend that anger is not fury but that hee hath reason even when he is most angry then let him reason thus with himselfe when he is angry Now I am so moved and chafed that within a litle while after I shall bee otherwise minded Wherfore thē shold I now speake any thing in mine anger which hereafter when I would fainest cannot be changed Wherefore shall I doe any thing now being as it were out of my wit for the which when I shall come to my againe I shall bee very sad Why doth not reason why doth not godlinesse yea why doth not Christ obtaine that thing of me now which hereafter time shall obtaine of me Almighty God by Solomon saith Bee not hasty in thy spirit to bee angry for m Eccles. 7.9 anger resteth in the bosome of fooles That saying of the Lord Iesus might move us to take heed how we be angry Whosoever is n Mat. 5.22 angry with his brother without a cause shall bee in danger of the judgement and whosoever shall say unto his brother Racha shall be in danger of the counsell but whosoever shall say thou foole shall be in danger of hell sire Likewise that saying of Saint Paul The workes of the flesh are these Adultery c. o Gal. 5.19.20.21 Wrath strife c. They which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Saint Paul therefore saith Be p Eph. 4.26 angry and sinne not Let not the Sunne goe down upon your wrath neither give place to the Devill Great is the power which the Devill hath in every man and woman which easily will be moved unto wrath Of Covetousnesse IN the third part of the * T. 2. p. 163. Homily of Almes-deeds it is signified That some seeke excuses to withhold themselves from the favour of God and chuse with pinching covetousnesse rather to leane unto the Devill than by charitable mercifulnesse either to come unto Christ or to suffer Christ to come unto them In the second part of the * T. 2. p. 205. Homily concerning the Sacrament it is said O saith Chrysostom let no Iudas resort to this table let no covetous person approach Saint Paul saith to the Ephesians No Whore monger nor uncleane persō nor q Eph. 5.5.6 covetous man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdome of Christ and of God Let no man deceive you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience The Lord Christ said Take heed and beware of r Luk. 12.15 covetousnesse for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which hee possesseth And againe No man can serve two Masters Yee cannot serve God and s Mat. 6.24 Mammon Saint Paul saith to the Colossians Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and t Col◠3.5 covetousnesse which is Idolatry And unto Timothy he saith They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into may foolish and hurtfull lusts with drowne men in destruction and perdition For the u 1 Tim. 6.9.10 love of mony is the roote of all evill c. In Eccesiasticus it is said There is not a more wicked thing than a w Ecclus. 10.9 covetous man for such a one setteth his owne soule to sale because while he liveth hee casteth away his bowels Read diligently the whole Homily of Almes Of Sloth IN the second Collect for Good-Friday it is said Receive our prayers and supplications which wee offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Congregation that every member of the same in his vocation and x Rom. 12.4.5.6.7.8 ministery may truely and godly serve thee In the * T. 2. p. 254. Homily against idlenesse it is said Let young men consider the pretious value of their time and y Eph 5.16 P. ov 14.23 waste it not in idlenesse in jollity in gaming in banquetting in z Rom. 13.13 1 Pet. 4.3.4 ruffians company Youth is but vanity and must be accounted for before God How merry and glad soever thou be in thy youth O young man saith the Preacher how glad soever thy heart be in thy young dayes how fast and freely soever thou follow the wayes of thine own heart and the lust of thine owne eyes yet be thou sure that God shall bring thee unto judgement a Ecclus. 11.9.20 for all these things In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 166. Homily of Almes deeds it is signified that God is carefull to feed them who in any state or vocation doe unfeinedly serve him In the * T. 2. p. 249.
not abide the word of God but following the perswasions and stubbornnesse of their owne hearts goe backward and not forward as it is said in e Ier. 7. 24. Ieremy they goe and turne away from God Many now a daies by their neglect to have the holy Bible in their houses by their neglect to search it by their neglect to live according to it by their neglect to amend according to it what by the ministery they are informed of to be amisse by their neglect to heare it duly according to the Law of the Church by their neglect even all the yeare to conferre on it and by their neglect to meditate thereon they shew plainly that they have it in contempt and were it not for feare of being punished by the Magistrate they would expresse what is in their hearts against it And so some Machavillians will adventure sometimes to utter without any feare of God or man Moreover the contemners of the Divine Service-doctrine of the Church and of the Ministers which conscionably endeavour to live and teach according to all the same are to be reckoned among the g 1 Thes 4.8 contemners of Gods Word as it may appeare out of Christs words where hee saith unto his Ministers He that heareth you heareth me and he that h Luke 10.16 despiseth you despiseth me If they have kept my saying they will keepe yours also Ieremiah saith The wise men are ashamed they are dismayed and taken loe they have i Ier. 5.9 rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Of halting on both sides IN the first part of the * T. 2. p. 259. Homily of Repentance it is said God requireth a sincere and pure love of godlinesse and of the true worshipping and service of God that is to say that for saking all manner of things that are repugnant pugnant and contrary unto Gods will wee doe give our hearts unto him and the whole strength of our bodies and soules according to that which is written in the Law Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with k Deut. 6.5 all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength Here therefore nothing is left unto us that we may give unto the world and unto the l Rom. 13.14 lusts of the flesh For sith that the heart is the fountaine of all our workes as many as doe with whole heart turne unto the Lord doe m Rom. 14.7 8 9. 1 Thes 5.10 live unto him onely Neither doe they yet repent truely that halting on both sides doe otherwhiles obey God but by and by doe thinke that laying him aside it is lawfull for them to serve the world and the n Rom. 8.8.4 5.12 Gal. 5.16 17.24 flesh Elijah said How long halt ye betweene two opinions or thoughts If the Lord be God o 1 Kings 18.21 follow him but if Baal then follow him The Lord Iesus hath said p Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else hee will hold to the one and despise the other Yee cannot serve God and Mammon Of Vaine glory IT is signified in the second part of the * T. 2. p. 203. Homily concerning the Sacrament That by vaine-glory ambition c. people are q Prov. 13.10 dissevered which should be joyned together in unity and godly love And therefore in the sacred Letany we are taught to pray for to bee delivered from it Saint Paul saith Let us not be desirous of vaine-glory r Gal. 5.26 provoking one another envying one another Christ said to the disobedient Iewes Å¿ Rom. 5.44 How can ye beleeve which receive honour one of another and seeke not the honour which commeth from God onely Againe the Lord saith t Iohn 7.18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him Saint Paul saith O Timothy keepe that which is committed to thy trust avoiding prophane and vaine bablings and u 1 Tim. 6.20 21. oppositions of science falsely so called which some professing have erred concerning the faith Saint Iohn saith Among the chiefe Rulers many beleeved on Christ and because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should bee put out of the Synagogue For they w Ioh. 12.42 43. loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Of Hypocrisie IN the first part of the * T. 1. p. 10. Homily of the misery of man it is said Few of the proud just learned wise perfect and holy Pharisees were saved by Christ because they justified themselves by their counterfeit holinesse before men Wherefore good people let us beware of such hypocrisie vaine glory and justifying of our selves The Lord said unto his disciples Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees which is x Luk 12.1 hypocrisie The Lord signifieth that the Hypocrites doe their Almes for to y Mat. 6.2.5 have glory of men They love to pray standing c. that they may bee seene of men They make long z Mat. 23.14 prayer thinking to be heard for their a Mat. 6.7 much speaking They outwardly b Mat. 23.28 appeare righteous unto men but within are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie All their workes they doe for to be c Mat. 23.5 seene of men They justifie d Mat. 16 15. themselves before men Saint Paul saith not he that c 2 Cor. 10.18 commendeth himselfe is approved but whom the Lord commendeth Christ hath very plainly displayed the nature of hypocrisie in the 23. Chapter of Saint Matthew Of Heresie IN the Letany we are taught to pray To be delivered from all false doctrine and heresie Saint Paul saith unto Titus A man that is an f Tit. 3.10.11 Heretike after the first and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inverto id quod interius eratextrà verto seu resuâ—ino An Heretike is as a dogge returned to his owne vomit againe 2 Pet. 2.22.21 second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being coÌ„demned of himselfe Whence it may appeare that 3. things are to be considered concerning heresie First that it is a departing out of the narrow way that leadeth unto life eternall both with minde and life or a turning cleane contrary to the right forme Secondly it is returning unto an habit of sinning And thirdly it is a condition or estate without peace of conscience but having an inward condemnation They of the Church of Rome which call heretikes the members of the Apostolicall Church of England namely that Church in England which is by Law established under the Kings Majestie doe greatly and damnably slander them For the true meÌ„bers of the said Apostolicall Church of England are not in minde and life departed forth of the narrow way
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
Acts 15.13 In the second part of the Homily of Repentance it is sâ—gnified that Iames was only Bishop of the Church â—â—erusalem See Act. 12.17 Acts 21.18 Gal. 2.9 Tom. 2. p. 266. abide in the land of Iewry ouer-seeing and looking to the Church there which Iesus Christ the first Å¿ Heb. 3 1. Apostle from God his Father had planted If he or some other Apostle or Apostles did then the Apostolicall gift or grace was also to be employed in a Church already planted and not to cease when Churches were planted It is also here to be noted that the name Apostle vsed in the new Testament doth imply two degrees Whence it is thought meete to translate it sometimes by the word t Phil. 2.25 2. Cor 8.23.1 2. Cor. 11.5 Gal. 2.9 messenger And whereas there is in Scripture mention of the chiefest Apostles it implyeth that there was some disparity among the Apostles And what degree or order is that inferiour if it be not that w 2. Tim. 4.5 Euangelistship which is aboue the Pastorship which Timothy had who was also called Bishop yea * Phil. 1.1 Bishop not onely ouer lay people but ouer y 1. Tim. 1.3 Ministers Priests Elders or Pastours also Truely therefore and properly in the Diuine Seruice are Bishops signified to be the Apostles of Christs Church as where it is sayd in the Seruice of Confirmation We make our humble supplications vnto thee for these children vpon whom after the example of the holy Apostles we haue laide our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy fauour and gracious goodnesse toward them So in the Diuine Seruice for the consecration of Bishops where it is sayd by the Archbishop Brethren it is written in the Gospell of Saint Luke that our Sauiour Christ continued the z Luke 6.12.13 whole night in prayer or euer that hee did choose and send foorth his twelue Apostles It is written also in the Acts of the Apostles that the Disciples which were at Antioch did a Acts 13.2.3.4 fast and pray or euer they laide hands vpon or sent forth Paul and Barnabas Let vs therefore b 1. Cor. 11.1 following the example of our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles first fall to prayer or that wee admit and send forth this person presented vnto vs to the worke whereunto wee trust the Holy Ghost hath called him CHAP. 38. Of Prophetship that euery kind thereof is not for euer ceased WHereas the Church both in the prayer afore the ordering of Priests and also in the prayer afore the consecrating of Bishops mentioneth That Christ hath giuen Prophets to his Church together with the diuerse orders of the constant Ministery it is necessary to consider what kind of prophetship that is Saint Paul sayth to the Corinthians c 1. Cor. 14.3 He that prophesieth speaketh vnto men to edification and exhortation and comfort Insteed of which prophesying then ordinarily vsed in the Church of Corinth there is now vsed the exercise called Preaching And therefore because preaching now is to the same effect as the ordinary prophecying then in the congregation was therefore the word for prophecying is somtimes rendred * As in the margent of the Geneua TranslatioÌ„ of 1. Cor. 11.3 preaching But the Prophetship mentioned in the aforesayd prayers appeareth to be a greater gift in that it standeth in the second place Yea Paul himselfe in an other place sayth d 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath set in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. As e Ephes 4.11 Christ gaue some to be Apostles some to be Prophetsâ— some to be Euangelists some to be Pastors and some to be Teachers So in the Church of the Iewes afore Christs Incarnation there was an high Priest f Math. 2.4 chiefe Priests Priests of the g 1 Châ—or 24. second Order and Leuites and also Prophets And of such as were called Prophets some were of greater gifts than other In the new Testament after Christs Ascension some are named Prophets as h Act. 11.27 28 Agabus i Acts 21.10.11 Iudas Silas c. Agabus foretold there should be a great dearth throughout all the would which came to passe in the dayes of Claudius Caesar He foretold also to Saint Paul that the Iewes should deliuer him into the hands of the Gentiles Iudas and k Act. 15.32 Silas are sayd to haue exhorted the brethren in Antioch with many words and to haue confimed them l Act. 17.10 Silas afterward accompanied Paul and laboured with him in publishing the Gospell In the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles there is nomention that Prophets were made by ordination but all whom it is sayd the Church did ordaine were either to serue as Apostles or Euangelists or Elders or as Deacons It is written that there hath beene times when no Prophet was in the Church As in the Booke of the Psalmes it is sayd m Psal 74.9 We see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among vs any that knoweth how long It appeareth to be so in the dayes of the Maccabees when as it was sayd n 1. Mac. 4.46 1. Mac. 14 41. The stones of the Altar were layd vp in the mountaine of the Temple in a conuenient place vntill there should come a Prophet to shew what should bee done with them The principall Prophets or such as were endued with the measure of grace which for the dignity thereof obtained the greatest account next vnto those of the highest degree in the Ministery of the Church seeme to be men of a singular diuine vnderstanding o Ier. 1.9 10. raised vp of God for p Hag. 1.1.2 spirituall occasions in speciall times And this may be obserued not only out of the beginning euen of euery Prophets Booke in the Bible but also out of many places in Scripture where mention is of Prophets and their Prophesying For this present there shall be no mention of what Prophets Christ hath giuen to his Church since the first Apostles dayes but onely of the * The Church in her 30. CanoÌ„ termeth them Great Diuines Fathers in the Apostolicall Church of England who liued when the Reformation was well forwarded Were not those holy men endued with a certaine measure of propheticall grace or of the Holy Ghost or of heauenly light in the knowledge of the true Christianity more than were the Fathers of the Church generally which liued for many ages afore them in that they obserued a spirituall darknesse to haue couered most people whereof former times tooke none or very little notice and in that also they composed three bookes for Diuine Seruice wherein there is so glorious and so plenteous a deliuery of the true Apostolicall Diuinity and of the true Christian Religion as the like no Fathers in any Church of Christendome euer afore set forth And if the sayd bookes were now to be composed none were
and not earthly an invisible meat and not bodily a ghostly substance and not carnall c. By the advice of the * p. 201. Councill of Nicene wee ought to lift up our minds by faith and leaving these inferior and earthly things there seeke it where the Sunne of righteousnesse ever shineth Take then this lesson O thou that art desirous of this table of Emissenus a godly father that when thou goest up to the reverend Communion to bee satisfied with spirituall meats thou looke up with faith upon the holy body and blood of thy God thou marvell with reverence thou touch it with the mind thou receive it with the hand of thy heart and thou take it fully with thy inward man What the use is which we are to make of the Sacrament Concerning the use which we are to make of receiving the Sacrament it is signified in the prayer to bee read after the Prefaces in the Communion-service where it is said Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eate the flesh of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ and to drinke his blood that our sinfull bodies may bee made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore w Iohn 6.56 Iohn 14.23 dwell in him and he in us And it is also signified in the second prayer after the receiving where it is said We now most humbly beseech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy x Act. 2.42.46 Heb. 10.25 Col. 2.19 Eph. 2.19 fellowship and doe all such good workes as thou hast y Eph. 2.10 That the Sacrament is to be received often-times prepared for us to walke in through Iesus Christ our Lord. Concerning the oftennesse of the receiving of the Sacrament it is said in the rubricke afore the Service for the Communion of the sicke That Curats are to exhort their parishioners to the oft receiving in the Church of the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ which if they doe they shall have no cause in their sudden visitation to bee unquiet for lacke of the same It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Matrimony-service The new maried persons the same day of their mariage must receive the holy Communion And in the end of the Churching-service it is said in the rubricke The woman that commeth to give her thankes must offer accustomed offerings and if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Communion-Service That in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches where be many Priests and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister every z Acts 10.7 Sunday at the least except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary And in the end of that rubricke it is said Every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the yeare of which Easter to bee one c. Also when any receive any order of the Ministery they are then to communicate as it is prescribed in the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons It is written in Genesis a Gen. 14.18 19. That Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was the Priest of the most high God And hee blessed Abraham c. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians b 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Our Fathers were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea And did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Wisedome saith in the Proverbes c Pro. 9.5 Come eate of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Saint Matthew recordeth that as Iesus and his Disciples were eating the Passeover Iesus tooke d Matth. 26.26 27 28. bread and blessed it and brake it gave it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinke ye all of it for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Saint Iohn writeth that Iesus afore had said unto the Iewes c Ioh. 6.53 54 55 56.63 Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life It is written in the Acts f Acts 2.42 That the disciples continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians g 1 Cor. 10.16 17. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of one bread Also he saith h 1 Cor. 12.13 We have all been made to drinke into one spirit And further he delivereth i 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come CHAP. 56. Of preparing ones selfe for to receive worthily the holy Sacrament IT is said in the third Exhortation to be read afore the Communion The danger is great if we receive the holy Sacrament unworthily for then we bee guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour wee eate and drinke our owne damnation not considering the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath against us wee provoke him to k 1 Cor. 11.30 plague us with diuers diseases and sundry kindes of death Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or l 1 Cor. 5.11 slanderer of his Word an adulterer or be in m 1 Iohn 3.15 Mat. 5.23 24 25. malice or envy or in any other griveous crime bewaile your sinnes c. Iudge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truly for your sinnes past have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour Amend your lives and be in perfect charitie with all men so shall yee be meet partakers of those holy mysteries Therefore it is to be said unto them that come to receive the holy Communion in the last words of exhortation afore the generall Confession be made You that doe truly and earnestly repent you or your sinnes and be in love and
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.
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