Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n
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A13578
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A sermon teaching discretion in matters of religion, and touching certayne abuses nowe in the Churche preached at Paules Crosse the 21. of Nouember by Robert Temple Bachelor in Diuinitie sometimes of Magdalene Colledge in Oxforde.
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Temple, Robert, Bachelor in Diuinitie.
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1592
(1592)
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STC 23869; ESTC S100993
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26,698
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73
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inuicem sacerdotum glutino copulata You ought to know that the Bishop is in the church and the church in the Bishop they are not in the church whosoeuer they bee that are not in the Bishop and they doe vainelie flatter themselues which hauing no peace with Gods Priestes commit themselues in close manner to bee pertakers with some certaine persons whereas Gods Church being Catholique is not rent nor deuided but knit and coupled togither by fast consent of Ministers of the Church agreeing one with another Aug. Ioh. 7 â—ract 33. I will saye vnto them as somtime Augustine sayd Habemus spiritum sanctum si amamus Ecclesiam amamus autem si in eius compage et charitate constitimus Wee haue the holie spirit if wee loue the Church and wee loue it if wee persist in vnitie and loue of it But now all this while if there be anie that in singlenesse of hart godlines of zeale desires somthinges amended I speake not against them for as I am not with them that vtterly blaspheme and affirme wee haue nothing aright As anone you shall heare toward the end so I am not against them that discretly blame and accuse some thinges amisse in the church Therefore this is my meaning Good things loose the grace of their goodnesse if they be not wel handled Concertation for reformation more eager and bitter a great deale theÌ„ is behoofefull or needfull is like vnto madnes a very seditiouse vexation of the common wealth doth often follow the turbulent affection of the Church Sozom. lib. 8 cap. 25. The Emperour Constantine doth his parte whose care is both to lead the people along in vniformitie of religion Euseb vita Constan lib. 2. cap. 63. and heale the grieuous sicknes of the bodie of the whole common wealth and I hope the like be endeuoured by the Cleargie of the land that was signified by the Bishops of the East to them of the west Church in their letters from their Synods Theod. lib. 5. cap. 9. concerning the necessarie great cace to recouer the Church Nowe I would haue the people do as they of Antioch did who for 30. Theod. lib. 2. cap. 31. yeares space endured the Arrians schisme with patience still hoping for a better day vntill indeed their blasphemie against the Apostles doctrine and conspiracie against christians was intollerable Then howe much more ought wee with longer patience among our selues tarrie for reformation of some things amis vpon a better time Hope pray for reformation sith wee haue more then 30. yeares now enioyed the free doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and still haue as much as euer wee can do to preuaile against the seditious bloody enemies of the gospell The second â—art Propheâ—ie We come nowe to prophecie the second thing to be handled the most excellent gift of all the Apostle meaneth not that peculiar prophecie foretelling the comming of christ forethreating the punishment of sinne beginning at Samuell Act. 3.24 Math. 11.3 the number wherof were frequent before Christs comming but now very rare but in the seÌ„ce as he speaketh else where Let vs prophecie according to the proportion of faith Rom. 12.6 And againe he that prophecieth 1. Cor. 14.3 speaketh vnto men vnto aedifieng and to exhortatioÌ„ and to comfort preferring it before all other giftes For the ample vse principall benefit for as all other giftes do respect the profite and aedification of the Church Ephes 4.11 1. Cor. 12.7 so prophecie especially For saluation cammeth by fayth Rom. 10.14 fayth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God It is the verye same wee call preaching set downe in the scripture by the Apostle in variable phrase of speach as these apt to teach 1. Tim. 3.2 2. Tim. 2.15 2. Tim. 4.2 deuiding the worde of truth aright preach the word be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrines holding fast that faythfull word according able to exhort by wholesome doctrine Tit. 1.9 Tit. 2.1 and conuince them that say contrarie Speake the thinge whiche becommeth wholesome doctrine Therefore the whole scripture is called a most sure worde of prophecie 2. Pet. 1.19 20 being of no priuate interpretation because prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holye men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost As the vse of all scriptures is very manifolde for the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach 2. Tim. 3.10 to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolut being made perfect vnto all good workes and whatsoeuer thinges are written aforetime are written for our learning Rom. 15.4 that wee throughe patience and consolation of the Scriptures might haue hope Right so hee that is furnished according to the qualities afore mentioned and can aplie the scriptures to the same end as shal be requisite may be called in this sence of the Apostle a prophet of the gospell Augustine saith speaking of Christ Agust tho 6. tract 24. Erat autem dominus prophetarum impletor prophetarum sanctificator prophetarum sed et propheta propheta dominus et verbuÌ„ dei dominus et nullus propheta sine verbo dei prophetat Cum prophetis verbum dei et prophetae verbum dei Meruerunt priora tempora prophetas afflatos et impletos verbo dei mernimus nos prophetam ipsum verbum dei But it was he that set forth the prophets fulfilled all thinges the prophets told should happen sanctified the prophets the Lord was that prophet the Lord was that worde of God and no prophet doth prophecie without gods word In old time they had the benefit of prophets inspired and filled with the word of God but we haue this pleasure the verie word of God to be our prophet This is the gift which the Apostle acountes most excellente aboue the rest and therefore not common but rare not easie but difficulte as be all thinges which are excellent for hee sayth he that speaketh straunge languages edifieth himselfe but he that prophecieth 1. Co. 14.4.12 13. edifieth the Church Againe forasmuch as you couet spirituall giftes seeke that you may excell to the edifying of the Church 18.19 let him that speaketh in a straunge language pray that he may interpret Againe he thanketh God he spake languages more theÌ„ all the rest yet he had rather in the Church speake fiue wordes with his vnderstanding that he might instruct others then ten thousand wordes in a straunge tongue This oughte to strike into the hartes of all christians a deeper consideratioÌ„ of a more godlye dutie and first of the ministerie then of the multitude Touching our selues to shuÌ„ne some faults verie common among vs Insufficienciâ— of ministers As first Insufficiencie For it is not for euerie one
and modest proportion of lawfull knowledge separate from the rest of the ministerie people of God altogither in the heauens in cloudes Greg. NaziaÌ„ moder dispuâ— habend in the paradise with God himselfe are those I speake of A dayes dispatch for deuinitie is enough with theÌ„ They come out of the schoole of Concision Hee or she that hath rashlie learned two or three wordes of scripture Gen. 11.4 straight wayes fals a building of Babell that their name maie be scattered abroade vpon the whole earth Num. 16.2 And by and by must Corah and his companie furiously stirre vp an insurrection against Moyses making in deed which is miserable a scattered confusion abroad of the Church and a like holynes of office in the ministers and euerie one of the congregatioÌ„s I would to god withall my hart Num. 11.29 that all the lords people could prophecie that the lord would put his spirit vpon them â—oh 5.39 I will all christians to search the scriptures for in them is eternity of life and testimonie of christ â—ct 17.11 euen to be exquisit examiners of doctrine as were those nobler men then those of Thessolonica Ioh. 4.1 and not to beleeue euery spirit but try the spirites whether they are of god so many false prophets are abroad in the world I am not of the iudgement that olde Apelles was who thought that euery man ought to holde â—us lib. 5. eccl â—ist cap. 12. opinion as he beleeued Socrat. lib. 3. Eccl. histor cap. 14. and is not at all to examine any doctrine But rather of an other minde teaching the vtilitie and necessitie of scripture that the scriptures inspired by god do cast seedes of wonderfull precepts of doctrine teaching matters in deede very deuine notable godlines and a right rule of life into the hartes of the auditorie and do propose a verie holy religion to such as studie them But they do not deliuer the art of Logique whereby to resist them that oppugne the truth Forasmuch as we do then most easilie conquere the aduersarie when we vse our owne weapons against them And therefore I do wish that euerie christiaÌ„ congregatioÌ„ were like to Samosata Theod. lib. 4 â—Eccl histor ap 11. who when their bishop gaue vp the sea and Lucius a wolfe and traytor came in his roome being spoyled of their Pastor tamen officia pastoris exe quebantur nam apostolicaÌ„ doctrinaÌ„ seruabaÌ„t incorruptam For all that did execute their pastors offices theÌ„selues kept the incorrupt doctrine of the apostles But my desire is that great deale more sobrietie be in mans professors and that an order be kept in the execution of giftes that some teach and some learne some to bee like the tongue and some the eare and the flocke arrogate the pastors office nor the souldier guide the Armie which belonges to the Captaine As it is expedient for a prouident Marchaunt whose calling is to trauell the ieoperdouse seas for commoditie somtimes to bee in tranquillitie and quiet on the land So in controuersie and scruple of matter in religion somtimes discipline with sobernesse more beseemeth a godlie people then disputations with frowardnes Bern. cant ser â—6 in 1. Cor. 8.2 Barnard sayth vppon these wordes of the Apostle Now if anie man think that he knoweth any thing hee knoweth nothing as hee ought to knowe Vides quoniam non probat multa scientem si scientiae modum nescierit for you see that hee likes not a man that vnderstandeth much is ignorant of the manner of vnderstanding noting afterwardes the maner of knowledge to consist in these poynts Ordine Studio Fine Ordine id prius quod maturius ad saluteÌ„ Studio id ardeÌ„tius quod vemeheÌ„tius ad amoreÌ„ Fine vt noÌ„ inaneÌ„ gloriaÌ„ aut curiositatem aut aliquid simile sed tantum ad aedificationem tuam et proximi In the order endeuour purpose Touching the order to knowe that formost which is speediest to saluatyoÌ„ concerning his indeuour that more zelouslie which is more vehement to loue As for the end that if it be not for vaine glorie or curiositie or any like matter This part foâ—lowing was cut of for time was pâ—â— ouerspeÌ„t it the other 〈◊〉 partes afore Sacriledge in the Laâ—tie but only to aedifie thy selfe and thy neighbour An other fault and exceeding both the other is your sacriledge that holie couetousnes both honourable and worshipfull Idoll of Protestants but alas the spoyle of the church and hinderaunce of prophecie For what an impietie is this Wee must haue the giftes of holye spirit 1. Cor. 9.7 and ye the giftes of holie Church wee prophecie and preach the gospell and yee lyue of the gospel like mercenary souldiers ye send vs to warre and be at no charges your selues Nay you put our money paimeÌ„t in your own purses ye will haue vs plant the vineyard not tast of the fruit but your selues wil be druÌ„cke with the grapes therof You say it is our calling to feede the flocke and will not let vs eate of the milke Iob. 21.24 But your owne brestes are full of milke your bones ruÌ„n full of marrow you will haue vs neuer out of the tempel yet you will take away the offerings the gold of the tempell It is true that I tell you your sacriledge is the very cause of our simony for if we had a law sure enough to cut of your sacriledge we could find a libertie soone enough to coÌ„mit no simonie without doubt we are not so deepe in the iudgments of god for simony but ye are the former and the farther in for sacriledge And as wee shall answere for our owne selues so shall ye answere both for your selues and vs also I find not so great a cause of such a number of poore in this laÌ„d as this your sacriledge Your robberie of the church is the robberie of the poore Amb. saith Amb. lib. 5. Epist 31. Esay 3.14 Possessio ecclesiae suÌ„ptus est egenoruÌ„ The church liuings are the maintenanece of the poore The Lord must needs haue a controuersie and iudgement with the auncient of the people they wast his vineyard the spoyle of the poore is in their houses Deut. 14.26 Call ye me this a protestaunt when a man hath money oxen sheepe or strong drinke or whatsoeuer his hart desireth eateth it before the lord his god and reioyceth both he and his familie but neuer bringeth foorth anye tithes of his increase for the Leuit within his gate that hath no inheritaunce with him forgetteth the straunger fatherles widow which should likewise eat bee filled that God might blesse him the more in all the workes of his hands Rom. 2.22 Ephes 5.5 as the Apostle saith to the Iew. Thou that abhorrest Idols committest thou sacriledge So I to such a protestaunt Thou that abhorrest poperie August Ioh. tract 50.