A SERMON PREACHED AT PAVLS CROSSE THE THIRTEENTH OF IVNE THE SEcond sunday in Trinitie tearme 1591. by THOMAS BARNE student in Diuinity Brethren I exhort you to watch those that make diuisions and offences among you and decline from them Rom. 15. Cap. Frustra autem vt ait quidam niti neque nihil aliud litigando nisi â—dium quaerere extremae dementiae est Hieronymus ad Domnionem Rogatianum Nullum vitium est quod non à mendacio sumit originem neque virtus cuius non sit origo veritas Ioannes Maxentius aduersus episcopum Ormisdae 〈…〉 ACADEMIA OXONIENSIâ— Veritas in 〈◊〉 JOSEPH 〈…〉 Printed at Oxford by IOSEPH BARNES Printer to thâ— Vniuersitie 1591. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL GEORGE ROTHERHAM ESQVIER HIGH SHEriffe of Bedforde-shiere THOMAS BARNE wisheth peace and prosperity in Christ Iesus I PRESENT vnto your worship a copy of that Sermon the which I preached publiquely at Pauls Crosse in that I am already persuaded that the doctrine therein conteined is requisite and expedient for these daies The which when I had considered I found sundry and diuerse men that had cloathed themselues in Pharisaicall garments wherein was embrodered the summe of Christianity they themselues in the meane season altogether depriued of the grace of God Faith saieth the Apostle it is the gift of God and in vaine tendeth all our preaching if the heart and soule of man bee not prepared before by the speciall assistance of Gods spirit Paul may plant and Apollo may water but if God doeth not giue the encrease all tendeth to small effect The Virgins that slept and had not their lamps burning were forthwith excluded the presence of the Bridegroome The figtree that had broade and greene leaues and no fruite once cursed withered So it falleth out with vs which in externall shew attend and expect the comming of the sonne of man are found at the last vnfit to attend vpon him although wee make glorious shewes of Christianity and doe not perfourme works of charity These and such like maladies haue infected diuers the which of a zeale haue put forth themselues before they were called and in a vaine presumption of humane learning haue caused the weaker sort to follow them and to relie vpon them that were not able to upholde themselues Such men were Eunomius Vigilantius whom Saint Augustine in his second booke intituled quaestiones in Exodum tearmeth opicos mures the which are spumei in sermrne in fide parum sani of whom Saint Cyprian in his booke de simplicitate praelotorum speaketh in this wise Hi sunt qui se vltro apud temerarios conuenas sine diuina diuina dispositione praeficiunt qui se praepositos sine vlla ordinationis lege constituunt qui nemine episcopatum dante episcopi nomen assumunt The which wordes of thir blessed and aged father duely considered lay open the preposterous course of sundry leaders in these daies the which exclame against Cesar and his right labouring as much as lieth in them to plucke vp by the rootes that which they neuer planted So heady that they wil not stand to the trueth receaued preaching contrarieties of whom Irenaeus li. 3. ca. 15. speaketh Valentinus Ptolomaeus deliri fanatici homines auditores suos coÌ„tradictores fecerunt as these can sufficiently approue This Sermon diligently perused laieth open the sinister meanes and deceitful practises of these men the which beeing vnstable in their doctrine as the sundry change of the Church of Scotland approueth haue at the last followed the steps of the Parmenian to contempe all men in respect of themselues whom Optatus in his 2. booke against Parme counselleth and aduiseth in this wise Non enim spiritum Dei soli vobis uindicare potestis aut includere quod intelligitur non videtur per mitte deum vnde velit ire quo velit accedere habeat libertatem qui audiri potest videri non potest A kingdome deuided in it selfe cannot stand sathan if hee were in armes against himselfe his kingdome forthwith would bee ended discorde crept in among the Romans ouerthrew the Roman Empire The parts in mans body if they were at variance life could not long continue saied Menenius Agrippa long ago And so si paruis componere magna liceret The Church of Christ cannot continue among vs sith one preacher ioyeth to contradict another and delight in nouelties and few to be found that dares oppose theÌ„selues to withstand these men the which pretend conformity order and practise nothing else but irregular disorder Let the Church or Scotland be diligently regarded good God What vptores and tumults hath that poore Ilande susteined by factious and seditious means what hath it procured in the end but flat rebellion such malecontents among vs at home haue as much as lieth in theÌ„ disgraced the established gouernment of our church as diuers books 15 years passed printed at Andwerp can sufficiently testifie these men to obtaine a name to enrich theÌ„selues haue procured a defection from our Church contemning the Right Reuerend fathers of our Church wilfully opposing theÌ„selues against al lawful authority whatsoeuer These meÌ„ may very well bee resembled to one Hermogenes of whom Tertullian in his booke the vvhich hee wrought against him reporteth that hee was homo in saeculo turbulentus qui Loquacitatem facundiam existimat impudentiam constantiam deputat malidicere singulis officium bonae constantia iudicat Such innouations in Religion are and haue beene daungerous and when men are zealous in contention then doeth God permit them to bee guided by their ovvne discretion and then that is approoued a verity the which the Philosopher gaue out long agoe vno absurdo concesso mille sequuntur when a man hath once made a breach into an absurdity it is an easie matter to cause him to graunt al absurdities and contradictions whatsoeuer These and the like inconueniences to auoide with the which this age of ours aboundeth I haue set downe my sermon as I deliuered the same at Pauls Crosse in the which I haue laied vpon the causes of this schisme dissension with the which our Churh of England is pestered and the means to remoue the same But I am assured that I do surdis canere cantilenaÌ„ to theÌ„ especially that vtterly reiect the authority of our Church And frame vnto theÌ„selues a kinde of religioÌ„ that hath altered the course of ours deliuered vnto vs by our fathers the verity whereof to approue where nothing else then if I should lucente sole lychnum accendere For the parties I woulde if I might chuse not meddle with theÌ„ they stand not to any lawful authority if scripture be vrged expounded by the vniforme consent of Christ his Church the interpretation is reiected the reason is at hand the Church was then by heresie corrupted If the Canons of generall councels be cited for the peaceable and godly gouernment of our Church The fathers that
thē liued did caecutire they had not so special aportiō of gods spirit as they haue obiect vnto them the estate of the Church as it is now ratified by inuincible authorities of scripture confirmed by the ancient fathers heretofore defended by the blessed hand of her maiesty against the greatest Monarches in Europe at this day Iamque faces saxa volant furor arma ministrat And these are the men of whom Saint Hierom speaketh in his Commentaries vpon the 5. Chapter of Saint Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians Qui semel fuerit furore superatus necesse est vt profiliat in clamorem turbide fremens huc atque illuc in modum fluuij ventiletur dicat O rerum iniquitas O iniusta Dei iudicia catera quae solent loqui qui per indignationis furorem mentis iudicium per diderunt These men I leaue to their owne phantasies and commend this my sermon vnto your worship vnto whom I acknowledge my selfe in dutie greatly bound desiring God to blesse your worship with many happy and prosperous yeares in this world to the glory of God and your hartes desire Oxon The second Epistle of S. Peter 2. Cap. 1.2.3 vers There were false Prophets among the people so likewise there shal be false teachers among you which shal bring in damnable heresies denying the Lord that redeemed them bringing vpon themselues a speedy destruction and many shall follow their riotousnesse by whom the way of truth shall be blasphemed And in couetousnesse with pleasing wordes they shall buy and sell you whose iudgement that was long agoe doeth not linger and their destruction doeth not slumber THE Church of God the which the Apopostle Saint Paul termeth the piller and the foundation of trueth is as Augustine writeth vpon the 28. Psalme planted in the middest of thornes and briers omnes amici nulli pacifici Gen. 8. sayeth Hierom writing to Damasus The crow that returned not and the Doue that brought an Oliue branch were preserued from the generall deluge by the arch of Noah Christ and his Church are one therefore inseperable Christ the head we his members One God one faith one baptisme Is Christ deuided or haue we receiued any prerogatiue but by the Crosse of Christ Saint Paul gloried in this onely that he was crucified to the world and the world vnto him In these perilous and dangerous daies wherein euery peculiar phantasie be it neuer so ridiculous once shrouded vnder hypocrisie is accounted piety wherein likewise quot auditores tot detractores as many auditors so many detractors I haue thought it necessary to stay them that are running headlong to their owne perdition and if it may be to plucke them out of the fier that are already schorched and to remoue all occasion of schisme and dissension that as God is a God of peace so wee likewise may endeuour to obserue the vnity of the spirit in the bonde of peace The Apostle speaketh vnto vs telling vs that in God there is no change or shadow of chaunge and if God bee alwaies one and the same we ought likewise to conforme our selues vnto him and to stand fast in that doctrine which we haue receiued And not to be caried away with euery blast of vaine doctrine The Apostle Saint Peter in these three verses propoundeth vnto vs three seuerall partes to be obserued The first a propheticall prediction of the future calamities incident vnto the Church of Christ by false teachers conteined in these words There were false Prophetes among the people so likewise their shal be false teachers among you During the time of the lawe Iannes and Mambres Balam the sonne of Bosor with others seduced the Church of God Pharisies and Saduces Elymas Simon Magus Alexander the copper smith raised sedition among them Since their time Diosciorus Iouinian Vigilantius issued forth and these with Arrius and Eunomius brake downe the heads of the vineard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corrupting the word of God and perverting the same False prophets there were among the people so likewise there shall be false teachers among you The second containeth in it a description of them They shall priuily bring in sects damnable sects denying the Lord that redeemed them and shal bring vpon themselues a sudden destruction many men shall followe their riotousnes the way of trueth shal be blasphemed by them and to enrich themselues they shall buy and sell you according to their owne disposition The third is the rigorous and feareful iudgement of God that houereth ouer their heads seta equina by a twine thread cōtained in these words The iudgement of these men doeth not linger and the ruine and destruction of them all doeth not slumber You see beloued the scope and final end of the apostle his words are plaine manifest verified at this day in the eies and eares of you all and the like euent that campe vpon them wil also light vpon vs in that we haue deuided the cote of Christ that had no seame and haue dried vp the ointment of vnity that ranne downe vpon Aarons beard euen vnto the skert of his garment Saint Paul perpending the state of his time protested plainely that if hee should labour to please men he could not be a Disciple of Christ And I would to God that there were not some to be found among vs that will preach according to the direction of their auditory from whence haue rysen diuisions tending to the subuertion of Christian faith and religion And from this sort of men the Apostle exhorteth euery one to depart The haruest approacheth the Master of the ground expecteth a good croppe but the tempestuous blast of schisme and diuision hath shaken the blade that the corne is perished and he that thresheth the same shall well perceiue his labour to bee lost Men and brethren in this militarie expedition let euery one be aduised how and in what order hee standeth He that is persuaded that he is sure of foot may fal he that rūneth may forthwith stumble but in humility let euery one learne for God resisteth the proude and applieth himselfe to the humble and hath dealt mercifully with the poore in spirit when the rich men of the world haue beene sent empty away The Apostle S. Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy cap. 4. The spirit speaketh plainely that in the later daies certaine shall reuolt from the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addicting themselues to spirits of errour Oecumenius in 4. cap. epist ad Timoth. so Oecumenius speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That hee that hath once swarued from the verity of Gods word is presently caried awaie with euery fantasie In the infancy of the Church sprang forth Cerinthus and Saturninus in the second centenarie issued forth Carpocrates and Montanus in the third Nouatus and Sabellius in the fourth Eunomius Vigilantius and Heluidius in the fift Pelagius and Nestorius in the sixt Agnoitae Monophysitae in the seuenth Iacobitae
est de pulmentarijs cogitare non dogmata diuina decoquere Master Cooke saith he if I be not deceiued your office belongeth to the seasoning of the pot and in matters appertayning to Gods Church you haue no interest Reade beloued the holy Scriptures with feare and reuerence preferre not a priuate interpretation before that which hath beene receaued and is approued a truth If any be ignorant let him repaire to the learned that all sects schismes and false teachers detected we may so heare reade and beleeue the Scriptures that they may be vnto vs a sauor of life vnto life that the course of our life ended each of vs may receaue a full reward in the kingdome of heauē of the which God for his mercy make vs all partakers And thus much by your fauourable patience shall suffice to haue spoken of this first part The second part conteineth a description of them they shall bring in damnable heresies tending to the destruction of the instructer and the instructed they shall impugne the deity and the humanity of Christ the people that are credulous shal follow them the trueth shal be blasphemed and corrupted by thē of a greedy appetite to enrich themselues with pleasing and perswasiue words they shall buy sel you according to their owne disposition The Apostle writing to the Hebrewes exhorteth them not to be caried away with strange doctrine from heauen to earth from Angels to damned spirits from faith to infidelity from felicity to misery and in fine to euery mischiefe for they that leaue faith hope and charity and with the contrary vnto these doe conuerse are forthwith caried into eternall damnatiō being of the seede of Abraham they degenerate and are of the seede of Cain descending lineally of Christ they approue themselues of the seede of Antichrist Iude exhorteth all Christians to remember the words of the Apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ which tolde you that in the later daies there should come mockers which should walk according to their carnall desires worldly minded men hauing not the spirit Our sauiour in the 18. of Luke the son of man whē he cōmeth doe you think that he shal find faith vpon the earth And againe take heede of false Prophets that come vnto you in sheeps cloathing yet inwardly they are rauening wolues whereunto the Apostle addeth this that they shall make merchandize of godlinesse and as our Sauiour speaketh vnder a pretence of piety they shall deuoure widowes houses Whosoeuer saieth Christ is not with me is against me he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroade professour of Christ and professed enemies to Christ gathering multitudes together and dispersers of them whose ende shall be according to their workes Christ is preached to many beleeued of a fewe some require discipline in the Church of Christ the whip of Christ is not exercised the streight way is laied open for euery passenger and liberty standeth at the gate and offereth free accesse to euery one people are incredulous Master we would see a signe from thee an extraordinary signe would sufficiently approue thy doctrine Simon Magus flew vp into the aire as he corrupted men on earth Arnobius lib. 2 cont gentes he would if it might be peruert Angels in heauen but his supporters the princes of the aire forsooke him and let go their holde and as sinne of it selfe is heauy so likewise at the voice of Peter downe fel Simon the man of sinne and the fal of him is a memorable president for curiosity hereupon Saint Augustine in his 22. booke de ciuitate Dei cap. 8. quisquis adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qua mundo credente non credit he that to ratifie his faith requireth a wonder that man saieth Augustine is a wonder that standeth in doubt of his faith when all the world receaueth the same Christ and Christianity cannot be seperated Luciferians Vigilantians Donatists Anababtists and as many as glory in the bare title of any man these haue separated themselues from Christ and are none of his folde Ignoro Miletium Paulinum respuo qui Christiani non est Antichrist saieth Hierom to Damasus I neither care for the one or the other I am assured of one thing saieth Hierom that hee that is not vvith Christ is against Christ Sathan hath sent forth his messengers I came saieth Christ in the name of my father and you receaued me not Another hath come in his his owne name and him you haue receaued Gog and Magog in the Reuelation are abroade and their armies are as the sandes of the sea The gnostique heretique that sprang from the rotten roote of Carpocrates they pretended piety and integritie of life and practised secretly by Magique Arrius he perceiued that the deity of Christ was generally receaued in that hee was tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee likewise peruerted multitudes in adding a letter and drowned the same in the sounde affirming that Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the same substance vvith God his father but of the like and brought vpon his owne heade suddaine destruction Christ is very God and very man God of his father before the world and man of his Mother borne in the world perfect God and perfect man his humane flesh subsisting Yet Ioannes Langius affirmed that Christ was not man whose damnable heresie vvas long ago condemned in Eutiches in the 3. Calcedon Councels and the 2. councels helde at Constantinople Christ became sinne that is hee offered himselfe to God the father a sacrifice for sinne hee died for the sinnes of the worlde if any presumptuous and blasphemous mouth will saye that there vvas sinne in Christ Anathema sit let him bee accursed I hope there is no preacher in Englande will say so if any haue affirmed it that man is in the highest degree of heresie and blasphemy and if he persist in the same I assure him little comfort shall hee reape by the passion of Christ for the benefit of his passion is extended in omnes peccatores but as Durand speaketh respicientes but vnto them that haue conceiued within themselues a godly sorrow for sinne the grace of God assisting If then this doctrine be true as without controuersie it is most true where are they which vvere tearmed patropassiani and the like from vvhence Michaell Seruetus deriued his execrable and damnable assertions opposite and repugnant to the analogy and proportion of our faith Christ suffered in his humanity the deity impassible Lutherus in 2. ca. ep 1. Petri. Luther defended the contrary and vvas ouer-reached Christ descended into hell and preached vnto the spirits that vvere in prison here Erasmus of Rhetrodame decyphered his verball diuinity and his Atheisme in affirming that the passion of Christ extended it selfe so farre that it released the soules of Cicero Homer Plato Socrates If any learned man doubt of this his assertion I refer him to his epistle vvriten