Heauen the church of Sainctes is the true tabernacle and temple of our high priest Christe our priest is the onlie and euerlasting teacher maister of his vniuersall Church For not onely that age hath so taught whiche liued in the dayes of his fleshe but the spirite of Christ was in the Prophets by whom now also he ruleth all the seates of his catholique church Christ himself as yet speaketh vnto vs and will speake euen vnto the end of the world by the mouth or writings of the holy Apostles and all teachers preaching the doctrine of the Apostles And this doctrine is sufficient for the catholique Church For it comprehendeth all those thinges fullie which perteine to a holie and happie life Christe our high priest maketh intercession for all the Sainctes in his owne Temple For hee béeing the only aduocate and patrone of all the faithful prayeth to the father for vs on the right hand of god For he ascended vnto the right hand of God the father that he should alwaies appeare there in the presence of God to followe all our suites faithfully Of whiche thinge I haue spoken more at large in my laste Sermon where I intreated of Inuocation and Intercessiō The same our Lord onlie blesseth vs For he was made a malediction and cursse for vs that we might be blessed in him according to that notable and aunciente Prophecie In thy seede shall all the nations of the worlde be blessed Moreouer Christe our Lorde sacrificeth for vs. For hee offereth incense when hée maketh supplication for vs and appeareth on the right hand of god And he offereth a sacrifice for sinnes vnto the liuing god not a sacrifice of a beast but him selfe alwayes an effectuall sacrifice to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of the people Whereof since I haue entreated aboundantlie in the treatise of Ceremonies héere of purpose I am the bréefer Againe since our lord Iesus Christ is y holy of holiest doubtlesse he sanctifieth consecrateth his catholique church annointing it with the oile of the holie ghost that we may be made both holie priests to offer spirituall sacrifices to god For we read y that holy ointmēt powred on Aarons hed ran down to his beard euen to the skirts of his clothing For Christ the highe priest of his vniuersall Churche powreth his spirit as wel vpon them that are verie farre off as vpon them that are neare at hande For hée crieth in the Gospell If any man thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke He that beleeueth on me as the scripture hath saide out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of water of life And againe For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified in trueth To be short when we say and confesse that Iesus Christ is the priest or bishop of the faithfull people we say this that Christ is our chosen and appointed teacher and maister to gouerne and teach his vniuersal church to make intercession for vs to plead all our suites faithfully before the Father in heauen which is the onely patrone mediatour and aduocate of the faithfull with God who by the sacrifice of his bodie is the perpetuall only satisfaction absolution and iustification of all sinners throughout the whole worlde who consecrateth into priestes those that beléeue that that they also might offer to God the Father through Iesus Christ acceptable sacrifices might be the house and tabernacle of God. Out of this it shal be easie to iudge what manner of priesthoode Christs is who is our highe prieste and Bishop His priesthood is the verie office or verie function and working of the priest whereby Christ the priest him selfe executeth all thinges in heauen and in the Catholique Churche whiche beelong to his priestly office Wherefore it must néedes bee that this Priesthoode of Christe our highe Bishop is not visible and corporall but altogether spirituall For verie well sayth Paule Christe were no priest if he were on the earth where they that are of the tribe of Leuie do minister in the tabernacle or temple where there is a temple or tabernacle with manyfolde holie garmentes and vessels But Christe our Lorde is of the tribe of Iuda borne I say of a royall tribe albeit we are not ignoraunt in the meane while that the royall tribe that is the tribe of Iuda and the priestly tribe that is the tribe of Leuie were mingled together For we reade that Elizabeth which was of the daughters of Aaron was Cousen to the virgin the mother of God she being of the line of Dauid Neither is our Lord read at any time to haue vsed the temple or the holy vessels in his ministerie For although sometime he taught in the temple yet he taught not onely in the same He neuer sacrificed in the temple at the holy altars either of incense or of burnt offerings He neuer vsed priestly garments whiche were figuratiue Wherof I spake when I expounded the ceremonial lawes Therefore when he woulde sacrifice for the satisfaction of the sinnes of the whole worlde he suffered without the gate offered himselfe a liuely and most holy sacrifice according as the shadows or types prophecies and figures foreshewed in the law of Moses wherof in like maner I haue entreated in the discourse of the ceremoniall lawes And when hee had offered the sacrifice of his bodie he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the father that from thence he may giue light vnto his Church and there appeare alwayes for vs in the presence of God the Father And therefore he doth not now corporally execute his priestly office on earth in like sort teaching vs now as in the dayes of his fleshe he taught the men of his age For nowe he doeth illuminate with his spirite the mindes of his and daily repaireth or renueth the Euangelicall doctrine of the Apostles and yet for all that hée himselfe speaketh by the mouth of thē that teache and preache the Gospell He blesseth vs from heauen that is to say he inricheth vs with all heauenly blessing Of him the Apostle speaking saith And the annoynting which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teache you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it hath taught you ye shall abide in it Of him the diuine Prophet speaking sayth I wil powre water vppon the thirstie and floudes vppon the drie ground I wil powre my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vppon thy stocke or buddes They shall growe together like as the grasse and as the willowes by the waters side By whiche words we learne that Christ our high priest hath no néede of a bishop suffragane or vicar in his Churche For he himselfe is present with his Church and gouerneth it by his spirit The selfe same Christ at the
shall preach any other Gospel c. 559. 898 2 I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mée and the life whiche I nowe line in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God c. 454 763 825 2 If righteousnesse come by the lawe then Christ died in vaine c. 771 2 Titus being a Gréeke was not circumcised because of incommers being false c. 451 2 Wee knowe that man is not iustified by the woorkes of the Lawe c. 49 3 The séede of Abraham wherein we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus c. 687 3 All ye that are baptised haue puâ— on Christ c. 1061 3 If there had béene a lawe giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt c. 40â— 3 For it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all thinges which c. 407 3 The Lawe was our Scholemaster vnto Christ that wée should c. 1001 3 There is neither Iewe noâ— Greeke neither bond man nor frée c. 813 3 O foolish Galathians who hath beewitched you that yee should not beléeue the trueth c. 1020 3 The same oure father Abraham was not iustified by the Lawe c. 51 4 The sonne of God is made of a woman to witt according to mans nature c. 688 4 After that ye haue knowen God howe chaunceth it that ye returne againe to weake and beggerly elements c. 1142 4 Because ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes c. 719 4 He feygneth that there are twoe mothers the one wherof doeth gender to boundage c. 437 4 God sent his sonne made of a woman that we by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes c. 448. 629. 4 Ye despised not neither abhorred my triall which was in the 〈◊〉 c. 876 4 Hierusalem whiche is aboue is frée which is the mother of vs all c. 827. 868 5 Brethren ye haue béene called vnto libertie onely let not libertie be an occasion c. 448 5 Loe I Paule say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shal profite you nothing c. 419 5 The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh c. 594. 718 5 The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes c. 729 6 While wee haue time let vs worke good to all men c. 95. 289. 1125 6 Brethren if a man be preuented in any fault ye whiche are spirituall restoare such c. 574 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 YE are sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the â—arnest of our inheritance c. 727. â—016 〈◊〉 God hath chosen vs in Christe 〈◊〉 efore the foundations of the world were layde c. 643 〈◊〉 God raised Christ from the dead â—nd sâ—t him on his right hand in â—â—auenly places c. 701. 865 〈◊〉 Christe dwelleth in oure heartes â—hrough faith c. 825 〈◊〉 Now therefore ye are no more â—â—raungers and forteners but 〈…〉 ns c. 862 〈◊〉 Wherefore remember that ye â—eing in time passed Gentiles in â—â—e flesh c. 1021 〈◊〉 Wée were by nature the sonnes wrath euen as other c. 501 〈◊〉 Wée are created in Christ Iesus â—â—to good workes whiche GOD 〈…〉 th before c. 473 〈◊〉 By grace are ye saued throughe 〈…〉 th and that not of your selues c 2 Christ is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken downe c. 413 4 Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some pastours c. 41 828. 877. 3 By Christe wee haue bouldnesse and entraunce with confidence by faith c. 921 3 God by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto mée as I wrote c. 18. 4 There is one body and one spirite euen as you are called in one hope of your vocâ—tion c. 841 2 Christ is the head of the church and the same is the Sauiour c. 865 4 Hee instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Sainctes for the worke c. 875 4 Bee ye tenned in the spirite of your minde and put on that newe man c. 490 4 Layinglies a side speake ye euery man the truth to his brother for we are members c. 273 4 One Lord one faith one baptisme one GOD and father of all which is aboue all c. 624. 1033 4 This I saye and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke c. 503. 592 4 Be angrie and sinne not Let not the Sinne set vpon c. 164 4 Let no filthie communication procéede out of your mouth c. 238 4 Gréeue not the holy Spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption c. 1016 5 Christ is the head of the church and he it is that giueth saluation to the bodie c. 702 5 So must husbandes loue their wiues euen as their owne bodies c. 230 5 Neither whoremongers nor adulterers shal inherite the kingdom of God c. 235 5 Christe loued the Churche and gaue himselfe for it c. 80. 973 1061 5 Bée not drinken with wine wherein is excesse but be full-filled c. 933 5 Let not fornication or any vncleannesse or couetousnesse be once named c. 238 5 Giue thanckes alwayes for all thinges vnto GOD and the father c. 952 6 Children obey your parents for this is right Honour thy father c. 158 6 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger c. 161 6 Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on c. 594 6 Take vnto you the whole armour of GOD that ye may be able to resist in the euill day c. 754 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians 1 I Desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ c. 767. 777. 1 To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him c. 455. 591 2 When Christe was in the fourme of GOD he made himselfe of no reputation c. 63 689 2 There is a name giuen vnto Christe which is aboue all names that in the name of IESVS euery knée should bow c. 689 2 God worketh in vs both to wil and to doe euen of his good pleasure c. 591. 646 2 An exhortation to loue If therefore there bee any consolation in Christ c. 99 3 Christ shall transforme this vile body of oures to make it conformable c. 85. 88 3 Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee loke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ c. 71. 87. 690. 4 Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication c. 914 4 Wée haue learned in what estate so euer we are therewith to be content c. 312 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians 1 IT pleased the father that all fullnesse should dwell
God is reuealed in what manner it is to be hearde and what the force thereof is or the effect Our God is the God of all men and nations who according to the saying of the Apostle woulde haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth and therfore hath he for the benefite life and saluation of all men reuealed his worde that so in déede there might be a rule and certaine waye to leade men by the pathe of iustice into life euerlasting God verily in the olde time did shewe him selfe to the Israelites his holy and peculiar people more familiarly then to other nations as the Prophete sayth To Iacob hath he declared his statutes and his iudgementes to Israel he hath not dealt so with any nation neyther hath he shewed them his iudgementes and yet he hath not altogether bene carelesse of the Gentiles For as to the Niniuites he sent Ionas so Esaias Ieremias Daniell and the other Prophetes bestowed muche labour in teaching and admonishing the Gentiles And those moste auncient Fathers Noe Abraham and the rest did not onely instruct the Iewish people which descended of them but taught their other sonnes also the iudgementes of god Our Lorde Iesus Christe verily laying open the whole world before his disciples sayd Teach all nations Preache the Gospell to all creatures And when as Sainte Peter did not yet fully vnderstande that the Gentiles also did appertaine to the fellowship of the Churche of Christe and that to the Gentiles also did belong the preaching of the glad tydings of saluation purchased by Christe for the faythfull the Lord doth instruct him by a heauenly vision by speaking to him out of heauen and by the message which came from Cornelius as you knowe dearely beloued by the hystorie of the Actes of the Apostles Let vs therfore thinke my brethren that the worde of God and the holy Scriptures are reuealed to all men to all ages kindes degrées and states throughout the worlde For the Apostle Paule also confirming the same sayth Whatsoeuer things are written are written for our learning that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may haue hope Let none of vs therefore hereafter say what néede I to care what is written to the Iewes in the olde Testament or what the apostles haue written to the Romanes to the Corinthians and to other nations I am a Christian The Prophets to the men of their time and the Apostles to those that liued in the same age with them did both preach and write For if we thinke vprightly of the matter we shall sée that the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testamentes ought therefore to be receiued of vs euen bicause we are Christians For Christ our Sauiour and maister did referre vs to the written bookes of Moses and the Prophets Saint Paule the very elect instrument of Christ doth apply to vs the Sacramentes and examples of the olde Fathers that is to say Circumcision in baptisme Coloss 2. and the Paschall lambe in the Supper or Sacrament 1. Cor. 5. In the tenth Chapter of the same Epistle he applyeth sundry examples of the Fathers to vs And in the fourth to the Romans where he reasoneth of fayth whiche iustifieth without the helpe of works and the lawe he bringeth in the example of Abraham And therewithall addeth Neuerthelesse it is not written for Abraham alone that fayth was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whome it shal be reckoned if we beleeue c. By that meanes say some we shal againe be wrapped in the lawe we shall be inforced to be circumcised to sacrifice fleshe and bloud of beastes to admit againe the priesthood of Aaron together with the temple and the other ceremonies There shall againe be allowed the byll of diuorcement or putting away of a mans wife together with sufferaunce to marrie many wiues To these I aunswere that in the olde Testament we muste consider that some thinges there are whiche are for euer to be obserued and some thinges whiche are ceremoniall and suffered onely till time of amendement That time of amendment is the time of Christe who fulfilled the lawe and tooke awaye the curse of the lawe The same Christe chaunged Circumcision into Baptisme He with his owne only sacrifice made an end of all sacrifices so that nowe in steade of all sacrifices there is lefte to vs that onely sacrifice of Christe wherein also we learne to offer our own very bodies and prayers together with good déedes as spirituall sacrifices vnto god Christ changed the Priesthood of Aaron for his owne and the Priesthoode of al Christians The Temple of God are we in whom god by his spirit doth dwell All ceremonies did Christ make voide who also in the nineteene of Mathewe did abrogate the bill of diuorcement together with the marriage of many wiues But althoughe these Ceremonies and some externall actions were abrogated and cleane taken away by Christ that we should not be bound vnto them yet notwithstanding the Scripture whiche was published touching them was not taken awaye or else made voide by Christ For there must for euer be in the Churche of Christ a certaine testimoniall wherby we may learne what manner of worshippings and figures of Christ they of the olde time had Those worshippiÌ„gs figures of Christ must we at this day interprete to the Churche spiritually and out of them we muste no lesse then out of the writinges of the newe Testament preach Christ forgiuenes of sinnes and repentance So then to all Christians are the writinges of the olde Testament giuen by God in like manner as the Apostles writ to all Churches those thinges which bore the name or title of some particular Congregations And to this end is the woord of God reuealed to men that it may teache them what and what maÌ„ner one God is towardes men that he would haue them to be saued aâ—d that by faithe in Christ what Christ is and by what meanes saluation commeth what becommeth the true worshipers of God what they ought to flie and what to ensue Neither is it sufficient to know the wil of God vnlesse we do the same and be saued And for that cause sayde Moses Heare Israell the statutes and iudgements whiche I teache you that ye may doe them and liue And the Lorde in the Gospell confirming the same cryeth Blessed are they whiche heare the worde of God and keepe it And here is to be praysed the excéeding great goodnesse of God whiche would haue nothing hid froÌ„ vs whiche maketh any whit to liue rightly well and holily The wise and learned of this world doe for the most part beare enuy or grudge that other shoulde attaine vnto the true wisedome But our Lorde doth gently and of his own accorde offer to vs the whole knowledge of heauenly things and is desirous that we goe forward therein yea and that more is he doth further our
For so longe as wée mortal men doe liue in this body the flesh doth stil resist the spirite and most of all rebelleth then when we with delicates do pamper the body Wherefore fasting doth drawe from the body euery euil which stirreth vp and strengtheneth it against the good commaundements of Gods holy spirite Now the necessitie for which wée keepe this fastinge is of two sortes publique and priuate Wée faste for the publique or common necessitie when some calamitie doeth either oppresse or else hange ouer the head of the Church Of such a manner of fasting wée sée examples in the 2. Cap. of Ioel and in the 3. of Ionas his prophecie which very same order in fasting was vsed in the time of our Lords Apostles as it is euidently extant in the Actes of the Apostles And this kinde of fastinge doth séeme to haue differed verie little amonge them of old from a generall mourninge yea it séemeth altogether to haue béene nothinge else but a kind of lamenting In the scriptures euery booke is full of examples which teach and instructe vs how the holy saincts did humble themselues in the sight of God with true repentaūce for their sinnes and offences Priuate necessitie is that for which euery particular man doth fast when hée féeleth himselfe to be vexed with bodily concupiscence that thereby hee may take from the flesh the flame and fewell least the body at last be fired and burned For the Lord in the Gospel saide that the children of the bridechamber do fast whē the bridegrome is taken from them that is in a hard and daūgerous time The marriage doth signifie the bond wherby we are knit to Christe in faith and the holy ghoste This yet notwithstanding the godly man doth still reioyce Hée doth with geuing of thanckes and temperancie both eate and drinke so much as is sufficiente and is delighted also in these externall giftes of God but when hee féeleth that the bridegrome is readie for to departe or that hée is now alreadie almost departed oute of his heart that is when hee féeleth that the spirite is extinguished by the fleashes wantonnesse and that faith doth once beginne to bee cold then doth hée settle himselfe to prayer and doth appointe a solemne fastinge thereby eyther to kéepe the bridegrome still or else to pull him backe being ready to departe But neither publique nor priuate fastings can abide to be inforced For they will not be compelled but desire to procéede of a frée chéerefull and voluntarie minde Vnwillinge men doe nothinge well God requireth a chearefull giuer Moreouer let fastinges be moderated according to the qualitie of places persons perills and temptations if they be not continuall yet let them be often till such time as wée be deliuered and ridde vtterly of them Let them be without superstitiō and fayned hypocrisie as our Lord in the sixte of S. Matthewes Gospell hath taught vs Herewithall doe the words of S. Hierome agrée very wel which hée wrote to Nepolianus touching fasting as followeth Prescribe to thee selfe so longe a time to faste in as thine abilitie will suffer thee to beare Let thy fastinges be pure vncorrupte simple moderated and not superstitious What auayleth it to eate no oyle and to seeke out such seldome sond cates as are harde to bee come by as figges pepper nuttes dates pure flowre for ouerfine breade and honie The gardens with digging for nouelties are tourned ouer and ouer because wee will not eate common cribble breade and so while oure deintie mouthes seeke after delicates oure soules are pulled from the kingdome of Heauen I heare moreouer that some menne there are which contrarie to nature refuse to drinke water and feede vppon bread but sucke vppe and swallowe verie costlie suppinges deintie hearbe brothes and the iuyce of Beetes not out of a cup but out of a shell O shame blush wee not at such fond toyes and are wee not ashamed of such superstition Thus much saith Hierome And it is euidente that euen at this day this vice is ospecially receiued amonge oure wealthie and relligious menne But the end of Christian fastinges are that the Church or sinner should submitt and humble themselues before the Lord that the flesh should bée obedient and subiect to the spirit that the fleshe should not hinder the sinner to woorke righteousnesse and that the intent and minde of him that prayeth should bée the more earnestly bente towarde god For fastinge is of the number of those woorkes which of themselues are not absolute and perfecte but haue an other meaninge-for which they are ordeyned to an other ende and purpose therefore fasting is a certaine help to the prayers and vertues of godly men Wherevppon in the Prophetes wée finde that the fastinges of the Iewes displeased the Lord for they did naught else but fast alone that is they did at a certaine and appointed time abstein from their vsuall maner of eating but they restrayned not themselues from sinne and wickednesse but let their flesh haue the bridle at will when as in déede they should haue ceassed to haue pampered it that thereby it being the weaker the spirite might bée the stronger to doe and fulfill all sorte of good woorkes And therefore saith the Lord I haue not chosen such a manner of fasting and the rest as it foloweth in the 58. Chapiter of Esaie and in the 7. and 8. Chapiters of Zacharies Prophecie The Apostle Paul verily doth expressely say that Meate commendeth vs not to God for neither if wee eate haue wee any thing the more neither if wee eate not haue we any thing the lesse Hée therfore doth not fast truly which doth absteine onely at a certaine appointed time from certaine manner of meates but hée which doth therfore refraine from the pleasures of the flesh that therby hée may make it subiect to the spirite and do the works of faith and charitie which are acceptable in the sight of the lord If therfore thou doest desire to faste a true fast eate drincke and sleepe and take héede to thy body that it waxe not insolent faste from al sinne eate not the meate of malice tast not the iuncates of luste and pleasure and be not set on fire with the wyne of wantonnesse Faste from euil déedes absteine from euill woords and refraine thée selfe from naughtie thoughtes For Basile also faith True fasting consisteth in freenesse from vices in continencie of tongue in suppressing of anger in cutting off cōcupiscence backbiting lying and periurie c. But euen as the good woorkes themselues which are done by faith doe not merite the kingdome of heauen for that glorie is due to the merite of Christe alone euen so fastinge which is an ayde and helpe to good woorkes doth not meritoriouslye deserue the kingdome of God. But now I sée a doubtfull disputation arise amonge the most diuines of this oure age touching the time and maner of fastings and also of the choice of meates Some
otherwise serue their Lord and king than Kings that is in doing those thinges whiche Kinges ought to doe namely to execute iudgement and iustice For albeit these be in the worlde yet râ—le they not after the worlde because they are now gouerned by the spirite of their king Christe and directe all their doings to the prescripte rule of Gods word and in all things yéelde them selues to be guided by the spirite of God and so farre surely their kingdome is not of this worlde Of these things I haue else where cited much out of S. Augustine acording to the scripture And our king Christe defendeth his Churche and his ministers sometime by the aide of Princes sometimes he preserueth and spreadeth abrâ—ade the same lying open to persecutions through infirmitie and weakenesse For it is pressed downe but not oppressed or kepte vnder still Christe the mightiest Prince alwayes reigning and ouercomming in those that â—ee his Nowe the bounds of this Earthlie kingdome of Christe reache vnto the vtter-moste partes of the Earth For all the kingdomes of the worlde and all nations perteine vnto the kingdome of Christ Héerevnto belong all the testimonies of the Prophets touching the calling of the Gentiles whereof thou maist finde verie manis in Esay and Zacharie who excellentlye describe the kingdome of Christe in Earth Wherevppon the Iewes tooke occasion to feigne I wot not how great glorious things of the maiestie and victeryes of the Messias whiche neuerthelesse long since were aboundantlye fulfilled in Christe but more spiritually than carnally But they while they dreame of and looke for carnall things loathe spirituall and loose bothe But the faithfull through the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of Christe their king most aboundauntly obteine those good thinges whiche the Prophetes promised namely plentifull peace bothe with God and men and all kinde of felicitie alwayes to bée blessed alwayes to be safe though they fight continuallie from all enimyes as well visible as also inuisible and to inioy euerlasting saluation Which things the Prophetes in their writings haue set foorthe in a moste large kinde of style yet vnderstandinge nothing else than as euen now we said that the faithfull shall be moste happie and shall possesse in Christe all good gifts bothe of soule and bodie as much indéede as is necessarie and healthfull for the Saincts And this is that kingdome now we vnderstand bothe as well that of grace as this of 〈◊〉 which that Ioseph of Aramathia iust Simeon and Anna y Prophetisse with other Saints awaited and loked for This same kingdome Philippe the Deacon preached to them of Samaria and Sainte Paule the Apostle to them of Rome which thinge Luke doeth testiffe in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 8. and 28. But the seate or throne and palace of our king is Heauen For hee ascended a conquerour into Heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from theÌ„ce â—â— y Sunne of righteousnesse hee shineth to all which liue in his Churche or in his kingdome yea and he â—hâ—â—sâ—th the harts of the faithfull to him selfe wherein he may dwell Furthermore that we may vnderstande ouâ— King though not corpâ—rally presente in earth but ascended into Heauen not therefore to be absent from his kingdom he verily in his word compareth himselfe to the head and vs to the bodie or the meÌ„bers Now therefore as the bodie is neuer without the head so the kingdome of God is not without Christ the prince And as the vitall spirite from the harte and the power or vertue of féeling and mouing froÌ„ the head is powred into the bodie so are we quickened or made aliue by our Prince Christe he iustifying preseruing comforting confirming and defending vs from all euill As all the members are ruled by the head so all the faithful in the kingdome of Christe are gouerned by their King Christe Paule therefore saithe God raised Christe from the dead set him on his right hand in heauenly places farr aboue all rule and power and might euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to coÌ„e And hath put all things vnder his féete gaue him to be the head ouer all things to the Church which is his bodie y fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Of which kinde there are very many other to be found in the writings of the Apostles first of all that Christ is the head of the church and he it is which giueth saluation to the body for he gaue him selfe for the church to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the worde that he might present it vnto him selfe a glorious church c. And thus much hetherto of the kingdoÌ„e of Christ in earth which is bothe called the kingdome of grace and the Church militant Moreouer the kingdome of God is called the kingdome of heauen and of glory for that occasion because those whome our Lord king hath sanctified on earth and guided with his spirit yea and also iustified béeing deliueied from the fleshe and taken out of this world he glorifieth in heaueÌ„ and recâ—iueth thâ— into ioy into the fellowship both of himselfe and of all the saints For the souls of the faithful eueÌ„ as soone as they depart out of their bodies are foorth with receiued into heaueÌ„ to reigne with Christ the euerlasting king for euer to reioice with all the Saincts But in the laste iudgemeÌ„t wherewith we beleue that the quick and dead shall be iudged of Christe our king the bodies of the Sainctes shall be raised vp clarified coupled againe to their soules and how many soeuer haue cleaued vnto Christ their king from the beginning of the world shal liue for euer reigne in glorie together with Christe their king and prince Of this kingdoÌ„e of the Saints the Prophets Apostles haue spoken muche and chiefelye the Apostle Sainte Iohn in his Reuelation Some haue called this kingdome the Church triumphant This kingdome of GOD or of Christe is an euerlasting kingdome For as euen to the worldes end the Church shall be on earth howsoeuer this worlde and the Prince of the worlde doe rage so the faithfull after iudgement shall liue and reigne with Christe happie for euer bothe in bodie and soule For the Lord saith in the Gospell The gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church Also the last times shall be as the dayes of Noe were wherein thoughe the wicked did farre in number excéede the Churche of the faithfull yet Noe and his were saued in the Arke but the wicked were destroyed with the floud in such sort surely shal iniquity by all means preuaile in the end of the worlde but in the meane while those that are elected into the kingdome of Christe shall be saued by Christe whome they shall looke for to be their Iudge and shall sée theire redéemer comming in the cloudes of
manifest that this godly inuentioÌ„ of those men who liued holily in the time of Abraham which of late by the doctrine of Christe is preached to all nations is the first moste auncient and eldest of aâ— Thus much Eusebius Furthermore if we behold our selues in this looking-glasse of a Christian name we shal see that very few at this day are worthie of this name Truly all of vs are commonly so called we will be all named christians but fewe of vs liue a life worthie of our profession We are named christians of holy annointing The holy annointing is the holy ghost himself Vpon whom shal my spirit rest saith the Lorde Euen vppon him that is poore and of a lowly troubled spirite and standeth in awe of my wordes But we set light by the word of God we haue very troublesome heades we are corrupt with euil affections and lewde lusts we swel with pride therfore we want the oyntment of holy oyle or are voide of the holy ghost Who therefore can say that we bée Christians We are all of vs in maner ruled by wicked desires by the flesh the world and the prince of this worlde fewe of vs rule the world the flesh and those thinges which are in them Therefore not the spirite of God but the spirite of the world and the fleshe beareth rule in vs The diuel the world and the fleshe haue dominion ouer vs for in them wee liue and them we doe obey wherevppon being estranged and let loose froÌ„ all righteousnesse and holines we are beecome flaues seruing a most vile filthie slauerie For we not desiring to be deliuered do neither séeke a redéemer nor being impatient of their tyrannie rise rebell against them but like faint-harted cowardes wée yéeld our selues to be brought in subiection and to be kept vnder their tyrannie nay it repenteth and yrcketh vs of our labours watchinges prayers of all duties of Godlines béeing carelesse wee lie lurking as in a place of voluâ—tuousnesse But who would 〈◊〉 â—uch swine the most holy name of a Christian but he that is bothe exceeding foolish and wicked No maruel theÌ„ iâ— such be thrust down into hell there eternally to burne and there eternally to be yoked vnto him whom they haue moste wickedly chosen to themselues to follow And now what one of vs is there y doth teach admonish exhort those that boast brag of this Christian name I speak nothing heere concerning the Doctors or teachers of the Church but my talke doth touche the office dutie of a christian man Truly the most part of vs are slowe in instructing our families and felowe-brethren For either it grieueth vs to take the paine or else we feare daunger Therefore we turne the office of admonishing instructing vpon the publique ministers of the church as though nothing at all of this matter were required of vs For this cause speaches in a maner vnséemly to be spoken are heard vttered of men I haue not the office of a minister I am no Pâ—aff priest why therefore should I 〈◊〉 â–ª why should I admonishe And these care not howe blasphemous and filthie things be spoken either at home or abroade For they liue to themselues and thinke that the glorie of God and the soules-healthe of their neighbour belongeth nothing vnto them But what sacrifices offer wee worthie of God and our name where are prayers and thanksgiuings where is the mortification of our fleshe and the denying of this world where is compassion or well-doing where is an holy and harmelesse life The contrarie if néede so required I coulde reckon vppe in a long bead-rowe but to what ende were it to make a large discourse of those thinges that are manifest vnto all men For who I pray you doth denie that the life of this presente age of men I meane whiche bragge and boaste of their Christian name is filthie stincking and pestilent Whiche thinges since they bee too too true and euident I haue nothing done amisse in saying a litle before that at this day there are fewe Christians They that are wise and desire to bee according to their name let them heare our Sauiour speaking in the Gospel of Matthew Striue to enter in at the streight gate for wide is the gate and broade is the waye that leadeth to destruction and many there be whiche goe in thereat Because streight is the gate and narrowe is the way whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it Furthermore they whiche thing ought first of al to haue béen spoken doe verie greatly offende against religion and Christian profession whiche as they doe not sincerely acknowledge the priesthoode kingdome of Christ so they boast theÌ„selues to be chiefly praise worthie coÌ„mendable catholike because they coÌ„mit those things which by al meanes obscure darken the kingdome priest hood of Christ Christians being content with this only title name doe not ambitiously séeke after or admit another name But these men as thogh the name of a christiaÌ„ were but a light trifling name neuer rest vntil they be also called by other names as though they were babtised into the name of BrioÌ„ Benet Robert or FrauÌ„cis Christians cleauing only to their lawgiuer maister teacher Christ do not acknowlege the voice of strauÌ„gers neither goe a strawes breadth from the diuine scriptures But these men charge thée with heresie vnlesse thou receiue and woorship for heauenly Oracles al kinde of constitutions of the Romish Church though they be flat contrarie to the wordes teaching of Christ Christians acknowlege themselues to haue one king one deliuerer one sauiour one head in heauen These men worship his vicar in earth and attribute saluation not onely to triâ—â—ing things but to verie stinking loathsome thinges Christians put all their trust in God to whome they offer all their vowes and prayers by Iesus Christ whome they beléeue to be the only highe priest and most faithfull patrone and aduocate of all that beléeue They make their prayers to creatures and mens imaginations and choose to themselues so many patrones and intercessours as there doe liue saintes in heauen Christians know that the sacrifice of Christ once offered is alwayes effectuall to make satisfaction for all the sins of al men in the whole worlde and of all men of al ages But these men with often outcries say that it is flatte heresie not to confesse that Christ is daily offered of sacrificeing priests consecrated to the purpose Therfore the name of a christian is common to al but the thing signified ment by the name is common to the faithfull only who cleaue vnto one Christ Nowe I conclude my whole discourse of Christ a king and a priest with these words of saint Augustine The sonne of God whiche made vs is made among vs and beeing our king ruleth vs therfore we are Christians because he is Christe He is
called Christ a Chrismate that is to say of annointing Kinges also and priestes were annointed he was annointed king and priest Beeing a king hee fought for vs Beeing a priest he offered himselfe for vs When he fought for vs he was as it were ouercome yet by right hee hathe ouercome in verie deede For he was crucified and on his crosse whereon he was nailed he slewe the diuell and then was hee our king But wherfore is he a priest because he hath offred himselfe for vs Let a priest haue somewhat to offer What could man finde to giue A cleane sacrifice what sacifice what cleane thing can a sinner offer O wicked sinner O vngodly wretch What so euer thou shalt bring it is vncleane Seeke within thy selfe what to offer thou shalt find nothing Seeke out of thy selfe what to offer hee is not delighted in rammes or goates or bullockes They are all his though thou offer them not Hee found nothing cleane among men whiche he might offer for men therfore he offered himselfe a cleane offering an vndefiled sacrifice Therfore he did not offer that whiche we gaue vnto him but that which he tooke of vs and that he offered pure cleane He tooke fleshe in the wombe of the virgin that hee might offer pure and cleane flesh for vs that were vncleane He is a king he is a priest In him let vs reioyce To him be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power ¶ The eighth Sermon IT remaineth that after wee haue expounded the mysteries of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ we consequētly speake of the holy Ghost and of his diuine power and operation For vnlesse he inspire our minds and rule our tongue wee shall neuer bee able worthily or profitably either to speake or heare any thing concerning him For as no man knoweth those things which are of God but the spirite of God so men fetche the vnderstanding of heauenly thinges and the knowledge of the holy ghost from no where else than from the same spirite of god Let vs therefore pray and beséech God the father that by his sonne Iesus Christe hee would vouchsafe to inlightē our darke and mystie mindes by sending this his holy spirite into our hearts and to direct vs in the sincere waye of trueth according to the holy Scriptures And first of all it séemeth not vnprofitable to expound the woord spirite because in the scripture it is diuerslie taken and very often vsed so that not séeldome times hee shall greatly erre which is ignoraunt of the force of that word Spirite properly is the signification of an element signifying aire winde breath In that signification we read this spoken of our Sauiour The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but canst not tel whence it commeth whither it goeth And Paule saith If I pray with an vnknowen tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is made vnfruitefull Loe the Apostle vseth spirite for the breath or voice For he ioyneth it to the tongue and setteth it against the minde By a Metaphore it is translated to euery bodilesse substance and is set against the body Spirite therefore signifieth an Angel either good or badd For the Prophete whose wordes Paul hath also rehearsed sayth Which maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire And againe Are they not all ministring spirits These testimonies are vnderstoode of good Angels when the scripture speaketh of euil Angels commonly it addeth somewhat as an euill spirite or an vncleane spirite Wée call also spirites or ghostes whiche haue taken some shape that cannot well be discerned spirits So the Apostles not beléeuing that the Lord was risen againe with his true bodie when they sawe him they thought they had séene a spirite To whom shewing his féete and his handes hee sayeth A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see mee haue Againe spirite is taken for the breath of life as with the Latines to breath is to liue to leaue breathing is to die Dauid sayeth When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good When thou hydest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust And the Lord in Moses sayeth I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life The reasonable soule also of man is peculiarly called spirit in so much that spirite is verye often taken in the holy scripture for the resonable soule of man For in the Gospell thou doest read Iesus when hee had bowed downe his head gaue vp the ghost or the spirite And thou doest read of the holy martyre Stephan They stoned Stephan calling on and saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite For Solomon said before The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came the spirite shall returne vnto GOD who gaue it And sometimes spirite signifyeth the affection and motion readinesse and prouocation of the minde For Solomon sayeth A man that refraineth not his appetite or spirite is like a cittie whiche is broken downe Thou mayest oftentimes finde in the Scriptures the spirite of pride anger luste or enuie taken for a proud angrie lustfull or enuious affection Also in Luke the 13. the verie sore disease or force of sickenesse is called the spirite of infirmitie The spirite also signifieth those spirituall motions which the holie Ghost stirreth vp in the heartes of the Saincts yea and the verie gifts powred into the hearts of men by the spirite Whiche in euery place in Paule is to be séene Else-where spirite is opposed against the letter the bodie the figure the type or shadowe and is vsed for a more highe or mysticall meaning and for the very pithe of the thing as when Paule sayeth The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite not in the letter And againe The lord hath made vs able ministers of the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite giueth life Therefore thou mayst finde spirite to be taken for inspiration reuelation and doctrine For Iohn sayeth Beleeue not euerie spirite but proue the spirites whether they bee of God or not And againe Quench not the spirite despise not prophecies Last of all God is called that vnmeasurable and vnspeakeable power of the spirite God sayeth our Lord is a spirite they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in trueth By this meanes the word spirite is common to al the persons of the reuerend Trinitie howbeit it is peculiarlie applied to the third person in Trinitie of whom we make this sermon And albeit the holie Ghoste forsomuch as hee is God can be compassed within no limits for by
of some who promise to condemned spirits redeÌ„ption from their punishments a little before the iudgment day But against these very many doctors of the church haue disputed all and euery one of theÌ„ condemning with one voyce an opinion which the 〈◊〉 longe ago condemned For the iudge in the ende of the world 〈◊〉 definitiue sentence against 〈◊〉 than al the wicked shal say Depart â—rom me ye cursed into euerlasting fier which is prepared for the diuell and his â—ngels And by by the Apostle holy Euangelist a witnesse of the truth doth â—dde And these shal go into euerlasting â—unishment but the righteous into life euerlasting For in Marke the lord also â—aid In hell their worme dieth not and â—he fier is not queÌ„ched And in Iohn in more plaine pithie wordes he saith They that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euil vnto the â—esurrection of condemnation He doth not â—ay they shal go either into life or into condemnation but into the resurrection either of life or condemnation that is to remaine euerlastingly in life or death For Daniel of whom the Lorde borowed these wordes hath said And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt For Iohn the Apostle saith that the smoke of those that are condemned thrown headlong in to hel for euermore shal ascende vp It is certeine therefore that the condemnation of the wicked shal be altogether without ende and euerlasting Furthermore in calling the reuolting Angels spirits we doe not vnderstand by spirite the wicked affection of the hart or the qualitie or passion of the minde or corruption and sinne For the world is not without some which thinke the the diuell is nothing els but a mischefous man or a mischiefous sinnefull â—oÌ„motion or outrage of the minde By spirits therefore we vnderstand spiriâ—uall substances indued with féeling â—nderstanding For in the first chapter of 〈◊〉 sathan came shewed him self among the children or seruaÌ„tâ— of god speaking with the lord The gospel 〈◊〉 reporteth vnto vs that diuels béeâ—â— cast out of a man entred into the herd of swine â— drowned them iâ— the 〈◊〉 of the sea or lake of Gaderen Moreouer the gospel recordeth that the diuel sinned from the beginning that he coltinued not in the truth that he is a lier a murtherer Iudas maketh mentioÌ„ that the angel fought with the diuell In Marke the diuels cry out and say What haue we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs but yet for al that our sauiour beinâ— alredy appointed made iudge shal say to the diuels Go into the euerlasting fier Al which testimonies agree to substances by them selues subsistine not to qualities Diuels therfore arâ— spirituall substances But what bodieâ— they be which they often times take in which they appeare vnto men nâ— man I thinke can perfectly tell whicâ— also we tolde you a little before when we entreated of the bodies which good angels toke For truly that diuels puâ— on bodies shapes differing from their owne the historie of Samuel raised vp by a witch manifestly proueth It was not Samuel that was raised from the dead but the capteine-coyner of lyes counterfeiting Samuel deceiued king Saul And Paul witnesseth that sathâ— doth transforme himselfe into an angel of light Histories also declare that the diuel is a maruelous iugling deceiuer in taking on him diuers forms shapes And as I saide of good angels that they are spéedy in their ministerie without burden or lets so there is no doubt that diuels in their kinde worke are well prepared For the scriptures declare that they haue a thousand shiftes wonderfull craftinesse subtiltie and that their knowâ—edge is 〈…〉 reacheth very farre Finally that they are very ready and neuer weary to attempt performe althings They passe through the whole world with excéeding swiftnesse they handle all their matters very craftily and therefore are maruelous names shadowing out their force power allotted vnto them For he is called Sathan the olde serpeÌ„t a deceiuer the prince of this world the prince of darknesse which hath power ouer the aire a roaring Lion. Of which and of other not vnlike I will speake anon more at large when I haue firste tolde you this that there are an infinite route of diuels For vij diuels are cast out of Marie Magdalen That diuell of whom Matthew speaketh being no sooner cast out museth consulteth howe he may be wholy restored againe taking to him vij other spirites worse than himselfe Moreouer in Marks gospell there is mention made of a legion For the vncleane spirit being asked of the lorde what his name was answered My name is legion because we are â—any Therefore when there is mention made of sathan also where in hoâ—ie scripture it is not so to be taken as â—hough there were either but one subâ—â—ance or person of y diuel â–ª For they arâ— comprehended as the members vnder â—he head as particularities vndâ—r geâ—eralities The scripture truely elsewhere maketh mention of the prince of the diuels For the enimies of Christe do often cry out He casteth out diuels by the prince of diuels but yet that saying doth not expresse what manner of principalitie that is whether orderly among them selues those euill spirites be distinguished And it is certein that all the vngodly are vnder one head as all the godly are vnder one Christe the lord It is certein that all the diuels are o◠〈…〉 corrupt 〈…〉 their force only to this end to 〈◊〉 aduersaries vnto god hurtfull enimies to men But of y operations works or effects of diuels I wil speak wher I shal by the way exposid their names or attributes Corrupt wicked spirits generally are called diuels which is asmuch as if you should say slaunderers or false accusers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Gréekes signifieth slaunder c. And the worde diuel is fetched froÌ„ the Grecians For he soweth slaunders in accusing men vnto god in setting men at variance betwene themselues that now I say nothing how he goeth about to bring god his works into suspicioÌ„ among men Therfore he is elsewhere called a lier the author of lies and the father of al hypocrites therefore the spring of all 〈◊〉 heresies wickednesses And bicause Iudas was an hypocrite a lyer a 〈…〉 traitor the lord rightly gaue him the name of a diuell The Apostle Peter called the diuell an aduersarie For the lord also himselfe called him The enuious man which sowed tarâ—â— in the lords field For he is the 〈◊〉 of God men setting himselfe against the wil of God whose glory also he laboureth to take away
faithfull dispersed on the seas condemned to the galleys for the confession of the true faith we may find many that be holden in captiuitie vnder Antichrist of the whiche we will speake in the next Sermon folowing we may finde also a wonderful many in Graecia Natolia Persia Arabia or in Africa being the seruants of Iesus Christe and worthy members of the catholique church of Christ being shut out and debarred from the holy mysteries of the christians through impiety crueltie of Machomet neuertheles we shall finde them almoste nearely ioyned together in one spirit and one faith with all the true members of the Church and marked also with visible signes Therefore the word and the Sacraments by common decrée are the markes of the Church not putting apart or disseuering the faythful from the communion and societie of other faithfull being by some necessitie shut out from the visible companie of those that are faithfull But to the perfect vnderstanding of the markes of the Churche this belongeth also and that most principally that it is not enough to brag of the worde of God or of the scripture vnlesse also we imbrace reteine and defende the true sense and that which is agréeing with the articles of faith For if ye corrupt the sense of the scripture and vrge the same in the churche then dost thou not bring foorth the sincere scripture it selfe but thyne owne opinion and thy fansies which thou hast deuised of thine owne mind The Churche of the Arrians did not refuse the word of the Lord but rather laboured both to beautifie and defend their owne blasphemous errours by the testimonies of holy scripture That Church denyed our Lord Iesus Christe to be of one substaunce with God the father which thing sith that the sense of the scriptures and of the auncient faith amonge the chiefest pointes of our faith doth both affirme and vrge truely it alleadged not the sincere and pure word of God how so euer it boasted of it but an adulterate word yea and thrust in and defended her heretical opinion for the true and perfect meaning of the holy scripture and therfore it had not the true mark of the Church neyther was it the true Church of god By this one vnhappie example we may iudge of al other Churches of heretiques who thoughe they séeme not to be voyde of the testimonie of Gods worde yet for all that in very déede they haue no puritie of Gods word in them That whiche we haue sayde concerning the worde of God is also necessarily to be vnderstoode of the vse of the Sacraments for except they be orderly and lawfully vsed I say in that order in the which the Lorde him selfe instituted them they are no markes or signes of the Churche of God. Ieroboam truely sacrificed yea he sacrificed vnto God but bycause he sacrificed not lawfully he was accounted a straunger and a faller off from the true Church of god Yea Dauid him selfe brought with greate deuotion and much ioy and melodie the Arke of the Lorde of hostes but bicause he carryed it not lawfully vppon the shoulders of the priestes by and by in steade of greate ioy the excéeding sorrowe which folowed declared that it is not enoughe to vse the Sacraments and ordinances of God vnlesse ye vse them lawfully whiche if you doe God will acknowledge you for his Moreouer those which of old were baptised of heretiques were not for that cause rebaptised againe by the auncient catholikes bycause the heretiques baptised not into the name of any man or into the societie of their errours or heresies but baptised In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoste neyther did they inuocate their owne name or the name of Archheretiques but of Iesus Christe Wherefore not the baptisme of heretiques but the baptisme of the Churche yet ministred by heretiques they not refusing they allowed not the Churches of heretiques as knowne to be true by true signes but they acknowledged that heretiques vse thinges properly belonging vnto the true Church neyther that it doth any thing at all derogate or take from a good thing if any wicked or euill man doe administer it We doe not acknowledge at this day the vpstart Romishe Churche of the Pope we speake not nowe of that olde Apostolique Churche to be the true Churche of Christe yet we doe not rebaptise those which were baptised of the priestes embrued with Popish corruption For we knowe that they are baptised with the baptisme of Christes church and not of the Pope in the name of the holy Trinitie to the articles of the Catholique faith not to errors not to superstitions and papisticall impieties Finally we confesse that not at this day the vnworthinesse of the minister can derogate any thinge from the seruice of god In like sorte also we refuse not the Lordes prayer or the Apostles Créede or finally the canonicall Scriptures themselues béecause the Romishe churche doeth also vse them for she hath them not of her selfe but receiued them from the true church of god Wherfore we vse them in common with her not for the Romish churches sake but because they came from the true church of Christe doe we vse them Beside those outwarde markes of the church which the true beleuers haue common with hypocrites there are certaine inwarde markes specially belonging onely to the godly or els if you will rather call them bondes or proper giftes These doe make the outwarde markes to be fruitfull and without the outwarde markes being by some necessitie absent doe make men worthie or acceptable in the sight of god For without these no man can please God in these therefore is the true marke of Gods children And those be the fellowship of Gods spirite a sincere faith and double charitie For by these the faithfull béeing the true and liuely members of Christe are vnited and knit together first vnto their head Christe then to all the members of the ecclesiasticall bodye And the consideration héereof doeth chiefely belong to the knowledge of the true Churche of GOD whiche though she should suffer rotten members yet is she not defiled of them thorough their outwarde coniunctiō For with continuall studie she laboureth by all meanes to kéepe her selfe vndefield to god And first of all the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine doth teach vs that Christe is ioyned to vs by his spirit that we are tyed to him in minde or spirite by faithe that he may liue in vs and we in him For the Lord cryeth out in the Gospel saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke He that beleeueth in me as the Scripture saith shall haue streames of liueing water flowing out of his bellie To which saying by and by the Euangelist addeth this But this he spake concerning the spirite which they should receiue that beleeued in him Againe he promising in his Gospell his spirite vnto his Disciples yea euen vnto
all his faithfull which shoulde abide with them for euer sayeth In that day ye shall knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you to witt by the holie Ghoste Iohn the Apostle expounding it and saying By this we knowe that he dwelleth in vs by the spirite that he gaue vnto vs. And againe By this we knowe that wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen of his spirite vnto vs. S. Paule the vessell of election differeth not from Saincte Iohn writing and saying to the Romanes If any man hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God they are the children of God. Now as touching true faith which tyeth vs vnto the Lord S. Paule saith I liue now yet not I but Christe liueth in me But the life whiche I now liue in the flesh I liue yet thorough the faith of the sonne of God who loued me and gaue vp him selfe for me And againe he saith Christe dwelleth in our hartes thorough faith With which sayings Sainct Iohn the Apostle agréeing againe saith Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God. For the Lord him selfe before that said in the Gospell He that eateth my fleshe and drincketh my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in him And he eateth Christes flesh and drinketh Christes bloud that beléeueth Therefore Christe our Lorde is ioyned vnto vs in spirite and wée are tyed to him in minde and faithe as the body vnto the head they therefore that lack this knotte and bonde that is that haue not the spirite of Christe nor true faith in Christe are not the true and liuely members of Christe the Lord him selfe in the gospell witnessing and saying If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fier and they burne Which words of our sauiour the Apostle imitating as we said euen now said He that hath not the spirite of Christ is none of his But they that are not destitute of the spirite of Christe are inflamed with the loue of god Neither do we separate loue from faith the same S. Iohn so teaching vs saying God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and GOD in him For the Lord saith in the gospell If a man loue me he will kepe my word and my father will loue him and we wil come vnto him wil dwel with him But although properly faith ioine vs to our head Christ yet the same also doth knit vs to all Christes members vpon earth For whereas there is but one faith of them al and therefore the same spirit there can not but be the same mouth the same minde the same sentence amongest them all although faith be not nowe taken only for a confidence in the mercy of God through Iesus Christe but also for an outwarde confession of fayth For we all confessing one faith and one and the selfe same head with one spirite and mouth we also together professe that we all are members of one and the selfe same body Neither is there any thing else in the worlde that more vnappeaseably disseuereth the mindes of men than the diuersitie of faith or religion and therfore there is nothing that maye more nearely ioyne vs together than vnitie of faith We come nowe to speake of loue whiche I sayde ioyneth together the members of the ecclesiasticall body mutually amongst them selues The Lord saith in the gospel A new commandement giue I vnto you that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you that ye also loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other It is therfore out of doubt that the onely marke of the church next after faith is loue a bond most firmely knitting together all the members This groweth from the communion of Christ and vnitie of the spirit For insomuch as Christ the king the head and highe Byshop of the catholique churche enduing vs all with one and the same spirite hath made vs all his members the sonns of God brethren and fellow heires whom vndoubtedly he loueth tenderly euery faithfull man can not choose but with feruent loue embrace the members and fellowe heires of their king their head and their high Byshop For Iohn the Apostle saith Euerie one that loueth him that begatte doth loue him also that is borne of him If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene Paule to the end that he might moste properly expresse before oure eyes and as it were set to viewe and beholde this vnitie and agréement of the members vseth a parable taken from the members of a mans body and saith For as we haue many mēbers in one body and all members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one an others members The same in the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians more largely and plainely expounding ioyning together of the heade and the members and that chiefly by the sayd parable of the members of a mans body and publishing it very eloquently witnesseth that betwéene the highest members of the churche and the lowest members of the same there is a very greate and apt consent and moreouer a diligent care and a helpe both continuall and most faythfull Of all whiche it appeareth that the markes of the true liuely church of Christ are the cōmunion of the spirit of Christ sincere fayth christian charitie without the which thinges no man is partaker of this spirituall body By these thinges also it shall be easie to iudge whether thou art in the fellowship of the churche or thou art not Moreouer we gather out of those things which we haue hitherto disputed touching the markes of Christes churche from whence is her original also how the church is planted spred abroade preserued Her originall is heauenly for S. Paule speaking of the churche saith Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Therefore he calleth the church heauenly not that it dwelleth altogether in heauē but that she being here on earth hath a heauenly beginning For the children of God are not borne of flesh bloud but from heauen by the renuing of the holy spirit who through the preaching of Gods word planteth faith in our hearts by which faith we are made the true members of Christ his church For Peter saith Ye are borne a newe not of mortal seed but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer And Paul saith I begat you in Christ
appeareth the knitting together of the head and the members Christ and the faithful whereof we spake at first and of the which the Lord addeth in the gospel If ye abide in me my words abide in you aske what you will and it shal be done to you Moreouer this church of the faithful is called the kingdome of god For the sonne of God himself Christ Iesus is the king of the church that is to say of all the faithfull who by his spirite and word gouerneth the churche and shée againe willingly submitteth herselfe to his gouernement Neither are there found many kingdomes in the world because there is one onely king of glorie Christ Of this king kingdome I haue entreated in the 7. sermon of my fourth Decade Nowe we haue also said oftentimes that the church is likened to mans body In the body the head is the chiefe whiche is neuer absent from the body And being striken off leaueth a dead body voide of sense And albeit this haue verie many members yet is there a most pleasaunt agréement of them all amongst themselues Euerie one agréeth consenteth together amongst themselues they are soarie one with another and help ech one another The same thing likewise do al faithful people perform one towards another that one member doth to another member They are vnited to their head Christe by faith the head it selfe is ioyned to the members thorough grace and the spirite Christ is neuer separated from the church neither hath she life elsewhere but from Christ who although he bée absent in bodie from the militant church yet is he continually present in spirite in operation and in gouernemēt so as he néedeth no vicar in earth since he gouerneth alone continueth for euer the onely head the only king the only priest sauiour of his church For the Lord sayth in Ezechiel I wil raise vp ouer my sheepe a sheepherd who shal feede them to witt my seruaunt Dauid he shal feede them and he shal be their sheepeheard And I the Lord wil be their God my seruaunt Dauid shal be their prince among them I the Lord haue spoken it This last thing he added least any should doubt of the faith and certeinty of those things which are spoken God is the eternall trueth and he hath spoken it therefore that whiche hee hath spoken cannot be but most true But what hath he spoken That there shal bee and is one Pastor and Prince of the Church Behold that he said one is not without signification But who is that one He expoundeth that sayth My seruaunt Dauid to witt Christe Iesus that braunch of Dauids posteritie whom the authoritie of the Gospell calleth euery where the sonne of Dauid He shal be a shéepheard not in name and title onely but in déed For he shall féede his shéepe and therefore shal be in the middest of them For in the Gospel he sayth expressely Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them And againe Behold I am with you alwayes euen to the end of the world Now if he be present with his church she hath no néede of a vicar For a vicar supplieth the place of him that is absent Wheresoeuer therefore Christe his vicar is acknowledged there is no Christe and therefore there reigneth Antichriste This wil be made as yet much more cleare and sure if wee weigh what it meaneth that Christe is said to be the head of the churche The head is the life saluation and light or that whiche giueth lighte to the Churche the supreme gouernour of the faithfull who both can and will alwayes bee present to the whole Congregation of Sainctes of all ages and dispersed throughout the whole world heare her prayers requests moreouer send her succour in all things and briefely who is able perfectly to gouerne the whole church and both prouide for and bring to passe al her matters and that in all things But this priuilege as I thinke thou canst giue to no creature without blasphemie and sacrilege onely therefore Christ perfect God and man is remayneth the onely head of the Church Those that acknowledge the Pope of Rome to be the head of the church militant either knowe not what they doe and saye or willingly and wittingly doe blaspheme the Sonne of God whome they will not haue to reigne ouer his Church alone But let vs nowe heare the testimonies of S. Paule the Apostle of this matter God sayeth hee hath raised vp Christ from the dead and sett him at his right hand in the heauenly places Farre aboue all principalities and powers and might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come And hath made all thinges subiecte vnder his feete hath appointed him ouer all things to be head to the church whiche is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Behold Christe is the head for he ruleth all things in heauen and in earth hee gouerneth all thinges hee hath all thinges subiecte vnto himselfe and maketh the Churche his body ministring vnto her those thinges whereof she hath néed and fulfilling all her desires Againe the same Apostle sayth Christ is the head of the Church and the same is the sauiour of the bodie It is the part of the head to preserue and gouerne the body But that no man performes but onely Christ hee remayneth therfore the onely head of his Church speciallie since the church is the spirituall bodie of Christe and therefore cannot haue a carnall head without you will make of the Church a Poetical monster For Christ is the head of the Church not béecause hée is man but béecause he is God and man But and if the defendours of the Romishe idol and champions of the monarchie of Rome by the head doe vnderstand the Prince or gouernour in earth as Saule in the Scripture is called the head ouer Israel and so doe vnderstand the chiefe bishop ruling in the chiefe sea let them againe heare the Scripture it selfe confuting their silthie errour and saying And there arose also a strife amonge the Apostles which of thē should seeme to be the greatest But Iesus said vnto them The kinges of the Gentiles reigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called Gratious Lords But ye shal not be so but let the greatest amonge you bee as the least and the chiefest as hee that serueth For who is greater he that sitteth at table or he that serueth Is not hee that sitteth at table And I am amonge you as he that ministreth That Primacie therfore of the church of Rome is of men it is not of the doctrine or institution of Christe yea rather quite contrarie it is repugnant vnto the institution doctrine and example of Christ who will not haue the Apostles
worthinesse or vnworthinesse so that they are not perfect I answere That among the wicked and vnbeléeuers sacraments verily of them selues are sufficiently ratified and confirmed by the institution of God neither dependeth their perfectnesse vpon the condition and state of the partakers that they are eyther better among the good or worsse among the bad For that remaineth perfect and sound which the Lord hath instituted and reteyneth his institution alwayes good howsoeuer men varie and are faithles For the Apostle sayth Shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid Yea let GOD be true and euerie man a lyar But I haue touched this matter also somewhat before Yet bycause it is one thing to offer and an other thing to receiue GOD verily offereth of his goodnesse his bountifull giftes vnto mē to this end to profite to saue thē and to make them whole as the physician doth by ministring physicke to his patient but bicause that foolish madd man doth not acknowledge the benefite as the sick patient which refuseth physicke being ministred the benefite which is offred doth no more profite the one than physicke not receiued doth good to the other not through the default of him the offereth the benefite or of him which ministreth physicke but through y follie of him which refuseth wil none of it After this maner disputed s Aug. also of this matter For Li. 3. de Baptismo cont Donat ca. 14. he sayth It skilleth not when the perfectnesse holinesse of the sacramente is in handling what he beléeueth what maner of faith he hath y receiueth the sacrament Verily it auaileth very much to y way of saluation but for the question of the sacrament it maketh no matter Also contra literas Petiliani lib. 2. cap. 47. he saith Remember that the lewd life corrupt maners of euill men do nothing hinder the sacraments of God to make them not holy at all or lesse holy but that to the vngodly they are a testimonie of their damnatiō not a furtheraunce of their saluation He also Tract in Ioan. 26. saith If thou receiue the sacramēt carnally it ceaseth not to be spirituall but to thée it is not so As easily is that obiection confuted that baptisme profiteth not infants if we still say that sacramēts without faith profite not for infantes haue no faith thus they babble We answere first that the baptisme of infants is grounded vpon the frée mercy and grace of God who saith I will be thy God and the God of thy seed And againe Suffer children to come vnto me for of such is the kingdome of God c. Infantes therefore are nūbered and counted of the Lord him selfe among the faythfull so that baptisme is due vnto them as farre forth as it is due vnto the faithfull For by the imputation of God infantes are faythfull wherevnto perteyneth this saying of our Sauiour He that shall offende one of these little ones that beleeue in me c. For he manifestly calleth Little ones beleeuing for imputations sake doubtlesse not for confession whiche by no meanes as yet is in little ones To this also may be added that the father of the infant doth therfore desire to haue his childe signed with the marke of the people of God to witte baptisme bycause he beléeueth the promises of God that is that his infante is of the housholde of God therefore there is faith in the baptisme of infantes But the father doth not beléeue Be it so Yet that is no hinderaunce to the infante For in the fayth of the Churche he is brought to be baptised The Churche verilye beléeueth that infantes oughte to be brought to the Lorde the Churche beléeueth that they are of the housholde and people of God therefore she commaundeth them to be partakers of the mysteries so that againe in the baptisme of infantes a man may finde fayth Herevnto doth S. Aug. adde this saying Lib. 1. de peccatorū meritis remissione cap. 19. Wherfore infants are rightly called faythfull bycause they after a sorte doe confesse their faythe by the woordes of them that beare them Hee reasoneth more touching this matter in his Epistle to Boniface which is in order the thrée and twentith where he that desireth may finde more But all these thinges say they proue not that infantes haue fayth of their owne For the fayth of their parentes of their bearers or the faythe of the Churche is an others fayth and not theirs Be it so Yet most certeine is that saying that the Lorde counteth infantes among his that is among the faythfull so that nowe they are not onely baptised in an others fayth but in their owne that is to say whiche it pleaseth the Lorde to impute vnto them Furthermore that is not an others which is common to the selfe same body But infantes are in the verie same bodye of the Churche whereby that whiche is the Churches is their owne and not an others Neyther can any man easily tell what motions of the holy spirite infants haue beside c. For in so much as they are of God they haue the spirite of God And who so haue not they are not of God. Rom. 8. As they decline too muche to the left hande whiche are persuaded that Sacramentes yea without fayth doe profite the receyuers so they goe too farre wyde on the right hande who thinke that the Sacramentes are superfluous to them that haue faythe Faith say they doth fully acquite vs so that after we haue faythe Sacramentes can increase nothing in vs therefore it must néedes be that they are vnprofitable Suche in times past are the Heretiques Messaliani read to haue bene who were bothe called Euchitae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Diuine men forsooth and inspired of god For they did contende that the faythfull after they hadde receyued the holie Ghoste had néede of no Sacraments But these mē are very iniurious euē to God him selfe who instituted not his sacraments for the faythful without great cause neither vnprofitably And Verily Abraham beleued God and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was counted the friende of God iust and holie not being voyde doubtlesse of the holie Ghost but he also Receiued circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which was before he was circumcised It is sayde to the same Abraham Euery manchild whose foreskinne shall not be circumcised shall bee cut off from my people bycause he hath broken my couenaunt Truly the angel of the Lord is ready to kill Moses bicause he delaid circumcision in his childrē longer thā was lawful eyther by his own negligēce or through the fault of his Madianitish wife What shall there be found any more righteous and holie than the sonne of God as he which hauing receiued the fulnesse of the spirite poureth plentifully of the same into his members he him selfe being the heade yet he came to
whole world and all the counsels in the world all the kinges and princes yea if all the Angels and Saintes should commaund vs to beléeue that Christ is here or there corporally yet the commaundement of our only redéemer Iesus Christe the sonne of God the father of wisedome by whome all thinges were made who forbiddeth vs to beleue the same ought to be of that authoritie among all the godly that they may knowe that they muste not beléeue as creatures commauÌ„d them but as the creatour hath commaunded them Yea moreouer the Lorde vouchsafeth in this verie same place of the Gospell to giue vs a reson of his doctrine For why must we not beléeue that Christe is conuersant or bodily present vpon the earth but inuisibly Bycause like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East and appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Which is as much as if he had sayde The Sonne of God came once humbly into the earthe to redéeme vs throughe his humilitie and death on the crosse which thing being finished he forsooke the earth and ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the father from thence he shall not returne into these our regions but to iudgement But then shal he appeare glorious noble to be séene of all men as it were the moste cleare sunne yea rather like a lightning right terrible to all the wicked And therefore there is no cause why from the time of his ascension vntill his comming to iudgement we shuld looke for him to come inuisibly and to remayne with vs corporally present S. Hierome expounding the same place sayth This also must be sayd that the second comming of oure sauiour shall not be shewed in humilitie as before but in glory It were a foolishe part therefore to seeke him in a little corner or in some secrete place who is the light of the whole world Thus farre he But least I may séeme to stay my self vpon some humane authoritie I will rehearse that whiche S. Paule teacheth vs in his Epistle to the Hebrues saying Christ appeared once before the end of the worlde to put away sinne by offering vp of him selfe And for as much as it is appointed to men once to dye and after this commeth the iudgement euen so Christe being once offered vp to take away the sinnes of many shal the second time be seene of them withoute sinne who looke for him to their saluation Bicause therefore our Lorde came once into the worlde hee was once offered vp but he shall come againe or the second time at the ende of the world truely he commeth not againe euerie day into the worlde And bycause he hath forbidden vs to beléeue if any man should shewe him present here or there vnto vs in this worlde it must néedes followe that he may be shewed present here or there 〈◊〉 â–ª in all places where the Sacrament of thankesgiuing is celebrated if wee will vnderstand the wordes of the Supper according to the letter therfore it followeth without all contradiction by conference of places that the wordes of the Lordes Supper ought not to be expounded according to the letter I thinke herewith I haue satisfied such as be not of a contentious disposition For vndoubtedly their meaning is that we shoulde speake of the sacramentes sacramentally and that sacramentall speaches ought to bée expounded sacramentally Besides that wee ought to beéeue nothing that is repugnaunt to the rule of beliefe But the myracles and the omnipotencie of God brought foorth and alledged in this place for the setting oute and persuading of an euill matter they do no good at all after so many and manifest arguments of truth Myracles are ioyned vnto the worde as it were seales whiche thing the Lorde God him selfe testifieth in S. Marke If then they be repugnaunt to the worde and affirme that whiche the worde altogether denyeth who will not perceiue them to be of that kynde of myracles whereof the Apostle speaketh in the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and wherof we haue heard now that the lord gaue vs warning in the Gospell that we should in no case beleue them The lord can do al things but therefore he doth not all things The Prophete sayth What so euer the Lord would do that he did both in heauen and in earth Moreouer he will not do such things as are contrarie to his worde and his fayth therefore he can not do that he will not do Theodoretus in his thirde Dialogue intituled Polymorphus sayth The Lorde God will doe nothing that is not in him of his owne nature but he can doe what euer he will but he will doe suche things as are fit and agréeing to his nature Therfore sith God of his owne nature is true he can not doe that whiche is contrarie to his worde Other sounde writers doe adde Not that hee can not doe all thinges but that he will not doe that which is contrarie to his nature and bycause it doth not become to doe against him selfe In the meane season I do expresly professe that I condemne not or flatly am against all manner of Christes presence in the Church and in the action also of the supper For I am flatagainst that bodily presence of Christ in the breade which the Papistes defende and enforce vppon the Churche of god But I confesse and acknowledge with open mouth and sincere heart that spiritual diuine and quickening presence of oure Lorde Christe both in the Supper and also out of the supper wherby he continueth to powre him selfe into vs not by sings lackiÌ„g life but by his holy spirit to make vs partakers of all his good graces to iustifie quicken nourishe susteine and satisfie vs whiche presence we doe also féele in our selues through fayth by the whiche we are both susteyned nourished and satisfied For Christe is the heade of his Churche and we haue fellowshippe with him But howe should a liuing bodie be without his heade Howe should we be partakers of Christe if we should not féele him present yea liuing and working in vs But of these matters wee haue also intreated more at large in place coÌ„uenient Some there are I knowe well enoughe who otherwise are not iniurious to the trueth which gainesay these things crying out that by this reason the manner of Christes presence in the Supper is not fully enough expressed especially since hée him selfe also hath sayde elsewhere Beholde I am with you continually vnto the worldes ende I saythe he wholy not my power or diuinitie not my spirit nor my strength Moreouer it is a hazaâ—dâ— least we should séeme to teare Christe in péeces séeing that he cannot be wholy with vs vnlesse he be present with vs as well in body as in diuinitie But we woÌ„der what is in their heades Do they not vnderstand that the Lord in that diuine talke spoken both in the verie Supper and also immediately