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
33 By the word of the Lord were the heauens made all the hoastes of them by the breath of his mouth c. 633. 34 This poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles c. 741 37 A good man is mercifull and lendeth guideth his woords with discretion c. 288 37 Yet a little and the vngodly shal be no where and when thou lookest in his place c. 300 38 Rebuke me not in thine anger O Lord neither chasten me in thy c. 919 38 Thine arrowes stick fast in me and thine hand doth presse mée sore c. 565 45 All the beasts of the woods are mine and the cattel c. 127 45 The Lord shall reigne for euer and his kingdom is a kingdome of all ages c. 638 45 Thy God hath annoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes c. 705 50 Offer to the Lord the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vowes c. 113. 657. 922. 50 Why doest thou take my couâ—naunt in thy mouth c. When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him c. 237 50 Whosoeuer offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me c. 953 51 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thine holy spirite from me c. 722 51 Behold I was borne in wickednes in sinne hath my mother conceuied me 496 51 Make mee a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me 819 51 Haue mercie vpon me O God according to the greatnesse of thy mercie For I â–ª c. 572 54 O come lee vs sing vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God eure saluation c. 651 61 Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to sée corruption c. 764 62 Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him c. 282 67 God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs snewe vs the light of his c. 944 72 Touching the infelicitie of the vngodly thou verily hast sett them in slipperie places c. 300 73 Touching the prosperitie of the wicked my feete were almost gone my treadings c. 292 75 Make vowes and paye them c. 381 78 The things that we haue heard and knowen suche as our fathers haue â—ould vs c. 622 79 Help vs O Lord of our saluasion for the glorie of thy name c. 921 81 In thine extremities and troubles O Israel thou calledst vppon mée and I deliuered thée c. 657 82 Man is the liuely image of god c 650 89 Thou Lord rulest the raging of the sea thou stillest the waues therof when they arise c. 639 91 Call vppon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie mée c. 657 91 There shall no euill come vnto thée neither shall any plagne comâ— néere thy dwelling c. 741 91 Thou art my hope O Lord thou hast set thine house very highâ— c. 305 94 Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise c. 614 97 Thou Lord art higher than all that are in the earth Thou art exalted farre aboue all Gods c. 610 102 Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thée c. 914 103 The Lord is full of compassion and mercie slow to anger and of great kindnesse c. 644. 942 103 Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mée blesse c. 952 103 Euen as the father pityeth his children so doeth the Lord pirie them c. 57 103 Praise the Lord O my soule and forgeâ—t not the thinges that hee hath done for thee c. 567 103 O praise the lord all ye angels of his ye that excell in strengthe yée that fulfil his commaundement c. 738 104 Of the fruite of thy works O God shal the earth be filled c. 639. 104 All thinges waite vppon thée that thou mayest giue them meate in due season c. 947 104 Whiche maketh his Angels spirites his ministers a flaming fire c. 714 110 The Lord sware and will not repent hun Thou art a priest for euer after tâ—e order of Melchisedech c. 704 110 The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. 59. 633. 692. 699. 110 In the mightie power of holinesse the dewe of thy byrthe is to thée of the wombe of the morning c. 62 113 The idols of the heathen are siluer and gold the workes of mens hands c. 118 113 The Lord is higher than all nations and his glorie is aboue the heauens c. 610 116 Onely God is true and euery man a liar c. 834 118 The pathe of life shalt thou make knowen to mée the fulnesse c. 71 118 The stone which the builders refused is the head of the corner c. 861 119 Seuen times in a daye doe I praise thée c. 936 119 It is good for me Lord that thou hast troubled mée c. 294 119 I haue longed after thy commaundements c. 324 119 The praise of Gods word c. 253 120 Lord deliuer mee from lying lippes and a deceiptfull tongue c. 324 123 Our GOD is in heauen hée hath done what soeuer pleased him c. 945 128 The labours of thine handes shalt thou eate O well is thée and happie c. 269 135 I know that the Lord is great that he is aboue al Gods c. 639 136 Oh praise the Lord for hée is good because his mercie endureth for euer c. 164. 570 138 Whether shall I goe from the breath of thy mouth and whether shall I flée from thy countenaunce c. 610 139 Thou O Lord knowest my downe-sitting and mine vp-rising thou spyest out all my wayes c. 638 141 Let my prayer bee directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vpp of my hands as an euening sacrifice c. 658 141 The righteous shall sinite mée friendly but the precious baulmes of the wicked c. 324 142 Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shal no man liuing c. 467. 555 145 When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled c. 714 145 The Lord is nigh vnto al that call vpon him vnto all such as c. 922 145 The Lord is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes c. 494 145 The eyes of all things do loke vpp vnto thée O Lord and thou giuest c. 947 145 The Lord vpholdeth such as fall and lifteth vpp all those that be downe c. 639 147 Great is oure Lord and great is his power and of his wisedome there is none end c. 639 ¶ Out of the Prouerbes of Solomon 1 MY sonne if sinners entice thée consent not vnto them c. 168 3 My sonne refuse not the chastening of
c. 326 Man his power 588 Man next or neare to vs our neighbour 94 Marks belonging to the members of God. 822 Matrimonie 227. 230. 11 32 Mancipation 395 Manumission 395 Mediatour 61. 920 Members of sathan 1024 Memoriall of the Lordes supper 1063 Merites and rewardes of good workes 497 Meteors 641 Ministerie Ministers and Pastours of the churche 146. 872 875. 876. 895. 900. 912. 111. 983 870. 872. 1094 Moses and his lawe 7. 8. 189. 401 402. 416 Morall lawe 110 Monarchie 196 Monhs teach that sacraments giue grace 997 Murther 105. 166. 398 Midwâ—ues whether they may baptise 1043 Mysterie of our redemption 114 Of sprinckling water 377. Of circumcision 359. Of the Paschal Lambe 362. Of the Trinitie 630 632. 634 N. Nature 100. 107 Name and Names of god 359 475. 944. 127. 128. 608 Name of Jesus Christ what it signifieth 972 Names of Ecclesiastical functions â—nterchaâ—mgably vsed in the scriptures 880. 711 Names giuen to the holy ghost 725 Names giuen and taken in baptisme 1018 Neighbour 94. 95. 96. 97 Newbyrth 590. 1048 Noe and Som. 4 No man muste hasten his owne death 512 No man liuing perfect and vnspotted 401 O. Obiection 464. 486. 491. 665. 917 180. Obedience 208. 220 Obstmate shibborne persons 451 Ochosias 253 Operations of the holie Ghost 727 Offence Offences and Offenders 449. 450. 451. 452 Operation of the diuel 751. 173 Opportunitie of prayer ministred of the spirit in no wise to bee let passe 929 Opinions of diuerse sortes concerning God. 605 Opinion of the Papistes touching transubstantiation confuted 983 Opinion of bodily presence confuted 1084 Orders offices instituted of God in his church 877 P. Passion of Christ 64 Parables 1012 Patience 303. 304 Patience of the Saints 303 Parish whereof it consisteth 815 Particular church 815 Passeouer 364. 365. 369 988 Pastorall office no Lordly dignitie 867. 897 Pastour and pastours and their office 878. 909. Pasquill 322 Perillous for a subiect to speake against his prince 170 Persecutions of the church 314 Peculatus 278 Persecutours recompenced 316 People carnall and freshly 397 People of god where they be 1050 People of the newe testaunent are after the name of Christe called Christians 437. 438 Pelagians 1046 Peccata aliena others sinnes 510 Pentecost 552 Penitents 594. 597 Performance of promises wheÌ„ god defetreth it then he stayeth vs in the Lords leasure 906 Peter the chiefe of the Apostles in what sense 887 Peter called sathan 748 Person of Christ notdiuided 696 Petitions accepted of god by whoÌ„ and from whom 920 Pharao his heart hardened 493 Pitie foolish in magistrates 197 Plagium 278. 392 Place to worship God in is frée for euery man to chose where he liketh 416 Pleasure all sense and féeling therof is not forbidden 284 Plagues of sames 520 Pledges and pawnes 371 Place of celebration of the Lordes supper 106â— Pleasures certoine graunted of god 238 Pluralities of benefices 900 Power 834. 835. 836. 978. 836. 838 839. Power of the diuell lunitted 753 Pope not heade of the church 865 Popes dying of the pocks bewrayeth their chastitie 318 Polygainie 228 Popish orders refused why 898 Popish regular priestes 084 Poly-histor 10 Poore 932. 1123. Preface of the Lords prayer 941 1 Petition 943 2 Petition 944 3 Petition 945 4 Petition 947 5 Petition 948 6 Petition 949 7 Petition c. 950 Prayer and prayers 665. 910. 914 916. 917. 918. 623. 924 925. 926. 927. 929. 930. 932. 939. 953. Priesthood abrogated 415 Promises touching Christ our sauiour 532 Preaching of the first glad tydings 533 Proofes that there is a God. 605 Prouidence of god 678. 916 Prodestination or Gods foreappointment 642 Prophetical apostolical and orthodoxicall church 828 Primacie of the Romish church 865 Prophets 9. 10. 878 Priestes and Priesthood 332. 333. 334. 335. 336. 338. 346. Prevogatiue of bishops 881. Princes 182. 254. 700. 890 Proceding of the holy ghost 719. 720 Preaching 1020 Preachers called angels 732 Procreation and bringing vppe of children 225 Promises made to the afflicted 308 Prodigalitie 269. 282 Promise communion of the Lord witnessed to vs by breade wine 1083 Presence of christ in the supper 1095 Punishment 47 129. 200. 201. 397 326. 519. 996. 295. 297. 1108 Purgatorie 770 Pythagoras 103 R. Rape 235 Religion and Religious 40. 672 Resurrection 67. 84 Reward and punishment 76. 467. 468. 470 655 Rebels 152. 397 Restituation 208. 281. 282. 396 Regeneration 548. 590 Repent and Repentance 561. 562 563. 594. 596. 598. Reformation in religion oâ—ght not to stay for a generall counsel 599 Reformation of Churches to be made 1125 Rising out or froÌ„ the dead 68. 85. 86 Right hand of God what it signifieth 72 Riches and Richmen 264. 282. 283 286. 909 Righteousnesse 403. 555 Rites and Ceremonies 415. 968 Riot 269 Roboam 253 Robberic and deceit 274 Romanes 654 Rome is not the church of god 851 Rome is not the mother church 969 Rule of Saint Augustine for figuratiue speaches 992 S. Satisfaction for sinnes 47. 84. 583 Sanctum sanctorum 111 Sabbaoth 14. 136. 137. 139. 141. 142. 143. 350. 351. c. Sacrilege 277. 396 Sancâ—uarie 166. 398 Saints Sanctification and Sanctifie 425. 640. 672. 723. 935. 293 313. 742. 1030. Sacrificing in high places what it is 416 Saluation to the fathers 432 Saluation preached in the Gospell belongs to all 545 Samson 381 Samuel 778 Saturne 611 Sathan 748. 749 Sacrament Sacraments Sacramentall signes and Sacramentall speaches c. 356. 823. 965. 966. 968. 959. 969. 970. 979. 986 989. 993. 994. 995. 997. 998. 100â— 1008. 1010. 1011. 1013. 1015 1017. 1027. 1028. 1029. 1063. 1082. Sacrifice Sacrifices and Sacrificing 337. 378. 369. 371. 376. 775 767. 416. 658. 988. 1082. Saule 252 Scriptures 13. 23. 26. 28. 250. 603 Scholes 184. 1115. Slaunderers and rebels 398 Scelera delicta 509. Scaddai 611 Schisme and Schismatiques 843 844. 846. 847. 848. Senatour Noble 217 Seale of Gods grace 1004 Seales wherevnto they serue 1011 Serue and Seruice c. 122. 509 667. 668. 670. 675. Secular priestes 884 Seuâ—ritie in Magistrates is not crueltie 197 Sephora 1044 Shew breade 347 Sinne Sinnes and Sinners 5. 46 50. 82. 83. 295. 296. 344 445. 477 486. 509. 507. 508. 513. 516. 518 522. 567. 917. Sunoniaches 277 Singing in the church 932. 933. 935 Signe and Signes 956. 957. 958 959. 969. 981. 982. Sitting of Christ at the right hande of God what it signifieth 71 Sodomie 236 Souldiers 214. 215. 960 Solomon and his temple 253. 344 Soule and Soules 754. 756. 757 758. 756. vs 781 Spirite 921. 714. 722. 728. 779 Spirites good bad 732. 733. 734 735. 736. 737. 738. 739. 740. 741 742. c. vsque 754. Straunge Gods. 115 Storke 148. Stoâ—kes 301 Stipends assigned to the priests 338 Studie of the church and Students 840. 1123 Subiects 219 Summe of the gospel 145 Superstition 673. 916 Swearing and to Sweare 130. 131 132. Sword. 196 Supper of the lord 420. 989. 1063 1065. 1066.
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
not absolutely perfect As for those whiche doe earnestly affirme that all pointes of godlynesse were taught by the Apostles to the posteritie by worde of mouth and not by writing their purpose is to set to sale their owne that is mens ordinaunces in steade of the worde of God. But against this poyson my brethren take this vnto you for a medicine to expell it Conferre the things whiche these fellowes set to sale vnder the colour of the Apostles traditions taught by worde of mouthe and not by writing with the manifest writings of the Apostles and if in any place you shall perceiue those traditions to disagrée with the scriptures then gather by and by that it is the forged inuention of men and not the Apostles tradition For they which had one and the same spirite of trueth lefte not vnto vs one thing in writing and taught an other thing by worde of mouthe Furthermore we muste diligently search whether those traditions do set forward the glory of God rather then of men or the safetie of the faythfull rather then the priuate aduauntage of the Priestes And we muste take héede of mens traditions especially since the Lorde sayth In vaine doe they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men So that nowe the surest way is to cleaue to the word of the Lorde lefte to vs in the Scriptures whiche teacheth aboundantly all thinges that belong to true godlynesse It remayneth nowe for me to tell in what manner of sorte this perfecte doctrine of godlynesse and saluation I meane the very word of God ought to be hearde of the faythfull to the intent it may be hearde with some fruit to profite them aboundantly I will in fewe wordes containe it Let the worde of God be hearde with greate reuerence whiche of right is due to God him selfe and godly things Let it be hearde very attentiuely with continuall prayers betwéene and earnest requestes Let it be hearde soberly to our profite that by it we may become the better that God by vs maye be gloryfied and not that we go curiously about to search out the hidden counselles of God or desire to be counted skilfull and experte in many matters Let true fayth the glory of God and our saluation be appointed as the measure and certaine ende of oure hearing and reading For In Exodus Moses the holy seruaunt of God is commaunded to sanctifie the people and make them in a readinesse to heare the sacred Sermon whiche God him selfe did mynd to make the next daye after Moses therefore commeth and demaundeth of the whole people due obedience to be shewed as well to God as to his Ministers Then commaundeth he them to washe their garmentes to abstaine from their wiues After that he appointeeh certaine limites beyonde whiche it was not lawful vpon paine of death for them to passe By this we plainely learne that the Lorde doth require suche to be his Disciples to heare him as doe especially shewe obedience and reuerence to God in all thinges For he being God speaketh to vs men all we men owe vnto God honoure and feare A man vnlesse he become lowly humble and obedient to God is altogether godlesse Then is it required at the handes of those whiche are méete hearers of the worde of God that they lay aparte worldly affaires whiche are signified by the garments to treade vnder foote all filthynesse and vncleannesse of soule and bodye to refraine for a season euen from those pleasures whiche are lawfull vnto vs The holy Ghost dothe loue the myndes that are purely cleansed whiche yet notwithstanding are not cleansed but by the spirite of god Néedefull it is to haue a sincere beliefe in God and a ready good will and desire to liue according to that whiche is commaunded in the word of god Moreouer we muste be wise to sobrietie Ouer curious questions must be set aside Let things profitable to saluation only be learned Last of all let especial héede be takeÌ„ in hearing and learning For saythe Solomon If thou wilt seeke after wisdome as after golde thou shalte obteine it Againe he sayth The searcher out of Gods maiestie shall be ouerwhelmed by his wonderfull glory And againe he sayth Seeke not things too highe for thee neyther goe about to searche out things aboue thy strengthe but what God hath commaunded thee that thinke thou always on and be not ouer curious to knowe his infinite workes for it is not expedient for thee to see his hidden secrets with thine eyes Wherevpon the Apostle Paul sayth Let no man thinke arrogantly of him selfe but so thinke that he may be modest and sober according as God to euery one hath giuen the measure of fayth And hereto belongeth that which the same Apostle saythe Knowledge puffeth vp but charitie doth edifie But chiefly we muste beware of those plagues which choake the séede of the worde of God and quenche it without any fruite at all in the hearts of the hearers Those plagues and diseases hath the Lorde rehcarsed or reckoned vp in the parable of the sower For first of all wanton and vaine cogitations whiche alwaies lye wide open to the inspirations of Satan and talke of naughtie men are plagues to the word of god Also voluptuous and deintie louers of this world who can not abide to suffer any affliction for Christ and his Gospell do without any fruite at all heare Gods worde although they seeme to giue eare vnto it very ioyfully Furthermore the care of this worlde and the deceit of riches are moste pestilent diseases in the hearers of the worde of god For they doe not onely hinder the séede that it can not bring soorthe fruite in their heartes but also they doe stirre vp and egge men forwarde to gaynesay the worde of God and to afflict the earnest desirers of Gods worde Here therefore we muste take héede diligently leaste being infected with these diseases we become vaine and vnthankfull hearers of the worde of god We must praye continually that the bountifull and liberall Lorde will vouchsafe to bestowe on vs his spirit that by it the séed of Gods word may be quickned in our heartes and that we as holy and right hearers of his worde may beare fruite aboundantly to the glory of God and the euerlasting saluation of oure owne soules For what will it auayle to heare the worde of God without fayth and without the holy spirite of God to worke or stir inwardly in our hearts The Apostle Paule sayth He whiche watreth is nothing nor he whiche planteth but it is God whiche giueth increase We haue néede therefore of Gods watering that the word of God may growe to a perfect age may receiue increase yea and may come also to the bringing foorthe of ripe fruite within our mindes The same Aposâ—le Paule saythe To vs also is the worde of God declared euen as vnto our fathers But it auayled them nothing to heare the worde bycause it was not ioyned with
to stretche to that expence then did he offer a Lambe or a Kidde and yet againe if he could not offer that by reason of his pouertie it was lawful for him to sacrifice birdes not Géese or Cockes or other vncleane foules but Turtels and Doues and suche kinde of cleane birdes Nowe the manner of making this burnt sacrifice was in this order The beast that was to be offered was placed at the one side of the altar vppon which the priest did presently lay his handes and cut the throte of it The bloud was saued to be sprincled round about the altar the skinne was flayed from the slaughtered beast and that alone was all the fées that fel to the portion or share of the priest The legges were chopped off and washed together with the purtenance Immediately after a fire was made vppon the altar whereuppon was layde the whole sacrifice to wite the head the bodie y legges and the purtenance and were altogether burnte vppon the altar before the Lorde But if so be it happened that a Turtle or a Doue were offered for a sacrifice then did the prieste with his finger wreathe about and breake the necke thereof and the bloud was let droppe about the sides of the altar The fethers also were cast at the one side of the altar into a place where ashes laye the winges were ioynted and last of all the whole bodie was burnt vppon the altar This was the manner of the sacrifice or oblation which they did commonly call a burnte offeringe the signification whereof was moste chéerefull pleasant to them which were persuaded that by the burnt offering was prefigured the verie sonne of God to be incarnate of the vnspotted virgine and to be sacrificed once for the cleansinge of all the sinnes of the whole worlde For they in the glasse of that sacrifice did beholde the crosse and passion of the Lorde which tooke our sinnes vppon him selfe and beeing slaine did shead his bloud for the remisson of sinnes offeringe him selfe wholye to God the father in the fire of charitie heauenly zeale The verye same Christe is the Turtle or Pigeon Moreouer beside these ceremonies in the burnt sacrifice it was required that no burnte sacrifice of beastes should at any time bee made without that kinde of offering which they called Minha that oblation was an handfull of corne or of meale or else of crustie bread sodde in a caldron or a bowed piece of bread which we call a Cracknell baked in an ouen or in a frying panne which was burnte with oyle and frankincense vppon the altar of burnt sacrifices And Christ verily is the bread of life who by the eternall spirite as saith the Apostle did offer him selfe to God the father for vs to be the meate and preseruation of our life In the number of burnt sacrifices are reckoned the dayly sacrifices that were offered euery morning and euery euening and the sacrifices of the annoynting or consecrating of priestes Of the daily sacrifice a large exposition is made in the 29 of Exodus and the sixte Chapter of Leuiticus It was called the daily offering beecause euery morning and euening two Lambes were offered to wite one in the morning and another at the euening In these Lambes was Christ most manifestly prefigured who is that lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde whose vertue is alwayes effectuall and of power to take awaye the sinnes of the faithfull For that Lambe was killed frō the beginning of the worlde he was once slaine vppon the crosse but yet his merite and effectuall power endureth still and doth absolue all them that are deliuered from their sinnes Nowe the sacrifices of consecrating I meane of the priestes of the tabernacle and of all the vessels or instrumentes belonginge to the holie ministerie are in many pointes all one with the burnt offeringes and in some things differing from them as is fully to be séene in the 29 of Exodus and the eighth of Leuitic And Christe our Lord did first beginne the priesthood by his passion and after that hallowed all the faithful to be priests vnto him selfe The second kinde of sacrifices was the oblation which they called Minha a gift reward or sacrifice of a wheaten cake and by another name was called a meate offering This sacrifice was of the fruite of the earth was not offered alwayes after one sorte for there are reckoned thrée kindes of this sacrifice For there was offered either parched wheate sticking in the eares or wheate out of the eares or else cleane meale vnbaked or at least wise meale made vppe into bread which breade againe was made thrée sundrie wayes and in thrée sundrye facions For either it was baked in an ouen or fornace or else sodde in a pott or a caldron or else fryed in a frying panne like vnto cakes To these there was added as sauce to the sacrifice salte oyle frankincense Honie and leauen were by a generall rule vtterly barred from all sortes of sacrifices For cakes made with honie were neuer allowed of nor admitted in their offerings Yet in the feast of thankes giuing they did eate leauened bread Therefore when any man did offer wheate it was first annoynted by the prieste with oyle then seasoned with salte and last of all had frankincense put vpon it after that the priest tooke one handfull from out of all but in the sacrifice for the prieste all was burnt and burnt it vppon the altar the rest hee did reserue as a share to him selfe And in al meate offerings frankincense was alwayes vsed except in the sacrifice for sinne and in the sacrifice of ielousie as is to bee séene in the fifth of Leuiticus and the fifth of the booke of Numbers The rest that belongeth to the full rites and ceremonies of the meate offerings whosoeuer is desirous to knowe hee shall finde them in the seconde Chapter of Leuiticus For I meane not here particularly to repeate euery iott and title of their accustomed ceremonies Nowe euen as Christ was before prefigured in beastes and birdes so also is he represented in this bread or cakes For he is the bread of life and hath sundry facions of infirmitie and glorie In Christ thou shalt not finde any leauen that is sinne vncharitablenesse hypocrisie or pride There is in Christe no swéetenesse nor honnylike taste of worldly or wicked pleasures But salte thou mayst finde in him a well seasoned temperature altogether heauenly and moste absolute wisedome because of Christe for his sake all things of ours are acceptable vnto God for Christe his sake our prayers are heard of God the father vppon Christ therefore there is a swéete smelling frankincense in the nose of God the father And in these ceremonies are also shadowed the maner and matter of our sacrifices to wite that they should be without hypocrisie bitternesse hatred enuie fleshly pleasure and should be seasoned with godly continual prayers With the
Heauen Daniel also in his Prophecie describeth the rysing and fallinge of all kingdomes of Antichrist also but attributeth no end to the kingdome of the Saincts or holie people but witnesseth that it shall be euerlasting The same doeth the Prophet Zacharie also in his 12. chapter For the Sainctes reigne on the Earthe by Christe and béeing translated from the Earth into Heauen they shall reigne together with theire kinge Christe for euer And the Scripture is woont oftentimes to speake of one of these kingdomes onely Of bothe these kingdomes wee vnderstande many places of Scripture first of all that which is spoken by our sautour WheÌ„ ye pray say O our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come For we pray y he would reign in vs while we liue on earth that we also may reigne ouer the world and the Prince of the worlde and that we be not ruled by Sathan neither that sinne reigne in vs but rather that we here béeing gouerned by him self may in time to come reigne with Christ in Heauen Contrariwise what manner of kingdome the kingdome of the world is it appeareth by considering the head or the king and prince therof which is the diuel the Authour of sinne of vncleannesse and of death He reigneth in the worlde the Prince doubtlesse of the kingdome of darcknesse Not that God and his Christe is not king of all things but because vnfaithful apostataes thrugh their owne proper malice reuolting from God to the diuell doe appoint him for their prince to whome euen of their owne accorde they submitt and yéelde them selues to be gouerned liueing in all vngodlynesse wickednesse and vncleannesse framing them selues like to their head the diuell with whome they shall be punished euerlastingly in the worlde to come as in this worlde they haue suffered them selues to be gouerned of him doeing his will. This prince of this worlde else where also called The GOD of this worlde hath Christe the true Kinge and Monarche of the worlde ouercome and hath destroyed his kingdome not that hee should not be as long as this worlde indureth but that he should not hurt the elect Sathan doeth liue and shall liue for euer how be it in miserie which life in very â—eâ—e is death but he hath no power against them y be redéemed by Christ the prince He hath and shal haue a kingdome euen vnto th' end of the world but in the children of vnbelief this kingdoÌ„e also in this world is in decaying as it were momeÌ„tany for a short time For the world passeth away all worldly things perish but all the elect of God are very strauÌ„gers froÌ„ this kingdoÌ„e yea they are as it were sworn enimies of this kingdome Neither can the prince of darcknes by his power pul away the partakers of the kingdome of Christ into his kingdome of iniquitie Truly he goeth about this diligently and with diuerse tentations vexeth the elect but those ouercoÌ„e through him which in time past vanquished the false King prince of théeues and taught vs that despising this filthy prince the world and the lustes of the world giuing our mindes to innocencie we shuld yéeld our selues to the good spirit to be gouerned These things haue I thus far declared as briefly as I culd touching the king Christ his onely and euerlasting kingdome And now Christ our Lord is a Prieste yea that chiefest only and euerlasting priest whom the high priestes of the olde people did prefigure shadowe out For Dauid in his song altogether diuine saith The Lord sware will not repent him thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedek Which words the blessed Apostle alledging and expounding in his Epistle to the Hebrues hath left these words written The forerunner saith he is for vs entred into heauen after the order of Melchizedek made a Prieste foreuer For this Melchizedek Kinge of SaleÌ„ priest of the most high god who met Abraham coÌ„ming froÌ„ the slaughter or kings blessed him to whome also Abraham gaue the tenthes of all things who first indeed is caled by interpretation the king of righteousnes theÌ„ also king of Salem whiche is king of peace of an vnknowen father of an vnknowen mother of vnknoweÌ„ kin neither hauing beginning of dayes nor end of life but likened to the soÌ„ne of God remaineth a prieste for euer Surely our Lord Iesus Christ is both a righteous and peaceable king and the righteousnesse and peace of the faithfull and he is that euerlasting Prieste who according to his humanitie is beléeued to be borne of the virgin without séede of man therefore of an vnknowen father and according to his diuinitie begotten of the father therefore of an vnknowen mother and vnspeakably begotten from euerlasting and therefore of vnknowen kin hauing neither beginning nor end of life For albeit according to his humanity he was dead and buried yet according to his diuinitie he remaineth God immortall euerlasting The selfe same which is a king is also acknowledged a priest not according to the order of AaroÌ„ but according to the order of Melchizedek For as the scripture remeÌ„breth this one a priest so one Christ remaineth priest for euer hauing an euerlasting priesthood But high priestes in time past were caled annointed they did not thrust theÌ„ selues into such an office by force or deceipt Wherevpon the Apostle said No man taketh the honor to him self but he that is called of god as was Aaron so also Christ took not glorie to himself to be made high Priest but is made coÌ„firmed of him who said vnto him thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee As he saith also in another place Thou art a priest foreuer after the order of Melchizedech But thou doest no where read that that our Priest was annointed with visible oile for hée was annointed with inuisible oile namely with the fulnesse of the holie Ghost as the prophet witnesseth Thy god hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And againe The spirite of the Lord vppon me for the Lord hath annointed me sent me to preach good tidings vnto the poore Furthermore wheÌ„ we read that the office of Priests in times past was to serue in the tabernacle to teach the people to make intercession betwene God men to pray for the people and to blesse them to sacrifice also and to coÌ„secrate or sanctifie that now it is manifest that Iesus Christ is the lawful priest it is certeine y he is tied to the self same offices but indede to so much more excelleÌ„t thaÌ„ these by how much he hath obteined a more excellent priesthood Those priestes after the order of Aaron serued in the corruptible figuratiue tabernacle but our Lord béeing takeÌ„ vp into the true tabernacle heauen it selfe ministreth to all the saincts of god For
his owne nature he is vnspeakeable vnmeasurable incomprehensible euerlasting yet notwithstāding that I may say somewhat in a certeine order concerning him if it will be no otherwise I will at the last shadowe out that which the scripture the inspiration of the holie Ghoste himselfe verie largelie declareth of him The holie Ghost is the third person in Trinitie to bee worshipped very God procéeding from the father and the sonne which inlighteneth regenerateth sanctifieth and fulfilleth the faithful with all good graces But that the holie Ghost is the third person in the holie Trinitie I thincke it is sufficiently at large declared in the third Sermon of this Decade Surely this onely sentence of our Sauiour Baptize them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost doeth aboundantly confirme to godly mindes that the holy Ghost is the third person in Trinitie Moreouer that he is verie God of the same power glorie maiestie and Beeing with the father and the sonne that especiallie proueth beecause hee is the third person in the holie Trinitie Neither must we thinke that he is lesser than they because hee is reckoned in the third place For though the blessed Trinitie be remembred of vs in order yet notwithstanding there is no degrée no time no place or number in the blessed Trinitie For blessed Athanasius made his confession according to the Scripture and said The catholique faith is this that wee worshipp one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the father another of the sonne another of the holie ghost But the Godhead of the father of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is one the glorie equall the maiestie coeternall Such as the father is such is the sonne and such is the holie Ghost The father vncreate the sonne vncreate the holie Ghost vncreate The father incōprehensible the sonne incomprehensible and the holie Ghost incomprehēsible That father eternall the sonne eternal and the holy Ghost eternal and yet are they not three eternalls but one eternall c. And Augustine also in his 15. booke De Trinitate cap. 26. sayth In that high Trinitie which is God there are no distances of times whereby it may bee shewed or at least demaunded whether the sonne were first borne of the father and afterward the holie Ghoste to proceede from them both c. Truly we confesse that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost is one God and that the same is eternall Therefore let it trouble no man that the spirit is put in the last place For when the Apostle in his epistle to the Corinth framed his blessing he said The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holie Ghost be with you all he maketh mention of the holie Ghost in the last place but the same Paule sayeth There are diuersities of gifts but it is the selfe same spirite And there are differences of administrations but it is the selfe same Lord and there are diuerse maners of operations but it is the selfe same God which woorketh all in all setting the spirite in the first place teaching that the order of names doth not make difference of dignities After this manner also in the former testimonie he placed the sonne before the father not ouerthrowing the order which the Lord hath set downe in Matth. but shewing the equalitie of the Trinitie in honour For what canst thou more plainly saye thā that which the scripture saith that the holie ghost doth sanctifie renue regenerate giue life and saue and these are operations agréeable to God onely By operations therfore we manifestly acknowledge that the holie Ghoste is God of the same Essence and power with the father and the sonne For the holie Ghost from the beginning beefore all creatures visible and inuisible is a creatour not a creature as Iob witnesseth His spirite hath garnished the heauens Againe The spirite of GOD hath made mee and the breath of the Almightie hath giuen mee life Zacharias the priest and father of S. Iohn Baptist sayeth Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for he hath redeemed his people as hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets whiche haue beene since the world began And S. Peter sayeth For the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of GOD spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost By this I pray you who cannot gather that the holy Ghoste is God For God spake by the mouth of the Prophets and the holy Ghoste spake by the mouth of the Prophets Therefore the holy Ghost is God. The same Peter also in expresse words hath called the holy Ghost God when he accused Ananias of theft yea and also of sacrilege for when he had said Howe is it that Sathan hath filled thy heart to lie vnto the holy Ghost by and by he addeth Thou hast not lied vnto mē but vnto God. To the doctrine of Saint Peter agrée those thinges in all poinctes whiche S. Paule the doctour of the Gentiles hath taught For hee called the beléeuers the temples of God Knowe ye not sayeth he that ye are the temple of God and that the spirite of GOD dwelleth in you And againe Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temple of the holy ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and yeare not your owne To be the temple of God and to be the temple of the holy Ghost Paule taketh to bee one and the selfe same thing it followeth therfore that the holy Ghost is god For in his Epistle to the Corinthians hee expresly nameth the holy Ghost god For after he had said There are diuersities of giftes but it is the selfe same spirite and had reckoned vpp the kindes of giftes by and by hee addeth And all these things woorketh euen one and the selfe same spirite distributing to euerie man seuerally euen as hee will. And he himselfe had said a litle afore There are diuerse manners of operations but it is the selfe same GOD which worketh all in all But Didymus Alexandrinus a man of excellent learning doeth knit vp a most euident argument of the Godhead of the holy Ghost declaring also that his nature doeth altogether differ from the nature of Angels For in his 1. lib. de Spiritu Sancto hée hath left this written S. Hierome so interpreting it If the holy Ghost were a creature he should haue at the least a limitable substance as haue all thinges whiche are made For althoughe inuisible creatures are not limitted within place and boundes yet in propertie of substaunce they are limitted but the holy Ghost since hee is in many places hath not a limitable substāce For Iesus sending forth the preachers of his Gospel he filled them with the holy Ghost But neither did all the Apostles goe to all
power to giue iudgement of doctrines euen by this one sentence of the Apostle Paule appeareth Let the Prophets sayth he speake two or three at once and let the other iudge And in an other place he saith Proue all thinges and kepe that which is good And S. Iohn said Dearelie beloued beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirits whether they are of God. But of this kinde of power to iudge there is also a certeine order For the Church doth not iudge at her owne pleasure but after the sentence of the holy Ghost and according to the order and rule of the holy scriptures And heere also order moderation and charitie is obserued Therefore if at any time the church of god according to the authority which she hath receiued froÌ„ the Lord do call a couÌ„sel together for some weightie matter as we read that the Apostles of the lord did in the Actes of the Apostles it leaneth not here to her owne fleshly iudgment but giueth ouer her selfe to bee guided by the spirite and examineth all her doinges by the rule of the word of God and of the two-fould charitie Wherefore the Church maketh no new lawes as the church of Hierusalem or rather the Apostolique church sayeth that it séemeth good both to the holy Ghost and to the Church that no other burthen should be layd vppon the faithful Christians but onely a few and those verie necessarie thinges and neither beside nor contrarie to the holy scriptures Now Ecclesiastical matters are of diuers sortes the good ordering and well disposing whereof for the coÌ„moditie of men is in the power of the Church of whiche sorte those thinges are which concerne outward worship in place in time as is prophecying or interpretation of tongues and scholes Also the Church hath to iudge in causes of matrimonie and chiefly it hath correction of manners admonitions punishmentes and also excommunicating or cutting off from the bodie of the Church For the Apostle also sayeth that this power is giuen him and yet to the intent hee should therewith edifie not destroy For all these thinges whiche we haue remembred such like are limitted with the rule of the word and of loue also with holy examples and reasons deduced out of the holy scriptures Of all which wee will perchaunâ—e more largelye speake in their place Thus much haue I hetherto said concerning Ecclesiastical power the contrarie whereof I haue declared with how open a mouth our aduersaries do publish but yet they handle these matters so grossely that it may appeare euen vnto children what they séeke or what they would defende to witt not the Ecclesiasticall power but their owne couetousnesse luste and tyrannie The Canonicall trueth teacheth vs that Christ himselfe doeth hold and exercise absolute or full power in the Church and that he hath giuen the ministeriall power to the Church who executeth it for the most part by ministers and religiously executeth it according to the rule of Gods word These thinges beeing in this sorte considered it shall not bee greatly laboursome to knowe the studies of the holy Church of god For it executeth as I said euen nowe that power whiche it hath receiued of GOD most carefully and faithfullye to the ende that it maye serue God that it may be holy and that it may please him And that I may reckon vp some of her studies specially first of all it worshippeth calleth vppon loueth and serueth one God in Trinitie and taketh nothing in hand not hauing first consulted with the word of this true god For she ordereth all her doings according to the rule of Gods word she iudgeth by the woord of God and by the same she frameth all her buildinges being built mainteyneth them being fallen downe she repaireth or restoreth them againe The assemblies and congregations of Saincts vppon earth she feruently furthereth and loueth In these things it harkeneth diligently to the preaching of the word of God she is partaker of the sacrameÌ„ts deâ—outly and with great ioy and desire of heauenly thinges It prayeth to God by the intercession of our only mediatour Christ with a strong faith ferueÌ„tly continually and most attentiuely It praiseth the maiâ—stie of God for euer and with great ioy giueth thanks for all his heauenly benefits It highly estéemeth all and euery the institutions of Christ neither doth it neglect any of them But chieflie it acknowledgeth that it receiueth all things belonging ether to life saluation righteousnes or felicitie of the onely sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ as he who onely chose her and then by his spirite and bloud sanctifyed her and made her a Church that is a chosen people whose onely king redéemer high priest and defender he is without whom there is no saluation Therefore in God alone by our Lord Iesus Christ she only resteth him shee onely desireth and loueth and for his sake she reioyceth to loose all things that apperteine to this world yea and to spend her bloud and her life And therefore it cleaueth vnto Christe by faith inseparablie neither doeth it hate any thing more bitterly than falling awaye from Christ and desperation For without Christ there séemeth nothing in all this whole life to be pleasant With Sathan as with a deadly enimie she hath vnappeaseable enimitie Against heresies and errours it striueth both constantly and wisely The simplicitie of the Christian faith the sinceritie of the doctrine of the Apostles it most diligently kéepeth She kéepeth her selfe as much as lieth in her vnspotted of the world and of the flesh from all carnall and spiritual infection And therfore she fléeth from and by all meanes detesteth all vnlawefull congregations and prophane religions with all wicked men and willingly and openly confesseth Christe both by woord and déede euen with the damage of her life It is exercised with afflictions but yet neuer ouercome It keepeth vnitie and concord carefully All and euerye the members of her body shee most tenderly loueth It doeth good vnto all men as much as power and abilitie will suffer It hurteth no man It forgiueth willingly It beareth with the weake brotherlye till they bee brought foorth forward to perfection Shee is not puffed vpp with pride but thoroughe humilitie is kept in obedience in modestie and in all the dueties of godlinesse But who I praye you is able to recite all and euery one of the studies of the church in a very large discourse much lesse in this short recitall And who would not desire to be a member of so diuine and heauenly a congregation I would by and by ioyne herevnto that which remayneth touching the vnitie of the catholique Church of the diuision thereof and of other thinges belonging to the consideration hereof but that I doe perceiue you beeing alreadie wearie of hearing do earnestly loke for an end of this sermon Therefore we will put off the residue till to morrowe And now lifting
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
what are they not It is rehearsed out of the Registre of Gregorie that hee who neuerthelesse was verie fauourable to the monkes himselfe would put him out of the cleargie who beeing a monke would take the degrée of an abbat for asmuche as the one dignitie would hinder the other Clearkes who are the Lords inheritaunce or whose lot the Lord is in times past suche were called as were studentes or professours of diuinitie that is to say the very séed of pastours of the churche and such as were euen as it were consecrated to succéed in the ministerie of the church that is suche as liued vnder gouernment and were trained vp by the doctours and elders in the studie of the liberall sciences holy scriptures This institution is auncient not new neither inueÌ„ted by man For in time past amonge the old people of the Iewes they were called Nazarites And that the most excellent churches haue coÌ„tinually had famous scholes euen from the time of the Apostles Eusebius doth often witnes But vnto those students the affaires of the church somwhat increasing it séemeth that the charge of opening shutting the temple or church was committed and to prepare al things in the church and further to read openly before the people such places of scripture as the bishop appointed them Wherevppon perhaps the names of dorekepers and readers sprang which are at this day reckoned amoÌ„gst ecclesiastical orders But they which were more familiarly present with the bishops accompanied them were estemed as those who after the decease of the bishops might succéed in their places were called Acoluthi as if you would say folowers For it is a gréeke word And as in time for the most part all things become worse euen so these things the further off from their first institution the more filthilie were they wrested In som things you shal sée nothing left but the bare name some things vtterly lost some things are turned altogether to another vse And here for witnes I alledg Isidorê° Rabanus Innocentius Durandus and other writers of this kind They make 2. sorts of ecclesiastical persons one of dignitie another of order Of dignitie as Pope patriarche primate archbishop archpriest archdeacon prouost Of order as the minister or priest the deacon c. But some account 6. orders other some 8. All with one accord doe reckoÌ„ dorekéepers or porters readers or singers exorcists acoluthes subdeacous deacoÌ„s elders or priests Those againe they diuide into greater lesser orders Among the greater orders are the priest or elder the deacon the subdeacon The rest are called the lesser orders Of which orders there remayneth nothing in a maner beside y bare name The office of dore-kéepers is turned ouer to the sextens which they cal Holy water clearks There are no readers for that auncient reading is worne out of vse The Psalmistes or singers doe vnderstand nothing lesse than that they rehearse or singe Touching the exorcists this they say Iosephus writeth that king Solomon found out the maner of exorcisme that is of coniuring wherby vncleane spirits were driuen out of a maÌ„ that was possessed by Eleazar the exorcist so that they durst no more come againe To this office they that are named exorcistes are called Of whom it is read in the Gospel If I thrugh Beelzebub cast out diuels by whom do your children to witt your exorcists or coniurers cast them out Thus much they say which I rehearse to this end that it may appeare to all men that these men are the very same of whom the Apostle foretold that it should come to passe that they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine but shal be turned vnto fables For who knoweth not that it is most fabulous which is reported of Solomon Who knoweth not that the Apostles of the Lord were not exorcists neither vsed at any time any manner of inchantments or coniurations For with a word they cast out vncleane spirits that is by calling vppon and by the power of the name of Christ Those gifts ceased long agoe in the church of god Those sonnes of ScÄ™ua the priest in the Actes of the Apostles were said to be exorcists whom the euil spirite though they called on the names of Iesus and Paule ranne vpon and tare the clothes from their backs and so by Gods appointmeÌ„t made knowne vnto all men how much the eternal God is delighted with exorcistes And yet these fellowes thrust them vpon vs as yet Touching the Acoluthes or followers thus they write heare I pray you howe trimly they reason The Acoluthes say they are waxe-bearers because they carrie waxe candles For when the Gospell must bee read or masse is to bee said waxe candles are lighted to signifie the ioy of the minde Who hearing these thinges will say that these men doâ— vnlearnedly handle no mysteries Subdeacons and deacons are no longer prouiders for the poore but being made ministers of superstition they attende on the Popishe masse The deacons office is to singe the Gospell the subdeacons to singe the epistle In fewe woordes I cannot expresse what foolish men do fondly chatter cocerning these masters Ouer these they haue set an archdeacon which is a name of dignitie and preeminence Sacrificers who are also called priestes are diuerslye distinguished For there are regular priestes and secular priestes By regular priestes they vnderstand monkes whereas they are nothinglesse than those they are said to be Truly they resemble those that of â—ld were called monkes in no point of their doings A greate part of them are a rule and lawe vnto them selues Of these men some are doctours appointed to the office of preaching but yet rather occupied in saying of their houres and in singing and saying of masses And these men sowe superstition and most obstinately defend it most bitterly do persecute true religion Another sort and the greatest part of these monkish priestes doe nothing else but singe in the church and mumble masse and that for a very slender price But you may sooner number the sandes of the coast of Libya than the whole rable of these But they are vnprofitable both vnto God and to the church also euen to themselues men vtterly vnlearned and slow bellies yet in the meane season sworne enimies to the truth of the Gospel Among the secular priestes the chiefe are canons whiche for the most part are idle persoÌ„s giuen ouer to voluptuousnes gluttons and in very déed secular that is to saye worldly They thinke they haue gailie discharged their duetie if they make an end of the houres which they call canonical and be present gazers on at the masse and if they honour and beautifie with their presence gods seruice as they cal it They séeme to be more streit and not to be secular priests â–ª who say masse both for the quick and for the dead There are reckoned also in the number of secular priestes parish priests whom they call
of the inuisible grace whiche by faithe onely is receiued Whervpon yet againe it followeth that the signe is not confounded with the thing signified but bothe of them do reteine their substance and nature distinguished What doth not the scripture expressely pithily make a difference betwéene the outward ministerie of man and God the inward worker and giuer of spirituall gyfts For Iohn Baptiste saith I baptise you with water But he Christ shall Baptise you with the holy Ghoste Wherewith agréeth that saying of Peter Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request to God. To this nowe pertcineth that euident testimonie of saint Augustine which is read 3. Quest lib. in Leuit. Quest. 83. In these wordes Wee must diligently consider as often as he saith I the Lord which sanctifie him that he speaketh of the priest when he also spake this to Moses thou shalt sanctifie him Howe therefore doth both Moses and God also sanctifie for Moses doth not sanctifie for the Lord but Moses doeth sanctifie in the visible sacraments by his ministerie and the Lorde by inuisible grace by his holy spirit where the whole fruit of visible sacraments also is For without this sanctificatioÌ„ of inuisible grace what profite haue we by visible sacraments Thus farre August As Iohn Baptist made distinction betwéene his owne ministerie in Baptisme and the power of Christ euen so maketh he distinction betwéen the ministerie of preaching the drawing of the spirituall teacher I am saith he the voyce of a crier in the wildernes make streight the way of the Lord. And againe He that commeth from on high is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly speaketh of the earth he that coÌ„meth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath sene and heard that he testifieth c. Saint Paule also agréeing therevnto sayth Who is Paule What is Apollos but ministers by whom ye beleeued euen as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but god gaue the increase So that neither is hee that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giueth the increase Albeit the comparison of ministers with the signes agrée not altogether and in euerie part which I told you before â–ª because ministers are fellowe labourers with Christ according to their office but the signes which are without life are not so vnlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate vnto them that whiche is the ministers yet by other proofes I suppose it to be made plaine that the signe thing signified do reteine their natures distinguished in the sacraments These things doe specially disproue and conuince those who are persuaded of that papisticall traÌ„substantiation of bread and wine into the substance of the bodie bloud of Christe For these men vtterly denie that the breade and wine béeing consecrated in the mysteries do remaine in their owne substances For they contend that these substaÌ„ces of bread wine are annihilated turned into the verie bodie and bloud of the Lord so that after the consecration the accidents of bread and wine doe remaine and no part of the substance thereof at all For they say that the Lorde in expresse words pronounced ouer the bread wine This is my bodie This is my bloud that the Lord can easily bring to passe by his own omnipotencie that that which he said may be as he said For proofe wherof they alledge these such like places that the Lord for soothe fashioned man out of the clay of the earth by by of the rib of man made woman also turned Lots wife into a piller of salt therfore y he by the selfe same his power can make of bread his bodie of wine his bloud And these truely are their bulworkes But we in another place haue plentifully disputed of the meaning of the Lords words This is my bodie So that it is superfluous to make long repetition of them I haue also tolde you y of the omnipotencie of God we muste not gather determine whatsoeuer commeth into our braine also that Gods power doth nothing against trueth neither against it selfe and that no Godly man ought to take that in hand vnder pretence of the power of God whiche is repugnant to the plaine Scriptures and the articles of the catholique faith Now it is euident and plaine that after consecration there remaineth in the sacrament the substaÌ„ce of bread wine And herein we néed no other witnesses than our verie senses whiche perceiue sée taste and féele no other thing than bread and wine but while clay was turned into a mans bodie the ribb into a woman Lots wife into a piller of salte they were not as the sacrament of the supper that which they were before neither did there appeare vnto the senses any iotte of the clay of the ribbe of Lots wife Verie foolishly therefore and vnaptly are these examples applyed to the mysterie of the Lordes supper wherewith they nothing agrée whiche thing also we touched before The Gospel verie diligently describing the moste holy institution of the Lordes supper and the maner thereof maketh no mention of miraculous transubstantion but calleth the bread and wine whiche the Lord tooke and distributed to his disciples and which they also receiued by the names of bread wine as wel after the words of consecration as they tearme it were spoken as also before consecration Doeth not the Lorde in the 26. cha of Mat. call the wine being coÌ„secrated not wine only but the fruit of the vine after a more vehement and significatiue kinde of spéeche lest any shold be ignorant that the wine was wine in déede and so remained In Marke we reade this of the Cuppe And he tooke the Cuppe and when he had giuen thanks he gaue to them And they dranke of it and he saide vnto them This is my bloud of the new Testament c. Loe they dâ—anke all sayth he of the Cuppe before the words of consecratioÌ„ as they terme it were spoken therefore they dranke wine Nowe if so be they answere that this place of the Euangelist is to be expounded by the figure Hysteroâ—protero that is wheÌ„ any thing is declared out of order preposterously theÌ„ admitt they tropes figures in the celebration of the supper which notwithstandinge they haue contended ought simplie to bee vnderstoode without the help of tropes or figures But Paule also the Apostle in the 1. Cor. cap. 10. calleth the bread of the Lorde beeing nowe in the verie holy vse and that I may so say consecrated by the name of bread And in the 1. Cor. 11. chap. the thirde time hee calleth it bread To this apperteyneth that the Actes of the Apostles doe testifie how that the Churche of the Apostles do call the whole mysticall action The breaking of breade not The breaking of