preached unto others I my selfe should bee a cast away Hereto Saint Peters counsell is to be remembred Dearly beloved I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims c 1 Pet. 2.11 abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule Of Patience Furthermore Saint Peter saith Adde to Temperance Patience Saint Paul saith unto Timothy Thou therefore d 2 Tim. 2.3 4 5 12. endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Iesus Christ No man that warreth intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier And if a man also strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully If wee suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him Much considerable hereto is the holy delivery of the Church in the sacred * T. 2. p. 195 196. Homily of the resurrection Truth it is that sin is strong and affections are unruly Hard it is to subdue and resist our nature so corrupt and leavened with the sower bitternesse of the poyson which wee received by the inheritance of our old father Adam But yet take good courage saith our Saviour Christ for I have e Iohn 16.33 overcome the world and all other f Col. 2.14 15. enemies for you g Rom. 6.14 Sinne shall not have power over you for ye be now under grace saith Saint Paul Though your power be weake yet Christ is risen againe to h Phil. 3.10 strengthen you in your battaile his holy Spirit shall i Rom. 8.26 27 helpe your infirmities In trust of his mercy take you in hand to k 1 Cor. 5.7 8 6. purge this old leaven of sinne that crrupteth and sowreth the sweetnesse of our life before God that yee may bee as new and fresh Dow voide of all sower leaven of wickednesse so shall ye shew your selves to be sweet bread unto God that hee may have his delight in you And in the same * T. 2. p 193. Homily it is said By the assistance of Christs holy Spirit we be replenished with all righteousnesse by whose power we shall be able to l Rom. 6.12 Rom. 8 1◠2 Cor. 10.4 5 6 subdue all our evill affections rising against the pleasure of God When the Iewes returned from their captivity in Babylon unto Ierusalem and went about reparing the Temple of the Lord which was ruinated and laid wast they were sorely vexed and hindered by the m Ezra 4.1 4 5 c. Chaldeans under which Nation they had beene in captivity afore yet they n Neh. 4.15 16 17. patiently endured and tooke their times and best occasions to set the worke forward and were not discouraged as utterly to leave off the enterprised businesse but constantly persevered untill it was o 1 Esd 7.5 finished We may make use of the Sacred Story applying it unto the p 1 Pet. 2 5. Eph. 2.21 22. spirituall worke which Christ requireth at our hands Of Godlinesse Saint Peter further saith Adde to Patience Godlinesse Whereas the inward warre of the flesh q Gal. 5.17 against the spirit is very great and our warre is not onely against flesh and blood and visible enemies in this outward world but also against enemies working within our soule and spirit namely against r Eph. 6.12 principalities against powers against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse or * wicked spirits in high or * heavenly places and so our sufferings sorrowes agonies and the like spirituall miseries are greater ** As in the margent of the last translation than our ſ Ps 143.3 4 7. naturall strength is able to abide therefore we are to betake our selves as Saint Paul saith to t Eph. 6.18 pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance that God would u Ps 144.1 2. teach our hands to warre and our fingers to fight that he would be our fortresse and high tower and our deliverer our shield wherin to trust also to w Ps 18.31 34 39. gird us with strength unto the battell and to subdue under us those that rise up against us And thus to be devoted unto prayer is Godlinesse whereunto wee are exhorted in the most Sacred Catechisme where it is said My good Child know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the Commandements of God and to serve him without his speciall x 1 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 5.20 21. grace which thou must learne at all times to call for by diligent prayer And then in the answere concerning what wee desire in the Lords Prayer we are taught to pray unto God That it will please him to save and defend us in all dangers ghostly and bodily and that he will y 2 Tim. 4.18 keepe us from all sinne and wickednesse and from our ghostly z Ioh. 1.10 enemy and from everlasting death Of Brotherly kindnesse Saint Peter also saith Adde to Godlinesse Brotherly kindnesse And because when wee through the grace of God in Iesus Christ by prayer have obtained our requests and for every benefit received of God are bound to render most hearty a Ps 116.1 2 12 17. thankes unto him and to expresse our love unto him not in word onely but in b 1 Iohn 3.18 deed also For that the Lord hath no need of our goods seeing the whole world is his and c Ps 24 1. all therein therefore saith David O my soule thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord my goodnes d Ps 16.2 3 4. extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth to the excellēt in whom is all my delight Their sorrowes shall bee mutiplied that hasten after another god or * As it is also rendred in the margent there give gifts to another It is our duty to love e Iam. 2.14 15 16. 1 Iohn 3.17 1 Iohn 5.1 really those whom God loveth namely our brethrē whom the Spirit with the f Iam. 1.18 word of truth hath begat as well as us into some measure of Gods Image which is g Eph. 4.24 Col. 3 10. righteousnesse and true holinesse Vnto them we are to h Rom 12.13 impart of our goods and for them to doe all good Offices we can and to performe unto them all other duties according as it is prescribed unto us in the Gospell of Iesus Christ Yea and as we have i Gal. 6.10 opportunity wee are also for the Lords sake to doe good unto all other people though especially to them that are of the houshold of faith Of Charity Lastly Saint Peter saith Adde to Brotherly kindness Charity Forasmuch as our aforesaid love towards God and towards others for Gods sake is k 1 Iohn 4.18 imperfect whiles it hath joyned with it the love of our selves that is whereas we
in all In all the Sacred Song of the Church which is to be sayd or Sung in the Ordering of Priests which also is commonly set afore the Psalmes in Meeter what the Holy Ghost is and what his gifts and workings are it is very Divinely deliuered and remarkablely it is sayd in the second Staue thereof Thou art the very o Iohn 14.16 Comforter in all woe and distresse The Heauenly p Luke 11.13 gift of God most high which no tongue can q 2 Cor. 12.4 as in margent expresse The fountaine and the liuely spring of r 1 Thes 1.6 ioy Celestiall The n = s Acts 2.3.4 fire so bright Omnes quod sumus ac vigemus inde est Regnat spiritus ille sempiturnus à Chriso simul et parente missus intrat pectora candidus pudica qua Templi vice consecrata videÌ„t Post quam combiberint deuÌ„ medullis Sed siquid vitij dolive nasci inter visceraiam dicata sensit ceu spurcum refugit â—eler satellum Et nonnullis interjectis Hic pastui anima est saporque verus Poâ—â—â— prâ—dentiâ—â— the t Rom. 5.5 loue so cleare and u 1 Ioh. 2.20.27 vnction Spirituall And now concluded be these Collections concerning the Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity with that of the Prayer to the Holy Ghost to be sung before the Sermon All glory to the Trinity that is of mighties most The liuing father and the Sonne and eke the holy Ghost As it hath beene in all the time that hath beene heretofore As it is now and so shall be henceforth for euermore CHAP. 6. Of certaine Attributes vnto God IN the beginning of sundry Prayers and in other places of the Divine Service Of Gods Eternity for the more expressing of the glory of God there are added vnto his name sundry Attributes As it is sayd oftentimes O euerlasting God O euerliuing God And in the Athanatian Creede hee is sayd to bee the One Eternall Moses in his Prayer which is in the Booke of the Psalmes doth in like manner confesse the Eternity of God saying Before w Psal 9â— 2 the Mountaynes were brought foorth or euer thou hadst formed the earth and the VVorld euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art God The Euerlasting is in the Booke of Baruch mentioned as one of Gods names where it is sayd Let them x Baruch 4 14. that dwell about Syon come and remember yee the Captivity of my Sonnes and Daughters which the Euerlasting hath brought vpon them God is also sayd to be Infinite or Incomprehensible Of Gods infinitenesse or immensity as in the first part of the * 2 T. p. 221. Homily for Rogation VVeeke where it is sayd He is y Iob 9.11 invisible euery where and x Acts 17.27.28 in enery Creature and a Ieremia 2 3.24 fulfilleth both Heauen and earth with his presence In considering whereof Dauid said Whether shall I goe from thy Spirit Or whether shall I flee from thy Presence if I goe vp into Heauen thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the Wings of the morning and dwel in the vttermost parts of the Sea euen there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me b Psal 139.7.8.9.10.13 Thou hast possessed my Reines thou hast couered me in my mothers Wombe In the Booke of Wisedome it is sayd The c Wisd 1.7 Spirit of the Lord filleth the World and that which contayneth all things hath knowledge of the Voyce And d Wisd 12.1 thine incorruptible spirit is in all things Of Gods Almightinesse Moreouer God is often called Almighty as in the prayer to be sayd in the time of Warre O Almighty God King of all Kings and Gouernour of all things whose power no Creature is able to resist The Almighty power of God is liuely expressed in the end of the Visitation of the sicke where it is sayd The Almighty Lord which is a * Pro. 18.10 strong Tower to all them that put their trust in him to whom all things in Heauen in Earth and * Phil. 2 9.10 vnder the Earth doe bowe and obey be now and euermore thy defence and make thee know and feele that there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in whom and through whom thou mayest receiue health and saluation but only the name * Act. 4.12 of our Lord Iesus Christ The Prophet Dauid sayth The c Psalm 103.19 Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heauens and his Kingdome ruleth ouer all Esay sayth Behold f Esay 40.15.17 the Nations are as the drop of a Bucket and are counted as the small dust of the Ballance Behold he taketh vp the Iles as a very little thing All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity Incomparable Wisdome is also ascribed vnto God as in the first part of the * 2. T. p. 219. Sermon for Rogation VVeeke Of Gods Wisdome where it is sayd I do not take vpon me to declare vnto you the excellent power or the incomparable Wisdome of Almighty God as though I would haue you beleeue that it might be expressed vnto you by Words And in the second part of that Homily it is sayd Page 224. His sight looketh through Heauen and Earth and seeth all things presently with his eyes Nothing is too darke or hidden from his Knowledge not the priuy thoughts of mens mindes Dauid sayth Great g Psal 147.5 is our Lord and of great power his vnderstanding is infinite The Apostle to the Hebrewes sayth there is not any h Heb. 4.13 Creature which is not manifest in his sight but all thinges are naked and opened vnto the eyes of him with whom we haue to do Againe concerning Gods Wisedome Dauid sayth O i Psal 104 24. Lord how manifold are thy Works in Wisedome hast thou made them all Of Gods goodnesse Goodnesse also is attributed vnto God euen through out all parts of the Divine Seruice In the first part of the * 2. Tom p. 217. Homily for Rogation Weeke there is amply declared the goodnesse of God towards mankind in sundry particulars Wherein Holy Church doth as the Scripture sayth aboundantly k Psal 145 7.9 vtter the memory of Gods great goodnesse The Lord is good to all Of Gods Ivstnesse Iustnesse also is ascribed vnto God as in the Prayer to be sayd in time of Warre where it is written To God it belongeth iustly to punish sinners and to be mercifull to them that truely Repent Dauid saith The O Lord is righteous in all his wayes And m Psal 62.12 thou rendrest vnto euery one according to his workes Nehemiah sayd vnto God Thou n Nehem. 9.33 art iust in all that is brought vpon vs for thou hast done right but we haue done wickedly Zephaniah sayth
Booke of the Wisdome of Solomon where it is said That in her is an z Wis 7.22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29. understanding Spirit Holy one onely manifold subtill lively cleare undefiled plaine not subject to hurt loving the thing that is good quicke which cannot bee letted ready to doe good kinde to man stedfast sure free from care having all power overseeing all things and going through all understanding pure and most subtill spirits For Wisdome is more moving than any motion she passeth and goeth through all things by reason of her purenesse For she is the breath of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Therefore can no defiled thing fall into her For the is the brightnesse of the everlasting light the unspotted mirrour of the power of God and the Image of his goodnesse And being but one shee can doe all things and remaining in her selfe she maketh all things new and in all ages entring into holy soules shee maketh them friends of God and Prophets For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with Wisdome For she is more beautiful than the Sunne and above all the order of the Starres being compared with the light shee is found before it There are two Holy Scriptures which tell us what is wisdome and understanding In the Booke of Iob it is said Behold the feare of the Lord that is a Iob. 28.28 wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Moses sheweth the same also saying Behold I have taught you statutes and judgements c. Keepe therefore and doe them for this is your b Deut. 4.6 wisdome and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these statutes and say Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people In the third part of the * T. 2. p. 230. Homily for Rogation weeke the Church very divinely hereto saith Let us with so good an heart pray as Solomon did and wee shall not faile but to have the spirit of Wisdomes assistance For he is soone c Wis 1.2 Wis 6.12.13.14 seene of them that love him hee will be found of them that seeke him for very liberall and gentle is the spirit of Wisdome In his power shall we have sufficient ability to d Ioh. 16.13 know our duty to God in him shall wee be e Acts. 9.31 Ioh. 14.16 comforted and couraged to walke in our duty in him shall wee bee meete vessels to receive the grace of Almighty God for it is hee that purgeth and * 1 Pet. 1.22 purifieth the minde by his secret working And he onely is present every where by his invisible power and containeth all things in his dominion Hee lightneth the heart to conceive worthy thoughts to Almighty God shee sitteth in the tongue of man to stirre him to speake his honour no language is hid from him for he hath the knowledge of all speech he onely ministreth spirituall f Eph. 3.16 strength to the powers of our soule and body Of the spirit of Counsell Concerning the spirit of Counsell it is such an ability in some measure as Paul had whereof he speaketh to the Corinthians saying That we may be able to g 2 Cor. 1.4 comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God Solomon saith A wise man will heare and will increase learning and a man of understanding shall attaine unto wise h Prov. 1.5 counsels Iethro was not onely wise for himselfe but had ability to give some good i Exod. 18.19 counsell unto Moses also Of ghostly strength Concerning ghostly strength or strength in the spirit Paul prayeth for it to be given to the Ephesians saying That God would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be k Eph. 3.16 17 18 19. strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that yee being rooted and grounded in love may bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee may be filled with all the fulnesse of God Some are but l Rom. 14. ◠weake in the faith but Abraham was m Rom. 4.19.20 strong in faith Paul for the Colossians having prayed that they might bee filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding desireth also that they may be n Col. 1.9 10 11. strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse Of the spirit of Knowledge Concerning the spirit of knowledge it is to bee considered that more is meant than a meere Historicall knowledge of truth namely an experimentall knowledge whereof Saint Iohn saith Hereby doe we o 1 Ioh. 2.3 know that wee know him if wee keepe his commandements God saith by Ieremiah Did not thy father eate and drinke and doe judgement and justice and then it was well with him Hee judged the cause of the poore and needy then it was well with him Was not this to p Ier. 22.15.16 know mee saith the Lord Hereto pertaineth that knowledge which is promised to be given to the cōprehended in the new covenant whereof the Lord by the same Prophet saith I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and they shall all q Ier. 31.33.34 know mee from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord. Of the spirit of true godlinesse Concerning the spirit of true godlinesse thereby is meant the inward worshipping of God within the spirit principally wherewith God is r Ioh. 4.23 most delighted Saint Paul saith Bodily exercise profiteth little but s 1 Tim. 4.8 godlinesse is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come The outward worshipping of God in every particular manner is with all care to be performed and preserved But withall the walking with God and the inward * Micah 6.8 as in the margent humbling of ones selfe thereto is to be zealously endevoured by the which we draw t Heb. 7.19 Ps 148.14 Iam. 4.8.9.10 Of the spirit of the Holy feare of the Lord. nigh unto God Lastly Concerning the spirit of the Holy feare of the Lord that is hereto considerable which is written That Christ in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that hee u Heb. 5.7 feared Great was the w Ioh. 8.49 reverence which Iesus Christ did continually beare towards God his Father Wee are required to x Eph. 5.1.2 1 Pet. 2.21 Ioh. 13.15 imitate him in all things written of him for our example
the likenesse of fiery k Acts 2.2.3.4 tongues lighting vpon the Apostles to teach them and to leade them to all l Ioh. 16.13 Truth giuing them both the gift of diuerse Languages and also boldnesse with feruent Zeale constantly to preach the Gospell vnto all m Mar. 16.15 Nations whereby wee are brought out of darknesse and errour into the cleere n 1. Pet. 2 9. Math. 4.16 light and true knowledge of God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ It is sayd in the first part of the * Tom. 2. p. 208.209 Homily for Whitsunday As there are three seuerall and sundry persons in the Deity so haue they three seuerall and sundry offices proper vnto each of them The Father to create the Sonne to redeeme the Holy Ghost to sanctifie and regenerate Whereof the last the more it is o Ioh. 3 4. hidde from our vnderstanding the more it ought to moue all men to wonder at the secret and mighty working of Gods Holy Spirit which is within vs. For it is the Holy Ghost and no other thing that doth p Ioh. 6.63 quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their heartes which are agreeable to the will and Commaundement of God such as otherwise of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they should neuer haue The power of the Holy Ghost is to regenerate men and as it were to bring them foorth anewe so that they shall bee q 2. Cor. 5.17 nothing like the men that they were before Neither doth hee thinke it sufficient inwardly to worke the spirituall and new birth of man vnlesse hee doe also dwell and abide in him r 1. Cor. 3.16 and 6.19 Knowe yee not sayth Saint Paul that yee are the Temple of God and that his Spirit dwelleth in you Knowe yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is within you Againe he sayth Å¿ Rom. 8.9 You are not in the flesh but in the spirite For why The Spirite of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the Doctrine of Saint Iohn writing in this wise The t 1. Ioh. 2.27 Annoynting which yee haue receiued hee meaneth the Holy Ghost dwelleth in you And the Doctrine of Saint Peter sayth the same who hath these wordes The Spirite u 1. Pet. 4.14 of glory and of God resteth vpon you O what comfort is this to the heart of a true Christian to thinke that the Holy Ghost w Rom. 8.9.10 11. dwelleth within him In the second part of the aforesayd * P. 212. Homily it is also sayd That our Sauiour Iesus Christ departing out of the world vnto his Father promised his Disciples to send downe x Ioh. 14.16 another Comforter which should continue with them for euer and direct them into all truth Neither must we thinke that this Comforter was either promised or else giuen only to the Apostles but also to the * 1. Cor. 12.3.13 Vniuersall Church of Christ dispersed through the world for vnles the Holy Ghost had bin alwayes present gouerning and preseruing the Church from the beginning it could neuer haue sustained so many and so great brunts of affliction and persecution with so little damage and harme as it hath Saint Paul sayth y Rom. 8.9 If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his Hereby then it is euident and plaine to all men that the Holy Ghost was giuen not onely to the Apostles but also to the whole body of Christs Congregation although not in like forme and Maiestie as he came downe at the Feast of Pentecost The Lord hath sayd by his Prophet Isaiah z Isa 59.20.21 The Redeemer shall come to Sion and vnto them that turne from transgression in Iacob As for me this is my couenant with them sayth the Lord My Spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede sayth the Lord from henceforth and for euer The need we haue of Gods holy Spirit is signified in the Collect to be read on the fift Sunday after Easter where it is sayd Lord from whom all good things doe come graunt vs thy humble seruants that by thy holy inspiration we may a â—hil 2.13 thinke those things which be good and by thy mercifull b Psal 143.10 Psal 25.5.9 guiding may performe the same through Iesus Christ our Lord. Likewise in the Collect to bee read afore the ten Commandements Almighty God vnto whom all hearts be c Acts 1.24 open all desires knowne and from whom no secrets are hid cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit that we may perfectly loue thee and worthily magnifie thy holy Name through Christ our Lord. The holy Ghost commeth downe into the spirite of Gods people in sundry measures and degrees It is in some measure receiued in Baptisme and therefore in the Seruice for Baptisme it is prayed that the party to be baptized may be baptized with water and the d Mat. 3 11. Holy Ghost c. It is also receiued in e Acts 8.15.16.17 Bishopping or Confirmation And therefore in the seruice thereof it is prayed Strengthen them we beseech thee O Lord with the Holy Ghost the comforter And in the act of Confirmation when the Bishop layeth his hand on the party to bee Confirmed it is sayd Defend O Lord this child with thy heauenly grace that hee may continue thine for euer and daily increase in thy Holy Spirit more and more vntill he come to thine euerlasting Kingdome It is also receiued in the Communion as sayth the * Tom. 2. p. 192 Homily of the Resurrection Thou hast receiued Christs body to haue within thee the Father Sonne and Holy f 1. Cor. 12.13 Ghost for to dwell with thee and to endow thee with grace to strengthen thee against thine enemies and to comfort thee with their presence And in the same * Pag. 193. Homily it is sayd How can we find in our harts to shew such extreame vnkindnesse to Christ who hath now so gently called vs to mercy and offered himselfe vnto vs and he now g Ioh. 6.56 entred within vs Yea how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost For where one is there is God all whole in Maiesty together with all his power wisedome and goodnesse By other ordinances of God the holy Ghost is more and more receiued as by Prayer c. according as Christ saith h Luke 11.13 Your heauenly Father will giue the Holy Spirit to them that aske him And likewise S. Peter with the other Holy Apostles hath declared to what conditioned people God doth send downe his Holy Spirit more and more where hee sayth i Acts 5.32
able to make the like vnlesse by some measure of speciall illumination from Gods Holy Spirit as many vnderstanding ones do now thinke yea and affirme And if the Heauen mentioned in the Booke of the Reuelation which is commaunded or exhorted to q Acts 18.20 reioyce ouer Babylon fallen be the reformed Church of Christ as some do expound it Is it not probable that the Apostles which are there willed to reioyce with that Heauen are the Archbishops and Bishops therein and * By putting part or the chiefe for the whole or all figuratiuely the rest of the Clergie thereof And that the Prophets there willed also to reioyce are all such as then receiued a speciall enlightening from Almighty God vnto the setting forward of the reformation and among them more especially such as were composers of the aforenamed bookes of the sacred Liturgy of the Church of England CHAP. 39. Of Lordship which Archbishops and Bishops haue IT is written that Å¿ Heb. 7.1.2 Melchisedec Priest of the high God was withall King of Salem or Ierusalem Abraham was a t Gen. 20.7 Prophet and withall a man of great u Gen. 14.14 15 temporall power Moses was a w Deut. 34.10 prophet and withall the supreme x Acts 7 35. Num. 26.16.17 Gouernour of the people of Israel vnder Almighty God He is called a King Deut. 33.5 Iethro was y Exod. 3.1 Priest of Midian and according to some interpretation he was z Exod. 2.16 in the Margent Sicautem Caldaeus Paraphrastes vertit viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Midian Eli was Priest and also a 1. Sam. 4.18 Iudge ouer Israel Samuel was a b Acts 13.20 Prophet and also c 1 Sam. 7.6 Iudge ouer Israel Dauid was a d Mat 27 35. Prophet and King also Solomon was a e Eccles 1.1 Preacher and a King also Simon was f Ecclus. 50.1 high Priest and g 1. Mac. 13.42 1. Mac. 14.47 Captaine and Gouernour of the Priests and Iewes and defender of them all If then some of the Ministery haue bin the supreme Gouernours in Nations may they not now be Gouernours if the Royall Maiestie so ordaine them Saint Iude calleth those persons h Iude 18. filthy dreamers which doe despise dominion and speake euill of dignities CHAP. 24. Of the Liturgie or Diuine Seruice of the Church in generall IN the second part of the * Tom. 2. p. 6. Homily concerning the right vse of the Church the publike Seruice of the Lord is sayd to be The teaching and hearing of his Holy Word the calling vpon his holy Name the giuing thankes vnto him for his great and innumerable benefits and the due ministring of the Sacraments In the * T. 2. p. 138. Homily of Common Prayer and Sacraments it is sayd That Basilius Magnus and Iohannes Chrysostomus did in their time prescribe publike orders of publike administration which they call Liturgies and in them they appointed the people to answere vnto the prayer of the Minister sometime Amen sometime Lord haue mercy vpon vs sometime And with thy Spirit and We haue our hearts lifted vp vnto the Lord c. In the same * To. 2. p. 134. Homily it is also sayd By the histories of the Bible it appeareth that publike and common Prayer is most auaileable before God and therefore is much to be lamented that it is no better * Euen shortly after that the Diuine Seruice was set foorth the Diuell wrought in many people a more and more neglecting of it esteemed among vs which professe to be but one body in Christ It is said in the Preface before the Common Prayer That the first original and ground of the diuine Seruice of a man would search out by the ancient Fathers he shall finde that the same was not ordained but of a good purpose and for a great aduancement of godlinesse c. Saint Paul sayd vnto Timothy i 1. Tim. 2.1.2.3 I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour Moses from the Lord prescribed vnto Aaron and vnto his sonnes a forme of blessing the people saying k Num. 6.23.24.25.26 On this wise yee shall blesse the children of Israel saying vnto them The Lord blesse thee and keepe the The Lord make his face shine vpon thee and be gracious vnto thee The Lord lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace It is very considerable hereto that which is written of King Hezekiah in the booke of Chronicles That he and the Princes commanded the Leuites to sing praise vnto the Lord l 2. Chro. 29.30 with the words of Dauid and of * With the wordes also which Asaph deliuered which were as a Forme of praise or of praising God Asaph the Seer My sonne sayth m Pro. 1.8.9 Solomon heare the instruction of thy Father and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother For they shall be an ornament of grace vnto thine head and chaines about thy necke Solomon repeateth this precept of God to the ende wee may take it all vnto heart as a matter most greatly concerning vs. n Pro 6.21 22.23 My sonne keepe thy Fathers commandement and forsake not the law of thy Mother Binde them continually vpon thine heart and tye them about thy necke For the commandement is a Lampe and the law is light o Haeresi septua gesima qâ—inta contra Aâ—â—â—um de quâ—busâ—am traditionibus loquens Ecclesia inquit necessariò hoc persâ—eâ—â— traditione à patribus accepta Quis autem poterit statutum nâ—atâ—â—s dissoluâ—re aut legem patris velut Solomon dicit Audi fili sermonem patris tui ne repud es statuta matris tuae ostendens per hoc quòd in scriptis sine scripto dacuit pater hoc est Deus vnigenâ—tus spiritus sancius Mater autem nosira Ecclesia babet statuta in se posita indissolâ—â—bil a quae dâ—solui non possunt Epiphanius an ancient holy Father vnderstandeth by the word mother in this Scripture to be meant the Church who hath besides the holy Scriptures the Commandement of God our Father a distinct law teaching or instruction the which all her members are bound to obserue most diligently by vertue of this charge thereto giuen by God through the ministery of Solomon The Christian Church is our mother if God bee our Father as it is written Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the p Gal. 4.26 mother of vs all God ordinarily begetteth none without his Church but in the q Psal 110.3 wombe of his Church they are conceiued thence they come to the r Isa 66.8.9 birth they Å¿ Isa 66.11.12
as absolute necessitie requireth to stay at home ought duly to resort unto the church When Peter was to preach unto y Acts 10.33 Deut. 32.12 13 Neh. 8.2 Cornelius it appeareth that Cornelius brought his whole houshold with him as he said Now are wee all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God And in the Psalme or Song for the Sabbath day it is expressed at what time in the morning of the Sabbath wee should begin our devotion and untill what time it should continue Hebraea vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Lexicographis reddita est Lucis matâ—tinae primordium c. Hinc verbâ—â— Arabicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mane seu ante lucem surrexit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autem ab Arabe interpretatum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Mat. 20.1 exprimit Graecam phrasin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summo mane where it is said z Psal 92.1 2. It is a good thing to give thankes unto the Lord and to sing praises unto thy name Omost Highest To tell of thy loving kindnesse * According to the Translation of the Psalter in the divine Service early in the morning and of thy truth in the night season CHAP. 44. Of Prayer Thanksgiving and Confession unto God in publike and in private IN the Exhortation before the generall Confession it is said Although wee ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sinnes before God yet ought wee most chiefly so to doe when wee assemble and meet together to render thankes for the great benefits that wee have received at his hands to set forth his most worthy praise to heare his most holy word and to aske those things which be requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soule How greatly God requireth publike prayer it may appeare from that hee would have his house called an house of a Isa 56. â— prayer for all people Thither it is said b Acts 3.1 Peter and Iohn went up together at the houre of prayer being the ninth houre And S. Paul c Acts 22.17 praying in the Temple at Ierusalem was rapt in the spirit and did see Iesus speaking unto him And publike prayer made for d Acts 12.5.7 Peter being in prison so farre prevailed with God that he was miraculously thence delivered Christ Iesus said unto his Disciples c Mat. 18.19.20 It two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Concerning prayer it is said in the first part of the * T. 2. p. 110. Homily of prayer The necessity thereof is so great that without it nothing may bee well-obtained at Gods hand He is said to be rich and liberall towards all them that f Rom. 10.12 call upon him not because hee either will not or cannot give without asking but because hee hath appointed prayer as an ordinary meanes betweene him and us In the * T. 2. p. 134. Homily of Common prayer and Sacraments it is said In the Scriptures wee read of three sorts of prayers whereof two are private and the third is common The first is that which S. Paul speaketh of in his Epistle to Timothy saying g 1 Tim. 2.8 I will that men pray in every place lifting up pure hands without wrath or striving And it is the devout lifting up of the mind to God without the uttering of the hearts griefe or desire by open voice So h 1 Sam. 1.13 Anna prayed After this sort must all Christians pray not once in a weeke or once in a day onely but as S. Paul writeth to the Thessalonians i Thes 5.17 without ceasing And S. Iames writeth k Iam. 5.16.17 The continuall prayer of a just man is of much force The second sort of prayer is spoken in the Gospell of Matthew where it is said l Mat. 6.6 When thou prayest enter into thy secret closet and when thou hast shut the doore to thee pray to thy father in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee So m Acts 10.2 Cornelius prayed These be the two private sorts of prayer the one mentall that is to say the devout lifting up of the minde to God and the other vocall that is to say the secret uttering of the griefes and desires of the heart with words but yet in a secret closet or some solitary place The third sort of prayer is publike or common And of it mention was first of all The Prophet David said n Ps 55.17 Evening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud and hee shall heare my voyce It is written that Daniel also kneeled upon his knees o Dan. 6.10 three times a day and prayed and gave thankes before God David also saith p Ps 119 6â— At midnight will I arise to give thankes unto thee because of thy righteous judgements The Church saith in the aforenamed * p. 141. Homily If we will that our prayers bee not abominable before God let us so prepare our hearts before we pray and so understand the things that we aske when we pray that both our hearts and voyces may together sound in the cares of Gods Majestie and then we shall not faile to receive at his hand the things that we aske as good men which have beene before us did and so have from time to time received that which for their soules health they did at any time desire Saint Augustine said It is not the voyce but the affection of the minde that commeth to the eares of God Concerning thankesgiving in publike The first part of the Homily concerning the right use of the Church Of thanksgiving saith That the Temple is likewise the place of thankesgiving unto the Lord for his innumerable and unspeakeable benefits bestowed upon us appeareth notably in the latter end of Saint Lukes Gospell and the beginning of the story of the Acts where it is written that the Apostles and Disciples after the ascension of our Lord q Act. 2.46 47. continued with one accord daily in the Temple alwayes praising and blessing God The Prophet David said My prayse shall be of thee in the great r Ps 22.25 congregation And Enter into his gates with Å¿ Ps 100.4 thankesgiving and into his Courts with praise be thankfull unto him and blesse his name In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 218. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said There can be none other end of such as draw nigh to God by knowledge and yet depart from him in unthankfulnesse but utter destruction St. Paul saith In every thing t 1 Thes 5.18 give thankes for this is the will of God in Christ
and 15.20 21. Miriam the Prophetesse the sister of Aaron tooke a Timbrell in her hand and all the women went out after her with Timbrels and with daunces And Miriam answered them Sing yee to the Lord c. Singing the same song as did Moses and the Children of Israel And Saint Iohn in the Revelation foretelling the actions of Christs Church to come to passe saith q Rev. 15.2 3. I saw as it were a Sea of glasse mingled with fire and them that had gotten the victory over the Beast and over his Image and over his marke and over the number of his name stand on the sea of glasse having the Harpes of God And they sung the song of Moses c. see Revel 14 2 3 4 5. and 5.8 and 1 Cor. 14.7.26 and from thence and other Scriptures it is manifest that Christian people have used musicke in praising the name of the Lord and there is not in the whole Bible any manner of mention concerning abolishing of the same CHAP. 46. Of the publike reading of the holy Scriptures as also the Homilies and of making an Exhortation in publike IN the Preface afore the Common prayer it is said The ancient fathers for a great advancement of godlinesse so ordered the matter that all the whole Bible or the greatest part thereof should be read over once every yeare intending thereby that the Clergy and especially such as were Ministers of the Congregation should by often reading and meditation of Gods Word be stirred up to godlinesse themselves and be more able to exhort others by wholesome doctrine and to confute them that were adversaries to the truth And further that the people by dayly hearing of holy Scripture read in the Church should continually profit more and more in the knowledge of God and be the more inflamed with the love of his true religion What care hereto our fathers have had may appeare out of the sacred Kalender and out of the order how the Psalter is appointed to be read and out of the order how the rest of the holy Scripture beside the Psalter is appointed to be read all which are set before the Common prayer It is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles that at Antioch in Pisidia in the Synagogue on the Sabbath day there was the Å¿ Act. 13.15 reading of the Law and the Prophets In another place it is said Moses of old time hath in every City them that preach him being t Act. 15. â—1 read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day Saint Paul saith to the Colossians When this Epistle is read amongst you cause that it be u Col. 4.16 read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea Of reading the Homilies Concerning reading the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the publike authoritie of the Church in the Preface published afore them it is said Considering how necessary it is that the Word of God which is the onely food of the soule and that most excellent light that we must walke by in this our most dangerous pilgrimage at all convenient times be preached unto the people that thereby they may both learne their duty towards God their Prince and their neighbours according to the minde of the Holy Ghost expressed in the Scriptures and also to avoide the manifold enormities which heretofore by false doctrine have crept into the Church of God and how that all they which are appointed Ministers have not the gift of preaching sufficiently to instruct the people which is committed unto them whereof great inconveniences might rise and ignorance still be maintained if some honest remedy be not speedily found and provided The Queenes most excellent Majestie tendering the sole health of her loving subjects the quieting of their coÌ„sciences in the chiefe principall points of Christian religion and willing also by the true setting forth and pure declaring of Gods Word which is the principal guide leader runto all godlines and vertue to expell drive away as well all corrupt vicious and ungodly living as also erroneous and poysoned doctrines tending to superstition and Idolatry hath by the advise of her most honourable Counsellors for her discharge in this behalfe caused a booke of Homilies which heretofore was set forth by her most loving brother a Prince of most worthy memorie Edward the sixt to bee printed anew wherein are contained certaine wholesome and godly exhortations to move the people to honour and worship Almighty God and diligently to serve him every one according to their degree state vocation And in the latter part of the Preface it is said That all her people of what degree or condition soever they be may learne how to invocate and call upon the name of God and know what duty they owe both to God and man so that they may pray beleeve and worke according to knowledge while they shall live here and after this life bee with him that with his blood hath bought us all And at the end of the first Tome of the Homilies it is said concerning the Homilies of the second Tome Hereafter shall follow sermons of fasting praying almesdeeds c. with many other matters as well fruitfull as necèssarie to the edifying of Christian people and the increase of godly living From al which aforesaid delivery it is most manifest that the one only end why the reverend Fathers and the most learned Doctors of the Church composed the sermons commonly called Homilies was for the edification of the congregations in holinesse and righteousnesse and for a helpe unto Ministers that with the said sacred sermons the people committed to their charge might be the more instructed in the faith and life of the true Christian religion As therefore we have received from our fathers the CommoÌ„ prayer as a forme of prayer thanksgiving and confession so ought wee not to receive from our fathers hands their booke of Sermons the Homilies as a forme of wholesome words in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Saint Paul charged Timothy to hold fast the w 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.17 forme of sound words which he had heard of him in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Let any one unpartially weigh every particular sentence in the booke of Homilies and there will appeare nothing but Christian faith and godly love intended and held forth therein Moreover ought wee reverently to heare the Sermons of such as bee but young Students in Divinity and ought we not with great reverence to attend unto the Homilies the Sermons set forth by the chiefest Divines in the whole Church of our Land We ought not to be partiall towards the established Doctrine of our Church We commonly ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her Common prayer profitable for us to pray with unto Almighty God We ascribe great authoritie unto the spirit of the Church accounting her translation of the
or * Is 52.15 sprinkled with it in the w Mat. 28.19 name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And that the inward and spirituall grace thereof is a death unto sinne and a new birth unto righteousnesse for being by nature x Ps 51.5 Iob 14.4 borne in sinne and the Children of y Eph. 2.3 wrath we are hereby made the z Gal. 3.26 27. Children of grace The necessity of this Sacrament is shewed in the beginning of the service thereof where it is said For as much as all men bee conceived and borne in sinne and that our Saviour Christ saith None can enter into the Kingdome of God except he be regenerate and borne anew of a Iohn 3.5 water and of the holy Ghost I beseech you to call upon God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ that of his bounteous mercy he will grant to these children that thing which by nature they cannot have that they may be baptized with water and the holy b Mat. 3.11 Mar. 10.14 15 16. Ghost and received into Christs holy Church and be made lively members of the same The benefits of baptisme are in the Service thereof by many speeches signified It is said to be a Christning as in the Rubricke of private baptisme where it is said The Minister shall not Christen the child againe but c. In Baptisme a child receiveth Christendome and being baptized is pronounced to be a Christian as we are taught to say in our Catechisme In my baptisme wherein I was made a member of Christ the Child of God and an c Gal. 3.29 inheritour of the kingdome of heaven In the Service of private baptisme the Minister is to pronounce concerning a child lawfully and sufficiently baptized That he being borne in Originall sin and in the wrath of God is now by the d Tit. 3.9 Eph. 5.26 Laver of regeneration in baptisme received into the number of the children of GOD and heires of everlasting life And then afterward he is to say Doubt ye not therefore but earnestly beleeve that he that favourably received this present infant that he hath embraced him with the armes of his mercy that he hath given him the e Mar. 10.16 14. blessing of eternall life and made him partaker of his f Heb. 12.28 everlasting kingdome The Service saith of a Child baptized That he is regenerate by Gods holy Spirit and graffed into the g 1 Cor. 12.13 body of Christs congregation and received for Gods owne Childe by adoption In the first prayer of confirmation it is signified that in baptisme is received the h Col. 2.12 13 14. forgivenesse of all sinnes And in the Rubricke next afore the Catechisme it is said That it is certaine by Gods Word that children being baptized have all things necessary for their salvation and be undoubtedly i Rom. 8.1 Gal. 3.27 saved The first part of the Homily of salvation addeth * â— 1. p. 13. And dying in their k Mar. 10.14 Act. 2.39 Gen. 17.7 infancy The Divine Service also delivereth That baptisme doth represent unto us our profession namely when we come to discretion which is to follow the l Pet. 2.21 Epâ— â— 1 2. Iohn 3.15 1 â—oâ— 11.1 example of our Saviour Christ and to be made m 〈◊〉 â— â— 29 like unto him that as he dyed and rose againe for u Roâ— 25. us so should we which are baptized o Rom. 6.3 4 5 6 7 8 11 13. die from sinne and rise againe unto righteousnesse continually p Col. 3.5 mortifying all our evill and corrupt affections and dayly q 2 Cor. 4.16 2 Thes 1.3 1 Pet. 1.15 proceeding in all vertue and godlinesse of living Saint Paul saith to the Romanes r Rom 6.3 c. Know yee not that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ were baptized into his death Therefore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by glory of the Father even so wee also should walke in newnesse of life For if wee have beene planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall bee also in the likenesse of his resurrection And to the Galatians hee saith Å¿ Gal. 3.27 As many of you as have beene baptized into Christ have put on Christ Wherefore to the Romanes he saith t Rom 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit And to the baptized Corinthians hee saith u 1 Cor. 6.11 yee are washed yee are sanctified yee are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God Also to Titus hee saith w Tit. 3.5 Not by workes of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercie hee hath saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost And againe to the Corinthians he saith x 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are wee all baptized into one body To the Colossians he saith y Col. 2.12 13 14. Ye are buried with Christ in Baptisme wherein also yee are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses CHAP. 52. Of Godfathers and Godmothers IN the most sacred Catechisme a question is Why are infants baptized when by reason of their tender age they cannot performe repentance and faith The answere is Yes they doe performe them by their sureties who promise and vow them both in their names which when they come to age themselves are bound to performe In the Service of publike Baptisme the Priest having signified to the Godfathers Godmothers what promise Christ for his part will most surely keepe and performe saith withall Wherefore after this promise made by Christ these infants must also faithfully for their part promise by you that bee their sureties that they will forsake the Devill and all his workes and constantly beleeve Gods holy Word and obediently keepe his Commandements In the Service of private Baptisme The Priest is to say unto the Sureties z Gen. 17.11 Gen. 18.19 Doest thou in the name of this Childe for sake the Devill and all his workes the vaine pompe and glory of the world with all the covetous desires of the same the carnall desires of the flesh and not to follow and be led by them And doest thou in the name of this child professe this faith to beleeve in God the Father Almighty c. And in the Exhortation to the sureties we may see most cleerely to what a godly purpose holy Church hath ordained them where it is said You must remember that it is your part and duty to see that this infant be taught so
all things I will bee his God and he shall be my sonne But the fearefull and unbeleeving c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Who so would read the lawfull use of the signe of the crosse made after baptisme explaned may see in the thirtieth Canon of the Church the same with much godly wisedome delivered And there it is said Among some other very ancient Ceremonies the signe of the Crosse in baptisme hath beene retained in this Church by the judgement and practise of those reverend fathers and great Divines in the dayes of King Edward the sixth c. CHAP. 54. Of Comfirmation commonly called Bishopping THe order of confirmation set afore the Catechisme in the divine service giveth us to understand the reason of the same in the three considerations delivered for the which unto none confirmation is to be ministred save only unto such as can say that Catechisme viz. First because that when children come to the yeares of discretion and have learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in Baptisme they may then themselves with their owne mouth and with their owne consent openly before the Church ratisie and confirme the same And also promise by the grace of God they will evermore endeavour themselves faithfully to observe and keepe such things as they by their owne mouth and confession have assented unto Secondly forasmuch as Confirmation is ministred to them that be baptized that by imposition of hands and prayer they may receive strength and defence against all temptations to sinne and the assaults of the world and the Devill it is most meet to bee ministred when children come to that age that partly by the frailty of their owne flesh partly by the assaults of the world and the Devill they begin to bee in danger to fall into sundry kindes of sinne Thirdly for that it is agreeable with the usage of the Church in times past Whereby it was ordained that confirmation should bee ministred to them that were of perfect age that they being instructed in Christs religion should openly professe their owne faith and promise to bee obedient to the will of God In the prayer to be said afore the act of confirmation there are mentioned together the sundry * See Chap. 24. graces wherein we are to desire for to be confirmed where it is said strengthen them wee beseech thee O Lord with the holy Ghost the comforter and daily increase in them thy manifold gifts of grace the spirit of wisedom and understanding the spirit of Counsell and ghostly strength the spirit of knowledge and true godlinesse and fulsill them O Lord with the spirit of thy holy feare And the words of the confirmation firmation or Bishopping it selfe are pronuonced by the Bishop laying his hand upon every child severally saying Defend O Lord this child with thy heauenly grace that hee may continue thine for ever and daily increase in thy holy spirit more and more untill hee come unto thine everlasting kingdome And the reason of the laying the hands is delivered in the prayer to bee said when Confirmation is done where it is said Wee make our humble supplications unto thee for these children upon whom after the example of the holy Apostles wee have laid our hands to certifie them by this signe of thy favour and gratious goodnesse toward them Let thy fatherly hand we beseech thee ever bee over them Let thy holy spirit ever bee with them and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of thy word that in the end they may obtaine the everlasting life throughour Lord Iesus Christ Also in the rubricke at the end of the Catechisme it is said every Child shall bee brought to the Bishop by one that shall be his Godfather or Godmother that every child may have a witnesse of his Confirmation Holy Church in her Lawes called Constitutions Canons Ecclesiasticall hath two Canons concerning Confirmation the * Canon 60. one that it is to bee performed once in three yeares the * Canon 61. other that ministers are to prepare Children for Confirmation In the sixtieth Canon it is said Forasmuch as it hath beene a solemne ancient and laudable custom in the Church of God continued from the Apostles times that all Bishops should lay their hands upon children baptized and instructed in the Catechisme of Christian Religion praying over them and blessing them which wee commonly call Confirmation and that this holy action hath beene accustomed in the Church in the former ages to be performed in the Bishops visitation every third yeere c. Confirmation or laying on of hands is an ordinance of the Gospel of so great importance as that by the Apostle to the Hebrewes it is set as the fourth principle of the doctrine of Christ where he reckoneth up together the sixe principles of the Oracles of God saying d Heb. 6 1 2. Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us goe on unto perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God of the doctrine of baptismes and of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of the eternall judgement It is written in the Acts that sundry whom the Deacon Philip had baptized and instructed in the Christian faith had Confirmation or e Act. 8.17 laying on of hands from the Apostles Peter and Iohn and so received the holy Ghost It is also recorded that Paul f Act. 19.6 laid his hands upon some persons afore baptized and they received the holy Ghost The Apostles are said to have g Act. 14.22 confirmed the soules of the Disciples and to have h Act. 18.23 strengthened them after they had beene converted Laying on of hands for to blesse c. is often mentioned in the booke of God and to have beene used from the dayes of i Gen. 48.14 Iacob CHAP. 55. Of the holy Communion or the Sacrament of the body and blood of Iesus Christ IN the holy Catechisme it is delivered concerning the Sacrament of Lords Supper That it was ordained for the continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and the benefits which we receive therby The outward part or signe of the Lords supper is bread and wine which the Lord hath commanded to bee received The inward part or thing signified is the body and blood of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords Supper The benefits whereof we are partakers thereby is the strengthening and refreshing of our soules by the body and blood of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine The mystery of this Sacrament is most divinely declared in the service for the Communion In the second Exhortation there it is said Our heavenly Father hath given his Sonne our Saviour Iesus Christ not only to dye for us but also
and not earthly an invisible meat and not bodily a ghostly substance and not carnall c. By the advice of the * p. 201. Councill of Nicene wee ought to lift up our minds by faith and leaving these inferior and earthly things there seeke it where the Sunne of righteousnesse ever shineth Take then this lesson O thou that art desirous of this table of Emissenus a godly father that when thou goest up to the reverend Communion to bee satisfied with spirituall meats thou looke up with faith upon the holy body and blood of thy God thou marvell with reverence thou touch it with the mind thou receive it with the hand of thy heart and thou take it fully with thy inward man What the use is which we are to make of the Sacrament Concerning the use which we are to make of receiving the Sacrament it is signified in the prayer to bee read after the Prefaces in the Communion-service where it is said Grant us therefore gracious Lord so to eate the flesh of thy deare Sonne Iesus Christ and to drinke his blood that our sinfull bodies may bee made cleane by his body and our soules washed through his most precious blood and that we may evermore w Iohn 6.56 Iohn 14.23 dwell in him and he in us And it is also signified in the second prayer after the receiving where it is said We now most humbly beseech thee O heavenly Father so to assist us with thy grace that we may continue in that holy x Act. 2.42.46 Heb. 10.25 Col. 2.19 Eph. 2.19 fellowship and doe all such good workes as thou hast y Eph. 2.10 That the Sacrament is to be received often-times prepared for us to walke in through Iesus Christ our Lord. Concerning the oftennesse of the receiving of the Sacrament it is said in the rubricke afore the Service for the Communion of the sicke That Curats are to exhort their parishioners to the oft receiving in the Church of the holy Communion of the body and blood of our Saviour Christ which if they doe they shall have no cause in their sudden visitation to bee unquiet for lacke of the same It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Matrimony-service The new maried persons the same day of their mariage must receive the holy Communion And in the end of the Churching-service it is said in the rubricke The woman that commeth to give her thankes must offer accustomed offerings and if there be a Communion it is convenient that she receive the holy Communion It is said in the rubricke at the end of the Communion-Service That in Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches where be many Priests and Deacons they shall all receive the Communion with the Minister every z Acts 10.7 Sunday at the least except they have a reasonable cause to the contrary And in the end of that rubricke it is said Every Parishioner shall communicate at the least three times in the yeare of which Easter to bee one c. Also when any receive any order of the Ministery they are then to communicate as it is prescribed in the booke of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons It is written in Genesis a Gen. 14.18 19. That Melchisedec King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was the Priest of the most high God And hee blessed Abraham c. Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians b 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Our Fathers were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea And did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that rocke was Christ Wisedome saith in the Proverbes c Pro. 9.5 Come eate of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Saint Matthew recordeth that as Iesus and his Disciples were eating the Passeover Iesus tooke d Matth. 26.26 27 28. bread and blessed it and brake it gave it to the disciples and said Take eate this is my body And he tooke the cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinke ye all of it for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Saint Iohn writeth that Iesus afore had said unto the Iewes c Ioh. 6.53 54 55 56.63 Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eate the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life It is written in the Acts f Acts 2.42 That the disciples continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians g 1 Cor. 10.16 17. The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of one bread Also he saith h 1 Cor. 12.13 We have all been made to drinke into one spirit And further he delivereth i 1 Cor. 11.26 As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup ye doe shew the Lords death till he come CHAP. 56. Of preparing ones selfe for to receive worthily the holy Sacrament IT is said in the third Exhortation to be read afore the Communion The danger is great if we receive the holy Sacrament unworthily for then we bee guilty of the body and blood of Christ our Saviour wee eate and drinke our owne damnation not considering the Lords body we kindle Gods wrath against us wee provoke him to k 1 Cor. 11.30 plague us with diuers diseases and sundry kindes of death Therefore if any of you be a blasphemer of God an hinderer or l 1 Cor. 5.11 slanderer of his Word an adulterer or be in m 1 Iohn 3.15 Mat. 5.23 24 25. malice or envy or in any other griveous crime bewaile your sinnes c. Iudge therefore your selves brethren that ye be not judged of the Lord. Repent you truly for your sinnes past have a lively and stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour Amend your lives and be in perfect charitie with all men so shall yee be meet partakers of those holy mysteries Therefore it is to be said unto them that come to receive the holy Communion in the last words of exhortation afore the generall Confession be made You that doe truly and earnestly repent you or your sinnes and be in love and
mourne weepe and bewaile their former sinnes And whosoever upon that day did not humble his soule bewailing his sinnes as is said abstaining from all bodily food untill the evening that soule saith Almighty God should be destroyed from among his People And then * P. 83. afterward the ground of Fasting is delivered where it is said upon the ordinance of this generall Fast good men tooke occasion to appoint to themselves private Fasts at such times as they did either earnestly lament and bewaile their sinfull lives or did addict themselves to more fervent Prayer that it might please God to turne his wrath from them when either they were admonished and brought to the consideration thereof by the Preaching of the Prophets or otherwise when they saw k Iohn 3.5.6.7 8.9 present danger to hang over their heads This sorrowfulnesse of heart joyned to Fasting they uttered sometime by their outward behaviour and gesture of body putting on l Neh. 9.1 sackcloth sprinkling themselves with m Est 4.3 ashes and n Ios 7.6 dust and sitting or lying upon the o z 2 Sam. 12.16 earth For when good men feele in themselves the heavie burden of sinne see damnation to be the reward of it and behold with the eye of their minde the horrour of hell they p Ps 119.120 Ps 143. ◠◠7 tremble they quake and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulnesse of heart for their offences and cannot but accuse themselves and open this their griefe unto Almighty God call unto him for q Ps 51.1 c. mercy This being done seriously their minde is so occupied partly with sorrow and heavinesse partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this danger of hell and damnation that all desire of meate and drinke is laid apart and lothsomnesse of all worldly things and pleasures commeth in place so that nothing then liketh them more than to weepe to lament to mourne and both with words and behaviour of body to shew thēselves weary of this life And * P. 86.87 There are three ends ' whereto Fasting should bee directed afterward it is delivered That there be three ends whereunto if our Fast be directed it is then a worke profitable to us and accepted of God The first is to chastise the flesh that it be not too wanton but tamed and brought into subjection to the spirit This respect had Paul in his Fast when he said I r 1 Cor. 9.27 chastise my body and bring it into subjection lest by any meanes it commeth to passe that when I have preached to other I my selfe be found a cast-away The second that the spirit may be more earnest and fervent to prayer To this end fasted the s Acts. 13.3 Prophets and Teachers that were at Antioch before they sent forth Paul and Barnabas to preach the Gospell The same Apostles fasted for the like purpose when they t Acts. 14.23 commended to God by their earnest prayers the congregation which were at Antioch Pysidia Iconium and Lystra as we read it in the Acts of the Apostles The third that our Fast be a testimony and witnesse with us before God of our humble submission to his High Majesty when we confesse acknowledge our sinns unto him and are inwardly touched with sorrowfulnes of heart bewailing the same in the affliction of our bodies The Church of England hath appointed sundry times for Fasting more or lesse We are willed to fast at least from one meale every Eeve of such Saints dayes as the Kalender set afore the Common Prayer sheweth Wee are to Fast the whole day Of times when we ought to fast when a general publike Fast is enjoyned to continue all the day without meate and drinke till after Evening Prayer even untill night In the common Almanacke it is delivered that upon the Wednesday Friday and Saturday of every Ember weeke a Fast is to be observed And some say that upon the Munday in every such weeke also And the 31 Canō rendreth a reasō why fasting is to be in the foure Ember weekes namely because then prayer is to be made unto God after an especiall manner for to send downe his Holy Spirit into those which receive holy orders on the Sunday next following For the foure solemne times appointed for the making of Ministers are the foure Sundaies immediately following the Ember weekes It is also a custome to Fast on Ash wensday and likewise on good Friday And the Epistle and Gospell appointed for the first day of Lent doe make mention of Fasting and from thence we may learne to begin Lent with Fasting at least from one meale on that day The Collect for the Sunday of Lent doth very divinely informe us concerning Fasting saying O Lord which for our sake didst fast u Mat 4.2 forty dayes and forty nights give us grace to use such w 1 Pet. 2.11 1 Pet. 4.1.2.3 abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit wee may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousnesse and true holinesse The fasting prescribed to bee observed all the Lent is an abstinence from flesh an usual abstaining from that which doth cherish blood with blood according as Daniel signifieth to have abstained saying I x Dan. 10.2 3. Daniel was mourning three full weekes I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth It is observed also that in ancient times in keeping a publike or private fast people tooke an austere repast some coorse fare in the Evening after abstinence the whole day * As some doe in these times For to forfeit a Noones meale and then to recompence themselves at night was not their use Now concerning other fastings at other times read the whole Homily of the same The Lord saith by his Prophet Ioel y Ioel 2.12 13 15. Turne ye even to me with all your heart and with fasting c. Gather the people sanctifie the congregation assemble the Elders gather the Children and those that sucke the breasts let the Bridgroome goe forth of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet The z Ionah 3.7 8. fast of the Ninevites is thus proclaimed to bee Let neither man nor beast herd nor flocke taste any thing let them not feed nor drinke water But let man and Beast be covered with Sackcloth and cry mightily unto God yea let them turne every one from his evill way and from the violence that is in their hands The Lord by Isaiah signifieth the true use of fasting by a Isa 58.3 4 5 6 7. reproving the Iewes for their neglect of the same saying Behold in the day of your fast you finde pleasure and exact all your labours Behold yee fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednes ye shall not fast as ye doe this day to make your voyce to be heard on high Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man
to any To the Ephesians he signifieth that people should m Eph. 4.28 worke with their hands the thing which is good And to Titus he saith Let ours also learne to n Tit. 3.14 professe honest * See the Margent there trades for necessary uses that they be not unfruitfull The fifteenth To doe our Duty in that state of life unto the which it shall please God to call us And the fifteenth is That we doe our Duty in that state of life unto the which it shall please God to call us In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 52. Homily concerning falling from God it is said Sometime men goe from God by the neglecting of his Commandements concerning their Neighbours which commandeth them to expresse hearty love towards every man as Zechary said to the people in Gods behalfe o Zech. 7.9 10. Give true judgment shew mercy and compassion every one to his brother imagine no deceit towards widowes or children fatherlesse or motherlesse toward strangers or the poore Let no man forge evill in his heart against his Brother The p Rom. 12.4 5 6 7 8. Apostle saith Having gifts differing according to the grace that is given us whether prophesie let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith or Ministery let us waite on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him doe it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerfulnesse CHAP. 81. Of the Duty of the Husband unto his Wife and of the Duty of the Wife unto her Husband IN the Service of Matrimony the Duties of married persons are very Divinely delivered The Husbands duty briefly is comprehended in these words Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded Wife to live together after Gods Ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony Wilt thou love her comfort her honour and keepe her in sicknesse and in health and forsaking all other keepe thee onely unto her so long as you both shall live And in the last prayer of Matrimony where it is said That this man may q Eph. 5.25 26 27 28. love his Wife according to thy Word as Christ did love his Spouse the Church who gave himselfe for it loving and cherishing it even as his owne flesh In the * T. 2. p. 240 241. Homily concerning the state of Matrimony it is said unto the Husband Learne thou therefore if thou desirest to be voide of all these miseries if thou desirest to live peaceably and comfortably in wedlocke how to make thy earnest prayer to God that hee would governe both your hearts by the Holy Spirit to restraine the Devils power whereby your concord may remaine perpetually But to this prayer must be joyned a singular diligence whereof Saint Peter giveth this precept saying You r 1 Pet. 3.7 Husbands deale with your Wives according to knowledge giving honour to the Wife as to the weaker Vessel as unto them that are heires also of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered This precept doth particularly pertaine to the Husband for he ought to be the leader and author of love in cherishing and encreasing concord which then shall take place if he will use moderation and not tyranny and if he ſ 1 Cor. 7.3 Eph. 5.21 1 Pet. 3.7 Rom. 12.6 yeeld something to the woman For the woman is a weake creature not indued with like strength constancy of minde therfore they be the sooner disquieted and they be the more prone to all weake affections and dispositions of minde more than men bee and lighter they be and more vaine in their fantasies and opinions These things must bee considered of the man that he be not too t Col. 3.19 stiffe so that hee ought to u Prov. 19.11 winke at some things and most gently expound w 1 Cor. 13.7 all things and to x Eph. 4.2 3. forbeare In the said * P. 245. Homily it is also delivered God forbid that a man should y Eph. 5.28.29 Mal. 2.14 Col 3.19 Prov. 5.18 19. 1 Pet. 3.7 1 Cor. 13.4.5 beate his wife for that is the greatest shame that can be not so much to her that is beaten as to him that doth the deed Let there be none so grievous fault to compell you to beate your Wives But what say I your Wives No it is not to bee borne with that an honest man should lay hands on his z Gen. 16.6 maidservant to beate her Wherefore if it be a great shame for a man to beate his bondservant much more a Phil. 4.8 rebuke it is to lay violent hands upon his free woman And this thing may be well understood by the lawes which the Panims have made which doth discharge her any longer to dwell with such an Husband as unworthy to have any further company with her that doth smite her For it is an extreame point thus so vilely to intreat her like a slave that is fellow to thee of thy life and so joyned unto thee before time in the necessary matters of thy living And therefore a man may well liken such a man if he may bee called a man rather then a wilde beast to a killer of his father or his Mother c. Reade the remaining delivery wherin is declared how monstrous and horrible a wickednesse it is for a man to use any manner of violence or roughnesse to the person of his Wife and also sundry more duties are Divinely prescribed for the Husbands observation Of the Duty of the Wife unto her Husband Now cōcerning the Duty of the wife unto her husband who oftentimes by her neglect of the duties which she is bound to performe unto her Husband pulleth upon and against her selfe many unkindnesses which would in no wise come to passe if shee had conscience and care to doe her duties And the wives dutie is briefly comprised where it is said I take thee to my wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward for better for worse for richer for poorer in sicknesse and in health to love cherish and to obey till death us depart according to Gods holy ordinance And in the last prayer of Matrimony her duty is divinely signified where it is prayed for saying And also that this woman may be b Gen. 29.11 12 17. and 30.1 and 26.8 loving and amiable to her husband as Rachel wise as c Gen. 27.9 c Rebecca faithfull and d 1 Pet. 3.5 6. obedient as Sarah and in all e and 3 4. quietnesse f 1 Tim. 2.15.11.12 sobriety and g 1 Cor. 14.33 34 35. peace bee a follower of all holy and godly Matrons In the * P. 242. Homily concerning the state of Matrimony it is said Shall the wife abuse the gentlenesse and humanity of her husband and at her pleasure turne all things *
and unfainedly to y Rom. 8.29 Phil 3.13.14.15 strive to come neerer and neerer unto that marke Wee that are but z Wis 2.2 sparkes of spirit in small lumpes of clay if the Angels and Arch-Angels of heaven doe stand in a Iude. 9. awe of God ought to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly b Heb. 12.28.29 feare For our God is a consuming fire CHAP. 85. Of sundry fruits of the Holy Spirit IN the third part of the * T. 2. p. 119. Homily concerning Prayer it is said Because the soule is much more precious and excellent than the body therefore we ought first of all to crave such things as properly belong to the salvation thereof as the gift of Repentante the gift of Faith the gift of Charity and good Workes remission and forgivenesse of sinnes patience in adversitie lowlinesse in prosperitie and such other like fruites of the Spirit as Hope Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Meekenesse and Temperance which things God requireth of all them that professe themselves to be his children Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians saith The c Gal. 5.22 23. fruit of the spirit is Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith or Faithfulnesse Meeknesse Temperance And on some of these nine there shall be now some briefe observation because they are matters necessary for our consideration in that if they be in any measure in us they are testimonies that we have the Spirit of God and are d Rom. 8.9 his In the first part of the * T. 2. p. 209 210. Homily for Whitsunday it is said O but how shall I know that the holy Ghost is within me some man perchance will say Forsooth as the e Mat. 7.16 17 18 19 20. tree is knowne by his fruit so is also the Holy Ghost The fruits of the Holy Ghost according to the minde of Saint Paul are these Love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faithfulnesse meeknesse temperance c. If thou see that thy workes be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of Gods Word savouring and tasting not of the flesh but of the spirit then f 1 Iohn 3.18 19 20 21 24. assure thy selfe that thou art indued with the Holy Ghost otherwise in thinking well of thy selfe thou doest nothing else but g Iam. 1.26 Gal. 6.7 8 9. deceive thy selfe Of Love The first mentioned fruit of the Spirit is Love Saint Iohn saith Every one that h 1 Iohn 4.7 8. loveth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is Love By this shall all men know saith Christ that ye are my Disciples if ye have i Iohn 13.35 Love one to another In the fourth part of the * T. 2. p. 235. Homily for Rogation weeke it is said Love and charity is the onely k 1 Iohn 3.10 Livery of a Christian man Saint Paul unto the Corinthians reckoneth up sixteene properties of Love saying l 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7 8. Charitie suffereth long and is kinde Charity envieth not Charity vaunteth not it selfe is not puffed up doth not behave it selfe unseemely seeketh not her owne is not easily provoked thinketh no evill rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the truth beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Charity never faileth The necessitie of Charitie is declared in many places of the Divine Service but in a most Divine manner in the whole Homily thereof The prayer therefore for it the Collect to be reade on Shrovesunday called Quinquagesima is profitable to be said often by us O Lord which doest teach vs that all our doings without Charity are m 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3. nothing worth send thy Holy Ghost and power into our hearts that most n 1 Cor. 12.31 excellent gift of Charity the very o Col. 3.14 bond of peace and all vertues without the which whosoever liveth is counted p Iam. 2.20 26 1 Tim. 5.6 Luke 15.32 Of Ioy. dead before thee The next fruit of the Spirit is Ioy. In the * T. 2. p. 210. Homily for Whitsunday the first part thereof it is said Who will not marvell at that which is written in the Acts of the Apostles to heare their bold confession before the Countill at Ierusalem and to consider that they went away with Ioy and gladnesse q Acts 5.41 rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebukes and checkes for the name and faith of Christ Iesus This was the mighty worke of the Holy Ghost who because hee giveth patience and joyfulnesse of heart in temptation and affliction hath therefore worthily obtained this name in holy Scriptures to bee called a r Iohn 14.16 Comforter The Lord saith Isaiah will comfort Zion he will comfort all her wast places and hee will make her wildernesse like Eden and her Desert like the Garden of the Lord ſ Isa 51.3 Ioy and gladnesse shall bee found therein thanksgiving and the voyce of melody The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting t Isa 35.10 and. 51.11 joy shall bee upon their head they shall obtaine gladnesse and joy and forrow and mourning shall flee away The third fruit of the Spirit is Peace Of Peace Peace in conscience is so precious a matter in this present world as that congregations are not to depart from Church untill the u Phil. 4.7 Peace of God which passeth all understanding or the like blessing bee said which the Church hath appointed For with the like manner of blessing did God in former times ordaine his Priests to w Numb 6.23 24 25 26 27. blesse his people the Iewes saying The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and bee gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee Peace Sundry times doth the Divine Service most divinely informe us hereof saying O God which art Author of x 1 Cor. 141 33. Peace lover of y Ps 133.1 2 3 Eph. 4.16 cōcord c. And give unto thy servants that Peace which the world z Iohn 14.27 cannot give that both our hearts may be a Ps 108.1 set to b Mat. 228.20 obey thy commandements and also that by thee wee being defended from the feare of our enemies may passe our time in c Ier. 6.16 Ps 116.7 8 9. rest and d Isa 30.15 1 Pet. 3.4 Ps 31.2 quietnesse Most memorable is that Collect appointed to be read on the 21. Sunday after Trinity viz. Grant wee beseech thee mercifull Lord to thy faithfull people pardon and Peace that they may be e 1 Iohn 1.7 9. Ps 31.2 Ps 73.1.13 Iam. 4.8 cleansed from all their sinnes and serve thee with a f 1 Pet. 3.4 quiet minde In the third part of the * T. 1.
house of the Rechabites for keeping all the precepts and for doing according to d Ier. 35.18 15. all that they were commanded by Ionadab their father much more doth he expect that people should doe according to every particular which e 1 Tim. 3.15 Isa 2.2 3. Micah 4.1 2. Zech. 8.23 Act. 15.2 4 6 22. holy Church prescribeth unto them We are also hereto for to remember the counsell given by Isaiah f Isa 55.6 7. Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is neere We are to seeke afore the doore be g Mat. 25.10 11 12. shut against us and afore the master of the house be h Luke 13.25 26 27. risen up as Christ admonisheth The Lord by Hosea saith That it commeth to passe that there is a time when such as have dealt treacherously against the Lord which will not frame their doings to turne unto their God but retaine the spirit of Whoredome in the midst of them and not know the Lord but walke on in spirituall pride They shall goe with their flockes and with their heards to seeke the Lord but they shall not i Hos 5.6 find him he hath withdrawne himselfe from them Ieremiah signifieth of the manner of k Ier. 50.4 5. seeking the Lord where he saith In those daies and in that time saith the Lord the children of Israel shall come they and the children of Iudah together going and weeping they shall goe and seeke the Lord their God They shall aske the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten We are not to travell toward Canaan for to enjoy there the milke and honey retaining within our selves a lusting after the l Exod. 16.3 1 Cor. 10.6 fleshpots of Egypt Also unlesse we seeke the Lords kingdome with our m Ier. 29.13 whole heart we shall never finde it It is most memorable what is written in the booke of Chronicles That all Iudah had sworne with n 2 Chron. 15.12 15. all their heart to seek the Lord and sought him with their whole desire and he was found of them and the Lord gave them rest round about There are some that seeke as they say after Christs kingdome but it is according to the imagination of their owne heart and not according to the prescriptions expressed in Gods word and declared in the Divine Service of the Church And it commeth to passe with them as Isaiah saith o Isa 29.8 9 10. It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth and behold he eateth but hee awaketh and his soule is empty or as when a thirsty man dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint and his soule hath appetite So shall the multitude of all Nations bee that fight against mount Zion Stay your selves and wonder cry ye out and cry they are drunken but not with wine they stagger but not with strong drinke For the Lord hath powred out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe and hath closed your eyes c. CHAP. 91. Of the Christian unity IT is the last of the complaints which the holy Fathers of the Church have made in the sacred prayer after the Letany in the last Fast booke There hath beene little or no care among us to keepe truth and peace together for the preserving of our Church State In the Collect for Simon and Iudes day wee are taught to pray Grant us so to bee joyned together in unity of spirit by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that we may be made an holy p Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. Heb. 3.6 1 Pet. 2.5 See also the margent temple acceptable to thee through Iesus Christour Lord. In the Collect for All Saints it is said Almighty God which hast knit together thy Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall q Eph. 2.22 23. and 4.15 16. body of thy Sonne Christ our Lord grant us grace so to r Phil. 3.17 Heb. 13.7 follow thy holy Saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joyes which thou hast Å¿ Isa 64. 4 5. Psal 31.19 Mat. 25.21 prepared for them that unfainedly love thee through Iesus Christ our Lord. In the prayer for the whole state of Christs Church militant here in earth it is said We beseech thee to inspire continually the universall Church with the spirit of truth unitie and concord and grant that all they that doe confesse thy holy name may * 1 Cor. 1.10 agree in the truth of thy holy word and live in t 1 Cor. 12.13.25 Ioh. 17.21.22.23 unity and u Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 Eph. 5.2 Ioh. 13.35 godly love In the Collect to be read after private absolution it is said Preserve and continue this sicke member in the w Ps 122.3 Act. 1.4 Eph. 5.3 Ps 133.1.2.3 unitie of the Church In the second Collect for Peace it is said O God which art Authour of peace and lover of concord c. In the Collect to be read on the fourth Sunday after Easter it is said Almighty God which dost make the mindes of all faithfull men to bee of one x Phil. 2.1 3.2.5 and 3.16 will c. In the sacred Letanie it is said That it may please thee to give to y Ps 67. Zechar. 14.9 Eph. 1.10 Is 11.9 all Nations unity peace and concord In the first part of the * T. 1. p. 89.90 Ps 22.27.28.29 Ezech. 37.22 Homily against contention it is said Among all kinds of contention none is more hurtfull than is contention in matters of Religion Eschew saith Saint Paul foolish and unlearned z 2 Tim. 2.23.24 questions knowing that they breed strife It becommeth not the servant of God to fight or strive but to be meeke toward all men This contention and strife was in Saint Pauls time among the Corinthians and is at this time among us English-men For too many there bee which upon the Ale-benches or other places delight to set forth certaine questions not so much pertaining to edification as to vaine glorie and shewing forth of their a 1 Tim. 6.20 cunning and so unsoberly to reason and dispute that when neither part will give place to other they fall to chiding and b 1 Tim. 6.3.4.5 contention and sometime from hot words to further inconvenience Saint Paul could not abide to heare among the Corinthians these words of discord or dissention I hold of c 1 Cor. 3.3.4.5 Paul I of Cephas and I of Apollo What would he then say If he heard these words of contention which be now almost in every mans mouth d Iam. 4.11 Rom. 14.12.13 Hee is a Pharisee he is a Gospeller he is of the new sort he is of the old faith hee is a new broched brother he is a good Catholike father