that they came out of the land of Egypt in the moneth of Abib when corne waxed ripe and began to be eared And this God wils them here to remember And surely no doubt for our learning and instruction That we also should come out of Egypt in the moneth Abib when as the Lords corne shall waxe ripe when as the doctrine of the Gospell shall growe to perfection when as the séede of the Gospell shall not now be newe sown as it was in the daies of the Fathers but now shall be eared and be comed to perfection Mat. 13 26.30 Mar. 4.28 and be readie for the reapers to thrust in the sicle and reape it into the Lords barnes As our sauiour teacheth The earth bringeth out of her selfe first the blade then the eare and after the full corne in the eare Such like is the growth of the seede of the worde in the Church I would to God all Israelites which nowe amongst vs belong to the Lord would remember this moneth Abib when we shall come out of the spirituall Egypt as the other Israelites came out of that corporall Egypt the Lords corne shall waxe ripe and shall growe to perfection Manie Israelites obserue not this They will haue the ceremonies and rites which the Fathers obserued euen now to be obserued still as though corne being greene and like grasse had not the hoses or huskes belonging to it which it being now ripe do wither away and fall downe as nothing which in the beginning grew aloft and flourished Surely this lesson the moneth Abib must teach vs the Lordes corne is now waxen ripe and therefore wee must not looke for those rites and ceremonies those hoses or huskes which in the beginning when as the Lords corne was greene the Fathers tolerated or perchance made great account of that part of the corne which in the spring flourished most and grewe aloft is now become withered and quite fallen to the ground The true worshippers as our sauiour teacheth worship the father in spirit and trueth Io. 4.23 And the name of the whore of Babylon is a mysterie as saint Iohn sheweth vs Reue. 17.5 that is she is full of ceremonies and mysteries Wee are made partakers of Christ if we keepe and holde fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3.14 That is the beginning of our confidence our vnderpropping that is of our faith as Chrysostome expounds it euen vnto the ende That is asmuch to say as if wée kéepe fast the faith in the beginning taught and preached They that holde not the beginning of their firmitie and first faith haue lost their part in Christ The traditions of men will not warrant it them as saint Paul also writes to the Galathians O ye foolish Galathians Gal. 3.1 who hath bewitched you that you should beleeue another Gospell Euen then Sathan began by little and little to chaunge the Gospell of Christ to bring in his traditions and so to make the first Christians to loose their benefit in Christ let vs beeing warned by their example beware this his sleight Ferus of the markes of the true Church writes thus In 2. cap. Mâ—â— That also is the true Church which the starre declares that is where the word of God is taught and raigneth and where they liue according to the word of God and where all things are done according to the word of God and of Christ in what corner of the earth soeuer it be The new Testament saith Ferus is nothing else but a manifestation of those things which were sealed vp in the old vnder the rude letter vnder diuers figures The which thing is excellently declared vnder the figure of a booke sealed which none could open but the Lambe that was slaine and hereof it came to passe that the Apostles in their preachings opened the scriptures and hence it is that Christ wrote nothing but preached by worde of mouth that which was conteined in the olde lawe And also sewe of the Apostles wrote any thing And if any of them did write they would onely teach things that were contained in the olde If this be true then the scripture which the Papists cal traditioneÌ„ is not of like force with that which is scripta or written Secondly then the traditions which we are to beléeue are commended to vs in the worde of God and are the same that are contained in the written word of God For such traditions onely the Iewes were commaunded to obserue As we read in Ieremie Stand by the waies Ier. 6.16 marke and enquire of the auncient waies which is the good way and walke in it and you shall finde comfort for your soules But the traditions of the fathers besides the word were vtterly forbidden them as we read in Amos Thus saith the Lord for three transgressions of Iudah and for foure I will not turne Am. 2.4 but because they haue cast away the lawe of the Lord and haue not kept his commaundementes Their lies caused them to erre after which their fathers haue walked Sée how the following of their fathers steppes could not iustify them neglecting or making light account of the law of the Lord no traditions of fathers besides are warranted them So saint Paul writes to the Thessalonians That they should keepe the traditions which they had learned eyther by word or by Epistle 2. Thes 2.15 That is no doubt such traditions as either were written in other parts of the scripture or were agréeing to the worde written How greatly soeuer the nature of man delightes in traditions in the seruice of God yet our Sauiour telles all men plainlie They worship me in vaine Mat. 15.9 teaching the doctrines and commandements of men God will be worshipped of all his according to his own commandements All other worshippe be it neuer so statelie or costlie is vaine worship and displeaseth God Then by Ferus iudgement that doctrine which is not contained in the olde Testament vnder some type or figure is not to be beléeued in the newe And then as the olde Testament condemned all traditions besides the lawe written so that from that the Iewes might not depart neither to the right hand nor to the left so doth also the new Testament In cap. 4.30 The same Ferus of the worship of Christians writes thus The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and truth Waye saith he our worship according to this rule and see whether it be not more like Iewish then Christian worshippe Nay be sure that thou art not as yet a true worshipper although thou obserue al outward things neuer so exactly vnlesse thou worship God in spirit and truth How manie euill worshippers were then in the daies of our forefathers by his iudgement in the midst of Popish darknesse In. cap. 16. Mat. Also Ferus writes thus of this matter There is nothing more pestilent then euill doctrine and therefore Christ doth shadow it by
then he hath commaunded shall we not alone kindle them with that fire Luc. 12.49 Psal 119.105 Ier. 20.9 which Christ came to cast downe from heauen vpon earth which no doubt is the fire of his holy word which lightneth and inflameth all men the which fire his will is that it should burne and flame dare we prsume to fetch fire at any other be he neuer so holy or auncient Surely if Nadab and Abibu through their negligence were thus seuerely punished in the shadow we in the light being also taught most plainly and admonished concerning this point how shall we escape vnpunished Deut. 13.8 14.32 1. Sam. 15.22 Let no mans good intent or blind deuotion herein beguile him It excused not them neither shall it excuse vs. do that onely which I commaund thee saith God And obedience is better then sacrifice Ferus a Frier to exhort all Christians to call vpon the name of Christ verie excellently writes thus Fer. in ca. 13. Io. He kneeles downe at their knees he beginneth not to wash their hands which had been a more honest seruice but their feete which of all other is a duetie most abiect and most filthie And he doth all these things alone he alone powres out the water he alone washeth he alone wipeth Who will not here crie out with the Prophet I haue considered thy works and I haue beene amased I beseech thee consider with thy selfe who did this euen Iesus And whose feet washed he Of the dignitie of Christ we haue heard alreadie who were more base then the Apostles they were all poore and of no reputation besides all this one of them was a traitor another of them should denie his master yet for all this he did this seruice so louingly vnto them What can he denie vs who so greatly humbled himselfe And the same Ferus writes thus The scripture doth euer describe Christ vnto vs louing and courteous hauing no bitternes or sharpenes in him In cap. 2. Mat. but altogither seeking our commoditie that we might be the more drawen to his bountifull goodnes to embrace this king So Zacharie describeth Christ in the ninth chapter Behold thy king commeth to thee meeke and gentle And Esay Behold thy God feeds his sheepe as a shepheard And againe especially for this cause he would be made a child least any man should be affraid to come vnto him he is altogether gentle and courteous there is no sharpnes or discourtesie in him Therefore wo to him that deferreth to come vnto him how dare he behold the high Iudge that hath despised his lowly Sauiour Let vs therefore come to him while there is some time of Grace Let vs call vpon him while he is neere In cap. 4. Io. Let vs seeke him while he may be found Againe What is it to worship the father in the spirit but to haue receiued the spirit of Adoption by which we crie Abba father and what is it to worship God in truth but abiding in his son which saith I am truth to cal vpon the father and to pray in the name of the sonne It is the same as though he had said The true worshippers by a true and necessarie distinction of the persons shall worship one God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost yea they shall worship the father by the sonne in the holy Ghost This is an excellent and briefe summe of true worship and Christian religion The Iews did so despise the Samaritans yea al the Gentiles that they would not vouchsafe to speake to them Therefore this woman seeing Christ to be a Iew durst not haue spoken to him vnlesse Christ had first spoken to her So when as we all haue sinned and know that God is offended with our sinnes and therefore displeased with sinners none of vs durst haue spoken to God vnlesse he had spoken to vs first But now we speake to him safely and boldly and we can open to him all our necessities as this woman afterward durst speake boldly to Christ but in this also that he spake vnto a woman being a heathen and a sinner he declared that he despised no man God doth not onely speake to vs first as Christ did to this woman but commaunded vs to call and speake to him and if his onely speech did thus encourage the woman to speake to him though she were a sinner shall not his commandement much more encourage vs Fer. in 3. ca. Io. O we of little faith And againe the same Ferus saith in another place This is that true Ioseph whom God hath exalted ouer all Egypt hath commaunded that all should bow their knees before him This is that true Ioseph which hath his great barnes full of corne to be giuen forth to the hungrie To him the father sendeth vs euen as Pharaoh sent backe the Egyptians from himselfe to Ioseph Goe to Ioseph saith he and whatsoeuer he shall say that do So our heauenly father this is my beloued sonne heare him This is he alone who in famine can saue To him therefore let vs runne with the Egyptians saying we are thy seruants our saluation is in thy hands Thou onely haue regard vnto vs and we will serue the king willingly Ierome also of prayers writes thus Ieron in 1. ca. Mal. That sacrifice of the soule is blind which is not lightned with the light of Christ nor hath an eie looking from the gospell the prayer of him that prayeth is lame which commeth to God with a double mind which heareth that said vnto him which the Iewes heard said vnto them How long will you halt on both sides That prayer is faint and altogither weake which hath not Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God such like prayers which are made without the light of the truth and haue no sure footsteps and are as it were faint with diuers infirmities if they should be offered to any one that beareth rule in the Church to any other learned man or Teacher or Doctor would they not be reiected and turned to his shame and discredit that offereth such prayers This is Ieromes meaning we would be ashamed to offer to anie learned man doubtfull suites or requests and not vnderstood and shall we presume to offer such to God Philippus de dies a Frier of this matter writes thus Conc. 4. incarnat All the time before the comming of Christ may be called an emptie time but Christ was borne in the fulnesse of time because God to become man was to communicate himselfe more to vs then euer could haue beene Euen as one hauing often distributed his riches at last to shew the top of his liberalitie giueth his chest and all his Iewels So God before verie liberally had bestowed on the Iewes but on vs he hath bestowed the riches and chest and all that is his sonne In whom are all treasures of wisdome hid And therefore among other causes for this the time
2. The. 2 3. was the mother of that sonne of perdition and neither taught true Christian religion nor yet eternall life That saluation comes of the Iewes Here our Sauiour doth teach this woman also what thee must know and in her all Christians They must know their saluation from whence it comes and be thankfull to God for it The Church of Rome hath erred in this point also who hath taught that saluation hath not comed of the Iewes that is by the means only of Iesus Christ but by the bloud of Martyrs She hath added here in England euen the bloud of Thomas which euē Ferus condemnes vpon these words of Saint Iohn Ferus in 1. cap. ep Io. And the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes Mark saith he that he mentioneth not anie bloud but the bloud of Christ For no other bloud can or euer could do this Act. 4.12 c. There is no other name giuen vnder heauen saith Peter in which we must be saued To Iesus Christ alone the people and the children crie Hosannah that is saue vs Lord and as it is also in the Psalme Matt. 21.9.15 Hashlikah and O Lord send vs now prosperitie Matt. 28.18 He alone blesseth the works of our hands and also saues our soules He hath all power in heauen and earth And so must all true Catholikes crie also to him alone and to none else This is also a marke of the true Church But the houre comes and is euen now when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth Reu. 22.17 Here is another euident mark of the true Church She still waites for the cōming of Iesus Christ she accounts the time of this world but an houre euen then when Christ spake this and that now the houre is almost quite runne a small time or nothing thereof remaines She thinks that this world is of no great continuance as the Popish Church doth not thinke who teacheth that as yet Antichrist is not comed She thinks that those things which S. Iohn said should be fulfilled shortly Reu. 1.3 are fulfilled alreadie She thinkes not that the greater part of them are yet to be fulfilled as the Church of Rome doth She euer stands in the doore of her tent with Abraham Gen. 18.1 1. King 19.13 and in her caues mouth with Elias still looking when the Lord will come When the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth For such worshippers the Father now lookes for Here is another marke of the true Church Ioh. 4.23 To worship the Father God alone and also the maner how in spirit truth In spirit that is with our hearts and in truth that is without all types and shadowes Iohn 19.30 The law now hath an end the sunne shines all shadowes must vanish awaie Our humble hearts now must bée those sacrificed bulles Rom. 12 1. and our chast hearts those sacrificed Turtles and our good hearts those sacrificed Rammes and our bountifull hearts those sacrificed sheepe and our ioyfull hearts those sacrificed calues which God requires Heb. 13 15. God will not be worshipped now with those Iewish shadowes Col. 2.17 which he himselfe commanded the true sonne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ being comed into the worlde much lesse with Popish shadowes and mysteries and mans deuise Reu. 14.9 or with Popish Images Exod. 20 4. Esa 40 25. which his Lawe and Prophets flatly condemne God is a Spirit and therefore he will be worshipped in spirit and truth Those externall things 2. King 12.28 which séeme pleasant to flesh and bloud as Ieroboams golden calues which he made as some thinke because that God would more highly esteeme golden calues Dan. 3.15 2. King 10.22 then calues of flesh Nebuchadnetzars Psalterie and musicke Baals Priests gay garments and robes frankinsence and such like thinges whatsoeuer wherein flesh and bloud takes so great pleasure and delight are an abomination to the Lord as our Sauiour Christ tels vs in the Gospell Luke 16.15 That which is verie highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Hée requires the loue of thy heart the faith and trust of thy soule Eccle. 9.10 Heb. 13.16 the knowledge of thy vnderstanding the obedience of thy will the praise of thy mouth and the good workes of thy handes And this is that which Dauid saith in the Psalme Psal 50.8 that at that great day of iudgement God shall not reproue the people for their burnt offrings of bullocks or goats but if they shal not haue offred him praise and thankesgiuing Let all true Catholikes feare this reproofe God hath foretold vs like a good Maister what hée will reproue vs for and what he will finde fault with in his house when he comes againe and shall we not take héede thereof O carelesse and disobedient seruants Let vs offer to him alone our praise and thankesgiuing and all our prayers least we be reproued and condemned of him when hée comes The true worshippers This proues that there shall be false worshippers in Gods house Esa 1 22. Mat. 13.25 25 33. there shall bee there copper as well as gold there shall be tares as well as wheate there shall be goates as well as sheepe O let vs marke this point well here is the brand wherewithall the Lords shéepe are discerned here is the touchstone whereby the Lords gold is tried from copper Matt. 3.12 here is the sieue and fanne which tries the Lords wheat from the chaffe that we may be shéepe and not goates gold and not copper wheat and not chaffe Let vs take diligent heed of this Vers 25. And the woman said vnto him I know that Messias shall come which is called Christ and when he shall come he shall shewe vs all things This opinion shée had of Christ that he should teach thē all things when he came And shall we beléeue lesse of him Shall we beléeue any doctrine which he neuer taught in his word And our Sauior himself agrees to this her spéech saying I will call you no more seruants Ioh. 15.15 because the seruant knoweth not what his maister doth but I haue called you friends because I haue made manifest to you all things that I haue heard of my father He testifieth here plainlie that he fulfilled her spéech that he had told them all things necessarie to their saluation he kept nothing backe to be reuealed after by the meanes of the Church and therefore he commands his Apostles to go and preach to all nations Matt. 28.10 baptizing them and teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer he had commanded them and nothing els And Saint Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.3.4 He that teacheth anie other doctrine and agrees not with the whole some words of our Sauiour Christ and that doctrine which agrees with godlinesse is puft vp and knowes nothing how wise
would be content to release vs such a great debt for doing him some such light seruice for such a small trifle howe glad would we be how would we thanke him and shall we not doe the like to God In as much as ye are able saith Saint Paul liue peaceably with all men Rom. 12.18 not reuenging your selues my beloued but giue place to anger Shall I suffer the wicked to escape vnpunished then saith the malicious person Yea for though thou forgiue him yet shall he not escape vnpunished For it is written saith the Apostle vengeance is mine and I will reuenge saieth the Lord. If thou shalt seeke reuenge then God will not reuenge but if thou forgiue with Iesus Christ and commit thy cause to God then God will reuenge thy cause as he did his cause euen fortie yéeres after by ouerthrowing the common wealth of the Iewes and at their solemne feast of their passeouer besieging them euen as they then apprehended Christ and by selling them euen thirtie for a penie as they solde him for thirtie pence So Amalecke pursued Israell when they came out of Egypt Exod. 17 18. nowe being wearie and wanting water and faint but in the daies of king Saul a great while after 1. Sam. 15.2 God remembred what Amalecke had done to Israell and when as no doubt both the Israelites and the Amalekites had forgotten it euen then he remembred it and reuenged it Sufferest thou wrong then haue thou patience forgiue thy brother fréelie commit thy cause to God neither craue the magistrates sword for what is that but to seeke reuenge and in the end God shall reuenge thy cause as he did Christs as he did Israels And therefore to this purpose also Ecclesiastes saieth If in a countrie thou seest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice bee not astonied at the matter either at the will of God which suffers it or at the frowarde will of the man that dare doe it Eccl. 5.7 For hee that is higher then the highest of them that doe this iniurie bee they neuer so high marks it and regards it and there be higher then they Do not thou so much as maruell at it be not grieued there at in thy mind let it neuer trouble thee for be sure God marks it and if he marke it he will also surelie reuenge it And also Dauid in the Psalmes saieth thus to the same effect Psal 10.14 Thou hast seene O Lord this oppression and the sorrowe of the poore mans heart thou respectest to put the matter into thy hands the poore will leaue it vnto thee thou hast euer beene a helper to the fatherlesse God seeth all wrongs and he seeth also the sorrowes of poore mens harts which no mortall iudge can see therfore commit thy cause into his hands he will giue right iudgement So we read that Ieremy did when the Iewes sought his life But thou O Lord of Sabboth saith he who iudgest iustly triest the raines and hearts Ier. 11.20.21 Let me see thy reuenge vpon them for I haue reuealed my cause to thee But thou wilt saie I forgiue my brother fréelie but yet I will goe to law with him Is this to forgiue thy brother fréelie This is as Ioab did 2. Sam. 20.9.10 to embrace and kisse Amasa friendlie with thy mouth and to kill him with thy handes Is this to forgiue as thou wouldest haue God to forgiue thee Wouldest thou haue God enter into iudgement and goe to law with thée Euen as thou wouldest haue God forgiue thee so fréelie oughtest thou to forgiue thy brother As Saint Paul teacheth Coloss 3. Cap. ver 13. Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrell to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe ye Lastlie if so be thou wilt needes goe to law be sure that thou haue euer charitie in thy heart Ephes 4 26. For if the sunne set on thine anger thou giuest place to the diuell as Saint Paul teacheth thee Oh that our quarrellers and contentious persons which delight in nothing but in going to law would remember this and beleeue it I thinke it would make them make hast to be friendes with their brethren Who would set open the doores of his house but one night for feare of robbing And shall we haue lesse care of our soules by our sléeping in malice or anger we set open the doore of our soules to the diuell to enter into it and to spoile it of all heauenlie vertues There is no theefe so watchfull as he is nor so bloodthirstie as saint Peter telleth vs 1. Pet. 5.8 He is like a roaring and raging lion walking about continually to seeke whom he may deuour Hée will not onelie robbe but kill And dost thou not feare him Darest thou through thine anger towardes thy brother leaue the doore of thy soule open vnto him Mat. 5.40 see that according to thy sauiours counsell rather then thou wouldest loose this rich iewell of Christian charitie thou wouldest loose both coat and cloake and lands and all Againe by this petition we maie learne that wee all are sinners If wee euen the Apostles of Christ saieth Saint Iohn whome Iesus loued shall say Ioh. 13.23 1. Io. 1 8. that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs And who is there then else that must not saie so This lesson must humble vs it must stop our mouthes it is like the Peacockes deformed feet which when shée beholdes shée pluckes in her proude taile This will make vs pure in spirit Mat. 5.3 And lead vs not into temptation Gods grace is as it were a bridle to vs without which we should stumble and fall continuallie euen to the bottomlesse pitte of hell without it we cannot so much as thinke a good thought nor speake a good worde nor doe a good worke It is like to the Oare of a boate without it the boate wanders vp and downe the streame it is caried hither and thither so vaine and foolish likewise are all mens deuises if God guide them not And therefore we praie here that God will not leade vs into temptation that he will not take his grace from vs that he will not giue vs ouer vnto ouer selues that hee will not take this his bridle Rom. 1.24 this his heauenlie Oare from vs that he will guide vs euer with his heauenlie grace Rom. 8.1.4 and leade vs with his holie spirit least we incline our heartes and eares vnto vanitie Psal 119 37.52.11 And this is that which Dauid praieth O forsake me not O Lord my God be not farre from me And againe Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me And againe Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God Let thy good spirit leade me into the land of righteousnes Psal 143.10 King Saul maie teach
and proud persons which will examine all things at their owne pleasures without the faith of the Church may plucke in their combes he addeth hast thou seene these things Who denie the sufficiency of the scripture but the Church of Rome who will teach all things with the finger of reason but that synagogue As their doctrines of the supremacy fréewill reall presence inuocation of saints do plainly declare Ierome of the scriptures writes thus to Eustochium In praef Esai Thou compellest me O Christian virgine Eustochium to passe ouer now to the Prophet Esay and to performe that to thee which I promised to thy mother Paula while she liued Therefore I pay both to thee and by thee to her that which I doe owe obeying the commaundements of Christ who saith search the scriptures And againe seeke and ye shall finde least I should heare with the Iewes you erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God For if according to the Apostle Paul Christ be the vertue of God and the wisedome of God and he which knowes not the scriptures is ignorant both of the vertue of God and of his wisedome the ignorance of the scripture is the ignorance of Christ Eustochium a virgine was so in loue with the scriptures that she compelled Ierome to write his commentaries vpon the Prophet Esay And shall not our women studie know and loue them The ignorance of the scriptures is the ignorance of Christ as Ierome heere plainely auoucheth how can it be then the mother of deuotion as the Papistes affirme In cap. 16. Io. Of the sufficiencie of the scriptures Ferus writes thus I haue as yet many things to say vnto you That which he said before seemes contrarie to this Whatsoeuer I haue heard of my father I haue declared vnto you But they are not contrarie For first that which he saies I haue declared vnto you he takes the preterperfect tense for the future tense for the certaintie of this doctrine which is a familiar thing in the writing of the prophets As when as Esay saith He was wounded for our iniquities which notwithstanding chanced long after Compare this doctrine with the Rhemists doctrine Then Christ also in trueth hath reuealed all things vnto vs necessarie for our saluation because hee hath preached the Gospell which is the fountaine of all trueth For whatsoeuer the spirit hereafter hath reuealed to the Church proceeded our of this fountaine So that trueth which the holy Ghost reuealed in the first councell of the Apostles that is that circumcision and other legall ceremonies were not necessarie to saluation came not from any where else then from the gospell where Christ plainely shewes that we haue saluation through faith in him and not of the workes of the law So that trueth that the sonne is consubstantiall to his father which appeared in the Nicene Councell against Arrius issued out of the gospel for although that word Homousion or consubstantial be not found in the Gospell yet there are found there other wordes of as great force as I my father are one Héere we may note first that that place I haue many things to say vnto you by Ferus a papists iudgement makes nothing for traditions or vnwritten verities Secondly that the holy Ghost reuealeth to the Church no new or straunge doctrine but that which is contained in the scriptures whereas other papistes affirme that the holy Ghost doth reueale doctrines to the Church besides the scriptures which are as firmely to be beleeued as those which are contained in the scriptures Lastly that that same doctrine of Christes equalitie with God his father Ferus acknowledgeth to be gathered out of the scriptures And after vpon the same wordes he writes thus I haue as yet many things to say to you The Apostles had forgotten many things and many things they did not vnderstand aright many things also Christ had spoken obscurely the which might be drawen into a wrong sense the which after chanced in the heretikes Therefore the holy Ghost was necessarie for them which might bring into their memories those things they had forgotten and should lighten those things they vnderstood not and should giue the true meaning of all obscure sayings Therefore this word may be referred to the whole gospell as though he shoul say although I haue taught you many things yet you neede further instructions for the causes now mentioned He shall speake all things which he shall heare that is which truely are and indeed stand fast and haue authoritie in the scriptures deuising nothing of his owne peruerting or misconstruing nothing heere we may learne what is to be preached taught in the Church or else we shall heare that I speake not to them and yet they prophecied Héere we may plainely sée what doctrine Ferus would haue taught and preached in the Church onely the scriptures and such as the holy Ghost doth drawe out of them In cap. 14. Ioh. not any vnwritten verities or traditions of the Church or inuentions of man And in another place he writes thus of Christ I am the way of life the trueth of doctrine and the life of saluation all men desire the way the trueth and the life These are not any where found certaine or sure sauing in Christ In cap. 2. Mat. And of the excellency of the scriptures he writes thus As in the latter daies the word of God came clad with flesh into the world and it was one thing that was seene and another that was vnderstood the sight of the flesh in him was apparant to all men but the knowledge of his diuinitie was giuen but to a few and to his elect so the word of God and the spirit is couered with the vaile of the letter The letter is looked vpon as the flesh and the spirit lying hid within is perceiued like the deitie And as the sheepheards being taught of the Angels knew Christ in his ragges and simple swathling clothes who otherwise would neuer haue beleeued that that childe was Christ although they had seene him a thousand times his clothes were so base of no great cost So the letter of the Scripture is plaine and it seemes often to speake of matters of no waight Therefore vnlesse we be lightened from aboue it doth not seeme that we should finde Christ in them Ferus here doth not make the Scriptures a bare or dead letter as some other Papistes doe but a liuing letter vnder which being read and studied Gods spirit lieth hid euen as vnder Christs flesh his diuinitie Oh wonderfull force and maiestie then of Gods words Oh that all Papists would confesse thus much and beléeue it It would make them reade the scriptures And herein Ferus agrées with the doctrine Ioh. 6.63 euen of our Sauiour himselfe who saith That the wordes which I speake are spirit and life which saying of his is to be referred to all the Scriptures of the Gospell For he
112.9 and his righteousnesse endureth for euer his horne shall bee exalted with glorie Here also most manifestlie to giue to the poore and that not sparingly but liberallie euen as when men sowe their séede with handfuls is called a mans righteousnesse and this righteousnesse shall endure for euer Saint Paule alleageth this also to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 9.9 Christians should bee scatterers but nowe they are gatherers Blessed are they that die in the Lord Reuel 14.13 euen so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes followe them And héere least anie one should doubt of the truth hereof euen the Spirit of God witnesseth this vnto vs Euen so saith the Spirit And woe to all them that will not beléeue this witnesse And what this righteousnesse is that endureth for euer and what these workes be that thus followe the faithfull the Gospell plainelie teacheth thee I was hungrie and you gaue me meate Matt. 25.35 I thirsted and you gaue me drinke c. These workes followe euerie good and mercifull Christian and these shall exalt his home with glorie Héere is that glorious kingdome receiued which passeth all the glorie of the world The Scripture to perswade all men to these workes of mercie vseth the most forcible reasons that can be deuised and yet how slacke are men in doing of them Wée could not haue wished greater promises annexed to them if all the men in the world had laid their heads together and had deuised to haue some great reward promised of God to these their works for doth not Christ plainely saie Verily I say vnto you Matt. 25.40 in as much as ye haue done it to the least of these my brethren yee haue done it to me O great promise O most forcible spéech Whom will not this one word moue to bee mercifull but euen a heart of flint If he had said Whatsoeuer you shall doe to anie of mine I will thanke you for it It had béene a great matter to receiue thankes at Gods hands but to account it to bee done to his owne selfe what could we haue wished him to haue said more Manie no doubt which are good and louing Christians to Iesus Christ thinke often thus in their hearts O that Christ were here againe in the world that I might shewe some curtesie to him and entertaine him as Martha and Zacheus did and often thinke Luke 10.38 19.5 O happie Martha and Zacheus that entertained Iesus into your houses But let such thinke that they may shew euen nowe kindnesse vnto Iesus if they will as they did Ioh. 12.8 Hee is amongst vs in his poore members euen as verilie as hee was in person present among them And he accounts all that whatsoeuer we shall do to anie of these euen as done to his owne person And left we should doubt of this his word he hath bound it with an oth Verily saith he I say vnto you And left any mans simplicity or vnworthines should hinder this our kindnes or liberality he hath not said Whatsoeuer you shall do to anie perfect and excellent Christian to anie that for holines of life maie bée accounted a Saint but Whatsoeuer you shall do to the least of these my brethrē you haue done it to me Let no mans simple estate hinder thy liberalitie Luke 16.20 be he as poore and vile in open shewe as Lazarus was Marke 16.14 be he as weake in faith as his Apostles were before his ascension yet I saie to thée saith Iesus Christ who cannot lie 1. Pet. 2.22 and in whose mouth is no deceit Whatsoeuer thou shalt do to the least of these I will account it euen done to my selfe Surely we beléeue not this if we beléeued it we would do any thing for the poore we would not be so hard hearted to them as we are Who would not doe anie thing that possiblie hee could for Iesus Christ if he were here now present amongst vs Well he tries vs by the poore least we should hereafter saie Lord if it had béene in our powers if we had euer séene thée we would haue shewed our loue and kindnesse towards thee These are but flattering spéeches Hée shall saie I haue beene amongst you and you haue daylie séene me in my poore and yet you haue shewed no kindnesse to me And therefore as vnkind to so mercifull and louing a Sauior as I haue béene vnto you you shall iustly be condemned Ser. de Eleemosyn Cyprian makes a challenge and comparison betwéene the diuell and his seruants and Christ and his on this maner Let euerie one saith he imagine that he saw the diuell with his seruants that is with the people of perdition and destruction as it were to step forth into the middle and to make a challenge to all Christs people when as he shall sit in iudgement saying on this maner I for these whom thou seest with me was neither buffetted nor whipped not crucified nor shed my bloud neither did I redeeme this my family by the ransome of my passion on the crosse neither do I promise them the kingdom of heauen neither hauing restored to them againe immortalitie do I cal them hence againe to paradise and yet what great and precious presents long sought for and most stately prepared do they offer mee laying their goods to gage or selling them for the preparing of this my present And if it do not answere their expectation manie times they are reuiled and scoffed at and through the rage of the people stoned to death Shew me O Christ of thine such present-bringers to thee euen of those thy rich men The worldlings and seruants of the diuel spend al their riches in vain shewes to see and to be seene And surely they are like mad me◠that thus spēd their riches And the people erred greatly that commended this their vanitie those that abound in wealth Thou thy selfe ruling and beholding all things in thy Church doe these offer thee such a present gaging and selling their goods yea or changing the properties of them translating them into heauenly treasures In these earthly and vaine gifts of men which they bestow on me no man is fed no man is clothed no man is sustained with their reliefe of bread or drinke all things are consumed and wasted with a vaine pleasure and delight betweene the madnesse of the shewer and the errour of the beholder But there saith he in thy church in thy poore thou art clothed thou art fed and thou promisest eternall life to them that do these things and yet for all this thine are scant to be compared to mine that perish which are honoured of thee with heauenly wages and celestiall rewards What answere shall wee make for these things my brethren saith Cyprian or how shall wee defend the soules of these rich men which are ouerwhelmed as it were with a sacrilegious barrennesse and with a night of darknesse What excuse