that they might bee saued And therefore God shall sende them strong delusions to beleeue lyes c. Thys warnyng principally toucheth vs vppon whome the latter endes of the worlde hath lyghted that wee shoulde carefullye take heede that by Wonders and Myracles and Apparition of Spirites wee bee not Seduced eyther to beleeue errour or to refuse the trueth of the Gospell offered vnto vs. Christ gyueth vs a speciall chargeâ— Beware saith he I haue tolde you of it before hand Therefore if you doe not harken vnto him but yeelde your selues by suche meanes to be caryed into Superstition Errour and Idolatrie the daunger shall bee the greater And Saint Paule addeth a terrible threatning Because they receyued not the loue of trueth God shal sende them stronge delusions that they may beleeue lyes that all they myghte bee damned whiche beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Let them looke therefore carefully to themselues which by suche Myracles are Induced or confyrmed to beleeue the corrupte errours of Pilgrimages and worshypping of Images of praying to Sainctes departed of Purgatorie of Masses and Trentalles of praying and offering for the synnes of the Deade and suche other infinite errours as hath beene brought into the Churche by Monkes Fryers and other false Teachers of the Churche of Rome It is a wonder to see the Heapes of such Myracles as of late yeeres haue beene put in writyng by Vincentius and a number of other like authors so that to such as feare God there is scant any greater Token that Antichrist is come and hath set a long time in the Church then this is That their doctrines are altogether confirmed rather by such Myracles Apparition of spirites then by the scriptures and word of God When the riche glutton as it is mentioned in the Euangelist desired of Abraham that one myght rise from death to life and warne hys brethren that they came not to that place of torment where he was Abraham aunswered They haue Moyses and the Prophetes if they will not beleeue them they will not beleeue though one rise from death to life Wherby the â—â—lye Ghost doth Signifie that after the true doctrine of Christes Gospel first published was throughly confirmed and bâ—yng generally receaued was put in writing and so remaineth as a perfect Testimonie of the worke of our redemption that the prouidence of God towarde the latter ende of the world woulde vse no moe Myracles least hee should thereby seeme rather to Discredite the truth of his written word than by such meanes conserue them For whosoeuer wil not beleeue the doctrine of truth confirmed by the expresse and euident worde of God will not beleeue y t same though they sawe a. 1000. myracles Take example hereof by y â— Jewes who continually called for Signes and Wonders but when they had seene many they neuer the sooner Beleeued but sclaunded the doinges of Christ and sayd that he and his Apostles wrought by the power of Beelzebub c. Christians therefore must learne some Rule wherby they may iudge false and deceitefull Myracles done by the power of the Diuell from them that bee done directly by the Worde of God in his Saintes And this rule is the ende wherevnto myracles doe tende Godly myracles bee alwayes shewed by God to confirme the Diuine nature and office of Christ in the worke of our redemption and that he is the true and onely Messias and Sauiour or to iustifie and proue the doctrine of the Gospel to bee good According as Christ sayth in the last of S. Marke Goe yee into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to euerye creature he that shall beleeue and bee Baptised shall bee saued but he that wyll not beleeue shall bee damned and these tokens shall followe them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out Diuells and shall speake with newe tongues and shall take away Serpentes and if they drinke any euill thing it shall neuer hurte them they shall laye their hand vpon the sicke and they shall recouer c. Those Myracles then that bee done to this ende to direct the people to acknowledge Christ to bee the only ful and perfect redeemer of mankynde and to embrace the doctrine of the Gospell by the holye Scriptures confirmyng the same are good and godly and to bee esteemed true Myracles But contrariwyse if they leade men from Christ and directe them to put their trust of Saluation remission of sinnes in any other name vnder Heauen then Christ Jesu or to beleeue any other doctrine than that which by Gods word is euidently confirmed or to accept any other worshippe of God than by himselfe is appoynted are false Myracles and delusions of the Diuel wrought to deceiue men Let vs therefore beware of these thinges and looke into these myserable delusions wherewith the Diuell and his Ministers haue bewitched the worlde nowe these manye yeeres by Spirites Ghostes Goblines and many vaine Apparitions and faygned Myracles c. ⸪ ¶ The seconde Sermon vppon this part of the Texte Exfructibus eorum cognoscetis eos By their fruites shall ye knovv them IN this place we haue diligentlye to obserue the great difference y t Christ our Sauiour in this louing and Fatherly admonitioÌ„ doth make betwene the clothing the fruits By their fruites you shall know them he saith not by their garmeÌ„ts or outward clothing for wyth that y â— false Prophets vse to colour countenance all their crafts deceiptes of corrupt doctrine Now what these fruites be whereby they are knowne let vs consider by y t similitude or parable y t Christ here vseth Do they saith he gather Grapes of Thornes or figges of Thistles Euery kinde of tree hath fruit by which it is knowne to be good or bad The Apple tree by the Apple the Plumtree by the Plumme c. so euerie trade occupation or state of lyfe hath certaine proper and peculiar workes by which it is discerned either to be good or bad in it selfe or differing from other The Carpenter by right squaring framing of his Tymber the Mason by his buylding c. the Lawyer by his Counsaile the Phisition by his cure is iudged skilfull or ignoraunt euen so is the Preacher or Prophet knoweÌ„ by his doctrine that proceedeth from him which is the peculiar worke and sruite of his trade and occupation In all the olde Testament God doth accuse the false Prophetes to bee euill because they deliuered vnto his people false doctrine corrupt worship contrarie to his holy will and worde Heare not saith God by Ieremie the wordes of the Prophets that prophesie vnto you teach you vanitie They speake the vision of their owne heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord. And agayne Howe long doe the Prophetes delight to prophesie lyes euen prophesying the deceipt of their owne hart And immedately after Therfore beholde I will come against the
of Christ and alleaging out of the Psalme the words of God the Father Fortitudines regum disrumpaÌ„ aperiara ante illuÌ„ portas ciuitates non claudentur illi Whereby he noteth that no power of Prince or citie should be able to resist the Gospel of Christ But this conquest of the Gospell was alway by suffering and not by force or resisting as S. Augustine sayth de agone Christi Cap. 12. Ecclesia catholica per totum orbem diffâ—sa magis magisque roborata est non resisteÌ„do sed perfereÌ„do And another Father sayth Sanguis martiruÌ„ semen Euangelij The blood of martirs is the seede of the Gospell And Hieron ad theoph saith Patiendo coÌ„tumelias Christi fundata Ecclefia est persecutionibus creuit martyriis coronata est By suffering all kinde of reprochfull dealing which was giuen forth and doue against Christ the Church of God hath had the more great and large beginninges by persecutions hath it increased and with martyrdome it is crowned In all places haue the Apostles and other Preachers of y e Gospel sound many bitter enimies which being armed as well with publique authoritie as priuate malice greedily desyred sought how to destroy them to confound their doctrine In all places were heard terrible threatninges and proclamations of Emperours the glistering swordes of cruell Tormentours were alwayes in their eyes Imprisonmentes Bondes Fetters Roddes Whippes Rackes and a thousand kindes of cruell tormentes daylye prepared and diuised agaynst them The very name of a Christian was sufficient to bring them to punishmente and death They were accused that they did agaynste the lawes of the Romaines that they spake agaynste their God and olde religions that they were authours of seditions rebellion and all mischiefe And commonly the beginning of all accusations was thus They whiche trouble the whole world are come vnto vs also Yet did the teaching of the Doctrine of our Saluation by the mightie power of Gods spirit breake through and ouercome all these difficulties And the Gospell not onely conquered and vanquished all aduersarie powers but spread it selfe in fewe yeares thorowe the whole worlde As Saint Augustine sayth de Ciuit. dei li. 22. Ligabantur includebantur câ—debantur torquebantur multiplicabantur i. They were bounde they were imprisoned they were whipped they were tormeÌ„ted racked and yet for all this they multiplied and increased The same power of God euen in these latter dayes hath wonderfully shewed it selfe in Furthering his Gospell For when the heauenly doctrine of our saluation in Christ Jesu was so buried in the darkenesse of schoole learning that no man tasted the sweetenesse of it when Gods holye word lay ouerwhelmed in dust and was not read almost of any when the comfortable vse of the sacrameÌ„ts was defaced with wicked superstition Idolatrie when the whole state of religion was turned to an outward shewe of gestures signes and ceremonies When Antechrist in al his pompe sate in the Church of Christ as sayth S. Paule Auaunting himself aboue all that was called God and made Princes and Emperoures to kisse his feete when it was euen death almost to thinke of the restoring of Gods trueh euen then I saye by the ministerye of one simple man at the firste agaynst the clamoures of monkes and Freers against the scorning of the bishops agaynste the power of the Pope against the assistance of temporall princes against al torments by fyre by fagot by sword by imprisonment God hath so published spred his Gospell as now all countreyes of Europe are partakers of it Wherefore they are dul of sence sâ—antly to be accounted good christians which in these latter dayes are so offended with the troubles and dangers that vsuallye followe the Gospell that they doe not in the meane time see and consider how the mighty power of God doth beare rule euen among the middest of his enimies and doth worke safetye for his church and Gospell euen in those common weales and vnder those kings and Princes which are not onelye farre from the faythfull imbracing of his truth but euidentlye shewe themselues to bee the professed aduersaries thereof euen to the vttermoste of their power If any bee of that opinion that hee therefore thinke the Gospell to bee weake and contemptible because it is continually excercised with the crosse of affliction and trouble of the worlde in that his iudgemente hee is greatly deceiued For therein principally it appeareth that it is preserued by some diuine power Neither is it like the vnfortunate state of worldly kingdoms and principalities which seeme to rest vpon the power and policy of men For commonly such doe fall to ruine and decay when they appeare to be settled and in greatest glorye For the truth hereof consider the examples of all the Kingdoms and Empyres that euer were the Asstrians the Persians the Grecians the Romaines c. But contrariwise the Gospell and Kingdome of Christ doth then most prosper and preuayle when all endeuours and powers of Princes are set against it The euident proofe whereof I haue let you vnderstande before as well by example of the primatiue Church as of these latter dayes God doth then most shewe his power when all mans strength and helpe moste fayleth as sayth Tertullian out of the Psalme I will breake the power of Kinges I will open the gates before him and Citties shall not be shut against him There is no wisedome there is no power there is no counsayle agaynste the Lorde Though people frette and fume though Princes rage though they consult and assemble themselues togither yet it shall alwayes be true that followeth He that â—itteth in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision and shall scatter all their deuises and breake all their power For the Gospell is the mighty power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue c. Non me pudet Euangelij I am not ashamed of the Gospell THe Gospell hath many enimies many that cauill at it and find great faults therwith to the end that men shold be ashamed eyther to professe it or after profession to stande constantly in it Firste there are Epicures and godlesse persons that thinke al this whole matter of Faith and Religion for certayne purposes to be deuised and fayned of men and therefore they maruayle at vs that we bee so earnest and carefull therein and offer our selues to so great daunger for it Whatsoeuer is spoken of God of the Deuill of Heauen or of Hell these pleasant companyons deryde and scorne and thinke it of no more weight then a poeticall fable And therefore they grunte with the Pigges of Epicures stie and say Let vs eate let vs drinke and make good cheare for shortly we shall die and after death remaineth no pleasure An other sort of the Aduersaries of the Gospel are the wise politique men of the world and such gouernors
commaundeth that christians willing to vnderstand the sure ground of faith should haue recourse to no other thing but to the Scriptures And agayne in the same place Before time it was euideÌ„t by many meanes what the true churche was and what gentillitie but now after that heresie is growne into the church there is no way whereby it may be knowne but only by the Scriptures Now Dearely beloued we shunne not this Triall we desyre to be iudged hereby only we say with Moyses yea with God himselfe Nothing is to be added or taken away from his worde We say with S. Iohn 20 chapter So much is written that if we beleeue we shall haue saluation by the name of Christ We say with S. Paule that the scriptures can make vs wise to saluation We say with S. Paule agayne that the scriptures written by the inspiration of the holy ghost are profitable to teache to reproue to correct to instruct in Iustice and to make a man perfect in all good workes Finally we say with S. Ambrose Noua omnia quae Christus non docuit iure damnamus quia fidelibus vita Christus est i. All newe Doctrine which christ hath not taught we rightly condemne because that christ is life to all the beleeuers Contrariwise the aduersaries of the Gospell will not abide this triall of their Doctrine but seeke by all meanes they can to auoide it I wil not in this place discribe their whole practise herein but I will note vnto you three pointes First the keeping of the scriptures in an vnknowne tongue from the common people and to make it little lesse then Heresie to haue it in their mother tongue Haue not many good men partly lost their liuing and borue fagots partly bene burned for no other cause Manye yet aliue knowe it to bee true But they did not only finde this meanes to keepe it from the common people of GOD but brought to passe that it was almost out of vse euen with the learned sorte of which very fewe did reade the Texte of the Bible you had almost tenne that wrotte vppon the mayster of the sentences The greate heapes of schoolewriters declare this to be true Secondly they doe marueilously disgrace and discredit the Scriptures as vnsufficient to saluation and not contayning all necessary truth but that there are manye Articles of necessity to be beleeued whiche are not contayned in the Scriptures So sayth Lindan lib. 1. Cap. 10. The Apostles sayth hee Woulde not committe certayne principall pointes of our Fayth to paper and ynke thereby to perishe and be forgotten but they committed them to the faythfull hartes of Christians As though those thinges remayned more sure whiche be committed to the frayle memorye of seeble men in this sinfull world then those thinges that by the spirite of God are put in writing Doe you not see howe this malicious and reuolting Aduersary doth ouerthwart the gratious and ordinary prouidence of God in preseruing the truth of his doctrine and holy will When God saw that the law written in the heart of man was in continuaunce of time by corruption of the world greatly blemished and almoste cleare forgotten then that it might bee renewed and remayne more surelye in the memoryes of men did hee not by Moyses put the same in writing But this is the manner of the olde Heretiques as Irenaeus sayeth When they are confuted by the Scriptures they fall to blame and accuse the scriptures as though they were not in good case and of sufficient Authoritie and because they may be diuersely interpreted or as though the truth could not be knowne by them without the knowledge of Traditions For say they the truth was not deliuered by them but by the liuely voice of the speaker Hitherto Irenaeus This was the gappe whereby almoste all Heresies were drawen into the Churche that eyther they deâ—ied the Scriptures or else depraued them as vnsufficient without priuate traditions reuelations And so the aduersaries at these dayes strine to keepe the same gappe open as well for the maynteinaunce of their tradicious as for that they see they are not by them hable to maintayne the moste of their Doctrines What shall I say of them which are not contented by these means to accuse and discredit the Scriptures as the old Heretiks did but giue vnto the sacred written worde of God contemptible and blasphemous titles of reproche as to call it A dead writing A dumbe maister doubtfull and vncertaine A black Gospell Dead ynke Ynkie Diuinitie A Nose of waxe A leaden Rule c. But the eternall and euer liuing God whose immortall word scede of life they so reuile sitteth in heauen and seeth their wicked blasphemy howsoeuer conningly they will seeme to cloake their doinges Thirdly they say the scriptures take authority of the church and therfore that the Church is aboue y e scriptures and her authoritie the greater Sine authoritate ecclesiâ— saith Friar Soto Scriptura sacra non habet authoritatem hoc certissime fatemur i. Without the authoritye of the Church the holy scripture hath no authoritie This we confesse most certainly As though the maiestie of Gods wisdome the truth contained in the scriptures depended vpon the authoritie of man For though the Church be neuer so holy yet it consisteth of men which maye and often times do erre when they leane not to the word of God Oh say they how know you that the Scriptures came from God but by the church I graunt dearely beloued that the true church that is the faythfull people of God haue the spirit of discretion to discern what writings are according to the law Prophets which are not And therfore the Godly Fathers in the primatiue church partly in the time of the Apostles partlye after reiected many counterfeyted writinges fathered by Heretiques vppon some of the Apostles because they agreede not with the lawe and the Prophets nor were agreeable to the Analogie of fayth and truth of Doctrine contained in them and so by their witnesse they iustifyed the truth of those canonicall scriptures and that no other ought to be Judges ouer them or in any part of doctrine in them or to haue authoritie aboue them or withoute them When a Prince sendeth a commission to certayne â—ounsaylers they may by their skil in the lawes in the realme and practise of gouernmente consult whether it be a right true commission or other wise but when they haue by their iudgement determined that it is a true commission vnder the Princes hand and seale they take not to them Authoritye ouer it yea they submitte themselues in all thinges to bee ruled by it They may not be so bold to ad to diminish to change or to interprete it further then authority doth warrant theÌ„ So is it with the church of Christ it must submit it selfe to be directed by the word of God
Redemption The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is our onely Priest for euer according to the Order of Melchizadech that with once offering of himselfe hath for euer made perfecte them that bee sanctified But the Church of Roome telleth vs that Christe hath a state of Priesthoode succeeding him which must dayly and continually offer the very natural body and blood of Christe to God the Father for the remission of the sins of y e quick the dead The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christe is the only Mayster and teacher of his church in his holy word hath deliuered vnto it al truth But the Church of Roome teacheth vs that Christ hath not deliuered vnto vs all truth but that there be many thinges necessarye to be beleeued which are not contained in the Scriptures herevpon doe they ground al their vnwritten verities and vayne tradicions of men saying that they are to bee receiued with the like Reuerence that the written worde of GOD is The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is the onlye Heade of his Churche and the Ruler and gouernor of the same but the Church of Rome would perswade vs that the Pope his successors are the heads of the vniuersall church of Christ The doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is the only Foundacion ground of his Church wherevpō it resteth and is stayed for S. Paule sayth that No man can lay any other foundacion then that is layd Christe Iesus But the church of Rome teacheth vs that S. Peter and his successours be the foundation of the Church and that Hell gates shall neuer preuayle against that church that is builded vpon that foundation This may you see very euidently how well the doctrine of the Church of Roome agreeth w t the doctrine of y e Apostles And therfore though they haue personall Succession neuer so muche yet because they haue not Succession of this true doctrine that may not iustly be taken for the right Churche of Christ Now if they will continue to aske of vs where oure Succession is We aunswere that wheresoeuer since the comming of Christ there hath bene any persons vpon the the face of the earth that haue confessed this sincere truth and doctrine We say that they are our predecessors we are their Successors and with them members of the true Church Therefore our church is not so new a Church as they would make it but as auncient as the Doctrine is which is the most auncient Doctrine y t euer was vpon the face of the earth But if this their personal Successiō be the greatest proofe of their Church What will they saye of the Grecians Who haue hadde Successyon of Bishops for as long continuaunce as they haue and yet did neuer acknowledge the Supremacy of Rome nor that it was the only Catholike church but a member of it only as others were Oh will they say The Grecyans were Scismatickes yea but they haue cōtinual succession of Bishops professing Christ And by what authority proue they that forsooth because they separate themselues from the Apostolicall Sea And is that sufficient Why if the Grecians are to bee counted Scismatyckes because they forsake the sea of Roome howe muche more is Roome it selfe to be counted no true Churche whiche hath swarued from Christe himselfe as before I haue declared both in Doctrine and in the right vse of the Sacramentes Wherefore their alleadging of the name and Title ot the Church is euen a lyke shyft as the Jewes vsed against Ieremie and the other Prophets of God in old tyme saying Templum Domini Templum Domini i. The Tēple of the Lord The Tēple of the Lord. Whereas the Lord did acknowledge nothing among them to bee his So do they now crie we are the catholique church We are the catholique Church and God hath promised that he will neuer forsake it but alwaye assiste it with his holye spirite and therefore hath it prospered so many yeares Or if the Churche of Roome be not the true Church there hath bene no church at all for certayn hundred yeares For where was your churche scene within these fourty yeares before Luther began What token was there of your Doctrine had christ no church at al yes truely had he God forbid that Christ at any time should not haue his true church But good people it is not alway necessarie that the churche of GOD should be Notable or flourishe in the outwarde face of the Worlde by continuall Successyon of Byshops GOD and the worlde bee contrary and therefore often times the Churche is more notable by contempte of the world and persecution then by great Number or Power Yea sometime they whiche in the outwarde shewe of the Worlde and by certayne externall Signes mighte seeme to bee the Church and haue taken vppon them the name of the Churche and people of GOD haue bene persecutors and to theire power the Oppressors of the true Churche of God as it appeareth towarde the Prophets towarde Christe himselfe and towarde his Apostles Wherefore though the heads and gouernors of the church with the assistance of the greater number doe forsake the true worde worshipping of God doe make new lawes repugnante to gods word do bring newe Rites ceremonies into the church and vtterly corrupt and deface the righte Sacramentes and true markes of the Churche yet GOD reserueth to himselfe his true churche sending from tyme to tyme Doctours and Teachers to lead them although the same bee not allowed by them that will bee counted the Ordinary gouernoures of the churche but esteeme them as Scismatiks as Heretiques as disturbers of the people of God So were the Prophetes vsed so was Christe himselfe and his Apostles serued by the Jewes that woulde be counted the true churche of of GOD. But this I wil declare vnto you by particuler Examples Noe had preached as some write sixe score yeares but to howe small effecte it did afterwarde appeare when that in the Deluge eyghte personnes onelye of his Familye were saued Consyder then what countenaunce the Churche of GOD had in the World before the Deluge when it consisted onlye in eighte Personnes and they not the best esteemed in the time of Abraham Isaac and the Patriarches In how few and small families were they dispersed vpon the face of the Earth in whome the dignitie of the Church consisted Achas King of Iuda Vria the high Bishop and the other Priests not resisting him shut vp the Temple of GOD and tooke away the Chayre so that vndoubtedly the ordinary Sacrifice and Teaching of Gods Lawe did cease and yet was there an holy and true Church in the Kingdome of Iuda where Esay and other good men did Teach but extraordinarily Vnder Manasses the true Doctrine and celebration of the Sacramentes ceased and so this Defection continued vntill it was refourmed by the good King Iosias yet
prophets that steale my word priuily euery one frō his neighbour behold I will come against those Prophets that haue sweete tongues say The Lord hath said it I will come against thē that prophesie false dreames and tell thē out cause my people to erre by their lyes by their flatteries I sent thē not nor cōmaunded thē like testimonies haue Ezech. Hoseas Malachi other But the places be manifold wherein the spirit of God in y t scriptures teacheth vs y t lying false doctrine peruerting of y t word of God are the fruites of false prophets wherby they may be knowē Sathā himself the father founder of all lying false teaching vsed y t same course in Paradice For whē God had said vnto Adā our first father In what houre soeuer thou shalt eate of the fruite of this tree thou shalt die the death The old craftie Serpēt seeking to seduce man frō God sayde Nay you shall not die the death but you shal be like vnto God By which glofe false interpretatiō of Gods word he pulled them cleane frō the obedience of Gods holy will commandement to their owne vtter ouerthrow heauy iudgemēt By y t like falsehood he tēpted Christ to make him conceiue ouer great cōfidence of y t prouidence of God toward him Oh said he it is writtē that he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee that with their handes they maye saue thee least at any time thou shouldest dash thy foote against a stone By like craft of lying and by false Sence peruerting y t words of God he from time to time instructeth his messengers false Prophets to abuse and deceiue the Simple people of God that bee not well taught by his holy spirite howe to withstand them But I will come neere vnto my purpose by some perticular example shew how the worlde in these latter dayes hath ben in a great part yet is deceaued by false Prophets how the same may be knowne examined shunned S. Ioh. in his first Epistle sheweth vs a certaine rule how we may know these fruites of false Prophetes and in a manner distinctly telleth vs what they are and likewise the fruites of true Prophets Who is a lier sayth he but he that denieth Iesus to bee Christ he is Antichrist that denieth the father the sonne Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne hath not the Father And agayne Dearely beloued beleeue not euerie spirit but trie the spirites whether they be of God or no. For many false Prophets are gone out into the world By this you shall know the spirit of god Euery spirit that cōfesseth Iesus Christ to haue come in the fleshe is of God And enerie spirit that denieth Iesus christ to haue cōe in the flesh is not of God this is that spirit of Antichrist of which you haue heard that he should come and now alreadie is he in the world By these wordes some other that S. Iohn in the same Epistle vseth I obserue three sundrye pointes of doctrine touching the very ground of our saluation by which he teacheth vs to discerne true or false teachers The first is what Christ is in Person Office and what it is truely to confesse or denie Christ The secōd why Christ came into the world what benefites mankinde hath by it and who it is that doth confesse the same or denie it The thirde howe or by what meanes we are made partakers of those benefites and how the fruite of the same is applyed to vs. These braunches are not deuised by mee They are layde downe distinctly by Saint Iohn in thys place and they containe as I haue sayde the whole mysterie of our redemption and saluation by Christ that you may not thinke I purpose to rest vpon trifles or matters of small moment in triall of true Doctours and teachers As touching the fyrst we may not thinke that a sleighte knowledge confession of Christ the sonne of God and sauiour of the World is sufficiente For the Diuels sayeth S James doe beleeue know and tremble yea Mahomet and the Turkes after a sort do acknowledge Christ We must so know and confesse Christ as S. Peter did saying Thou art that christ the sonne of the liuing GOD. We must deepely pearce or enter into y t whole course of y t scripture and earnestly consider by what titles Christe is called and in dede what hee is both in person and Office To confesse that Jesus is Christ the sonne of God is as much as if you should say I knowe confesse and beleeue that Jesus borne of the blessed Virgine is the blessed Sede the true Messias promised by God by the mouth of all his Prophets and the eternall and onelye begotten sonne of God that is according to his person very God very man and by his office the true Christe annoynted of the Holy Ghoste King of Kinges Lorde of Lordes the Highe Bishoppe and principall Sheapheard of oure soules our Sauiour Redeemer Mediatour and Intercessour the head Gouernour Ruler Patrone Defēdour of the Church And we may not thinke y t the eternall prouidence wisdome of God wold prepare so precious high vnestimable a Means as to sēd down his son to take the forme of a seruant vpō him in this vale of misery to work only some parte of our saluation and so but in part to execute the office of a sauiour Wherfore we must assuredly know confes y t Christ is al y t is before spoken wholly and only without any part attributed to other For as Peter sayth There is no other name giuen vnder heauen wherby we shalbe saued We must therfore beleeue that Christ is our only Redeemer Mediatour Intercessour y ◠only head ruler gouernor defēder of his church y e only high Bishop chefe sheapherd maister techer of his flock They that beleue confesse teach this be true preachers and are of God they y t do not beleeue confesse teach this howsoeuer they doe countenance and set forth themselues are false Prophets of the Diuel For so sayth S. Iohn Who is a lyar but he that denieth Iesus to be christ he is that Antechrist c. Now y t professors teachers of y t gospell in these latter dayes as wel in this church of England as other parts of y t world do confes teach preach in this manner therefore they are true Preachers and of God Let all our doctrines be examined see whether they tend not to this end y t Christ is our only ful perfit Redemer Mediatour Intercessour y t he is the only Head Guide generall gouernour of his church y t he is y t only high Bishop maister teacher of his flock y t in these offices none can without blasphemy be ioyned with him And I doubt not but our verye Aduersaries will say that this
ownces of Gold so deare is the friendship of these holy fathers The other proposed to Lewes the Emperor such cōditions as no bondslaue-would haue bene contented to admit that is y t he should come vnto him within three dayes forsake the title of y t Empyre yeeld into his hands himself his wife his children and al his goods neuer to receiue any of them again but at his pleasure Looke Abbas Vrspergēs Hiero Marius you shall see those things so set forth as it would cause any reasonable hart to abhorr thē I should hold you to long if I shoulde at large sette forth theire vuiust dealing in altering and trausposing Kingdoms and continuall indeuour to make all princes subiect to them First as touching the Empire where the Emperour of Constantinople had alway his Deputie in Italie for the rule of the West part the Bishops of Roome by the ayde of the Frenche Kinges wreasted oute the Emperoures Deputies and tourned that whole power to themselues Afterward about the yeare of our Lorde 800. contrarye to all right Leo made Charles the greate his great Benefactour Emperoure of the weast and gaue occasyon of most deadly warres betweene the Emperoures of the East and of the Weast About y ◠yeare of our Lord 920 they again transferred the Empyre of the Weast from the French Kinges among whome it had a good time remayned vnto the Germaines where at this daye it yet continueth But they vsed not this onely in the Empyre but well neare in all the Principallities of Christendome Did not Zacharie most iniuriously without any reasonable pretence transferre the Kingdome of Fraunce from Childerike and the stocke of Clodouei wherein it had from the beginning continued vnto Pipine that had no right vnto it and without anye quarrel discharged the Frenche men of their othe of allegiance sworn to their King Childrike being then alyue Did not Adrian the first vnmercifully deliuer Bercha the widdow of Charlemaine her two sonnes heires of the Kingdome in captiuitie to Charles the yonger brother y t had no right vnto it only because hee woulde not displease Charles but winne him to be his friende as his Father Pipine had bene Howe they sette vp and pulled downe Emperoures at their pleasure howe they altered the Tytle and righte of the Kingdome of Arragon of Naples of Sicilie of Englande Hystories doe largely declare Whensoeuer they did for any quarrell excommunicate a realme their penaunce in absolution was euer to paye a great summe of money to the Sea of Rome to make the kingdome feodable vnto the Bishop wherein they sought to make all Realmes and Princes Vassals and slaues vnto them Which was so fully brought to passe in the time of Boniface the eyght that he openly vaunted that he had the full power of both Swordes and all Kinges to haue their principallitie at his handes and hee immediatelye of God and this doctrine hath bene taught euer since by the mainteiners of y ◠sea The time cutteth me of frō matter y ◠I haue to say in this point I will gather therefore to a cōclusion of this part Seing the Popes thēselues whom they count y ◠pillers of their religion y ◠heads of y ◠church y ◠Vicars of Christ that are lead as they saye by the Holye Ghost that cannot erre that haue knowledge of truth and interpretation of scripture in their harts seing I say they are found proued by their own histories to be in ambitiō so outragious in vniust and wicked dealing so horible in pride and crueltie so detestable I leaue their couetousnes for that time doth exclude me what shall we thinke of the inferiour sorte shall we thinke that they did their duety when the other nothing mynded it Such as the spring and Fountayne is suche is the Water of the Streame Such as the roote is such is the Tree branches Such as the maister is such are his Schollers Suche as the head is such are the members If the Spring be corrupt the Roote putrifyed the Mayster wicked the head greeuously diseased we must needes haue naughtye streames putrifyed Braunches miching Schollers and sicke members of the body The holyest of that sorte were men that were couered vnder the Lambe skinnes of Fasting praying and forsaking of the world and yet Vnder these Titles had they gotte them the riches of the world and their liues were so notable that in the common voyce of men there was no ill tale but a Freere or a Religious manne was at the one end of it Now as touching that the aduersaries obiect against vs loosenesse of manners and dissolute life and with eger spirites erie that since our doctrine hath begun in the worlde nothing hath increased but falshood craft deceipt periurie hatred malice strife contention sedition warre and murder lecherie wantonnesse vncleanenesse sectes diuisions and all mischiefe and trouble Oh dearely beloued this is a greeuous and heauy accusation that whereas by Gods singular benefite the doctrine of repentance remission of sinnes and newnesse of life is taught among vs more distinctly more truely and sincerely than euer it was before yet that godlynesse of lyfe and honest conuersation should not followe This surely should be an heauie corsie to our hartes if we be true Christians and in deede fauour the Gospel For although this sclaūderous accusation hath euer followed the Gospell euen in Christes owne tyme and at this daye God be praised is not so iust and true as our aduersaries would haue it seeme to be Yet wee must confesse before the face of God and his Angels and before all the Saintes and Creatures of God both in heauē and earth that the doctrine of the Gospell hath not brought forthe suche fruites of godlye conuersation as it shoulde haue done and that the blessed seede of his heauenly worde through the barraine grounde of our corrupt heartes hath not so prospered as our dueties require that it should haue done For in deede the most part we confesse remayne in deepe securitie ouer whelmed with the corruption of thys lyfe and pleasures of the world Neither can we denie that with manye this wholesome doctrine hath not onely not brought forth conuenient fruites but is vsed as a cloake of licentiousnesse and dissolute libertie and as a meanes to Spoyle the goods patrimonie of the Church which they seeke wholly to imploy to the pampering of their owne pleasures not to the furtherance of Gods seruice Wherfore in the feare of God I exhorte you that you will continually and earnestly call vpon him in your hartie prayers that by the grace of his holy spirit he will mollifie mens hartes and make them good grounde and beate into their remembraunce that whatsoeuer colour they cast vpon them selues by profession of the Gospell yet by the testimonie of their owne consciences they are conuinced within them selues and by their fruites declare vnto the worlde openlye that they are
teach and as you loue the saluatiē of your soules require you to beleeue that they be signes and figures in deede but such as most assuredly bring vnto the faithfull harte verily and in truth the selfe same things that they signifie so that the faithfull Christian receauer maye assure himselfe that as truely as God is God so truely he receaueth those things which the outward Sacrament doth signifie We ought therefore deerely beloued with humble hartes to giue immortall thankes to the eternall God in our Sauiour Christ Jesus that he hath vouchedsafe so graciously and so mercifully to haue consideration of our infirmitie to helpe our frailtie and as it were to leade vs like children by the hand and appoint vs whether to goe and what to doe and to giue vs those exercises to trade vs to the obedience of his will and confession of his name to marke vs with his badges and cognizances that wee may be knowen to be his to fasten vs together with these linkes of vnitie and Christian concorde and finally to prepare for vs such and so blessed instrumentes to bring vnto vs hys heauenly blessings Herein also we may behold his great wisedome that he would not lay forth vnto vs his spiritual mysteries and promises in wordes onely least they myght slip away and be forgotten but confirmeth and establisheth the same by his deede and seale also as I haue declared that we might the more assuredly embrace them We reade in Histories and see by experience that when men make any Couenaunt or bargayne they either shake handes or vse some other like ceremonie or solemnitie to confirme it In olde time among the heathen they vsed to kill a hogg◠or a pigge c. and to vse at the same certaine protestatious and curses if they stoode not to their couenaunt and league And euerie matter of conueighance we see passeth by deede and seale The Lorde when he made his promise to Abraham willed a Bullocke a Goate and a Weather to bee kylled and the Lorde in forme of a burning lyght passed betweene them by that solemnitie assuring him that whatsoeuer he had promysed should in truth be performed The outwarde Circumcision the Paschall Lambe and all the multitude of Sacrifices of the olde lawe were nothing but seales to confirme the trueth of Gods promise of saluation in the true sacrifice that shoulde come Euen so dealeth Christ with vs in his Sacramentes Those he hath ordayned as his deedes and instrumentes as before I haue mentioned to assure vs of his promyses And so much are his deedes more sure and his promyses more certaine and infallible than any mans can bee as his wyll is more iust to stande to that he hath sayde and his habilitie to performe it greater Nowe for so much as S. Paule in this place maketh comparison betweene the Sacramentes of the olde Lawe and of the Gospell and saith that the Israelites were Baptized in the cloude and in the sea and in Manna dyd eate the same spirituall meate and in the Rocke drinke of the same spirituall drinke that wee doe I thinke it necessarie somewhat to note what difference is betweene theyr Churche and ours and their sacramentes and ours And principally I do this because many through ignoraunce are of that opinion that the saluation of mankinde by Christ was neuer hearde of in the worlde before Christ came in fleshe and that the Iewes had some other meane of saluation than by him and therefore that their sacramentes and ours are nothing like But this errour taketh away from all Christians a passing great comforte that is that Christian Religion and that Meanes of saluatiō is no new thing but hath continued euer since the beginning of the world according as it is said of Christ Agnus qui dccifus est ab origine mundi i. That he is the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world First therefore you must vnderstande and the whole course of the Scriptures teacheth vs that there is but one eternall and immutable GOD of both those Churches I meane of the Iewes before Christ and of christians nowe whome they both dyd worshyppe in spirite and in trueth For Christians must bee farre from that dinelish and wicked heresie of Marcion Valentinian and other whiche taught that there were two Gods one of the Iewes another of the Christians a good God and a badde a GOD that created the worlde and a good God that was Father of Christ Iesu But this detestable heresie hath beene iustly condemned and cast out of the Churche manye hundred yeeres since Secondlye both those Churches haue but one manner of saluation proposed to them in the promyses of GOD that is by the death of Christ the Messias and sonne of God Thys maner of saluation was first deuised by the wysedome of God and layde vp in the secrete closet of his diuine prouidence before the worlde was made So saith Saint Paule Blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spiritual blessing in heauenly things in Christ as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde Thys manner of saluation God himselfe first vttered and publyshed in Paradice saying to the Serpent after sinne committed I will sette enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and hir seede and thy seede shall breake his heade c. Here is promysed that one should come of the seede of the womā that should breake the serpentes heade that is vtterly destroye the power of the Diuell and deliuer mankinde from his tyrannie The same promyse was confirmed to Abraham and ratified to all the Patriarches in these wordes In thy seede all the nations of the earth shal be blessed This promyse so much moued faithfull Abraham that as Christ saith he greatly longed in spirite to see the day of Christ and he sawe it and exceedingly reioyced and vndoubtedly so did the other Patriarches and Prophetes as S. Peter beareth witnesse hereof All the Prophetes from Samuel and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue borne witnes of these dayes What shall I saye of the whole manner of the law ceremonies and Sacramentes but that they were Preachings of that redemption that should be in Christ Iesu It were infinite to giue you examples in al I will note vnto you onely two or three What can bee more euident than the Sacrament of the Passouer That as a Lambe without spot was killed so the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesu should be sacrificed for our deliuerance out of the spiritual Aegypt of the Diuels kingdome where vnder the heauie burdens of sinfull workes wee were holden thrall and in bondage And as the blood of the Lambe sprinkled vppon the poste was a token for the Angell of Gods wrathe to passe that house so as many as by fayth haue the doore postes of their heartes sprinkled with the bloud of Christ the true Lamb that taketh
S. Aug. that I haue heare layde downe and by many other like that I might alleage I truste all suche as feare God and will iudge indifferently may perceiue that this is no new doctrine which at this time I taught touching the likenesse of the Jewes religion and Sacramentes to ours now in time of the Gospell Herevnto I must add this note by the way If the Israelites vnder the old law did in their sacramēts eat y ◠same spirituall meat drink y ◠same spiritual drink y ◠we do in ours that is Christ that effecally and to saluation before Christes natural body blood were borne and come really into the worlde it maye euydently leade vs also to vnderstande what manner of eating and drinking it is that we also should vse in our sacramēts to saluation that is a spirituall eating and drinking of Christ and not such a grosse carnall and reall eating as the Church of Rome now striueth for But of this I haue to speake in the nexte part Therefore here I will make an ende c. ¶ The seconde Sermon vpon this part of the Text. 1. Cor. 10. 3. c. All did eate of the same spirituall meate and all did drinke of the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of the spirituall Rocke and the Rocke was Christe NOt only S. Paule in this place but the spirite of God in sunderye other Places of the Scriptures teacheth vs that Christe only is the blessed and Heauenlye foode of oure soules wherewith we are fed and nourished to eternall life Of this meate and drinke Esay prophecied many yeares before Christ came in fleshe Oh sayd he come all ye that be thirstie come to the waters and yee that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bye wine and milke without money wherfore do you lay out siluer for that which is no fode bestow your labor for that which cannot satisfye you harken dilligently vnto me eat that which is good c. In which words he caled the hungry thirstie consciences of gods people to that heauenly foode of Christ which in his gospel is laid before the faithfull by it to be fedde to eternall life and reproueth them for seeking other foode besyde Christ because indeed there is none that can satisfie them but onelye hee This doth Christ himself seeme to expound in this maner in the gospel when he sayth If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke But most euident in John the sixte hee declareth himselfe to be the onely foode of oure soules of which we must feede vnto saluation For vppon the occasyon of the Jewes following him with a carnall affection to haue their bodyes fedde by myracle as before he had done he sharply reproueth that affection in them willeth thē to labour and trauatle not for the meat that perisheth but for the meate y t shold endure to euerlasting life which the sonne of man should giue vnto them And after Moises gaue you not bread from heauen but my father giueth you the true bread from heauen For the bread of God is he who cōmeth down from heauen to giue life vnto the world And after a few words he sayth plainely I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shal not hunger and he that beleueth in me shall neuer thirst And againe I am the bread of life your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead This is the bread of life which commeth downe from heauen of which he that eateth should not die I am the liuing bread that came downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer and the bread which I wil giue is my fleshe which I will giue for the life of the worlde c. Except ye eate of the fleshe of the son of man drink his blood you haue no life in you Whosoeuer eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood hath eternall life c I will raise him vp at the last day For my flesh is meate in deede and my blood is drinke in deede c. Seing then it is very euident that Christ is the meate and drinke of all true Christians it behoueth vs next to learne why Christ is called meate and drinke for we may not groselye vnderstand it as y ◠Capernaites did that it is a Meat wherwith our bodies are to be nourished as with other natural foode God forbid For Christ himselfe a little after sayth The words that I haue spoken are spirite and life Gyuing vs thereby to vuderstande that hee is oure spiritual meate and his wordes spiritually to be vnderstanded This speech then that Christ is meate an drinke vnto Christians is not a naturall and proper kinde of speaking but metaphoricall and figuratiue transferred from the bodye to the soule from a worldlye meaning to a spirituall Seuce Which the better to perceaue you must remēber that man consisteth not of body only but of soule also And as y t body hath his life and death so the soule hath her life and death And as the body hath certayn means to keepe of death and for the time to mayntayne lyfe so hath the soule meanes to preserue the life thereof and to put awaye death The lif of the body is the ioyning of the soule and the bodye togither and the death thereof is the separation of the soule from the bodye The meanes to preserue the life of the bodye that is to continue the bodye and soule togeather is foode and sustenaunce meate and drinke for we daylye and howerly doe consume and the substance of our bodies wasteth by the pores of oure skinne so that when Nature feeleth wante of Substaunce to supplye the wasting of the body then it is sayde in proper speeche to hunger or to thirst that is to desyre and couette that thing whereby the waute of naturall Substaunce and moysture maye be supplyed least the Instrumentes of the soule shoulde bee made feeble and so the soule departe and the body dye Nowe looke what the soule is to the hedye that is GOD vnto the soule As the lyfe of the bodye is the ioyning of the soule to the bodye for wythout the Soule there is no life so the life of the Soule is the ioyning of GOD and the Soule togeather and the death of the Soule is the separation of GOD from the soule for without GOD the soule hath no lyfe And yet you maye not thinke that the Soule dyeth after that sorte that the bodye doeth by ceassyng to haue a beeing or a continuaunce but it dreth a spirituall death by separation of God from it so that the tyme that it is and hath a beeing withoute God is nothing but a moste horrible tormente and more greeuous then a thousande bodilye deathes Nowe further as the body hath a certayne meanes by foode and Sustenaunce to preserue life that is
of stomache to digeste A true and strong Christian fayth is the mouth of the soule and the power wherewith wee doe receiue and digeste Christ Jesus crucified as the foode of our saluation We must looke therefore to our selues first whether we knowe and vnderstande the mistery of our redemptioÌ„ that is that the vnspeakeable mercy of God sent downe the second person in Trinitie to take flesh of the blessed Virgine to lyne in the shape of a most contemptible man in this worlde and in the ende to haue suffered cruell death for the redemption of mankinde Secondlye whether we feele in our harts a strong perswasioÌ„ that we also through the merciful promises of god are partakers of the same worke of our redemption For a true Christian must not only haue a generall knowledge but also by a fyrme faith hee must haue â— particular application of the same to himselfe Furthermore as it is necessarye to haue both a desyre to eate styrred by a sence and feeling of true repentaunce and also an assured fayth to receiue and digest this wholesom and comfortable medicine of oure soule so because God bestoweth not his mercy by his sonne Christ in vayne or to the end we should still continue in sinne we must further try our selues whether we feele an vnfained desire to rise to a newnesse of life and an earnest study hereafter to ameÌ„d our former faults and to strayn our selues to a Godly and honest conuersation that God in vs maye bee glorified and the mouthes of his Ennemies stopped Lastly wee muste examine oure consciences whether we haue a feruente and great desyre to call to oure remembraunce the vnestimable Benefyte of oure Redemption made by the price of his bodye and blood and to acknowledge and confesse the same vnfaignedlye before GOD and the Worlde and to yeeld vnto him moste hartye thankes for the same and the residue of his benefytes not at this present tyme onelye but euer hereafter vntill the time of his comming This is the Godly and Christian tryall of oure selues which if we vse by the grace of Gods Spirite working in vs wee shall becomme eyther worthye Guestes or muche more fytte then other wayes wee shoulde bee c. Happylye some will thinke that this Admonition is a Terroure and tormente to theire consciences to feare men from comming to this blessed Sacramente rather than an Exhortation or Incouragemente vnto it For if the Daunger bee in it selfe so great as the vnworthye Receauer eateth Damnation to himselfe and the preparation and triall so streighte as you haue made it it were better neuer to come to it For what one is there among a thousande that doth in this manner trye his conscience or if he doe hee must needes feele so great want and imperfection either in sorrow for his sinnes or in sence of Gods wrath or in weakenesse of his Fayth or in the studie of newe lyfe or in the Coldenesse of his charitie or in the feeblenesse to giue thinkes and set forth the glory of God or in all these things that he must needes be ouerwhelmed in conscience and feared to make hymselfe partaker of these holy mysteries But deerely beloued let not this feare shake your consciences nor driue you backe from this blessed table This eâ—amination and tryall must be within the boundes of humaine frailtie and God in this as in all other doynges for Christes sake will vse hys mercie and clemencie For he knoweth our corruptions imperfections and will haue regarde of our infirmities Onely let vs not be secure slacke and negligent but feeling by this triall great want in our selues with lowelye humble and confessing hartes let vs acknowledge the same and say vnto God I am sorie O Lorde for my sinnes but not as the greeuousnesse of them requireth Augment O Lord by thy spirit the sense of thy wrath in me I beleeue and know with other christians that thy sonne hath shed his blood for mee but increase my faith O God and helpe my vnbeliefe I desire to liue according to the calling of a christian but the fleshe and the world maketh this studie cold in me therefore doe thou strengthen me with thy blessed spirit I know it is my bounden duetie to yeelde vnto thee immortall thankes as well for all other thy benefites as principally for the whole worke of our redemption by the death of thy deerely beloued sonne but I feele this zeale to be so faint and feeble that it is nothing according to my duetie and for that cause I lyft vp myne eyes to the throne of thy mercy and humbly desire thee to pardon all my imperfections and to heale all my infirmities The sense and knowledge of my weakenesse may not feare me from this holy cable For this heauenly feast is a medicine for them that bee sicke a comfort to them that be penitent sinners a free and liberall gift to such as bee poore and haue nothing of themselues Christ in this feast is giuen as meate without which we know we must of necessitie perish And he is giueÌ„ as lyfe vnto vs and therfore without him we can haue nothing but death The best worthinesse that wee can bring to these reuerend and holy mysteries is that we confesse our owne vnworthinesse to the end thy mercy may make vs worthy that we despaire in ouâ— selues to the end thy grace may comforte vs that we humble our selues to the end thy goodnesse may raise vs vp that wee acâ—use our selues to the end thy sonne by his merite may iustifie vs. For though of our selues wee are able to doe nothing yet by hym wee shall be able to doe all things c. These or lyke cogitations if wee haue in preparing our selues to that blessed nourishment of our â—oules he that breaketh noâ— a brused â—eede nor putteth out smoking flaxe will noâ— cast aside our infirmitie but mercifully receaue vs. The sorrowfull Father which with care for hys sonne â—ryed vnto Christ I beleeue Lorde but helpe thou myne vnbeliefe thoughe his faith as it myght appeare was very weake yet obtained hys purpose at Christes hanâ— to haue his sonne by myracle healed If our fayth hee but as a grayne of Mustarde seede yet it wyll muche preuayle with Gods mercy The Apostles of Christ which were admitted to his last Supper were notwithstanding weake and touched wyth many infirmites althoughe they were not altogether wicked and faythlesse as Iudas was They beleued in Christ they loued Christ and they loued one an other and yet at the verye table of the Lorde they shewed theyr weakenes Peter not without some reproche of the residue preferred himselfe before them all Though all other sayth he bee offended by thee yet will not I bee offended by thee They ambitiously contended amoÌ„g themselues which of them should bee the greater I wyll not mention that immediately after Supper they through timorousâ—esse fledde from Christ and for
by the Gospell is brought vnto you Verie fitly and apâ—lye is the worde of God resembled to seede aswell of diuers other properties as principally that seede is in appearaunce a small and contemptible thing but very profitable and of great strength and vertue so as without it all kindes of thinges woulde perishe Of a little seede you see a verie faire and beautifull floure of a small karâ—ell a large and a fruitful tree of a meane Acorne a huge and mayne Oke If you make a seede of most precious and riche mettall it can not haue this strength and grace with it Euen so the word of God in estimation of the world is simple base contemptible but in vertue power strength exceeding great maruailous I am not ashamed of the Gospell saith Paul for it is the mightie power of God to saluation of all them that beleeue By secret power y â— the spirit of God giueth it it altereth the mindes of men it lyghteneth their heartes it engendreth a newe wyll it bringeth forth godly holy doings as due fruites thereof it changeth not only particular men but whole Empires kingdomes countries it worketh y â— which in no wise can bee wrought by the counsailes wit wisedome cunning pollicie or strength of man This strength and power of Gods word doth S. Paul speake of We preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling stocke to the Grecians foolishnesse but to them both being called we preache Christ the power and wisedome of God c. God hath choseÌ„ those things which are foolish in the world to coÌ„fouÌ„d the wise God hath chosen the weake things of the world to coÌ„fouÌ„d the mighty The effect of this appeared immediately after the Apostles in themselues contemptible yet vnblemished who with the despised and loathed doctrine of Christ crucified preuailed prospered through out y â— world notw tstanding the wisedome y e learning y e policie the power of the world did set it selfe against it and as a little Muster seede the Churche of God by the power of the Gospell prospered and grewe to great largenesse so that the poore foules of the ayre that were chased out of the woodes by tyrannie and persecution dyd rest in it and with quietnesse of conscience though with trouble of the worlde settled themselues and builded their neastes therein The lyke hath beene euen of late yeeres wherin it hath pleased our mercifull God to renewe his Gospell and to sende it into the worlde so that the godlye with great comfort see and the whole world may perceiue y e myghtie power of God in prospering his Gospel What conspiracies what edicts what cruel Massakers and murders haue bene to suppresse the Gospel all men do knowe and those that feare God with piâ—iefâ—â—â— hartes lament it EueÌ„ now are wrought those things of which Dauid prophecied many hundred yeres before EueÌ„ now the nations fret fume euen now the enimies of God haue their vain wicked and Diuilish deuises euen nowe the Princes of Antechristes band conspyre and laye their heades togeather agaynste Christe and agaynsts his worde Lette vs breake their bandes asunder say they let vs caste of their yoke let vs by all meanes we can seeke the confusyon of those Princes countreys Noble men and other which in any place mayntayne this new preached Gospell Lette it be wrought by policie by periurie by craft and dissimulation by violence by crueltie by mischeefe by murder by any meanes that may be Let vs roote from the face of the earth these Protestantes these Hugonotes these Hererikes which at this day trouble the whole world If wee cannot worke it by force lette vs by policie and vnder colour and pretence of great friendship bring them into oure snare or at the least with making fayre offers let vs dally with theÌ„ vntil we may worke that y â— we would do Sed qui habitat in Coelis deridebit eos dominus subsaÌ„nabit eos i. He sitteth in Heauen that shall deride and frustrate all their counsailes with a Rodde of yron hee shall breake seatter their purposes vnto Godly Princes and Magistrates which hee hath rapsed as Nourses and Fosterers of his Gospell he shall I doubt not as often times he hath done bewray their dissimulation display their policies sparcle their conspiracies and confound their denises in such sorte as his holy word and Gospell shall remayne to the comfort of his Children Though by all crueltie to their further condemnation and to the heaping of greater wrath in the day of Gods wrath they sley kill great numbers of his people yet of the very ashes of the same and of their blood he will rayse vp other to his glory whiche maugre theire malice shall freely teache and preach his word A Tempest of 〈◊〉 maye blowe down a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 but in blowing doâ—ne one Stalke it shall â—ast oute â—n hundered Seedes whiche after shall growe and prosper Euen so by extremitie of tempestuous persecution some Preachers and professoures may be murdered but of their blood other will spring Num Sanguis Martyrum seâ—â—â—â— Euangelij i. For the Blood of Martyrs is the Seede of the Gospell Yet am I not of that minde that the Gospell in the Worlde shall â—â— prosper that it shall haue a setteledde quyetnesse For vndoubtedlye Antichriste shall not bee vtterlye ouerthrowne before the laste daye but continually betweene this tyme and that shall make warre agaynst the Sayntes of God and trauayle to suppresse this happy â—eede of Christe his Gospell wherewith he his so greeuously wounded and his Kingdome shaken But he shal neuer be able vtterly in extinguish it S. Paule sayth that he shall be deadly wounded with the Spirite of Gods mouth that is his holy worde but he shall bee taken away by the brightnesse of his comming The Justice of God for the vnthankfulnesse of people may suffer his Gospell to be oppressed in some one Countrey as Englande or some other place but in other yet it shall prosper and increase norwithstanding all the indeuours of Antichrist to the contrary Nexte is that wee haue to speake of the grounde and the diuersitye thereof And here I maye not lette passâ— a very profitable instruction to be taken out of this parable agaynst y e malicious interpretatioÌ„ of many in these days I doubt not but there was the like in Christs time ministred to him the occasyon to â—â—ter this Parable WheÌ„ many see the Doctrine of the Gospel so much preached beaten into mens â—â—res and consyder howe small fruiâ—e commeth of it being so many that reiect and contemne it and so few that frame themselues according vnto it but y â— â—ice wickednesse rather dayly increaseth by and by with verye corrupt iudgement they eyther 〈…〉 the Doctrine it self or the perfâ—â—s that be the Ministerâ— teachâ—â—s therof Oh say they if this were Gous
to couer the nakednesse of those reuerend men then with Cham to blaze their infyrmities to the discredit of that religion which they taught and professed And yet is it a wonderfull thing to see how that same wise noble and Godly Emperour was shortlye after abused by certayne pernicious flatterers and conning workers about him in his Court which were infected with y â— heresie of Arrius For they made such suggestion agaynst that reuerend and great learned Father Athanasius that he sent for him and not only condemned him as an obstinate and stiffenecked man that woulde yeelde to no conformitie for quietnesse of the Church but also cast him into banishment into Fraunce where he remayned all the time of his Empyre afterward vnto the very great hinderaunce of true Christian fayth and to the aduauncing and spreading abroade of that wicked and detestable Heresie of Arrius A verye not able Example for all Princes to take hede howe by secrete Suggestions they bee caryed to thinke euill of the Ministers and Preachers of Goddes truth Surelye I muste confesse that the State of the Ministerye of the Churche of Englande is not so perfecte by muche as it oughte to bee and yet I muste needes saye this and in the feare of GOD tell it you playnelye that since Englande did beare the name of a Christyan Churche there were neuer so manye in it so well furnished with Gods Giftes nor so well able oute of the holye Scriptures to deliuer the true waye of Saluation vnto his people as there are at this daye and I praye GOD make this Lande thankfull for it otherwise it will fall out to their heauy iudgemente Neuerthelesse I confesse that there be some that are to bee lamented some that are to bee prayde for and some for whom men are bounde in Conscience to giue GOD greate thankes for And therefore great vncharitablenesse is it to wrappe them all in one Sentence of Condemnation and contempte But the best canne looke for no better intertaynemente in these miserable latter dayes then beefore them the Prophets the Apostles and the Reuerende Fathers of the Primatiue Churche hadde in theyre tyme whiche doing their duetyes faythfullye and Godlye were notwithstanding burthened with most haynous and cruel crimes Yea that immaculate lambe of GOD Christe our Sauyour who in this place did and mighte iustlye saye Quis ex vobis arguit me de peccato c. Which of you canne rebuke mee of Sinne yet scaped not and was amonge men contemned as a Drunkarde as a Glutton as a Friend and fauourer of Publicanes and Sinners as a Coniuror and worker with Deuils as a seducer of the people as a Samaritane and Enimye to his Countrey as a Traytor and Aduersary to the Prince for Si hunc dimittis non esamicus Caesaris If you let this man go you are not Cesars friende Therefore if they did this to the Maister of the housholde the poore sillie seruauntes of the Familie maye not disdayne if they haue no better curtesye And yet the fault of them that so abuse them must needes bee verye greate whereof I haue nowe nexte to speake That is what blame they deserue whiche eyther maliciouslye or vntruelye or vppon anye other siâ—ister affection by false reportes seeke to discredite the Preachers of Gods worde And herein I will onelye note vnto you two or three poyntes wherewith they vniustly and maliciously burthen Bishoppes and other Preachers in these dayes to the discredite of the Gospell As for priuate euery seueral mens faults I will not medle withall If they be true they must needes bee greate burthens to oure Consciences if they bee false for my parte I smallye esteeme them and so woulde I wishe the other to doe Onelye I will touche those things wherewith the Doctrine is more blemished then we our selues discredited The firste thing is that they blame vs for that whiche oughte to bee our greatest commendation For if in our Sermons we deliuer the truth of Doctrine vnto the people of God and entring into anye controuersie of Religion somewhat zealouslye reprooue the erroures superstition and Idolatrye of late vsed in the Churche Oh saye some in some places and happilye in this place too What neede this vehemency in these matters these thinges bee banished by Lawe and by Authoritie of the Prince No manne dare auowe them no man thinketh nowe of the Supremacye of Roome of praying to Sayntes of praying for the deade of Pardones of Purgatorye of Images they are cleane out of mennes myndes I praye you Syâ— exhorte to Vertue and deterre from Vyce so Preache that you maye make vs the better lyuers Nowe GOD for his mercye sake giue vs that grace and poure into our hartes that mighte of his Spirite that nowe yet at the length after so many yeares oure wordes maye worke in theire hartes to that effect I pray God also that such speeches as they vse in this case proceede not rather of a loathing to heare true Doctrine caught then of a longing to learne better life For sure I am there were neuer Preachers in any age that either more directly or soundly according to the rules of Gods worde haue exhorted to vertue neuer more terribly and boldly thundred agaynste vyce and wickednesse then God be thanked a number haue done in this Church for the space of this 20 yeares And yet I muste tell you playnely I see as little fruite of that as I doe of Doctrine and lesse too For in Doctrine they make some pretence in amendment of life none at all And therefore seing both zeale of true doctrine decayeth study of Godly life nothing increaseth no maruayle though God eare it be long shew his heauy iudgementes agaynste vs. And this I must say farther to them that desyre vertue onely to be preached of and no doctrine that they shall neuer haue that vertuous and honest life that shal be acceptable in the sight of God vntill the perswasion of true fayth and righte religion be placed in their hartes For Without fayth it is impossible to please GOD and whatsoeuer is not of Fayth is sinne thoughe it seeme neuer so goodly in the sight of men Neither is there any other true fayth then that which is grounded vpon true doctrine out of the word of God For Fides ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God But happily these loathers of Doctrine and louers of vertue be of this opinyon that if a man liue well hee shall bee saued howe soeuer hee beleeue whether hee bee Jewe Turke Sarasin or Papiste for some there bee that thinke so Quorum damnatio iusta est Whose damnation is iust For if that should be so the wisdome of God hath greatly ouer reached it selfe the sonne of God tooke fleshe and dyed in vayn the scriptures are false our religion is voyde and our fayth is
Saint George they pray thus Hie nos saluet à peccatis vt in coelo cum beatis possimus qâ—iescere Let him saue vs from our sinnes that we may rest with the blessed in heauen And touching Saint Anne they say thus Deus qui beatam Annam matrem tuae genetricis fieri voluisti praesta quaesumus vt meritis vtriusque matris filiae regna caelestia consequamur O God thou which wouldest Saint Anne to become the mother of thy mother graunt we beseeche thee that by the merites of the mother and the daughter we may obtaine thy heauenly kingdome In thys you heare three Sauiours beside Christ and in like maner doe they acknowledge a thousande moe Secondly they say we haue remission of sinnes and saluation in parte by our owne Merites and good doynges For this writeth Gabriel Biel That the Passion of Christ may be the first and principall cause of attaining grace and opening the way to heauen Sed nunquam est totalis causa quia semper cum merito Christi concurrit aliquod meritum recipientis gratiam that is to say But it is neuer the whole cause for that euer there goeth with the merite of Christ some merite of him that receaueth grace What shall I say of Pardons of Pilgrimages of Purgatorie of holy Water and a number of other like Superstitions false errours by which not without blasphemie they matche transitorie things and vaine deuises of men with the most excellent price of our redemption the blood of Christ Iesu y e sonne of God our Sauiour exprefly contrarie to the holy ghost thus writing by Saint Peter Ye are not redeemed with transitorie things as with Golde or Siluer but with the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus As touching the third cause of Christes IncarnatioÌ„ that he being our only high Priest according to the order of Melchizodech hath once for euer offered himself vpon the Crosse purchased for vs eternall redeÌ„ption they impugne it wyth y â— most horrible doctrine of the propiciatorie sacrifice daily offered in the Masse wherin they teach that mortall sinfull men in a state of Priesthood succeede Christ continually offer the very reall naturall body of Christ to God the father for the remission of dayly sinnes not only of theÌ„ that CoÌ„municate but of them that looke on receaue not yea and of them that be absent and procure the same to be made eyther for money or otherwise aswell for themselues as other which is directly contrarie to the doctrine of the holy Ghost in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Where at large he prooueth that neither the Priesthood of Christ can haue any successioÌ„ nor his sacrifice any repetitioÌ„ without euident note of imperfection As concerning the fourth cause of Christes Incarnation that he is the only Maister and teacher of his Church and hath reuealed vnto vs the perfecte wyll of God and true waye of Saluation so that nowe after hym wee shoulde receaue no doctrine but that is vttered by the voyce of our hygh Sheeparde in his holye worde Yes sayeth the Churche of Rome there bee many weyghtie matters of necessitie of saluation to bee beleeued which Christ in hys written worde hath not deliuered vnto vs and the same to bee receaued wyth lyke reuerence that the written worde of God is Last of all the fifte cause of Christes Incarnation that he came to be the onely Head Ruler Gouernour and Directour of his Churche the Patrones of the Churche of Rome manifestly denye saying that Christ is in deede the onely heade for saluation but not for gouernment because the Pope is the Ministeriall heade and gouernour and directour of the vniuersall Churche wherein they manifestly alter the nature of Christes kingdome For whereas the kingdome of Christ is not of this worlde but a spirituall kingdome wherein by the word of God and the power of his holy spirite hee ruleth and raygneth in the heartes of true Christians the Pope hath transferred it to an earthly kingdome and Empyre by which as the Vicar of Christ he challengeth a vniuersall gouernment not onely ouer the Ecclesiasticall state but also ouer all Princes and gouernours of the earth This opposition and contrarietie of the doctrines of the Churche of Rome to the doctrine of y â— Gospell if you diligently marke and obserue you shall euidently see in them the spirite of Antichrist althoughe not grossely and playnely yet vndirectly and colourablye denying Christ to haue come in fleshe What shall I saye that the doctrine of that Churche dothe not onely disgrace the office of Chryst in the worke of our redemption but hys person also by brynging hys humanitie and the trueth of hys bodye in doubte whyle they teache that the verye naturall bodie of Christ is really in all places or in tenne thousand places at once that is in euerye host consecrated through out the whole worlde And what Christian knoweth not that it is the propertie of of God alone and of no creature bee it neuer so holye to bee in manye places at once Finallye I adde that the Churche of Rome teacheth corruptlye as touching Originall Sinne freewill and the grace of GOD Faith and Justification good workes and the merites of them the vse of the Sacramentes and almost of all doctrines touching Christian Religion Therefore I trust you nowe perceyue both the partes of my second proposition euidently proued that is that we sincerely confesse and teache in all true sense that Christ is come in fleshe and they doe not therefore accordyng to the wordes of my Theame I say vnto you If we teach you the truth why doe you not beleeue vs If it be the onely right way of saluation why is it not fauourably receaued and embraced If it be the glad tidings of the Gospell sent by God vnto you why are the Messengers thereof disdayned and contemned People that doe feare God heare the worde of God with reuerence and not onely heare it with the eares but faithfully beleeue it in the hart and not onely beleeue it but constantly abyde in it not onely themselues to abyde in it but by all meanes they can to labour to drawe other to it and to represse all such as eyther reuolte from it themselues or seeke to disgrace or discredite it in others God is not more displeased with any thing than with the contempt of his word and Ministers Thus sayth the Lord by Ieremie in y t 6. chap. reprouing the obstinacie of his people Stand in the wayes and behold aske for the olde way which is the good way and walke therin and there you shall finde rest for your soules but they said we wil not walk therin Also I set watchmen ouer you which said take heede to the sounde of the Trumpet but they said we will not take heede But consider what God addeth immediatly Heare O earth saith he beholde I will cause a plague to come vpon
this people euen the fruite of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heede vnto my wordes nor vnto my law but haue cast it of And in the last Chap. of the. 7. of the Chronicles it is thus written The Lord God of their fathers hath sent vnto them by his Messengers rising vp earely and sending for he had compassion on his people and of his habitation but they mocked the Messengers of God and misused his Prophetes vntill the wrath of the Lord rose against his people and till there was no remedie for he brought vpon them the King of the Chaldees who slewe their yong men with the sworde c. God of his great goodnes hath sundry times sent into this land his Messengers and Preachers of his Gospell and principally these twentie yeeres last past in which time the sounde of Gods holy worde hath continually roong in the eares of men yet was the loue of the Gospell neuer so colde as euen at this day nor the hartes of English men so ready to reuolt from it It is lamentable to vnderstande howe in all partes of the Realme those Papistes whiche before time appeared to be somewhat afrayde and sought by all meanes to hyde themselues doe now openly shew themselues and desire to be knowne to be as they are What their hope or expectation is the Lord knoweth but surely it is full time that hir Maiestie and hir most Honourable Counsell as they feare God and loue his truth doe speedily looke vnto it otherwise vndoubtedly the inconuenience will be greater than by authoritie will be easily stayde The care hereof I leaue to them whome God hath sette in place of Gouernement only I thought it my duetye being appoynted a watchman in the Church of God to sounde the Trumpet in this place and to giue warning that the bloud of them that perish be not required at my hande and withall moste humbly and hartilye praye vnto almighty God that with the grace of his holy spirite he will so direct strengthen the minds of them whose principall charge this is that that may be done which moste tendeth to the glory of God and maintenance of his truth and to the good state and preseruation of this our naturall Countrey Amen ¶ The speciall contentes of this Booke of Sermons reduced into a necessarie Table of Common places A. Acknowledge THe way to acknowledge God in man Folio 192. Meanes to make those acknowlege a God which do altogither deny him Folio 191 Whoso can not acknowledge God in him selfe can not be sayd to be a man Folio 193 Properties which can not but be known in God if we doe acknowledge him but only in his creatures Folio 193 Afflictions ¶ That afflictions doe no whitte discredit the power of the Gospell Folio 7 Howe the godlie doe stay them selues in afflictions so that they may not fal froÌ„ Christ c. Folio 200 Afflictions are layde vpon the righteous to trie them withall Folio 174. 175. 176. B. Baptisme ¶ Fruitful doctrines of the Protestantes concerning Baptisme Folio 30. 31 Papisticall vntruthes and abuses concerning Baptisme Folio 31 Benefite ¶ How we are to apply the benefit of the comming of Christ in the flesh euery man to himselfe Folio 92. 93 The Church of Rome impugneth the doctrine of applying the benefites of Christs merits by faith c. Folio 94. 95. 96 C. Calling ¶ Ordinarie authoritie or calling is no iust proofe of true Doctrine Folio 74 The Prophetes extraordinarily set vp by God to reprooue the abuses of their ordinarie calling Folio 75 Vnder the clothing of ordinarie calling the wolfe is descried and how Folio 76 Christ. ¶ Christ only is our aduocate and mediatour Folio 231 Christ only is our redeemer Folio 231 Christ only is our priest to sacrifize for vs which he hath done once for all Folio 232 Christ is our only instructour Folio 232 Christ is the only hed of the Church Folio 233 Why Christ of necessitie was to be both God and Man c. Folio 140 Why Christ shoulde necessarily bee man 140. Folio 141 Christ hath no partakers in any of his offices Folio 233 Suche as doe but a little close with the worlde are and stande in daunger of treason to Christ. Folio 200. 201 The Papists wil haue Christ to be a demi Sauiour Folio 237. 238. 239. c. Church ¶ Christe compareth the Church to husbandrie Folio 177 Why the Spirite of God compareth the Church to husbandrie Folio 178 The name of the Church abused by the Wolues Folio 77 The inuisible Church consisting of the elect Folio 20 Of the visible Church and the descriptioÌ„ of the same Folio 20 The Church of Christ is tyed to no place Fol. Folio 21 The number of the Church may be smal Fol. Folio 21 None are openly of the Church but such as are called thereto by Gods worde Fol. Folio 21 The corrupt liues and foule vices of the fathers of the Church of Rome detected c. Folio 98 Faith doth ingraffe vs into the Church Fol. Folio 21 The Church of Rome a Monster hauing three heads at once Folio 102 The Church of Rome hath not in it the tokens of the true Church Folio 23 What Church is most likely to haue false interpretations Folio 39 The markes of the Church Folio 22 23 The increase of the Church by Martyrdome shewed in a similitude Folio 182 Of dissolutenesse of life in the Churche of Rome c. Folio 47 The Papistes obiect the visible state of their Churche to proue it the true Church Folio 42 Gods true Churche may bee and yet not appeare generally visible Folio 43 That may seeme to vs the true Churche which is not Folio 43 Examples prouing a Churche and yet not visible c. Folio 43. 44. 45 The inuisible state of the Churche since the Apostles dothe not prooue the Church to be no true Church Folio 45 Comming ¶ What it is to denie Christes Comming in the flesh and that in two sorts Folio 235 Papistes and not Protestants denye Christes Comming in the fleshe and how Folio 235 The causes of Christes Comming in the flesh Folio 230 The generall and particular causes of Christes Comming in the flesh Folio 230 The faithfull Iewes did eate and drinke spiritually the Body and Bloud of Christ before hys reall Comming in the flesh c. â—35 A place ymagined where the dead did rest before the Comming of Christ Folio 132 Common weales All Common weales are not to be tyed to one forme of gouernement Folio 218 To be disturbers of Common weales c. is no new slander nor now first obiected against gods true ministers Folio 219 Contempt Considerations concerning Christ which maketh mans carnall reason to haue him in Contempt Folio 2 The more excellent that meÌ„ are in carnall reason onely the more is theys Contempt of Christ Folio 2 Contempt of Godlynesse of life can not stande with the acknowledging of a God Folio 191 The Contempt of