obedience But as touching our spiritual Hiericho Iosuah suffered nothing to stand he burnt houses and palaces and killed man woman child cattel without mercy altogether For so God had giuen him in commandement and so is it often written of him that where the Lord gaue any people into his hands he left nothing remayning no were it neuer so little Of this pollicie Moses speaketh If you wil not driue out the inhabitaÌ„ts of the land before you theÌ„ those which ye let remaine of them shalbe pricks in your eies thornes in your sides shall vexe you in the land wherein ye dwell Destroy not some onely to leaue some you shall leaue nothing no not a little If you doe leaue you breake the commandement of God In religion no part is to be called little A heare is but little yet it hath a shadowe In the bodie a little disquiet is oftentimes cause of death The Ciniphes were but litle yet are thei reckoned among the great plagues of God Metellus a noble man of Rome by receiuing a haere in his milke was choked with it died thereof Some thinges are smal and do no hurt some things though they be smal do great hurt Therefore doth God straightly charge his people to keepe the law saying Thou shalte not turne awaye from it neither to the right hand nor to the left And S. Paul saith A litle leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe I speake not this because I thinke nothing at al may be left to any special purpose For eueÌ„ in Hiericho where was made a general destruction God himselfe commanded that all siluer gold and vessels of brasse iron should be saued not saued only but be brought into the Lords treasurie How be it the things that may bee reserued must not be dust or chaffe or hay or stubble but gold and siluer yron and brasse I meane they may not be things meet to furnish and mainteine superstition but such thinges as be strong and may serue either directly to serue God or els for comelines and good order Such thinges may be reserued notwithstanding they came out of the spoyle of Hiericho Now to stay the restoring of Hiericho many good wayes may be deuised For our consideration at this present and because the time is farre spent I will name onely foure vnto you The first Maintenaunce of schooles learning Secondly vnderstanding of the cause that is that euery man may consider what hee hath left what he hath receyued out of what darknes into what light he is come Thirdly kindnes towards God thaÌ„kfulnes Fourthly the discipline of y e church With these 4. by gods grace we may keepe Hiericho from restoring Of eche of these a few words so I wil end That learning and knowledge is able to hinder the builders of Hiericho it is so playne that it needeth no speech In the time of Moses Law Aaron the great Bishop and high Priest had writteÌ„ in a tablet before his brest doctrine and truth not onely learning but also trueth wherby was meant that neither might be without other For as learning is daungerous and hurtfull without religion so is religion vnable to defend it selfe and to conuince the gaine sayers without learning For this cause the Heathen when they erected temples in the honour of their gods did also builde libraries that is places to keepe bookes that by such meanes their priests might grow in knowledge be better able to perswade others to their religion Strabo writeth of the Smyrnians that they builte a temple in the honour of Homer and ioyned therto a library Augustus the Emperour built a temple and also a library in the honour of Apollo Traianus in like maner built a library and called it Ulpia after his own name At Rome in the Capitol where al y t gods â—ad a solemn place for to be worshipped in there was also placed a library Athens was a famous Uniuersitie had many colledges and schooles â—f learning Academia Sâ—oa Lycâ—um Canopus Pritanneum Tempe Cynosura in whiche places were diuers sects of Philosophers Such were â—n Persia the wise men whom they called Maâ—i in Babylon the Chaldees in India Brachmaâ—es in Aethiopia Gimnosophistae in Fraunce and England Druides others in other countries In al times y t kings princes which did set forth religion were also builders of schooles and colleges auaÌ„cers of learning The people of Israel were neuer in better state as P. Phagius a â—earned man noteth out of their story then wheÌ„ they had in euery towne village Bathe chenesioth and Bathe medraschoth that is Synagogues wherein they assembled together and places to preach in The same Phagius reporteth of Hierusalem that there were in it more then 4. hundred common schooles Synagogues in which y â— Law of God was taught The Patriarke Iacob was called Minister domus doctrinae a Minister of the house of learning because he applied himself to the knowledge of y e law of god to godlines The Prophets of God had their schooles to breed vp vnder them such as might after their death draw y e people from idolatrye and resist the false Prophets They which were so taught by them were called Filij Prophetarum The sonnes of the Prophetes Samuel taught in such sort at Rama Elias and Elizeus the Prophetes in suche sorte taught the Law of God besides Hiericho Saint Iohn the Euangelist taught at Ephesus and Eusebius reporteth out of Philo that S. Marke had at Alexandria sundrye schollers which gaue themselues to reading and reasoning and expounding of the Scriptures Others did the like at Antioche and at other places Out of such schooles it pleased God to take many excellent men and place them in his Church as Origen Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius Basilius Nazianzenus Chrysostomus Hieronimus Ambrosius Augustinus who were brought vp in al kind of learning and became shyning starres bright lightes in the house of God notable defenders of religion ouerthrowers of idols and confounders of Heretikes ChristiaÌ„ princes herein haue witnessed their zeale in setting foorth the glory of God After Charles y e great had made his notable conquests he erected fiue famous Uniuersities one at Paris another at Tolouse another at Papia another at Padua another at Prage Suidas reporteth of Leo the Emperour Cum aliquaÌ„do Eulogio PhiloÌ„sopho stipendium dari iussisset c. WheÌ„ Leo on a time coÌ„manded that Eâ—logius a Philosopher shold haue his princely reward a noble maÌ„ of his court saide that that money would be better employed for maintenance of souldiers Nay saith hee I would rather it might be brought to passe in my time that the wages whiche are nowe bestowed vpon souldiers might bee giuen to mainteyne Philosophers Alexander Seuerus so highly esteemed that famous and notable Lawyer Vlpian that when certain of his souldiers ran fiercely vpon Vlpian purposing to slay him the Emperor stept
CERTAINE Sermons preached before the Queenes Maiestie and at Paules crosse by the reuerend father IOHN IEVVEL late Bishop of Salisburie Whereunto is added a short Treatise of the Sacraments gathered out of other his sermons made vpon that matter in his cathedrall Church at Salisburie Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie 1583 To the right honorable Sir William Cicil Knight Lorde high Treasorer of England and to the right honorable L. Robert Dudley Earle of Leicester two of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsaile most worthie Chauncelours of both the Vniuersities Oxforde and Cambridge VNtrue reportes and sclaunders can neither giue falsehoode any credite among the wise nor disgrace the due estimation of the trueth Howbeit it seemeth there are some which hope it will turne them to no small aduauntage if to other their secrete and wicked practises they ioyne a sleyght of ill speaking of sclaundering the writings the godly sayings the life and the death of those whome it hath pleased God to vse to the setting forth of his Gospel and thereby to the great comfort of his people Among others vpon whom this hath bene practised they haue made some especiall choice of the late Bishop of Salisburie a man of famous memorie whose life and death is truely and syncerely written by M. Doctour Humfrey Howsoeuer they dealt vncharitably with him in his life Christian and godly discretion would they should spare to reproche the dead Or if not so yet in wisedome they might foresee that when matters are called to tryall such things cannot passe for currant lawfull wherof some due proofe hath not bene yeelded Yet as though the discredit of that one man who in great humilitie did acknowledge himselfe inferiour to many godly fathers then liuing in this Church of England were ynough for them to ouerthrowe all that whole worke which the Almightie God hath by his right hand and strong arme established they deliuer by tradition certaine false obseruations of his either simple or negligent or wilfull and malicious gathering and abusing the holy Scriptures of God and the auncient writings of the Fathers It is a harde thing for him that speaketh much to speake nothing worthy iust reprehension But it is much harder to escape the reprehension of corrupt Iudges euen when he shal speake most vprightly His defence is abroade published by himselfe And notwithstanding the endeuour of a learned aduersarie was to empeache it yet by his last and a moderate answere he auouched it good and approued his plaine and syncere dealing to the consciences of all men Whom it may please to vnderstande after what sort he prepared himselfe to the accomplishment of those two notable bookes of the defence of the Apologie and the Replie which are as two double Canons prepared for the battery of errour and superstition must needes confesse his diligence and reuerent proceeding in such cause to haue bene such as for which he may well be compared with any whomsoeuer the former or this present age hath thought therefore worthie commendation For besides his aduised obseruation of all such things as in the aduersaries bookes deserued answere and besides that he disposed a summarie and full collection of such matter as he would vse for the disproofe of the same the which he conceiued in short notes this may be a notable testimonie that he had purpose to set downe the aucthorities out of the Fathers and the quotations truely and playnely whereas in times before hee had gathered sundrie bookes of common places out of the Greeke and Latine and later writers he did peruse a fresh the authors themselues and made euery where in them speciall markes for the difference of such places whereofhee made choyce Those were all drawen forth and layde to their themes by certeine scholers who wrote them out by such direction as he had giuen vnto them So reuerent regard had he to do the worke of the Lord and to defend the trueth faithfully With like reuerence also did he in all places where he was occasioned to preach handle the word of God Albeit his giftes of reading and vnderstanding memorie were great yet it appeareth he did seldome or neuer deliuer any exposition vpon any peece of scripture before any Congregation in the meanest parish of the countrie but vpon diligent studie and whereof he drewe his notes In this his care Gods prouidence wrought mercifully for his Church that so there might be some way to deliuer in common vnto all the fruites of those godly trauailes which he gaue forth to some one especiall part of the Church Hereby it is that these his Sermons preached before her Maiestie and at Paules crosse come nowe to the reading of all such before whome they were once spoken to seeke that of them in true practise of Christian religion for which they were in their times vttered Why I make choyce of these among so many so excellent his sermons pronounced in those places if any be curious to aske let him aduisedly consider the state of Gods Church amongst vs in these dayes and bestowe his paynes to reade these which are offered to his Christian iudgement and then make to himselfe a charitable answere And if at such seuerall times as that reuerende father in the feare of God moued his petitions before the conscience either of her highnesse or of your honors or of any others the good children and seruantes of God he were so well acquitted that he was thought to speake vprightly in true zeale for the aduauncement of Gods glorie and like a wise buylder of the house of God no doubt in this rehearsall of them altogether they shall worke that wholsome effect if through the assistance of Gods holy spirite they be considered now with as great diligence as hee was then heard with good attention Your honours haue wel declared that you measured not your louing affection to him by the short terme of his life which giueth great hope that his humble requestes so many as are to craue ayde and furtherance of aucthoritie shall in good time be preferred They are such as shew how desirous he was to see the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem and that the kingdome of God might neuer againe be taken away from vs. He sheweth what thinges they are by which this may bee brought to passe that among all the meanes which mans wisedome can prouide next to the high meanes of princely authoritie the chiefest is that all particular Churches may bee furnished with sufficient learned and godly Ministers and therefore that tender due care be had to encrease the nomber of them Their seruice is most needeful in the ouerthrowe of Iericho the citie which God will haue destroyed and in the buylding vp vnto God his Temple at Ierusalem The care which Magistrates take hereof and that laborers may be sent into the Lordes haruest which may defende the cause of Christ against those which charge
forth and set himself between the body of Vlpian and the furie of the souldiers and couered him with his own roabes that the souldiers might know how careful he was for the good estate of Vlpiā As also for the contrarie such as haue practised cruelty vpon learned men and haue hated knowledge are worthely discommended in the stories of all ages I told you before of that wicked Apostata Iulian how he forbad y t Christiās should bring vp their childrē in learning Such an enemie to knowledge was also Licinius the Emperour who called learning the poison and ouerthrowe of common weales The like is reported of Caligula Caracalla and Domitianus that either they vtterly hated all maner of learning or had some special malice against y e writinges of some one notable man and therefore sought to destroy them Such was the policy of Satan so thought he to get the vpper hande to restore againe his wicked Hiericho And were these the practises of Heathē princes onely May not we remember the like attempts wrought in our daies Who wil cal to minde the time that is not farre past shal finde that this ignoraunt Hiericho had many friends who by all meanes drew men from knowledge they gaue liberty rather to doe any thing thē to seeke vnderstanding and yet suffered rather the vse and reading of fabulous vncleane writers then of the holy scriptures and bookes whiche carried fruitful instruction Good letters and studie to increase knowledge are not to be neglected Such as presume of Gods spirit ouer boldely that without their endeuour to vse the wholesome meanes which he hath left vnto his Church they shal and do by special inspiration vnderstand his wil do tempt God The prophet Dauid prayed for the presēce of Gods spirit but to the purpose he might take profite fruit of his reading in the law of God Therfore he saith Open mine eies that I may see the wonders of thy law and giue me vnderstanding and I wil keepe thy law And againe encline mine heart vnto thy testimonies S. Paul taught y e Corinthians That no mā cā say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost And in y e 2. Chapter of his first Epistle saith Now we haue receiued not the spirit of the world but the spirt which is of god that we might know the things y t are giuen to vs of god This spirit prepared the heart of Paul yet sent him to Ananias that by him it might be tolde him what he should do This spirit prepared the hearts of the Eunuch of Cornelius yet sent vnto thē Phillip and Peter to open the scriptures vnto them Lydia heard Paul the Lord opened her heart that shee attended vnto the things that Paul spake I haue planted saith he Apollos watred but god gaue the increase Thus are we taught not to forsake the helps of reading of hearinge and such like yet to know that neither of them can settle vs vnto godlinesse without the especiall grace of Gods spirit Augustin saith wel Non verbis hominis fit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The wordes of man doe not cause that Gods worde is vnderstoode God giueth the vnderstanding thereof And Chrysostome vpon these wordes of the Apostle Suche trust haue we through christ to god not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiēcy is of god saith Hoc est non it a dicebam fiduciam habemus vt id partim sit nostrum partim sit deised totū illi tribuo acceptumque fero that is I did not so say we haue trust y t this work is partly ours partly gods but I allow it yeelde it wholly vnto God The consideration hereof putteth vs in mind to ioyne humble and heartye prayer to our diligent reading hearing y t God wil giue vs vnderstanding and knowledge Nowe to conclude this first remedy whereby Hiericho may bee kept from buylding we may say that of the vse of good learning which S Augustine speaketh against those that charge the scriptures with vnnecessary speeches Solo vomere terra proscinditur sed vt hoc fieri possit etiam caetera aratri membra sunt necessaria The share onelie renteth the grounde but to helpe this woorke the other partes of the plough are also needeful We say eloquence and other liberal artes are to be likened to that part of the Carpenters wimble which turneth about goeth rounde and by litle and litle draweth in the iron or steele bit The wooden handle entreth not into the wood but wreatheth in the pearser so do these artes if they be rightly vsed further the vnderstanding of the worde of God This vse Lactantins seemed to seeke when he said Vellem mihi dari eloquentiam vel quia magis credant homines ornatae veritati vel vt ipsi suis armis vincantur I would gladly haue the gift of eloquence either because mē might giue better credit to the trueth when it is beautified or els because the heathen may the sooner bee ouercome with their owne weapons And in another place he sheweth that this eloquence must serue and wayte vpon the wisedome of God Circumliniatur poculum coe lestis sapientiae melle vt intelligamus nō hominē loqui sed Deum Let the cup of your speech be seasoned with y ◠hony of Gods wisdome that we may know it is god that speaketh and not man Where this is not done but men giue them selues rather to bee curious in hearing eloquence and pleasantnes of speach then desirous to learne the trueth the woorde of God becommeth vnfruitfull as it is to bee feared in many that they litle account of the Gospell of Christ but seeke to please their itchinge eares with fantasies of men Augustine sayeth to such Bonorum ingeniorum insignis est indoles in verbis verum amare non verba Quid enim prodest clauis aurea si aperire quod volumus non potest aut quid obest lignaea si hoc potest quando nihil aliud quaerimus nisi vt pateat quod clausum est Such as be of good dispositiō seek not after words but after y e trueth For what auaileth a key of gold if it cānot open y t we wold haue opened what hurteth a key of wood if it can opē seing we desire no other thing but that it be opened vnto vs which is shut The seconde let or stay that Hiericho bee not restored is that the people may bee instructed why it was ouerthrowne why God hath cursed thē that shal seeke to restore it This knowledge is a singular gift of god When the Lord declared his fauour towardes Israel amonge other his speciall mercies hee spake in this sort This shall be the couenant that I wil make with the house of Isarel after those dayes I will put my
to discharge them out of their enemies handes for euer The Iewes notwithstanding they had so gracious a graunt of their king yet many of them would not returne home but made their aboade euen there among their enemies in Babylon and the most part of them that were returned fell to building of their owne houses and left the house of God vnbuilded so soone they had forgotten Gods mercy towardes them In the time of their trouble they cryed out If I shrinke from God I pray God shrinke from me But beinge restored home and at libertie they sayde as the Prophet heere reporteth Nondum uenit tempus c. The time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded They saw they had many enemies on euerie side the matter it selfe was marueylous weightie and to their iudgementes almost impossible They had begunne before vnder kynge Cyrus and because the matter was then dashe and their enimies preuayled against them they were vtterly discouraged and cast into dispayre Wherefore god spake to them by the Prophet Aggaeus Is it time for your selues to dwel in your seeled houses and this house lye wast Haue you found le asure to set vp furnish your owne house can you neglect the restoring of my house My house I say in which my Lawe hath bene read and preached to you where your Fathers haue made mee sacrifices towardes which house you turned your faces whensoeuer you prayed vnto me in Babylon and were heard Therfore sayth the Lord. Ye haue sowen much bring in litle ye eate but yet haue not ynough ye looked for much loe it came to litle and when you brought it home I dyd blow it out You set your ioye vppon vaine things and the same shal deceiue you This place of the Prophet Aggaeus I haue thought good to apply to the present state of our time For as then the citie of Hierusalem was miserably rased and the Temple of god burnt downe by heathens euen so hath it fared in time lately past with the Churche of Christe here amonge vs. And as then God mollified softened the heart of the king Darius for the deliuery of his people euen so of his great mercie hath he nowe stirred vp a most noble vertuous Ladie our soueraigne Queene Elizabeth for the same purpose And as then there were many that set light by Gods benefites and thought it meete ynough for him to waite vpon their leisure euen so I pray God the same securitie be not founde in vs at this time I pray God there be none of vs that make light of Gods grace and say in our heartes Nondum venit tempus c. The time is not yet come that the Lords house should be builded 1 Wherfore first I wil proue by Gods grace that our Churche hath bene ouergrowne with errours and abuses as then the temple of Hierusalem was defaced by the Caldees 2 Secondly I will shewe what thinges they be that doo stay men from reedifying of this Temple 3 Last of all after what sorte this Churche ought to be builded and so I wyl leaue you to God Prayers Touching the first parte I shall not neede many wordes for God hath in our dayes sufficiently reuealed and we haue seene the state of the Church in time past And indeed the errors abuses haue bene so grosse that who so cānot see them with his eyes yet may feele and grope them with his fingers Yet because I knowe some are not throughly perswaded heerein but thinke that the church of Rome hath euermore bene pure and without spot and some others in their writinges call it the rule of the trueth that whatsoeuer that Church sayth whatsouer it be must needs be true as Siluester sayth it is Infallibilis regula a rule that neuer deceiueth Some set it aboue the word of god as the same Syluester A doctrina Ecclesiae Romanae Romani Pontificis sacra scriptura robur trahit authoritatē The holy scripture taketh force authority of y t doctrin of the church Bishop of Rome And as Cusanus Sequuntur Scripturae Ecclesiā non è conuerso The scriptures follow the church not on the contrary part y t church followeth y ◠scriptures Others say Impossibile haereticari c. It is not possible he should fall into heresies whiche foloweth the church of Rome some others sai y t if christ his Apostles were aliue they were not able to rule the church in better sort then it is now ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Thus some schoole doctors haue written I am able to aleadge mine authors Therfore I must of force stād vpō this matter a litle not because I think it needfull but y ◠al men may be satisfied First Christ our sauiour as he foreshewed the prosperous course of the gospell y t it should bee preached throughout y e world y t the gates of hel should not be able to withstand it so he his Apostles forwarned also the ruine decay of y ◠Church y t in so many places and in so plaine wordes that no man can doubt of it or deny it For Christ alleadging the prophet Daniel sayth that abomination should sitte in the holy place and that there shoulde be such confusion and disorder that if it were possible the very elect should be peruerted He sayth that when he shall come to iudge there shal scarsely be found faith in the world Paul likewise sayth that the man of sinne that is such a one as in all thinges should be contrary to Christe and is called Antichrist shoulde sitte in the temple of God and beare hymselfe as if hee were God in deede Daniel sayth The trueth shal be cast downe to the grounde And to Timothie Paul sayeth In the latter times some shall depart frō the faith and shall giue heede to spirites of error doctrins of deuils S. Peter saith Ther shal be false teachers among you And where saith Christ I beseech you consider where saith Christ this horrible desolation should be among y ◠turks or Iewes no but in the holy place Wher shal y e son of man scarsely finde faith wher shall the very elect stande in doubt what they may beleeue amōg y e heathēs or infidels No but in the church Wher saith S. Peter shalbe y e masters of lies wher saith Daniel shall the truth be troden downe where sayth S. Paul shal y e mā of sin perch settel behaue himself as if he were very god among the heathen No no good brethren but in templo Dei In the Temple of God in the very Church among thē that should beare the name of Christ But forasmuch as it cannot be doubted among christian men that Christ his Apostles appointed y e church in their time in such sort as no better could be deuised let vs cōpare the church of late time
saieth the Lord. There be certain bookes of our Lord vnto the authority whereof eche parte agreeth eche part beleeueth eche part yeeldeth there let vs seeke for the Churche thereby let vs examine and trye our matters This is the Rocke vppon whiche Christ hath builte his Churche against this Rocke the gates of Hell shall not preuayle Augustine speaketh this in a prety allusion Non me aedificabo super te sed te aedificabo super me I will not builde my selfe vppon thee but I wil builde thee vppon mee The same affirmeth Hierome Basil Cyril Hillarius and other the auncient writers It woulde bee too long to alleage any more onely I will recite vnto you Lyraes iudgement of these woordes more for that hee was one that fauoured our Aduersaries then for the weight of his authoritie Super hanc petram sayeth hee id est super Christum Vpon this rock that is vpō Christ ex quo patet quod Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis c. Wherby it is manifest that the Church is not among men by reason of any Ecclesiasticall or Seculare authoritie or dignitie because many Princes and chiefest Bishoppes haue forsaken the faith therefore the Church resteth in those persons in whō are to be found true knowledge the confession of faith acknowledging of the trueth Wherefore the foundation of this building wherupon all the whole worke must rest must be Christ and his holy word for as Saint Paul saith No man can lay an other foundation then that which is layde already Iesus Christ The Emperour Domitian pretending a refourming of the Empire which afore his time Tyberius Caligula Nero and other wicked Emperours had spoyled and defaced asked a Philosopher one Apollonius Tyanaeus what order were best to be taken therein Apollonius made him aunsweare Sir if it please your Maiestie you must doe as the Musition had his Schollers doe Howe is that sayde Domitian Marye Sir quoth Apollonius there was a cunning Musition that set his Schollers to an ignoraunte and homelye minstrell to learne musicke of him but before hee sent them out hee gaue them this Lesson whatsoeuer you see your Maister doe see that you auoyde it he is vnlearned and his Lessons and manner of fingering nought therefore see you doe the contrary Euen so may I say whatsoeuer we see that they haue done that were our later fathers before vs that haue destroyed Christes Church let vs remember to doe the contrary Their foundation as you know and as they themselues confesse is ignoraunce let our foundation be Christ and knowledge of Gods word They haue pulled the Scriptures out of the peoples heades and handes that no man might see their doings Let vs exhort all men as S. Chrysostome Origen and other holy fathers did to reade the Scriptures that all the worlde may see our doings They buyld Gods worde vpon the Church let vs as Paule doth teach vs buyld the Church vppon Gods word They contrary to God contrary to his word haue made the Bishop of Rome supreame head of the Church contrary I say to the worde of God haue they made him supreme head of al the Church These are not my wordes but S. Gregorie who was himselfe a bishop of Rome saith of them Piae leges venerandae Sinodi ipsa Domini nostri Iesu mandata superbi atque pompatici cuiusdam sermonis inuentione turbantur The godly lawes the reuerend Synodes and the very commandements of our Lord Iesu are broken by the inuention of a certain proud and pompous name And thereof as Gregorie himselfe testifieth hath ensued Vniuersa pernicies An vniuersal destruction Marke I beseeche you and let it not out of your remembrance They say this is the key of the Church that one be the head of it to rule it and to gouerne and keepe in vnity all the rest But Gregorie which was himselfe a Bishoppe of Rome saith it is Vniuersa pernicies A generall corruption and plague of the Church Let vs according to Gods woorde according to the Canons knowe that as Cyprian saith Vnus est Episcopatus cuius a singulis in solidum pars tenetur There is but one Byshopricke part wherof is holden in whole of euery seueral Bishoppe And as Hierome saith Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Engubij fiue Constantinopoli siue Rhegij siue Alexandriae siue Tanais eiusdem meriti eiusdem est sacerdotij Whersoeuer there be a Bishop be it at Rome be it at Eugubium be it at Constantinople be it at Rhegium be it at Alexandria be it at Tanais they are al of one worthines they are al of one priesthood They set the Pope aboue kings princes against Gods word Let vs know that according to Gods worde euery soule must be subiect to y ◠higher powers In these things in al other the like in which they forsake y e paterne original in which they doe cōtrary to the scriptures to Christ and his Apostles contrary to the practise of the Primitiue Church and contrary to the sound iudgement of the auncient Catholike fathers grounded vpon the worde of God let vs remember whatsoeuer they do or haue done to doe the contrary For it is not possible by what meanes things haue growen to corruption that by the same meanes they shall euer bee wel restored againe After the Temple was builded or was in building and rearing Esdras the Prophete read the Lawe of GOD and sacrificed Oxen sheepe and Lambes and the people wepte in consider action that they and their fathers had so vnkindly offended God and deserued so extreamely to be punished at his hande So the good king Iosias after he had founde the booke of the Lawe and sawe howe highly both he and his fathers had offended God hee fell a weeping for the consideration of Gods greate benefites and our owne vnwoorthinesse canseth vs to mourne at the sight of our owne vnkindenesse Then they turned 〈◊〉 GOD repented themselues of their wickednesse and left suche vanities as they had walked in before So Christ our Sauiour when he began to preache the Gospell and to spreade abroade the vnspeakeable treasure of our saluation called vs first to repentance and said Poenitentiam agite appropinquauit enim regnum coelorum Repentye for the kingdō of God is at hād Zachaeus when he had receiued Christ to his table repented him of his excortion and made restitution Then Iesus sayd vnto him This day is saluatiō come vnto this house forasmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham So the Christian men in the beginning repented themselues and changed their whole life therfore were called Saintes as S. Paul vseth in many places to name them Vocatis Sanctis to those which are called Saints And sanctis qui sunt Corinthi To the Saintes which are at Corinth Plinie being a heathen and set by the Emperour to enquire of Christian men made report in
performance of the same The Quenes most honourable counsaile with the residue of the noblitie The miserable state of both the Uniuersities all other schooles of learning the onely nurceries of this Realme The Byshops and preachers that the number of them may bee encreased and that they may haue grace to set foorth the trueth of Gods Gospell as their dutie is diligentlye soberly sincerely truely and faithfully And the whole commons of this Realme especially such as speake yll or thinke ill of Gods holy word that they may haue grace to regarde the saluation of their soules to laye afide all blinde affection to heare the woorde of God and so to come to the knowledge of the trueth Who so list to peruse either the whole course of the Scriptures or other stories and recordes of antiquitie shall finde that the messengers of God such as haue bene sent of purpose to giue knowledge of his holy wyll haue at all tymes bene vnkindely receiued of the more parte and sclaunderously reported of and whatsoeuer they haue sayde or done hath bene falsly depraued turned to the worst Moses that godly Captayne notwithstandynge hee were purposely called and sent from God and in his name wrought many strange wonders befor the people yet were there some that saide hee was a Sorcerer and whatsoeuer he did he did by way of coniuration The Religion of the Jewes was the true worship of the onely God Yet Plinie sayth it was contemptus omnium numinum The despising of all the goddes The Jewes suffered no images to be in their Churches because God had forbiddē them Yet Cornelius Tacitus saith They worship their god in forme of an asse Others said they worship a god whome they call Sobaoth in the shape and fashion of a hogge and that therfore they were forbidden to eate swines flesh Others that they worship Saturnus because they were commaunded to keepe holy the Saturday The wicked and cruell Aman to bringe the people of God into hatred with the king Assuerus made his complaint of them in this wise May it please your Maiestie sayth he to vnderstande you haue a people here in your realme that vseth a new kinde of religion and wyll not be ordered by your graces lawes When the godly prynce Cyrus had giuen Esdras and Nehemias leaue to builde vp againe the Church of God at Hierusalem there came diuers to him and had him take good heede for that the Jewes were his enemies and euer had hene traitours to his crowne Lykewise after that Christ our Sauiour had ascended into heauen and the holy Ghoste was powred downe vpon the Apostles and they began to speake diuers tongues that they neuer had learned the enemies disdainefully scorned at the giftes of God and sayde Musto pleni sunt isti These men be drunken and full of newe wine And therfore they talke they knowe not what When Paul and the other Apostles taught free remission of sinnes without any goodnesse or desert of our partes onely of Gods mercye and in the blood of Christ the enemies iested at that kinde of learning and said faciamus mala vt veniant bona then if Gods mercie bee declared by forgiuenes of sinnes Let vs doo euill that good may come therof Let vs continue in sinne that grace may abound Because the Christians in the ministration of the holy Communion vsed bread and wine some saide they worshipped not Christ but Bacchus and Ceres goddes of the heathens Wheras the Christian men soone after the Apostles time vsed to resorte together in the night time or in the morning before daye into some priuate house there to call vpon the name of God and to receiue the sacrament together for feare of the crueltie of tyrantes the enemies reported that beinge thus together they killed a childe amongst them and so deuoured vp his flesh and dranke his blood and after put out the lights and so committed incest and adulterie one with another But what needeth moe examples Because wee saye that iustification standeth onely vpon the free grace and mercy of God the aduersaries report that we forbid good workes And because we speake against superstition vsed in fasting as before vs did Esay Paul and Christe himselfe they report that wee woulde haue no fasting And because we reproue the errours and abuses in the maner of prayer they say we would not haue the people to pray And because we restore the sacraments to the first institution of our Sauiour Christe and the example of the primatiue Church they say wee take away the Sacraments This is Gods holy wyl that for our exercise whatsoeuer we say or doe be it neuer so well it shall bee ill taken Iulian the apostata founde fault with the simplicitie and rudenes of Gods word Tertullian saith the heathens in the time of the primatiue Church were wont to painte out in mockery the God of the Christians with an asses head and a booke in his hand in token that the Christians professed learnynge but indeede were Asses rude and ignorant And do not out aduersaries the lyke this day agaynst all those that professe the Gospell of Jesus Christ O saye they who are they that fauour this way none but Shoomakers Taylours Weauers Prentises such as neuer were in the vniuersity but bee altogether ignoraunt and voyde of learning Thus haue you bene borne in hande that you might bee broughte to mistruste the Gospell And as the Pharises vpbrayded those that hearde the doctrine of Christe Dooth any of the rulers or of the Pharises beleue in him But this people which knowe not the law are cursed Euen so this day they say by you they vnderstand not their pater noster they knowe not their Creede yee bee ignorant O miserable men doe they aduance themselues of your ignoraunce If you knowe not your beleefe if you vnderstand not your Pater noster if you be so ignoraunt through whose fault are you so ignorant why were they your pastors why did they not teache you why take they from you the holy Scriptures why wyll they haue you be ignorant and vnlearned still This doe they that they may the more discredit and deface the Gospell which GOD of his mercie hath in our dayes restored vnto vs and caused the beames thereof to shine ouer all Countries in such sort that nowe the simple and vnlearned the rich the learned the worshipfull the honourable the states and Princes of the worlde be become professours and mainteyners of it as our eyes do see this day Blessed be his holy name therfore They say that the preachers of the same are vnlearned as men that read nothing but a fewe English books and neuer studied or saw the old Doctors Wee finde not such fault in their learninge neither do we speake those thinges by them that the most parte of you doeth knowe wee might iustly and truely speake For wee seeke not to confound them by such meanes it is not our profession
time saith a Christian man could be known by nothing so wel as by the changing of his life Cyprian of the Christians in his time sayth Veniunt vt discant discunt vt viuant They come that they may learne they learne that they may know how to liue S. Paul commendeth the Philippians that they shine as lyghtes in the worlde that theyr lyfe doth testifie what they be Eusebius saieth Valeriani aula erat referta piis Ecclesia Deifacta They y t were of the court of Valerian were become Christians and then was the court not lyke a court but like vnto the Church of God Iustinus the martir saith he was first turned to Christ for the admiration that he had of the innocent and godly life of Christian men Such then was the life of them that bare the name of Christ they came to learne they learned to liue You might haue knowne theyr profession by the onely changing of their maners The court wherin they liued was so reuerently kept without notable sinne or wantonnes as if it has ben the temple of God O almighty God howe fares it nowe with them that woulde be called Christians and bee reckoned among professors of the Gospel how many are there that come to learne how many are there that learne to liue howe many are there that may be knowne by changing of their maners Unlesse it be for that they make a mockerie of Gods holy Gospel and so become more dissolute more fleshly more wanton then euer they were afore What court can we finde that any part may be lyke the temple of God Seldome is it that almightye God may bee hearde to speake hys minde But when he hath spoken who is he that thinketh vpon it who is he that doth not dispise it who is he that spurneth not at it If our life should giue testimonie and report of our religion sory I am to speake it but alas it is to true in too many it cryeth out Non est Deus the very course of our life beareth wytnesse against vs that in our heartes wee thinke there is no God and that there is no feare of God before our eyes I amplifie not nor enlarge the matter I woulde to God it were no more then I make of it Thus we doe withholde the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse thus the grace of God is abused to the contenting of our pleasures thus wee become the vessels of Gods wrath and heape vp vengeance vpon our heads Therefore wil God take away his holy spirit from vs therefore wyl God giue vs ouer to a reprobate minde therfore shal y e end of vs be worse then was y e beginning O good brethren let vs not abuse the mercy of god let vs not receiue the grace of god in vaine Remēber how many eyes are set vpon vs let vs take occasion away from them y t seeke occasion to sclander our profession let not let not our life cause the gospel of Iesus Christ to be yl spoken of and blasphemed let vs walke so as becommeth them that are called and in deede are Filii lucis The children of light The trueth of the gospel of Iesus Christ hath nowe shined ouer the whole worlde if it be yet hiddē from any it is hidden frō them that perish he that perisheth nowe shall perish in his owne blood Now if any beleeue not he is inexcusable The wisdom of god in publishing his word contrary against the course of mans policie y e continual preaching of it in al places the ashes of so many learned fath ers godly men women who haue yeelded their bodies to the cruel torments of tyrants to bee consumed in the fire for the testimony therof are yet so fresh in your eies spoken of in your hearinge and witnessed in your hartes and consciences that you can not denie but the kingdome of God is come amongst vs. But if there be any that is not perswaded in his religion for asmuch as it is a matter of lyfe and death of saluation damnation I beseeche you before God and before his Christ let vs not be careles let vs not be negligent If we mislike it let vs read the Scriptures and know wherefore we mislike it Dispise not good brethren despise not to heare gods worde declared As you tender your owne soules be diligent to come to sermons for that is the ordinary place where mens hearts be moued Gods secrets be reuealed For be the preacher neuer so weake yet is the word of God as mightie as puisant as euer it was If thou heare Gods worde spoken by a weake man anignorant man a sinner as thou thy selfe art and yet wilt beleeue it and heare it with reuerence it is able to open thine eyes and to reueale vnto thee the high misteries of thy saluation Remember we are the sonnes of the Prophets The kingdome of God is come amongst vs. Let vs not withstand the Spirit of God let vs not treade downe the blood of the euerlasting Testament The hande of god hath wrought this let vs not arme our selues against GOD and say They are wrought in the name of Beelzebub It is not our doctrine that we bring you this day we wrote it not we founde it not out wee are not the inuentours of it wee bringe you nothing but that the olde fathers of the Churche that the Apostles that Christ our Sauiour himselfe hath brought before vs. O condemne it not before you know it In the meane while thinke well of them that labour for you that do you seruice that pray for you that shall giue their lyfe for you Let vs lay aside all blinde affection let vs labour to know the truth let God haue the victory And then when we know God let vs glorifie him as our God let vs so liue y e our words our deedes our whole life may testifie that y e kingdom of god is amōngst vs. Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works gloryfie our father which is in heauen So shall God powre downe his blessings vpon vs so shal god bles whatsoeuer we take in hand so shal we be blessed in peace so shal we be blessed in war so shal god go forth before our armies so shal we be the children of god so shall god bee our god and remayne with vs for euer And thou most mercifull father as thou hast sent vs thy heauenly kingdome that is the most comfortable tidyngs of the Gospel of thy sonne Iesus Christ so wee beseeche thee for thy mercy blesse that thinge that thou hast begunne that it may continue among vs remaine with vs for euer Open the heartes of them that of ignorance thinke ill of it that they may see that blessed hope whereunto thou hast called vs that al the worlde may know thee and thy sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent for the
that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life So spake Almightie GOD to his people Take heede that you doe as the Lorde your GOD hath commaunded you turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte Thou shalt not doe the thing that seemeth right in thine owne eyes Thou shalte not followe the zeale of thine owne heart Thinke that thou maist be deceiued dispose thy selfe to hearken to the voyce of the Lord whatsoeuer he shall commaund thee that onely shalt thou doe For my thoughts are not your thoughtes neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher thē the earth so are my waies higher thē yourwaies my thoughts aboue your thoughts The will of y e Lord is the only measure whereby all trueth must be tryed Heereunto the Prophet Dauid humbleth himselfe and speaketh vnto GOD in this manner Lighten mine eies O lord O teach me to do thy wil teach me to follow it to practise it Hereof S. Paul speaketh Vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Leaue the pretence of zeale leaue the deuotion of your owne heart rest not vppon the will of your forefathers nor of flesh blood Learne to feele and taste the will of God it is good and gracious and merciful thereby direct your steppes therein shall you finde the possession of life We were drowned in darkenesse sayth the Apostle yet thought we had the light I my selfe saith hee was a blasphemer and did persecute the Church of God I followed the way of my fathers I had a great zeale and thought I did well but the way wherein I walked was slippery the light was darkenesse I delighted in vanitie and had pleasure in leasings I was blinde yet perceiued it not and therefore was my blindenesse and miserie so muche the more But now is our Saluation come neere vnto vs our bodies are made the Temples of God and his spirit dwelleth within vs. We haue the woorde of life put both in our mouth and in our heart the kingdome of God is in the middes amongst vs. The Sonne of God calleth vnto vs Come vnto me al ye that trauel and be heauily laden and I wil refresh you S Iohn saith We haue looked vpon and our hands haue handeled the worde of life And againe The word was made flesh and dwelt among vs and we saw the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and of trueth So neere is the Lorde to them that seeke him So neere vnto vs is our saluation When Dauid heard the voyce of the Lorde he awaked and rose vp hee gaue thankes vnto God and powred out his heart before him saying O Lorde our Lorde howe wonderfull is thy Name in all the worlde And againe Prayse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holie Name When the Apostles hearde this voyce of the Lorde they were awaked they forsooke all they had they tooke vp their Crosse and went ouer all the worlde preaching the Gospell of saluation When Paul heard the voyce of Christ from heauen aboue he fell flat on the earth and being astonied sayde Lord what wilt thou that I do I am thy seruaunt and the sonne of thy handemayde make me to doe that thou commandest me to doe Then coulde neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depthe nor any other Creature separate Paule from the loue of God whiche is in Christ Iesus our Lorde then hee esteemed not to knowe anye thinge sauing Iesus Christ and him crucified He brake his sleepe rose vp and went forwarde In like manner the Prophet Esay stirreth vp Hierusalem Arise be bright for the light is come and the glorie of the Lorde is risen vppon thee Knowe thy time and the day of thy visitation awake thou that sleepest and stande vp from the dead for the Sonne of God hath shined ouer thee The Apostle therfore saith It is nowe time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe We are the children of God we are the children of the trueth we are the sonnes of the Prophets we are they whom GOD hath chosen out of the worlde Whosoeuer putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is vnmeete for the kingdome of heauen These thinges are sent for our vnderstanding GOD hath giuen his worde vnto vs. We haue seene the workes of God the doumbe to speake the deafe to heare the blynde to see the lame to goe the dead to rise and come out of their graues the Sunne to be darkened the earth to quake rockes to rent and the Diuell to confesse the Sonne of God for he was forced to say Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Nowe doth the kingdome of heauen suffer violence The night is passed the daye is at hande we haue slumbered enough in ignoraunce it is nowe time we knowe the blessinges which GOD hath bestowed vppon vs it is time wee shoulde be thankefull and awake out of the sleepe of forgetfulnesse that wee humble our selues vnder the mighty hande of God and dreame no more of our owne strength our conscience is charged we cannot pleade ignoraunce it is time that we rise the mercie of God the aboundaunce of his blessing the feare of his iudgement the regarde of our saluation so requireth Let vs cast away the workes of darkenesse they bee vnfruitefull lothesome and horrible They darken the hearte and blinde the conscience hee that doeth them shall bee cast into vtter darkenesse Let vs bee afrayde let vs be ashamed hereof such things are not fit for the children of light Let vs put on the armour of light God hath chosen vs to bee his Souldiers and hath called vs foorth into the fielde Our fight is not against fleshe and blood but against the Diuell the Prince of this worlde and the Father of darkenesse hee rampeth like a Lyon and lyeth in waite and seeketh whom hee may deuour All the vanities of this life our bodies our owne heartes conspire against vs the fight is terrible the daunger great Let vs not be vnprouided let vs not stande open to the stroke of the enimie Let vs take vnto vs the whole armour of God let our loyues be girded with beritie let vs put on the shielde of Faith the brestplate of righteousnesse the sworde of the spirit the helmet of saluation These bee the weapons of righteousnesse these be the armour of light Let vs not feare to declare the truth though thereby wee shoulde daunger our life Let vs bee faithfull vnto the ende let it appeare that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast downe holdes and imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against God so shal our armour be complete so shall we shewe glorious in the fielde and be terrible to the enimie
who haue bin constant in y ◠faith haue suffred death for Christs sake That so they may be taught by their name to remēber whose name they beare y t they neither speake nor doe anie thing vnworthy of their name As if any bee called Iohn that hee praye for grace and desire to be filled with grace that he giue witnesse of Christ that hee is the Lambe of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde that hee rebuke vice boldelie as Iohn did in Herode though hee were a mightie Prince Or if he be called Paule that hee so become a follower of Paule as Paule was of Christe and saye with Paul That I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee and heare Christ speaking vnto him as did Paul fal down say Lorde what wilt thou that I doe So let him that is called Thomas touche the bosome of Christ and handle his woundes and make a good confession as Thomas did and say My Lord and my God Let Matthew forsake his custome euen the deceitful gaines of y ◠world and followe Christ Let Daniel remember Daniel and though he should be throwen in to the denne of Lions or be burnt in the fire or suffer any cruell tormentes yet let him not therfore forsake God but put his whole trust in him Thus should our names teach vs that whether we write them or vtter them or heare them spoken they may put vs in minde of christian duetie and Godlines The other Sacrament of Christes Church is the sacrament of the Lordes Supper whiche some haue called the Sacrament of the Altar some the Sacrament of the holie table some the Sacrament of bread and wine but wee most properly may call it the sacrament of the bodie and blood of Christ And that we wander not at large but may stande in certaine ground I wil expounde those words of our Sauiour This is my bodie and this is my blood of the newe testament that is shed for manie for the remission of sinnes This matter these two or three hundreth yeeres late past hath beene encumbred with manie questions and much controuersie Some saie the woordes are plaine Christe him selfe spake them hee is almightte and can doe what soeuer hee will hee hath not spoken otherwise then hee meant If wee expounde them by signes and figures wee take away the force of the holy mysterie and make nothing of it the woordes muste bee taken euen as they lye they must not haue any other construction Therefore at this day many wise men which yeelde from other pointes of superstition and in many other thinges receiue the truth stand here and sticke at this and cannot yeeld I will declare the whole matter simplye and plainely and submit my selfe to the vnderstanding and capacitie of all men That which I will vtter heerein shall not be of my selfe but of the Fathers of the Churche not of those whiche haue beene of later yeeres but of the most auncient not of the Heretiques◠but of the most Catholique which euer haue beene the enemies and confounders of Heretiques I wil shewe the vse and order and faith of the Primitiue Churche whiche was in the times of the Apostles and of Tertullian Ciprian Basill Nazianzene Hierome Augustine Chrysostome and others Catholique and godly learned Fathers Let no man regarde mee or my speeche I am onely a finger these are cleare and bright starres I doe but shewe them vnto you and poynt them that you maye beholde them God giue vs grace that wee may see them truely and by them bee able to guyde and to direct our waye let vs laie aside all contention and quietly heare that shall bee spoken Whatsoeuer shall bee saide if it bee true if it bee auncient if it be Catholique if it bee so cleere as the sunne beames let vs humble our heartes and beleeue it There is no trueth but of God Whosoeuer resisteth the truth resisteth God First I will shewe you that we doe truelie and indeede eate the bodie of Christ and drinke his blood And this shall be the foundation and key of entraunce into all the rest Secondely I will open these woordes This is my body and there howe by what sort in what sense and meaning the bread is the body of Christ Thirdly that the bread abideth still in former nature and substance as before euen as the nature and substance of water remayneth in Baptisme Fourthly how the body of Christ is eaten whether by faith or with the mouth of our bodie and how the body of Christ is present in the Sacrament Fiftly What difference is betweene the body of Christ and the Sacrament of the body of Christ Sixtly howe wee ought to prepare our mindes and with what faith and deuotion wee must come to the receiuing thereof Wee saie and beleeue that wee receiue the body and blood of Christ truelie and not a figure or signe but euen that bodie whiche suffered death on the crosse and that blood which was shed for the forgiuenes of sinnes So saieth Christ My fleshe is meate in deede and my blood is drinke indeede And againe Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drink his blood ye haue no life in you And againe He that eateth me euen he shall liue by me Wee say there is no other substantiall foode of our soules and that hee is diuided among all the faithfull and that hee is voyde of saluation and the grace of Christ whosoeuer is not partaker of his body and blood This we say and may not flee from it hereafter Yet least happily any should be deceiued we say this meate is spirituall and therefore it must be eaten by faith and not with the mouth of our bodie Augustine saith Vt quid paras dentes ventrem crede manducasti Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie beleeue and thou hast eaten And againe Nolite fauces parare sed cor Prepare not your iawes but your heart As material bread nourisheth our bodie so doeth the bodie of Christ nourishe our soule and is therefore called bread Deus panis intus est animae meae saith Augustine God is the inward bread of my soule For wee receiue him and eate him and liue by him But heereof hereafter more at large Nowe let vs consider the wordes of Christ This is my body this is my blood These woordes you say are plaine open easie and manifest So are they yet albeit they are plaine they must haue a right construction The plainest woordes that bee vnlesse they bee duelie expounded may breede errour S. Iohn saith The word was made flesh These words are plaine yet of these plaine wordes Apollinaris did breede an heresie Christ saith My father is greater then I. His woordes are playne yet did the Arrians gather thereof an heresie that Christe is not equall with his