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
to bee of this Churche which yet in Gods appoyntment are the certaine members of it as euidently was shewed in the example of S. Paule But the visible Churche that is discerned of man and by outwarde tokens is knowne to the worlde maye in thys manner bee described to you It is the multitude of all them bee they fewe or manye whiche beeing vppon the face of the earthe and called by the worde of the Gospell protest to beleeue in our Sauiour Christe looking for sanctification and saluation by hym and worshipping him according to his holy word That it is the whole multitude of all beleeuers it is euident when Christ himselfe sayth Ite predicate Euangelium omni creaturae i. Go ye and preache the Gospell to all creatures He excepteth none and therefore the grace of God and benefites of his Church are not tied to anye one place as to Rome to Hierusalem to Constantinople to Antioche or any other place That the number of this Church may be as wel small as great Christ himselfe teacheth saying Grex meus pusillus est i. My Flocke is verye small And where two or three be gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them Hereby maye you learne that the argument of Multitude or great number is not alwaye strong For by it the Doctrine of the Prophets the Doctrine of Christ and of the Apostles mighte be reiected which vndoubtedly were but few in comparison of them that misliked and reproued it That this multitude must be called by the word of the gospel S. Paule affirmeth Rom. 10. Fides ex auditu auditus per verbum Dei Et quomodo predicabunt nisi missifuerint that is Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God And how shall they preache vnlesse they be sent And therefore Christ did sende his Apostles to preache the Gospell that thereby they mighte by brought to the beleefe of the Church The members of the Church be graffed into it by professing the beleefe saluation in Christ In the 8. chapt of the Acts. When the Eunuche desyred Baptisme Phillip aunswered If thou beleeue with all thy harte thou mayst he aunswered I beleeue that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God By this branche of the description the Jewes and Turkes are excluded and as many as seeke other meanes of saluatioÌ„ then by Christ Jesus though y t they pretend to be christians though that they pretend to be the church This church is knowne by certayne markes and tokens Nowe what they are lette vs consider The Gentiles for the state of their Religion alleadge Pindarus and other Poets The Jewes their Talmud The Turkes their Alcorane and all sorts doe ground their religion vpon some authoritie But God in Esay to his people saith this Ego ineo cum his quiresipuerint in Iacob hoc meuÌ„ foeduâ— vt Spirit us meus qui est super te verba mea quae posui in ore tuâ— non recedant ab ore tuo neque ab ore seminis tui amodo vsque in saeculum i. I will make this my couenaunt with them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob My spirite that is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede from henceforth euen for euer Here you see that God willeth his church to sticke vnto his word And in the 10 of Iohn Qui ex deo est verbuÌ„ Dei audit He which is of God heareth Gods word And Oues meae vocem meam aâ—diunt c. My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me A stranger they wil not follow c. True doctrine then according to the word of God is one vnfallible token of the righte church of Christ For god by his Prophet by his sonne witnesseth that it is his worde and that it is his voyce that his people doe staye vpon This marke S. August acknowledgeth in his Booke Contra litteras Petil. I haue the manifest voice of my shepheard sayth hee without all circumstaunces declaring which is his Churche My sheepe heare my voice and they follow me Beholde we heare his plaine and euident voyce For how dareth he call himself christes sheepe that doth not vouchsafe to followe christe Let no man saye vnto mee what sayde Donate what sayde Petilian or Pontius for wee must not consent to catholike Bishops if they be in any pointe deceaued and iudge contrary to the canonicall scriptures c. And agayn If thou crie out recite vnto me any other thing vnderstaÌ„d then that after the voice of our sheapherd vttered euideÌ„tly vnto vs by the mouth of the Prophets by his owne mouth and by the mouth of the Euangelists we will not hearken to your voices nor giue eare to any thing that you shal speake Whosoeuer wil not waÌ„der froÌ„ his flock let him hearken to him let him folow him Now as Christ y â— true sheapheard doth call his sheepe by his voice lead them by his word so doth he mark theÌ„ by his Sacraments The Gentiles the Jewes the Turkes haue their ceremonies but only the church of christ hath the true SacrameÌ„ts by him appointed distributeth the same orderly lawfully vnto faithfull people according to his Justitucion for by one spirit saith S. Paule are we al baptised into one body And of y â— Lordes supper he saith We being many are one bread one body because we are all partakers of the same bread By these marks theÌ„ of baptisme the Lords supper Christ doth vnite his flock togeather in one folde maketh them known to be his Now let vs examine these tokens how well they agree to the Church of Roome Touching the fyrst how can they haue truth of doctrine which vse not that rule of Religion nor that Touchstone whereby onely all truth of faith and holinesse is tryed Can that Goldsmith alwaies haue good and pure mettall that doth not vse a right and true Stone to trye it The right touchstone perfect directory whereby all trueth in doctrine is known is The word of God deliuered in his holy scriptures Therefore sayth y â— Psalmist Thy word is a lantern to my feete and a light vnto my pathes And Christ himself saith vnto y e Jewes Search the scriptures for they beare witnes of me He imputeth the grosse errours of the Saducies to the ignoraunce of the scriptures The Conuerts of Berrhaea in the Acts to trie Paules doctrine did dayly search the scriptures whether all thinges were so as Paule preached This is it then wherby preachers and teachers are discerued This is it whereby the true church of God is tried This is it wherby al truth of doctrine is examined So sayth Chri. The Lord knowing the coÌ„fusion of al things that would be in the latter dayes
maliciously seeking to supplant one an other Which of you is able to accuse vs that wee pull downe Townes and inclose whole fieldes to feede wylde beastes famish a number of Christian people or that we ioyne house to house lande to land with oppression of the poore as thoughe wee woulde lyue alone vppon the face of the earth Which of you is able to saye that wee wast the treasure of the lande in feedyng three Cankers riotously to consume the same I meane Monstrous Vanitie in Apparell Needelesse pompe in Sumptuous building and Excessiue charge in daintie feeding Which of you is able to say that in all our doings we set not the feare of God before our faces make not his holy word the directioÌ„ of all our deuises Which of you I say is able to accuse vs in any of all these things If all men in all states and conditions bee able with good conscience thus to say Surely this lande is blessed But Heauen and earth seeth and the Lorde knoweth that it is not so in a number yet God forbyd for that number that we should condemne all God hath his in euery state and condition of man Nowe come I to the thirde parte contayned in the second sentence of my Theame Si veritatem dico vobis quare non creditis mihi If I say the truth why doe you not beleeue mee Wherein I promised to let you vnderstande that the doctrine of the Gospell which we haue Preached in this lande by the space of this 20. yeeres and that hath beene confirmed and established by the authoritie of the Prince lawes of this Realme is the onely truth that there is no truth of doctrine but it therfore y t you ought both faythfully without exception to embrace it and constantly wythout reuolting to abyde in it But mee thinketh I heare some say Sir if you coulde resolue vs that it is the trueth whiche you Preache wee would easilye receaue it but wee may iustly doubt of it For ye are but men and such men as carie their blemishes openly in the sight of the world ye may be deceaued and deceaue others As good Clarkes as you and as honest men for any thing wee see teache vs the contrarie and say their doctrine is the truth or at the leastwyse wee may iustly thinke that those great contentions that you make against y t Churche of Rome are but for trifling ceremonies and matters of small weight and importance and therefore that Christian Princes might do verâ—e well to see some order for those matters and to force you to agree for the residue whether you will or no that you may no longer trouble the worlde as you haue done these many yeeres with these needelesse controuersies Surely that they wyll not receaue our doctrine with triall I can not mislike it for S. Iohn in his 1. Epist 4. cap. giueth them the same Counsell Deerely beloued saith he beleeue not euery spirit that speaketh to you but trie the spirites whether they be of God or not for many false Prophetes are come into the world Therefore I would to God all sortes of men but chiefely Princes Counsellers and Magistrates would trie our doctrine by the true touchstone of Gods word as those noble Conuerts of Berrhaea did meÌ„tioned in y â— Act. 17 which came to heare Paules Sermons not of custome and fashion onely But dayly searched the Scriptures whether those things were true that Paule spake or no. If God would moue them so to doe they should easily vnderstand not onely that our doctrine were the truth but also that the controuersie betweene vs and the Church of Rome is not for trifling Ceremonies as they saye or matters of small weight but for the very substaunce of our fayth and ground of all Christian Religion and that there can bee made no more agreement betwene our doctrine and theirs then betweene light and darkenesse truth and error God and Beliall Christ Antichrist which thing it behoueth all Christians and professors of the Gospell deepely to consyder For as before time often I haue sayde in this place so now thinke I the time draweth nigh that Godds iustice for our vnthankefulnesse will pull vs to the tryall of our fayth and therefore it behooueth vs to vnderstande that we contend not for trifles but for matters of principall importance as I mean now to declare vnto you And if som persons shall thinke these poyntes needelesse to be spoken of in this place I humbly craue leaue that for the confyrmation of mine own fayth I may declare vnto you y â— grounds of my conscience that if euer I liue to be tempted to forsake my Lorde God and his truth that this my protestation made in this place may bee a bonde vnto my conscience The rule that I will vse to prooue that our Doctrine is the truth and not that which commeth from Rome shal be the same that the Scripture of God layeth downe by S. Iohn in the place before mentioned where after he hath as you haue heard admonished men to trye the Spirites whether they be of God or no hee addeth these meanes of triall Euery Spirite that confesseth Christ to haue come in flesh is of God and euery spirite that denieth Christ to haue come in flesh is not of God but is the Spirit of Antichrist of whome you haue heard howe hee shoulde come and now already is he in the worlde Nowe that you may vnderstande I go not about to deceaue you with shewe of eloquence and Rhethoricall amplifications and with motions of affections to leade you into erroure earâ— you be ware I will laye open myne argumente vnto you nakedly and barely that you may see euery ioynt thereof and with your selues consyder of what force it ought to bee in any christian coÌ„science And this I say euery spirit that confesseth Christ to haue come in fleshe is of God and teacheth you the truth And euery spirite that denyeth Jesus to haue come in fleshe is not of God but leadeth you into errour and is that spirite of Antichrist But wee and the Preachers of the Gospell in all Godly sence coÌ„fesse Christ to haue come in fleshe and our Aduersaries of Roome doe not therefore we and not they haue brought the truth vnto you The 2. proposition I know wil be denied for both y t parts therof which I wil proue vnto you by this meanes First I will let you vnderstand the causes why christ came in fleshe and what benefites he procured to mankynde by the same Secondly I will shew vnto you what it is to denye Christe to haue come in fleshe The firste of these two shall confirme our truth The seconde shall confound their error As touching the cause why christ came in flesh When sinne had made separation betweene God and man and the exceding great mercy of God was not willing vtterly to cast away man and to rasâ— him
and how it is so Seneca The way to acknowledge god in man Who so can not acknowledge god in him self can not be saide to be a man Properties which can not but be knowen in god if we doâ— acknowledge him but only in his creatures Eternall Omnipotent vvise infinitly Good exceedingly and liberall and louing Mercifull Iuste Who or what that God is which is taught to be beleeued Of obstinate PaPistrie in three sortes England in most daungerous perils by papistes The meanes to remedie some kinds of papistes Câ—use of care in what places of credite papistes are put Who those be which are the stonie ground which is the 2. kind of ill ground How it commeth to passe that many seame first to be glad of the gospell and yet afterward hate it and helpe to punish the professors of it The cause why many of the Jewes which semed to like of christ well did afterward crie crucifie him crucifie him Of some which now professe the gospell which peraduenture may dislike it hereafter those also that do preache it Meanes to remedie the professors last spoken of Of the kingdom of christ and what is by it to be loked for Gen. 3. 15. Mat. 10. 16. Of worldly inconueniences which commonly follow the professors of the gospell and why Joh. 15. 18. Mat. 7. 24. Why true professors of the gospell cannot by any afflictions be driuen from iâ— What the kingdome of god is In what forte true professors of christ must cleaue to christ and for him renounce al things els Such as doe but a little close with the world are and sâ—and in daâ—ger of treason to Christ How the godly do stay themselues in afflictions so that they may not fall from Christ by 2. considerations The first cause of stay Met. 10. 29. Tertul. Iob. 1. 10. e. Luc. 22. 32. Of gods speciall prouidence for euery thing The second cause of stay Mat. 5. 10. Mat. 19. 29. Luc. 6. 21. c. Ioh. 16. Mat. 10. 37. The third kind of ground Why riches pleasures aâ—e resembled to thorns How riches â—o hurte â—â— In getting In keping In loosing â—hy it is so hâ—â—d for a riche man to â—â— saued Mat. 19. 24. Mat. 22. â— c. Luc. 14. 16. Interpreâ—â—â—â—on of the parable of the guestes bidden vnto a feaste which came not The causes that with holde men from obedience to gods worde The negligence of â—â—â— daies in heaâ—inge the worde 1. Tim. 6. â— Tvvo meanes to vvithstand the mischifes of Riches and vvorldlye cares Mat. 6. 19. There is no assurance to be had of worldly Riches Eciesiastes 2. 4. c. The estimation that is to be had of all earthly things Esay 40. 6. Why we ought rather to estee me the gospel then al earth ly things That we must rest vpon gods prouidence in our desiring thinges of this life Mat. 6. 25. Fovver reasons Vvhy for things of this life vve shold euer content our selues in and vvith Gods prouidence Ordinarie course of things maketh vs not to regarde Gods wonderfull work in them The occasion and circumstances of this texte preached vpon The speciall purpose of Christ in this text here preached vpon What Ministers shold be able to do when their doctrine is discredited by their liues The diuision of this Sermon 1. Cor. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. The specialties of a preachers duetie Esay 40. 9 Preachers in deliuering gods will must do it openly without feare or negligence Esay 58. 1. Ezec. 3. 17. Ezec. 33. 6â— 2. Tim. 4. 2. â— Pet. 5. 3. 1. Tim. 4. 12 Tit. 2. 7. Preachers must giue good example of life answerable to their doctrine Jer. 23. 1. Ezec. 34. 2. Jer. 25. 34. What is to be thoughe of Ministers if they liue offensiuely and how they are to be spoken of and delt with Mat. 18. 6. There is more means amongest protestantes to reforme the ministery then amonge papistes It is an ordinarie way of Sathan to discredit true doctrine by the life of the â—â—eachers A very commendable example of concealing Ministers falts Gen. 9. 23. A good example admonishing princes to beware of secreat dealers against Ministers All Ministers aâ— not to be ill spoken of bicause some deserue it and yet though they shall be so ill delt with they haue to be patient 1. Pet. 1. 19. Joh. 1â— 12. The first faulâ— obiected against preachers and the ansvvere Godlinesse may bee by some preten ded who loth true doctrin None can haue good conuersation which at not sound in doctrine Heb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 23 Faith foloweth doctrine Ro. 10. 17. No man can be saued for any good life when he hath not true faithe Rom. 3. 8. 2. Tim. 4. 3 Contemners of doctrine were foretolde of to come Eze. 33. 32. How little their owne methode would profite them of teachinge manners without doctrine How the enemies of truth dislike particuler reprehension The meanes now left to the ministers to redresse the curiositie and obiection of hearers for preaching either of doctrine or manners Ier. 1. 18. Eze. 3. 8. The second crime obiected against preachers to discredit their doctrine and the ansvvere to it All common weales are not to be tied to one forme of gouernement To be disâ—â—â— bers of common weales c. is no new slaunder noâ— now first obiected against gods true ministers 1. Reg. 18. 1. Reg. 22. 8. Jer. 38. 4. Amos. 7. 10 Contention and warres haue been in other nations before the renewing of the gospel England hath euer bene so farre from contentions and warres as since it hath â—â—â—â—ased the late renuing of the gospel and the wars that haue bene haue not bene by protestants A principle of papistrie against principalities and which can not but occasion wars Papists and not protestantes alter titles of principalities Papists and not protestants challenge all temporall power due to princes Most vnnatural and vndutifull warres lawfull by papists doctrine How papists do vnlawfully ouerrule and abuse princes The full right of authoritie is only by protestants graunted to princes and by them also only restored being taken away by papistes 3. Reg. 11. 2. Chro. 24. Good subiects haue to pray in this sorte for hir Maiestie The third matter obiected against Preachers and the ansvvere therof Gods people do neuer make the want of godlinesse in the preacher to be the cause that good doctrine shold not fructifie in the heaters What the Scriptures shâ—w to be the cause most commonly why true doctrine doth not fruâ—tifie The same shewed by similitudes Verse 3. Truth may be preached and yet three to one take no fruit by it Verse 18. Of colouring wickednesse with other mens faltes What a mans flattering of him selfe in wickednesse may come vnto Esay 5. 19. Verse 12 Psal 127. Math. 7. 3. Others must liue well howsoeuer Ministers do liue What perfection sholde be in the life of euery one and of the application of the text therein The meanes wherby the wealth of England is wasted Verse 1. Doctrine is to be receaued vpon triall Verse 17. How to perceaue protestants to haue truth and of what weight the matters are wherein they differ from papists 1. Ioh. 4. 1. 1. Ioh. 4. 2. c. The causes why Christ came in the fleshe The general cause 1. Tim. 1. â—â— Luc. 19. 10 The particuler causes Verse 18. Verse 1â— Col. 1. 20. Heb. 2. 4. 7. 9. cap. 1. Rom. 8. 37. Christ only â—â— our aduocate and mediatoure 1. Tim. 2. 5. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 34 1. Ioh. â— 8. 1. Pet. 1. 18. Ioh. 1. 29. Eph. 1. 7. Christ only is our redeemer Act. 4. 1â— 1. Ioh. 1. verse 7. Heb. 6. 20. Christ only is our priest to sacrifice for vs which he hath done once for all Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 9. 28. Heb. 10. 12. Deu. 18. 15. Mat. 3. 17. Mat. 17. 5. Verse 4. Christ is our only Instructour Verse 6. c. Luc. 1. 33. Verse 22. Verse 18. Verse 23. Christ is the only head of the church Christ hath no partakers in any of his offices Protestants doctrine of Saluation is the doctrine of the Scripture Eph. 1. 4. Gen. 15. 3. Gen. 22. 18. Acte 3. 21. Acte 4. 12. Ioh. 1. 29. Ioh. 3. 16. The generall end of the protestants doctrine and what doctrine only they mislike What it is to deny christ to haue come in fleshe and that in two sortes Popistes and not protestants do deny Christ to haue come in the flesh and how Praier to Saintes is against christ his mediatourship and aduocatship Praier to Saints containeth besides it selfe two other wicked thinges Mat. 11. 28. Ioh. 16. 23. The papistes will haue Christ to be a deâ—nie Sauiour 1. Pet. 1. 18. Jer. 6. 16. Verse 19. 2. Chro. 36. 15.
And yet doth Irenaeus confute the same Heretiks by those bokes of holy Scriptures which they themselues allowed Now as it was necessary in this case for those fathers for trial of truth to resort to the Succession of the Apostolicall churches that the scriptures in them reserued from the Apostles time mighte bee of more authoritie among them that beleeued not the scriptures So it is not necessary so to deale agaynst them which willingly and gladly submit themselues to all the partes of the Canonicall scriptures Neither do those Fathers stay vpō these churches because of their ordinary Successiō as the patrones of the church of Roome now doe but because in that ordinarye Succession the Doctrine of the Fathers was still kept inuiolable according to the word of God Whiche thing if the Church of Roome were able to prooue wee would willingly yeelde vnto it That those learned Fathers did this it shall euidently appeare vnto you by the verye same places whiche they alleadge for their purpose Irenaeus sayth Presbyteris obaudire oportet qui successionem babent ab Apostolis i. We must heare or giue eare to the ministers which haue their suc cessyon from the Apostles But he sayeth not so onelye but immediately addeth Et cum Episcopatus Successione charisima veritatis certum secundum placitum patris acceperunt i. And together with the Succession in their Bisho pricke haue receaued also the certaine grace of true Doctrine according to the will of the Father And in the very next Chapter agayne after he had giuen certayn Markes of ill teachers much agreeing to the course of the Church of Roome at these dayes he addeth Of all suche persons we must beware and cleaue to them which as I haue sayde before both keepe the Doctrine of the Apostles and togither with the order of Priesthood shew wholesome and true teaching with honest conuersation of life Neither doth Irenaeus onlye thus replye vpon the Doctrine of the Apostles but the residue also of those Fathers whome they alleadge for the authoritye of Succession Tertul. sayth as he is alleaged by them Let them shew the beginninges of their Churches Let the Heretikes deuise some such Succession c. But marke I pray you what immediately followeth For their Doctrine being cōpared with the doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof wil euidently shew it selfe to be the doctrine neither of any Apostle nor any Apostolicall man Doth he not in playne words shew y ◠Succession without the Doctrine of the Apostles is nothing worth S. Augusti likewise against the Epist Fūdamentum c. when he hath reckoned vp those things which moued him to remayne in the church among which Successiō is but one He addeth No such thing is with you where is only a promise of persons teaching the truth which truth if it were so euidently declared that we might not iustly doubt of it it were to be preferred before all those thinges with whiche I am kept in the Church c. What can be more euident then that S. Aug. doth attribute more to truth of doctrine manifestly proued by the word of God then to Succession or any other token that can be alleaged Succession with continuance of Apostolical Doctrine ought to be of great authoritie but without it nothing It is notable that Tertullian hath in the Boke before alleaged How commeth it saith he that Heretikes are straungers and ennimies to the Apostles but only by the diuersity of their Doctrine which they deuise of their own brayn agaynst the Apostles Wherfore the corruption of scriptures and the exposition thereof is to be thought to be among thē where diuersitie of Doctrine contrarye to the Apostles is founde This is a notable witnesse agaynst the church of Roome whose Doctrines be so diuerse from the doctrine of y ◠primatiue church The sonnes of Aaron had more allowable Succession from Aaron than the Bishops of Rome haue from Peter and yet because they brought straunge Fyre into the Temple of God they were reiected and perished Euen so sayth Cyprian Those which in the Churche of God do imitate them and contemning the truth deliuered by God desire strange doctrines and bring into the church the instruction of humain ordinance them Christ sharpely rebuketh in the Gospel saying You cast away the commaundement of God that you may place your own deuises c. Annas and Cayphas had full Succession from Aaron yet were it hard therevpon to conclude that they had the righte of the true Churche and Christe and his Disciples to be Seismaticks Though they pretend to haue the ordinary Succession of Bishoppes in their Seas sure wee are that wee haue the Succession of the sincere Doctrine of our saluation which they haue not For if their Doctrine be cōpared with the Doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersitye contrarietie thereof it will appeare that it is the Doctrine neyther of the Apostles nor of anye Apostolicall men The Doctryne of the Apostles is that Christe is not onelye GOD Eternall with the Father but that hee is Manne also taking fleshe of the blessed Virgine in all thinges like vnto vs sinne only excepted and that in his humanitie hee is nowe ascended into Heauen and sitteth perpetually at the right hand of the father But the Doctrine of the Church of Roome telleth vs that the humanitie of Christ and his very naturall body and blood are really and carnally not in heauen alone but in tenne thousande places also on the earth at one instante the whiche propertye is peculier to God alone For nothing but God can be in moe places but one at once As the whole scriptures declare The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is by God appoynted to be our only Mediatour Reconciler Aduocate and intercessoure to make attonemente betweene God and vs so often as our sinne shall seuer vs from him and that to that end he sitteth now at the right hande of God that he may appeare before him for vs. But the doctrine of the Church of Roome putting Christ out of office teacheth vs that beside Christ we haue an infinit number of Mediatours and Intercessours to procure vs fauoure and to make reconciliation betweene God and vs that is the whole number of the Aungels and Saintes in Heauen The Doctrine of the Apostles is that Christ is our only Redeemer and sauyoure and by the price of his blood hath purchased for vs full and perfite remission of sinne But the Doctrine of Roome is that we haue remission of sins not onely by Christe but by the merites and prayers of saynts by our own good workes by Masses by Pardons by Purgatory by holy water a number of other things so that not without note of blasphemye they matche the vayne deuises of men for the remission of our sinnes with the Blood of the sonne of God the most excellente price of our
notwithstanding in that tyme GOD did sende his Prophets and there was a true Church of God in Iuda In the Kingdome of Israell Ieroboam deposed the true Teachers of the Lawe and placed other prophane and vnlearned Priestes in their roomes yea hee made Temples with Caluish Idols new Alters wholy a new worshipping of God so that in Israell appeared no external token of the church of God And yet certainly it cannot be denied but God euen then had his Church in Israell whiche to repayre and mayntayne he did at sundry times send his Prophets Preachers but how they were vsed and estemed the scriptures doe well declare Achab the most wicked of al other who to the wickednesse of Ieroboam added the detestable idolatrie of Baal and so cleane defaced the true worshipping that Elias that good Prophet begā now to loà th that people in whom appeared no token of Gods true worshippinge therefore fledde into a Caue And when GOD asked him what hee didde there Oh Iorde sayde he thy people haue forsaken thy couenaunt they haue pulled downe thyne Aulters they haue killed thy Prophets so that I only am lefte and yet they seeke to haue my soule also What shewe had the Churche of God then when Elias thought there had beene no moe but hym selfe And yet God aunswered that he had left vnto him euen in Israel a populous Church of 7000. that neuer bowed their knee to the Image of Baal This may be a full answere to them that feare if we shoulde not acknowledge the Churche of Rome to be the true Catholike Church that Christ should haue no Church at all Yes vndoubtedly in the greatest tyrannie and corruption of the Churche of Rome God reserued to himselfe a great and populous Church and companie of good people that neuer were distained with the wickednesse of that Sea and sought to worship God truely according to his holy worde althoughe in some finall errours they were caryed away with the blindnesse of the time And this could I confirme by very Notable examples yet remaining in histories if the time would serue As I haue sayd of the time of the Prophetes so may I say of Christes time and his Apostles The Jewes were then esteemed the people of God they had among them the lawe of God they vsed sacrifices appointed by God yet did they put Christ to death yet dyd they persecute his Apostles yet dyd they endeuour to extinguish both the name of Christ and also his religion Wherefore looke what Defence or what comforte of conscience the Prophets of GOD in olde time had Christ himselfe at his comming and his Apostles afterwarde myghte haue agaynst the Bishoppes and Priestes of the Jewes alleaging that they were the Churche of GOD that they had the temple of God that at their mouthes shoulde bee fette the interpretation of the law of God The same defence I say the same comfort strength of conscience may We haue against those at these dayes that assault our cōsciences w t the Title of y ◠church of Rome saying that they are y ◠Catholike church that they haue the true doctrine of God y t they haue authoritie to interprete the scriptures and word of God and thereby seeke to make vs ashamed of the Gospel now preached c. The end of the second Sermon ¶ The third Sermon Non me pudet Euangelij j. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for c. I Wil now come to those that seeke to make mē ashamed of y ◠Gospell by saying that y ◠professors thereof are in life dissolute licentious y ◠they are in common Weales troublesome seditious y ◠they are in their doctrine disagreeing contentious with such other quarrels rising of malice rather then anye good truth As touching the first point I will be the shorter becanse I haue so much spoken of y ◠thing before as y ◠whatsoeuer by frailtie happeneth among y ◠protestantes sure I am our greatest aduersaries cannot iustly say or surmise that our doctrine in it selfe maintaineth any such dissolutenes of life I confesse vnto them y ◠there be diuers y t turne the grace libertie of y ◠Gospel to a licentiousnes of lyfe by their examples cause men to suspect y t our doctrine as hurtful to good manners an enimie to vertuous liuing This is so plaine I will not denie it It is so euill I can not defend it It is so grieuous I may not dissemble it Yea I graunt furthermore y ◠among the best professors of y ◠Gospel I see not that perfectnes that should be but somtimes euill and hurtfull examples our fault I confesse is the greater and with heauie hartes we may acknowledge it to be true But what of all this Is that cause sufficient to feare mē frō our Doctrine is that ynough to cause men to be ashamed of y ◠Gospell God forbyd The like vndoubtedly were in Christes time the like were in the Apostles time Yea among the .xii. there was one wicked Iudas and yet thoughe some were euill all were not so Christ himself was reproued as a drunkarde or glutton the Apostles were called seditious the fathers were noted to disagree among themselues What meane those vehement exhortations y t S. Paule vsed to moue men to puritie innocencie of life What meaneth y ◠terrible threatnings against wicked and vitious liuers Doe they not euidently declare that godlynes innocencie was more cōtemned wickednes naughtines more embraced then dyd become y ◠true professors of y ◠Gospel And yet could not mē at y t time take iust cause to bee ashamed of the Gospell But this is not a litle to be maruailed at y ◠the same persons that pretend themselues to be so greatly offended eyther w t the licentiousnesse of the false Gospellers or with the frailtie of them that truely professe it can winke with both eyes and without offence suffer in the Cleargie of Rome shamlesse Simonie incōtinence druukennes Diceplaying hunting Nicromancie ambition vriberie crueltie couetousnes extortion and open iniurie I know comparison is odious by example of other I learne that to make offers in this place is daūgerous Yet notw tstanding this offer will I make that if all the aduersaries of the Gospell be hable vpon any credible proofe more than their owne sclaunderous libells to shewe so many horrible examples of all kinde of wicked vices in the professors of the Gospell that haue bene since God restored to the worlde the trueth of his worde as I will shewe them by testimonie of theyr owne Histories and other probable writers to haue bene in the sea of Rome it selfe that among their most holy Fathers and heades of their church then I say I wyll openly confesse that theyr lyfe and doctrine is better then ours But if they cannot shame it is for them anye longer
Euen in our remembraunce what rebellions were there vnder the Noble Prince king Henrie the eyghte and yet if you consider the quarrell nothing at all by the professours of the Gospell I could say the lyke of Fraunce Spaine Flaunders and Scotlande but that no man that hath once looked into Histories can bee ignoraunt of it But if I should declare vnto you the manifolde rebellions and horrible warres that haue beene raysed by the Princes of Papistrie the Byshoppes of Rome themselues in Italie vnder the names of Gwelfes and Gibilines in Sicile Naples and Arragon for Titles of those kingdomes in Fraunce and Germanie for the appoynting of Emperours in all places of Christendome continually for trifling quarrelles I doubte not but I shoulde cause euen the greatest fautors of the Sea of Rome and the veriest enemyes of the Gospell to confesse that notwithstanding those troubles that wee haue seene yet in comparison GOD in these dayes hath not onelye blessed this Realme with maruailous quietnesse but also suffered other Countryes to bee lesse troubled then before tyme they haue bene This I can not let passe that Vrbane the sixth and Clemente the seuenthe two contentious Popes and their successours for the space of fortye yeeres cursyng and banning eche the other did raise warres and set all Christendome together by the eares Germanie Hungarie Italy Englande and Pannonie helde with Vrbane and were called Vrbanistes Spaine Fraunce and Cacelome held with Clement and were called Clementines Doe you not knowe that it is one part of their doctrine that their clergie must be exempt from all Princes authoritie Do you not know thai they haue brought it to passe in all Christendome to haue it so Doe you not knowe that the Prelates of Rome were neuer quiet vntill they had made all Princes subiect to them Vntyll they had caused Emperours to goe at their styrropes To kysse their shoes To put their necke vnder their feete Doe you not knowe that vnder the person of Boniface 8. they made as it were open proclamation that they had the full power of both swordes and that all Princes of the earth haue their authoritie of them and they immediately of God Nowe when they had made all states of the earthe to bee subiecte to them and theyr cleargie to whome then shoulde they shewe obedience Thys onelye thing if Magistrates and Princes wyll not bee willyngly blinde may well make proofe vnto them that all is not Golde that glistereth that all bee not quiet subiectes that greatly wyll pretende so to bee But as for the doctrine of the Gospell that it doth not maintaine eyther discorde in common Weales or contempt of Magistrates it is most euident For wee teache continually with S. Paul That all persons vvhatsoeuer they be must bee subiect to higher powers Wee teache that kings and Princes haue their authoritie immediately of God and by him are armed with the sworde and therefore if we resist them that we resist God hymself that ordayned them Yea and that wee must obey them not for feare least they bee reuenged vppon our stubbornnesse and contumacie but least wee runne into the anger and wrathe of God by disturbing that order that by him is appointed It is false therefore to saye that the Gospell is cause of rebellion It maye perhaps sometime come to passe that vpon preaching of the Gospel sturre and trouble doth arise but it cannot be more iustly imputed to the Gospel then the wickednesse of them that I spake of before which conuerte the liberty of the Gospell to a licenciousnesse of the fleshe Of whome S. Paule sayth Eorum damnatio iusta est i. Their damnation is iust Trouble and sedition is commonly raysed by them that passe not if y ◠Gospell were cleane confounded and ouerthrowne eyther because they feare the hinderaunce of theire owne gaine as Demetrius the Vsurer didde or else because theire Superstitiōs cannot be otherwise maintayned then with the sworde Some agayne on the other syde be so puffed vp wyth the spirite of Ambition that vnder the pretence of Religion they will make great styrre and alteration in common weales to the ende that the lawfull Princes and Magistrates being deposed they may be aduaunced and set vp in their Places Other some perchaunce are sediciously moued vppon hope of immunitie and priuate gayne and therefore will cause rebellion that they may be eased of payments seasinges and tributes which not only by mans Law but by Gods commaundement are due to Princes But to impute these faultes of corrupt time and euill persons to the Doctrine of the Gospel is verye vniust and partiall dealing In like sort did the Princes charge the Apostles Preachers and Fathers of the primatiue Churche as I could at large declare vnto you by the Apologies of Iustine Tertullian Arnobius and diuers other godlye men All the Plagues that God sent among them all the wars and troubles that were raysed they imputed to Christianitie In so much that Orosius by the aduise of Saint Ierome and other did write an History purposely to declare that the like had bene at all times before yea and that more greuous then in those dayes and therefore sheweth that they falsely charged the Gospell with it Wherefore in like manner when you heare these false and vayne Crymes fathered vppon the Professoures of the Gospell and teachers of Gods holye worde Let them not dismay you but stoutly say with S. Paule Non me pudet Euangelij I am not ashamed of the Gospell c. I come nowe to that with whiche of all other thinges they doe most vpbrayde vs and most greeuouslye amplify and exaggerate to the defaming of the Gospell Oh say they they agree not among themselues So manye heades so manye Opinions and Doctrines Some are Lutherians some Zwinglians some Caluinists some Libertines some Anabaptists some Stenkfeldians so y t they haue filled all the world with Sects and diuisions But dearely beloued in our Sauiour Christ agaynste the enuious cauils and wicked reports blowne abroade by the enemies of Gods truth you haue this comfort that it is no newe thing to haue the Teachers and Professoures of Gods worde to bee thus odiouslye slaundered Thus their forefathers vsed the Apostles thus they vsed the Godlye Fathers and Christians also of the Primatiue Church Clemens Alexand. Srom. lib. 7. sayeth with like false and odious report the Jewes and Gentiles were wont to triumphe vpon the christians in those daies Oh sayd they you Christians haue many sects factiōs and although you wil be al called christiās yet you impugne detest and hate one another Wherfore your religion is not true neither commeth of God For if it were of God you would agree amōg your selues There were at that time aboue twenty sundry Heresies the ignominie and reproch of all which they laid to y e true Christians to discredite them not considering as Christe himselfe sayth that when the
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
is true in vs or at the least they haue no likely pretence in truth to saye the contrarye On the contrarye parte the Doctrines of the Churche of Roome are either manifestlye repugnaunte to this confession in sunderye thinges or greatly imparing or disgracing the same Therefore their Preachers are false Prophets and not of God for not only doth he denie Iesus to be Christe that grosely in flat wordes so sayth or he that playnly denieth christ to be the sonne of God as Cerinthius other auncient heretikes did but he also that couertly vndirectly by false doctrines worketh the same by teaching other men to seke other Sauiors Mediators Intercessors maisters and directours to saluatioÌ„ besyde him that sayth I am the way the truth the life or which by instructing them otherwise in Christs SacrameÌ„ts other ordinaÌ„ces theÌ„ he himself hath coÌ„maÌ„ded appointed For profe y t the church of Roome doth this first let this Doctrine bee examined whereby they teach that the very Reall and Naturall body of Christ is in a thousand places at once that is in so many places as there are Ostes consecrated This Doctrine impeacheth the principall Article of oure fayth that christ of y â— blessed Virgine tooke flesh and had a very true and naturall body as we haue Sinne onelye excepted It is the property of God only to be in manye places at once As Christes body is now after his asseÌ„tion glorifyed and is transformed to a greater bewty brightnesse so yet it remaineth a very true substantiall bodye And to teach that the body of Christ is in manye places or euery where as his Deitie is doeth make an open gappe to the Heresie of Abbot Eutiches which taught y t Christe his humanitie was swallowed vp with y t Maiestie of hys Godhead and so became a diuine thing Furthermore for y t proofe of their errors in this Article let their doctrine be examined of the Popes Suâ—remacie wherby it is taught that he is the vniuersall Bishop generall Lord Maister and Gouernour of the whole catholike church that he hath authoritie to pardon sinnes to deliuer Soules out of Purgatory to destribute the merites of Christ of his Saints to dispence w t the ordinances of Christ to alter y t institucioÌ„ and vse of his instruments to coyne newe Articles of oure Faith of necessitie to be beleeued cleane without any Authoritie of Gods word all which things are only in duetye and in truth to be attributed to Christe and to none other as before I haue declared The second Article of doctrine is why Christe came in fleshe and what benefite mankinde hath by it When as Gods iust wrath against sinne committed by our fyrst parentes was so greeuous that no Creature in Heauen or in earth was able in anye parte to appease the same by the vnestymable goodnesse of GOD his onlye and dearely beloued sonne became a sacrifice to appease his wrath and displeasure and to reconcile vs to his Father and by his death passion and resurrection procured for vs recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ with his father remissioÌ„ of sinne righteousnes before god and eternall life in heauen These be the Fruites and benefites that we haue by Christs coÌ„ming in fleshe Here agayne we haue to call to our remembrance the note that is before spoken of touching the highnes and exellencie of the meane of our saluation For if the same in part or in all could haue bene wrought by any other creatures in Heauen or earth the wisedome of God would neuer haue giuen his sonne to death to procure the same benefites for vs. But that he might declare how odious and displeasaunt Sinne was to God he let vs by this meanes vnderstande that the offence thereof could not be taken away nor mankinde to him bee reconciled but onelye by the blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus his son Good Christians must then assuredly perswade themselues that they haue reconciliation with God remission of sinne iustification before God sanctification of the holy Ghost and the heritage of eternall life by the excellencye and fulnesse of Christ his death and passyon only only I say and by nothing else For as I haue sayde Christ is the only full and perfect meane of our saluation as the whole course of the Scripture teacheth vs. Esay the Prophet many yeares before Christ came in fleshe signified thus much and cryeth to all them that hunger and thyrst after saluation that they should come and receaue it plentifully and freelye of the mercy of God in Christe and blameth them for seeking for saluation and the satisfying of their hungry and thirstie soules by any other meanes then y â— O sayth he all ye that thyrst come to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say bie Wine Milke without money Wherefore do you lay out your siluer for that that is no bread bestow your labor for that which doth not satisfye you hearken dilligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soules delight in fatnesse incline your eares and come vnto me heare and your soule shall liue c. By these wordes I haue sayde the Prophet calleth vs to receaue the comfortable water and sustenaunce of the Gospell which offereth full saluation and satisfying of our hungry soules freelye by Christ and sharpely rebuketh them that leauing christ seeke after other meanes by which in deede their hungrie desyre of Remission and Saluation in anye parte cannot be satisfyed and for that cause hee sayeth Theire Syluer is bestowed and theire Laboure spente in vayne Christ himself may seeme to expounde this prophecye and apply vnto himselfe in playne wordes that whiche the prophet heare speaketh in a figuratiue borrowed speech for he sayth Whosoeuer thirsteth let him come to mee and drinke And agayne Al ye that trauaile be heauy loden come vnto me and I will refreshe you The Apostles do fully in their doctrine iustifye y â— same Peter sayth There is no saluation in any other c. Neyther is there any other name giueÌ„ vnder heaueÌ„ wherby you shalbe saued c. And S. Paule It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwel and by him to reconcile all thinges to himselfe and to set at peace through the blood of his Crosse both the thinges in earth and the thinges in Heauen And again in the same Epist In whome are hidde all the Treasures of wisedome knowledge c. in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily you are complete in him which is the head of all pricipalitie Marke that he sayth We are complete in him and therfore neede we no other meanes of saluation And this our sweete Apostles S. John who teacheth vs this triall of spirits sayth The blood of Christe Iesus the sonne of God doth cleanse vs from all sinne The same Apostle maye seeme not onelye
that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie because he dothe not beleeue in the name of the sonne of God And in the 6. Chapter This is the will of my Father that sent mee that he that seeth the Sonne beleeueth in him should haue eternall life The full consent of the Prophets doth iustifie this Meane of our saluatioÌ„ For as Peter sayth To this all the Prophetes beare witnesse that through his name all they which beleeue in him shal receaue remission of sinnes The whole Church of Christ beareth witnesse to this which in all hir generall councells doth teach euerie true Christian to say I beleeue that Iesus Christ descended from heauen for vs and for our saluation that he was made man borne suffered died rose againe and was receaued into Heauen c. And all to this end that by this Sauiour we myght haue remission of sinne Resurrection of the fleshe and euerlasting lyfe All these things doth y t EuaÌ„gelist S. Iohn affirme in one little sentence These thinges are written that you may beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name By these wordes wee are taught why the Gospell is written and preached to men that is that they should beleeue and iustifie God in his promise to be true Secondly that by beleeuing they should haue the fruites of Christes comming in the flesh and therefore faith and beleefe is the Meanes to apply Christ and his benefites vnto vs. Thirdly that wee haue life and saluation onely by the meere mercie of God in Christ and not by any merite of ourselues or other meÌ„ or by the dignitie and worthinesse of our selues or our doinges whatsoeuer going before or comming after This benefite therefore to applye Christes merites and fruites of hys Passion vnto vs can not in any wyse bee imputed to any other workes or vertues bee they neuer so excellent but to fayth onely and that not for the dignitye of faythe neyther but for this cause onely for that faythe resperteth no other thyng but doth rest and staye it selfe vppon the sure and vnfallible promyse of God grounded and founded on the grace and merite of Christ This promyse doth faythe apprehende as I haue sayde and doth assure hymselfe to bee partaker of it because God is true and can not deceaue And thoughe our faythe sometyme bee weake and not so strong as it shoulde bee yet wee maye not dispayre for this our weakenesse and infirmitie but wee must comforte our selues wyth thys sweete promyse that he which paydr the price of our saluation as the Prophete witnesseth Doth not breake the brused reede nor extinguishe smookyng Flaxe Onely let vs saye wyth him in the Gospell I beleeue but O Lorde helpe myne vnbeliefe And with the Apostles O Lorde increase our Faith For as Christ saith If wee haue fayth no more than a graine of mustarde seede we shall by it worke great things This doctrine of apprehending the benefites of our saluation and applying the fruites of Christes Incarnation death passion by faith onely The patrons and teachers of the Church of Rome haue most impugued Their voyces thereof ring in euery mans cares their bookes and writings agaynst the same lye open to all mens eyes so that no man can doubt of it wherein their obstinate blindnesse doth more than in all other things too plainly appeare For whereas they bee great braggers of the generall consent of the Vniuersall Church and by countenance of it will seeme to maintaine their other errours and corrupt doctrine yet they reiect this doctrine that is witnessed by God the Father confirmed by the Sonne established in the hartes of the faithful by the holy Ghost testified by all the Prophetes and Apostles and acknowledged by the generall Consent of the whole Church in their beliefe and ratified by the subscription of a great number of the auncient Fathers and Catholike writers yet I say they of the Church of Rome doe impugne it and speake altogether most reprochefully of faith and wrongfully challeng the Preachers of the Gospell that by this doctrine of our Justification and saluatition by faith onely in the merite of Christes Passion they doe disproue good workes and leaue open a gappe to wickednesse and Loosenesse of lyfe Which commeth to passe because they will not vnderstand what true ChristiaÌ„ faith is nor why faith is sayd to iustifie vs before God that is because it apprehendeth the mercie of God in his promyse assuring vs that we shall haue remission of sinne saluation and eternall life through the merite of Christes Passion onely I neede not therfore to put you in minde what conclusion maye bee inferred vppon the premises against the teachers of the Church of Rome that is that not the Preachers and professors of the Gospell which teach this Article to the full but they rather of the Churche of Rome are the false Prophets that are couered with sheepes clothing because the fruites of their doctrine do plainely proue them to be such By this that I haue hitherto spoken you may perceiue that wee doe not striue with the Churche of Rome nor separate our selues from it for trifles and toyes of no weyght and value but for matters of great importaunce touchyng the principall Articles of Christian faythe and the true meanes of our Saluation For although Sathan in these dayes dothe not so commonlye rayse vp hys Instrumentes to impugne the Trinitie the two natures of Christe or the Diuinitie of the holye Ghost as he did in the Primitiue Churche yet he is not Idle but craftely turnyng himself into an Angel of light by such as not onely professe themselues to be Christians but take vppon them to bee the principall patrones and directors of Christian faith he disgraceth and extenuateth the dignitie and perfection of Christes merite and passion he peruerteth the office of the holy Ghost he abuseth the name authoritie of the Catholike Church and setteth vp an other Church he altereth the principall doctrine of our beliefe touching fayth in our Lord Jesus Christ and transferreth and almost bringeth to nothing the trueth of our iustification and the ende of our fayth He chaungeth the Sacramentes and bringing in a new sacrifycing worship altereth the Institutions and ordinaunces of Christ fâ—aâ—ly and plainely layde downe in his worde Wherfore dearely beloued I earnestly require all such as haue care of their saluation to remember Christes admonition that he gyueth in this place when he saith Beware of false Prophetes that come to you in sheepes clothing c. The first way to beware of them is with earnest and hartie Prayer to call vppon God that by his gracious benefit and lyghtning of our heartes by his spirit wee may know the false Prophetes and by his prouidence he wil preserue vs from them and sende out into his haruest faithfull and true labourers and that he will by his goodnesse
to foules of the ayre to take it away and to deuoure it The foules that eate vp the seede of gods word in the high way are the Deuill his Impes Ministers of his own begetting breding which be in number infinite but I will speake only of two or three which I may iustly compare to the rauenous filthie Harpies which y â— Poets speake of The first is Worldly Securitie the secoÌ„d godlesse Gentilitie the third Obstinate Papistrie Worldly Securitie lulleth men asleepe in the delights and cogitatioÌ„s of worldly pleasure so y t they caÌ„not fruitfully heare either y t sweete songes of Gods mercifull prouidence alluring theÌ„ to repentance or the dreadfull threatninges of his iudgements fearing them from euill doing But still they lye as it were be 〈…〉 ed and senceles in a dull heauye slumber much like vnto theÌ„ y t be taken with y e drousie sicknesse called Lethargus Speake crie vnto them as loud as you wil they heare nothing nor will shew any tokeÌ„ that they are aliue if you prick them with a pinne they will open their eyes and looke sternely a little while but by and by they are aslecpe agayne and lye as they weredead Euen so they whose hartes be ouer whelmed with Securitie if a man preach Gods word vnto them be it neuer so godly or earnestly done it nothing moueth them but if you prick them a little or pearse them to the quicke in any matter perticularly touching themselues they will looke vp somwhat stearnelye for the time as though they were angrie with you but by and by they are asleepe agayne and shew no sence of any good counsayle that you haue giuen them If we cry generally to all that professe Christianitie and principally to this Realme of Englande that God of his exceeding goodnesse in these latter perilous dayes hath beyonde all our expectations almost myraculouslye restored to vs the truth of his Gospell not that we should continue in sinne and wickednes to the defacing of his glory but that wee being lightned with the brightnesse thereof should learne that Christ Jesus our sauiour hath payd the price of our redemption deliuered vs froÌ„ the captiuitie of sinne sathan death and hel that We might walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life If we tell them y t by their baptisme they couenanted with God to forsake the Deuil al his workes that they are baptized into the death of Christ y t as they bee partakers of his death so also should they bee partakers of his cosurrectioÌ„ to the end that as Christ is risen from death so also we shold rise from y â— death of siun to newnes of life If we preach vnto theÌ„ neuer so ofteÌ„ y t by the benefite of Christ his Passion we are made the heires of God w t him and the children of light therfore y t we should walk as is worthy our vocation not to be partakers of y â— workes of darknes and passe our time in surfeting in banqueting in dronkennes in chaÌ„bring wantonnesse in â—oÌ„tention strife Emulation but y t we should put on Christ Jesus not satisfye y â— lusts of the flesh to the lyking thereof If we say y t we are by our profession Citizens of heauen of the housholde of God for that cause that our conuersation should be Heauenly w t manifest declaratioÌ„ of y â— conteÌ„pt of this miserable world the transitory vanities therof yet I saye though we preach this often though we still cal vpon theÌ„ Security so lulleth theÌ„ on sleepe that they cannot heare these sweete and Godly exhortaâ—â—â—s Yeâ— though we change out copye and ringe in their eares the terrible threatninges of God and declare that this lamentable vnthankefulnesse in receauing the Doctrine and light of his truth muste needes prouoke Gods iustice most greeuously to plague vs when we in this manner crie out vnto them it will not waken them We tel them often that God must be the same God toward vs as he was toward his people of the Iewes that he must shew the same Justice to England that he didde to Hierusalem Vnto Hierusalem Christ with lameÌ„table mind sayd Oh Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest theÌ„ to death which are sent to thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy Children vnder my winges as the Henne gathereth her Chickens yee would not Beholde your habitation shall be lefte vnto you desolate And to England he now sayeth O Englande Englande how often times haue I called thee how sundrie wayes haue I prouoked thee howe aboundantlye haue I powred out my benefites and blessinges vppon thee howe earnestlye haue I by the mouth of my Preachers clocked and cried to thee as an Henne doeth to her Chickens that thou mightest awake out of thy securitie and by repentaunce returne vnder the shadowe of my wings there to be safe from al the gredy Kites Eagles that houer ready to pray vpon thee yet thou wilt not therefore thy house shal come to confusion I will take the light of my Gospell from thee and giue it to a people that shall shew the fruites thereof Thy eninimies yea thy auncient enimies shall raigne ouer thee and kepe thee in subiection The glory and renown of thy kingdome shall fall and decay and thy people shall come to desolation and al because thou wilt not know the mercifull day of thy visitation so often and so sundery times offered vnto thee These wordes mighte shake stonie Rockes and cause them to tremble and yet they wil not moue English harts nor wake them out of their Securitie â—o although GOD let them see with their eyes y t the worldly hope of their Securitie hangeth by a twine thread I meane y â— fraile life of a tender Ladie after which they theÌ„selues caÌ„ looke for nothing but heapes of mischiefe and miserie and so much the sooner for that by Gods iust iudgement they nourishe in their owne boosoms the instrument of their confusion The Lord open our eyes mollifie our hartes y t wee may in time see and feele his mercie affected towarde vs and chase out of our mindes this foule Harpie Securitie that deuoureth the seede of Gods blessed word and will not suffer it to bring forth fruite among vs. Another birde is as ougly and lothsome as this doth as much harme which is Heathenish Gentilitie which raigneth in the hartes of godlesse persons Atheistes and Epicures which passe neither for heauen nor hell nor for God nor the Diuell but thinke those things to bee no better than Poeticall fables or at the least Bugges by policie deuised to feare Babes Therefore they iest scoffe at all Religion and make themselues merie with talke of Preachers For they passe not which end goe forwarde or whether Christ or Antichrist preuaile so that they maye singe with
receaue the worde and shewe themselues to be delighted therewith and breake out to earnest praises thereof and shewe them selues with such cheerefulnesse to embrace the doctrine of Gods trueth as they moue great hope to all men that it wyll take successe to great benefite But in the ende if any vehement temptatioÌ„ either of worldly trouble or otherwise happeÌ„ to them they waxe faynte and begin to chaunge and lastlye cleane reuolte and vtterlye forsake that truth whiche with great hope in the beginning they had receaued And of these many afterward become enimies and persecutoures of the Gospell And what I pray you may be the cause hereof Surelye this They lacked Earth and moysture to feede the seede that is they had not the true knowledge of Christ nor of his Kingdome nor a right and Christian fayth â—reo in them by the spirite of God but on 〈…〉 e opinyon conceaued in their own mindes whiche 〈…〉 e were possessed with a carnall delighte of worldelye pompes and pleasures and therefore when the Doctrine of the free mercy of God by faith in Christ only pardoning and forgiuing our sinnes is preached and when they heare superstition in fasting praying other such things sharply reproued and men exhorted to Christian libertie they imbrace this Doctrine very greedily and all because they thinke vnder pretence of Christian libertie to shake of the yoke of Discipline and obedience in Christian exercises and to vse the cloake of Gods mercy to couer a loose and licencious life in the meane time studying nothing but how they may vse the countenaunce of the Gospell to get Riches honour friendship and worldly peace and quietnesse But as I haue before sayd when the stormes of aduersity and heate of persecution riseth whereof they must be partakers if they will bee constante in the Gospell and when they heare their wicked and vngodlye doinges by Preachers sharpely reproued and begin to vnderstand that neyther christian libertie can be any warrant of licentiousnes nor Goddes mercye a Cloake to continue in wickednesse they flye from the word of GOD and betake themselues wholy to the world Such receauers of y e word were many of the Jewes which dreamed that Christe came as an earthly Prince or Conquerour that shoulde deliuer them from the tyramâ—y of the Romaines and make them Lords of the world And therefore at the beginning they flocked to him in great number and shewed such liking of him his doctrine that the Pharisies and high Priestes were afrayd to deale with him as otherwise they wold haue done But when they saw him once taken and in the hands of his enimies they reuolted shewed themselues to mislike w t him in the end cried Crucifige as frankely as y â— residue were coÌ„teÌ„ted to haue Barrabas let go christ to be put to vniust cruell death I would to God there were not to many of this sort in England at this day which now shew theÌ„selues to be hoat and eger gospellers either because they hope to haue some part of y â— spoile of Bishops lands or ecclesiastical liuings or for some such other worldly respect but wheÌ„ the heate of affliction shal come for our vnthankfulnesse continually crieth for it before the seate of Gods iustice then I say I pray god they shew but halfe that constancie good liking of the gospell y â— becommeth a true Christian And y t which maketh me other to feare theÌ„ is that w t this earnest pretended zeale I see little amendment of life or none at all ioyned The remedy against this mischiefe and the means to amend this stony ground to breede more melow earth in their harts is truely sincerely to learn what the kingdome of Christ is what they must looke for by y e professioÌ„ therof in the world For so shal they easily put away that worldly perswasion y t maketh them to reuolt from the Gospell Christ himselfe confesseth y â— his kingdome is not of this world yea y e world Christ are cleane coÌ„trary for y e prince of this world is enimy to Christ The enmity was proclaimed by god himself in Paradise I will set enmitie betweene thee the woman betweene thy seede and hers and her seede shall breake thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele Therfore so soone as Christ the seede of y â— womaÌ„ had once put his head into y â— world was born of y â— blessed virgine at Nazareth the Deuill raised his seede y â— wicked tyrant Herode to persecute christ and to seeke his death And so hath he coÌ„tinued euer since in al times seasons to persecute Christ in his meÌ„bers This Christ did not hide from his Disciples true followers but sundrye times told theÌ„ therof before haÌ„d y t wheÌ„ it came to pas they might not be offeÌ„ded Behold saith he I send you as shepe amoÌ„g the midst of Wolues be wise therfore as serpents simple as Doues c. And a little after You shalbe hated of al men for my names sake Here you may vnderstaÌ„d what intertainment true Christians must looke for in this world that is hatred disdaine cruelty such curtesy as sheepe find among Wolues The cause hereof he setteth forth more largely in S. Ioh. If the world saith christ hate you you knowe it hated me before you If you were of the world the world wold loue that is his own but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therfore the world hateth you RemeÌ„ber the word that I said vnto you the seruaÌ„t is not greater theÌ„ his maister if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also Christ in another place reseÌ„bleth his people to a House builded vpoÌ„ a Rock the raine fell the flouds came the winds blew beat vpoÌ„ that house and it fel not because it was builded vpoÌ„ a Rock By y e rain y â— flouds y â— winds beating vpoÌ„ y â— house is ment y e storms of afflictioÌ„ trouble persecutioÌ„ other vehemeÌ„t â—eÌ„tacioÌ„s y â— y e deuill y e world raiseth to assaulte y â— coÌ„scieÌ„ces of christiaÌ„s But their harts are not shakeÌ„ ther w t but staÌ„d coÌ„stantly in y â— truth because y t fouÌ„datioÌ„ of their conscieÌ„ce is sincerely grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ y â— Rock christ Jesus By this it may appeare y t y â— kingdome of christ is not earthly but a spiritual kingdome by y â— power of y â— holy ghost raigning flourishing in y â— harts of meÌ„ setting it self against y â— works of y â— deuil of y â— world for y t cause loketh for none other thing at y â— worlds hand theÌ„ misery trouble Wherfore the first poynt of a true professour of Christ his gospel is so far as maÌ„s frailty caÌ„ suffer to renouÌ„ce y e world all
make smalle accompt of them The last reason is that God our heauenly father knoweth that wee haue neede of those things and therefore for the tender and fatherly care that he hath ouer vs his children he will not suffer vs to want so much as shall be necessarie conuenient for vs. Wherefore we ought to bend our whole studie to seeke the kingdome of God and the glory thereof and leaue the cares of this world and the immoderate desire of earthly ryches least the same pull from vs and extinguish in vs the happie desire of hearing the worde and so through the deceiptfulnesse of Riches the word of God bee vtterly choked in vs and we of faire blossomes become vnfruitefull hearers and vnfit members for the kingdome of heauen c. ¶ A Sermon made vpon this text John 8. 46. Quis ex vobis arguit me de peccato Si veritatem dico vobis quare non creditis mihi Which of you can rebuke me of sinne and if I say the truth why doe yee not beleeue mee WHen I was assigned to this place and pervsed the Text of the Gospell for this day seeing the first verse thereof to bee these wordes which nowe I haue recited vnto you I could not but thinke it to bee some part of Gods gracious prouidence there-by to put mee in minde giue mee full occasion to speake of those things which in conscience I thinke most necessarie at this time and in this place to bee vttered These wordes deerely beloued are a parte of that notable conference which was betweene our Sauiour Christ and the Jewes Ioh 8. Wherein both of them are so earnest in defence of their part as hardly the lyke is to be found in the whole historie of the Euangelistes The Jewes in defence of their Synagogue denie Christ to bee the light of the world that shoulde open the true way of saluation to men but affirme that he was an aâ—bitious and vaine glorious man bearing witnesse of himselfe for his owne credites sake yea they say he is a Samaritane a worker with diuells a blasphemer of God and therefore lastly take vp stones and draue him by violence out of the place A verye ryght paterne of the enemyes of Christ and hys Church On the other part Christ in deede mooued wyth the true zeale of Gods house after hee had declared that hee was the lyght of the worlde which hee that followed should not walke in darkenesse but see the truth of euerla sting life he euidently proueth that the Jewes were not as they pretended to bee the right seede of Abraham for then they would doe the workes of Abraham nor the children of God for then they would haue receaued him who was sent vnto them from God but earnestly affirmeth that they are of the seede and ofspring of Sathan the father of lying and vntrothe and therefore euen by very corruption of nature they could not abyde the truth Then Christes knowing that they woulde obiect against him that they denied not his doctrine because it was the truth as he charged them but because he was an euill man and a seducer of the people and not like a person that should deliuer the truth vnto the people of God Therefore Christ to preuent this obiection wherewith they went about to deface and discredite his doctrine speaketh in such sorte as ye haue heard Quis ex vobis c. Which of you can rebuke me of sinne c. In which wordes you see Christ doth two things First he standeth to the integritie of his cause euen as well in the vpright dealing in his office as in Innocencie of lyfe Secondly he iustifieth the truth of his doctrine and therefore requireth them to beleeue it if they will shewe themselues to be of God in deede This dealing of Christ all Christians generally but especially Byshops Preachers and all such as are called to the ministerie of the word ought to set before their eyes as a right paterne of their doyngs if they will be the true Ministers of Jesus Christ And these two things I meane w t Gods assistaunce to speake of at this time and in this order First I will declare what the office of a Preacher or Minister is by his calling and what daunger hangeth ouer them if they doe it not Secondly because men may deale wyth good consciences and yet be subiect to great infamie and sclaunders for euen Christ in this place notwithstanding his integritie heard of hys aduersaryes Nonne bene dicimus quod Samaritanus es daemonium habes c. i. Say we not well that thou arte a Samaritaine and hast the Diuell Therefore I will let you vnderstande what blame they deserue and what daunger they are in that falsely vncharitably defame the Ministers Preachers of Gods worde and truth of purpose to discredite their doctrine Thirdly I will prooue that the doctrine of the Gospell which we haue preached in this land these 20. yeeres and more which vnder hir Maiesties gracious protection authoritie of hir lawes hath bene established is the truth and no truth of doctrine but that and therefore y t it ought to be beleeued receaued and without exception to bee confirmed of all them that be of God As touching the first S. Paul saith Sic nos aestimet homo c. Let a man so esteeme vs as the Ministers of Christ the bestowers of his mysteries The mysteries of God are the true doctrine of saluation in Christ Jesu and al the other benefites and commodities of his holy word mentioned by S. Paule to Timothie A good Bishop therefore and a right Preacher must out of y â— holy scriptures teach true doctrine sincerely he must confute error superstition idolatrie zealously he must exhort to vertue earnestly he must without respect of persons reproue vice and wickednesse boldly and freely he must comfort the afflicted conscience sweetely and gratiously This is the charge that God layeth vpon vs in his word very earnestly with greeuous daunger if we doe it not In Esay God speaketh in thys wyse Get thee vp into the high mountaine thou that teachest in Syon thou that preachest the Gospell in Hierusalem lyfte vp thy voyce with strength lyfte vp thy voyce I saye and feare not tell the Cities that the Lorde their God commeth You heare that wee are commaunded to tell the Cities that is the particular Churches of Christ that the Lord their God commeth to visite them eyther in mercy offering them his worde and callyng them to repentaunce or in iustice to punish them for the contempt of his worde and want of repentaunce And this wee must doe not in secrete corners but in the face of the worlde for wee must stande vppon the toppe of the Mountaine that we may bee seene and shewe our selues not ashamed of the Gospell We must not doe it slackly but zealously lyfting vp our voyce with strength
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
frustrate But surelye these be those dayes that S. Paule prophecied of The time shall come fayth he wheÌ„ men shall not abide sound doctrine but hauing itching eares shall frame vnto theÌ„ selues preachers according to theire owne phantasyes and shall turne their eares from the truth For if we doe as these men would haue vs to doe leaue doctrine preach of manners so that it bee done in generalitie with some shew of eloquence and enterlacing of fyne short senteuces it is tollerablye thoughte of and vsed somewhat lyke as GOD speaketh of to Ezechiell As a iest and song of a pleasaunt Musitian But so soone as the sweete tune and note of the eloquence is out of their eares the Dittie and matter is cleane forgotten and they remayne the same persons that they were before bee the thinge neuer so good that was spoken But if wee speake of anye matter particularlye and come so nigh them that they feele their consciences nipped and touched then are they greued with this disease Noli me tangere Touche mee not Then the Preacher rayleth hee wanteth wisedome hee hath neede to go to a Schoole of Discretion hee medleth with those matters that he should not In deede I woulde not wishe eyther Preachers or any other Subiectes to enter into Councell Chambers and openly to deale in the consultation of Princes or controuersyes of the State so long as they bee consultations but if any matter breake oute in facte contrarye to the Lawe of God eyther in the fyrste or seconde Table which toucheth eyther religion and the true worshipping of god or the order of iustice and charitie among Christians I see not but that euery good Preacher maye and in duetye ought to speake agaynst them and to denounce the perill thereof euen to the face of the offendoures vnlesse wee will bee contented that the blood of them that perish without warning should be required at our hands which is too heauy for any mortall creature to beare Therefore seeing the mynde of men in these dayes bee so ouerthwarte and waywarde wee whome GOD hath placed for the Ministerye of his worde haue great cause to praye vnto him that hee will assiste vs not onely with that spirite of integritie as well in office as life whereof Christ here speaketh that with confidence of conscience wee maye bee able to saye for the iudgementes of men Quis ex vobis c. Which of you can rebuke me of sinne But also that he will indue vs with that spirituall strength which in like case he promiseth to his Prophets Ieremy and Ezechiell that is that he will make vs strong cities yron pillers and brasen walles agaynst them that oppugne in vs God and his truth and if they do make stiffe their neckes and harden their faces as stones agaynst the Lord his preaching to repentaunce that he wil make vs also to haue faces of flinte or Adamante that maye not blush or be abashed to let them vnderstande it For â—urteous talking and shame fast speaking will not serue Another crime that they lay agaynst vs and that with great daunger is that wee are seditious and contentious men in common weales daungerous to States and Principalities neuer contented but still seeking alterations and studying to bring al states to y â— Swizers coÌ„mon weale here with charge they not only vs that be Preachers but also all those y â— be true sincere professors of the Gaspell What the Swizers common weale is I partly vnderstand but I neuer yet hearde nor reade of any man that was of this opinion that all principalities ought to bee broughte either to the forme therof or any one other Or if there be anye such out of my knowledge I muste saye vnto him Anathema if hee were an Aungell in Heauen For the Doctrine of GOD teacheth no such thing but that all Christian Subiectes should content themselues with that forme of gouernemeÌ„t vnder which God hath placed them and by prayer and all other honest and Godlye meanes of obedience studie to preserue and maintain the same Therfore they that laye this to oure charge doe desyre maliciously to deface the word of God and his truth But this is the olde meanes where with the Serpent Sathan by his politique Instrumentes hath alwayes indeuoured to make odious to Princes and Magistrates the Prophets preachers and Ministers of Gods word So was it sayde of Helias and Micheas That they troubled Israell that they were enimies to the King neuer spake any thiÌ„g that was pleasaunt to him So was it sayde of Hieremias That he was a Traytor to his Countrey that he had conspired with the Babilonians and bare no good harte to the Prince So was it sayd of Amos That the earth might not abide the words that he had spoken to King Jeroboam So was it sayde of the Apostles and Fathers of the Primatiue Churche in so muche that the name of a Christyan in those dayes was in that state as nowe in some Countreyes the name of a Protestante or Gospeller is That is a sufficiente cause to drawe men in daunger of goodes Landes lyfe and al that hee hath though there bee no other matter in the worlde to charge them And these men studye to make their accusation probable by those sturres that of late yeares haue fallen out in Germany Flaunders Fraunce Scotland and as they saye here in Englande too But it is a wonderfull thing to see how affection blindeth men that either they cannot or will not see the truth Were there neuer sturres rebellions or vndutifull dealinges towarde Princes in Flaunders Fraunce and Scotlande before these late yeares of the reâ—â—ing of the Gospell If they thinke so they knowe nothing and erre of ignoraunce and by ignoraunce seeke to misleade other but if they know it to be otherwise as needes they muste if they haue reade anye thing then erre they of malice and purposely seeke to deface God his Ministers and his truth As for the Realme of Englande all men knowe that for the spare of these fyftie yeares or more there hath scante bene two Princes so happy as to scape w t one Rebellion in theyre tyme. To lette passe other and to speake of those thinges that are in oure rememberaunce Were they Protestantes that rebelled in the tyme of king Henrie Were they all Protestantes that rebelled in the time of that blessed Babe King Edwarde the sixte Were they Protestantes that rebelled in the Queenes Maiesties time that nowe is They cannot nor I thinke they will not say it for shame The Messengers and seditious Fyrebrandes that inflamed that styrre are well knowne to be Englishe Romanistes and Louanistes as euen nowe they doe indeuour the like Is it vnknowne to any man that it is a principle of their Doctrine that if a Prince be not a friend to the Sea of Roome be his Title otherwise neuer so good yet he is
of the high and most excellent meanes of oure saluation deuised by the wisedome and vnspeakeable mercye of God For it should greatlye impeache the wisedome of God if he should send downe his sonne the seconde person in Trinitie into the vale of miserye here to take Fleshe and in the forme of a Seruaunt and abiecte man to suffer most vile and reprochfull Death to bee a partye redeemer or a partie Sauiour and to yeelde a great parte of the honoure and glory thereof to other No no he is GOD he giueth not his glory to other He onely onelye I saye hee is our full and perfecte reconciler and Redemer and all the residue that I haue spoken of before This is the Doctrine which we teache this is the Gospell whiche we preache and this is no new Doctrine but that whiche was conceaued in the bosome of the wisedome of GOD before the beginning of the Worlde For wee were chosen sayeth Sayncte Paule in Christe Antequám iacerentur Fundamenta Mundi i. Before the Foundations of the Worlde were layde This is that Gospell that GOD himselfe opened in Paradise to our fyrst Fathers I will set enmitie sayeth he to the Woman betweene thy seede and his seede and thy seede That is one that shall come of a woman shall breake the Serpents head That is ouerthrow the whole power of the Deuil and delyuer mankynde from sime This is that Gospell that was renued to Abraham and all the Patriarches In thy Seede shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed This is that Gospell that was fygured to the Jewes by the Paschall Lambe by Manna by the Rocke by all the Sacrifices and Ceremoniall seruices of the Lawe This is that Gospell Where vnto all the Prophets beare witnesse As Saynt Peter sayeth in the Actes That all they that beleeue in him shall haue remission of sinnes by his name This is that Gospell that Saynt Iohn the Forerunner poynted vnto Beholde the Lambe of God c. This is the Gospell that Christe himselfe preached and deliuered to his Apostles and they to the whole Worlde So GOD loued the Worlde that hee gaue his onlye begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeued in him should be saued Therefore as I haue sayde Our doctrine is no newe Doctrine but the moste aunciente Doctryne that euer was vpon the face of the Earth neyther doe wee teache anye other Doctrine then this and those that doe of necessitie depende vppon this or bee grounded vppon this Neither doe wee impugne anye Doctrines in other but suche as are repugnaunte to this Fayth and eyther directlye or indirectlye impeache the same For I protest before GOD and his Aungels and in the presence of this honourable Audience for my selfe and as many professoures of the Gospell as I know that whatsoeuer Doctrine is agreeable to this wee doe gladly receiue it and with both armes imbrace it though it come from the Churche of Roome And whatsoeuer Doctrine is repugnant to this and will not stande with it wee doe reiecte it though it come from an Aungell in Heauen Seeing then wee haue nowe this 20. yeares taught you this vnfallible trueth Why doe you not beleeue vs c. Now as touching the second branche what it is to denye Christe to haue come in Fleshe and who they are that denye it you shall vnderstande that there bee two wayes to denye Christe to haue come in fleshe The one flatlye and groselye and in playne wordes as Ebion Erinthus Marcion Valentinian Arrius and a number suche other in the Primatiue Churche whiche denyed eyther the Deitie or Humanitie of Christe But in them Sathan shewed himselfe in his owne Coloures like a blacke Deuill and therefore the Heresyes beeing so grosse were soone confuted and confounded in the Churche of GOD. There is another waye more subtle and perilous vndirectly to denye Christ to haue come in fleshe in whiche Sathan tourneth himselfe into an Aungell of lighte and as Cyprian sayeth Vnder the name of Christe confounding the Religion of christe That is While in wordes they confesse the Incarnation of Christ by peruerse Doctrynes in effecte they deny it by denying those causes for which the Sonne of GOD was Incarnate attributing the effect of oure Saluation to other thinges And after this sorte the Teachers of the Churche of Roome very plainlye and perilouslye denye Christe to haue come in fleshe as I wil particularly lette you vnderstande by the Branches of our saluation before recyted As touching the fyrst cause of Christe his Incarnation that Christe is the onelye reconciler mediatoure and attonement maker betweene God and vs and for that cause sitteth at the right hande of God perpetualy to appeare before his face for vs Against this Article they teach blasphemous Doctrine of Inuocation of Saintes that they are our mediatours and reconcilers that by their merites and prayers we haue accesse vnto God and are for their sakes heard receiued and accepted into the fauour of God agayn euidently displacing the son of God frō the cheefe office of his eternall priesthood setting his creatures in his place and dignitie and y t with out any warrant of scripture eyther by word or by exāple This Doctrine is ioyned with two other foule erroures Firste that they conceaue of Christ as of a dreadfull God and terrible iudge and not as of a mercifull Mediatour therefore that wee haue needs of other spokesmen to make the way to him for vs though he himselfe most gratiously and mercifully cryeth vnto vs Come all ye that trauayle and be heauy loden and I will refresh you And in sundry places commaundeth vs to pray vnto God the father in his name assuring vs that whatsoeuer wee desire it shall be graunted vs. And therefore doe they shew them selues to mistrust the Credite of Christ Secondly in this praying to the Saintes not without great daunger of Idolatrie they attribute vnto them diuine power For in their praying to them they imagine of them that they bee of Vniuersall knowledge and vnderstanding not onelye what men speake but also what they thinke in theire hartes Agayne they attribute vnto them Almightie power as being able to worke and bring to passe whatsoeuer is desyred of them And lastlye they shewe themselues to beleeue that they are More merciful and readye to heare sinners then Christ himself which is flat Blasphemy As touching the second cause of christ his Incarnation that he is our onlye redeemer and purchazer of remission of our sinnes This ground of our faith they weaken by a number of corrupt Doctrines As first that in parte wee haue saluation and remission of sinnes by the Merites of Saintes for thus they praye Tuper Thomae sanguinē quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit Graunt vs O Christ by the blood of Thomas which he shed for thee thether to goe whether he is ascended And to
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
among Papists Folio 212 What is to be thought of Ministers if they liue offensiuely c. Folio 212 Others must liue well how so euer Ministers do liue Folio 226 The meanes now left to the Ministers to redresse the curiositie and obiection of hearers for preaching either of doctrine or manners Folio 218 What Ministers shoulde be able to doe when their doctrine is discredited by their liues Folio 208 A very commendable example of concealing Ministers faults Folio 213 A good example admonishing princes to beware of secrete dealers againste Ministers Folio 213 All Ministers are not to be euill spoken of bicause some deserue it c. Folio 214 Miracles False Miracles wroght by false prophets to deceiue Gods people Folio 78. 79 Why God doth not shew such miracles as of old he did c. Folio 80 The end wherevnto godly Miracles doe tend Folio 80. 81 N. Nature ¶ The definition or discription of Nature declaring what it is Folio 163 The saying of the Heathens that all things stand according to the course of Nature c. Folio 192 O. Opinions ¶ God suffereth diuersitie of Opinions euen in his true Church Folio 57 Diuersitie of opinions in the East and West Church for Easter Folio 58 Obiection to conuince protestants for dissention of Opinions Folio 55 The Scholemen aâ—e full of diuersitie of Opinions Folio 60 Disagreement in Opinions amongst couÌ„cels Folio 62 Diuersitie of Opinions betwixte the vniuersitie and the Friers Folio 62 Late dissentions in Opinions amongest Papistes Folio 62. 63 DissentioÌ„ in opinions is no new thing Fol. Folio 54 The absurd Opinions of them confuted which imagine God to gouern great things only c. Folio 165 P. Papistes ¶ The Papists will haue Christ to be a demi-sauiour Folio 237 Of obstinate papistrie in three sortes of Papistes Folio 194 England in moste daungerous perils by Papistes Folio 194 The meanes to remedie some kindes of Papistes Folio 194 Cause of care in what places of credite Papistes are put Folio 195 Perfection ¶ What Perfection should be in the life of euerie one c. Folio 226. 227 Pope ¶ Pope Gregorie the firste condemneth the name of vniuersall Bishop Folio 99 Ambition in Pope Boniface succeeding Gregorie next saue one Folio 99 Popes ¶ The Popes trie it by the cares who shal be heade Folio 102 The Popes charitie shewed to his predecessor 100 The Popes treason against the Emperor Fol. Folio 101 Repugnancie euen in the decrees of Popes Folio 60 The Popes whordome passed ouer Folio 103 The crueltie of Popes taxed Folio 103 The Popes pride touched Folio 104 The Popes couetousnesse noted Folio 105 A conclusion vppon all the Histories of the Popes proceedings Folio 108 Vertue and learning not regarded in choice of Popes Folio 48 Of horrible cruelties in Popes Folio 48 Popes Sorcerers Nicromancers coniurers poisoners Folio 49 Popes did great iniuries euen to Emperours Folio 49 Of couetousnesse and extortions in Popes Folio 49 Popes seditious and raisers of warre Fol. Folio 50. 51. Popes by their strife and cursing one an other set all Christendome by the eares Folio 52 Popedome ¶ That the Popedome was to be gotteÌ„ by ambition and bribery Folio 48 Nicromancie and poyson steppes to the Popedome Folio 101 Prayer ¶ A brief Prayer for communicants before they receiue the Lords supper Folio 157 Prayer to Saints is against Christ mediatourship and aduocatship Folio 236 Prayer to Saints conteyneth besides it selfe two other wicked things Folio 236 Preacher ¶ Truth may be taught by the Preacher and yet three to one take no fruite by it Folio 223 Gods people doe neuer make the waâ—â—e of godlinesse in the Preacher to bee the cause that good doctrine doeth not fructifie in the hearers â—â—â— Preachers ¶ It is an ordinarie way of Sathan to discredit true Doctrine by the life of the Preachers Folio 212 The first fault obiected against Preachers and the answere Folio 215 The second crime obiected against Preachers to discredit their doctrine Folio 218 The third matter obiected against Preachers and the answere thereof Folio 222 Howe they are to be accompted of that deride Preachers Folio 190 The specialties of a Preachers dutie Folio 209 Preachers in deliuering Gods will must do it openly withoute feare or negligence Folio 209. 210 Preachers muste giue good example of life aunswereable to their doctrine Fol. Folio 21â— Preachers are autorized by God in their calling Folio 178 What estimation oughte to be hadde of Preachers Folio 178 How those are to be thought of who do lightly regarde eyther preaching or Preachers Folio 179 An obiection made against the credit of the Gospell and the Preachers therof c. Folio 182 Some Preachers had but barren successe and yet was their doctrine truth Folio 183 The cause of barren successe is all one to the presente Preachers as was to the Prophetes c. â—84 Howe grieuous it is for Preachers to offende Folio 185 Whye Preachers offences are not to bee made more greeuous than they are Fol. Folio 185 Princes ¶ How Papistes do vnlawfully ouerrule and abuse Princes Folio 221 The full right of authoritie is onely by ProtestaÌ„ts granted to Princes c. Folio 221 Principalities ¶ A principle of papistrie against Principalities which cannot but occasion warre Folio 220 Papistes and not Protestants alter titles of Principalities Folio 220 Papistes and not Protestantes challenge all temporall power of Principalities Fol. Folio 220. Prophets ¶ Description of false Prophets examined Folio 68 Distinction to be made betwixte the cloathing and the fruites of false Prophets Folio 69 How false Prophets are discerned by their fruites and chiefely by theyr Doctrine Folio 84 Three poyntes of Doctrine concerning false Prophets Folio 84. 85 A second poynt of doctrine by which false Prophets are discerned from true teachers Folio 87. 88. 89. 90 A thirde poynte of doctrine to trie the teachers whether they are true or false Prophets Folio 92 False miracles wrought by false Prophets to deceyue Gods people Folio 78. 79 The teachers of the doctrine of Christs office and comming in the flesh c. found to be false Prophets Folio 91 False Prophets are they that eyther in flatte words denie Iesus to be Christ or by indirect meanes go about to teach it Folio 86 Prouidence ¶ Of Gods speciall Prouidence for euery thing Folio 201 That vve must rest vpon Gods Prouidence in our desiring things of this life Folio 205 Foure reasons why for things of this life we should euer content our selues in and with Gods Prouidence Folio 205 Punishment ¶ The Punishment of sinne Folio 168 Punishmentes sente from God for examples sake Folio 169. 170. 171. 172. 173 R. Repentance ¶ How God calleth England to repent and without Repentance what is like to befall it Folio 188 Reprehension ¶ How the enimies of truth dislike perticular Reprehension Folio 217 Riches ¶ Why Riches and pleasures are resembled to thornes Folio 202 How Riches do hurt and worldly pleasures harme Folio 202 Why it