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
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
teach and as you loue the saluatiē of your soules require you to beleeue that they be signes and figures in deede but such as most assuredly bring vnto the faithfull harte verily and in truth the selfe same things that they signifie so that the faithfull Christian receauer maye assure himselfe that as truely as God is God so truely he receaueth those things which the outward Sacrament doth signifie We ought therefore deerely beloued with humble hartes to giue immortall thankes to the eternall God in our Sauiour Christ Jesus that he hath vouchedsafe so graciously and so mercifully to haue consideration of our infirmitie to helpe our frailtie and as it were to leade vs like children by the hand and appoint vs whether to goe and what to doe and to giue vs those exercises to trade vs to the obedience of his will and confession of his name to marke vs with his badges and cognizances that wee may be knowen to be his to fasten vs together with these linkes of vnitie and Christian concorde and finally to prepare for vs such and so blessed instrumentes to bring vnto vs hys heauenly blessings Herein also we may behold his great wisedome that he would not lay forth vnto vs his spiritual mysteries and promises in wordes onely least they myght slip away and be forgotten but confirmeth and establisheth the same by his deede and seale also as I haue declared that we might the more assuredly embrace them We reade in Histories and see by experience that when men make any Couenaunt or bargayne they either shake handes or vse some other like ceremonie or solemnitie to confirme it In olde time among the heathen they vsed to kill a hogg◠or a pigge c. and to vse at the same certaine protestatious and curses if they stoode not to their couenaunt and league And euerie matter of conueighance we see passeth by deede and seale The Lorde when he made his promise to Abraham willed a Bullocke a Goate and a Weather to bee kylled and the Lorde in forme of a burning lyght passed betweene them by that solemnitie assuring him that whatsoeuer he had promysed should in truth be performed The outwarde Circumcision the Paschall Lambe and all the multitude of Sacrifices of the olde lawe were nothing but seales to confirme the trueth of Gods promise of saluation in the true sacrifice that shoulde come Euen so dealeth Christ with vs in his Sacramentes Those he hath ordayned as his deedes and instrumentes as before I haue mentioned to assure vs of his promyses And so much are his deedes more sure and his promyses more certaine and infallible than any mans can bee as his wyll is more iust to stande to that he hath sayde and his habilitie to performe it greater Nowe for so much as S. Paule in this place maketh comparison betweene the Sacramentes of the olde Lawe and of the Gospell and saith that the Israelites were Baptized in the cloude and in the sea and in Manna dyd eate the same spirituall meate and in the Rocke drinke of the same spirituall drinke that wee doe I thinke it necessarie somewhat to note what difference is betweene theyr Churche and ours and their sacramentes and ours And principally I do this because many through ignoraunce are of that opinion that the saluation of mankinde by Christ was neuer hearde of in the worlde before Christ came in fleshe and that the Iewes had some other meane of saluation than by him and therefore that their sacramentes and ours are nothing like But this errour taketh away from all Christians a passing great comforte that is that Christian Religion and that Meanes of saluatiō is no new thing but hath continued euer since the beginning of the world according as it is said of Christ Agnus qui dccifus est ab origine mundi i. That he is the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world First therefore you must vnderstande and the whole course of the Scriptures teacheth vs that there is but one eternall and immutable GOD of both those Churches I meane of the Iewes before Christ and of christians nowe whome they both dyd worshyppe in spirite and in trueth For Christians must bee farre from that dinelish and wicked heresie of Marcion Valentinian and other whiche taught that there were two Gods one of the Iewes another of the Christians a good God and a badde a GOD that created the worlde and a good God that was Father of Christ Iesu But this detestable heresie hath beene iustly condemned and cast out of the Churche manye hundred yeeres since Secondlye both those Churches haue but one manner of saluation proposed to them in the promyses of GOD that is by the death of Christ the Messias and sonne of God Thys maner of saluation was first deuised by the wysedome of God and layde vp in the secrete closet of his diuine prouidence before the worlde was made So saith Saint Paule Blessed bee God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all spiritual blessing in heauenly things in Christ as he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde Thys manner of saluation God himselfe first vttered and publyshed in Paradice saying to the Serpent after sinne committed I will sette enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and hir seede and thy seede shall breake his heade c. Here is promysed that one should come of the seede of the womā that should breake the serpentes heade that is vtterly destroye the power of the Diuell and deliuer mankinde from his tyrannie The same promyse was confirmed to Abraham and ratified to all the Patriarches in these wordes In thy seede all the nations of the earth shal be blessed This promyse so much moued faithfull Abraham that as Christ saith he greatly longed in spirite to see the day of Christ and he sawe it and exceedingly reioyced and vndoubtedly so did the other Patriarches and Prophetes as S. Peter beareth witnesse hereof All the Prophetes from Samuel and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue borne witnes of these dayes What shall I saye of the whole manner of the law ceremonies and Sacramentes but that they were Preachings of that redemption that should be in Christ Iesu It were infinite to giue you examples in al I will note vnto you onely two or three What can bee more euident than the Sacrament of the Passouer That as a Lambe without spot was killed so the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesu should be sacrificed for our deliuerance out of the spiritual Aegypt of the Diuels kingdome where vnder the heauie burdens of sinfull workes wee were holden thrall and in bondage And as the blood of the Lambe sprinkled vppon the poste was a token for the Angell of Gods wrathe to passe that house so as many as by fayth haue the doore postes of their heartes sprinkled with the bloud of Christ the true Lamb that taketh
of the Gospell are offended to heare the Preachers to reproue not onely their outwarde euill workes but also to require that man shoulde vtterly forsake himselfe die vnto sinne mortifie the fleshe together with the lustes thereof and so wholy to be giuen and addicted to Christ and his holy will that we should not so much as keepe company with the wicked and vngodly Oh saye they you cleane take away all curtesie and pleasaunt life and bring into the worlde a Monkish Stoicall seueritie and solitarinesse contrarie to all ciuill fashion and humanitie Wherfore when we tell the iolly Gentlemen and lustie Courtiours that their gorgeous apparell is but a lewde wasting of their thrift and a loose vanitie that their ydle swearing is horrible blasphemie that their Dicing DauÌ„sing and dalieng is wicked spending of time and practises of impietie they mislike this doctrine they are ashamed of this Gospell and in their outrage depraue the Preachers and speake ill of them When we tell the fine Ladyes and Gentlewomen that their painted coates with gazing colours their friâ—â—ed heare and imbrodered hattes their â—itle Cappes and light Fethers are but instruments of wantonnesse snares of sinne and open tokens of lightnesse they are displeased with vs. In their brauerie they scoffe at vs they thinke it a shame for them to be taught out of the Gospell to goe like graue Ladies and sober or sad Matrons When we tell the couetous riche men that they shoulde not heere laye vp the treasures of the world but seeke after euerlasting ryches that no rust can consume When wee tell them that they brought nothing into the worlde and as assuredly shall carrie nothing out of the worlde when wee byd them gyue the one halfe of their goods vnto the poore and restore agayne those that they haue yll gotten as Zacheus did They mislyke our doctrine they are ashamed of the Gospell they go with heauie heartes from the Sermon as the yong riche man went from Christ When with Saint Paule wee tell the riotous gluttons that they shoulde walke soberly as in the daye time and not pamper vp theyr fleshe to vice and wantonnesse by feastyng by banqueting by riotous feedyng and drunkennesse but that they shoulde put on the Lorde Iesu Christ and not followe the fleshe by satisfying the lust thereof they thinke it an harde doctrine they thynke the sweete of their life taken from them and therefore are ashamed in that to followe the Gospell But they that bee the true people of God consider that as Christ sayth He hath chosen his out of the world so he requireth that they shoulde forsake the worlde abandon the pleasures of the fleshe and vanitie of this lyfe die vnto sinne and by the seede of hys holy Gospell bee borne agayne to a newnesse of lyfe His Apostles also soundyng vppon the same string tell vs that wee should be seperated from this naughtie generation that wee may rise in Christ to a newnesse of life as an holy nation and set foorth his goodnesse that hath deliuered vs from darknesse to light vnestimable The same Apostles crie vnto vs and by Proclamation as it were exclude out of the Kingdome of heauen Whooremaisters Adulteres couetous men nyce and wanton persons drunkards backbiters contenders brawlers idolaters theeues and extorcioners Wherefore wee may not chaunge the lawes of the Citie of God and make these things to hang on the pleasures and affections of men that Christ and his Apostles haue so straightly and seuerely forbydden Therfore neuer let the pleasures of the worlde nor the maisters and maintainers of them pull you from the profession of the Gospel but still say with Saint Paule I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ c. Nowe are wee come to another quarrell that they make against the Gospell but as for this and other quarrels that they make against the Gospell they shall afterwarde bee intreated of ¶ The second Sermon Non me pudet Euangelij j. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for c. THe greatest defence that the aduersaries of the Gospel haue at this day for themselues and agaynst vs is the title authoritie of the Churche wyth that do they greeuously assault and trouble mens consciences and seeke to make them ashamed of the Gospell Oh saye they the professours of the pretensed Gospell at this day are but Schismatikes and Heretikes they are departed from the true and Catholike Church of Christ that hath continued these 1500. yeeres and is confirmed by Vniuersalitie Antiquitie and Generall consent This Church ought to be taken of al Christian men as the pillar and stay of al truth This Church by Christes owne promise can neuer erre This Churche is the house of God This Churche is the onely spouse of Christ Beside this piller there standeth no sounde truth Out of this house there is no saluation They are not the sonnes of God which are not the children of the Church Non est dignus deo patre qui non habet Ecclesiam matrem i. He is not worthie to haue God for his Father whiche hath not the Church for his mother This is a greeuous assaulte this is a sore batterie vnto mindes not yet confirmed this vndoubtedly hathe and dothe shake manye a weake conscience at thys daye For who wyll not bee afearde to bee out of the Churche of Christ to bee oute of the house of GOD to bee oute of the Arke of Noe and so moste certayne to bee ouerwhelmed with the water of desperation and condemnatioÌ„ But bee you strong in the Lorde and by the power of hys holy worde confirme and fortifie your consciences And first that you be not in this poynt astonied and troubled with a false alarume learne you out of the holy scriptures what the True Church of God is and what are the True markes of it wherby it must be knowne And then conferre the same with the Church of Rome that gyueth you thys assaulte and see whether you are departed from the Churche of Christ or from the state of Antichrist and synagoge of Sathan The Churche sometime in the Scripture is taken for the whole number of the elect of God that are and haue beene from the begynning of the worlde in all places and all ages euen to thys daye And this is that Churche that is the pyller of trueth This is that Churche that neuer can abyde in errour Thys is that Churche that by imputation of Gods mercye is the immaculate and vndefyled spouse of Christ but this Churche is not alwaye seene This is the inuisible Churche that is knowne to God alone and is neuer certaynely and truely and for the whole opened to mannes eyes For they by Hypocrisie maye seeme members of thys Churche whiche in deede are no partakers of it as appeareth by the example of Iudas And contrariwyse they to mans iudgement maye seeme not
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
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
onely for the redemption of the whole worlde generally but for hys also particularly and that he vndoubtedly is partaker of that blessed worke of our redemption When wee heare these woordes Doe this in remembrance of me our faith is assured y t it is Christs commaundement that wee shoulde vse this Sacrament to call to our remembraunce the benefite of our faluation by the death of Christ and in hart and minde at al times but then especially to shew our selues truely thankefull to him for the same When our sight beholdeth vpon the Table the bread and wyne by Christes ordinaunce broken and powred out for vs to vse the Fayth is moued this to thinke As surely and truely as my bodily eyes behould vpon the table of the Lord the Creatures of bread and wine as the outward parte of his sacramente and see the same broken and poured out for mee so assuredly doe I with the eye of my faith beholde the body and blood of Christ broken and shead for me vpon the Alter of the Crosse and the same my Sauiour sitting now on the right hand of god the father with the same body and blood now gloryfyed wherewith vpon the Crosse he payd the price of my redemption WheÌ„ we see the Minister offering to vs the bread and the cup and wee receaue the same in our hande and by our sence feele them inwardly in our hartes our fayth is mooned to haue this cogitacion As truely as our Sauioure Christe vpon the Crosse by his body broken and his blood sheade wrought our redemption and offered the benefite thereof to all that would beleeue generally so truelye am I assured that now in the vse of this holy Sacrament by his minister he offereth the same to me particularly to be applied to my selfe And as surely as my hande receaueth the outwarde creatures so surelye by my fayth doe I receyue Christ himselfe and in my hart feele him and with my spirituall armes imbrace him as the onely price and meanes of my saluation When we eate of the holy breade and drinke of the reuerend cuppe and by our cast haue sence of the sweetenesse of them and fele them passe downe into our stomache there to rest that they may be according to their nature meanes to nourishe and strengthen our bodie to continue it in lyfe the fayth is stirred vp by these sences thus to thinke Euen as certainly as my taste feeleth the sweetenesse of Breade and wyne and thereby perceiue in deede that their operacion is to nourish and strengthen my body and to quicken my naturall spirites which without suche nourishmente would perishe euen so the taste of my faith and sence of my hart doth feele the sweetenesse of Christe his body and blood broken and shead for mee and all mankinde vppon the Crosse and perceiue it thereby to be the onely foode of my soule without which I shoulde perishe both soule and bodye Eternallye And as certainlye as I feele with bodilye sence that the Breade and Wyne passeth into my Stomache and there according to their proportion feede strengthen and quicken my Naturall bodye and Spirites so assuredlye doe I with my inwarde and Spirituall sence perceiue the bodye and blood of Christe and the whole benefite of his death and passioÌ„ to passe into the stomache of my soule and bosome of my hart there through the strength of a true ChristiaÌ„ faith to be laid vp wrought and digested as that onelye nourishmente that keepeth the life of the soule and preserueth mee both soule and bodye to eternall life They that will Christianlye and charitablely and in the feare of GOD weighe and consyder these thinges I truste will not thinke eyther that wee make lighte accoumpte of the Externall Sacramente or in oure Doctrine teache a syngle and sleighte manner of eating of Christ by fayth as the fauourers of the church of Rome doe charge vs. And I appeale to the Consciences of all them that followe theire Doctrine whether euer they were taughte to take suche sweete instruction and comfort in the vse of that blessed Sacrament or no. These good Fruites of that Sacramente are muche furthered and increased by sunderye other Godlye cogitations which the Scriptures teache true Christians to vse in the administration of it The worde of GOD teacheth that the vse of the externall Sacramentes is a manner of confession whereby men acknowledge themselues before GOD and the World that they are Christians Therefore the faythfull receauer when hee commeth to the Sacrament thinketh this with himselfe I by comming to this place proteste before GOD and his Angels and before all the Creatures of Heauen and earth that in my harte I deteste the Religion of Jewes Turkes Infidels Heretiques and all other that denye saluation to come by the death of Christe and I acknowledge my selfe vnfaygnedlye to bee of the number of them that hope to haue the fauoure of GOD and to bee saued by the merite and passion of Christe onelye The worde of GOD teacheth that Sacramentes are as it were Seales to confyrme the truth of Gods promises and to strength our fayth Therefore by this seale of the Lords Supper wee assure oure selues that wee are partakers of all that Legacie which Christ our Sauyour in his last will bequeathed to vs that is that his bodye was broken vpon the Crosse for our redemption and his blood sheadde for the remission of oure Sinnes The Scriptures teache that in the vse of the sacramentes through Fayth wee bee vnited vnto Christ and ingraffed into his Mysticall body so that wee liue nowe onelye by him and whatsoeuer is his by the truth of his promise is oures also The worde of God teacheth that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is a linke of vnitye that knitteth vs together as members of one Mysticall bodye and therefore that wee oughte to bee ioyned in mutuall loue and charitie among our selues and that it is a foule reproch both to Christe oure head and to the whole body if we hate hurte or hinder one another For by the vse therof we confesse y â— we are all members of one bodye all Seruantes of one Mayster all Children of one Father all Subiectes vnder one Lorde and King all Partakers of one redemption all Heires of one Heritage and Gifte of Eternall Lyfe And in so manye Lâ—â—â—es of Vnitye to be at discorde among ourselues is in Gods iudgemente an heauy testimouie agaynst vs in the day of his wrath Finally the word of God teacheth vs that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is our heauenlye Feaste in whiche the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde is offered vnto vs spiritually to feede vppon in our fayth that by him as I haue before declared we maye be nourished strengthened and preserued to eternall life and therfore that we ought to bee verye carefull so coprepare oureselues that we may be worthy Guestes for that blessed table Wherefore
is so hard a thing for him that aboundeth in Riches too bee saued Fol. Folio 202. 203 Two meanes to withstād the mischiefes of Riches and worldly wealth Folio 204 There is no assurance to bee had of worldly Riches Folio 204 The estimation that is to be had of all earthly things and consequently of Riches Folio 205 S. Sacrament ¶ What a Sacrament is Folio 118 How the body and bloud of Christ are sayde to be meate and drinke thys concerneth the Sacrament Folio 137. 138 Against the carnal eating and drinking of Christ body and bloud in the Sacrament Folio 142. 143 What to eate Christes bodie and to drinke his bloud as in the Sacrament Fol. Folio 144. 145. 146 The eating of Christ by faith is no derogation to the dignitie of the Sacrament and profit therof Folio 147 In the vse of the Sacrament is a double eating to be noted Folio 148 Our sences in the vse of the Sacrament are helpers to our better receyuing of the same Folio 148. 149. 150 The dissention of the Protestantes for the Sacrament is no such greate matter as the Papists make it Folio 56 The wickednesse of the minister doeth not derogate any thing from the effect of the Sacrament c. Folio 119 The faith of the receiuer not the life of the minister doth helpe or hinder in the effect of the Sacrament Folio 120 Fruiteful actions and doctrines concerning the Sacrament of the Lords supper Folio 33 Christ his body c. receiued in the Sacrament of the Lords supper Folio 34 The enemie of Christ in the Sacrament is not carnally to be vnderstoode Folio 35 Papisticall vntruthes and abuses concerning the Sacrament of the Lordes supper Folio 35 Blasphemous doctrine of wicked mens eating of the bodie of Christe in the Sacrament refelled Folio 152 153 How we ought to prepare our selues to the worthye receiuing of the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud Folio 154 How we are to make triall of our selues before we come to receiue the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud Folio 154. 155. 156. A briefe and pithie prayer for communicāts to say before they receiue the Sacrament of Christs bodie and bloud Fol. Folio 157. 158 The faithful togither with the outward signe receiue the inwarde thinges in the Sacrament Folio 128 Sacraments ¶ The difference betwixte the Iewes Sacrament and ours consisteth in externall signes respect of time Folio 133. 134 Sacramēts are badges by which we christians are knowne from Idolaters Folio 150 Sacraments are the seales whereby Gods promises are confirmed vnto vs. Folio 151 How Christes bodie and bloud is truely and rightly to be eaten and drunken as well in the Sacraments as without them Folio 142 What the internal part of Sacraments is Fol. Folio 122 Sacraments are seales whereby the letters patents of our saluation in Christ are confirmed vnto vs. Folio 123 Why Sacraments were ordayned Folio 125 Our infirmitie the first cause why Sacraments were ordayned Folio 125 The second cause why Sacraments were instituted is oure exercise in the remembraunce of Christs benefits Folio 126 The thirde ende wherevnto Sacramentes were appointed Folio 126 Sacraments consist of three parts Folio 120 The second part whereof Sacraments doe consist is the spiritual or inward thing Fol. Folio 122 The third part wherein Sacraments consist is the words of Christs institution and promise Folio 124 The fourth cause why Sacramentes were ordayned Folio 126 The last cause why Sacraments were appointed Folio 127 God the only author of Sacraments Folio 118 Sacraments vnite vs vnto Christ Folio 151 Sacraments are too linke vs togither in brotherly vnitie Folio 151 Papisticall Sacraments of their owne deuise Folio 32 Papistes cannot be knowne to be of the true Church by their Sacraments Folio 30 Papisticall number of sacraments Folio 30 Sacraments markes of Gods Church Folio 23 What diffeeence is to bee obserued betwixt the Sacramentes of the olde Iewes c. Folio 129 Saluation ¶ Christonly is al in al to Saluatiō Folio 85. 86 It is not sufficient to Saluation to be idle professours of God but also doers of godly deedes Folio 160. 161 Blasphemous derogation to the merits of Christs working our Saluation Folio 91 The letters patents and seales of our Saluation what they are Folio 123 The old Iewes vnder the law hadde the same hope of Saluation by Christ that we now haue Folio 129. 130. 131 Protestants doctrine of Saluation is the doctrine of the Scripture Folio 234 Scismes ¶ Christēdome torne by Popish Scismes Fol. Folio 103 Scismes in the East Church whiche were Christians Folio 58 Scismes between diuerse of the auntient fathers Folio 58. 59 The Papistes cannot without their own great shame obiect Scismes to Protestants Folio 59 Scriptures ¶ The learned aduersarie refuseth to be tryed by the Scriptures and why Folio 25 Why Papistes doe refuse tryall by the Scriptures Folio 26 Blasphemie of the Papistes againste the Scriptures Folio 26 The written Scriptures onely are and ought to bee sufficiente to trye all truth Folio 23 The Papistes refuse triall by the Scriptures Folio 24 Three poyntes shewing how the Papistes esteeme the Scriptures Folio 24. 25 How the Church may iudge or vse the Scriptures concerning their truth Folio 27 Greuous faults in the Church of Rome by taking hir authoritie ouer the Scriptures Folio 27. 28 Manifest false interpretations of Scriptures vsed by Papistes Folio 28 Doctrines of Papists againste the Scriptures in sixe perticulars Folio 28. 29 Sectes ¶ Protestantes are not to be blamed for the Sectes that happen in the time of the Gospell Folio 55 Sectes do more agree to Papistes than to Protestants Folio 55 Papisticall Schoolemen which diuided themselues into Sectes and how hurtfull that is to Christianitie Folio 6 Sinne. ¶ God is not the author of Sinne. Folio 166 The punishment of Sinne and what are the causes that moue God to plague men Folio 168 We cannot acknowledge a God but that withall he must punish sinne Folio 191 Wicked menne are plaged of God for their owne Sinnes to our example Folio 162 Soule ¶ Faith the mouth of the Soule whereby Christ is eaten Folio 144 A comparison betwixte the body and the Soule Folio 138 What the Soule is to the body that is God to the Soule Folio 138 How Christ was prepared to bee the foode of our Soules Folio 139 Christ the foode of our soules Folio 136. 137 Succession ¶ Papistes obiect Succession as a true note of their Church Folio 36 How the argumente of Succession hathe bin vsed by the fathers Folio 37 Succession is nothing without the doctrine of the Apostles Folio 38 The true Church better proued by doctrine than succession c. Folio 39 Personall Succession is no sure proofe that the Romish Churche is the true Church Folio 42 T. Transubstantiation ¶ The absurditie of Transubstantiation Fol. Folio 121 V. Vniuersities ¶ The cause of few Diuines in Vniuersities of the best sorte of wittes Folio 64 Diuersitie of opinions betwixt
the Vniuersities and the Friers Folio 62 Vnthankefulnesse ¶ OpinioÌ„ of fre will is VnthaÌ„kefulnesse Folio 13 W. Wealth ¶ The means wherby the Welth of England is wasted Folio 227 Wickednesse ¶ Of colouring Wickednesse with other mens faults Folio 224 What a mans flattering of himselfe in Wickednesse may come vnto Folio 224. 225 Word ¶ The true cause why the Word preched doth not alway bring forth fruite Folio 185 The godly alway take profit by the preching of the Word Folio 185 Three â—oâ—tes of foule whiche eate vp the seede of Gods Word in the high ways Fol. Folio 186 The inconuenience of preaching the Word in generalitie Folio 187 That the Word of God is resembled to seede and why Folio 179 The power of the Word of god in it self in the estimation of the world Folio 180 What Gods Word worketh in the hearers Folio 180 How gods Word preuaileth eueÌ„ against mans wisedome and cunning Folio 180 The imaginations practises and means of the wicked to withstand GODS Worde Folio 181 The Authoritie of the Worde of God is from it selfe c. Folio 26 Such are openlye of the Churche as are called therto by Gods Worde Folio 21 Gods word is a marke of his Church Folio 22 The causes which holde men from obedience to Gods Worde Folio 203 The negligence of our dayes in hearing the Worde Folio 203 Of the power of Christe appearing in himselfe and his Worde Folio 4 The gouernement direction by gods Worde preuaileth more than any deuise of men Folio 5 How the church of Christ must preserue Gods Word and deliuer the meaning of it Folio 27 Workes ¶ Papistical iustification by Workes Folio 29 The doctrine of iustification by Faythe only doth procure good Workes c. Fol. Folio 13. 14 That the Gospell doeth not discourage man from good Workes why Folio 15 FINIS 1. Cor. 1. 23. Hovv contemptible Christ and his Gospell vvere vnto the vvorld in the begynning Vayne opinion of gentilitie may be occasion of the eternall distruction of those which regarde it Considerations concerninge Christ which maketh mans carnal reason to contemne him The more excellent men are in carnall reason only the more they contemne Christe Hilar. 5. de trinit what estimation alway pertayned to Christ and his gospell VVhat povver is in the Gospell of Christ and hovv it appeareth tvvo vvayes 1. Cor. 15. 56. Rom. 6. 23. Luk. 1. 73. 74. Ephe. 4. 8. Psa 68. 18 1. Cor. 15. 55. Rom. 8. 33. 2 The power of Christ appeareth both in himselfe and also in his word Man in his eccellency of carnal wit is not able to giue any perpeâ—uiâ—ie to his diuice The gouernment and direction by Gods word preuaileth more than any deuise of man Example in the Apostles Tertul coÌ„tra Judâ—os Aug. de agone Christi Act. 17. 6. Aug. de ciuitate dei Lib. 22 Example of late and present tones 2. The. 2. 4 The power of the gospel doth most manifestly appeare in these latter dayes The mightye povver of the Gospell is no vvhyt to be discredyted by afflictions vvhych may follovv it VVâ—â—â— kinde of grounde mans policie is to common weales Hovv GOD câ—â— shevve himself vvhâ—n all mens deuyse fayleth yea and agaynst man also in his cheefest povver Psal 2. 4. The seconde parte Diuerse sortes of ennimâ—es to the Gospell Epicures 2 Politikes 3 Hypocrites Sixe Obiections made agaynst the Gospell to bryng it into dyscrâ—d it and the ansvvers to them 2. Obiection against the Gospel that it doth not further but hinder good co 〈…〉 on Answere Rom. 6. â— Rom. 3. 23. 24. Rom. 5. 12. 14. Cor. 15. 22. Eph. 2. 3. Ioh. 3. 3. Iob. 14. 4. Psa 51. 5. Gen. 6. 5. Ioh. 15. 5. 2. Cor. 3. 5. August Aug. ser 2. de verbis Opinion of freewill is vnthankfullnes August How we had freewill And how we haue it not How profitable the doctrine is which is againste free-will The doctrine of iustification by faythe only doth procure good workes and noâ— hinder them Ioh. 14. 2â— Luk. 17. 10 â—it 2. 11. 12 Ephe. 2. 10. Luâ— 1. 73. 74. 75. Rom. 6. 4. Eph. 6. 5. c. Rom. 13. 12. â—an nedeth not by the Gâ—spell thinke himselfe so debased that he should thereby be any whit discoâ—â—aged from good works for he is also therby maruellously exalted by gods goodnes toward him 1. Pet. 3. â— Ioh. 15. 4. 5. Rom. 3. â—5 The second obiection against the Gospell that it doth make this lyfe lesse pleasant to vs then it should be The answere is anneâ—ed to euerie perticular part of the obiection Esay 3. 16. â—c Mat. 6. 19. 20. 1. Tim. 6. 7 Luc. 19. 8. Mat. 19. 22. Rom. 13. 13 Joh. 15. 19. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. 〈◊〉 of the answere The thirde obiection against the Gospell â—â— That we the pretended professors of it are not of the catholike Churche Answere The inuisible church consisting of the electe Col. 1. 24. Rom. 11. 4. 1. Cor. 2. 11. The visible church The description of the church Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 15. The church of Christ is tied to no one place The number of the church may be smale Luc. 12. 32. Mat 18. 20. None are openly of the Church but such as are called theris by the worde of God Io. 10. 17. 15. Faith doth in graffe vs into the Church Act. 37. The markes of the church Esa 59. â—1 Ioh. 8. 47. Io. 10. 27. The firste marke is Gods word August contra litteras petil The second marke is the sacraments 1. Cor. 12. â—â— 1. Cor. 10. 17. The Church of Roome hath not in it the tokens of the true Church The written Scriptures only are and ought to bee sufficient to trie all truth Psal 119. 105. Ioh. 5. 39. Act. 17. 11. Chrisost Deut. 4. 2. 31. 2. Tim. 3. 1â— Verse 16. Ambrose Papistes refuse triall by the Scriptures Three points shevving that Papistes vse not neyther esteeme the scriptures as they ought if they vvere the true churche The firste point The seconde poynte Matters of fayth maye better be preserued by meanes of writing then when they are only left to the bare memorie of man The learned Aduersarye refuseth to be tried by the Scriptures because they do manifestlye confound all such Why Papistes do refuse triall by the Scriptures Blasphemies of the Papistes agunst the scriptures The thirde poynt The authoritie of the word of God is from it selfe and not from the Church principally Howe the Churche maye iudge or vse the Scriptures concerning their truth Howe the Churche of Christ muste preserue Gods worde and deluer the meaning of it Greeuous Faultes in the Churche of Kome which haue come by their taking of authority ouer the Scriptures Manifest false interpretations of papistes 1 Mat. 26. 26. 2 Luc. 22. 19. 20. 3 1. Cor. 11. â—4 1. Cor. 11. 26. Doctrines of papistes against the scriptures iâ—â—â—â—â—aâ—â—i â—uleâ—â— Rom. 3. 28. verse 8. 9. 1 Papisticall iustification
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.
of God vnfruitefull â—â—ggetrees making shewe of Christianitie with the faire greene leaues of hearing Gods worde commyng to the Church vsing of the Sacramentes talking oftentimes of the Scriptures c. But the sound and true fruites of godly conuersation we shew not For if we remaine such vnprofitable trees we shall be cut downe cast into the fire and haue our partes with hypocrites where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth c. The next note of this text is that when God punisheth and plagueth wicked naughtie men for doing contrarie to his will it is not done onely for them vppon whom the particular punishments light but for the example of other also in al ages times These things saith S. Paul are examples for vs c. And afterward All these things came to them as ensamples were written to admonishe vâ— vpon whom the endes of the world are come The better to vnderstande this I will first declare vnto you two pointes the one that all things that come to man coâ—e not by fortune by chaunce or by natural course onely but by y â— certaine prouidence appointment of God secondly for what causes God most commoÌ„ly sendeth such plagues vpoÌ„ men And then will I adde y â— conclusion y â— Christians must make applicatioÌ„ of such examples to themselues and how y â— is to be done As God of his vnestimable goodnes made the world all that therein is for the benefite commoditie of maÌ„ that he might vse all the inferiour creatures to Gods glory so doth the same Lord maker by his almightie power infinite wisedome continue preserue y â— same My father yet still worketh faieth Christ and I worke By him onely we moue liue haue our being as Saint Paul saith as Dauid in sundry Psalmes witâ—esseth wheÌ„ thou hidest thy face they are troubled wheÌ„ thou takest away their breth they die are turned into their dust wheÌ„ thou lettest thy breath go foâ—th they shal be made thou shalt renew the face of the earth That wee call and esteeme nature is nothing but the very â—inger of God working in his creatures much more the alteration of natural courses things done extraordinarily As god made clouds at y â— beginning to water y â— earth so doth he preserue them by his mightie power holdeth them houering in y â— aire y â— they fal not downe immoderatly to drowne y â— earth but shedde theÌ„selues temperatly by drops sweet showers to season y â— same Wherefore wheÌ„ raine falleth excessiuely to hurt y â— earth or hinder mankinde as it did in the time of Noah or wheÌ„ the clouds be cleane dried vp that there is no raine at al as it fell out in y â— time of Achab it is most euident to be y â— worke of God according to his iustice punishing y â— breaking of his law vnthankfulnesse of his people So likewise as God made y â— aire so it is he y â— for lyke causes keepeth it in seasonable maner somtime moist somtime dry somtime weate sometime colde somtime wholesome somtime infectious dauÌ„gerous whervpoÌ„ followeth sicknes death of men murrens of cattle c. In like maner I might speake of y â— earth y â— water y â— Sonne y â— Moone residue of the starres planets In all euerie of which as it is the finger of God that keepeth theÌ„ in their natural order so it is his power y â— doth alter chaunge the same for causes to his wisdome knoweÌ„ bringeth out such effects as be hurtfull rather then beneficiall vnto man Therfore wheÌ„ we see infections sicknesses disseases deathes murraines losse of corn or hay destructioÌ„ of cattle great fluds burnings blastings a noÌ„ber of such like we must looke further then into y â— course of nature vnderstand y â— there is a God an ouerruler of nature y â— doth those things This is not true only in these things y â— appertaine to nature but in those also y â— be done by the will of man or as we say prophanely by chaunce or fortune For in deede there is no chaÌ„ce or fortune And therfore y â— good father Aug. doth renouÌ„ce those heathenish names repeâ—ted that euer he vsed theÌ„ That which we call fortune is nothing but y â— hand of God working by causes for causes that we knowe not ChauÌ„ce or fortune are gods deuised by man made by our ignorance of y â— true almighty euerlasting God Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing one of them falleth not to the ground without your father yea all the heires of your head are nuÌ„bred feare you not therefore you are more worth then many sparrowes The sense of these words is y â— the prouidence of God erteÌ„deth it selfe to al creatures so y â— there is nothing so base or simple eyther w tout man or w tin him which he neglecteth or is ignorant of Of those things that be without man nothing almost is of lesse value or lesse esteemed than a poore sillie sparrow yet one of them falleth not to the grounde without our heauenly Father Of such things as appertaine to maÌ„ nothing is of lesse price than a heare yet one of theÌ„ perisheth not but by Gods prouidence This doctrine maketh greatly to the aduauncement of the true knowledge of God For it teacheth vs as I haue sayd before not onely that he is y â— maker of heauen earth of all y â— creatures in them contained but also that he doth gouerne and dispose them all preserue them that they may continue so long as to his blessed will shall seeme conuenient The scriptures in sundry places witnesse the same both in the course of his doing in sundrye Histories of Ioseph of Iob of Saule of Dauid and in particuler testimonles of sundrye Godly men and holy Prophets but noue more euidently and zealously than Dauid in many Psalmes but principally in the 104. 107. Vnto which places I referre the Godly hearer for this time would not serue if I sholh but meanely declare vnto you the wholesome instructions and assured comfortes that are to be gathered both by the examples and particular testimonies Christ in the words before recited extendeth the carefull prouidence of God to Sparrowes and to the heares of oure heades to the end no man should thinke or imagine that it is onelye a generall prouidence as many doe in these days which as they dare not deny that the world is gouerned by the wisedome and power of God so they thinke it an absurde thing to teach that God is occupied about all particular Creatures and specially them that be of the meanest sort Therefore they expound chose wordes that Christe vseth here or the scripture in other places to be spoken by Hiperbole that is a manner of
fyguratiue speeche passing all truth thereby to signifie a meane truth But I would learne of these mē what it is that sauing the nature of his Godhead maye in this kind of thing be spoken of him more then truth seeing he is Omnipotent of infinite knowledge and is present in al places So much as they shal exempt from Gods disposition in his Creatures so much shall they with dishonour of God pul from his Almightie power and infinit wisdome We may not think it is any disgracing of y ◠maiesly of god to drawe the same his prouydence to the preseruation and direction euen of his meanest creatures For he worketh not as men do with labour and greefe or torment of mind His very beck will and countenaunce is ynough to doe or alter all thinges euen to shake Heauen and earth as the blinde Heathen Poet Homere could saye Yea this is the greatest profe that can be of his exceeding maieftie that he seeth all thinges that he dispofeth and worketh al things that he directeth all his Creatures to that ende for which in the beginning he made them If this be so some wil say vnto mee why then as God is to be praysed and thanked for all that is good so whatsoeuer is euill also is to bee imputed vnto him and no man or other creature no nor the Deuil himselfe to be blamed for any hurt that is done because it is Gods will and disposition it shoulde bee and agaynst that who is able to stande And so GOD shall be accounted the Authoure of sinne whiche is a wicked and horrible assertion These daungerous cogitations are by Sathan thrust into the mindes of Christians purposely to make them to murmure against God and his prouidēce And as I am very loth in this Auditory to enter into the searche of Gods secrete Judgementes so may I not cleane omit to take away the offence of this vngodlye cogitation And yet meane I not to doe that deepelye and with intricate and harde reasons but such as the meanest person not voyde of naturall vnderstanding may sufficientlye conceaue Who knoweth not that the end wherevnto anye thing is done maketh one and the same thing eyther good or badde iust or vnuiste A Magistrate putteth a man to death not for hatred of the person not for particular reueugement nor to haue benefite by his goods and in this he doth well being the Minister of God by him appoynted so to die A Ruffyan or a Theefe killeth a man to be reuenged on him to haue his goods or to th'end he may auoyde some daunger thereby and in this he sinneth greeuously And yet to kill a man or to put him to death is all one act iust and good in the one wicked and naughty in the other So GOD by his prouidence maye dispose those thinges to bee done which wicked persons as his Instrumentes doe perfourme the same iust in God in them sinfull and naught For God in those thinges respecteth his owne glorye or the punishmente of vice and wickednesse without any corrupt affection at all The naughtie men whome the wisedome of God vseth as instruments herein haue not the sayd ends but with al indeuour seeke to satisfye their own ambition cruelty couetousnesse pride or other sinfull passion of the mind and haue no regarde to the iustice of God and fulfilling of hys holy will I will vse but one example notwithstanding the scriptures minister to me a great number God had often times by his Prophets called his people the Jewes to leaue their Superstition and Idolatrie to leaue their wickednesse and naughtie life and to returne to him by repentaunce and yet they would not I rose vp earely sayth God by the mouth of Ieremy and sent vnto you all my Prophets and you haue not heard me nor haue not in cliued your eare vnto mee but haue done worse then your forefathers c. Therefore he was resolued according to their deseruing iustely to punish them And who can denye but this resolution in God was moste iuste For his Instrumente he vsed the Kinge of Assiria a prowde a cruell and a wicked Prince who came vppon the Jewes and shewed toward them all crueltie and extremitie in no part respecting the satisfying of Gods Justice or the punishing of his naughtie people but the fulfilling of his owne ambitions and eruell affection wherwith he thought to inlarge his Empyre and so sette foorth hys owne glory And who can denie but that this doonig was in the King stafull and naughte and therefore was this enill mind in him not long after punished by GOD himselfe And this maketh verye greatlye to the setting foorth of Gods wisedome that hee canne vse naughtie Instrumentes to punishe naughtye men and turne the minds and indeuoures of wicked persons to his glorye and to the satisfying of his iustice though they in no parte regard the same But I see a desyre to aunswere the peruerse cogications of euill mindes hath drawne mee somewhat from my purpose Let vs nowe therefore come to the seconde note that is with what causes God is vsually mooued to worke such plagues and euils to men those generally are two The first is the punishment of sinne and the transgression of his commaundementes as infinite Examples and almoste the whole course of the scriptures teache vs. For their owne sinnes sayth Moyses and for the sinnes of their fathers shall they be plagued to confesse theire iniquities c. And agayne If you shall leaue the Lorde your God and shall serue strange Gods he will turn himself and punish you But of al other places most plainly Deut. 21. Leuit. 26. ver 14. Where after god hath signifyed what worldly blessings should come vnto them if they did obserue and keepe his lawes he addeth But if thou wilte not obeye me nor doe all these commaundementes c. then will I also doe this vnto you I will bring vppon you fearefulnesse a consumption a burning and the burning ague to consume the eyes and make the heart heauie you shall sowe your seede in vaine for your enimies shal eate it and I wil set my face against you and you shall fal before your enimies and they that hate you shal raigne ouer you I will breake the pride of your power and make your Heauen as yron and youre Earth as Brasse your strength shall be spent in vaine neither shall thee Trees of the Lande giue their fruites I will sende wylde beastes vpon you which shall spoile you destroy your Cattell and make you few in number for youre highe wayes shal be desolate I will send a sworde among you and when you be gathered in your Citties I will sende the pestilence vpon you and ye shall be deliuered into the hand of the ennemie And so continueth God to recken vp all these miseries and calamities that anye wayes may come to man and that he will send them