The Autumn Part from the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity, Letter 7
The Epistle,
EPHES. 4. 1.
I (which am a prisoner of the Lord) exhort you, that yee walke worthie of the vocation wherewith yee are called, &c.
AFter sundry dogmaticall conclusions touching matters of holy faith in the three former chapters: our Apostle comes now to patheticall eSar…er. Caietan. Aret.exhortations concerning good manners in this present, beseeching his Ephesians in generall to walke worthy of the vocation wherevnto they were called, in more particular to support one another through louelove, keeping the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace. Pressing this one point with seuen arguments in our text:
1. There is but one bodie.
2. But one spirit.
3. But one hope.
4. But one Lord.
5. But one faith.
6. But one baptisme.
7. But one God, and father of all which is aboue all, and through all, and in you all. As if hee should argue thus: If the Church your mother bee but one, God your father but one, Christ your Lord but one, the holy Spirit your Comforter but one, if your hope but one, faith one, Baptisme one: I see no cause why you should not liue together and louelove to gether all as one, endeuouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit through the bond of peace.
First, there is but one body, that is, one Church: for albeit there be threescore Queenes, and fourescore Concubines, and the number of Damosels be without number, yet as fCant. 6. 8.Salomon speakes in the person of Christ, my louelove, my doue is alone. As then in the naturall body there is a perpetuall sympathy betweene all the parts: g1. Cor. 12. 26.If one member suffer, all suffer with it: if one member be had in honour, all reioyce with it: euen so in Christs mysticall bodie, The eye must not say to the hand, I hauehave no neede of thee: nor the head againe to the feete, I hauehave no neede of you: for if the Magistrates should bend themselues against the Ministes, and the Ministers against the Magistrates, and the Commons against both: assuredly God would bee against all. And therefore wee must alway remember our Apostles saying, 1. Cor. 12. 20. that there is but one body. though there be many members. One not as tied vntounto any one place, much lesse to any one person. The Donatists in the daies of hEpist. 48.Augustine would hauehave tied the Church to Cartenna in Africa. The Papists in our time tie the Church to Rome in Italy. Contradicting heerein the Creede, in which the Church is stiled Catholique: that is, vniuersall, extended (as Chrysostome notes vponupon my Text) to all places, and all times, and as iCa…c. cap. 3. in exposit. Credo eccles. Cat.Bellarmine more fully, to all faithfull persons not onelyonly those which are now liuing, but also those which hauehave beene from the beginning and shall be to the worlds end. And so the Popish antichristian …rue which hauehave nothing so much in their mouthes as the Church, the Church, infringe the liberties of the Church exceedingly. For all of them hauehave made the Catholique Church to bee nothing else but the Roman church, and some of them hauehave made the Romane church to be nothing else but the Pope. Papa virtualiter est tota ecclesia, saithkDe potest papae cap. 2…. Haruaeus. As Anabaptists imagined a church like the Spider, orlNat. hist. lib. 7. cap. 2. Plinies acephali, all body and no head: so Papists hauehave framed a Church like the Toad-stoole, all head and no body. To borrow a phrase from Charmides inmTrinum. act. …. scen. 2. Plautus: Hic quidem fungino genere est, capitesetotum tegit. I… Cardinals and Iesuits be reputed monsters, as being men ofnVignier answer to Baron. all professions, order, degrees, offices, benefices; then what a monster of monsters is the Pope, which is all of these, and none of these, both head and bodie too.
One spirit] S. Paul saith, 1. Cor. 12. that there are diuersities of gifts, but one spirit: to one is giuen by the spirit the word of Wisdome: to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit: to another is giuen faith by the same spirit: to another the gift of healing by the same spirit: to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to anointerpretations of tongues: all these worketh one and the same spirit, diuiding to eueryevery man as he will seuerally. Now the spirit which is the oIohn 15. 26.Comforter of the Church in her widdow-hood euer since Christs ascension, and as it were tutor to leade her into pIohn 16. 13.all truth, on Whitsunday descended in visible shapes vponupon the blessed Apostles assembled, as the qActs 2. 1.Text speakes foreign altogether in one place with one accord. Where there is vnity of spirit, there doth rest the spirit of vnity: but where there is babling, there followeth instantly Babel, vponupon Diuision alway Confusion.
One hope] As the Decalogue teacheth how to louelove, and the Creede how to beleeue: so the Pater Noster how to pray. Shewing vsus exactly what we must hope and desire: namely, first Gods glory, then our owne good. Gods glorie, for that is Alpha and Omega, the first thing wee must aske, Hallowed be thy name: and the last thing wee must performe, for thine is the kingdome, the power, and the glorie. Now concerning our owne good: wee desire and hope for especially the kingdome of heauen, Thy kingdome come. On which all other petitions depend, for wee pray thy will be done, for this end onelyonly, that wee may bee subiects in his kingdome of grace, and saints in his kingdome of glory. And his will is done by depending on his might and merciemercy for things temporall and spirituall; in regard of the one, wee pray, giuegive vsus this day our daily bread; and for the other, for giuegive vsus our trespasses, lead vsus not into tentation, deliuer vsus from euill. And by consequence Gods kingdome is the center of all our wishes, and totall summe of all our hopes. And because the wise man euer begins at the end, our great Doctor hath inioyned in things concerning our selues to begge the first of all, which is indeed the end of all. Seeing then all of vsus walke in one way, all of vsus hauehave one guide in the way, all of vsus when wee come to our iourneyes end expect one and the same reward: it is very meete all of vsus should endeuour to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace.
One Lord] It is reported by rIn vita Caligul….Suetonius that the Emperour Caligula tooke off the head of his great god Iupiter, and set on another of his owne. The Papists in their interpretations and glosses hauehave smitten off Christ Iesus the onelyonly head of the Church, and hauehave set on the Pope. Suppose (for thought is free, and impossibilities may bee supposed) I say suppose, S. Peter was Pope, and the other eleuen Apostles his Cardinals, as sSum. lib. 1. cap. 80.Iohannes de Turre Cremata doth a…ow. Suppose hee was at Rome, suppose hee was bishop of Rome, suppose the Pope succeeds him more lawfully then the Patriarch of Antioch, (all which a Protestant will not graunt, and they cannot proue) yet I would faine learne of a schoole-Papist, who was this one Lord, and one head of the Church after the death of S. Peter immediately. Whether Linus, or Cletus, or Anacletus, or Clemens: these are foure good men and true, let them chuse whom they will.
Clemens Romanus an old new Father, whom the learned conceiue to bee the Popes owne child, writes in his tLib. 7. cap 47.Apostolicall constitutions euidently, that Linus was the first Bishop of Rome made by Saint Paul, and that Clemens after the death of Linus was the second, ordained by Peter, if this relation bee true, the Pope sits not in the chaire of Peter, but in the seate of Paul, for hee created the first Pope. Franciscus Turrianus in his u…. an 1578.apologeticall annotations vponupon the text of Clemens, answereth that Linus was not bishop of Rome, but only Lord Suffragan or Vicar-generall, executing Episcopall iurisdiction in Saint Peters non-residence. The like is recorded of Cletus by xEx epist. D… cretal. Leon. 2.Marianus Scotus in the life of Peter. But by their good leaue, the Romane Martyrologie makes both Linus and Cletus Bishops of Rome: and Cardinall Baronius in his annotations vponupon their seuerall martyrdomes, and in his Ecclesiasticall Annals, yA…an. 6… I…a numerat Optatus. In lib. 2. contra Parmen…an. Linus Cle mens, Anacletus.tome 1. maintaines against all commers, that Linus was the first, Cletus the second, and Clemens the third Bishop of Rome after Saint Peter. Caesar Baronius in the same place thinkes that Cletus and Anacletus were all one: but Cardinall zDe R…m. pont. lib. 2. cap. 5.Bellarmine contradicts him, and shewes by diuers reasons accurately, that they were two. And indeed the Romane Kalender allotteth Anacletus a festiuall vponupon the 13. of Iuly, and Cletus another vponupon the 26. of April. Wherevpon aIn vita Clementis.Tritenhemius and other Popish Historiographers hold, that Clemens was the fourth Pope after Saint Peter. So then as you see, some write that he was the first, other that he was the second, other that he was the third, other that he was the fourth.
Bellarmine who shufled the cards last, and is the best gamester at the Popes primero, takes vponupon him to compose the difference. But as bContra lit. petil. lib. …. cap. 50Augustine said of Petilian, vbirespondere conat …s est, magis ostendit quod non poterit respondere: in deed saith cVbi supra §. caterum pet. mort… & s… quenti.he, Clemens by right was the first Pope, but hee suffered out of his humilitie Linus and Cletus, to execute his office so long as they liued. But dApud Bellar. ibidem §. neque multum me monet.Damasus and Sophronius, and Simeon Metaphrastes affirme that Linus died before Peter. Heere Bellarmine answeres not a word, but contemnes these writers which he magnifieth elsewhere, placing them among learned and Catholike Authors in his 2. eIn Cat alog. Theolog. anne…. t…m. 2. Contr….Tome, but for auoiding of tediousnesse, let it be granted that Clemens being an honester man then Popelings in our time, poisoned not his predecessors, but suffered them to liue and die in peace. Yet if there were three Popes aliue at once, who was this one head, and one Lord? then there were three Lords, not one Lord, the Lord Cletus, the Lord Linus, the Lord Clemens, and happily this may be one reason why the Pope hath three crownes, one for Cletus, one for Linus, and the third for Clemens.
Thus (as fMr. Philp…t vti Fox in his Martyr.one said) the Papists in the points of their religion are vntrussed, and lie open to the whip. They boast of their succession of Bishops, and yet they cannot agree among themselues and tell their owne tale who was the first, second, third, or fourth Pope of Rome. Heere the words of the Lord are verified, Esay 19. 2. Concurrere faciam Aegyptios aduersus Aegyptios, I will set Epgyptians against Egyptians, eueryevery one shall fight against his neighbour, city against city, and kingdome against kingdome, popish Councels against Councels, Vniuersities against Vniuersities, Schoolemen against Schoolemen, the Iesuits against the Priests, and the Priests against the Iesuit, Baronius against Bellarmine, and Bellarmine against Baro…ius, one against another, God and the truth against all.
It is wittily noted by S. gTract. 13. in Ioan.Augustine, Petrus erat oculus in corpore, Peter was not head of the church, but an eie in the head. God grant the Pope so much grace as to become an eye, or to stand in stead of an hand, yea of a finger, to further the building of Gods house. Head he is not, head he was not so much as in opinion for the space of fiue hundred yeere after Christ, head he cannot be, for there is but one Lord, one head, one sheepfold, one shepheard, Ioh. 10. 16.
Let vsus examine therefore what this one Lord is, our Apostle saith h1. Cor. 8. 5.else-where that there be many Gods and many Lords. Many gods in title, many gods in opinion, in title, either authoritatiuè or vsurpatiuè, by right, and so Kings are stiled gods in the i82 2.Psalme. By vsurpation, and so the Pope is called god, kExtrauagant. grat. Ioh. 22.Dominus Deus noster Papa, as the Canonists impiously blaspheme. Many gods in opinion, and so the Scripture tels vsus, that gold is the lColoss. 3. 5.couetous mans god, and the mPhilip. 3. 19.belly the gluttons god, and so there be many gods in heauen, and in earth, and in hell too. For it is written that the people of Calicute worship the diuell. The Gentiles were so vaine in their nRom. 1. 21.imaginations, oDe ciuit. Dei. lib. 1. cap. 32.amentes mentes, hauing their vnderstanding so blinded, that as pLib. 1. Aduer. Sym.Prudentius writes vntounto Symachus, eueryevery thing that was good was esteemed a god: in so much that foreign was foreign, they had so many gods; as that indeede they had no God. Thus you see there be many gods, and many lords, yet vntounto vsus but one Lord. VntoUnto vsus who know the truth (as it is heere said) there is but onelyonly one Lord in truth. Other lords are dominititulares: our Lord is Dominus tutelaris, a Lord protector indeed. Other by men are made gods: but our Lord is the God who made all men, an absolute Lord of himself, and in himselfe q1. Tim. 6. 15.Dominus dominantium, the Lord of all other lords, and God of all other gods. And in this acceptation Lord is vsed in the holy Bible sometimes essentially, signifying the whole Deity: as in the first Commandement, I am the Lord thy God, and Psalm. 50. 1. The Lord euen the most mighty God: and sometime personally, for Christ the second person in the blessed Trinity, Luk. 17. 5. The Apostles said to the Lord: and 2. Cor. 13. 13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ: and so I take it to be taken heere, there is one Lord, that is, one Christ, Master of vsus all, and head of his whole Church.
Now Christ is one in himselfe, and one to vsus: in himselfe one, for albeit he be God and man: yet he is not two but one Christ. r…sen. hom. 2. de …at. Dom.Non alter ex patre, alter ex matre: sed aliter ex patre, aliter ex matre. One (as orthodoxall Athanasius in his Creed) not by conuersion of the God head into flesh: but by taking of the manhood into God: one not by confusion of substance, but by vnitie of person: for as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man, so God and man one Christ. Againe, Christ is one to vsus, as being sHebr. 13. 8.yesterday and to day, and the same for euer.
Idem,
Obiectiuè,
Subiectiuè,
Effectiuè,
Obiectiuè, the same in his word, for hee that yesterday was shadowed in the Law, is to day shewed in the Gospell: as tSuper Exod. quaest. 73.Augustine said, the new Testament is clasped in the old, and the old is opened in the new. One Christ crucified being the center of all the Bibles circumference. Idem subiectiuè, the same in his attributes, in his power, in his authoritie, being alway the Lord of his people, the shepheard of his flocke, the head of his Church. Idem effectiuè, the same in his goodnesse and grace, for he who was yesterday the God of Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, is to day and shall bee for euer Iesus, uMatth. 1. 21.that is a Sauiour of his people: he is as well now the light of the Gentiles, as hee was before the glorie of his people Israel: hee that was present and president among the blessed Apostles, hath promised also to come vntounto vsus, to comfort vsus, to be in the middest of vsus, as ouer all, and through all: so likewise in vsus all, as it followeth in the text.
If then this one Lord bee present with vsus in his word, present in his Spirit, present in his power, in all the same yesterday and to day, and for euer. I see no cause, why he should need another Lord, deputie Lieutenant, or Vicar generall to execute his office: for Christ may be considered of vsus as a Lord xSee Perkins Reformed Catholike tit. supre…asie.two wayes:
1 As God.
2 As God and man.
As God, by right of creation, hee is an absolute Lord ouer all men, and all things in heauen and earth. As God and man, or as the redeemer of man hee is soueraigne Lord of the whole Church in more speciall manner.
Now then, as Christ is God with the Father and holy Ghost, hee hath his Deputies on earth to gouerne the world: namely, Kings and Princes, therfore called Gods. But as he is a Mediatour and Lord of his redeemed ones, he hath neither fellow, nor deputy. No fellow, for then he should hauehave beene an imperfect Mediatour: no Deputy, because no creature is capable of this office: the performance whereof ariseth of the effects of two natures concurring in one action, namely the God head and the Man-hood. And therefore howsoeuer Preachers are his actiue instruments, his messengers, his Ministers, (if you will) his vnderunder Vshers to teach his schollers in this great Vniuersity: yet none can properly be called his Vicars, or Deputies to doe that in his stead which personally belongs to him. In this sense there is but one Lord, and this one Lord is the Lord, euen the Lord of Lords, Christ Iesus God and man.
Wherefore seeing all of vsus march vnderunder the colours of one Captaine, all follow one Master, all serue one Lord, whose title is y1. Iohn 4. 8.louelove, whose zIohn 13. 35.liuery is louelove, whose chiefe commandement is louelove, whose doctrine is the doctrine of aEphes. 2. 17.peace, whose Ministers are the bRom. 10. 15.messengers of peace, whose followers are the cL…e 10. 6.children of peace: it behoueth vsus (if it be possible) to hauehave peace with all men, endeuouring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
One faith] The Turke hath his faith, the Iew his faith, the Gentile his faith, Heretikes hauehave their faith, and Sc…ismatikes their faith. In some countries (as it is reported) there are almost as many Creedes as heads, at the least as many sects as Cities. It is dRelation of religion in the West parts of the World, sect. 43.written of Poland, that if any man hauehave lost his religion he shall be sure to finde it there, or else he may giuegive it gone for euer. How then is it true that there is but one faith?
Answer is made, that to speake properly these are not faiths, but factions; all of them being either vnbeliefes, or misbeliefes. And therefore when the Disciples asked the Lord to Luke 17. 5.increase their faith, it must be construed of increase in measure, that we may grow from vertue to vertue, from knowledge to knowledge, from faith to saith, vntill we be full of growth in Christ Iesus: not of increase in number, for in regard of the manifold rents and diuisions in the Church, it is our dutie contrariwise to pray the Lord, that he will decrease, not increase our faith in number, which is and must be but one.
For the further handling whereof, obserue with Auguistine and fS…nt. lib 3. dist. 23.Lombard, that among manifold acceptions of faith in holy Scriptures, it is taken especially vel pro eo quod …reditur, vel pro eo quo creditur: either for the doctrine of faith, or else for the grace whereby we beleeue this doctrine. For the doctrine of faith, as Tit. 1. 13. Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith, And Galat. 1. 22. He that persecuted in time past, now preacheth the faith, that is the Gospel. And in this sense there is but one onelyonly true Catholique and Apostolique faith: if any man on earth, or Angell from heauen shall goe about to deliuer another Gospell, let him bee accursed, Galathians 1. 8.
Secondly, faith signifieth the gift and grace whereby we beleeue and apply this doctrine, fi…ly termed by Diuines glossa euangelij. For as louelove is the best exposition of the Law: so faith is the best interpretor of the Gospell: not glossa ordinaria, but as it were catena aurea, containing all that must and may be beleeued. In which respect it is truly called sauing and iustifying faith. And this (as the gThom. 22 …. qu…st. 4. art. 6.Schoole distinguisheth) is diuersa, ratione subiecti: sed vna, ratione obiecti. Faith is, and must be diuers in regard of diuers beleeuers, for eueryevery man must liue by his hHabac…. 2. 4.owne faith. Paul cannot be saued by the faith of Peter, nor Peter iustified by the faith of Iohn. As eueryevery one must hauehave iMatth. 25. 9.Oyle of his owne in his owne lampe: so eueryevery one must hauehave faith of his owne in his owne heart. Yet faith in regard of hir obiect is but one, for there is but one only diuine truth, which is the general obiect of faith, and but one only Christ Iesus crucified, who is the speciall obiect of iustifying and sauing faith. One only faith, because one only Lord, hir owne only obiect. Albeit faith be diuers in diuers men, and hath diuers degrees in one man: yet it is but of one kinde in all. And heere wee may learne how faith is said to iustifie, non vt mediator, sed vt medium; not as a meritorious or efficient cause, for that were to make our faith our Christ: but as an instrumentall or spirituall hand apprehending Christ who doth iustifie. For as our k2. part. homof saluation.Church aptly, faith is like Iohn the Baptist, it points out Christ and saith vntounto vsus, Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world. Nay faith is like S Thomas, first handling, and then applying the wounds of Christ in particular, Thou art my Lord, and my God. This in number is but one vertue, yet in a Christians account vponupon the point, it is the only vertue: for lose faith and lose all, hold faith and hold Christ who is all in all.
The Papists hauehave martyred the text in magnifying the wooden Crucifix; but a man by faith may behold Christ crucified almost in all the workes of God, either in vsus or vponupon vsus. Doest thou read the Bible? there is a Crucifix, and as it were a speaking picture of Christ. So himselfe said in the lIohn 5. 39.Gospell, Search the Scriptures, for they witnesse of me. Doest thou behold a brother in distresse? there is another Crucifix, in him Christ is naked, hungry, sicke, harbourlesse. Doest thou come to the Lords table? there is another Crucifix, the consecrated bread and wine are dumbe sermons of Christs passion. Art thou tempted and afflicted? then thou maist behold Christ crucified as thy partner and thy paterne. Thy partner, who pitieth thy cause, and hath mHeb. 4. 15.compassion on thee. As thy paterne, 1. Pet. 2. 21. Christ suffered for vsus, leauing vsus an example, that we should follow his steps, who when he was reuiled, reuiled not againe: when he suffered, threatned not: but committed the vengeance to him that iudgeth righteously. So that it may be said of faith as well as of originall sinne, vna est essentia, sed multiplex efficientia▪ In essence but one, but in effi cience, louelove, patience, hope, and many vertues: euen n1. Iohn 5. ….the victorie that ouercommeth the world, the shield wherby wee may quench all the fierie darts of the diuell, Ephes. 6. 16. the very speare which killeth our last enemie, for a true beleeuer in his deaths-bed is ready to sing with old Simeon, Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart inpeac, for mine eyes hauehave seene thy saluation: and to say with o1. Cor. 15. 55.Paul, O death where is thy sting? O h…ll where is thy victorie? the sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sinne is the law, but thankes be giuen to God, which hath giuen vsus victorie through Iesus Christ our Lord.
p1. Kings. 3. 9.Salomon because hee was a King, desired wisedome aboue all things; qPsal. 27. 4.Dauid being a litle restrained from the temple, desired aboue all things to behold the beautie of the Lords house; Mydas aboue all things desired gold; Alexander aboue all things desired honour; Epicurus aboue all things desired pleasure: but if wee will make but one wish vntounto God, let vsus begge and pray for a liuely faith, O Lord increase our faith. Hee that hath this one gift is learned enough, religious enough, rich enough, honourable enough, eased enough, pleased enough, against which no euill on earth, no diuell in hell shall finally preuaile.
For as rThu…ydides.one called Athens Greece of Greece: so faith is the grace of all grace. Without which (as our Apostle teacheth) euen our good workes are sinnes: Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne.
Wherefore to conclude this point, seeing a liuely faith is the key of heauen, and as it were the spirituall hand to take out of the coffers of God all his rich treasure; without which one vertue all other are no vertues; without the which the Gospell is no Gospell, God is no God, Christ is no Christ vntounto vsus: it behoueth eueryevery man aboue all things in this life, to labour for encrease of this one gift, without which all other are rather curses then blessings vntounto vsus. And because there is but one doctrine of faith, and one kinde of iustifying faith, it is the duty of all such as professe the one, and hauehave comfort by the other, to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
One Baptisme] Heere with accurat sIn Epitaphi…. Nepotian.Hierom praysing Nepotian, I must entreat you to behold in a little Mappe, that world of matter which might hauehave beene shewed at large.
Baptisme then is either
Proper: as bare clensing and washing. Heb. 9. 10.
Figuratiue:
Metaphorical, as affliction, Mat. 20. 22.
Allegoricall, as repentant teares, Luk. 7. 38.
Synecdochical, and so it is put for the whole doctrine of Iohn, Matth. 21. 25.
Catexochen, and so it is taken for that we call vsually Christening, and this as the tTom. par. 3. quaest. 66. art. 9.Schoole teacheth is of three sorts:
Baptisma
Flaminis.
Fluminis.
Sanguinis.
But of all these there is but one only Sacrament of Baptisme, the which is one in three regards;
Unum quia
Ad vnum.
In vnum.
Per vnum.
First, vnum advnum, one in one man, once truly receiued, neuer to be uAquin. Caietan.reiterated; as we teach against the xHieron. exposit. prior in loc.Ualentinians in old time, and Anabaptists in our age. Heere might I shew that Bishopping is not a new Baptisme, but as the word imports, a confirmation onelyonly: wherein a Christian in his owne person doth performe that which heretofore by other he did promise.
Secondly, vnum in vnum, one Baptisme, yMarlorat. in Aquin.for that all of vsus are baptised into one faith of one Lord, for Iohns and Christs Baptisme differ not in substance, but in circumstance: Iohn baptised zMelancthon. in Matth. 3. Idem Caluin. Chemnitius, & caeteri protestant. apud Bellarm. de sac. bap. lib. 1. c. 20.in Christum passurum, Christs Apostles in Christum passum.
Thirdly, vnum quia per vnum, one a in regard of the water and words wherewith we baptise, wee may not vse any other element but water, nor any other words, but I baptise thee in the name of the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost: b one matter, one forme essentiall in holy Baptisme.Vide Lombard. sent. 4. dist. 3.
One God, and Father of all, which is aboue all and through all, and in you all] The map whereof in briefe is, God asDionysiu… Carthus. Caietan. Father of cIohn 3. 16Christ by nature, of Christians by dRom. 8. 15.adoption, of all men and all things by eDeut. 32. 6.creation; Ouer all, and through all, and in you all, may bee fGerran. in loc.construed either with appropriation to the seuerall Persons in the blessed Trinitie: and so God the Father is the Person ouer all, God the Sonne the Person through all, God the holy Ghost the Person in vsus all. Or else of the whole Deitie without appropriation, and so God is ouer all excellentiae dignitatis, through all praesentia maiestatis, in all gratia inhabitationis.
For finall conclusion of this and all the rest: seeing all of vsus hauehave been borne and now liue in one and the same Church, all of vsus hauehave been comforted often by one and the same Spirit, all of vsus expect one and the same crowne, all of vsus acknowledge one and the same Lord, all of vsus hold one and the same faith, all of vsus are sanctified with one and the same baptisme, all of vsus adore one and the same God, who is the Father of all, ouer all, through all, in vsus all. I beseech you men, brethren and fathers, let me speake to you in the words of g Paul, Marke them diligently Rom. 16. 17.which cause diuision and offences, contrarie to the doctrine which yee hauehave learned, and auoid them. For they that are such, serue not the Lord Iesus Christ, but their owne bellies, and with …aire speech and flattering deceiue the hearts of the simple.
As Christ, so the hTertullian.Church is crucified betweene two male factors: on the right hand Schismatikes, on the left Papists: the one doe iAug…st. a…ud Caluin. Inst…. lib. 4. cap. 2. §. 5.disrumpere charitatis vincula, vntie the bonds of peace, the other doe corrumpere fidei dogmata, vndoe the vnitie of the Spirit. The first are different in things indifferent, the second almost indifferent in matters different, concerning the publike exercises of our religion, and yet each of them spurne at the poore Church as at a common foot-ball, being herein kOxford An. to the Puritans Petition.like lIudges 15. 4Sampsons foxes, seuered in their head, but tied together by the taile with fire-brands betweene them, able to set the whole land in combustion and vproare. The Schismatikes vnderstand that the bonds of peace are not one policie, one discipline, one ceremonie: but as it is heere said, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptisme. Wherefore seeing both of vsus agree in the maine matters, it is a very fruitlesse contention to quarell about by points.
Againe, the Papists acknowledged heeretofore that our Bible and booke of diuine seruice doe containe doctrine sufficiently necessarie to saluation, and so much (as I hauehave mIudge C…oke charg at N…rwich, …n. 1606read) Pope P…us quintus (who could not erre) signified in a letter to our late Soueraigne of famous memorie Queene Elizabeth. VponUpon what credit I speake this I suppose most know. If any mistrust that great reporter, I can easily shew him a parallel in Bristoes nMot. 34. …ag. 144.motiues. The Protestants are apes of the Papists, the very Communion booke is made altogether out of the Masse booke, and so are other Church-bookes also taken out of ours, as it is well known to all who know both. If this be true, then his Collection is not false, who censured their not communicating with vsus, to be a point not of deuotion: but of state, namely, to maintaine the Popes supremacie. To speake plainely, which I thinke sincerely, the people of the Puritans, and the priests of the Papists, are the true let why both endeauour not to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace. For the first, schismatickes are like the vaine Philosophers in old time, oHierom. epi. ad ….Popularis aurae mancipia vaen… lia, certaine creatures bred of the peoples breath; hoc ipso placere cupiunt quod placere contemnunt, they reake not top Hierom. epist. ad Eustoc. be condemned of the learned for ignorant: so they may be commended of the ignorant for learned. And therefore when Plato saw the people pitying Diogenes for ducking himselfe in cold water on a frostie morning, he said vntounto them, if yee depart to your lodgings and leaue gazing on him, he will I warrant you presently come out of the Riuer and keepe himselfe warme. Yea, but shall we carry away the people from looking on Diogenes? as qPiutarch in vita Alcibiadis.Socrates did Alcibiades, make them pitchers and so carry them away by the eares, instruct them in season, out of season. Because some of their pastors hauehave put out their owne light, I beseech you let vsus that are conformable, supply their silence by our diligence. For albeit some of that humour be malitious, and incorrigible, yet other (as rDe guber. Dei lib. 5.Saluian…s writes) errant, sed bono animo errant: impij sunt, sed hoc putant veram esse pietatem. And as sIn Luc. 14.Euthymius, quidam Pharisaei semimali. So that if we cast our Net on the right side of the ship dexterously, we may peraduencatch them, and draw them to fruitfull knowledge and dutifull obedience.
It was an excellent speech of our late tArchbishop Whitgift.diocesan (whose memory I assure my selfe is so sweet as uEccles. 49. 1.Hony in your mouthes, and musicke in your eares) hee is not worthie to hold two Benefices, who doth not preach one sermon at the least eueryevery Sunday. As there be many wholesome iniunctions touching Cap and Cope: so likewise many good orders for the reuerent administring of the Sacraments, and diligent preaching of the word. God forbid, the one should be Canons, and the other made Pot-guns onelyonly. I confesse that Diuines which are Counsellours or Prelats, or attendants in Court, or Students in Vniuersities, or necessary residentiaries in Cathedrall Churches, or imployed in writing, or ambassages, may profitably spend their time otherwise: but the Country Pastors occupation is to feed his flocke, by preaching to Christs sheep and catechising his limbes▪ If it be said of him who will, but can not preach, that he is a dumbe dog: I thinke it may bee said of him who can and will not, that he is a dumbe diuel. It is a beastiall rudenesse …aith reuerend xEccles. polit. §. 81. pag. 262.Hooker alluding to the first of Iob, ver. 14. that Oxen only should labour, and Asses feede: that good schollers should preach, and dunses be preferred. But it is a greater inconuenience for the Church, that Oxen should onelyonly feede, and Asses take all the paine: who though happily they be resident at their Cure, yet for the most part non-resident from their Text, or if they come neere it (as Luther was wont to say) they make a martyr of it.
Will you hauehave the factious Nouelists cut off with little griefe to the Prelats, and no hurt to the people? then let vsus that are conformable liue in our studies, and die in the Pulpit: that when our great Lord shall come to reckon with vsus for our stewardship, he may not take vsus (as yMelanct. in Rom. 12. Tom. 3. fol. 1025.Aristophanes said of Cleon) with one foot in the Court, another in the City, none in our Cure: but (as those two great Diuines Iewel and Caluine were wont to wish) hee may finde vsus in his owne house doing his owne businesse.
Concerning the Papists: I hold the Priests among them most inexcusable. The people are like the sea, and the Priests are like the winde, the sea of it selfe would be calme, if the winde did not set it in agitation: but so long as Priests and Arch-priests, Iesuits and Seminaries raigne ouer this our goodly Forrest, seeking for their pray: well may the Courtiers hauehave their goods, and the Country their Persons, but I feare the Pope will hauehave their hearts, and the diuell in conclusion their soules. It is great pitie that many piercing wits of England can see nothing but thorow the spectacles of Statising Iesuits, and so hauing but two paire of eies, one of their Confessors which is nequam: and another of their owne, which is ne quicquam: the wilfull blind leading the wofull blind, they fall both into the ditch. If they could put on eyes either of religion or reason, they should easily see that their Priests doctrine is preiudiciall to Christ, and their liues hatefull to all Christendome. For this saying is ingros…ed in their owne bookes, zRelat of religion in the West parts of the world. § 36.That of all Christians, Italians are the worst: of all Italians, the Romans: of all Romans, the Priests: of all Priests, the Cardinals: and commonly the most leaud Cardinall is elected Pope. Nay some maintaine this opinion, aThe sparing Discourse. pag. 41.Hominem non Christianum posse esse Romanum pontificem, That a man which is not a member of Christ, may notwithstanding be head of the Church. As for our home-bred, but farre taught Gun-powder men, aske the Secular Priests what the Iesuits are, and they will, and that in bIbid. pag. 7.print, tell you, that they be Statists, cImportant con. pag. 3.Machiuellians, dQuod libet 3. art. 3.Atheists, eIesuit. Cat. lib. 1. cap 1.so many Iesuits, so many Iudasses. Aske the Iesuits what the Secular Priests are, and they will tell you, that they are Drunkards, Dunses, Fooles, the very fQuod libet 1. art. 2.refuse of the Church. If these things bee true, then they bee both monsters of men: if false, most malicious diuels.
God of his infinite goodnesse grant, that wee and they and all may seriously labour for a perfect vnion, not onelyonly of law, but of louelove, for an vnitie of the spirit, knit with the bond of peace: that all of vsus following the truth, in louelove, wee may maintaine one and the same faith, and hereafter attaine one and the same kingdome of glory.
Preached at Ashford in Kent, at the Lord Archbishops Metropoliticall visitation, Anno 1607 September 11.
Amen.