Sermon Upon Romans 12:3-8, Title page – Table of contents
A fruitfull Sermon, vponupon the 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. & 8. verses of the 12. Chapiter of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes: Very necessarie for these times to be read of all men, for their further instruction and edification, in things concerning their fayth and obedience to Saluation.
GOD IS MY HELPER.
AT LONDON; Printed by Robert Walde-graue. 1584.
The chiefe heades of the Sermon.
AN interpretation of the beginning or enteraunce. page 2.
VVisedome and discretion obtayneth credite and auoydeth suspicion page. 3.
English ministers must imitate it, either voluntarily, or by compulsion. page 5.
The ministerie is a grace, page 6.
It must not be abused: this water must not be stopped. page 7.
The persons commanded all goe generally. page 9.
Magistrate, people, minister, must come vnderunder it, to approoue their consciences, and stop the aduersaries mouth. page 9. 10.
The law and two applications▪ page 10. 11. 9 &c.
The exposition and excellencie, vvorthinesse and profit proued out of the 3. of Numbers pag 11. &c.
God nor onelyonly did institute it, but punished the breakers as Azaria, Vzza, Corah. page 14.
It serueth vnderunder the Gospell 1. Cor. 7. page. 15.
Obiection, aunswered, so ordaine I in all Churches. 1. Cor. 7. therfore eueryevery one must keepe it, none breake it. page. 16.
He vvisheth for this lavv. page 17.
The vvant is the cause of all disorder in the land & euils, page 18.
The contrary to the lavv is: pride, ambition. pag. 19.
Brasen vvall▪ page 19.
Ambitiō hurteth both the cōmon vvealth & Church.
It is the cause of discord in the church. page. 20.
Diotrephes. page. 21.
Scribes, Pharises. page. 22.
Iames and Iohn mooue their mother. page. 22.
Preach to add affliction. page. 22.
It hurteth common vvealth. page. 23.
Histories diuine, Moses, Ioshua, ibidem.
Humaine in England. 24.
Exhort to mortifie them. ibidem.
Exhort magistrates to roote out euill, and to establish the lavv. page. 25. 26.
As the Lorde hath delt, &c. the exposition. page. 27. 28. &c.
The abuse tendeth to the hurt of the bodye: it is shevved in the naturall body. page. 28. 29.
It is applyed to our Church. page 29.
Ignorant ministers dishonour God. page. 30.
Discredite the Gospell, confirme aduersaries, incorage rebels. page. 31.
All magistrats must looke to it and ministers. page. 32.
The similitude containing fovver. 1. Cor. 12. page. 33.
First rule: many members. 1. Cor. 12. what a member is, hovve named, nothing vvanteth. page. 33. 34.
Applied to the Church vvhichwhich vvanteth her members: eueryevery perticular hath but tvvo members, the pastour and the sheepe. page. 34.
She hath too much by Archb. Lordbish. as is novv espied. page. 37.
Tvvo rules: distinction of gyftes. 1. Cor. 12 page. 30.
Ob. ans. in person distinguished, applied, and shewed in our Church, desired to be refourmed. page. 39. 40.
3. Rule one head: vnion: he the vine: the cause of vnion Christ, by the ministerie of these, vve are lead to the vnitie of faith: to hauehave triall, rule, gouernment, for and in Christ, not by Pope, Archb. or Bish. page. 41. 43.
Appeal to their honors. pag. 45.
Protestation of the author, and in the name of the Godly brethren, of their louelove tovvards her maiesty. page. 45.
EueryEvery member must serue others. page. 46.
There must be louelove to performe duties. pag. 46.
To approue and like one of another. pag. 47.
The maimes of our Church greate, and no man lamenteth them. pag. 49.
A speciall lavve appertaining to some. pag. 50.
The rule knovvne. pag. 51.
Perpetuall, and not to be broken. pag. 51.
A commandement to keepe them. pag. ibid.
They are giuen of God. Ephes. 4. 1. Cor. 12. 52.
Graces giuen: tvvo notes cō cerning them
1 Euerye calling must hauehave a grace. pag. ibi.
2 The giftes, are the graces of God. pag. ibidem.
Proportion of Fayth, vvhat it is. pag. 53.
A prophet vvhat. pag. 56.
Office hovv taken. pag. 56.
A Doctor vvhat. pag. 57.
The proofe of eueryevery part. pag. 57.
Canonical Scriptures only to be read in the Church. pag. 58.
A Doctor must teache purely and continually to his ovvne Schollers. pag. 59.
An obiect: concerning the doctors office. pa. 60.
The aunswere. pag. 60.
Pastor, vvhat. pag. 60.
Of all the parts. pag. 61.
Note the vvisdome & mercy of God. pag. 64.
These gifts giuen in the day of Christes coronation pag. 65.
Deacon vvhat, and the proofe. pag. 65.
Elder vvhat. pag. 67.
They must be obeyed. pag. 68.
They are necessary. ibid.
To preuent offences. ibid.
Difference betvveen the elder & the deacon. pa. 69.
Shewer of mercy what. 70.
Many dye and perish for lack of these offices. pag. 71.
Good statutes inacted, but because they are besides the word, they doe no good. pa. 72.
VVant of al these, the cause of al euils. pag. 72.
The fruit of this gouernment. 73.
Enemies to the realme, to the common wealth. ibid.
Secrete deuises against all good, might bee easilye knowne. ibid.
Prodigall maintainers of popish honour. pag. 74.
Preuented conspiracies. ibid.
Good lawes should be kept. ibid.
Pastours, Doctours more fruitfully discharging their duties. 75.
Their duties. ibid.
Reasons to prooue, that the offices appointed in the primatiue Church, are perpetuall. pag. 77.
They are sufficient. pag. 78.
The conclusion. pag. 79.
The parts and order of the Sermon.
These sixe verses, necessarily inferred of the former, contain a perpetuall lawe, touching the gouernment of Christes Church; the cōtinual keeping wherof, as it is the safetie of the body, so the breach of it, is the destruction therof. The same is eyther
Generall, appertayning to all the members of the Churche, declared by two familiar argumentes.
One of the contrary vntounto the law, for the clearer vnderstanding therof, vers. 3. ioyned in the same sentence with the Lawe.
The other, of a similitude, wherein as in a glasse, wee may see the trueth and necessitie of this law, taken from the naturall disposition of the bodie, vers. 4. 5.
Or it is speciall belonging only to publike persons; that is, eyther to
1. Prophetes, the disposers of the worde and secrets of God, whom he diuideth either into
1. Doctors: as in the latter end of the 7. verse.
2. Pastors, as in the beginning of the 8. verse.
2. Officers occupied aboute other necessary duties, diuided into,
Deacons, Rulers, Attenders on the po