THE Apostle hauing hand­led before at large the ma­nifolde giftes of the spirite, and treating theruppon of loue, the excellent waye of all giftes, purposing to handle prophesie the worthyest gifte of all, hee seemeth to make his entraunce by conclusion of all hee spake of before: and bids the Corinthians a Gods name to couet spirituall gifts but with all to followe loue, and rather that they maye pro­phesie. D [...]uision. Before I come to speake of two principall points herein conside­red, first loue the moderation of all giftes, secondly prophesie the excel­lent gifte of all: Wee are generally to obserue the onely matter and worke of all giftes.

[...]l. 68.18. [...]os 4.8. Christ ascending vp on high led captiuity captiue, & gaue gifts vnto mē, & the same vnto euery one of vs by grace according to the measure of the gift of christ, and to this end the repayring of the Sainctes, the worke of the ministery & the edificatiō of the bo­die of Christ. [...]hat gifts [...]e. By gifts are ment operati­ons, & faculties bestowed diuersly, & peculiarlye to profit the church with­all. VVhy called [...]irituall [...]fies. Author of all [...]fies. They be called spirituall gifts: First for authoritie, secondlie for office.

The Authour of all gifts is the spi­rite of God. For there are diuersities of giftes, but the same spirit, and there are di­uersities of administrations, but the same Lord, [...]. Cor. 12.4. & there are diuersities of operations, but God is the same that worketh all in all. 4.5.6.8. So that all kinde of gifts and callings (as prophesies, teaching, exhortation, the word of wisdome, the worde of knowledge, fayth, Rom. 12.6. healing, great workes, discerning of spirits, diuersities of tongues, Apostles, Pro­phets, Euangelists, Pastors, Teachers) one and the selfe same spirite worketh, distribu­ting to euery man seuerally as he will. Am­brose [Page] saythe: Vnum flumen, Ambros. spi sanct. Gratian. lib 1. cap. 2 [...] sed multi donorum spiritualium me­atus, hoc flumen exit de fonte vi­tae: Many riuers but one flood from which they doe all issue, Math. 28.1. this commeth out of the fountaine of life. For whiche cause the holy spiryt (albeit properly the thirde person in trinitye, and Effector of all giftes) is taken for the gift of God, Act. 19.20. as appeareth in the question of St. Paule to certaine disciples at Ephesus, haue ye receaued the holy ghost since yee beleued? Meaning whither the graces of the spirit were giuen to Christes disciples. Austen saith somewhat confusedly, Aug. Lau. Enchirid. Cap. 37. as it may seeme, yet truely Et vtique spi­ritus sanctus dei donum est, quod qui­dem et ipsum est equale donanti. And verelie the holy ghost is the gift of God, the which in very deede is equall to the giuer discerning the spirits by a double no­tion as the authour of all gifts spiritu­all and so it is not the gift of God, but God himselfe essentially equall to the father and the sonne and againe for [Page] the verye giftes themselues, as either they were bestowed vpō the Apostles in the daye of Pentecost, or as the faythfull haue the holye Spirite pro­mised.

Collos. 3.1. Act. 3.24. Christ then is come and gone, hee sittes at his Fathers right hand, the Heauens con­teynes him vntill the restitution of all thinges, Heb. 7.25. he is our Aduocate with the father and liueth for euer, making intercession for vs, without cōtrouersie great is the misterie of Godlynesse which is: [...]. Tim. 3.16. God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentils, beleued on in the world, and receaued vp in glory. But now the maister, and Commissa­rie of the faculties in his absence is his spirite: For as he deserued grace for vs by his death, triumphed ouer death by his resurrection, sits at his fathers right hand by his ascention: So hee hath left the spirit obtayning and be­stowing all requisite, and necessarie graces for his Church. The spirite is Christes vicegerent and President of [Page] his church, the church being like vnto a Schoole wherein the holye ghost teacheth the faythfull all godlynesse. Rom. 10.4. Christ is the ende of the lawe, for righte­ousnes sake vnto euery one that beleueth, and nowe throughe the spirite wee wayte for the hope of righteousnes through fayth. Galat. 5.5. Math. 5.17 He is the fulfiller of the Lawe and the Pro­phets, for hee came not to destroy them, Chrisostom. adorand. spi [...] Galat. 3.2 [...] Esay. 54.13 Ioh. 6.45. Ioh. 14.26. but to fullfill them. And so is the spirite the fullfilling of the gospel. The lawe was our scholemayster to bringe vs to Christ, that wee mighte bee made righteous throughe fayth, now wee are all taught of God, as the holye ghost sent by the father in Christes name teacheth vs all things, and bringes all things into our remembraunce, Ioh. 1.12. as hee hathe told vs. As manie as receiued him, to them he gaue a prerogatiue to be the sonnes of god, Galat 4.6. and now hath god sent foorth the spirite of his sonne, whiche cryeth Abba father, Rom. 8.16 and the same spirite witnesseth with our spirite, that wee are the Children of God.

Likewise they bee called gifts spirituall [Page] for the office, [...]ffice of these [...]iftes. either in respect of the matter, for it is the wisedome of God in a misterie, [...]. Cor. 2.6. [...]phe. 3.8. euen the hid wisedome which God determined before the worlde vnto our glo­ry, a grace giuē to preach the vnsearchable riches of Christ, [...]. Pet. 1.12. a gospel sent downe by the holye Ghoste from Heauen, the which the Angels desire to beholde, or of the successe and fruite, [...]. Cor. 4.20. Thes. 1.5. [...]. Thes. 2.15. for the kingdome of God is not in word, but in power, neither is the gospell in word onely, but in power of the holye ghost, to bee receaued not as the word of men, but as it is in deede the worde of God which worketh in them that beleue. Paule may plant, [...]. Cor. 3.7. Apollos water, but God muste giue the increase, whosoeuer is anye thing he must saye with St. Paule, by the grace of God I am that I am, 1. Cor. 15.10. & therefore a woorke impossible for man to per­forme without worthy graces of the holye ghost. If wee doe consider the mutuall edification of the Church, the matter is indifferent without anie respect at all, Gal. 3.26. 28 for wee are all the sonnes of God by fayth in Christ Iesus, all one in him, [Page] Abrahams seede, and heires by promise, a chosen generation, a royall priesthood, 1. Pet. 2.9. an holy nation, a people set at libertie to shewe foorth the vertue of him that hath called vs out of darkenes into a wonderfull light, Reue. 1.5. in him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood, we are made Kinges and Priestes vnto God euen the Father. But if wee doe marke the ordinarye gouernment of the Churche there is verie great ods. Act. 20.28. For the holie ghost cho­seth out some from amongest the rest to the Bishopricke of the flocke, and superinten­dence of the Church: Heb. 13.17 1. Thes. 5.13 To be obeyed as ouer­seers because they watche and must giue ac­coumpt for soules, to be had in looue for the woorkes sake labouring among the people, and being ouer them in the Lord. And as there are giftes of the spirite common to the faithfull loue, ioy, peace, Galat. 5.22. long suffe­ring, gentlenes, goodnes, fayth, meekenes, temperancy, against which there is no law: So these giftes whereof the Apostle speaketh we haue named them a litle before in the beginning. Prophesie, [Page] Teaching, Rom. 12.6. Exhortation, and the like, are giftes of a seuerall and peculiar functi­on. 1. Cor. 12.8.28. But as with this community of giftes vnto all the faythfull, there is a discretion and order in the Churche for ornament: So giftes are alwaies ioyned with these offices, for edifica-of the Church, and both for increase of faith, and knoweledge by vnitie in Christ. The spirite of grace, which al­waies from the beginning discerneth the elect from the numerositie of the rest refused, and disanulled, euermore furnisheth such as be called to this or­der of office in the Church with dig­nitie, and sufficiencie of giftes. When Christe called foorth his Apostles to preach, hee sent them with giftes, say­ing, the kingdome of GOD is at hande heale the Sicke, cleanse the Leapers, rayse vp the deade you haue freelie receaued, Math. 10.6.8.20. giue freely, it is not you that speake, but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you, Act. 2.4. and in the daye of Pentecost, they were all filled with the holy ghost, & began to speake [Page] with other tongues as the spirite gaue them vtteraunce. And the seuen men whom the Apostles did chuse to the office of the Deaconship, were full of the holie ghost, Act. 6.3.5.8 and of wisedome and faythe, and so knowne be­fore they layde their handes on them, and Steuen full of faythe and power aboue the rest, and of manye miracles among the people, so that a number of them of the Sy­nagogues disputing with him, were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirite where with he spake. Tertulliā saith, Tertul: exbo. ad castit. aleadging the reason of the Apostles words, 1. Cor. 7.40. & I thinke also I haue the spirite of God, idcir­cò hoc dixit vt sibi Apostoli fastigium redderet. Therefore hee sayde so to shewe the authoritie of an Apostle. Spiritum quidem Dei etiam fideles habent, sed non omnes fideles sunt Apostoli, pro­priè enim Apostoli spiritum sanctum habent qui plenè habent in operibus Prophetiae efficatiam virtutis at (que) do­cumentorum linguam, non quasi ex parte quod ceteri. Truelie the faythfull haue also the spirite of God, but all that bee [Page] faythfull bee not Apostles, for the Apostles haue the holy ghost properlie, insomuch as they haue in their Prophesie an effectuall working of power, and vtteraunce of doc­trine, and that aboundantlye, not as it were in part like other: Not then the vocati­on to the seuerall office, but measure of gifts necessarie to their offices, not the worthynesse of such as be called.

The first part Loue the rule of all giftes.Nowe the Corinthians reple­nished very gratiouslie with all these giftes, yet conuerting them (not as they ought to the glorie of God, and edifying one of an other, but to ostē ­tation, and contention among them­selues:) St. Paule aloweth their ae­mulation of giftes, but withall settes downe a moderation by looue, for loue disposeth euerie woorke vnto a perfection. The principall ende of all actions is the glorye of God, for what­soeuer wee doe, 1. Cor. 10.31. wee must do all to the glorie of God, but the way to bring vs to this ende is loue, all thinges diuine, and ayme at loue, for the ende of the com­maundement [Page] is looue oute of a pure hart, and a good conscience and of fayth vnfay­ned. 1. Tim. 1.5. This the Apostle prooues verye largely, naming it a more excellent way of the best gifts, that although a man do speak with the tongues of men, and Angells, and haue not loue, 1. Cor. 12.31 1. Cor. 13.12. hee is like a sounding brasse and a tinckling Cymball: And although hee had the gift of Prophesie, and knewe all secrets, and all knowledge, yea if hee had all fayth, so that hee coulde remooue moun­taines, and had no loue, hee were nothing: And though hee fedde the poore withall his goodes, and though hee gaue his bo­die to be burned, & haue no loue it pro­fiteth nothing. So againe to the same purpose, hee willes the Ephesians to followe the truth in loue, Ephes. 4.13.16 and in all thinges to growe vp vnto him, which is the head, which is Christ, by whom all the bodye be­ing coupled & knit togither by euery ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power, which is in the measure of euerye, parte receaueth the increase of the bodie vnto the edefieng of it selfe in looue. [Page] A man may bee endued with manie other giftes, [...]. Cor. 8.3. and yet bee vngodlie, but if anye man looue God, [...]. Cor. 12.7. the same is knowne of God. The ende of all giftes is vnitye, for the manifestation of the spirite, Ephes. 4.3. is giuen to euerie one to profit with­all. Nowe loue endeuoureth to keepe the v­nitie of the spirite in the bond of peace, and giues no offence, neither to the Iewes, nor to the Grecians, [...]. Cor. 10.31. nor to the Church of god, but followeth those thinges whiche concerne peace, and wherewith one may edefie one an other. Whatsoeuer either precept or counsell is specially set down in scrip­ture hath relation to loue, as wee loue God for himselfe, and one an other for Gods sake. Christianitie is where the spirite is, and where the spirite is, there is loue. 1. Ioh. 4.16. For God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in god, & god in him: The loue wherewith god loueth vs shed abroad in our harts by the holy ghost which is giuen vnto vs, Rom. 5.5. is onlye theirs which fulfill the royall law, Iam. 2.8. thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe, loue [Page] discerneth the merite of the worke in pie­tie, from the semblaunce in vnitie, Aug. Ioh. [...] pist. tract. 7 as Gods tradition of his sonne from Iu­das prodition. The one was of loue, the other of couetousnes. Luk. 7.38 4 Maries en­tertaynment from Symons hospitallitye, many sinnes were forgiuen hir, for shee loued much, Phil. 1.1 [...]. some mens preaching of conscience, & somes vnder a pretence, the one of goodwill, the other thoroughe enuie and strife, Agust. ciuit. dei lib. 9. ca 21. Agust. Ioh. [...] pist. tract. 7. godly knowledg from the De­uils, as greate as their knowledge is they haue no loue. Almes deedes in compassion, from liberalitye in vaine glory. Loue doth doth seeke the praise of God in almes, but vaine glorye the praise of man. 1. Ioh. 4.18 Agust. Iho. 3. tract. 13. Godly feare from slauish feare, for feare hath paynefulnes, but perfect loue casteth out feare, loue indeed is the invisible vnctiō of the spiririt. All sacra­ments whatsoeuer, are but the forme, loue is the roote, faith is like vnto the sence, Aug. hom. 1 [...] but loue vnto the health of the bodie. Austen saith that a man maye haue Baptisme and yet bee wicked, [Page] Prophecie (euē that notable gift that Paule here prefers) and yet be wicked, take the sacrament of the bodie and blood of the Lord, and yet be wicked, be na­med a Christian, and yet bee wicked, habere sacramenta ista omnia, et ma­lus esse potest. Habere autem cha­ritatem, et malus esse non potest, hoc est ergo proprium donum. Hee maye haue all these sacraments, and yet be wic­ked, but hee cannot bee wicked if hee haue loue, this is therefore a proper gift.

If this were well learned of a num­ber in these dayes, who take thēselues to be notable fellowes, euē incōpara­ble censors of all other, it would con­tayne, and keepe in manie mischiefes which daylie breake out to the daun­gerous hurt of the Church, as Pride, Enuie, Indiscretion, Innouatiō. Pride through knowledge, Enuie throughe aemulation, Indiscretiō through zeale, Innouation through schisme.

Pride tho­ [...]ugh knowe­ [...]dge.For commonlie Pride is where knowledge is, this same, Sermo scien­tiae, [Page] word of knowledge, 1. Cor. 12.8 Rom. 12. [...]. very hardlie ad­mits sapere ad sobrietatē, vnderstand­ing with sobrietie, for knowledge puffeth vp, 1. Cor. 8.1. and maketh a man verie singularlie proud, as if hee were the onely man, and none like him in the world. A pe­rillous matter (I tell you) is inflamati­on through knowledge, Iren. lib. cap. 1.31. that marde Tacianus after his maister Iustinus mar­tirdome, & made him ā heriticke, Bern. cant. serm. 65. Bern. notes it to be the onely prancke of all such: Captare gloriā de singularitate scientiae, to gette glorie by singularitie of learning. Bern. resur. domin. ser. 3. And I praie you (as Ber. saith againe) quaemaior superbia, quam vt vnus homo totae congregationi iudi­cium sum prae ferat, tanquā ipse solus habeat spiritum dei. Can there bee anye greater Pride then for one man to sette his owne iudgment before the whole Congrega­tion, as though hee and none else hath the spirit of God. Now where loue is there can be no presumption, and mayster­ship of doctrine, Loue doth aedefie, and doth not boast it selfe, neyther is puffed vp, [Page] Austen sayth, Aug. secundū [...]oh. serm. 53. Amate scientiam, sed an­teponite charitatē, scientia si sola sit, inflat, charitas vero edificat, et non per mittit scientiam inflari. Loue knowledge, but preferre loue, knoweledge if it bee alone puffeth vp, but loue edefieth, and doth not suffer knoweledge to be puffed vp.

Enuye tho­ [...]ough emula­lation. Aug. secundū Ioh. serm. 53.With pride commonlye enuie is ioyned, for pride is nothing else then a loue of excellencie, which breedes a peruerse imitation againste the A­postles rule. 1. Cor. 12.31 Desire you the best gifts, and yet I will shewe you a more excellent waie, (meaning loue) and againe forasmuch as ye couet spirituall giftes, 1. Cor. 14.12 seeke that ye may excell to the edefieng of the Church. And so brings forth that carnall emulation spoken of by the Apostle amongst the workes of the flesh. Galat. 5.20. Nowe loue is in this a remedie, 1. Cor. 13.4. for loue enuieth not. If there bee any comfort in loue, if any fellow­ship of the spirite, nothing is done through contention, Philip. 2.2. or vaine glory, but in meekenes of minde, euerie one esteemes an other bet­ter then himselfe. Aug. hom. 15. Austen sayth. Con­gaude [Page] illi, cui deus aliquam gratiam dedit, et potes in illo, quod in te non potes. Bee glade in his behalfe to whom God hath giuen any grace, and thou mayst doe that in him, which thou canst not doe in thy selfe. Peraduenture (sayth Austen) hee hath virginity, loue him, & it is thine. Againe thou hast more patience then he, let him loue thee, and tis his. Hee can watch a night at his studie, if thou dost not enuie him, his studie is thine. Perchaunce thou canst fast a great deale more, if he loue thee, thy fasting is his, hoc ideo, quia in illo tu es, per proprietatem non es tu, per charitatem tu es. This is the reason, be­cause thou art in him, by propertie thou art not, by charitie thou art. Bern. altitud. cord. serm. 1. Bernard repor­teth that on a time one tolde him that hee sawe a laye Moncke in whom he did recken 30. vertues, whereof sayth he, I finde not one in my selfe, and perhaps sayth Bernard, he had not so great a ver­tue amongst the rest as this was, religiosae emulationis humilitas: Humble emu­lation in matters of religion. And in [Page] deede there is no gift greater. Math. 3.15. When Iohn earnestly put Christ backe, say­ing. I haue neede to be baptised of thee, and comest thou vnto mee? Hee made him this answere. Let bee nowe, for thus it becom­meth vs to fulfill all righteousenes, teach­ing vs that perfect righteousnes hath alwayes godlie humblenesse. 1. Co. 13.2.3. When the Apostle sheweth the corruption of manie gifts, if charitie be away, hee saith, all secreats, all knowledge, all fayth, all goodes, to signifie that all is nothing where is enuie and emulatiō, two ve­rie contraries vnto loue.

Teale with­out discretiō.An other mischife we spake of, is zeale without discretion, for where the spi­rit enableth a mā with notable giftes, zeale for the most part cōsumeth & eat­eth him vp, Psal. 69.9. that verie seldome is that rule of the Apostle performed spiritu feruentes, feruent in spirite. But rather that wherewith the Apostle findeth fault, Rom. 10.21 zelum dei habēt, sed non ex scientia, they haue the zeale of god, but not accordinge to knowledge. If zeale [Page] bee not gouerned, it inclineth verye quickelie to vices. Berna. epist. 89 Barnard writing to a freind of his (& allowing his zeale) willeth him to haue a zeale, but according to knowledge, vt cautus sis ma­iora minoribus non impedire, that saith he thou do beware thou hinder not greater matters for lesse. For in matters of vehement, and hote emulation, we marre all if wee order not loue with discretion, and zeale with loue. Berna. cant. serm. 20. Ze­lum tuū inflammet charitas, informet scientia, firmet constantia. Let loue kin­dle thy zeale, knowledg instruct it, stedfast­nes settle it, saith Bernard: Wee maye verye well compare zeale to a fierce horse, if he haue not a bridle: a voice that is harsh, if a man contend, and straine it to hie: an vnhappie childe if hee haue not a rodde: and a flame of fire if it bee not quenched: for so is zeale withoute loue, and euen so is the zeale of manie for lacke of loue, fierce, contentions childishe, the verye firebrand of the Church. [Page] It is a godly thing to bee zealous, yet a right zeale is according to knowledg, [...]m. 10.2. & it is better howsoeuer, to haue a zeale (althoughe without knoweledge) then to haue no zeale at all, [...]ig. rē. 13. and yet better to haue neither zeale, nor knowledge, then haue no loue.

[...]novation [...]ough [...]hisme.The laste of all is innouation, the verie handmaide of the other, whiche bringeth in the corruption and abuse of Gods good giftes by Schisme, a fault in the Corinthians, (as the Apostle telleth them) that in all thinges being made rich in Christ in all kind of speaches, Cor 15.7.10.12. & all knowledge, so that they were not desti­tute of any kind of gift, yet they had con­tention among them, euery one of them saying, I am Paules, I am Apollos, I am Cephas, and I am Christes, as though Christ was deuided or Paule crucified, for thē. Such a fault is nowe a dayes a­mong vs, where manie vnlearned in this, that things indifferent are tollerable, & that pollution commeth not by commu­nion of sacraments, but by consent of sinne [Page] doe thereupon sequester themselues from the publique Congregation of Christians, to a priuate segregation of Schismatickes, and so by discention bring into the Church, as it were, an infer­nall dissipation of the bodie, and a verye hellishe perturbation of the members of Christ, as though Iudah, Greg. nazia orat. 1. pac [...] and Israell did not belong to one principallytie, nor Ieru­salem, and Samaria, to one heauenly Ieru­salem, And Paule, and Appollos, and Cephas for whom and against whom all this same swelling is, and Christ himselfe and all Christians are not all one. Psal. 26. [...] Austen sayth, conferring the place of Dauid, I wash my hands in innocencie oh Lord, and againe Lorde I haue loued the habitation of thy house, Psal. 27.4. and the place where thine ho­nour dwelleth, with the saying of sainct Paule. 2. Tim. 2.20 In a good house are not onely vessels of golde and siluer, but also of wood and of earth, and some for honour, and some for dishonour. Aug. parm. Epist. lib. 3. cap. 4. Ideo quippe tollerabat no­centes, non desereret innocentes, cū quibus lauabat manus, quia dilige­bat [Page] speciem domus Domini, quae spe­cies in vasis honoralibus fuit, nec propter vasa que erant in contumeli­am se a magna domo seperabat, sed e­os in vnitate vnius domus tolerabat a quibus se non imitando seruabat. Da­uid did therefore (sayth hee) let the wic­ked alone, least he should goe from the god­lye, with whom hee did washe his handes, for hee loued the beawtye of Gods house which beawtie was in vessels of honour, neyther went hee asunder from the greate habitation because of the vessels of reproch, but kept himselfe well enough from them, not doing as they did whom hee suffred in one and the selfe same house. These fel­lowes shoulde learne of Austen to loue the bewtye of Gods Church, whiche is the honourable societie of the godlie howesoeuer mixed with the shamefull corruption of the wic­ked, and not forsake the ornament of the one, for the dishonour of the o­ther, seeking a fellowshipe of per­fection in euery poynte whiche can­not [Page] be founde. Num. 11. [...] Moyses did wish that all the Lordes people coulde Prophesie, & that the Lord would put his spirite vp­on them. St. Paule did wish that all men were like himselfe in (puritie) and that all did speake straunge langua­ges, but rather that they prophesied. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 14 Aug. secu. Ioh. serm. [...] St. Augustin wisheth that all woulde re­member loue, and brings this reason. Sola est enim quae et vincit omnia, et sine qua nihil valent omnia, et v­bicun (que) fuerit trahit ad se omnia. For only loue both ouercommeth all things, and without loue all things are nothing worth, & wheresoeuer loue is, it draweth al things vnto it. Greg. Na [...] an. parte o [...] 3. If anie of vs (Christians) be asked the question (sayth Gregory Na­zianzen) what we worship, Promp­tum est respondere, quod charitatem, veneremur: The answere is ready, wee worship charitye. Wee had need crye out and writ no longer against false Catholiques (sola fides) Fayth onlie, but againste false Protestantes (sola Charitas) loue only, faction aboundeth, [Page] loue abateth, let fayth onelye iustifie, but loue onely rectifie.

But let vs come nere the sore, and touch the verie wound of the church, & I praie you with patience, because I will vtter nothing but that euerye ones conscience shall by experience acknowledge true Gregorie Naziazen lamenting the desperate state of the church in his time through the in­tollerable furie, [...]reg. Naziā. [...]ist. Nect. [...]iscop. [...]ctant. and miserable afflicti­on of the same, reckneth vp many he­retickes. First those of Arrius or Eu­doxius, an insolent sect, assembling thē ­selues in priuate Churches, as it were by lawefull permission: Againe Ma­cedonians whose factious contention grewe to that temeritie and madnesse, that they tooke vnto themselues the titles & places of Bishopes, boasting of Eleusius the author of their election. But (sayth hee) there is one Eunomius and his sect the inwarde plague and mischeife of the Church, who think­eth it a great deale out of his waie if [Page] hee drawe not all with himselfe into destruction and daunger, & yet these things are tollerable: But of all church trobles, the Apolinarists libertie is most licentious, I am to certefie youre re­uerence (he meaneth Nectarius) that a litle booke is come to my handes of Apollinaris, wherein such thinges are written as exceedes all peruerse here­tickes that euer were. Conueticles of Schisma­tickes daun­gerous. I will haue you consider, that if these haue common liberty of priuat metings, it is nothing else but to esteeme their doctrine tru­er then ours, and you know that in e­uerye thing nature suffereth not two contrary doctrines of one & the same point to be true. Any that will, may verye well consider the same to be the present calamitie and ieopardy of our Church, and as Gregorie to Nectarius, so I appeale to our magistrates for re­dresse. First and for most wee haue a­mong vs Paules Iesuites, Chem. Exa [...] prefat. par. [...] a murren sect of hereticks that infect the purenes of the Gospell, & a cruell sort of bloody [Page] ones that abiure a lawefull allegi­aunce to their Prince, [...]s. Hum. [...]m. Cur. [...]ax. & naturall loue to their Countrie, and by forreine conspiracie abroade put in practise at home the death of the one and de­struction of the other: [...]suites. These thinke they doe God good seruice to slaye his anoynted, [...]sebius. lib. [...] cap. 40. & murther his saincts, endeuoring as did the Imposters in A­lexandria in the dayes of Decius to in­flame the peoples desire with a customed superstition of the Countrye, and make them beleeue that the worshipping of Idols, and murdering of Protestants is pietie: August. exclaimes against such a zeale, [...]gust. Iho. [...]. tract. 93. ó error horrendus, ò execrabilis ce­citas, Zelum Dei habent sed non se­cundum scientiam, obsequium se pu­tant praestare deo interficiendo famu­los Dei. Oh horrible error, oh exe­crable blindenesse, they haue a zeale, but not accordinge to knoweledge, they thinke they doe GOD good seruice in killinge the Seruauntes of GOD. But I will not make manye wordes aboute [Page] them, onelye this I saye, as they be our countrie men by Nation, pity their liues, as they bee Papistes in weakenesse, labour to conuert them, but as they be heretiques in pope­perie, and Traytors to their Coun­trie, let the Lawe punishe them, and I praye God either turne their harts from whetting anie more swordes to shed the blood of the Lordes anoin­ted, or returne the sharpest swordes from the pointe with a cutting edge on bothe sides in vp to the verye hiltes in their owne heartes blood. Oh Lorde lette ELIZABETH florishe with a Crowne of glorye vppon her heade, and a Scepter of Tryumphe in her hande, and still washe her feete in the bloode of her enemies. Psal. 58.9.

We haue againe among vs Liba­nius, Martinistes, I vse that name: Socrat. eccl. hist. lib. 3. cap. 19. Be­cause as Libanius the Sophister in a ridi­culous libell against religion flattered Iuli­an, that hipocrite in profession, vntill hee [Page] came to the empyre, but afterwarde a Ty­rant in persecution: [...]artinistes. So Martin publish­eth manye his friuolous Pamphlets, bewraying in this, a spirite rather of scorne and slaunder, then learninge and loue, because hee handleth diui­nitie with scurrillitie, & scripture with laughter, more pleasant to a sight of gospell Libertines, and Churchrob­bers, then medling at all with the mat­ter in hande, muche lesse. deciding the controuersies by moment and wayght of argument, and therefore better answered alreadie by some me­rie mates like himselfe, then to bee vouchsafed so muche as a silable by learned replye: These irregular fel­lowes derrogate from Bishops both title and place in Churche, and com­mon wealth. A verie sore plague to the good estate and constitution of the Church, and a great deale the so­rer, because domesticall and inwarde, and yet shall I saye my conscience, and speake indifferentlye? Fie for [Page] shame both Martin and Antemartin, Paciscamur (sayth Augustine to Peti­liā) si placet vt nec tu malos nobis ob­ijcias, quos putas nostros, Aug. petilia [...] lib. 2. cap. 3. nec ego vestros vobis. Agreed (sayth August. to Petilian) If you please, that neither you vpbrayde vs with those on our part whom you thinke to be bad: Nor wee cast you in teeth with such on your side, as wee iudge verie ill of. So do yee both, and goe to the matter: Ciprian. lib. [...] Epist. 9. Brownistes. But wee haue as mischie­uous as anye the other: Puppianus Brownistes, for they rightly follow his steppes, who as Ciprian writes would be perfect alone, vnspotted, holy, pure, and not ioyne himselfe with the rest, but alone as it were in Paradise, & in the kingdome of heauen, swelling with such a pride, and puffed vp with such arrogancie of minde, that he would reduce all bishops, & cleargie men to his owne knowledge to be purged before him, and to bee absolued by his sen­tence: so that for the space of 6. yeares, ney­ther had the fraternitie any Bishop, nor the people an ouerseer, nor the flocke a Pastor, [Page] nor the Church a gouernour, nor Christ a Prelate, nor God anie Priest. These set forth their bookes beyond all impu­dencie of all Schismatickes, Magistrates [...]egligence [...]he cause of [...]ectes. & if they be let alone, as either impunitie, or se­curitie of magistrates (I will not saye perciallytie) must needes further their faction, what maye the silie people thinke, whom they seduce daylie, and drawe into error, but that their doctrine is truer then ours &, as they fasly obiect our Church of Englandes ministerie, preaching, [...]ocrates lib. [...]. cap. 33. prayer, sacraments, disci­pline, is of no warrant frō God. Eusta­thius somtime Bishop of Sebastia in Ar­menia, after his abdicatiō by a generall counsel, set a broch many wicked opi­nions, among other, he did perswade the people (detesting other churches) to haue their cōmon meetings in pri­uate houses, drawing away seruaunts frō their maisters by simulation of re­ligion, Brownistes Conuenticles. the like are among vs, condem­ning all other assēblies in accustomed churches, & gathering themselues to­gither [Page] in houshold conuenticles, alie­nating prentices by coulor of religion from all duty of obedience, & dwel­ling with their maisters. I wish this sai­eng of Ciprian were well learned of such. Ciprian ibid Scire debes Episcopū in ecclesia esse, et ecclesiā in Episcopo, et si qui in Episcopo nō sunt, in ecclesia non esse, et frustra sibi blandiri eos qui pacem cum sacerdotibus Dei non habentes, obrepunt et latenter apud quosdam communicare se credunt cum ecclesia quae catholica et vna est, scissa non sit neque deuisa, sed vbique connecta et coherētium sibi inuicem sacerdotum glutino copulata. You ought to know that the Bishop is in the church, and the church in the Bishop, & they are not in the church whosoeuer they bee that are not in the Bishop, and they doe vainelie flatter them­selues which hauing no peace with Gods Priestes commit themselues in close man­ner to bee pertakers with some certaine persons whereas Gods Church being Ca­tholique is not rent nor deuided, but knit [Page] and coupled togither by fast consent of Ministers of the Church agreeing one with another. Aug. Ioh. 7. [...]ract. 33. I will saye vnto them as somtime Augustine sayd. Habemus spiritum sanctum si amamus Ecclesi­am, amamus autem si in eius compa­ge et charitate constitimus. Wee haue the holie spirit if wee loue the Church, and wee loue it if wee persist in vnitie and loue of it.

But now all this while if there be anie that in singlenesse of hart & god­lines of zeale desires somthinges a­mended, I speake not against them, for as I am not with them that vtterly blaspheme and affirme wee haue no­thing aright, As anone you shall heare toward the end. so I am not against them that discretly blame and accuse some thinges amisse in the church: There­fore this is my meaning Good things loose the grace of their goodnesse, if they be not wel handled. Concertati­on for reformation more eager and bitter a great deale, thē is behoofefull or needfull, is like vnto madnes, a very [Page] seditiouse vexation of the common wealth doth often follow the turbulent affection of the Church. Sozom. lib. 8 cap. 25. The Emperour Constantine doth his parte, whose care is both to lead the people along in vniformitie of reli­gion, Euseb. vita. Constan. lib. 2. cap. 63. and heale the grieuous sicknes of the bodie of the whole common wealth, and I hope the like be endeuoured by the Cleargie of the land that was signified by the Bishops of the East to them of the west Church in their letters from their Synods, Theod. lib. 5. cap. 9. concern­ing the necessarie great cace to recouer the Church: Nowe I would haue the people do as they of Antioch did, who for 30. Theod. lib. 2. cap. 31. yeares space endured the Arrians schisme with patience, still hoping for a better day, vntill indeed their blasphemie against the Apostles doctrine, and conspiracie against christians was intollerable. Then howe much more ought wee with longer patience among our selues tarrie for reformation of some things amis vp­on a better time, Hope & pray for reforma­tion. sith wee haue more then 30. yeares now enioyed the free doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, [Page] and still haue as much as euer wee can do to preuaile against the sediti­ous & bloody enemies of the gospell.

The second [...]art. Prophe­ [...]ie.We come nowe to prophecie, the second thing to be handled, the most excellent gift of all, the Apostle mea­neth not that peculiar prophecie, fore­telling the comming of christ, & fore­threating the punishment of sinne, be­ginning at Samuell, Act. 3.24. Math. 11.3. the number wher­of were frequent, before Christs com­ming, but now very rare, but in the sēce as he speaketh else where. Let vs pro­phecie according to the proportion of faith: Rom. 12.6. And againe he that prophecieth, 1. Cor. 14.3. speaketh vnto men vnto aedifieng, and to exhortatiō, and to comfort, preferring it before all other giftes: For the ample vse & prin­cipall benefit, for as all other giftes do respect the profite and aedification of the Church, Ephes. 4.11. 1. Cor. 12.7. so prophecie especially: For saluation cammeth by fayth, Rom. 10.14. fayth by hea­ring, and hearing by the worde of God. It is the verye same wee call preaching, set downe in the scripture by the Apostle [Page] in variable phrase of speach, as these, apt to teach, 1. Tim. 3.2. 2. Tim. 2.15 2. Tim. 4.2 deuiding the worde of truth aright, preach the word, be instant in sea­son and out of season, improue, rebuke, ex­hort with all long suffering and doctrines, holding fast that faythfull word according, able to exhort by wholesome doctrine, Tit. 1.9. Tit. 2.1. and conuince them that say contrarie: Speake the thinge whiche becommeth wholesome doctrine. Therefore the whole scripture is called a most sure worde of prophecie, 2. Pet. 1.19 20 being of no priuate interpretation, because pro­phecie came not in old time by the will of man, but holye men of God spake, as they were moued by the holy ghost. As the vse of all scriptures is very manifolde, for the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, and is profitable, to teach, 2. Tim. 3.10 to con­uince, to correct, and to instruct in righte­ousnes, that the man of God may be absolut, being made perfect vnto all good workes, and whatsoeuer thinges are written aforetime, are written for our learning, Rom. 15.4. that wee throughe patience, and consolati­on of the Scriptures might haue hope: [Page] Right so hee that is furnished accor­ding to the qualities afore mentio­ned, and can aplie the scriptures to the same end as shalbe requisite, may be called in this sence of the Apostle, a prophet of the gospell. Augustine saith speaking of Christ: Agust. tho. 6. tract. 24. Erat autem do­minus prophetarum, impletor pro­phetarum, sanctificator prophetarum, sed et propheta, propheta dominus, et verbū dei dominus, et nullus pro­pheta sine verbo dei prophetat. Cum prophetis verbum dei, et prophetae verbum dei. Meruerunt priora tem­pora prophetas afflatos, et impletos verbo dei, mernimus nos prophetam. ipsum verbum dei. But it was he that set forth the prophets, fulfilled all thinges the prophets told should happen, sanctified the prophets, the Lord was that prophet, & the Lord was that worde of God, and no prophet doth prophecie without gods word. In old time they had the benefit of prophets inspired, and filled with the word of God, but we haue this pleasure, the verie word of [Page] God to be our prophet.

This is the gift which the Apostle acountes most excellente aboue the rest, and therefore not common, but rare, not easie but difficulte, as be all thinges, which are excellent, for hee sayth, he that speaketh straunge languages edifieth himselfe, but he that prophecieth, 1. Co. 14.4.12 13. edifieth the Church: Againe forasmuch as you couet spirituall giftes, seeke that you may excell, to the edifying of the Church, 18.19. & let him that speaketh in a straunge lan­guage pray that he may interpret. Againe he thanketh God, he spake languages more thē all the rest, yet he had rather in the Church speake fiue wordes with his vnderstanding, that he might instruct others, then ten thousand wordes in a straunge tongue. This oughte to strike into the hartes of all christians a deeper consideratiō of a more god­lye dutie, and first of the ministerie then of the multitude.

Touching our selues to shūne some faults verie common among vs: Insufficienci [...] of ministers. As [Page] first Insufficiencie. For it is not for e­uerie one to protrude, & thrust forth himselfe vnto the calling with a pro­phane minde, only for the subsidie & help of liuīg, & not the benefit of the church, hauing nothing aboue the capacitie, and knowledge of the vulgar sort, as though we were miraculouslie to beleue that Saule is among the Pro­phets: 1. Sam. 19.24. Greg. nazian Apol. 1. Item [...] lend. Atha. Or that to become a mediator be­tweene god & mā, to haue the very sēce & meaning of christ, & of his spirit, to be (as it were in the place of Angels and Arch­angels, to be euen a god, & bring others to god, to handle that great body of Christ (the societie of the church) were a mat­ter both of facillity & security, 1. Cor. 2.16. wher­as indeed who is sufficiēt for these things? Moyses among the priests vneloquent, Exod. 4.12. of a slow mouth & tongue, till god was in his mouth, and taught him what he shoulde say. Esay. 66. Esay among the prophets a man for­lorne, and of vncleane lips, vntil one of the Seraphins hauing an hote cole in his hād taken frō the altar, layd it vpon his mouth [Page] and touched his lips, Galat. 1.15. 1. Cor. 15.8. and so hee was sent of the Lords message. St. Paule among the Apostles, as one borne out of due time, vn­meete to be called an apostle, but that God did seperate him from his mothers wombe, & called him by grace to reueale his son, Ambros. in 1. Tim. 4.14. and preach him among the gentils. Amb. saith, expounding the apostles words Prophetia est, qua eligitur quasi doc­tor futurus idoneus, manus vero im­positiones verba sunt mistica quibus confirmatur ad hoc opus electus, acci­piens teste consciētia sna vt audeat vi­ce domini sacrificiū deo offerre. This is prophecie when one is chosen, as a meete man afterwards to teach the people, & the hands laid on by the company of eldership, are words in a misterie, by which the party thus chosen, is withall setled to this worke, and receaueth power, his owne conscience bearing him witnes, that he may boldly of­fer sacrifice to god in the lords steed. Whē Valētiniā the Emperour after the death Theod. lib. 4. cap. 6. of Auxentius the Arriā had made this speach to the synod of bishops for the [Page] electiō of a bishop, saying vnto them you cannot be ignorāt being learned Diuines vnto what manner of men it is conuenient to cōmit the pontificall dignitie, euen such a one as ought to instruct the people, not onlye with doctrine, but also with manners and life so proposing himselfe an exam­ple of perfect honesty, that the godly­nes of his life may say for a witnes his doctrine is good, and therefore place him at this time in the Bishopricke, to whom also euen our selues the rulers of the Empire may sincerelie submit our heades: And because wee are mē and must needes offend, may willing­ly admit their reprehensions as a cure by phisicke. And thereuppon the Sy­node willed the Emperour himselfe by his voyce to make choyse of one verie wise and godly man, hee replied thus: Maior, quam vt a me praestari possit, res est, multoque fuerit melius vos discernere diulna gratia dignatos et participes spendoris illius. It is a [Page] greater matter then I can performe, and it shalbe much better for your selfe to discerne whom gods grace hath vouchsaued worthy pertakers of his glorie.

This Christian Emperour may ve­rie well instruct vs, that the impositi­on of the handes of the Eldership in making a Minister should follow first a dignitie of giftes by discretion of grace. Greg. Naziā. Apolog. 1. Gregorie Nazianzen commen­ding the dignitie of the Ministerie, saith thus: VVhat a gods name is he that as if hee fashion an Image out of clay in a short dayes space maketh a Minister (who is a defender of the truth) him (I say) that must be in the order and degree of Angels, celebrate the prayse of God with Archan­gels, transmit the sacrifices of the highest al­tar, execute the Priesthood with Christ. I will say more, he that shall become as it were a God, and make others godes. This sen­tence shoulde be well obserued both of Bishops (such I meane not all) as suddenly impose their hands on men vnmeet for the calling, & so become per­takers [Page] of their sinnes, [...]. Tim. 5.20. & likewise of them that vnworthyly intrude themselues into the functiō, deēing it as ordinary a matter to be made a minister, as for the potter to forme a shape out of clay or the register to writ forth the orders, & the Officials to clap to the Bishops seale.

Negligence in [...]he ministrie.An other fault is negligence. For many hauing verye notable giftes of god, & withall the gift of prophecie, do cleane forget the Apostles rule, & councell to Timothie. 1. Tim. 4.14. Despise not the gift that is in thee giuen by prophecie, and againe, that worthy thing that was cōmit­ted vnto thee, 2. Tim. 1.6.14. keepe through the holye ghost, which dwelleth in vs. Likewise stir vp the gift of God which is in thee, by put­ing on of my handes. Ambition of the worlde more then spirituall gifts, and loue of pleasures, more then of Pro­phecie carrie manie such away. The Apostle can tell them that preaching in a Minister is a worke of necessitie layde vppon him, and his case is wo­full, [Page] if hee preache not the Gospell, 1. Cor. 9.16.17. whe­ther willinglye, or grudginlye, because the dispensation is committed vnto him. I thinke there was neuer age afore vs soe excellent for manye florish­ing witts both in all kinde of learn­ing, and in Deuinitie. The Spirite of Moyses distributed verye commonlye and vniuersallye vnto the Elders, Num. 11.16.25. and Officers in the Tabernacle of the Con­gregation, 2. Reg. 2.5. and the Spirit of Elias dub­led vppon Elizeus. The worde of the Lorde is not rare, as in the dayes of Samuell, 1. Sam. 3.1. Esay. 2.2. but all the multitude of the people maye ascende to the hill of the lord, to the house of god, and hee teacheth them his wayes that they maye walke in his pathes. Manye for all that neg­lect their giftes, and become volup­tuous wantons of the world, seldom or neuer exercised in Preaching to the people. That order in the church spokē of before, brings with it a neces­sarie care of dutie. Aug. serm. temp. 165. August. saith Habe­mus duo quaedā plane distinguenda, [Page] vnum quod christiani sumus, alterum quod prepositi sumus: Christiani propter nos, prepositi propter vos: ex­cepto quod christiani sumus vnde ra­tionem reddimus deo de vita nostra, sumus etiam prepositi vnde rationem reddimus deo de dispēsatione nostra. Wee (of the Cleargie) haue two things plainelie to be distinguished (from you of the Laitie) The one is that wee are Christians, the other, that wee are placed ouer you: We are Christians for our owne selues, but set ouer you for your sakes. Besids this that wee are Christians, and thereby render accompt to God for our owne life, we are rulers ouer you, and by that meanes giue accompt of the dispensatiō cōmited vnto vs. I spare the reuerende Bishops of the land, and other auncient fathers, such as haue laboured in doctrine diligent­lie, when they were younge, but are vnable to sustaine, and vnapt to execute the like for defect of nature, and feeblenes of age, I wish them yet to do as Gregorie Nazianzen writes to [Page] to his father. Greg. Nazian. Apolog. post. ex fuga red. iter. pasci [...] orat. 1. Duplicem pro simplici dat seipsum senectutis que subsidium, spiritus subsidium facit. Hee giueth you too for one, and maketh a supplie of the spi­rit, an ayd of his age. For being consu­med himselfe with yeares, he did asso­ciate his sonne, whoe was a double steede and aide vnto him (to wit) of his auncient yeares and giftes of the spirit, vpholding his father bro­ken with weakenes, and bearing with him the spirituall cares of the church. So shoulde aged Prelates do, procure and alure young men of worthie gifts to be coadiutors in their infirmities, and accordinglye rewarde them the better to maintaine them in studie, & the more to incourage them in prea­ching. Nowe if there be anye such as Gregorie writes of besides, cui vel altis­sima senectus canam doctrinam attu, lerit, eam (que) vim habentem vt nouae in pietate animae vtilitate at (que) adiu­mento esse queat. Whom extreame olde age hath brought vnto an auncient kynde [Page] of preaching, and the same so effectuall, that he can with a godlie mind doe good, and helpe to labour (in the Church) as much as hee did before. That as Moyses was fourescore yeares olde when hee spake to Pharao, Exod. 7.7. so any one or other of lyke years decreeth with himselfe that hee will be­gin againe his former trauell in prea­ching the gospell, I esteeme such a one not only reuerend among men, but also greatlie blessed of God. So­zomen writes of one Theonas verye learned in the doctrine of Aegip­tians, Sozom. lib. 6. [...]ap. 28. Grecians and Latins, who for thirtie yeares space liued in silence. If there bee anye suche amonge vs of the Ministerie sufficientlye seene in varietie, and diuersitie of learning, that haue vsed silence nowe this foure and thirtie yeares space in so religious and blessed a p [...]agation of the Gospell, howe they will an­sweare for manie a soule perishing in ignoraunce long of their negligēce, I leaue it to god, & their owne cōsciēce

Wee maye adde a thirde faulte to both the former, which is simonie: Symonie in ministers. For wee couet not spirituall giftes, but spirituall promotions, not the calling, but the liuing, not the bene­fite, but the benefices of the church. I say as Barnard somtime to Eugeni­us: Bern. consi. Eug. lib. 4. Vides omnem ecclesiasticum ze­lum feruere sola pro dignitate tuen­da, honori totum datur, sanctitati ni­hil aut parum? Perceiue you the zeale of our Church; men how earnest they are only to maintayne their dignetie? All is for estimatiō, nothing a doe for holynes, or very litle. I would handle this matter more largly, if I thought I did speake to such a people who, as ye do iustlie finde faulte with the ministrie, so yee would discreetly take heed ye apply it not to the froward offence of youre owne fayth, and shamfull reproch of our caling: but rather be first religious to amende your selues, & thē offici­ous to reprehende vs. Considering what Augstustin sayth, Par causa et [Page] docentem et audientem constringit vt vtriusque cofessio factorum testi­ficatione signetur, Aug. math. serm. 3. iungantur factis, qui seperantur officijs, copulentur o­pere, qui diuersi sunt nomine, et quos vocabula ab inuicem seperant, eos obseruantia praeceptorum fideliter et deuote coniungat. The like reason con­straines both the preacher and the hearer, that their workes bearing witnesse may be­token both their confessions: let them bee ioyned in deedes, that are set apart in offi­ces: coupled in workes that are diuers in names, and let the reuerence of Gods cō ­maundements ioyne them faythfully, and deuoutly togither whom titles seperate one from an other. Greg. Naziā. Orat. ad Gre­gor. Nissen. Gregorie Nazianzen writing to Gregorie Nissen: I woulde sayth he very gladly speake somwhat boulder, but I am moued with the re­uerence of the day to saye nothinge sharplie or vnluckely. Perhaps hee woulde not displease the eares, or greiue the consciences, or offend the fayth of seelye christians, by telling [Page] them of the vncleane sacrifices of the heathcn: euen so I desire to speake more boldlye of some thinges, but moued with the reuerence of the cal­ling, I will say nothing vngentlye, or vnluckely, partlie because of Libertins that will by and by snatch occasion to blaspheme the holynes of the cal­ling, and partlie for hypocrits that cā espie the motes of simonie in vs, but not see the beames of sacriledge in themselues. Math. 27.4. I will not say (no in deed will I not) that with Iudas, wee sell Christ, betraying the second time the blood of the innocent. Neither can I say with Symon, Act. 8 19. wee buy the giftes of the holye ghost. Symon in deed of experience would haue bought them, but hee could not, Basil. epist. 76. Math. 10.8. yet this I will saie that with Iudas we loue the bagge & hauing it freely giuē, Ioh. 12.6. we do not bestowe it as freely: and that with the Ro­manes wee worship Mercurie too muche that god with a purse in his right hande. Euag. lib. 3. cap. 12. One Iohn Presbiter after the death of Timothie Bishop of Alexandria by [Page] iurie & simonie gat the bishoricke, but whē Zeno the Emperour vnderstood it, he put him out & placed Peter in his stead writing an epistle (tēding to con­cord) called (henoticon) that Peter should subscribe to the same epistle. Euag. lib. 5. cap. 5. But A­nastasius bishop of Antioch, when Iusti­nus the Emperor (after he was bishop) asked him a summe of monie & thrust him out because he denied (as the Historian reporteth frō an other) like a very godly bishop, did willingly suffer depriuatiō. Iohn Chrisostome the Arch­bishop of Constantinople in his visitation in Asia vnderstanding that manye by gifts, [...]ozom. lib. 8. cap. 6. & fauour did buy & sell benefi­ces, came to Ephesus, and for simonie de priued 13. bishops at once, some of Li sia, some of Phrigia, some of Asia. Now if there be any among vs (I say if there bee anye, for I protest perticularlie I meane not any, much les maliciously accuse any) who rather like Iohn Pres­biter will get a bishopricke, or ecclesi­asticall promotion by periurie and si­monie, [Page] thē like Anastasius suffer eiecti­on, rather then cōmmit simonie. I do wish th [...]t our Zeno woulde remoue Iohn, & surrogate Peter, Elizabeth. but with this condition, Io. Archbis [...] Cant. and Yorke. Anglia. that he obserue the epistle of concord, and that Iohn Patriarch would make his visitatiō in Asia & spy out as in my cleargy mē as come in by simonie, some in one dioces, & some in an other, and put them out, if there be 13. bishops at a clap. Ambros. epis [...] lib. 50. orat. [...] Auxent. Shall Ambrose sentēce be heard. Quid sunt cathedrae nisi honores, quid sunt columbae nisi mentes simplices, vel animae fidem cā ­didam & puram sequentes, ergo iube­tur exire qui dignitates vendit et ho­nores, iubetur exire qui vendere vult simplices mentes fideliū. What are the seates but places of honour, what are the doues, but the seelie mindes & soules of such as followe the cleare and pure fayth, then he is commaunded to go forth of the church that sells dignities and honours, he is cōmaunded to go out of the church that will sell the seelie consciēces of the faithful. [Page] Basill doth call it transitum ad Gehē ­nan, Hellferrie, and so I feare me it is in deed both for the priest & the peo­ple. Barnard tels a tale of Martin a Cardinaall prelate whoe returning in his Legacie from Dacia was so poore (his money and horses fayling him) that he coulde scarse come to Florence. The Bishop of Florence gaue him a horse which brought him to Pise, where Barnard reporteth he was at the same time: the next daye after the Bishop of Florence came to Pise, & requiring for the dispatch of some cause hee had in lawe the testimonie of his freindes, presuming of the Car­dinall amonge the rest, for his late good turne, came to him for his voice, then sayde Martin you haue deceiued mee sir, I litle knewe ye had such busines in hand, & the very same houre resigned his horse. Barnard bringes this in to vpbrayde both the insolencie and simonie of the Court of Rome in Pope Eugenius time, be­cause [Page] Martin passing throughe a Countrie of gold and siluer tooke no knowledge of it, & moreouer would not be so much as suspected to take a­ny gift at all. As litle as I like Martin Marprelate, surelie this was Martin good-prelate, Martin good prelat. and I would to God that euery one both Bishop and other mi­nister were such a Martin.

Now concerning your selues of the Auditory. Contempt in the common people. Manie faultes likewise are common in you: Contempt of Prophecie is one and the first. For whereas the end of this notable gift of Prophecie is edification (as ye heard afore) the people in these daies are growne to a hatefull contempt, and rebellious disobeidience of the word preached, as the Prophet sayd in his time. Ierm. 5.13. The warning of the Prophets is but winde, the worde of God is not in them. They say prophecie not, Mich. 2.6.11. yee shall not pro­phecie vnto vs, no ye shall not. Euerye paynfull minister may finde Bernards wordes to be true. Berna. cant. serm. 42. Coarctore duo­bus, [Page] et quid eligam nescio: placere ne mihi in eo quod locutus sum, quo­niam quod debui feci, an penitentiam agere super verbo meo, quia quod vo­lui, non recepi. Besids a threefold pe­rill of the labour and worke in respect of our selues, conscience, intelligēce, vtteraunce, Conscience to be rightlie called by inward testimonie. Intelli­gence to perceiue the deuine sence of the scripture, vtteraunce to teach the people, (of which three, the first is re­quisit, the second hard, the thirde in maner harder then the second) yee do ad a threefold harder difficultie then all, & that is to procure your teacha­blenes in hearing, faythfulnes in be­leeuing, holinesse in obeying. For oh! Lord who hath giuē credence to our preach­ing, Esay. 53.1. Rom. 10. [...]6. Esay. 65.2. Rom. 10.21. or who hath beleeued our report. All the day long do we stretch forth our hands to a disobedient & gaynsaying people, but erre not I pray you and bee not deceiued. Greater far authority, is the prophesie in the gospell, then of old: & far more [Page] fearefull to dispise the one, then con­tēne the other. Iohn Baptist, Math. 11.6 more then a prophet, none greater among mē begottē of women, & yet the least in the kingdome of heauen greater then hee. The Apostle commaundes vs not to despise prophe­cying, for no doubt hee that despiseth, 1. Thes. 5.19 1. Thes. 4.8. 1. Sam. 8.7. de­spiseth not man but god, who hath giuen you his holy spirit: The Lord sayd to Sa­muell the prophet. They haue not cast thee away, but cast me away, & so sayde Christ to his disciples, Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth mee, and he that dispiseth you, dispiseth me, & he that dispiseth me, despi­seth him that sent me. And in deed all former prophets in their visions did leuell with their eyes, and looke strait on Christ the only prophet of all. To him al gaue witnes that through his name al that beleue in him should receaue remis­sion of sinnes. Ambrose saith: Act. 10.43. Amb. Luc. 9. lib. 7. Et hodie Moses docet, et hodie Elias loquitur, et hodie in maiori gloria Mosen videre possimus. Euē now a dayes Moses teacheth and now a dayes Elias speaketh, and now a [Page] dayes wee may see Moyses in a great deale more glorie. Nay Barnard seemeth to require the grace of prophecie in as manie of your selues as are deuout and godlie. For saith hee, Vbi angelica in hoc corpore conuersa­tio, in corde prophetica expectatio in vtroque apostolica perfectio inueni­tur, gratus iste cumulus gratiarum. Where we haue in this (our) bodie a con­uersatiō like vnto the Angels in the hart: an hope as the prophets had in both: the A­postles perfectiō, how great an aboundance is it of Gods graces?

Arogancie in [...]he people.Arrogancie is an other fault in our people: For manie haue a dedignatiō to bee taught, surmising themselues more sufficiently to haue the sence of the spirit, and sincerlie the knowledg of the truth, thē any learned preacher of them all. As though it were a pro­trit & base matter that St. Paule speak­eth of, [...]. Cor. 2.10. to search the deepe things of God. And whereas the Apostle would haue the spirits euen of the Prophets subiecte [...]. Cor. 14.32. [Page] to the Prophets, 2. Pet. 1.20 2. Tim. 3.1 [...] 1 Cor. 12.2 [...] these will admit no censure of anie else, but onlie their owne priuate interpretation, yet being no Prophets, as though Prophecie were of priuate interpretation, Greg. nazia [...] Theol. orat. 1 all were Apostles, all Prophets, all Teachers.

Gregorie Nazianzen writeth of Eu­nomius, who as though hee were rapt into heauen after Elias, 2. Reg. 2.11 made worthye to talke with God, Exod. 19.9. and beholde him in a cloud after Moyses, taken vp into Paradice, & hearing impossible things to be vttered, 2. Cor. 12. [...] af­ter Paule, doth (sayth he) in one daies space make manie mo Sainctes, and creat deuines (as it were) inspiring learning into them, & causing many conuenticles of vnlearned praters, and of such an immediate vpstart spi­rit aboue the sober and modest pro­portion of lawfull knowledge, sepa­rate from the rest of the ministerie, & people of God, altogither in the hea­uens, in cloudes, Greg. Naziā moder. dispu [...] habend. in the paradise with God himselfe are those I speake of. A dayes dispatch for deuinitie is enough [Page] with thē. They come out of the schoole of Concision. Hee or she that hath rashlie learned two or three wordes of scripture, Gen. 11.4. straight wayes fals a building of Babell that their name maie be scattered abroade vpon the whole earth. Num. 16.2. And by and by must Corah and his companie furiously stirre vp an insurrection against Moyses making in deed (which is miserable) a scattered confusion abroad of the Church, and a like holynes of office in the ministers, and euerie one of the congregatiōs. I would to god withall my hart, Num. 11.29. that all the lords people could prophecie, & that the lord would put his spirit vpon them, [...]oh. 5.39. & I will all christians to search the scriptures, for in them is eternity of life, and testimonie of christ, [...]ct. 17.11. euen to be exquisit examiners of doctrine, as were those nobler men then those of Thessolonica, Ioh. 4.1. and not to beleeue euery spirit, but try the spirites whe­ther they are of god so many false prophets are abroad in the world. I am not of the iudgement that olde Apelles was who thought that euery man ought to holde [...]us lib. 5. eccl [...]ist. cap. 12. [Page] opinion as he beleeued, Socrat. lib. 3. Eccl. histor. cap. 14. and is not at all to examine any doctrine. But rather of an other minde teaching the vtilitie and ne­cessitie of scripture, that the scriptures in­spired by god, do cast seedes of wonderfull precepts of doctrine teaching matters in deede very deuine, notable godlines, and a right rule of life, into the hartes of the au­ditorie, and do propose a verie holy religion to such as studie them. But they do not deli­uer the art of Logique, whereby to resist them that oppugne the truth. Forasmuch as we do then most easilie conquere the ad­uersarie, when we vse our owne weapons a­gainst them. And therefore I do wish that euerie christiā congregatiō were like to Samosata, Theod. lib. 4 [...]Eccl. histor. ap. 11. who when their bishop gaue vp the sea, and Lucius a wolfe and traytor came in his roome, being spoyled of their Pastor, tamen officia pastoris exe quebantur, nam a­postolicā doctrinā seruabāt incorrup­tam. For all that did execute their pastors offices thēselues, & kept the incorrupt doc­trine of the apostles. But my desire is that [Page] great deale more sobrietie be in mans professors, and that an order be kept in the execution of giftes, that some teach, and some learne, some to bee like the tongue, and some the eare, and the flocke ar­rogate the pastors office, nor the soul­dier guide the Armie which belonges to the Captaine. As it is expedient for a prouident Marchaunt, whose calling is to trauell the ieoperdouse seas for commodi­tie, somtimes to bee in tranquillitie and quiet on the land: So in controuersie and scruple of matter in religion, somtimes discipline with sobernesse more be­seemeth a godlie people then dispu­tations with frowardnes. Bern. cant. ser. [...]6. in 1. Cor. 8.2. Barnard sayth vppon these wordes of the A­postle. Now if anie man think that he knoweth any thing, hee knoweth no­thing as hee ought to knowe: Vides quoniam non probat multa scientem, si scientiae modum nescierit, for you see that hee likes not a man, that vnder­standeth much, & is ignorant of the man­ner of vnderstanding, noting after­wardes [Page] the maner of knowledge to consist in these poynts: Ordine, Stu­dio, Fine. Ordine id prius quod matu­rius ad salutē. Studio id ardētius quod vemehētius ad amorē. Fine vt nō ina­nē gloriā aut curiositatem, aut aliquid simile, sed tantum ad aedificationem tuam et proximi. In the order, endeuour, purpose. Touching the order (to knowe) that formost, which is speediest to saluatyō. concerning his indeuour that more ze­louslie, which is more vehement to loue. As for the end that if it be not for vaine glorie, or curiositie, or any like matter, This part fo [...] lowing was cut of: for time was p [...] & ouerspēt it the other [...] partes afore. Sacriledge in the La [...]tie. but only to aedifie thy selfe, and thy neighbour.

An other fault and exceeding both the other is your sacriledge, that ho­lie couetousnes & both honourable and worshipfull Idoll of Protestants: but alas the spoyle of the church, and hinderaunce of prophecie. For what an impietie is this? Wee must haue the giftes of holye spirit, 1. Cor. 9.7. and ye the giftes of holie Church, wee prophecie and preach the gospell, and yee lyue of the [Page] gospel: like mercenary souldiers ye send vs to warre, and be at no charges your selues. Nay you put our money, & paimēt in your own purses, ye will haue vs plant the vine­yard, & not tast of the fruit, but your selues wilbe drūcke with the grapes therof. You say it is our calling to feede the flocke, and will not let vs eate of the milke. Iob. 21.24. But your owne brestes are full of milke, & your bones rūn full of marrow: you will haue vs neuer out of the tempel, & yet you will take away the offerings, & the gold of the tem­pell. It is true that I tell you, your sa­criledge is the very cause of our simo­ny: for if we had a law sure enough to cut of your sacriledge, we could find a libertie soone enough to cōmit no simonie, & without doubt we are not so deepe in the iudgments of god for simony, but ye are the former and the farther in for sacriledge. And as wee shall answere for our owne selues, so shall ye answere both for your selues and vs also. I find not so great a cause of such a number of poore in this lād [Page] as this your sacriledge. Your robberie of the church is the robberie of the poore. Amb. saith: Amb. lib. 5. Epist. 31. Esay. 3.14. Possessio ecclesiae sūptus est egenorū. The church liuings, are the maintenanece of the poore. The Lord must needs haue a controuersie, and iudgement, with the auncient of the people, they wast his vineyard, the spoyle of the poore is in their houses. Deut. 14.26. Call ye me this a protestaunt, when a man hath money, oxen, sheepe, or strong drinke, or whatsoe­uer his hart desireth, & eateth it before the lord his god, and reioyceth both he and his familie, but neuer bringeth foorth anye tithes of his increase for the Leuit within his gate, that hath no inheritaunce with him, & forgetteth the straunger & fatherles, & widow, which should likewise eat & bee filled, that God might blesse him the more in all the workes of his hands, Rom. 2.22. Ephes. 5.5. as the Apostle saith to the Iew. Thou that ab­horrest Idols, committest thou sacriledge? So I to such a protestaunt: Thou that abhorrest poperie, August. Ioh. tract. 50. commitest thou idolatrie I meane sacriledge? August. saith of Iudas that he was, fur sacrilegus, nō qualis­cun (que) [Page] fur, fur loculorum, sed domini­corū loculorū, sed sacrorū, fur sacre­ligus qui ausus fuerit vndecun (que) tol­lere, hoc est de ecclesia tollere. Qui a­liquid de ecclesia furatur, Iudae perdi­to comparatur. A sacrilegious theife, not a common theife, that stole out of the lords coffers. A sacrilegious theife that durst steale whersoeuer it was to be had, euen out of the church. Who so stealeth ought frō the church, is like Iudas that child of perditi­on. Greg. Naziā. [...]ul. arat. 2. Gregorie Nazianzen nameth sacri­ledge to be impietatem auaritia cu­mulatā. Euseb. vita Constant. lib. cap. 36. A hughe heape of vngodlie coue­tousnes. In the daies of Constantine, whē any martyrs or confessors died, or banished persōs hauing no kinred suruiuing to posses their inheritaūce it came to the church of that place, & if any of thē before named, had giuē any of their possessiōs to the church, it was to remaine sure for euer to the church. There be many that can find fault with our couetousnes, but not with that couetousnes in thēselues, a huge heape of all impietie. They can spie out [Page] Magus for simonie among vs, but not Iu­das for sacriledge amongst themselues: they thinke the Church goodes which they posses to be their rightfull patrimonie and inheritaunce, Psal 83.12 Bern. Epistol. 42. which I see not how it maye be vnles they will say, let vs take the sanc­tuarie of god for our possessions, for in ve­rie deed the church goods are poore mens possessiōs, not an inheritaunce for noble men and gentelmen. But I feare me it will at lenth be the decaie of both our florishing Vniuersities, where verie manye of rare giftes, ei­ther betake themselues to an other calling abroad, or abide close at their studie in the vniuersitie, their giftes being hid frō the world, because they see the reward of their labour taken a­way, so that they cannot procure a li­uing without corruptiō of consciēce, so vnsatiable in a number of you is your couetous sacriledge. You will say vnto me, we do not see, but your selues of the cleargie are as faultie as we of the laity, for we could not sell if ye did not buie, naie manie will offer [Page] and that verie roundlie & larglie out of their liuing, to haue the dignitie & title, I cannot tell whether anie do so. And I tiowe you speake not againste lawfull titles, but ambition of them: For otherwise I see not but they are lawfull in reuerend bishops, so it bee as Barnard saith cant. serm. 33. Pro hu­iusmodi volunt esse, & sunt ecclesiarū Praepositi, Decāi, Archidiaconi, Epis­copi, Archiepiscopi. For these like things (speaking before of the voluptuouse pride in the Cleargie) both they are, and couet to bee ecclesiasticall Prelates, Deanes, Archdeacons, Bishops, Archbishops. Nazi­anzen saith against the indignitie, Greg. Naziā. [...]n Maxius. and ambition of such as Maximus, who of a Cinicke philosopher so quicklie be­came a christian, and sought by simo­ny to translate the chaire to himselfe. Vtinam nulla esset throni praerogati­ua, nec praelatio et violenta authoritas ac praeeminētia, vt ex sola virtute cog­nosceremur. I would god there were noe prerogatiue of throne, nor praefermēt & vi­olent authoritie & praeheminence, that wee [Page] might bee knowne by vertue alone. How­beit the same auncient father appro­ueth a superioritie and preferment of bishops, so it come by degrees, & de­serts, as he speakes of Basill, Greg. Naziā in laudem Basilij. who was first a reader of deuinitie, then an elder, & afterwards placed in the bishops chaire de­seruedlie. And againe saith that Basill, Ibidem. had a principall care and indeuor antisti­tem obseruare (meaning Eusebius) and did possesse the gouernment of the Church, though hee were seconde in honor of the Chayre to Eusebius. I told you before I take no perticuler knowledg of ani such, but if there bee anie such I am suer Am­brose durst not for his life deliuer the goods of the church. For sayth hee, they were giuen me to kepe them, but not to passe them away. The same father sayth of Auxentius the Arriā, Ambro. lib. 5. Epist. orat. in Auxent. who tooke vpon him an other name to bee called Mercu­rius. Vnum portentum est duo nomina, mutauit vocabulum, sed perfideam non mutauit, exuit Lupum, et induit Lupum. One monster, but two names, he chaunged his title, but not his treacherie, he put a woolfe off, and one verie cunninglie. And so I say of euery such a one. Call him Mercurius, but hee is still Auxentius the [Page] Atriā. One monster though he haue diuers names he hath chaunged his title, but not left his naugh­tines, he can put a wolfes skine of & on verie well. Whither in the ende the feircenes of sacriledge in you, & simonie in vs will run, god alone knoweth, & we may feare. The inrode is made already into the church, the incursiō will follow next vppon Cō ­mnons, afterwards the inuasion wilbe to the scep­ter and seate of the Highest. And then will these ouerrune the land, confusion for estate of order in the common wealth, barbarousnes for ciuilitie of conuersation amongst the people, rebellion for o­bedience of lawes in subiects, ignoraunce for artes of learning in the vniuersities. Atheisme for religiō of God among christians. But o Lorde in mercie turne away so feareful punishments from the land. My conclusion is As god bestoweth diuers gifts of the spirit to the edefieng of his Church, so wee be­seech him by grace of the same spirite to make vs more painefull, your selues more thankfull, and all of vs more fruitfull, that following the truth in loue euery mē ­ber doing his part to builde vp the bodie, wee may grow vp togither in him the heade of the same bodie Iesus Christ our Sauiour: To whom with the father and the holy spirit, be all prayse honor and glorie euermore Amen.

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