IN this parcel of Scripture here is brought vnto you ( Christian audience ) an high message from an high and mighty prince , of an high matter , and of weighty importaunce . Concerning the which message three thinges I haue principally to notifie vnto you , by order of the letter as it lyeth ▪

As touching the first , S. Paule , The sender of the message . to prepare and stirre vp the mindes of the Corinthians to more attention , expresseth first the person and authour of this message , in whose name he commeth , saying : In the name of Christ we come as Ambassadors &c. In the name ( sayth he ) of Christ . Wherin we see the wordes of Christ our Sauiour rightly accomplished : wherin he prophecying before of this his Apostle and messenger , speaketh to Ananias in this wise , saying : Vade , quoniam vas est mihi electionis , &c. Goe to him , for he is an elect vessell to me , to beare my name before the Gentiles and Kinges , and before the children of Israell . Actes . 9. Actes . ix .

The Apostles doe all thinges in the name of Christ . In like maner the other Apostles also when soeuer they come , either shewing whose seruants they be , or to teach any doctrine , or to worke miracles , euer they beare the name of Christ before them . With him they begin , and with him they end . Now , if messengers or ambassadors which come from earthly princes and potestates in this world , are commonly estemed and reputed according to the estate of them which send them , and especially if the matter bring with it any face of temporall commoditie , men are wont right gladly to receaue thē . How much more then ought we to be moued with this heauenly and most ioyfull legation directed vnto vs , not from any terrene Prince or Lord , but from the King of Kinges , and Prince of all Princes , especially touching such à benefite here sent and offered vnto vs by him , of such speciall & singular effect , that without it no earthly thing in all the world can make vs happy , and hauing it nothing can make vs miserable .

Let me tell you à story , which I remember was done about the beginning of Quene Maries raigne , an . 1554. There was à certain message sent , not from heauen , but from Rome : not from God , but from the Pope : not by any Apostle , but by à certain Cardinal , who was called Cardinal Poole , The Popes Legacie into England . Legatus a latere , Legatus natus , à Legate from the Popes owne white side , send hether into England . Card . Poole the Popes Legate .

This Cardinall Legate first comming to Douer , was honorably receiued & brought to Grenewich : where he againe being more honorably receaued by Lordes of high estate , and of the priuy Counsell ( of whom some are yet aliue ) was conducted from thence to the priuy staires of the Quenes Court at Westminster , no lesse person then King Philip him selfe waiting vpon him and receauing him , and so was brought to the Queenes great chamber , she then being , or els pretending , not to be well at ease . Ste . Gardiner B. of Wine . Steuen Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester , & Lord Chauncellor of England , receiuing this noble Legate in the King and the Queenes behalfe , to commend and set forth the authoritie of this Legate , the greatnesse of his message , & the supreme maiesty of the sender , before the publicke audience of the whole Parlament at that time assembled , there ●●enly protested with great solemnitie of word 〈◇〉 what à mighty message & of what great importaunce was then brought into the Realme , euen the greatest message ( sayd he ) that euer came into England : and therfore desired them to geue attentiue & inclinable eares to such à famous legation , sent from so high authoritie .

Well , and what message was this ? Forsooth , that the Realme of England should be reconciled againe vnto their father the Pope : that is to say , that the Queene with all her nobilitie and sage Counsell , with so many learned Prelates , discrete Lawyers , worthy commons , and that whole body of the Realme of England , should captiue them selues , and become vnderlings to an Italian straunger , and frierly Priest sitting in Rome , which neuer knew England , neuer was here , neuer did or shal do England good . Ste . Gardiners mighty message sent to England from Rome . And this forsooth ( said Gardiner ) was the greatest ambassage , the weightiest Legacie that euer came to England : forgetting belike either this message of God sent here by his Apostles vnto vs : or els because he saw it made not so much for his purpose as did the other , he made the lesse accompt thereof .

Well then , & will we see what à weighty message this was that Gardiner so exquisitely commendeth ? First , the sender is gone , the messenger is gone , the Queene is gone , and the message gone , and yet England standeth not à rushe the better . Of which message I thus say , answering againe to Gardiner , per inuersionē rhetoricam , that as he sayth , it was the greatest , so I say againe , it was the lightest legacie , the most ridiculous trifle , and most miserablest message , of al other that euer came , or euer shall come to England , none excepted , for vs to be reconciled to an outlandish priest , & to submit our neckes vnder à forrein yoke . What haue we to do more with him , then with the great Calypha of Damascus . If reconciliation ought to folow , where offences haue risen : the Pope hath offended vs more then his cofers are able to make vs amendes . We neuer offended him . But let the Pope with his reconciliation and Legates goe , as they are already gone ( God be thanked ) and I beseech God so they may be gone , that they neuer come here again . England neuer fared better then when the Pope did most curse it . And yet I heare whispering of certaine priuy reconcilers , The Popes priuy reconcilers secretly creeping in corners . sent of late by the Pope , which secretly creepe in corners . But this I leaue to thē that haue to do withall . Let vs againe returne to our matter .

We then hauing this Legation sent to vs , not from the Pope , but euen from our Lord & God : not by any Cardinall of Rome , but by the elect vessell of Christ , the Apostle S. Paule and other Apostles : let vs attend with reuerence , first to him that sendeth , then to the messengers that be sent vnto vs , remembring how Raab the harlot receaued the messengers of Moses and was preserued : Iosue . xxvj . remembring also the wordes of our Sauior : He that heareth you , Luke . x . heareth me : and he that despiseth you , despiseth me . &c.

Wherefore , considering with our selues ( good Christian audience ) the high maiestie of this our supreme prince the sender of this message , being not onely our head & king annointed , but which also of loue gaue his life and bloud as this day to be spent for our redemption : let vs for our partes , if we be his subiectes , marke what our prince requireth : let the flocke heare what the Pastor teacheth : the body what the head speaketh : the spousesse , what the spouse sendeth . And thus much touching the sender of the message .

Now what these messengers be , The messengers . and who they are : the Apostle proceding further in the letter , thus inferreth : We ( saith he ) be sent as messengers . &c. speaking not of him self alone , nor of Peter alone , nor of any Apostle one more then an other , but iointly ioyning thē all in one office & calling together , without difference of degree or singularitie of person , he saith : We be sent as messengers or Apostles : For so signifieth the name of Apostolus , Apostolus , what it signifieth . as much to meane as à messenger or à Legate sent . Where is to be noted by the way , that this nominatiue [ Nos ] in the pluratiue number is not here to be expounded after the stile of Rome : Stylus Romanae Curiae . For Stylus Romanae Curiae , or rather {αβγδ} Romanae Curiae , the swelling stile of the court of Rome , vseth commonly when any Mandate , Breefe , or Sentence is geuen , thus to say : Nos Willielmus pro tribunali sedentes . &c. Nos Edmundus , Roberto Cluney literato . &c.

So the Bishop of Rome directing forth his preceptes or Buls , neuer speaketh in other number , but Mandamus , The Pope will needes be singular , & yet disdaineth to speake in the singular number . Statuimus , Ordinamus , & Volumus . And although he be but one singular person that speaketh , and such as will needes be singular alone aboue all others : yet disdaineth he to speake in the singular number , but alwayes vseth the plurall , to expresse belike , his Regale sacerdotium . Who because he feeth great Kinges & Emperours frequent this trope of writing and speaking , least he should seeme in any point inferior to them , or not to speake as bigge as they for their liues , vseth therefore the same regall or imperiall phrase of speach , Os loquens grandia . with his Mandamus , & volumus . &c. when as Christ in the Gospell is content to say : Mandatum nouum do vobis : not damus vobis . &c. But if the Pope will not follow the humilitie of Christ in the Gospell , let him beware he followe not the swelling Tode in Aesopes Fables : who seing the great Oxe , and disdaining , that the Oxe should be bigger then he , swelled him selfe so bigge , that at length he swelled him self out of his own skinne . But let the Popes courtly stile passe , which as it is à thing but puft vp with the winde of pride , so let it vanishe away with the winde also .

This is certaine , that S. Paule in these wordes , We come as messengers . &c. meaneth no such matter : to signifie either him selfe alone , or Peter alone , No singularitie among the Apostles . or any other of the Apostles singularly : but ioyntly comprehendeth the whole fellowship of the blessed Apostles together , and declareth , that they all together ioyned in one commission , are sent in the behalfe and name of Christ , as Legates or messengers , and not onely to these Corinthians , to whom here he writeth , but inclusitiuely to all other wheresoeuer either collected or dispersed in the whole world , according as it was enioyned them by the Lordes owne speciall commission , saying : Goe into the whole worlde , Mark . xvj . and preach this Gospell or glad message to euery creature . Whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised , shall be saued .

Well , and what shall we then say ? Did this message of the Apostles cease with the end of the Apostles ? or did the preaching thereof extend no farther , but during the continuance of their time ? Yes verily : for he which then set them on worke , and sent thē in this message , Posuit in nobis sermonem reconciliationis . putting in their mouth the word of reconcilement , is the same Lord which liueth still , and ceaseth not to send messengers into his Church from time to time : Some Apostles , some Prophets , some Euangelistes , some teachers and instructers , Ephe . iiij . some with one gift , some with an other , Christ neuer ceaseth sending messengers to the edifying of his Church . and all for the edifying of his people , to haue the message of his Gospell continued in the world , which still shall be continued , so long as his Church shall endure : for he can not , nor will not totally & finally forsake his Church , which is his kingdome .

False messengers . But as it then happened in the Apostles time , there crept in with them certaine Pseudolegati , false Apostles , & sinister teachers , which confounding together the lawe with the Gospell : Moses with Christ : mans merites with mercy : confidence in workes with Gods free grace and promises , laboured to peruert the course of this blessed message sent to vs by the mouth of the Apostles : so hath there not lacked since that time in the Church , some Pseudocatholici and false teachers , not sent of God to do his message , but creping in craftily to lead à loytring life , some impudent , some negligent , some ignoraunt and blinde , hauing a zeale of God , Rom. x . but not after knowledge , as S. Paul saith , some preaching them selues , some preaching for benefices and promotions , some teaching before they haue learned , some speaking that they know not , nor hauing experience whereof they speake , some also plaine enemies to the crosse of Christ , and subuerters of his heauenly message : of which sort we haue had heretofore to much experience of late yeares when the Pope had the leading of this Church of England .

But blessed be the God of all consolation , & father of our Lord Iesus , who hath visited vs from an high with such mercy and grace , and hath raised vp such ministers and messengers of his holy grace and Gospell to his Church , which so constantly accord and tune in one string together , to set forth the liuely message and truth of Christes Gospell vnto you . Which you dayly doe heare . Which as it doth me good to see , so doe I most hartily reioyce from the bottome of my hart and soule , and prayse God with my harty thankes therfore . And yet neuerthelesse , to speake the simple truth touching the present state of this our ministery , if I should say that nothing therein were à misse , I should in deede blaunch and flatter to much . For who seeth not that many this day enter into the ministery , not as Gods messengers sent vpon any message from him , but winding in them selues by hooke or crooke , or by some compound way , The ministery not cleare from abuses . parting halfe stakes as it were betwene their patrons & them , and hauing either no arte to finde thē , or no minde to labour , make à trade of liuing of the ministery , more to liue at ease , then to labour in Gods message .

Many other abuses might be here recited , but I am not at this time to complaine of any : but onely to preach Christ Iesus crucified vnto you . And if there be any thing in them further to be complained of , I leaue it either to the ministers themselues , or to their patrons that receaue them , or to their Bishops which induct them , to looke vpon it . But to our purpose : they that will be the true messengers of God , let them well consider what their office is , whose messengers they are , and do their message faythfully .

The office of ministers was wont in the time of barbarous Popery , to be counted Orare , The office of ministers . Predicare , Sacrificare , to pray , to preach , and to sacrifice . But they which allotted those offices to the ministery , thought be like to bring in the Aaronicall , or Leuiticall priesthoode againe , with their praying for the sinnes of the people , & offring continuall sacrifice for the same . As for prayer which they call [ Orare ] Orare . I take that office as common to all Christen men , & not onely appropriate to the ministery , to pray I meane for sinnes . And as touching [ Sacrificare ] Sacrificare . if they meane therby to sacrifice Christes body for sinne : that office onely appertaineth to Christ , and to none other . But we which are entred now into the new Testament , and are past from shadowes to the body , from legall significations , to spirite and truth , following the direction of Christes commission in his Gospell , Praedicare . do say with S. Paule , that the principall office of the ministers of the new Testament is , laborare in verbo & doctrina , j . Tim . v. that is , by worde and doctrine to do Gods message , and to preach to the people , sermonem quem posuit in illis , vel quem proposuit illis Deus , the word which God hath put in their mouthes , or which he hath left vnto them by his Apostles . Although beside this , Diuers thinges incident to the office of ministers . diuers other duties are incident to the order of ministers , as to minister the Sacramentes , to pray , to offer thankesgeuing , to reproue , to comfort , to lay on handes , to excommunicate . &c. yet the principall end which chiefly concerneth the ministers of the new Testament , is , by preaching repentaunce and the glad message of the Gospell , to bring all men to the obedience of Christes fayth , for remission of sinnes .

And thus much concerning the function of ministers , whose office is ( as you haue heard ) to be messengers or Ambassadours of Christ , in dispensing the mysteries of his worde . Now , The message sent , what it is . touching the message that is sent by them vnto vs , let vs consider what followeth by the text . The wordes be these : Euen as God desiring you by vs , we pray you , for Christes sake , or in Christes behalfe , that you will be reconciled vnto God . &c.

Here now commeth in the ioyfull message and glad tidinges of the Gospell , which S. Paule calleth Sermonem reconciliationis , Sermo reconciliationis . the worde of reconcilement . Wherein is to be explaned vnto you in order and distinctly , first what this reconcilement is , betwene whom it is , by whom it commeth , with all such things as wel going before , as which folow after it . But first , for somuch as the preaching of reconciliation importeth à variaunce or diuision betwene God and vs going before : let vs something entreate of the same , & put you in remembraunce of that miserable thraldome wherewith we were once oppressed , lying vnder the greuous wrath of God ( which in my minde is much nedefull of all Christen men throughly to be considered ) and compare the same to the state which we are now called vnto . Variaunce betwene God and man , considered . For els how shal we reioyce at Gods grace , if we feele not before his iudgement ? or what thankes can they geue for the gift , which neuer vnderstand what lacke they had ? what passeth he for heauen , which feeleth no hel ? or who careth for the Phisition , but he that is sicke ?

And though I know there be à good sort of godly mourning soules in Sion , which lye groning vnder the feare of Gods heauy indignation , Preaching of Gods feare necessary in these dayes . and neede rather with boldnesse to be refreshed , then with more feare to be deiected : yet notwithstanding for somuch as the greater sort commonly haue their cogitations otherwise occupied , some not touched with any sorrow , some not examining their consciences nor feeling their wound , some not tasting any hell , some not caring for any God , to helpe therfore such senselesse soules , and to rouse them à little out of their carelesse sleepe of securitie , let vs enter into some consideration of our damnable and cursed state , The miserable state of man without Christ . wherin all we once did & yet do stand by nature , all such ( I say ) as are not yet reconciled in Christ . For what can be more greuous and horrible then the creature to be sundred and parted from the grace and good will of his creator & maker ? to lacke his protection ? to sustaine his wrath ? to be outlawed from our owne countrey of Paradise , where we were first created ? to be cut from him , without whom nothing can do vs good , & we good for nothing ? For if all goodnesse be in him , what can be without him but that is euill ? If life leaue vs , what remaineth but death ? If God forsake vs , what receaueth vs but the deuill , author of all mischiefe and fountaine of all calamitie ? Of whose miserable dominion ouer vs , we haue felt and tasted to much already .

Man in his most felicitie in this world , is but a miserable thing . Now take à man in all his abundance of riches , treasures , & pleasures , florishing in hys most felicitie , brauery , and prosperitie : let him be , if ye will , an other Polycrates of this world , what is he of him self but à carcas , à caitife , à subiect of sathā , à pray to death , reioysing and laughing in thys world , but yet as one that laugheth in his dreame , & waketh in sorrow , fraught full of feares & cares of minde , blinde in soule , not knowing to day what will happen to morrow , voyde of all inward rest and peace of conscience , mortall , mutable , miserable , wrapt in wretchednesse , prone to all wickednesse , whose beginning is in trauaile , his standing vncertaine , his end is corruption : briefly as one liuing in death , & dead being aliue . For how is he aliue , that is dead to God ? Math . vij . Let the dead ( saith our Sauiour ) goe bury the dead . &c. speaking of thē which liued , and yet to God were dead . And how can we be els but dead to God , except we be brought and reconciled by Christ to God ?

And yet for all this , such is our dulnesse that either we feele not what it is to lacke the Lorde , or our wilfulnesse such , that we care not for that we lacke . But how soeuer it be , that either we will not or can not see , the end of all thinges declareth what à miserable thing it is the creature to be diuided from his creator . Man cast away from God . In whom as euery thing hath his being : so not to be in him is to be in dede nothing : whom once we had , afterward loste him , and in losing him , haue loste with him all thinges . By creation first we had him , by transgression afterward we lost him , and all through the meanes of our great {αβγδ} Adam : who by his disobedient presumption brought this wofull diuision betwene God and vs. Diuision betwene God and man by Adam the first man . Whereupon hath ensued all this rufull ruine of the whole creature and nature of man , being secluded from Gods fauour and protection , and geuen ouer to death and to him that hath power of death , that is , to Sathan , which euer since hath had dominion ouer vs.

And thus may you see ( good Christian audience ) the sorrowfull state and condition of mankinde , fallen from his originall felicitie , wherin he was first planted , not into à pecke of troubles , but into à hell full of all miseries , into vtter desolation , Originall sinne . and destruction , death & damnation , and all through the transgression of one . Out of whose roote first springeth this publike infection of our nature which we call originall sinne , prone to all corruption , destitute of grace and righteousnesse , and voide of all goodnesse : which originall cancker hanging in our fleshe , draweth vs from God and all goodnesse . Wherof S. Paule in hys letter to the Romanes , complaineth thus and sayth : That he knoweth and feeleth that in him , that is to say , in his flesh there is no goodnesse dwelling . &c. And againe , where he sayth : I see an other law in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde , captiuing me . &c. Rom. 7. Rom. vij . Rom. vij . And this originall sinne is called Peccatum in nobis inhabitans , sinne dwelling or lurking in vs. &c. Wherby we haue to vnderstand , that beside our outward actions which burst out into open sinne , there lurketh also inwardly in the bottome of our nature à priuy fomes , à breeder of sinne , an originall infection , or ( as we may call it ) à priuy sparcle of the Serpentes seede , infecting our nature , and drawing vs from all heauenly disposition , to all earthly concupiscence .

Which lurking infection in vs , The Papistes extenuate originall sinne . although it seeme but à small matter to many , and especially to the Papistes , who vse to much to extenuate it , and to make light thereof : yet we must vnderstand that in Gods sight it appeareth à mighty matter , passing all other sinnes : Originall sinne no small matter in Gods sight . who not onely looketh vpon our outward and manifest transgressions which we dayly committe against his lawe , but also considereth the person especially , and the crooked nature inwardly infected within vs ( out of which issue forth these outward transgressions ) and so punisheth the same with no lesse penalty then the outward sinnes against the law committed . Similitude . Like as if à mighty hunter chasing the wilde Wolfe , and happening vppon the Wolfes denne , findeth there the young Wolfelinges which as yet neuer did no rauen : yet because of the same nature lurking in them , he vseth them no otherwise then he doth the olde : Euen so let euery man repute him selfe as touching hys first byrth and outward man , as he originally descendeth of Adam , to be execrable vnto God , and not onely hys outward euill doinges , The nature of man odible to God before he begin to sinne , but also hys inward nature and very person before he beginne to worke , to be odious vnto hym .

Which being well expended and weyed in our mindes , let vs then cast with our selues in what à miserable perplexitie and wretched case we sinfull creatures were & yet are , so many as be not yet reconciled againe in Christ . For what can be more miserable then man to be vnder the heauy wrath and displeasure of hys God ( as I sayd ) the creature to be diuided from hys creator , the pot or vessell to be displeasaunt or in hatred with the potter ? For what are we els , but as earthen pots in the handes of our God , which formed and created vs ?