Chas Dothinethefameby the fecondSunday inLent. Ser.i3, I 2I1 whomfoeuer it be vttered. the Church. And thisis one reafon, amongft many other , why the Church is called Heaucn. And asno ftrangeimpreffions approch Heauen,andas thofcwa- ters of the Flood, which did rifefo many cubits aboue the tops ofthe higheft Mountaines, could neuer come to touch Heauen fo,neither the perfecutions of ftrangers, nor thefinnes ofhis Minifters,fhall euer ouerthrow the firme founda- tion of the Church, or the truth thereof. Si dereliquerintfalÿeitss legemmeam, If thechildrenof the Church fha! 1 forfake myLaw, my hand fhall beheauie vpon them,and I fhall bring many miferies vpon them : Miferecordiamvital: meam non dijJiergam, But my mercie andmy truth flail(till remaine fafe and found that (hall I eftablifhfor euer: TheLord bathmade afaithfull oathvnto Dauid,andbefhal notfhrinkefromit. From whenceI inferre two things: The one, That Mofes his Chaire loft nothing of it's refped, through the Scribes and Pharifees vices , as Saint Cyprianhash obferued ; nor likewife Saint Peters Chaire,by theIdle laudable life ofthofe Bithopswhich fucceeded him, (which is themaine drift and principali intent of this Gofpell : ) For ( as Saint Auguflinebathnoted it ) our Sauiour didnot feemeto looke fo much to- wards theSunnc Petting,as toward the Sun riling ; to wir, towards the Cathedra or Chaire of the lewes, as towards the Pon'tifieiumof the Chriftians ; wherein therewas tobe Bifhops, whofe liues, although they fhouldnot alwayes happen robe holy,nor their workes and actions fo good asthey oughttobe yet their Doârine and theirPreaching fhouldhillbee warrantable. Some, feeing fome Bithops leffe holy than they fhouldbe, haue multiplied InueEtiues,Satyres, and impudentand vnfeemelyPafquillsvpon them ; not confidering,that works that want their weight&goodneffe, doe not condemne the Doettine of Faith , nor weighdowne the ballance againfttheChaire of theChurch. And that our Sa- uiour himfelfe did preuent this inconuenience,by faying,Super cathedramMoyfi, upon the Chaire ofMofees. Of fuchgreat forceand vertue is the Doctrine of this Chaire, that it didnot much ftandvponfetlingthe fame vpon bafe and meane fubieéts : for the famewas placed in the mouthes of rude and ignorant Fifher- men to theend that none fhould attribute thevittorie to their owne naturali gifts, thoughneuer fo good. So fometimcs he puts this Chaire into the hands of fìnnefull men, becaufetherebymen may fee, that the vertue is in theSword, which istheWordofGod,andnot inthe arme, that is butflefh. G uecunquedixerint rvobís,facite. What theyfhallfay untoyou,doe . Saint Peter treating of' the refpeet and obedience whichwe owe toour Superiours,faith, Seruantsbefubied toyour Ma- fierswith allfeare,not only to thegoodandcourteouo,bat alt to thefroward. If then to fuch croffe carnall mailers wedoe owe fomuch refpeEland obedience,What (hall webeare to thofe thatare our Spirituali Lords '' Saint Paulfaith Let euerie Saulebefubieti to the higher Powers : For whofoeuer refifteththe Power, refifteth the Ordinanceof God . for there is no power but of God : And therefore to contradict our Superiour, is *ocontradi&God himfelfe. Andit was hightime forthe Apoftleto broach thisopinon ; forthe world fent forthNero's, Clau- dia's, and caligula's,andother Tyran*s,which did deferuethe nameof fierce and cruell Beafts : But the wickedneffe and perdition ofPrinces mutt notmake thofe to lofe theirrefpedtowards them,which areborne toobey; which point Saint Cyprianpreffeth home tothe purpofe. Whatfaeuer they fhallfayveto you, doe . Some man maydoubt, How isit pof- frbie Math. r 6. Lu/¿e z r. lob.14. 16,07. I . Tim. 1. t.tohn S. Pral. 131.11 r. Petera. Rom.r1.
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