Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached

This they taught to be necessary doctrine, and that our salvation depended thereupon. This have they done, you all right well know, and this contrary to the express commandment of God. And how then should we esteem them as the ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the secrets of God? S. Paul willeth our prayers in the congregation to be such,¹ to be red and song in so plain a tongue, in so distinct and known a language, that the common people may understand them, and so altogether may answer the minister, and say Amen. And this was used in the Patriarchs, in the Prophets, in the Apostles, in the old Doctors ⟨image 17⟩times, in the Primitive Church: and yet there have been men, and now are, that would have the prayers in Latin, in a tongue to us strange and unknown, and in a tongue that few or none understand. And how then can they say they are the Ministers of Christ, & Stewards of Gods secrets? God, in the old Law, gave in charge to his people,² that they should have his Law always before their eyes, that they should have his commandments written in their hands, on their sleeves, on their door thresholds, in the skirts of their garments. This God himself commanded. And Christ in the new Law, Scrutamini Scripturas, saith he, illae enim testimonium perhibent de me, ³Search ye the Scriptures, for they do bear witness of me. And yet this notwithstanding, notwithstanding Christ commanded us to search the Scriptures, yet you your selves have known men, and such as were Preachers, forbid you to have Gods Gospel in your hands, would not suffer you to have the holy Testament of Christ in your ⟨image 17⟩houses, no nor in the Churches for all men to read. This was contrary to Gods commandment, and the mind of our saviour Jesus Christ. And how then can they say they are the Ministers of Christ, & Stewards of Gods secrets? Christ said unto Peter, Amas me? pasce oves meos, ⁴pasce agnos meos, pasce gregem meum: Peter (said Christ) lovest thou me? feed my sheep, feed my lambs, feed my flock: But our great clerks, our Popes, our Cardinals, our Bishops, would seldom or never make a Sermon; they fed not Gods sheep, they fed not Gods lambs, they had no regard to Gods flock: and how then could they say, they were the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of Gods secrets?