The 6. part. As touching the Guifts of the Holy Ghost.
They must not make their diuersitie of Guises an occasion of Schisme, considering that al
are of one Holy Ghost, and for the profit of the one body of Christ which is the Church: 12.
Which also could not be a body, without such varietie of members. 12. Therfore neither they that
haue the inferiour guifts, must be discontent seeing it is God's distribution: nor they that haue
the greater, contemne the other, considering they are no lesse necessarie: 25. but al in al ioyne
together, 28. and euery one know is owne place.
1.
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The Epistle vpon the 10. Sunday after Pentecost.
AND concerning spiritual things, I wil not haue you ignorant, Brethren.
2. You know that when you were Heathen, you went to dumme Idols according as you were
led.
3. Therfore I doe you to vnderstand that no man speaking in the Spirit of God, saith
anathema to Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ. And no man can say, Our Lord Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, but in the Holy Ghost.
4. And there are diuisions of graces, but one Spirit.
5. And there are diuisions of ministrations; but one Lord.
6. And there are diuisions of operations, but one God, which worketh al in al.
7. And the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen vnto euery one to profit.
8. To one certes by the Spirit is giuen
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Al these Guifts be those which the learned cal Gratias gratis datas.: which
be bestowed often euen vpon il liuers, which haue not the other graces of God
whereby their persons should be grateful, iust, & holy in his sight.
the word of wisedom: and to another, the word
of knowledge according to the same Spirit:
9. to another,
Faith in the same.
Zealous faith.
This faith is not another in substance then the common faith in Christ, but is of
another accidental qualitie only, that is, of more feruour, deuotion, zeale and
confident trust, specially for doing of miracles.
faith in the same Spirit: to another, the grace of doing cures in one
Spirit:
10. to another, the working of miracles: to another, prophecie: to another, discerning
of Spirits: to another, kinds of tongues: to another, interpretation of languages.
11. And al these things worketh one and the same Spirit, diuiding to euery one according
as he wil.
12. For
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Rom. 12,4.
Eph. 4,7.
as the body is one, and hath many members, and al the members of the body whereas
they be many, yet are
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A maruelous vnion betwixt Christ & his Church, & a great comfort to al Catholikes
being members therof, that the church and he, the head & the body, make & be called
one Christ. Augu. de vnit. Eccl.
one body; so also Christ.
13. For in one Spirit, were we al baptized into
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'one body'
one, whether Iewes, or Gentils, or
bondmen, or free: & in one Spirit we were al made to drinke.
14. For the body also is not one member, but many.
15.
If the foot.
Vnitie.
The Church is of exceeding great distinction of members, guifts, orders, and offices:
yet of great concord, concurrence, mutual communion and participation, in al actions
of her members among themselues, and with Christ the head of the body.
If the foot should say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: is it
therfore not of the body?
16. And if the eare should say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body: is
he therfore not of the body?
17. If the whole body were the eye: where is the hearing? If the whole were the
hearing: where is the smelling?
18. But now God hath set the members, euery one of them in the body as he would.
19. And if al were one member, where were the body?
20. But now there are many members indeed, yet one body.
21. And the eye can not say to the hand: I need not thy help; or againe the head to
the feet: You are not necessarie for me.
22. But much more those that seeme to be the more weak members of the body, are
more necessarie:
23. and such as we thinke to be the baser members of the body, vpon them we put more
aboundant honour: and those that are our vnhonest parts, haue more aboundant honestie.
24. And our honest parts need nothing: but God hath tempered the body, giuing to it
that wanted, the more aboundant honour,
25. that there might be no
Schisme in the body.
Schisme.
As Charitie and vnitie of spirit, is the proper bond and weale of the common Body: so
is diuision or schisme, which is the interruption of peace and mutual Societie
between the parts of the same, the special plague of the Church, and as odious to
God as rebellion to the temporal Soueraigne.
schisme in the body, but the members together might be
careful one for another.
26.
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The Epistle vpon S. Bartholomewes day. Augu. 24.
And if one member suffer any thing, al the members suffer with it. Or if one
member doe glorie, al the members reioyce with it.
27. And you are the body of Christ, and members of member.
28. And
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Eph. 4,11.
some verily God hath set in the Church first Apostles, secondly Prophets,
thirdly Doctours, next miracles, then the graces of doing cures, helps, gouernements, kinds of
tongues.
29. Are al Apostles? are al Prophets? are al Doctours?
30.
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S. Augustine ep. 137. giueth the same reason, why miracles & cures be done at the
memories or bodies of some Saints more then at others: & by the same Saints in one
place of their memories rather then at other places.
are al miracles? haue al the grace of doing cures? doe al speake with tongues?
doe al interpret?
31. But pursue the better guifts. And yet I shew you a more excellent way.