that Synode decreed that images shoulde not onely be hadde in churches but also worshipped For whatsoeuer I shoulde saye the authoritie of the Synode woulde make a greate preindyce on the other syde Although to saye trueth that dooeth not so much moue me as make it appeare to the readers howe farre theyr rage extended that were more desirous of images than became Chrystians But first let vs dispatche this They that at this day maynteine the vse of images allege the decree of the Nicene Synode for theyr defense But there is extante a boke of confutaciō bearyng the name of Charles the Great whiche by the phrase we maye gather to haue been wrytten at the same tyme. Therein are recited the sentences of the Byshoppes that were presente at that counsell and the argumentes wherewith they contēded Iohn the Legate of the east partes saied God created manne after his owne image and thereuppon gathered that we oughte to haue images The same man thought that images were commended vnto vs in this sentence shewe me thy face because it is beautifull An other to proue that images oughte to be sette vppon altares cyted thys testimonie no manne lighteth a candell and putteth it vnder a bushell An other to shewe that the beholdyng of them is profitable for vs brought forth a verse oute of the Psalme the lyghte of thy countenaunce is sealed vppon vs. An other tooke thys similitude As the Patryarches vsed the Sacrifices of the gentiles so must Chrystian menne haue the images of Saintes in steade of the images of the gentyles To the same purpose haue they wryshed thys saying Lorde I haue loued the beautie of thy house But specially witty is the exposition of thys place As we haue heard so haue we seen that God is not knowen by onely hearyng of hys worde but also by lokyng vpon images Like is the sharpe deuyse of Byshop Theodore Maruellous sayeth he is God in his Saintes And in an other place In the Saintes that are in the earth therefore thys oughte to be referred to images Finally so filthy are theyr vnsauorye follyes that it greueth me to rehease them When they talke of the worshyppyng then are broughte foorth the worshyppynge of Pharao and of the rod of Ioseph and of the piller that Iacob sette vp Albeit in thys laste example they doe not onely depraue the meanyng of the Scripture but also bryng in that whyche is no where to bee read Then these places seme to them maruelous stronge and meete proues Worshippe his footestole Agayne worshyppe on hys holye hyll Agayne All the rychemen of the people shall worshippe thy countenaunce If a man woulde in scorne putte the personage of a riding foole vpon the patrones of Images coulde he gather together greater and grosser follies But to putte all oure of doubte Theodosius Bishoppe of Mira doeth so earnestlye confyrme by the dreames of his Archedeacon that images oughte to be worshipped as if he had an oracle from heauen to shewe for it Nowe lette the fauourers of images gooe and presse vs with the decree of that Sinode As thoughe those reuerende fathers doe not altogether discredit them selues in either so childishly handelyng or so vngodly and fowlie tearing the Scriptures Nowe come I to those monstruous impieties whiche it is maruell that euer they durste vomitte and twise maruellous that they were not cried oute againste with hie detestacion of all men And it is good that this outragiously wicked madnesse be bewrayed that at least the false coloure of antiquitie maye be taken awaye whiche the Papistes pretende for the worshipping of images Theodosius the Byshoppe of Amorum pronounceth curse againste all them that wyll not haue images worshipped An other imputeth all the calamities of Grecia and the easte part to this that images were not worshipped What punishment then were the Prophetes the Apostles and the Martirs worthy to suffer in whose time there were no images They adde further If the Emperous image be met with perfume and censing muche more is this honoure due to the images of Saintes Constantius Bishoppe of Constance in Ciprus professeth that he reuerently embraceth images and affirmeth that he wyl geue to them the same honourable maner of worshippe that is due to the Trinitie that geueth life And whosoeuer refuseth so to do he curseth him and sendeth him away with the Manichees and Marcionites And that ye should not thinke that this was the priuate sentence of one manne they did all assent vnto it Yea Ihon the Legate of the easte partes beeing further carried with heate sayed it were better to bring al brothelhouses into the citie than to denye the worshipping of images At lengthe by consente of them al it was decreed that worse than all Heretikes are the Samaritanes and worse than the Samaritanes are the enemies of images And because the playe shoulde not be without hys solemne farewel thys clause was added let them be glad and reioyse that hauing the image of Chryst doe offer Sacrifice vnto it Where is now the distinction of Latria and Dulia wherewith they are wonte to seke to blinde the eyes both of God and mē For the counsell wythout any excepcion doeth geue euen as much vnto images as vnto the lyuinge God hymselfe ¶ The .xii. Chapter That God is seuerally discerned from idols that he may be only and wholly worshipped WE saied in the beginning that the knowledge of God standeth not in bare speculacion but draweth with it the worshipping of him and by the way we touched how he is rightly worshipped which point shal be in other places more largely to be set forth Nowe I doe but shortlye repete that so oft as the Scripture affirmeth that there is but one God it striueth not for the bare name of God but withall commaundeth this that whatsoeuer belongeth to the godhead bee not geuen to any other Wherby also appeareth what pure religion doeth differ from supersticion Eusebeia in Greke signifieth as much as true worship because alway euen the blinde themselues groping in darkenesse haue founde that this rule ought to be holden that God bee not vnorderly worshipped The name of religion although Cicero truelye and wel deriueth from relegere to recorde or gather vp together yet is the reason that he assigneth enforced and far fet that good worshippers did often recorde and diligently wey what was the trueth I rather thinke that that name is set as a contrary to wandring liberte because the greater part of the world vnaduisedly taketh holde of that whyche they first mete withall and flieth aboute hether and thether but true godlinesse to the ende it may stande in stedfaste state Religit that is to say doth gather vp it selfe together within her bondes Like as I think supersticion to haue her name herof that not being contented with the maner and order prescribed she heapeth vp together a supersluous nōber of vaine thinges But to leaue the wordes it hath alway ben agreed by consent
doo amisse that after this simple promise of the protection of God alone we still looke about from whense other helpe maye come vnto vs. But for as muche as it pleaseth the Lorde of his infinite clemencie and gentilnesse to helpe this our fault there is no reason why we shoulde neglect his so great benefite An example therof we haue in the seruant of Elizeus whiche when he sawe the hill besieged with the army of the Syrians that there was no way open to escape was striken downe with feare as if his maister and he were then vtterly destroied Then Elizeus praied God to open his seruantes eies and by and by he sawe the hill furnished with horses and fiery chariots that is with a multitude of angels to kepe hym and the prophet safe Encouraged with this vision he gathered vp his hart again was able with a dredelesse mynde to loke down vpon his enemies with sight of whom he was before in a maner driuen out of his witte Wherfore what soeuer is saide of the ministerie of Angels let vs applie it to this ende that ouercommyng all distrust oure hope may bee the more strongely stablished in God For these succours are herefore prouided vs of God that we should not be made afrayde with multitude of enemies as though they coulde preuayle against his helpe but shuld flie vnto that saying of Elizeus that there be mo on our side than be against vs. Howe muche then is it against order of reason that we should be ledde away from God by Angels whiche are ordeined for this purpose to rectifie that his helpe is more present amonge vs But they doo leade vs away in dede if they doo not streight leade vs as it were by the hande to hym that we may haue eie vnto call vpon and publishe hym for our onely helper if we consider not theim to be as his handes that moue them selues vnto worke but by his direction if they do not holde vs faste in the one Mediatoure Christe so that we maye hang wholly of hym leane all vpon hym be caried to hym and reste in him For that whiche is described in the vision of Iacob ought to sticke and be fastened in our myndes howe Angels descende downe to the earth vnto men and from men doo go vp to heauen by a ladder whervppon standeth the Lorde of hostes Wherby is meant that by the only intercession of Christe it cometh to passe that the ministeries of the Angels doo come vnto vs as he hym selfe affirmeth saying Hereafter ye shall see the heauens open and the Angelles descendynge to the Sonne of man Ioh. i.li. Therfore the seruant of Abraham beyng cōmitted to the custody of the Angell dooth not therfore call vpon the Angell to helpe hym but holpen with that commendation he praieth to the Lord and besecheth hym to shewe his mercy to Abraham For as God doeth not therfore make them ministers of his power and goodnesse to the intēt to parte his glory with them so dooth he not therefore promise vs his helpe in their ministration that we shoulde diuide our confidence betwene hym and them Let vs therfore forsake that Platonical◠philosophie to seeke the way to God by Angels and to honour them for this purpose that they may make God more gentill vnto vs whiche superstitious and curious men haue from the beginnyng gone about and to this day doo continue to bryng into our religion As for suche thynges as the Scripture teacheth concernyng deuilles they tende in a maner al to this ende that we may be careful to beware aforehande of their awaites and preparations and furnishe our selues with suche weapons as ar stronge and sure enough to driue away euen the strongest enemies For where as Sathan is called the God and prince of this worlde where as he is named the strong armed man the Spirite that hath power of the ayre and a roaryng lyon these descriptions serue to no other purpose but to make vs more ware and watchefull and readier to entre in battayle with hym Whiche is also somtyme set out in expresse woordes For Peter after he had sayd that the diuell goeth about like a roaryng lyon sekyng whom he may deuoure by and by addeth this exhortation that we strongly resiste hym by Faith And Paul after he had geuen warnyng that we wrastle not with fleshe and bloud but with the princes of the ayre the powers of darkenesse and spirituall wickednesses by and by biddeth vs put on suche armoure as may serue for so greate and daungerous a battayle Wherfore lette vs also applie all to this ende that beyng warned howe there dooth continually approche vpon vs an enemie yea an ennemy that is in courage most hardy in strength most mighty in policies most suttle in diligence celeritie vnweriable with all sortes of engins plentuously furnished in skill of warre most ready we suffer not our selues by slouthe and cowardise to be surprised but on the other syde with bolde and hardy mindes set our foote to resist him and because this warre is only ended by Death encourage our selues to continue But specially knowyng oure owne weaknesse and vnskilfulnesse let vs call vppon the helpe of God and enterprise nothyng but vpon trust of hym for as muche as it is in hym onely to geue vs policie strengthe courage and armour And that we shoulde be the more stirred vp and enforced so to do the Scripture warneth vs that ther are not one or two or a fewe enemies but great armies that make warre with vs. For it is sayde that Mary Magdalene was deliuered from seuen deuyls wherwith she was possessed And Christe sayth that it is the ordinary custome that if after a deuill bee ones caste out a man make the place open agayne he bryngeth seuen spirites worse than him self retourneth into his possession fynding it empty Yea it is saide that a whole legion besieged one man Hereby therefore we are taught that we muste fight with an infinite multitude of enemies least despisyng the fewenesse of them we shulde be more slacke to enter in bataile or thinkyng that we haue som respite in the meane tyme graunted we shoulde geue our selues to idelnesse Where as many tymes Sathan or the diuell is named in the singular numbre thereby is meant that power of wickednesse whiche standeth agaynste the kyngdome of Iustice. For as the Churche and the felowship of saintes haue Christe to their head so the faction of the wycked is paynted out vnto vs with their prince that hath the chiefe authoritie among them After which maner this is spoken Go ye cursed into eternall fyre that is prepared for the deuill and his angels Here also this oughte to stirre vs vp to a pepetuall warre with the diuell for that he is euery where called the enemy of God and of vs. For if we haue regarde of Goddes glory as it is mete we shoulde then ought we with all
confession to a preeste thinke that they maie wipe their mouthe and saie I did it not And not onely they are made all the yeare longe the bolder to sinne but all the rest of the yeare bearing themselues bolde vpon confession thei neuer sighe vnto God thei neuer returne to themselues but heape sinnes vpon sinnes til they vomit vp al at ones as they thinke And when they haue ones vomited them vppe they thinke them selues discharged of their burden and that thei haue taken awaie from God the iudgment that thei haue geuen to the preeste and that they haue brought God in forgetfulnesse when they haue made the preeste priuie Moreouer whoe doth meryly see the daie of confession at hande Whoe goeth to confession with a cherefull hearte and commeth not to it rather against his wil as it were drawing backewarde like as if he were taken by the necke and drawen to pryson vnlesse paraduenture it be the very preestes that vse ioyfully to delite themselues with mutuall rehersals of their doinges as weare with mery tales I wil not defile much paper with monstruous abhominations wherof auricular cōfession swarueth ful Onely this I saie If that holy man did not vnwisely that for one rumor of fornication toke awaie confession out of his Church yea out of the remembrance of his flocke then we be therby putt in minde what ys nedefull to be done at this daie vpon infinite whordomes adulteries incestes and bawderies Where the Consessionars allege for thys purpose the power of the keyes and doe therevpon sette the peupe and prore of their kyngedome as the prouerbe is it is to bee seen howe muche they oughte to auayle Then saye they are the keyes geuen wythoute cause Is yt sayde wythoute cause Whatsoeuer you loose vpon earthe shall be also loosed in heauen Do we then make the worde of Christe voide I answer there was a weighty cause why the keies shold be geuen as bothe I haue euen now already declared and shal more plainly shew againe when I come to entreat of Excommunication But what if I do with one swerde cutt of the holde of al that thei require that ys with saieng that sacryficeng preestes are not the vicars nor successors of the Apostles But this shall also be to be entreated of in an other place but nowe thei raise vp an engine whereby thei wolde most of all defende themselues and therby may all their buildinges be ouerthrowen For Christe did not geue his Apostles the power to binde loose before that he gaue them the holy ghoste Therefore I saie that none haue the power of the keies that haue not first receiued the holy ghost I denie that any man can vse the keies but hauing the holy ghoste going before teaching him informing him what is to bee done They triflinge saie that thei haue the holy ghoste but in dede thei denie it vnlesse paraduenture thei faine as thei do faine in dede the holy ghoste to be a vaine thing and a thing of nothing but therin thei shall not be beleued And by this engine thei are vtterly ouerthrowē that of what soeuer dore thei boast that thei haue the keie a man may alway aske thē whether thei haue the holy ghoste whiche is the iudge and gouerner of the keies If thei answer that thei haue then thei maie be asked againe whether the holy ghoste may erre This thei wil not be glade to speake expresly althoughe thei crokedly vtter the same by their doctrine It is therefore to be gathered that no preestes haue power of the keies whiche do commonly without consideration loose those thinges that the Lorde wold haue to be bounde and binde those thinges that the Lorde commaunded to be loosed Whereas thei see themselues conuinced by most clere experimentes that thei do without choise loose and binde the worthy and vnworthy thei vsurpe a power without knowledge And although they dare not denie that knoweledge is requisit for a good vse yet thei write that the very power is geuen to euel disposers of it But this is the power whatsoeuer thou bindest or loosest in earthe shal be bounde or loosed in heauen Either the promise of Christ must lie or thei that haue this power do well binde and loose Neither may thei dallye and saie that the saieng of Christe is limited according to the deseruings of him that is bound or loosed And we also confesse that none can be bounde or loosed but thei that are worthy to be bound or loosed But the messingers of the Gospell and the Churche haue the woorde by whyche thei measure this worthinesse in thys woorde the messangers of the Gospell maye promise to all men forgeuenesse of sinnes in Christe by faythe thei maye proclaime damnation into all and vpon all that embrace not Christ. In this word the Church pronounceth that fornicatours adulterers theues mansleiers couetous men vniust men haue no parte in the kingdom of God and bindeth such with most sure bondes With the same worde the Churche looseth them whome yt comforteth being repentant But what power shall this be not to knowe what is to be bounde or loosed and not to be able to binde or loose without knowledge Why then do thei saie that thei loose by authoritie geuen vnto them whē the loosing is vncertain What haue we to do with this imaginatiue power yf there be no vse of it But I haue it already prouch that eyther there is no vse of it or so vncertaine an vse as maye be accompted for none at all For wheras they cōfesse that there is a great parte of prestes that do not rightly vse the keyes and that the power without lawefull vse is of no effect Whoe shall assure me that he of whom I am loosed is a good vser of the keyes if he be an euell vser of it what hath he els but such a voyde disposyng of them as to say what is to be foūd or loosed in thee I know not for asmuch as I lack the right vse of the keyes but yf thou deserue I loose thee But so much might do I wil not say a laye man for they could not beare that with patient eares but a Turke or a Deuell For it is asmuche as to saye I haue not the worde of God the sure rule of loosyng but there is power geuen me to loose thee yf thy deseruynges be so We see therfore what they meant when they defined the keyes to be the authoritie of discernyng and power of executyng and that knowledge is adioyned for a counseller and like a counseller serueth for a good vse vndoubtedly euen they desired to reygne at theyr owne will licentiously without God and his worde If any man take exception and saye that the lawfull ministers of Christ shall be no lesse doubtefull in their office bycause the absolution that hangeth vpon fayth shall alwaye remayne doubtefull and then that sinners shall haue eyther none or a cold comforte bycause the
Athanasius the chief defendour there of the true faith was driuen out of his see such calamitie cōpelled him to come to Rome that with that authoritie of the see of Rome he might both after a sort represse the rage of his enemies and confirme the godly that were in distresse He was honourably receiued of Iulius then Bishop and obteined that the Bishops of the west toke vpon them the defence of his cause Therfore when the godly stoode in great neede of foreyn aide and sawe that there was very good succour for them in the Chirche of Rome they willyngly gaue vnto it the most authoritie that they coulde But all that was nothyng els but that the cōmunion therof should be hiely estemed it should be compted a great shame to be excommunicate of it Afterward euill and wicked men also added much vnto it For to escape lawfull iudgementes they fledde to this sanctuarie Therfore if any priest were condemned by his bishop or any Bishop by the Synode of his prouince they by and by appelled to Rome And the Bishops of Rome receiued suche appellations more gredily than was mete because it semed to be a forme of extraordinarie power so to entermedle with maters farre and wide aboute them So when Eutiches was condemned by Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople he complained to Leo that he had wrong doone vnto hym Leo without delay no lesse vndiscretely then sodeinly toke in hande the defence of an euill cause he greuousely inueyed againste Flauianus as though he had without hearyng the cause condemned an innocent and by this his ambition he caused that the vngodlynesse of Eutiches was for a certaine space of time strengthned In Affrica it is euidēt that this oftentimes chaunced For so soone as any lewde man had taken a foile in ordinarie iudgement he by and by flewe to Rome and charged his contreemen with many sclaunderous reports and the see of Rome was alway ready to entermedle Whiche lewdnesse compelled the Bishops of Affrica to make a lawe that none vnder peyn of excōmunication should appelle beyond the sea But what soeuer it were let vs see what authoritie or power the see of Rome then hadde Ecclesiasticall power is conteined in these fower pointes orderyng of Byshops summonyng of Councels hearing of Appealles or iurisdiction Chastisyng admonitions or censures All the olde Synodes commaunde Bishops to be consecrate by their owne Metropolitanes and they neuer bid the bishop of Rome to bee called vnto it but in his owne Patriarchie But by litle and litle it grewe in vse that all the Bishops of Italie came to Rome to fetche their consetration except the Metropolitans which suffred not themselues to bee brought into suche bondage but when any Metropolitane was to be consecrate the bishop of Rome sent thether one of his priestes whiche should onely be present but not president Of whiche thyng there is an example in Gregorie at the consecration of Constantius Bishoppe of Millain after the death of Laurence Howbeit I dooe not thinke that that was a very auncient institution but when at the beginning for honor and good willes sake they sent one to an other their Legates to be witnesses of the cōsecration and to testifie cōmunion with them afterward that whiche was voluntarie beganne to be holden for necessarie Howe soeuer it be it is euident that in olde tyme the Bishop of Rome had not the power of consecratyng but in the prouince of his owne Patriarchie that is to say in the Chirches adioynyng to the citie as the canon of the Nicene Synode sayth To the Consecration was annexed the sendyng of a Synodicall Epistle in which he was nothing aboue the reste For the Patriarches were wont immediatly after their consecration by solemne writyng to declare their faithe whereby they professed that they subscribed to the holy and catholike Councelles So rendryng an accompt of their Faith they did approue them selues one to an other If the Bishop of Rome had receiued of other and not him selfe geuen this confession he had thereby been acknowleged superior but when he was no lesse bounde to geue it than to require it of other and to be subiect to the common lawe truely that was a token of felowship not of dominion Of this thyng there is an example in Gregories epistle to Anastasius and to Cyriacus of Constantinople and in other places to all the Patriaches together Then folowe admonitions or censures whiche as in olde tyme the Bishops of Rome vsed toward other so they dyd agayne suffer them of other Ireneus greuously reproued Uictor because he vndiscretely for a thyng of no value troubled the Chirche with a pernicious dissention Uictor obeyed and spurned not against it Such a libertie was then in vre among the holy Byshops that they vsed a brotherly authoritie toward the Bishop of Rome in admonishyng and chastisyng hym if he at any tyme offended He agayn when occasion required did admonishe other of their duetie and if there were any fault rebuked it For Cyprian when he exhorteth Stephen to admonishe the bishops of Fraunce fetcheth not his argument frō the greater power but from the cōmon right that priestes haue among themselues I beseche you if Stephen had then ben ruler ouer Fraunce would not Cyprian haue saide Restraine them because they be thyne but he saieth farre otherwise This saieth he the brotherly felowshyp wherwith we be bounde one to an other requireth that we should admonishe one an other And we see also with how great sharpnes of words he being otherwise a mā of a mild nature inueyeth against Stephē himself whē he thinketh him to be to insolēt Therfore in this behalfe also there appereth not yet that the Bishop of Rome had any iurisdictiō ouer them that wer not of his own prouince As concernyng the callyng together of Synodes this was the office of euery Metropolitane at certaine appointed tymes to assemble a Prouinciall Synode There the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie But a General coūsel the Emperour only might sūmō For if any of the Bishops had attēpted it not only they that wer out of his prouince would not haue obeyed his callyng but also there would by and by haue risē an vprore Therfore the Emperour indifferētly warned them all to be present Socrates in dede reporteth that Iulius dyd expostulate with the bishops of the East because they called hym not to the Synode of Antioche whereas it was forbidden by the Canons that any thyng shoulde be decreed without the knowledge of the Bishop of Rome But whoe doeth not see that this is to be vnderstanded of suche decrees as bynde the whole vniuersall Chirche Nowe it is no meruayle if thus muche be graunted bothe to the antiquitie and honor of the citie and to the dignitie of the see that there should be no generall decree made of religion in the absence of the Bishop of Rome if he refuse not to bee present But what is this to the
an alteration made of the olde state Sins that tyme when thynges did eche where daily fal from worse to worse the tyranny of the see of Rome was now and then also stablyshed encreased and that partly by the ignorāce and partly by the slouthfulnesse of the Bishops For when one mā toke all thynges vpō him and without measure proceded more and more to aduaunce hymselfe against law right the Bishops did not with such zele as thei ought endeuor themselues to restrayne his lust and though they wāted not courage yet they were destitute of true learning and knowledge so that they were nothing fytt to attempte so greate a mater Therefore we see what and howe Monstruous an vnholy defyling of all holy thinges and a scattering abrode of the whole order of the Chirche was in Bernardes tyme. He cōplayneth that there resort by heapes to Rome out of al the world ambitious men couetous Simonians robbers of God kepers of concubines cōmitters of incest and all such monsters to obtein or reteine ecclesiastical honors by the Apostolike authoritie and the fraud and vndermining violence were growē in force He sayth that that maner of iudging which thē was vsed was abhominable vnsemely not only for the Chirche but also for a iudicial court He cryeth oute that the Chirche is ful of ambitious men and that there is none that more dredeth to commit mischeuous Actes than robbers do in their caue when they deuide the spoyles of wayfairing men Few sayeth he do loke vnto the mouth of the lawgeuer but vnto his hands But not without cause For those handes do all the Popes businesse What a thing is thys that they are bought of the spoiles of Chirches that say to thee oh well done well done The life of the poore is sowē in the stretes of the riche siluer glistereth in the myre mē run to it frō al places not the poore but the strāger taketh it vp or he paraduēture the runneth fastest before But thys maner or rather thys death came not of thee I would to God it might end in thee Among these thynges thou a Pastor goest forwarde compassed with much and precious aray If I durst say it these are rather the Pastors of deuils than of shepe Forsoth Peter did thus Paule played thus Thy courte is more accustomed to receiue men good thā to make them good For the ill do not there profit but the good do decaye Nowe as for the abuses of appealles that he rehearseth no godly man can rede them wtout great horror At the last he thus concludeth of the vnbrideled gredinesse of the see of Rome in the vsurping of iurisdiction I speak the murmour and commō complaynt of the Chirches They crie out that they be mangled and dismembred There are either none or fewe that do not either bewaile or feare this plage Askest thou what plage The Abbotes are plucked frō the Bishops the Bishops frō the Archebishops c. It is maruelous if this mai be excused In so doing ye proue that ye haue fulnesse of power but not of righteousnesse Ye do thys because ye can do it but whether ye also ought to do it is a question Ye are sett to preserue not to enuye to euery man hys honor and hys owne degree These fewe thynges of many I listed to rehearse partly that the reders may see how sore the Chirche was then decayed and partly that they may know in how great sorowe and mourning thys calamitie helde al the godly But nowe albeit that we graunte to the Bishop of Rome at thys day that preeminence and largenesse of iurisdiction which that see had in the meane tymes as in the tymes of Leo and of Gregory what is that to the presēt state of the Papacie I do not yet speake of the earthly dominion nor of the ciuile power therof whiche we will afterwarde consider in place fit for it but the very spiritual gouernemēt that they bost of what hath it like to the state of those tymes For they define the Pope none otherwyse than the Supreme hed of the Chirche in earth the vniuersal Bishop of the whole world And the Bishops themselues whē they speake of their owne authoritie do wyth great stoutenesse of countenance pronounce that to them belongeth the power to cōmaūde other are boūde to the necessitie to obey that so al their decrees are to be holden as confirmed with the diuine voice of Peter that the prouincial Sinodes are without force because they want the presence of the Pope that they may order clerkes of any Chirche that they will and may cal them to their see that haue ben ordered ells where Innumerable of y◠sorte are in Gratiās packe which I do not now rehearse least I should be to tedious to the Reders But this is the summe of them that onely the Bishop of Rome hath the Supreme hearing and determining of all ecclesiastical causes whether it be in iudging and defining of doctrines or in making of lawes or in stablishing of discipline or in executyng of iudgemētes It were also long and superfluous to rehearse the priuileges that they take to thēselues in reseruatiōs as they cal them But which is most intollerable of al other they leaue no iudgemente in earth to restraine and brydle their outragious lust if they abuse so immeasurable power It is lawful for no mā say they to reuoke the iudgement of that see because of the Supremicie of the Chirche of Rome Againe The iudge shal be iudged neither by the Emperor nor by kīges nor by al the Clergie nor of the people That is in dede to imperiously done that one man maketh hymselfe iudge of al men and suffreth himselfe to obey the iudgement of no mā But what if he vse tyranny ouer the people of God if he scatter abrode and wast the kingdom of Christ if he trouble the whole Chirch if he turne the office of Pastor into robberie Yea thoughe he be neuer so mischeuous he sayeth that he is not bounde to yelde accompte For these be the sayinges of the Bishops gods will was to determine the causes of other men by mē but he hath wtout questiō reserued y◠Bishop of this see to his own iudgemēt Again The doinges of subiectes are iudged of vs but oures of God only And that such decrees might haue the more weight they haue falsly thrust in the names of the old Bishops as though thinges had ben so ordeined from the beginning wheras it is most certaine that it is new and lately forged whatsoeuer the Bishop of Rome geueth to hymselfe more than we haue rehearsed to be geuen him by the aunciēt Coūcels Yea they are come to so greate shamelesnesse that they haue set forth a wryting vnder the name of Anastasius Patriarche of Cōstantinople wherin he testifieth that it was decreed by the olde rules that nothing should be done euen in the furthest prouinces that
howe perillous that is I wyll rather poynt vnto than declare least I should draw out my tale into infinite length The Pope say they whiche holdeth the Apostolike see and the Bishops that are annoynted and consecrate by hym so that they be trimmed with fillets and miters doo represent the Chirche and ought to be taken for the Chirche and therfore they can not erre How so because they are pastors of the Chirche and consecrate to the Lorde And were not Aaron and the other rulers of Israel also Pastors But Aaron his sonnes after that they were made prestes dyd yet erre when they made the calfe After this reason why shoulde not the fower hundred Prophetes whiche lyed to Achab haue represented the Chirche But the Chirche was on Micheas syde beyng in dede but one man alone and vnregarded but out of whoe 's mouthe came truthe Did not the false prophetes in resemblance beare bothe the name and face of the Chirch when they did with one violent assaulte rise vp agaynst Ieremie and with threatnyng boasted that it was not possible that the lawe should perishe from the priest counsell from the wiseman the woord from the Prophet◠Ieremie alone was sente agaynste the whole companie of the Prophetes to declare from the Lord that it shoulde come to passe that the lawe should perishe from the priest counsell from the wiseman and the worde from the Prophet Did not suche a glistering shewe shyne in that Councell which the Bishops Scribes and Pharisees assembled to take aduises together for the killyng of Christ. Nowe let them go and sticke faste in the outwarde visor that they may make Christ and al the Prophetes of God schismatikes and on the other syde make the ministers of Satan the instrumentes of the holy ghost If they speake as they thynke let them faithfully answere me in what nation place they thinke that the Chirch remained sins the tyme that by the decree of the Councell at Basile Eugenius was thruste downe and depriued from the estate of Pope and Aymee set in his place They can not though they would burst for it denye that the Councell for so much as concerneth outwarde solemnities was lawfull and summoned not onely of one Pope but of two Eugenius was there condemned of schisme rebellion and obstinatie with the whole flocke of Cardinals and bishops whiche had with hym practised the dissolution of the Councell Yet afterward beyng borne vp by the fauor of princes he recouered his papacie safe againe That election of Aymee which had been orderly made by the authoritie of a generall holy Synode vanished away in a smoke sauyng that he hymselfe was appeased with a cardinalls hatte as it were a barking dog with a pece of bread cast vnto hym Out of the bosome of these herelikes rebelles and obstinates are proceded all the Popes Cardinalls Bishops abbotts and Prestes that haue ben sins Here they are taken and can goe no further For to whether side will they geue the name of the Chirche Wyll they denye that the Councell was generall whiche wanted nothyng to the outwarde maiestie namely whiche beyng solemnely summoned by two bulles and well framed in the order of all thynges continued in the same dignitie to the laste ende Will they confesse Eugenius with all his companie a schismatike by whome they are all sanctifeid Therfore eyther let them otherwyse define the forme of the Chirche or they all as many as are of them shal be of vs accompted schismatikes whiche wittyngly and willyngly haue ben ordered of heretikes If it had neuer before ben knowen that the Chirch is not bound to outwarde pompes they themselues may be to vs a large profe which vnder that glorious title of the Chirch haue so long so proudly bosted themselues wheras yet they were the deadly pestilences of the Chirche I speake not of their maners and those tragicall dooynges wherewith theyr whole life swarmeth full because they say that they be the Pharisees whiche are to bee heard not to be folowed But if ye will spare some of your leysure to reade our writinges you shall playnly know that the very doctrine the doctrine it selfe for the whiche they say that they be the Chirche is a deadly butcherie of soules the firebrande ruine and destruction of the Chirche Finally they doo not vprightly enough when they doo spitefully rehearse how great troubles vprores and contentions the preachyng of our doctrine hath drawen with it what fruites it now beareth in many For the blame of these euells is vnworthily layde vpon it which ought rather to haue ben imputed to the malice of Satan This is as it were a certayne naturall propretie of the worde of God that whensoeuer it ryseth vp Satan is neuer quiet or sleapyng This is the moste sure and moste trusty marke wherby it is discerned from lyeng doctrines which doo easyly shew foorthe themselues when they are receiued with fauorable eares of all men and are heard of the world reioysyng at them So in certayn ages past when all thynges were drowned in depe darkenesse the Lorde of this worlde made a sport and a play in manner of all men and lay ydle and toke his pleasure like a certayne Sardanapalus in sounde peace For what should he ells doo but laugh and playe beyng in quiet and peasible possession of his kyngdome But when the lyght shinyng from aboue somwhat scattered abrode his darknesse when that strōg man troubled assailed his kyngdome then he began to shake of his wonted drowsinesse hastily to arme himself And first he stirred vp the force of mē wherby he might violently oppresse the truthe beginnyng to shine By whiche when he nothyng preuailed he turned to suttle entrappynges He stirred vp dissentions and disagreementes of doctrines by his Catabaptistes and other monstruous lewde men wherby he might darken it and at lengthe vtterly quenche it And nowe he continueth to assayle it with bothe engines For he trauaileth bothe by the force and power of men to plucke vp that sede and with his darnell as much as in him lieth to choke it that it may not grow and beare frute But all this he dothe in vayne if we heare the warnyng of God which both hath long before opened his craftes vnto vs that he shold not take vs vnware and hath armed vs with sufficient defences agaynst al his engins But how great maliciousnesse is it to lay vpon the worde of God the hatred either of the seditions which noughty and rebellious men do stirre vp or of the sectes which deceiuers do raise agaynst it Yet it is no new example Elias was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel Christe was esteemed of the Iewes a seditious man The Apostles were accused of makyng a commotion among the people What other thyng doo they which at this day do father vpon vs all the troubles vprores and contentions that boyle vp agaynst vs But what is to be answered to
song in the sanctuary because the vnbeleuers are deafe heare not al the voyces of God that resounde in the aire And in lyke manner in an other Psalme after that he had descrybed the terrible waues of the Sea he thus concludeth thy testimonies ar verified the beautie of thy teÌ„ple is holinesse for euer And out of this meaning also proceded that which Chryst said to the woman of Samaria that her nation and the rest did honor that which they knew not and that onely the Iewes did worship the true God For wheras the wit of man by reason of the feblenesse therof caÌ„ by no meane attaine vnto God but being holpen and lifted vp by his holy worde it folowed of necessitie that al men excepte the Iewes dyd wander in vanite and errour because they sought god without hys worde ¶ The .vii. Chapter By what testimony the Scripture oughte to be established that is by the witnesse of the holy gost that the authoritie therof may remaine certaine And that it is a wycked inuention to say that the erâ—â—yt therof doeth hangs vpon the iudgemente of the churche BUt before I go any further it is nedeful to say somwhat of the authoritie of the Scripture not onely to prepare mens mindes to reuerence it but also to take away al dout therof Now when it is a matter confessed that it is the worde of God that is there sette forth there is no maÌ„ of so desperate boldnesse vnlesse he be voide of all common sense and naturall wit of man that dare derogate the credit of him that speaketh it But because there are not daily oracles geuen from heauen and the onelye Scryptures remaine wherin it hath pleased the Lord to preserue his truth to perpetual memory the same Scripture by none other meanes is of ful credit among the faythful but in that they doe beleue that it is as verely come from heauen as if they heard the liuely voyce of God to speake therin This matter in dede is ryght worthy both to bee largely entreated of diligently weyed But the readers shall pardoÌ„ me if herein I rather regarde what the proporcion of the woorke which I haue begon may beare thaÌ„ what the largenesse of the matter requireth Ther is growen vp among the most part of men a moste hurteful erroure that the Scripture hath onely so much authoritie as by common consent of the churche is geuen vnto it as if the eternall and inuiolable trueth of God did rest vpon the pleasure of men For so to the great scorne of the holy gost they aske of vs who caÌ„ assure vs that these Scriptures came from God or who can assertaine vs that they haue continued vnto oâ—r age safe and vncorrupted who can perswade vs that thys one booke ought to be reuerently receiued and that other to be stryken out of the number of Scripture vnlesse the churche did appoint a certaine rule of al these thinges It hangeth therfore say they vpon the determinacioÌ„ of the churche both what reuerence is due to the Scripture and what bokes ar to be reckened in the canon therof So these robbers of gods honor whyle they seke vnder color of the church to bring in an vnbridled tyranny care nothing with what absurdities they snare both themselues and other so that they may enforce thys one thyng to be beleued among the symple that the churche can do al thynges But if it be so what shal become of the poore consciences that seke stedfast assuraunce of eternal lyfe if al the promyses that remayne therof stande and bee stayed onely vpon the iudgement of men â–ª When they receyue such answere shal they cesse to wauer and tremble Agayne to what scornes of the vngodly is our faith made subiect into how great suspicion with al men is it brought if this be beleued that it hath but as it were a borrowed credit by the fauoure of men But such babblers are wel confuâ—ed euen with one worde of the Apostle He testifieth that the churche is builded vpon the foundacion of the Prophetes and Apostles If the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles be the fundacion of the church then muste it nedes be that the same doctrine stode in stedfast certaintie before that the churche began to be Nether can they wel cauil that although the church take her first beginning therof yet it remaineth doutful what is to be sayed the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles vnlesse the iudgemente of the church did declare it For if the Chrystian church were at the beginning builded vpon the writinges of the Prophetes and preachyng of the Apostles wheresoeuer that doctrine shal be founde the allowed credyte therof was surely before the churche without which the churche it selfe had neuer ben Therefore it is a vaine forged deuise that the churche hath power to iudge the Scripture so as the certaintie of the scripture should be thought to hange vpon the wil of the churche Wherfore wheÌ„ the churche doth receiue the Scripture and sealeth it with her consenting testimonie she doeth not of a thyng doutefull and that otherwyse should be in controuersy make it autentike and of credit but because she acknowledgeth it to be the trueth of her God accordyng to her dutye of godlinesse without delay she doth honor it Wheras they demaund how shal we be perswaded that it came from god vnlesse we resort to the decree of the churche Thys is al one as if a man should aske howe shall we learne to knowe light from darkenesse white from blacke or swete from sower For the Scripture sheweth in it selfe no lesse apparaunte sense of her trueth than white and blacke thynges do of their color or swete and sower thinges of their tast I knowe that they commonly allege the saying of Augustine wher he sayeth that he would not beleue the gospel saue that the authoritye of the churche moued hym therto But how vntruely and cauillouslye it is alleged for such a meaning by the whole tenor of his writing it is easy to perceiue He had to do with the Manichees whiche required to be beleued without gainesaying when they vaunted that they had the trueth on their side but proued it not And to make their Manicheus to be beleued they preteÌ„ded the gospel Now Augustine asketh them what they would do if they did light vpon a man that would not beeleue the gospel it selfe with what maner of perswasion they would drawe hym to their opinion Afterwarde he sayeth I my self would not beleue the gospel c. saue that the authoritie of the church moued me therto Meaning that he himselfe when he was a straunger from the fayth coulde not otherwise be brought to embrace the gospel for the assured trueth of God but by this that he was ouercome with the authoritie of the church And what maruel is it if a maÌ„ not yet knowing Chryste haue regarde to men Augustine therfore doeth not there teache that the
fayth of the godly is grounded vpon the authoritie of the church nor meaneth that the certaintie of the gospel doth hang therupon but simplye and onely that there should be no assurednesse of the gospel to the infidels wherby they might be wonne to Chryst vnlesse the consent of the church did driue them vnto it And the same meanyng a litle before he doth plainly confirme in this saying When I shall praise that which I beleue and scorne that which thou beleuest what thiÌ„kest thou mete for vs to iudge or do but that we forsake such men as first call vs to come and knowe certaine truethes and after commaunde vs to beeleue thinges vncertaine and that we folowe theÌ„ that require vs first to beleue that which we are not yet able to see that being made strong by beleuing we may atteine to vnderstande the thing that we beleue not menne nowe but God himselfe inwardly strengthning and geuing lighte to oure minde These are the very words of Augustine wherby euery man may easely gather that the holy man had not this meaning to hang the credite that we haue to the Scriptures vpon the wil and awardemente of the churche but onely to shewe this which we our selues also do confesse to be true that they which are not yet lightened with the spirite of god are brought by the reuerence of the churche vnto a willyngnesse to bee taught so as they can finde in their hartes to learne the faith of Christ by the gospel and that thus by this meane the authoritie of the church is an introduction wherby we are prepared to beleue the gospel For as we see his minde is that the assuraunce of the godly be staied vpon a farre other foundacion Otherwise I do not deny but that he often presseth the Manichees with the consent of the whole churche when he seketh to proue the same Scripture which they refused And from hence it came that he so reproched Faustus for that he did not yelde hymselfe to the trueth of the gospel so grounded â–ª so stablished so gloriously renomed from the very time of the Apostles by certaine successions perpetuallye commended But he neuer trauaileth to this ende to teach that the authoritie which we acknowledge to be in the Scripture hangeth vppon the determinacion or decree of men But onely this which made much for him in the mater that he disputed of he bringeth forth the vniuersal iudgemeÌ„t of the church wherein he had the auauÌ„tage of his aduersaries If any desire a fuller proufe herof let him reade his boke concernynge the profit of beleuing Where he shall finde that there is no other redinesse of beliefe commended vnto vs by him but that which only geueth vs an entrie and is vnto vs a conuenient beginning to enquire as he termeth it and yet not that we ought to rest vpon bare opinion but to leane to the certaine and sounde trueth We ought to holde as I before sayd that the credit of this doctrine is not established in vs vntil such time as we be vndoutedly perswaded that God is the author therof Therfore the principal profe of the Scripture is coÌ„monly taken of the person of God the speaker of it The Prophetes and Apostles bost not of their own sharpe wit or any such thigs as procure credit to mâ—n that speake neither stande they vpon proues by reason but they bring forth the holy name of God therby to compell the whole world to obedience Now we haue to see howe not onely by probable opinion but by apparant truth it is euideÌ„t that in this behalfe the name of God is not without cause nor deceitfully preteÌ„ded If then we wil prouide wel for consciences that they be not continually caryed about with vnstedfast douting nor many wauer nor stay at euery small stop this maner of perswasion must be fetched deper then from either the reasons iudgementes or the coniectures of men euen from the secrete testimony of the holy ghoste True in dede it is that if we lysted to worke by way of argumeÌ„tes many thinges might be alleged that may easily proue if there be any God in heauen that the law the prophecies and the gospell came from hym Yea although men learned and of depe iudgemente would stande vp to to the contrary and would employ and shew forth the whole force of their wittes in this disputacion yet if they be not so hardened as to become desperatly shamelesse they woulde be compelled to confesse that there are seen in the Scripture manifest tokens that it is God that speaketh therin wherby it maye appeare that the doctrine therof is froÌ„ heaueÌ„ And shortly hereafter we shal se that al the bokes of the holy Scripture do farre excel al other writinges what soeuer they be Yea if we bring thether pure eies and vncorrupted senses we shal forthwith finde there the maiestie of God which shall subdue al hardnesse of gainesaying and enforce vs to obey him But yet they do disorderly that by disputacion trauaile to establishe the perfecte credit of the Scripture And truely although I am not furnished with great dexteritie nor eloquence yet if I were to contende with the moste luttle despisers of God that haue a desier to shew themselues wytty and plesaunt in febling the authoritie of Scripture I trust it should not be harde for me to put to silence their bablinges And if it 〈◊〉 profitable to spende labor in confuting their cauillations I would with no great businesse shake in sunder the bragges that they mutter in corners But though a man do deliuer the sounde word of God from the reproches of men yet that sufficeth not fourthwith to fasten in theyr hartes that assurednesse that godlynesse requireth Prophane men because they thynke religion standeth onely in opinion to the ende they woulde beleue nothing fondly or lightly do couet and require to haue it proued to them by reason that Moises and the Prophetes spake from God But I answere that the testimonie of the holy ghost is better thaÌ„ all reason For as onely God is a conueniente witnesse of hymselfe in hys owne worde so shal the same worde neuer finde credit in the hartes of men vntil it be sealed vp with the inwarde witnesse of the holy ghost It behoueth therfore of necessitie that the same holy ghost whiche spake by the mouth of the Prophetes do entre into our hartes to perswade vs that they faythfully vttered that which was by God commaunded them And this order is very aptly set fourth by Esay in these words My spirite which is in thee and the wordes that I haue to put in thy mouth and in the mouth of thy sede shal not faile for euer It greueth some good men that they haue not ready at hande some cleare proufe to allege when the wicked do without punishment murmure against the worde of God As though the holy ghost were not for this cause called both a seale and a
When the Lord meant to cut of all hope of Pardon from so haynous wickednesse he thought it not enough to saye that it should neuer be forgeuen but the more to amplifie it he vsed a diuision wherein he comprehended bothe the iudgement that euery mans conscience feleth in this life and the last iudgement that shal be openly pronounced at the resurrection as though he shold haue sayd Beware ye of malicious rebellioÌ„ as of moste present dampnation For he that of set purpose shall endeuour to quenche the light of the holy Ghost shall not obteine pardon neither in this life whiche is geuen to sinners for their conuersion nor in the last daye when the lambes shal be seuered by the angels of God froÌ„ the goates and the kingdome of heauen shal be cleansed from all offenses Then they brynge fourth that parable out of Mathewe Agree with thine aduersarie least he deliuer thee to the Iudge the iudge to the Sargeant and the Sargeant to the pryson from whence thou shalt not get out vntil thou hast payed the uttermoste farthing If in this place the Iudge do signifie God and the aduersarie plentife the Deuil the Sargeant the Angell and the pryson Purgatorie I wyll gladlye yelde vnto them But if it be euident to all men that Christe meant there to showe into howe many daungers and mischeues they caste them selues that had rather obstinatly pursue the extremitie of the lawe than deale according to equitie and good ryght to the ende to exhorte hys disciples the more earnestly to agreement with equitie where then I praye you shall Purgatorie be founde They fetche an argument out of the saying of Paul where he affirmeth that the knees of thynges in heauen earthe and helles shall bowe to Christ. For they take it as confessed that helles can not there be meant of those that are adiudged to eternal damnation Therfore it remayneth that it must be the soules lying in peine in Purgatorie They did not reason very euyll if the Apostle did by knelynge meane the true Godly worshippyng But sithe he teacheth only that there is a dominion geuen to Christ wherby all creatures are to bee subdued what profe is there to the contrary but that we may by helles vnderstande the Deuels that shal be brought before the iudgement of God to acknowledge hym their iudge with feare and tremblyng Lyke as Paul hym selfe expoundeth the same prophecie in an other place All sayeth he shal be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ. For it is wrytten So truly as I lyue euery knee shal bowe to me c. But we maye not so expounde that whiche is in the Reuelation I haue heard all creatures bothe these thynges that are in heauen and those that are vpon the earth and these that are vnder the earth and those that are in the sea and all those that are in them I haue hearde them all saye to hym that sytteth on the Throne and to the Lambe Blessinge and honor and glorie and power for euer and euer That I doe in deede easely graunte but what creatures doe they thynke to be heare rehearsed For it is moste certaine that there are conteined creatures both without reason and without sense Whereby is affirmed nothing els but that all the partes of the world from the hyest toppe of the heauens to the very mydle point of the earth doe in their manner declare the glorie of their creator As for that whiche they alledge out of the historie of the Machabees I will not vouchesaue to answer it least I should seme to recken that worke in the nombre of the holye bookes But Augustine receyued it for Canonicall But first of what sure credit did he receiue it The Iewes sayeth he esteme not the wryting of the Machabees as they doe the lawe the Prophetes and the Psalmes of whiche the Lorde hym selfe hath witnessed as of his witnesses saying It was necessary that all thynges should be fulfylled that are wrytten in the lawe and the Psalmes and Prophetes concerninge me But it hathe bene receiued of the Churche not vnprofitably if it be soberly red or heard And Hierome teacheth without any doubtinge that the authoriâ—ie therof is of no force to prouing of doctrines And it euidently appeareth by that olde booke whiche is entituled vnder the name of Cypriane concerning the exposition of the Crede that it had no place at all in the olde Churche But why doe I here stryue without cause As though the author hym selfe doeth not sufficiently shew how muche he is to be credited when in the ende he craueth pardon 〈◊〉 he haue spoken any thyng not well Truely he that confesseth his writynges to nede pardon sayeth plainly that they are not the oracles of the holy Ghost Besyde that the godlynesse of Iudas is praysed for none other cause but for that he had an assured hope of the last resurrection when he sent an offrynge for the dead to Hierusalem Neither dothe the wryter of that historie referre that whiche Iudas did to be a pryce of redemption but that they myght be partakers of the eternall lyfe with the other faithfull that had died for their contrie and relgioÌ„ This doyng was in dede not without superstition and preposterous zele but they are more than foles that drawe a sacrifice of the lawe so farre as vnto vs for as muche as we knowe that thynges doe cesse by the comming of Christ that then were in vse But they haue an inuincible bulwarke in Paul whiche can not so easely be battered If any man saith he buylde vpon this foundation gold syluer precious stones tynber heye stubble the Lorde shal shewe euery mans worke what it is because it shall be reueled in fier and the fier shall trie euery mans worke what it is If any mans woorke doe burne it shall suffer losse but he shal be safe but as through the fier What fier saye they can that be but the fier of Purgatorie by which the filthinesses of synne are cleansed away that we may enter pure in to the kyngdome of God But the moste parte of the olde wryters thought it to be an other fier that is to saye Trouble or the crosse by whiche the Lorde tryeth them that be his that they should not rest in the filthinesse of the fleshe and that is muche more probable than in fainyng Purgatorie All be it I doe neyther agree with these men because I thynke I haue attained a certaine and muche plainer vnderstandyng of that place But before that I vtter it I wold haue them aunsweare me whether the Apostles and all the sainctes must haue gone through this fier of Purgatorie I knowe they wyll saye nay For it were to muche inconuenient that they must haue neded to be purged whose merites they dreame to ouerflowe aboue measure to all the meÌ„bres of the churche But the Apostle affirmeth it For he dothe not saye that the worke of some
our thought vpon this howe wretched a thing it is to be estranged from the felowship of God and not that only but also to fele the maiestie of God so bent against thee that thou canst not escape but be fast strayned of it For first his displeasure is like a most violent fier with touchyng whereof all thinges are deuoured and swallowed vp Then all creatures so serue him to execute his iudgement that they to whome the Lord shall so shewe his wrath shal fele the heauen earth sea and beastes as it were with cruell indignation enflamed against them and armed to their destruction Wherefore it is no small thyng that the Apostle pronounceth when he sayth that the vnbeleuyng shal suffer eternal punishmēt by dyeng from the face of the Lord and from the glorie of his power And so oft as the Prophetes do caste vs in feare with bodily figures although they speake nothing excessiuely for our dulnesse yet they adde fore shewynges of that iudgement to come in the sunne and the moone and the whole frame of the world Wherfore the vnhappy consciēces do finde no rest from beyng vexed and tossed with a terrible whirlewinde frō felyng themselues to be torne in peces by God beyng angirly bent agaynst them from beyng pearced and launced with deadly stinges from trēbling at the lightening of God and beyng broosed with the weight of his hand so that it is much more ease to entre into al bottomlesse depthes and deuouryng pittes than to stande one moment in those terrors What and how great then is this to be pressed with euerlastyng and neuer cessing siege of him Of whiche thyng the .xc. Psalme conteyneth a notable sentence that although with onely sight he scatter abrode all mortall men and bryng them to nought yet his worshippers howe muche more ferefull they are in the world so much more he enforceth them and pricketh them forward loden with the crosse vntill he be all in all The ende of the third Boke THE FOVRTH BOKE OF THE INSTItution of Christen religion which entreateth of the outvvard meanes or helpes vvherby God allureth vs into the felovvshyp of Christ and holdeth vs therein ¶ The first Chapter Of the true Churche with which we ought to kepe vnitie because it is the mother of al the godly THat by Faith of the Gospel Christ is become ours and we be made partakers of the saluation broughte by him and of eternal blessednesse is already declared in the last booke But because our rudenesse and slouthfulnesse yea and vanitie of witte doe nede outwarde helpes whereby Fayth in vs maye both be engendred and growe and encrease in proceding towarde the marke wherunto it tendeth God hath also added them therby to prouyde for our weakenesse And that the Preaching of the Gospell might floryshe he hath left this treasure with the Churche He hath appointed Pastors and teachers by whoe 's mouth he myght teache them that be his he hath furnyshed them with authoritie finally he hath left nothyng vndoone that might auaile to the holy consent of faith and right order First of all he hath ordeined Sacramentes which we fele by experience to be more than profitable helpes to nourishe and confirme Faith For because beeyng enclosed in the prison of our fleshe we do not yet attaine to the degree of Angels God applying hymselfe to our capacitie accordyng to hys wonderful Prouidence hath appointed a meane wherby we being far distant frō him might come vnto hym Wherfore the order of teaching requireth that now we entreate of the Church and of the gouernemēt orders and power of it and then of the Sacramentes and lastely also of ciuile order and therewithall that we call away the godly readers from those corruptions wherewyth Satan in the Papane hath depraued all thynges that God had appointed for our saluation I will begin at the Churche into whoe 's bosome God wil haue hys children to be gathered together not onely that they should by her helpe and ministerie be nouryshed whyle they are infantes and yong chyldren but also be ruled by her motherly care tyll they growe to ryper age and at length come to the marke of Fayth For it is not lawfull that those thynges be seuered which God hath conioyned that to whom he is a Father the Churche be also their mother and that not onely vnder the lawe but also sins the commyng of Christe as Paule wytnesseth which teacheth that we are the children of the newe and heauenly Hierusalem In the Crede where we professe that we beleeue the Churche that is not spoken onelye of the visible Churche whereof we now entreate but of all the electe of God in whose number they are also comprehended that are departed by death And therefore thys worde Beleue is there set because oftentimes there can no other difference be noted betwene the children of God and the vngodly betwene his peculiar flocke and sauage beastes For wheras many doe enterlace this worde in that is without probable reason I graunt in dede that it is the more commonly vsed and also wanteth nor the consenting testimonie of antiquitie forasmuch as euen the Nicen Crede as it is reported in the Ecclesiasticall historie addeth the preposition in But there withall we maie marke by the writinges of the auncient Fathers that it was in old time receiued without controuersie to say that they beleued the Churche and not in the Churche For Augustine and that aunciēt writer whatsoeuer he was whoe 's work remaineth vnder the name of Cyprian concerning the exposition of the Crede do not onely so speake themselues but also do expresly note that it should be an vnproper maner of speaking if the preposition were adioyned and they confirme their opinion with no trifling reason For we therefore testifie that we beleue in God because vpon him as a true speaker our minde reposeth it selfe and in him our confidence resteth which could not so cōueniently be spoken to say in the Churche no more than it could be sayed I beleue in the forgeuenesse of sinnes or in the resurrection of the fleshe Therefore although I would not striue about woordes yet I had rather folowe the proprietie of speakyng that shoulde be fittest to expresse the matter thā curiously to seke for formes of speche wherby the matter may without cause be darkened But the ende is that we should know that although the deuill attempt all meanes to ouerthrowe the grace of Christe and though the ennemies of God be carried with violente rage to the same entente yet it can not be extinguished nor the bloude of Christ be made barren but that it will bryng forth some fruite And so is both the secrete election of God and his inward callyng to be cōsidered because he alone knoweth whoe be hys and holdeth thē enclosed vnder a seale as Paule termeth it saying that they beare hys tokens whereby they maye be seuerally knowen from the reprobate But because a
small and contemptible number lyeth hid vnder a huge multitude and a fewe graines of wheate are couered wyth a heape of chaffe to God onely is to be lefte the knowledge of his Churche the fundation whereof is his secrete election But it is not sufficiente to conceiue in thoughte and mynde the multitude of the elect vnlesse we thinke vppon suche an vnitie of the Churche into whiche we be truely perswaded that we our selues be engraffed For vnlesse we be vnder our head Chryste vnited together wyth all the reste of his members there abydeth for vs no hope of the inheritaunce to come It is therefore called Catholike or Uniuersall because we can not fynde two or three Churches but that Christe muste be torne in sonder whyche can not be done But all the electe of God are so knitt together in Christe that as they hang vpon one head so they may growe together as it were into one body cleauing together wyth suche a compacting of ioyntes as the members of one selfe body beeing truely made one whiche with one hope Fayth Charitie with one selfe Spirite of God dooe lyue together beeing called not onely into one inheritaunce of eternall lyfe but also into one partaking of one God and Christe Wherefore althoughe the sorowefull desolation that on eche syde presenteth it selfe in sighte crieth out that there is nothing lefte of the Churche yet lette vs knowe that Christes death is frutefull and that God maruellously as it were in secrete corners preserueth his Church As it was sayed to Elias I haue kept to my selfe seuen thousande men that haue not bowed their knee before Baal Albeit this article of the Crede doeth in some respecte belong to the outwarde Churche that euery one of vs shoulde holde himselfe in brotherly consente with all the children of God shoulde yelde vnto the Churche that authoritie whiche it deserueth finally should so behaue himself as a shepe of the flocke And therefore is adioyned the communion of Saintes Which parcell although commonly the old writers doe leaue it out yet is not to be neglected because it very wel expresseth the qualitie of the Churche as if it had been sayed that the Saintes are gathered together into the felowshyppe of Christ with this condition that whatsoeuer benefites God bestoweth vpon them they shoulde coÌ„tinually communicate them one to an other Wherby yet the diuersitie of graces is not taken away as we know that the gyftes of the Holy ghost are diuersly distributed neyther is the order of ciuile gouernemente disturbed by whiche it is lawfull for euery man priuately to enioye his owne possessions as it is necessarye that for preseruatyon of peace among men they should haue among them selues peculiare and deuyded properties of thynges But there is a communitie affirmed such as Luke descrybeth that of the multitude of the beleuers there was one harte and one soule and Paule when he exhorteth the Ephesians to be one body one Spirite as they be called in one hope For it is not possible if they be truely perswaded that God is the common father and Christ the common head to them all but that being conioyned among themselues with brotherly loue they shoulde continually communicate those thynges that they haue Nowe it muche behoueth vs to knowe what profyte therupon returneth vnto vs. For we beleue the Churche to thys ende that we may be certainly perswaded that we are the members of it For by thys meane our saluation resteth vpon sure and sounde stayes that it although the whole frame of the world be shaken can not come to ruine and fall downe Firste it standeth wyth goddes election neyther can it varye or faile but together wyth hys eternall Prouidence Then it is after a certayne manner ioyned wyth the stedfastnesse of Christe whiche will no more suffer his faithfull to be plucked from hym than hys owne members to be rente and torne in peces Beside that we are assured that trueth shall alwaye abyde wyth vs so long as we are holden in the bosome of the Churche Laste of all that we fele that these promises belong to vs there shal be saluation in Syon God shall for euer abide in Hierusalem that it may not at any time be moued So muche can the partaking of the Churche doe that it holdeth vs in the felowshippe of God Also in the very worde Communion is muche comforte because while it remayneth certayne that what soeuer the Lorde geueth to hys and oure members belongeth to vs oure hope is by all theyr good thynges confirmed But in suche sorte to embrace the vnitie of the Churche it is not nedefull as we haue already sayed to see the Churche it selfe wyth our eies or fele it with our handes but rather by thys that it consisteth in Faith we are admonished that we oughte no lesse to thinke it to be when it passeth our vnderstanding than if it openly appeared Neither is our Fayth therefore the worse because it conceiueth it vnknowen for asmuche as we are not herein commaunded to discerne the reprobate from the electe whiche is the office of God onely and not oures but to determine assuredly in our mindes that all they that by the mercifull kindnesse of God the Father throughe the effectual working of the Holy ghost are come into the partaking of Christ are seuered into the peculiar righte and proper possession of Christe and that for asmuche as we be in the number of those we are partakers of so greate a grace But sithe it is nowe our purpose to entreate of the visible Church lette vs learne euen by thys one title of Mother howe muche â—he knowledge thereof is profitable yea necessarye for vs for asmuche as there is no other entrye into life vnlesse she conceiue vs in hee wombe vnlesse she bryng vs fourth vnlesse she fede vs with her breastes fynallye vnlesse she kepe vs vnder her custodye and gouernaunce vntyll suche tyme as beyng vnclothed of mortall fleshe we shall be lyke vnto Angels For oure weakenesse suffreth vs not to be dismissed from schole tyll we haue been scholars throughout the whole course of our lyfe Beside that oute of her bosome there is no forgeuenesse of synnes and no saluation to be hoped for as wytnesseth Esaye and Ioel with whom agreeth Ezechiel when he declareth that they shall not be in the number of Goddes people whome he putteth awaye from the heauenly lyfe As on the contrarie side they are sayed to wryte their names among the citezens of Hierusalem that turne them selues to the folowyng of true godlynesse After whiche manner it is also sayed in an other Psalme Remember me Lord in the good wyll of thy people visite me in thy saluation that I maye see the benefytes of thy electe that I maye be merry in the myrth of thy people that I maye reioyse wyth thy enherytaunce In whiche woordes the fatherly fauoure of GOD and the peculyar testimonie of the Spirituall lyfe is restrayned to
we muste nedes beleue that the Churche which is inuisible to vs is to be seen with the eies of God only so are we commaunded to regarde thys Churche whiche is called a Churche in respecte of men and to kepe the communion of it Therefore so muche as behoued vs to knowe it the Lorde hath sette it oute by certayne markes and as it were signes vnto vs. Thys is in dede the singular prerogatiue of God himselfe to knowe who be hys as we haue already alleaged oute of Paule And truelye that the rashenesse of menne shoulde not crepe so farre it is prouided by the verye successe of thynges daylye puttyng vs in mynde howe farre his secrete iudgementes dooe surmounte oure vnderstandyng For euen they that seemed moste desperate and accompted vtterly paste hope are by his goodnesse called backe into the waye and they that seemed to stande fast in comparison of other doo oftentymes fall Therfore according to the secrete predestination of God as Augustine saieth there be many shepe without and many wolues within For he knoweth them and hath them marked that knowe neither hym nor theim selues But of those that openly beare his badge his onely eies doo see who be both holy without faynyng and who will continue euen to the ende whiche is the very chiefe poynt of saluation Yet on the other syde forasmuche as he forsawe it to be somedeale expediente that we should knowe who were to be accompted his children he hath in this parte applied himselfe to our capacitie And because the certaintie of Faith was not necessarie he hath put in place therof a certayne iudgement of charitie wherby we should acknowledge for membres of the Churche those that bothe with confession of Faith and with example of lyfe and with partakyng of sacramentes dooe professe the same God and Christ with vs. But as for the knowledge of the body therof howe much more that he knew it to be necessary for our saluation with so muche the more certayne markes he hath sette it out Loe herevpon groweth and aryseth vnto vs a face of the Church visible to our eyes For where soeuer we see the word of God to be purely preached and hearde and the sacramentes to be ministred accordyng to the institution of Christ there it is in no wise to be douted that there is some Churche of God forasmuche as his promise canne not deceiue Where soeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the middes of theim But that we maie euidently vnderstande the summe of this matter we must procede by these as it were degrees that is to say that the vniuersall churche is a multitude gathered together out of all nations what soeuer they be which beyng sundered and seuerally scattered by distances of places yet doeth agree in one truth of godly doctrine and is bounde together with the bonde of one selfe religion And that so vnder this are comprehended al particular Churches whiche are in all townes and streetes accordyng to the order of meÌ„s necessitie so that euery one of them may rightfully haue the name and authoritie of a Church And that all particular men which by profession of godlinesse are reckened among such Churches although they be in dede straungers from the Churche yet doo after a certain maner belong vnto it tyll by publike iudgement they be banished out of it Howbeit there is somewhat a diuers maner in iudgyng of priuate men and of Churches For it may fall in experience that such men as we shal thynke not to bee altogether woorthy of the company of the godly yet we muste vse like brethren and accompt them among the faithfull for the coÌ„mon consent of the Churche wherby they are suffered and borne withall in the body of Christe We dooe not by oure testimonie allowe suche to be membres of the Churche but we leaue them the place that they haue among the people of God till it be by orderly ryght of lawe taken away from them But of the very multitude we must otherwise thinke which if it hath and honoureth the ministerie of the Worde and the administration of Sacramentes it deserueth without doute to bee estemed and iudged a Churche because it is certain that those thyngs are not without fruit So we do also preserue to the vniuersall Church her vnitie whiche diuelyshe spirites haue alway trauailed to cut in sunder neither doo we defraude of their authoritie those lawful assemblies whiche are disposed accordyng to the fitnesse of places We haue sette for signes to discerne the Churche by the preachyng of the Worde and the obseruyng of the Sacramentes For these can bee no where but they must bryng foorth fruite and be prospered with the blessyng of God I doo not say that wheresoeuer the woorde is preached there by and by springeth vp fruite but I saie that no where it is receiued and hath a staied seate but that it bringeth foorth the effectualnesse therof Where the preachyng of the gospell is reuerently heard and the Sacraments are not neglected howe soeuer it be there for that tyme appeareth a not deceitfull not doutfull face of the Church wherof no man maye vnpunished eyther despise the authoritie or refuse the admonitions or resist the counsels or mocke at the correctioÌ„s much lesse to depart from it and to breake in sunder the vnitie of it For the Lorde so hyely estemeth the Communion of his Churche that he compteth him for a traiterous runne away and forsaker of Religion who soeuer shall stubbornely estraunge hymselfe from any Christian felowshyp so that it be suche a one as hath the true ministerie of the Worde and Sacramentes He so commendeth the Churches authoritie that when it is violate he iudgeth his owne diminished Neither is it of smalle importaunce that the Churche is called the pyller and strong staye of truthe and the house of God By whiche wordes Paule signifieth that to the ende the truthe of God shoulde not decay in the worlde the Churche is a faithfull keper therof because Gods will was to haue the preachyng of his worde kept pure and to shewe hym self vnto vs a Father of housholde by her ministerie and labour while she feedeth vs with spirituall nâ—urishementes and procureth all thyngs that make for our saluation It is also no sclender praise that it is said that she is chosen and seuered by Christ to be his spouse that shoulde be without wrinkle and spot the body and fullnesse of hym Whervpon foloweth that departyng from the Churche is a denyeng of God and of Christ. Therfore so much the more wee muste beware of so wicked disagreement For whyle we goe about so muche as in vs lyeth to procure the ruine of Gods truth we are worthy that he shoulde sende downe his lyghtenyng with the whole violent force of his wrath to destroy vs. Neither can there be imagined any faulte more haynous than with wicked breache of Faith to defile the
euery prouince should be the chefe sees of Bishops And if it happened the honor of the ciuile gouernement to be remoued frō one citie to an other that thē the right of the Metropolitane citie should therwtal be remoued thether But Innocentius Bishop of Rome whē he saw the aunciēt dignitie of his citie to grow in decay after that the seate of the Empire was remoued to Constantinople fearing the abacemēt of his see made a contrary law wherein he denyeth it to be necessary that the ecclesiastical mother cities should be chāged as the Imperial mother cities change But the authoritie of a Synode ought of right to be preferred aboue one mans sentēce Also we ought to suspecte Innocentius himselfe in his owne cause Howsoeuer it be yet by his owne prouiso he sheweth that from the beginning it was so ordered that the Metropolitane cities should be disposed according to the outwarde order of the Empire According to this auncient ordināce it was decreed in the first Coūcell at Constantinople that the Bishop of that citie should haue the priuileges of honor next after the Bishop of Rome because it was a new Rome But a long time after when a like decree was made at Chalcedō Leo stoutly cried out against it And he not only gaue himselfe leaue to esteme as nothing that which sixe hundred Bishops or moe had decreed but also bitterly taunted them for that they toke frō other sees that honor which they were so bolde to geue to the Chirche of Constantinople I besech you what other thing could moue a mā to trouble the world for so smal a mater but mere ambition He sayeth y◠that ought to be inuiolable whiche the Nicene Sinode hath ones decreed As though forsooth the Christian faith wer endangered if one Chirch be preferred before an other or as though Patriarchies wer there diuided to any other ende but for policies But we knowe that policie receiueth yea requireth diuerse chaunges according to the diuersitie of times Therefore it is fonde that Leo pretendeth that the honor which by the authoritie of the Nicene Sinode was geuen to the see of Alexandria ought not to be geuē to the see of Constantinople For cōmon reason telleth this that it was such a decree as myght be takē away according to the respect of times Yea none of the Bishops of the East withstode it whō that thing most of all concerned Truely Proterius was present whom they had made Bishop of Alexandria in the place of Dioscorus There were presente other Patriarches whoe 's honor was diminished It was their parte to withstand it not Leos which remained safe in his owne place But when all they holde their peace yea assent vnto it and only the Bishop of Rome resisteth it is easy to iudge what moueth hym that is he foresaw that which not long after happened that it would come to passe that the glory of olde Rome decaying Constantinople not contented with the seconde place would stryue with Rome for the Supremicie And yet with his crying out he did not so much preuaile but that the decree of the Councell was confirmed Therfore his successors whē they saw themselues ouercome quietly gaue ouer that stiffenesse for they suffred that he should be accompted the seconde Patriarche But within a litle after Iohn which in Gregories tyme ruled the Chirche of Constantinople brake forth so farre that he called himselfe the vniuersall Patriarche Here Gregorie lest he should in a very good cause fayle to defende his own see did constantly set hymselfe againste him And truely both the pride and madnesse of Iohn was intolerable whiche desired to make the boundes of his Bishoprike egall wyth the boundes of the Empire And yet Gregorie doth not claime to himselfe that which he denieth to an other but abhorreth that name as wicked and vngodly and abhominable whosoeuer take it vpon him Yea and also in one place he is angry wyth Eulolius Bishop of Alexandria whiche had honored hym with suche a tittle Beholde sayeth he in the preface of the Epistle which ye directed to my selfe that haue forbidden it ye haue cared to emprinte the woorde of proude callyng in manyng me vniuersall Pope Whiche I praye that your holinesse wil no more do because that is withdrawen from you whiche is geuen to an other more than reason requireth I compt it no honor wherin I se the honor of my brethren to be diminished For my honor is the honor of the vniuersall Chirche and the sounde strength of my brethren But if your holinesse call me the vniuersall Pope it denyeth it selfe to be that which it confesseth me to be wholly Truely Gregorie stode in a good and honest cause But Ihon holpen by the fauor of Maurice the Emperor could neuer be remoued from his purpose Ciriacus also his successor neuer suffered himselfe to be entreated in that behalfe At the last Phocais which when Maurice was slaine was set in his place I wote not for what cause being more frendly to the Romaines but because he was there crowned without stryfe graūted to Boniface the third that which Gregorie neuer required that Rome should be the hed of all Chirches After thys maner was the controuersy ended And yet this benefite of the Emperor could not so much haue profited the see of Rome vnlesse other thinges also had afterwarde happened For Gretia and all Asia were within a litle after cut of frō the communion of Rome Fraunce so much reuerenced him that it obeyed no further than it lysted But it was thē first brought into bondage when Pipine vsurped the kyngdome For whē zacharie Bishop of Rome had ben his helper to the breache of his faith and to robbery that thrusting out the lawful kyng he might violently enter vpon the kyngdome as layed open for a pray he receiued thys rewarde that the see of Rome shoulde haue iurisdiction ouer the Chirches of Fraūce As robbers are wonted in parting to deuide the commō spoyle so these good men ordered the mater betwene themselues that Pipine should haue the earthly and ciuile dominion spoiling the true king and zacharye should be made hed of all Bishops and haue the spirituall power which when at the beginning it was weake as it is wont to be in new thynges was afterwarde confirmed by the authoritie of Charles in maner for a lyke cause For he was also indetted to the Bishop of Rome for that by hys endeuor he had atteined to the honor of the Empire But although it be credible that Chirches eche where were before that tyme muche deformed yet it is certayn that the old forme of the Chirch was thē fyrst vtterly defaced in Fraūce and Germanie There remayne yet in the recordes of the court of Parise brefe notes of these tymes which where they entreate of the maters of the Chirche make mention of the couenant both of Pipine and of Charles wyth the Bishop of Rome Therby we may gather that thē was
with no distrustfulnesse or doutyng but shall reste with great assurednesse and stedfast constancie So also trusting vpon the largenesse of those promises that she hath she shal haue whereupon aboūdantly to susteine her fayth that she maye nothyng doute that the best guide of the righte way the holy Spirite is alwaye presente with her but therewithall she shall kepe in memorie what vse the Lord would haue vs to receiue of his holy Spirite The Spirite sayth he which I wil send frō my Father shal leade you into al truth But how◠because sayeth he he shal put you in minde of al those thinges that I haue tolde you Therfore he geueth warning that there is nothing more to be loked for of his Spirite but that he should enlightē our mindes to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome saieth excellently well Many sayeth he do boste of the holy Spirite but they which speake their own do falsly pretēde that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the law the Prophetes so if any thing beside the Gospel be thrust in vnder the title of the Spirite let vs not beleue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite of the Gospel These be his words Now it is esy to gather how wrōgfully our aduersaries do which bost of the Holy ghost to no other ende but to set fourth vnder his name strāge and foreine doctrines from the word of God wheras he wil with vnspeakable knott be conioined with the worde of God thesame doth Christe professe of him when he promiseth him to his Chirch So is it truly What sobrietie the Lord hath ones prescribed to his Chirch the same he wil haue to be perpetually kept But he hath forbidden her that she should not adde any thing to his worde nor take any thing frō it This is the inuiolable decree of God and of the Holy ghost whiche our aduersaries goe about to abrogate when they faine that the Chirche is ruled of the Spirite without the worde Here againe they murmure against vs say that it behoued that the Chirch shold adde some things to the writinges of the Apostles or that they thēselues should afterwarde with liuely voice supply many thinges which they had not clearly enough taught namely sith Christ said vnto them I haue many thinges to be said to you which you can not now beare and that these be the ordinances which wtout the Scripture haue ben receiued only in vse maners But what shamelessenesse is this I graūt the disciples were yet rude in a maner vnapt to learne whē the Lord said this vnto them But wer they then also holdē with such dulnesse whē they did put their doctrine in writing that they afterward neded to supply with liuely voice that which they had by fault of ignorāce omitted in their writinges But if they were already led by the Spirite of trueth into al trueth whē they did set fourth their writinges what hindred that thei haue not therin conteined left written a perfect knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell But goe to let vs graunt them that which they require Only let them point out what be those thinges that it behoued to be reueled without writing If they dare enterprise that I wil assaile them with Augustines wordes that is When the Lord hath saied nothing of them which of vs dare say these they be or those they be or if any dare say so wherby doeth he proue it But why do I striue about a superfluous mater For a very childe doeth knowe that in the writinges of the Apostles which these men do make in a maner lame and but half perfecte there is the frute of that reuelation which the Lorde did then promise them What say they did not Christ put out of controuersy what soeuer the Chirche teacheth decreeth when the cōmaundeth him to be taken for a heathen man and a Publicane that dare saye against her Firste in that place is no mentiō made of doctrine but only the authoritie of the censures is established for correcting of vices that they which haue ben admonished or rebuked should not resist her iudgement But omitting this it is muche maruell that these losels haue so litle shame that they dare be proude of that place For what shal they get therby but that the consent of the Chirche is neuer to be despised whiche neuer consenteth but vnto the trueth of the worde of God The Chirch is to be heard say they Who denieth it forasmuch as it pronounceth nothing but out of the worde of the Lorde If they require any more let them know that these wordes of Christ do nothing take their part therin Neither oughte I to be thought to muche contentious because I stande so earnestly vpō this point That it is not lawful for the Chirche to make any new doctrine that is to teach and deliuer for an Oracle any more than that which the Lorde hath reueled by hys worde For men of sounde witt doe se how great daūger there is if so great authoritie be ones graūted to mē They se also howe wyde a wyndowe is opened to the mockynges and cauillations of the wicked if we saye that that whiche men haue iudged is to be takē for an Oracle among Christians Beside that Christ speaking according to the cōsideratiō of his own time geueth thys name to the Sinagoge that his disciples should afterwarde learne to reuerence holy assemblies of the Chirche So shoulde it come to passe that euery citie and village should haue egall authoritie in coyning of doctrines The examples which they vse do nothing helpe them They say that the Baptising of infantes proceded not so much from the expresse commaundement of the Scripture as from the decree of the Chirche But it were a very miserable succor if we were compelled to flee to the bare authoritie of the Chirche for defense of the Baptisme of infantes but it shal in an other place sufficiently appeare that it is farre otherwise Likewise whereas they obiecte that that is no where founde in the Scripture which was pronounced in the Nicene Synode that the Sōne is cōsubstantial with the Father therin they do great wrong to the fathers as though they had rashly cōdemned Arrius because he would not sweare to their wordes when he professed al that doctrine which is cōprehended in the writinges of the Prophetes Apostles This word I graūt is not in the scripture but whē therin is so oft affirmed that there is but one God againe Christ is so oft called the true eternall God one with the Father what other thyng do the fathers of the Nicene councell whē they declare that he is of one substance but simply set out the naturall sense of the Scripture But Theodorite reporteth that Constantine vsed this preface in their assemblie
therin many infirmities though I speake of nothyng more greuous And Leo bishop of Rome sticketh not to charge with ambition and vnaduised rashnesse the Synode of Chalcedon which yet he confesseth to be sounde in doctrines He doeth in dede not denie that it was a lawfull Synode but he openly affirmeth that it might erre Some man peraduenture will thinke me fonde for that I busy my selfe in shewyng suche errors forasmuche as our aduersaries do confesse that Councels may erre in those thyngs that ar not necessary to saluation But this labor is not yet superfluous For althoughe because they are compelled they do in dede confesse it in worde yet when they thrust vnto vs the determination of al councels in euery mater whatsoeuer it be for an oracle of the Holy ghost they do therein require more than they toke at the beginnyng In so doing what do they affirme but that Coūcels can not erre or if they erre yet it is not lawfull for vs to see the truthe or not to soothe their errors And I intend nothyng ells but that it may therby be gathered that the Holy ghost so gouerned the godly and holy Synodes that in the mean tyme he suffred somwhat to happen to them by the nature of men lest we shold to muche trust to men This is a muche better sentence than that of Gregorie Nazianzene that he neuer sawe a good end of any Councel For he that affirmeth that al without exception ended ill doth not leaue them much authoritie It is now nothyng nedefull to make mention seuerally of prouinciall Councells forasmuche as it is easy to iudge by the general how much authoritie they ought to haue to make newe articles of Faithe and to receiue what kynde of doctrine soeuer it pleaseth them But our Romanistes when they see that in defence of their cause all helpe of reason doth faile them do resort to that extreme and miserable shift that although the men themselues be blockishe in wit and coūsell and moste wicked in mynde and will yet the word of God remaineth whiche cōmaundeth to obey Rulers Is it so what if I denie that they be rulers that ar such For they ought to take vpon themselues no more than Iosua had which was bothe a Prophet of the Lord an excellent pastor But let vs heare with what wordes he is set by the Lorde into his office Let not saieth he the volume of this lawe depart from thy mouth but thou shalt studie vpon it daies nights Thou shalt neither bow to the right hand nor to the left then shalt thou direct thy way vnderstād it They therfore shal be to vs spiritual rulers which shal not bowe frō the law of the Lord neither to the one side nor to the other But if the doctrine of al pastors whatsoeuer they be is to be receiued wtout any douting to what purpose was it that we shold so oft so earnestly be admonished not to harken to the speche of false prophets Heare not saith he by Hieremie the words of the prophets that prophecie to you For they teach you vanitie not out of the mouth of the Lord. Again Beware you of false prophets that come vnto you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues And Iohn should in vaine exhort vs that we should proue the Spirits whether they be of God From which iudgement the very Angels are not exēpted much lesse Satan with all his lyes What is to be said of this saying if the blind lead the blind they shal both fall into the diche Doth it not sufficiently declare that it is of great importance what maner of prophets be heard and that not all are rashely to be heard Wherfore there is no reason that they should make vs afraid with their titles therby to draw vs into partakyng of their blyndnesse forasmuche as we see on the other side that the Lorde hadde a singular care to fray vs away from suffring our selues to be led with other mens error vnder what visor of name soeuer it lurketh For if the answer of Christ be true then al blynd guides whether they be called fathers of the Chirch or prelates or bishops can do nothing but draw their partners into the same headlong downfall Wherfore let no names of Councels Pastors Bishops which may as well be falsely pretended as truely vsed hinder vs but that beyng taught by lessons both of words and examples we may examine all spirites of all men by the rule of the word of God that we may proue whether they be of God or no. Forasmuche as we haue proued that there is not geuen to the Chirch a power to set vp a newe doctrine now let vs speake of the power whiche they attribute vnto it in expoundyng of Scripture Truely we doo willingly graunt that if there happen debate about any doctrine there is no better nor surer remedy than if a Synode of true bishops assemble together where the doctrine in controuersie maie be discussed For suche a determination wherunto the Pastors of Chirches shall agree in common together calling vpon the Spirite of Christ shall haue muche greater force than if euery one seuerally should conceiue it at home so teach it to the people or if a few priuate men shold make it Again when bishops are gathered together in one they doo the more cōmodiously take aduise in cōmon what in what forme they ought to teach least diuersitie shold brede offence Thirdely Paule prescribeth this order in discerning of doctrines For wheras he geueth to euery seuerall Chirche a power to discerne he sheweth what is the order of doyng in weightier causes that is that the Chirches shold take vpon them a cōmon tryall of the mater together And so doth the very feeling of godlinesse instructe vs that if any man trouble the Chirch with an vnwonted doctrine the mater procede so farre that there be peril of greater dissention the Chirches shold first mete together and examine the question propounded at last after iuste discussing had bryng foorthe a determination taken out of the Scripture suche as may both take away doutyng out of the people and stoppe the mouthes of wicked and gredy men that they may not bee so hardy to procede any further So when Arrius was risen the Nicene Synode was gathered together whiche with the authoritie therof bothe did breake the wicked endeuors of the vngodly man and restored peace to the Chirches whiche he had vexed and defended the eternall godhead of Christ againste his blasphemous doctrine When afterward Eunonius and Macedonius stirred vp new troubles their madnesse was resisted with like remedie by the Synode of Constantinople In the Coūsel at Ephesus the wickednesse of Nestorius was banished Finally this hath ben from the beginning the ordinarie meane in the Chirch to preserue vnitie so ofte as Satan began to worke any thyng But let vs remembre that not in all ages or in all places
Gospell should seme to geue place to the lawe But sins that tyme it neuer came in any mans mynde vnder color of folowyng of Moses to require such a forme of fasting in the people of Israel Neither did any of the holy Prophetes and fathers folow it when yet they had mynde and zeale enough to godly exercises For that which is sayd of Helias that he passed forty dayes without meate and drinke tended to no other ende but that the people should know that he was stirred vp to be a restorer of the law from which almost all Israell had departed Therfore it was a mere wrongful zeale and ful of supertitioÌ„ that they did set foorthe fasting with the title and color of folowyng of Christe Howbeit in the manner of fasting there was then greate diuersitie as Cassiodorus rehearseth out of Socrates in the nynth booke of hys historie For the Romaines sayth he had but three weekes but in these there was a continuall fasting except on the Sonday and Saturdaye The Slauonians and Grecians and six wekes other had seueÌ„ but their fasting was by deuided times And they disagreed no lesse in difference of meates Some did eate nothing but bread water some added herbes some did not forbeare fishe and fowles somme had no difference in meates Of this diuersitie Augustine also maketh mention in the latter Epistle to Ianuarie Then folowed worse tymes and to the preposterous zele of the people was added bothe ignorance and rudenesse of the Bishoppes and a luste to beare rule and a tyrannous rigor There were made wicked lawes which strayne consciences with pernicious bondes The eatyng of fleshe was forbidden as though it defiled a man There were added opinions full of sacrilege one vppon an other till they came to the bottome of all errors And that no peruersenesse shold be omitted they began with a moste fonde pretence of abstinence to mocke with God For in the most exquisite deyntinesse of fare is sought the praise of fasting no delicates do then suffice there is neuer greater plentie or diuersitie or sweetenesse of meates In such and so gorgious preparatioÌ„ they thinke that they serue God rightly I speake not how they neuer more fowlye glutte them selues than when they would bee compted most holy men Brefely they compt it the greatest worshipping of God to abstein from fleshe these excepted to flowe full of all kynde of deynties On the other syde they think this the extremest vngodlinesse and such as scarcelye may be recompensed with deathe if a man tast neuer so little a piece of bacon or vnsauerie fleshe with browne breade Hierome telleth that euen in his tyme were some that with such follies did mocke with God which because they would not eate oile caused most deyntie meates froÌ„ euery place to bee brought them yea to oppresse nature wyth violence they absteined from drinking of water but caused swete and costly suppinges to be made for them which they did not drinke out of a cup but out of a shell Which faulte was then in a fewe at this day it is a coÌ„mon fault among all riche menne that they fast to no other ende but that they may banket more sumptuously and deyntily But I will not waste many wordes in a mater not doutefull Only this I say that bothe in fasting and in al other partes of discipline the papistes so haue nothing right nothing pure nothing well framed and orderlye whereby they maye haue any occasion to bee proude as though there were any thyng remaining among them worthy of praise There foloweth another parte of discipline which peculiarly belongeth to the clergie That is conteyned in the canons which the old Bishops haue made ouer them selues and their order As these be that no clerke should geue himself to hunting to dyâ—ing nor to banketting that none should occupye vsurie or merchandise that none should be present at wanton dauncings such other ordinances There were also added penalties wherby the authoritie of the canoÌ„s was stablished that none shoulde breake them vnpunnished For this ende to euery Bishop was committed the gouernement of his owne clergie that they shoulde rule their clerkes according to the canons and holde them in their duetie For this ende were ordeined yerely ouerseinges and synodes that if anye were negligent in hys duetie he should bee admonished if any had offended he should be punished according to the measure of his offence The Bishops also them selues had yerely their prouinciall Synodes and in the olde tyme yerely two Synodes by whiche they were iudged if they had done any thyng beside their duetie For if any Bishop were to harde or violent against his clergie they might appelle to those Synodes although there were but one that complained The seuerest punishment was that he which had offended should be remoued from hys office for a time be depriued of the CoÌ„munion And because that same was a coÌ„tinuall order they neuer vsed to dismisse any Synode but that they appointed a place and tyme for the next Synode For to gather a generall Councell pertained to the Emperour onely as all the old summoninges of Councels do testifie So long as this seuerite flourished the clerkes did require in word no more of the people than themselues did performe in example and dede Yea they were much more rigorous to themselues than to the people And verily so it is mete that the people shold be ruled with a geÌ„tler and looser discipline as I may so terme it but the clerkes should vse sharper iudgementes among themselues and should lesse beare with themselues than with other men How all this is growen out of vse it is no nede to rehearse when at this day nothyng can be imagined more vnbridled and dissolute than the clergie they are brokeÌ„ foorth to so great licentiousnesse that the whole worlde crieth out of it That all antiquitie shold not seeme to be vtterly buryed among them I graunt in dede that they do with certaine shadows deceiue the eies of the simple but those are suche as come no nerer to the auncient maners than the counterfaityng of an ape approcheth to that whiche men do by reason and aduise There is a notable place in Xenophon where he teacheth how fowly the Persians had swarued from the ordinances of their Elders and were fallen from the rigorous kinde of life to softnesse and deyntinesse that yet they couered this shame sayeng that they diligently kept the auncient vsages For when in the tyme of Cirus sobrietie and temperance so farr florished that men neded not to wipe yea and it was accompted a shame with posteritie this continued a religious obseruation that no man should draw snott oute at hys nosethrilles but it was lawfull to sucke it vp and fede within euen till they wer rotten the stinking humors which they had gathered by gluttonous eating So by the olde order it is vnlawfull to bryng winepots to the borde but to swill in
of idols as though it were not a litle lighter matter to worship thaÌ„ to serue And yet while they seke a hole to hide theÌ„ in the Greke word they childishly disagre with themselues For seing Latreuein in Greke signifieth nothing but to worship their saying coÌ„meth but to this effect as if they woulde say that they worship in dede their images but without any worshippinge And there is no cause why they shuld say that I seke to catch theÌ„ in words but they theÌ„selues while they seke to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple do bewray their own ignoraunce And yet though they be neuer so eloquent they shal not atteine by their eloquence to proue vnto vs that one selfe same thing is two sondry thinges Let theÌ„ say I shewe me a difference in that thing it selfe wherby they may be thought to differ froÌ„ the old idolaters For as an adulterer or a murderer caÌ„not escape giltinesse of his faulte by geuing his sinne a newe deuised name so is it a verye absurditie to thinke that these men be quitte by newe deuise of a name if in the matter it selfe they nothing differ froÌ„ those idolaters whom they theÌ„selues are coÌ„pelled to condeÌ„ne But so far are they froÌ„ prouing that their case differeth froÌ„ the case of those idolaters that rather the fountaine of al this whole mischiefe is an vnorderly counterfaiting wherin they haue striued with them while both with their own witt they deuise and with their own handes they frame them signifieng formes to expresse them a fashion of God And yet am I not so superstitious that I thinke no images maye be suffred at al. But forasmuch as caruing and painting are the giftes of God I require that they both be purely and lawfully vsed Least these things which god hath geueÌ„ vs for his glory for our own benefite be not only defiled by disordred abuse but also turned to our owne destructioÌ„ We thinke it vnlawful to haue God fashioned oute in visible forme because himselfe hath forbiddeÌ„ it because it cannot be done wythoute some defacemente of hys glory And least they thynke that it is onelye we that are in this opinioÌ„ they that haue ben trauailed in their works shall finde that all sounde writers did alway reproue the same thynge If then it be not lawfull to make any bodily image of God muche lesse shall it be lawfull to worshippe it for God or God in it It remayneth therefore lawfull that onelye those thynges bee painted and grauen whereof our eies are capable but that the maiestie of God which is far aboue the sense of our eies be not abused with vncomly deuised shapes Of this sorte are partly histories and thinges done partly images and fashions of bodies withoute expressing of any thinges done by them The first of these haue some vse in teaching or admonishing a man but what profite the seconde can bring saue only delectacion I see not And yet it is euident that euen such were almost al the images that heretofore haue stande vp in churches Wherby we may iudge that they were there set vp not by discrete iudgemente or choise but by folishe and vnaduised desire I speake not howe muche amisse and vncomely they wer for the moste parte fashione nor howe licentiously paynters and caruers haue in this pointe shewed their wantonnesse whiche thynge I haue alredy touched Only I speake to this end that though there wer no fault in them yet do they nothing auaile to teache But leauing also that difference let vs by the waye consider whether it be expedient in Christian temples to haue any images at al that doe expresse either thinges done or the bodies of men Fyrst if the authoritie of the aunciente churche doe any thyng moue vs let vs remember that for about v. C. yeares together while religion yet better florished and sincere doctrine was in force the Christian churches were vniuersally without images So they were then first brought in for the garnishment of churches when the sinceritie of ministracion was not a lyttle altered I wil not now dispute what reason they had with them that were the first authors therof But if a man compare age with age he shall see that they were muche swarued from that vpryghtnesse of them that were wythoute images What doe we thynke that those holye fathers would haue suffered the church to be so long wythoute the thyng which they iudged profitable and good for them But rather because they saw eyther litle or no profit in it and much daunger to lurke vnderneth it they did rather of purpose and aduisedly reiect it than â—y ignoraunce or negligence omytte it Whyche thyng Augustine doeth also in expresse words testifie When they be set in such places saieth he honorably on hye to be seen of them that pray and doe Sacrifice although they want both sense and lyfe yet with the very likenesse that they haue of liuelye members and senses they so moue the weake mindes that they seeme to liue and breath c. And in an other place For that shape of members doeth worke and in manner enforce thus muche that the minde liuing within a body doeth thynke that body to haue sense whiche he seeth like vnto his own And a litel after Images do more auaile to bow down an vnhappy soule but this that they haue mouth eyes eares and fete than to amend it by this that they neyther speake nor see nor heare nor goe This truely semeth to be the cause why Iohn willed vs to beware not onelye of worshipping of images but also of images themselues And we haue founde it to muche in experience that throughe the horrible madnesse whiche hath heretofore possessed the worlde to the destruccyon in manner of all godlynesse so sone as images be set vp in churches there is as it were a signe sette vp of idolatrie because the folly of men cannot refraine it selfe but it muste foorthwith runne on to supersticious worshippinges But if there were not so muche daunger hanging thereby yet when I consider for what vse temples are ordeined me thinkes it is verie ill beseming the holinesse therof to receiue any other images than these liuely natural images whiche the LORDE by hys woorde hath consecrate I meane Baptisme and the Lordes supper and other ceremonies wherewyth our eies ought both more earnestly to be occupyed and more liuely to be moued than that they should nede any other images framed by the witt of men Loe this is the incomparable commoditie of images whiche can by no value be recompensed if we beleue the papistes I thinke I had spoken enough of this thing alreadye but that the Nicene Synode doeth as it were laye hande on me to enforce me to speake more â–ª I meane not that most famous Synode which CoÌ„staÌ„tine the Great assembled but that which was holden eyght hundred yeares ago by the commaundemente and authoritie of Irene the Empresse For