Likewise Augustine whiche withoute douting pronounceth that it is vnlawfull not onely to worship images but also to set vp images to God And yet sayeth he none other thyng but the same which many yeares before was decreed by the Elibertine councel wherof this is the .xxxvi. Chapiter It is ordeined that no pictures be had in the church that the thing which is honored and worshipped be not painted on the wals But most notable is that which in another place Augustine allegeth out of Uarro and confirmeth it with his owne assent that they which first brought in the images of gods both toke away the feare of God and brought in erroure If Uarro alone should say this paraduenture it should be but of smal authoritie Yet ought it of right to make vs ashamed that a heathen man groping in darknesse came to this light to se that bodily images are therfore vnmete for the maiestie of God because they diminish the feare of God and encrease error in men The proufe it selfe witnesseth that this was no lesse truly than wisely spoken But Augustine hauing borrowed it of Uarro bringeth it forth as of his own mind And first he admonisheth that the first errors wherwith men were entangled concerning God beganne not of images but as with new matter added encreased by them Secondly he expoundeth that the feare of god is therefore minished or rather taken away therby because his maiestie may easely in the folishnesse and in the fonde and absurde forging of images grow to coÌ„tempt Which seconde thing I would to god we did not by proufe finde to be so true Whosoeuer therefore will couet to be rightly taught let him elles where learne than of images what is mete to be knowen concerning God Wherfore if the papistes haue any shame let them no more vse thys shyft to say that images are lay mens bokes which by many testimonies of Scripture ar so openly confuted And althoughe I grauÌ„t them so much yet should they not muche get thereby for defense of their idoles What monsters they trust in in the place of God is wel knowen The pictures and images that they dedicate to Saynctes what at they but examples of extreme riot vnclennesse wherunto if any would fashion himselfe he were worthy to be beaten with staues Surely the brotheâ—houses can shewe harlots more chastely and soberly attyred than their temples shewe images of these whom they would haue called virgins Euen as vncomly array geue they to the martirs Lette them therfore fashion their idols at least to some honest shewe of shamefastnesse that they may somwhat more colorably lye in saieng that they are the bokes of some holinesse But if it were so yet then would we answere that this is not the ryght way to teache the faythful people in holy places whom God would haue there instructed with farre other doctryne than wyth these trifles God commaunded in the churches a common doctryne to be set forth to al men in preaching of his woorde and in his holy misteryes whereunto they shew themselues to haue a minde not very hedeful that cast their eies about to beholde images But whom do the Papistes cal lay and vnlearned men whose vnskilfulnesse may beare to be taught only by images â–ª forsoth euen those whoÌ„ the Lord knowledgeth for hys disciples to whom he vouche saueth to reuele the heauenly wisedome whom he willeth to be instructed with the holsome misteries of his kingdom I graunt in dede as the matter standeth that there ar at this day many which cannot be without such bokes But wheÌ„se I pray you groweth that dulnesse but that they are defrauded of the doctrine whiche only was mete to instruct them with For it is for no other cause that they which had the cure of churches gaue ouer their office of teachyng to idoles but because themselues were dumme Paule testifieth that Christ is in the true preaching of the gospel painted out and in amaner crucified before our eyes To what purpose then wer it to haue coÌ„monly set vp in churches so many crosses of wood stone siluer and golde if thys were wel and faythfully beaten into the peoples heads that Christ dyed to beare our curse vpon the crosse to cleanse our synnes with the Sacrifice of hys body and to wash them away wyth hys bloud and finally to reconcile vs to God the father Of which one thyng they might learne more than of a thousande crosses of wood or stone For parhaps the couetous do set their mindes and eyes faster vpon the golden and siluer crosses than vpon any wordes of God As concerning the beginning of idols that is by common consente thought to be true which is written in the boke of wysedome that they were the first authoures of them which gaue thys honor to the ded supersticiously to worship their memorie And truly I graunt that thys euil custome was very auncient and I deny not that it was the fierbrand wherwith the rage of men being kindled to idolatry did more and more burne therin Yet do I not graunt that thys was the fyrst orygynall of thys mischiefe For it appeareth by moses that images were vsed before that this curiositie in dedicatiÌ„g the images of dead meÌ„ whereof the prophane wryters make otfen mention were come in vre When he telleth that Rachel had stolen her fathers idols he speaketh it as of a common fault Wherby we may gather that the wit of man is as I may so cal it a continual worship of idols After the generall floud there was as it were a new regeneracion of the world and yet there passed not many yeares but that men according to their own lust fained them gods And it is likely that the holy patriarch yet liuing his childrens children wer geuen to idolatry so that to his bitter griefe he saw the earth defiled with idols whose corruptions the Lord had but late purged with so horribe iudgement For Thare and Nathâ—r euen before the birth of Abraham were worshippers of false Gods as Iosue testifieth Seing the generation of Sem so sone swarued what shal we iudge of the posteritie of Cham who were already cursed in their father The minde of men as it is full of pride and rashe boldenesse presumeth to imagine God according to her own conceit and as it is possessed with dullnesse yea ouerwhelmed with grosse ignoraunce so it conceiueth vanitie and a fende faÌ„tasie in stede of God And to these euils is added a new mischiefe that man attempteth to expresse in workemanshippe suche a God as he inwardly conceiueth Thus the minde begetteth the idole and the hande bringeth it forth The example of the Israelites proueth that this was the beginning of idolatrie that men do not beleue that God is among them vnlesse he shewe himselfe carnally presente We knowe not saied they what is become of this Moses make vs gods that may go before vs. They knew that there was a God whose
lampes lightned doo shyne in the edifice of the worlde to shew forth the glory of the creatour which do so euery way display their beames vpon vs that yet of them selues they can not bryng vs into the right way In deede they raise vp certaine sparkles but suche as be choked vp before that they can spreade abrode anye full brightnesse Therfore the apostle in the same place where he calleth the ages of the worlde images of thynges inuisible sayth further that by faithe is perceyued that they were framed by the worde of God meaning therby that the inuisible godhed is in dede represēted by such shewes but that we haue no eies to see the same throughly vnles they be enlightued by the reuelation of God through faith And Paule where he teacheth that by the creation of the world was disclosed that which was to be knowen concerning god doth not meane such a disclosyng as may be comprehended by the witte of men but rather sheweth that the same procedeth no further but to make them vnexcusable The same Paule also although in one place he sayth that God is not to be sought afarre of as one that dwelleth within vs yet in an other place reacheth to what end that nerenesse auayleth In the ages past sayth he God suffred the nations to walke in their own waies yet he lefte not hym selfe without testimonie doyng good from heauen geuyng showres and fruitefull seasons fillyng the hartes of men with foode and gladnesse Howsoeuer therfore the Lorde bee not withoute testimonie whyle with his greate and manyfolde bountyfulnesse he sweetely allureth men to the knowledge of hym yet for all that they cesse not to folowe their owne waies that is to say their damnable errours But although we want naturall power wherby we can not clymbe vp vnto the pure and cleare knowledge of God yet bycause the faulte of our dulnesse is in our selues therfore all colour of excuse is cutte away from vs. For we can not so pretende ignorance but that euen our conscience dothe stil condemne vs of slouthfulnesse vnthankfulnesse It is a defence forsoothe right woorthy to be receyued if man will alledge that he wanted eares to heare the truth for the publishyng wherof the very dombe creatures haue lowde voyces yf man shall say that he can not see those thynges with his eyes whyche the creatures without eyes doo shewe hym yf man shall laye for his excuse the feblenesse of his witte where all creatures without reason doo instructe hym Wherfore sithe all thynges doo shewe vs the right way we are worthily put from all excuse of our wanderyng and strayeng out of the way But howe soeuer it is to be imputed to the fault of men that they dooe by and by corrupt the sede of the knowledge of God sowē in theyr mindes by meruailous workemanshyp of nature so that it groweth not to good and cleane fruite yet it is moste true that we are not sufficiently instructed by that bare and simple testimonie that the creatures do honourably declare of goodes glory For so soone as we haue taken by the beholdyng of the worlde a smalle taste of the godhead we leauyng the true God doo in steade of hym rayse vp dreames and fansies of oure owne brayne and doo conuey hyther and thyther from the true fountayne the prayse of ryghtousnes wysedom goodnes and power Moreouer we doo so either obscure or by yll estemyng them depraue his daily doynges that we take away bothe from them their glorye and from the authour his due praise ¶ The .vi. Chapter That to atteyne to God the Creatour it is nedefull to haue the scripture to be our guyde and maistresse THerefore althoughe that same brightnesse which both in heauen and earth shineth in the eies of al men doth sufficiently take away al defense frō the wickednesse of mē euen so as God to wrappe al mankind in one giltinesse doeth shewe his diuine maiestie to al withoute excepcion as it wer portraied out in his creatures yet is it necessary that we haue also an other and a better helpe that may rightly direct vs to the very creator of the world Therfore not in vayne he hath added the light of his worde that therby he mought be knowen to saluacion And this prerogatiue he hath vouchesaued to geue to vs whom it pleased him more nerely and more familiarly to draw together to himselfe For because he saw the mindes of al men to be carried aboute with wandering and vnstedfast motion after he had chosē the Iewes to his peculiar flocke he compassed them in as it were with barres that they should not wander out in vanitie as other did And not withoute cause he holdeth vs with the same meane in the true knowledge of himselfe For otherwise euen they should quickly swarue away that seme to stand stedfast in comparison of other For as olde men or poore blind or they whose eies ar dimme sighted if you lay a faire boke before them though they perceiue that there is somewhat written therin yet can they not reade two words together but being holpen with spectacles set betwen them and it they begin to reade distinctlye so the Scripture gathering vp together in our mindes the knowledge of God whiche otherwise is but confused doeth remoue the mist and plainly shewe vs the true god This therefore is a singular gifte that to the instruccion of his church God vseth not onely dumme teachers but also openeth his owne holye mouth not onely publisheth that there is some God to bee worshipped but also there withal pronounceth that he himself is the same God whō we oughte to worship and doeth not onely teache the electe to loke vpō God but also presenteth himselfe vnto them to be loked vppon Thys order hath he kept frō the beginning towarde his churche beside these common instruccions to geue them also hys worde Whiche is the righter and certainer marke to knowe him by And it is not to be douted that Adam Noe Abraham and the rest of the fathers by this help attained to that familiar knowledge which made them as it wer seuerally differente from the vnbeleuers I speake not yet of the proper doctrine of faith wherwith they wer enlightened into the hope of eternall life For that they myght passe from death to life it was nedefull for them to knowe God not only to be the creatoure but also the redemer as doutlesse they obteined both by the worde For that kinde of knowledge wherby was geuen to vnderstande who is the God by whō the worlde was made and is gouerned in order came before the other and thē was that other inwarde knowledge adioined which onely quickeneth dead soules wherby God is knowen not onely to be the maker of the worlde and the onely authour and iudge of all thinges that are done but also to be the redemer in the person of that mediatour But because I am not yet come to the fal of the world
one then foloweth his reason bycause it is wrytten Hys mercie hath preuented me And his mercie shall followe me It preuenteth manne not willyng to make hym will and it followeth him willyng that he will not in vayne With whome Bernarde agreeth bringing in the church speakyng thus Drawe me in a manner vnwillyng that thou mayste make me willyng drawe me lyeng slouthfull that thou mayest make me runne Nowe let vs heare Augustine speaking in his owne wordes least the Pelagians of our age that is to saye the Sophisters of Sorbon shoulde as they are wonte laye to our charge that all antiquitie is agaynste vs wherein they followe their father Pelagius by whome longe agoe Agustine was drawen forth into the same contention In his booke of Correption and Grace wrytten to Ualentine he entreateth largely that whyche I will reherse shortly but yet doe it in his owne wordes that to Adam was geuen the grace of continuyng in good yf he would and to vs is geuen to will and by will to ouercome concupiscence that he therefore had to be able if he would but not to will that he might be able to vs is geuen bothe to will and to bee able That the firste libertie was to be able not to sinne oures is much greater not to be able to sinne And leaste he should be thought to speake of the perfection to come after immortalitie as Lombard wrongfullly draweth it to that meanyng within a little after he plucketh out this doubt For sayth he the wil of holy mē is so much kindled by the holy ghost that they therfore are able bicause they so will they therefore wil bicause God worketh that they so will For if in so great weaknesse in which yet behoueth the power to be made perfect for repressing of pride their owne will were left vnto them that by the helpe of God they maye if they will and God doth not worke in them to will then amonge so many temptations will shoulde needes fall downe for weakenesse and therfore could not continue Therefore is succour geuen to the weakenesse of mans will that it should be moued without swaruyng or seueryng by the grace of God and therfore shoulde not afinte howe weake so euer it be Then he entreateth more largely howe our heartes doe of necessitie follow the mouing of God that worketh affection in them And he sayeth that the Lorde doeth drawe menne in deede with their owne willes but with suche as he him selfe hath wrought Nowe haue we that thyng testified by Augustines mouth whyche we principally desire to obteyne that grace is not onely offered by God to be receyued or refused at euery mans Free election but also that grace is the same that formeth the electiō and will in the heart so that euery good worke that foloweth after is the frute and effecte thereof and that it haue no other will obeyeng it but the same whiche it hath made For these are also his wordes out of an other place that nothyng but grace maketh eeuery good worke in vs. But whereas he sayeth in an other place that will is not taken awaye by graee but from an euell will turned into a good and holpen when it is good he meaneth onely that manne is not so drawen that without any motion of heart he is carried as by an outwarde impulsion but that he is inwardely so affected that from his very heart he obeyeth That grace is specially and freely geuen to the elect he wryteth thus vnto Boniface We knowe that grace is not geuen to all menne and to them to whome it is geuen it is not geuen accordynge to the merites of workes nor accordynge to the merites of will but of free fauour and to them to whome it is not geuen we knowe that it is by the iuste iudgement of God that it is not geuen And in the same Epistle he strongly fighteth agaynst that opinion that the grace folowyng is geuen to the deseruynges of menne bycause in not refusinge the firste grace they shewed themselues worthy For he will haue Pelagius graunt that grace is necessarie to vs for euery of our doynges and is not geuen in recompense to workes that it maye bee grace in deede But the matter can not be comprehended in a shorter summe than out of the eight chapter of his boke to Ualentine of Correptione and Grace where firste he teacheth that mans will obteyneth not grace by libertie but libertie by grace and that by the same grace by affection of delite printed in him it is framed to continuance that it is strengthened wyth inuincible force that while grace gouerneth it neuer falleth awaye when grace forsaketh it by and by tombleth downe That by the free mercie of God it bothe is conuerted to good and beyng conuerted abideth in it that the direction of mans wyll to good and stedfastnesse after direction hangeth vpon the onely will of God and not vpon any merite of his owne And so to manne is lefte suche a free will if we liste so to call it as he wryteth of in an other place that can neyther be turned to God nor abide in God but by grace and by grace is able all that it is able The fourth Chapter ¶ How God worketh in the heartes of men YT is sufficiently proued as I thynke that man is so holden captiue with the yoke of Sinne that of his owne nature he can neyther aspire by desire nor trauaile by endeuour to goodnesse byside that we haue rehersed a distinction betwene compulsion and necessitie whereby it might appere that when he sinneth of necessitie yet neuerthelesse he sinneth willingly But for asmuch as while he is subiect in bondage to the Deuell he semeth rather to be led by the deuels will than his owne it resteth nowe to be declared of what sorte are bothe kindes of workyng And then is this question to be assoiled whether in euel workes there be any thing to be attributed to God in whiche the Scripture sheweth that there is vsed some working of his In one place Augustine compareth mans will to a horse whiche is ready to be ruled by the will of his ryder and God and the Deuell he compareth to ryders If God sayth he sit vpon it he like a sober and connyng rider gouerneth it temperatly spurreth it forwarde if it be to slowe plucketh it backe if it be to quicke restrayneth the wantonnesse and wildenesse of it tameth the stubbornnesse of it and guideth it into the right way But if the Deuell haue possessed it he like a foolish and wanton rider violently carrieth it through places where no waye is driueth it into diches rolleth it downe steepe places spurreth it forward to stubbornnesse and fearcenesse which similitude we wil for this time be contēted with sithe there cometh not a better in place Where it is sayde that the will of a naturall man is subiect to the rule of the Deuell to be stirred
earnest seale of the inheritance to come wherw t our hearts are sealed vp agaiÌ„st the day of the lord In a suÌ„me sith hypocrites boast of godlines as wel as the true worshipers of god Christ pronouÌ„ceth that at length thei shal be cast out of the place which thei wrongfully possesse as it is said in the psalm Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle The innocent in handes the man of a pure heart Againe in an other place This is the generation of theÌ„ that seke God of them that seeke the face of the God of Iacob And so dothe the Spirite exhorte the faithful to sufferance that thei take it not greuously that the Israelites be mingled with theÌ„ in the Church for at length their visor shal be plucked from them thei shal be cast out with shame The same reason is of the exception euen now alleged where Christ saith that none perished but the sonne of perdition It is in dede an vnpropre speache but yet not darke For he was not accompted among the shepe of Christe for that he was one in dede but bicause he kept the place of one And where in an other place the Lorde affirmeth that hee was chosen with the Apostles that is spokeÌ„ onli in respect of the ministerie Twelue saith he haue I chosen one of them is a Deuel that is he had chosen him to the office of an Apostle But when he speaketh of choosing to saluacion he denieth him far away froÌ„ the numbre of the choosen saieng I speake not of al I know whome I haue choosen If a man do in bothe places confound the word of Choosing he shal miserably entangle himselfe if he make differeÌ„ce nothing is more plaine Therfore Gregory teacheth very ill pestilently when he saith that we know only our calling but are vncertaine of our election wherby he moueth al men to feare trembling vsing also this reasoÌ„ but bicause we know what we be to day but what we shal be we know not But in the place he sufficiently declareth how he stumbled at this blocke For bicause he hanged election vpoÌ„ the merites of works he had mater enough more to discourage the minds of men but he colde not strengthen theÌ„ which did not remoue theÌ„ from theÌ„selves to the affiance of the goodnes of God Herof the faithful haue som taste of that which we haue determined at the begiÌ„ning the predestinatioÌ„ if it be rightly thought vpoÌ„ bringeth not a shaking of faith but rather the best strengthening of it And yet I denie not that the holy ghoste frameth his talke to the smale measure of oure sense As wheÌ„ he saith In the secret of my people thei shal not be in the rowle of my seruants thei shal not be writen As though God did beginne to write in the booke of life them whom he reckeneth in the numbre of his wheras yet we know euen by the witnesse of Christe that the names of the children of God are from the beginning written in the boke of life But in these wordes is only expressed the casting away of them which semed the chefe among the electe as it is saide in the Psalme Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and let them not be written with the righteous But the electe are neither immediatly from the wombe nor al at one time by calling gathered together into the flocke of Christe but as it pleaseth God to distribute his grace to them But ere thei be gathered together to that chefe shepeherd thei are scattered abroad and sâ—ray in the common deserte and differ nothinge from other sauing that they be defended by the singular mercie of God from fallinge into the extreeme hedlong downefall of deathe Therefore if you loke vpon them selues you shall see the offspring of Adam which fauoreth of the coÌ„mon corruption of the whole masse That they be not carried into extreeme and dispeâ—red vngodlynesse this comÌ„eth not to passe by any goodnesse naturally planted in them but bicause the eye of God watcheth and his hand is stretched out to their saluation For thei the dreame that froÌ„ their very natiuitie there is planted in their heartes I wote not what sede of election by the vertue whereof thei are alwaie enclined to godlynes to the feare of God thei both are not holpeÌ„ to proue it by the authoritie of Scripture also are confuted by experience it selfe Thei do in dede bring forth a fewe examples to proue that the elect euen before their enlightning were not vtterly strangers from religioÌ„ that Paul in his being a Pharisee liued vnreprouable that Cornelius was by almes praiers accepted of God such other Of Paul we grant to them of Cornelius wee saye that they are deceiued For it appeareth that he was then already enlightned regenerate so that he wanted nothing but the clere reueling of the Gospel But what wil thei wring out by these fewe examples that al the elect are alway endued with the spirit of godlinesse No more than if a man by shewing the vprightnesse of Aristides Socrates Zenocrates Scipio Curius Camillê° other sholde therof gather that al thei that are left in blindnesse of idolatrie wer desirous folowers of holines honestie Yea and the Scripture in more places than one openly crieth out againste them For the state which Paul describeth of the EphesiaÌ„s before their regeneracioÌ„ sheweth not one grain of this sede Ye were saith he deade with defaultes sinnes in which ye walked according to the time of this worlde according to the prince of the â—yre which now worketh in the obstinate children among whome we all also were somtime conuersant in the lustes of our flesh doing those thinges that liked oure fleshe minde And we were by nature the children of wrath as other also were Again Remembre that ye were somtime wtout hope lacked God in the world Againe Ye were somtime darkenesse but now ye are light in the lord walke as the children of light But paraduenture thei wil haue these thinges to be referred to the ignorance of the true God wherew t thei denie not that the elect are holden before that they be called Albeit this were a shamelesse cauilling sith he therof concludeth that thei ought nowe noe more either to lie or to steale yet what will thei answer to other places as is that place to the Corynthians where when he had pronounced that neither whoremongers nor idolatrers nor adulterers nor weakelinges nor buggerers nor theues nor couetous men shal be heires of the kingedome of God he by by addeth that thei wer wrapped in the same haynous offenses before that thei knew Christ but now that thei are bothe washed by his bloode made free by his Spirit Againe an other place to the Romaines As ye haue geuen your membres bond to vncleannesse to iniquitie
hardy to moue this question whether euer there were any suche Moses or 〈◊〉 But if a manne shoulde calle in doubte whether euer there were any Plato or Aristotle or Cicero who would not saye that suche madnesse were woorthye to bee corrected with strokes and strypes The lawe of Moses hathe been meruaylousely preserued rather by heauenlye prouidence then by diligence of menne And thowgh by the negligence of the Priestes it laye buried a lyttell while yet syns the tyme that the godly kynge Iosias founde it it hath still by continuall succession from age to age ben vsed in the handes of men Neyther did Iosias brynge it foorthe as an vnknowen or newe thyng but suche a thynge as hadde ben euer commonly published and wherof the remembrance was at that tyme famous The originall booke it selfe was appoynted to be sarredly kepte in the temple and a copy written out thereof to remayne with the kepers of the kynges Recordes Onely this had happened that the priestes had ceassed to publyshe the lawe accordyng to the olde accustomed maner and the people them selues had neglected theyr wonted readyng of it Yea there in maner passed no age wherin the establishement therof was not confirmed and renued They that had Dauid in their handes knew they not of Moses But to speake of theÌ„ al at ones it is most certayn that their writings came to posteritie none otherwise but from hand to hand as I may terme it by continual orderly course of yeres deliuered from their fathers which had partly heard them speake and partly while the remembrance was freshe of it dyd lerne of them which herd them that they had so spoken As for that whithe they obiect out of the hystorie of the Machabees to mynishe the credite of scripture it is suche a thyng as nothynge can be deuised more fitte to stablishe the same But first lette vs wipe away the colour that they lay vpon it and then let vs turne vpon them selues the engine that they raise vp agaynst vs. Then Antiochus saye they commaunded all the bookes to be bourned whense are come these copies that we nowe haue On the other side I aske them in what shop they could so sone be made It is euideÌ„t that after the crueltie appeased they were immediatly abrode agayn were without controuersy knowen to be the same of all godly men that hauyng ben brought vp in the doctrine of them dyd familiarly knowe them Yea when all the wicked men beyng as it wer conspired togyther dyd insolently triumphe with reproches vpoÌ„ the Iewes yet neuer was there any that durst lay to their charge false changyng of their bokes For what soeuer they thynke the Iewes religion to be yet still they thinke Moses to be the authour of it What then do these praters els but bewraie their owne more then doggysshe frowardenesse while they falsely saie that these bookes are chaunged and newe put in their places whose sacred antiquitie is approued by consente of all histories But to spende no more laboure vainely in confutynge suche foolishe cauillations let vs rather hereby consyder howe great a care God had for preseruation of his worde 〈◊〉 beyonde the hope of all men he saued it from the outrage of the moste cruell tyrant as out of a present fyre that he endewed the godly priestes and other with so greate constancie that they sticke not to redeeme this booke euen with losse of theyr lyfe if nede were and so to conuey it ouer to posteritie that he disappoynted the narowe searche of so many gouernours and souldiours Who can but acknowledge the the notable and myraculous woorke of God that these scared monumentes whyche the wycked veryly thought to haue bene vtterly destroyed by and by came abroade agayne as fully restored and that with a greate deale more honour For by and by folowed the translatynge of theim into Greke to publyshe theim throughout the worlde And not in thys onely appeared the myraculous woorkynge that God preserued the tables of his couenaunt from the bloudy proclamations of Antiochus but also that among so manyfold miserable afflictions of the Iewes wherewith the whole nation was sometyme worne to a fewe and wasted and laste of all brought in maner to vtter destruction yet they remayned styll safe and exâ—ant The Hebrue tongue lay not onelye vnestemed but almoste vnknowen And surely hadde not been Goddes pleasure to haue his religion prouyded for it hadde peryshed altogether For howe muche the Iewes that were since theyr retourne from exile were swarued from the naturall vse of theyr mother tongue appeareth by the Prophetes that lyued in that age whyche is therefore woorthy to bee noted because by this comparyson the antiquitie of the lawe and the prophetes is the more playnely perceyued And by whome hathe God preserued for vs the doctrine of saluation conteyned in the lawe and the prophetes to the ende that Christe myghte in his appoynted tyme bee openly shewed euen by the moste cruelly bente enemyes of Christe the Iewes whome Saincte Augustine doothe therefore woorthylye calle the keepers of the Librarie of Christian Churche because they haue mynystred vnto vs that thyng to reade wherof theimselues haue no vse Nowe if we comme to the newe Testamente with howe sounde pyllers is the trueth thereof vpholden The three Euangelistes write the hystorie in base and symple speeche Manye prowde menne dooe lothe that symplicitie because they take no heede to the chiefe poyntes of doctrine therein whereby it were easie to gather that they entreate of heauenly mysteries aboue mannes capacitie Surely who so euer haue but one droppe of honest shame will be ashamed yf they rede the fyrste chapiter of Luke Nowe the sermons of Christe the summe whereof is shortly comprised by these three Euangelistes dooe easyly delyuer theyr writynges from all contempte But Ihon thunderynge from on hye those whome he compelleth not to obedience of faythe he throweth downe their stubbournesse more myghtily than any thunderbolt Nowe let come foorth all these sharpnosed faultfinders that haue a great pleasure to shake the reuerence of scripture oute of theyr owne and other mens heartes let them reade Iohns gospell Will they or no they shall there fynde a thousande sentences that may at leaste awaken their sluggishenes yea that may printe a horrible brande in theyr consciences to restrayne their lawhyng The same is to bee thought of Peter and Paul in whose writynges although the more part be blynd yet the very heauenly maiestie in them holdeth all men bounde and as it were faste tyed vnto it But this one thyng doth sufficiently aduance their doctrine aboue the worlde that Mathew being before al geuen to the gaine of his money boorde Peter Iohn brought vp in their fisher boates all grosse vnlearned men had learned nothyng in mens schoole that they myghte deliuer to other Paule not onely from a professed but also from a cruell and blouddy ennemy conuerted to a newe man with sodayne and vnhoped
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
the ende of thys present life From thense did spring vp that consideration whiche the faythfull oftentimes vsed for a comforte of thir miseries and remedie of patience It is but a momente in the Lordes displeasure and life in his mereye Howe did they determine afflictions to ende in a moment that were in affliction in a manner of their life longe where dyd thei espye so longe an eâ—duringe of Godes kindenesse whereof thei scarsely felt any lyttle taste If thei hadde sticked faste vpon the earthe they coulde haue founde no such thing but bicause thei loked vpon heauen thei acknowledged that it is but a moment of time while the Lord exercise his holy ones by the crosse but that his mercies wherein thei are gathered together do last the worldes age Againe they did â—oresee the eternall and neuer endinge destruction of the vngodlye whiche were as in a dreame happy for one daie Wherevpon came these sayinges The remembrance of the righteous shall be in blessing butte the name of the wicked shall rotte Precious is the deathe of the Saintes in the sighte of the Lorde but the deathe of the wicked moste euell Againe in Samuel The Lorde shall keepe the feete of the holy and the wicked shall be put to silence in darkenesse Whiche do declare that thei well knewe that howesoeuer the holy were diuersly carryed aboute yet their laste ende is lyfe and saluation and that the prosperitie of the wycked is a pleasaunt waye whereby thei by little and little slide forwarde into the gulfe of deathe Therefore thei called the deathe of suche the destruction of the vncircumcised as of them from whome the hope of the resurrection was cutte awaie Wherefore Dauid coulde not deuise a more greuous curse than this Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and not be written with the righteous But aboue all other notable is that sayeng of Iob I knowe that my redemer liueth in the last daie I shal rise againe out of the earth and in my fleshe I shall see God my sauioure This hope is layed vp in my bosome Some that haue a mynde to make a shewe of their sharpe witte do cauill that this is not to be vnderstanded of the last resurrection but of the firste daye that Iob loked to haue God more gentle to him whiche although we graunt them in parte yet shall wee enforce them to confesse whether they wyll or noe that Iob coulde not haue come to that largenesse of hope if he had rested his thoughte vpon the earthe Therefore we muste needes confesse that he lifted vp his eyes to the immortalitie to come whiche sawe that his redeemer would be present with him euen lyeng in his graue For to them that thinke only of his present life death is their vttermost desperation whiche very death coulde not cutt of Iobs hope Yea though he kill me said he neuerthelesse I will still hope in him And let no trifler here carpe against me and saie â–ª that these were the sayenges but of a fewe whereby ys not proued that suche doctrine was among the Iewes For I wyll by and by answer him that these fewe dyd not in these sayenges vtter any secret wisedome wherevnto onely certayne excellente wittes were seuerally and priuately suffred to atteine â–ª but that as thei were by the holy Ghoste apointed teachers of the people so they openly published those misteries of God that were to be vniuersally learned and ought to be the principles of the common religion among the people Therefore when we heare the publike oracles of the holy Ghoste wherein he spake of the spirituall lyfe so clerely and plainely in the Churche of the Iewes it were a pointe of vntolerable stubbournesse to sende them away only to the fleshly couenant wherin is mention made of nothing but earth and earthly wealthinesse If I come downe to the latter Prophetes there wee maye freely walke as is oure owne felde For yf it were not harde for vs to gett the vpperhande in Dauid Iob and Samuel here it shall be muche more easye For God kepte this distribution and ordre in disposinge the couenant of hys mercye that howe muche the nearer it drewe on in processe of tyme to the full perfourmance thereof with so muche greater encreasementes of reuelation hee dyd daye by daie more bryghtly shewe it Therefore at the beginning when the firste promise of saluation was made vnto Adam there glystered oute but as it were smale sparkles of it After hauinge more added vnto it a greater largenesse of light began to be put forth whiche from thense fourth brake out more and more and displayed her bryghtnesse farther abroade till at length all the cloudes were dryuen awaye and Christe the sonne of righteousnesse fully lyghtned the whole woorlde We neede not therfore to feare that wee fayle of testimonies of the Prophetes if we seeke them to proue oure cause but bicause I see that there wyll aryse a huge deale of matter wherevpon I shoulde bee constrained of necessytie to tarrye longer than the proportioâ— of my purpose maye beare for it woulde so growe to a worke of a great volume and also bicause I haue already by those thinges that I haue saide before made plaine the waye euen for a reader of meane capacitie so as he maye goe forwarde wythoute stumbling therefore I wyll at this present absteine from long tediousnesse whyche to do ys no lesse necessarie but geuing the readers warning before hande that they remembre to open theyr owne waye with that key that we haue fyrste geuen them in theyr hande That is that so ofte as the Prophetes speake of the blessednesse of the faithfull people whereof scarscely the leaste steppes are seen in this present life thei maye resorte to this distinction that the Prophetes the better to eâ—presse the goodnesse of God did as in a shadow expresse it to the people by temporall benefites as by certaine rough drawing of the portraiture therof but that the perfect image that thei haue painted therof was suche as might rauish mens myndes out of the earh and out of the elements of this worlde and of the age that shal perishe and of necessitie rayse it vp to the considering of the felicitie of the lyfe that ys to come and spirituall We wyll be content with one example When the Israelites being carryed awaye to Babylon sawe their scattering abroade to be like vnto deathe they coulde hardely be remoued from thys opinion that they thought that al was but fables that Ezechiel prophecied of their restitution bicause thei reckened it euen all one as if he had tolde them that rotten carcases shoulde be restored againe to lyfe The Lorde to shewe that euen that same difficultie coulde not stop him from bringing hys benefite to effect shewed to the Prophete in a vision a field full of due bones to the which in a moment with the onely power of hys worde he restored
those places of Scripture to accorde very well together where it is saide that God declared his loue towarde vs in this that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne to deathe and yet that he was oure enemie till he was made fauourable againe to vs by the deathe of Christe But that they maie be more strongly proued to them that require the testament of the olde Churche I will allege one place of Augustine where he teacheth the very same that we do The loue of God saith he is incomprehensible and vnchangeable For he beganne not to loue vs sins the time that wee weare reconciled to him by the bloode of his sonne But before the making of the worlde he loued vs euen before that we weare any thynge at all that we myght also be his children wyth hys onely begotten Sonne Therefore whereas wee are reconciled by the deathe of Christe it is not so to be taken as thoughe the Sonne dyd therefore reconcile vs vnto hym that he myghte nowe beginne to loue vs whome he hated before but we are reconciled to him that already loued vs to whome we weare enemies by reason of sinne An whether this be true or no that I saie let the Apostle bâ—are witnesse Hee dothe commende saith he his loue towarde vs bicause when wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs. He therfore had a loue to vs euen theÌ„ when we weare enemies to hym and wroughte wickednesse Therefore after a maruellous and deuine mannner he loued vs euen then when he hated vs. For he hated vs in that we weare suche as he had not made vs and bicause oure wickednesse had on euery syde wasted awaie hys woorke he knewe howe in euery one of vs bothe to hate that whiche we oure selues had made and to loue that whiche he had made These be the wordes of Augustine Nowe where it is demaunded howe Christe hathe done away our sinnes and taken away the strife betwene vs and God and purchased suche righteousnesse as mighte make him fauourable and well willing towarde vs it maie be generally answered that he hathe brought yt to passe by the whole course of hys obedience Whiche is proued by the testimonie of Paule As by one mans offense many wer made synners so by one mans obedience wee are made righteous And in an other place he extendeth the cause of the pardon that deliuereth vs from the curse of the lawe to the whole life of Christe saying When the fulnesse of tyme was come God sente his sonne made of a woman subiecte to the lawe to redeeme them that were vnder the lawe And so affirmed that in his very baptisme was fulfilled one part of righteousnesse that he obediently dyd the coÌ„maundement of his father Finally from the time that he toke vpon him the person of a seruant he beganne to paye the raunsome to redeeme vs. Butte the Scripture to sette oute the manner of oure saluation more certainely doothe ascribe this as peculiar and proprely belonginge to the deathe of Christe Hee hym selfe pronounced that hee gaue hys lyfe to bee a redemption for many Paule teacheth that hee dyed for oure synnes Ihon the Baptiste cryed oute that Christe came to take awaye the synnes of the woorlde bycause hee was the Lambe of God In an other place Paule saith that we are iustified freely by the redemption that is in Christ bycause he is set forth the reconciler in his owne bloode Againe that we are iustified in his bloode and reconciled by his deathe Againe â–ª He that knewe no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be the ryghteousnesse of God in him I will not recite all the testimonies bicause the mimbre woulde be infinite and many of them muste bee hereafter alleged in their order Therefore in the summe of belefe whiche thei call the Apostles creede it is very ordrely passed immediatly from the byrthe of Christe to his deathe and resurrection wherein consisteth the summe of perfecte saluation And yet is not the reste of his obedience excluded whiche hee perfourmed in his life as Paule comprehendeth it wholye from the beginninge to the ende in sayinge that he abaced him selfe taking vpon him the forme of a seruant was obedient to his father to death euen the death of the crosse And truely euen in the same death his willing submission hath the firste degree bicause the sacrifice vnlesse it had ben willingly offred had nothing profited toward righteousnesse Therfore where the Lord testified that he gaue his soule for his shepe he expressly addeth this no man taketh it awaye from my â—elfe According to that which meaning Esaie saith that he helde his peace like a lambe before the sherer And the historie of the Gospel reherseth that he went forth and met the souldiers and before Pilate he left defending of him selfe and stode still to yelde him selfe to iudgement to be pronounced vpon him But that not without some strife for bothe he had taken our infirmities vpon him and it behoued that his obedience to his father shoulde be this way tried And this was no sclender shew of his incomparable loue towarde vs to wrastle with horrible feare in the middest of these cruell tormentes to cast awaie all care of hymselfe that he might prouide for vs. And this is to be beleued that there could no sacrifice bee well offered to God any otherwise but by this that Christe forsaking all his owne affection did submitte and wholy yelde himself to his fathers will For proofe whereof the Apostle dothe fyttly allege that testimonie of the Psalme In the booke of the lawe it is written of me that I may doe thy will O God I will thy lawe is in the middest of my heate Then I saide Loe I come But bicause trembling consciences finde no reste but in sacrifice and washing whereby sinnes are cleansed therefore for good cause we are directed thither and in the deathe of Christe is a appointed for vs the matter of lyfe Nowe forasmuche as by oure owne gyltinesse curse was due vnto vs before the heauenly iudgement seate of God therefore fyrste of all is recited howe hee was condenmed before Ponce Pilate presidente of Iurie that wee shoulde know that the punishement wherunto we weere subiecte was iustely layde vpon vs. Wee could not escape the dreadfull iudgement of God Christe to deliuer vs from it suffred himselfe to be condemned before a mortall man yea a wicked and heathen man For the name of the president is expressed not onely to procure credit to the historie but that we shoulde learne that whiche Esaie teacheth that yâ— chastisemente of our peace was vpon him and that by his stripes wee weare healed For to take awaie oure damnation euery kinde of deathe sufficed not for him to suffer but to satisfye oure redemption one speciall kynde of deathe was to bee chosen wherein bothe drawinge away oure damnation to himselfe and takyng
any deseruyng choseth to his sonnes whom he wil reiecting refusing other But the matter may thus be opened that men maye be more fully satisfied They aske howe it coÌ„meth to passe that of two betwene whome no deseruing putteth any difference God in his electing passeth ouer the one taketh the other I on the other side do aske them whether thei thinke that in him that is taken there is any thing that may make the minde of God to encline toward him If thei confesse as thei needes must that there is nothing it shal folow that god loketh not vpoÌ„ maÌ„ but froÌ„ his owne goodnesse fetcheth a cause why to do good to him Wheras therfore God chooseth one maÌ„ refusing an other this coÌ„meth not of respect of man but of his mercie alone whiche ought to haue libertie to shew forth and vtter it self where and wheÌ„ it pleaseth him For we haue in an other place also shewed that there were not from the beginning many called noble or wise or honorable that God might humble the pride of flesh so far is it of that his fauor was bouÌ„d to persones Wherfore many do falsly wickedly accuse God of partial vnrighteousnesse for that he doth not in his predestination kepe one self course toward al men If say thei he finde a gilty let him egally punish all yf he finde them vngilty let him witholde the rigor of his iudgement from all But so they deale with him as if eyther mercie were forbidden him or when he would haue mercie he be compelled altogether to geue ouer his iudgement What is it that they require if all be gilty that al may together suffer all one peyne We graunt the giltinesse to be coÌ„mon but we say that the mercie of God helpeth some Let it help all say they But we answer that it is rightfull that he should also in punishing shew himself a rightfull iudge When they suffer not this what do they els but eyther goe about to spoyle God of his power to haue mercie or al leaste to graunt it him vpon this condition that he vtterly geue ouer his iudgmeÌ„t Wherfore these sayengs of Augustine do very wel agree together Sithe in the first man the whole masse of mankinde fell into condemnation these vessels that are made of it to honor are not the vessels of their own righteousnesse but of the mercie of God wheras other are made to dishonor the same is not to be imputed to vnrightfulnesse but to iudgement c That to those whom he reâ—useth God reÌ„dreth due peyne to those whome he calleth he geueth vndeserued grace that thei are deliuered from al accusation after the manner of a creditor in whose power it is to forgeue to the one and aske of the other Therfore the Lord also may geue grace to whoÌ„ he wil bycause he is mercifull geue it not to all bicause he is a iust iudge He may by geuing to some â–ª that which they do not deserue shew his free grace and by not geuing to all declare what all deserue For wheras Paule wryteth that God enclosed all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all it is therewithall to be added that he is dettor to no man bicause no maÌ„ first gaue to him that he may require like of him This also they often say to ouerthrowe predestination that while it standeth all carefulnesse and endeuor of well doyng falleth awaye For whoe say they shall heare that eyther life or death is certainely apointed for him by the eternall decree of God but that it will by and by come into his minde that it maketh no matter how he behaue himself sithe the predestination of God can by his worke be nothing hindered or furthered So shal al men dissolutely throw forth theÌ„selues and after a desperate manner runne hedlong whether their lust shall carrie them And verily they say not altogether falsly for there be many swine whiche with filthy blasphemies defile the doctrine of predestination and by this pretense also do mocke out all admonishmentes rebukynges sayeng God knoweth what he hath ones determined to do with vs if he haue decreed our saluation he wil bring vs to it at the time apointed if he haue predestinate our death we shold trauaile in vaine to the contrarie But the Scripture when it teacheth with how much greater reuerence and religiousnesse we ought to think of so great a misterie doth both instruct the godly to far other sense and well coÌ„fute these mens outrage For it doth not speake of predestinatioÌ„ to this ende that we should be encouraged to boldnesse and with vnlawful rashnesse atteÌ„pt to searche the vnattained secretes of God but rather that beyng humbled and abaâ—ed we should learne to treÌ„ble at his iudgement reuerently to loke vp to his mercie To this mark the faithfull wil leuell theÌ„selues As for that filthy groyning of swine it is well confuted of Paul They say that they goe carelesly forward in vices bicause if they be of the nuÌ„ber of the elect their vices shal nothing hinder them â–ª but that they shal at length be brought to life But Paul telleth that we be to this ende that we should leade a holy and faultlesse life If the marke of that electioÌ„ is directed vnto be holinesse of life it ought more to awake and sturre vs vp cherefully to practise that holinesse than to serue for a clokyng of slouthfulnesse For howe greatly do these thinges differ the one from the other to cesse froÌ„ well doyng bicause election sufficeth to saluatioÌ„ and that the apointed end of election is that we should applie our selues to the endeuor of good doynges Away therfore with such sacrileges which do wrongfully misturne the whole order of electioÌ„ Where they stretch their blaspemies further when they say that he whiche is reprobrate of God shal lose his labor if he goe about to make himselfe allowable to him with innocencie and honestie of life therein they are taken with a most shamelesse lie For whense could such endeuor come but of election â–ª For whosoeuer be of the nuÌ„ber of the reprobate as they are vessels made to dishonor so they cesse not with continuall wicked doynges to prouoke the wrath of God agaynst themselues and by euident tokens to confirme the iudgement of God whiche is already pronounced vpon them so far be they from striuyng with him in vaine But other do maliciously and shamefully sclaunder this doctrine as though it did ouerthrow al exhortatioÌ„s to godly liuing For which matter in olde time Augustine was burdened with a greate malice which he wiped away with his boke of Correption and Grace written to Ualentine the redyng whereof will appease al godly and tracâ—able men yet I wil touch a fewe thinges which as I trust shall satisfie them that be honest and not contentious We haue already seen how open and lowde a preacher of the free election Paule was was
prate that in confirmation is geuen a greater encrease of vertues than in Baptisme By the laying on of handes the Apostles distributed the visible graces of the Spirit In what thing do these mens fat liquor shewe it selfe fruiteful But away with these qualifiers that couer one sacrilege with many sacrileges It is like the Gordian whiche it is better to breake in sonder than to labor so much in vndoing it But now when they see themselues destitute of the word of God and probable reason they pretend as they are wont that it is a most auncient obseruation and stablished by consent of many ages Although that were true yet they wynne nothing thereby A Sacrament is not from the earthe but from heauen not from men but from God alone They must proue God to be the authour of their confirmation if they wil haue it taken for a Sacrament But why do they obiect antiquitie whereas the olde writers when they mynde to speake properly doo no where recken moe Sacramentes than twoo If a fortresse of our faith were to be sought from men we haue an inuincible tower that the old Fathers neuer acknowleged those for Sacramentes which these men do lyengly faine to be Sacramentes The olde writers speake of the laying on of handes but do they cal it a Sacrament Augustine plainly affirmeth that it is no other thing than praier Neither let them here bark against me with their stinking distinctions that Augustine meante that not of the layeng on of handes vsed to confirmation but whiche was vsed to healing or reconciliation The boke remaineth and is abrode in the hādes of mē If I wrest it to any other sense than Augustine himself wrot it I giue them leaue after their ordinarie maner to oppresse me not onlye with rayling but also with spitting at me For he speaketh of thē that returned from Schisme to the vnitie of the Chirch He denieth that thei neded to be newlye baptized for he sayth that the layeng on of handes sufficeth that by the bonde of peace the Lord maye geue them the Holye ghost But for asmuche as it might seeme an absurditie that the layeng on of handes should be done of new rather than Baptisme he sheweth a difference For sayth he what other thing is the layeng of handes than prayer vpon a mā And that this is his meaning appeareth by an other place where he sayeth Hande is layed vpon heretikes amended for the coupling of Charitie which is the greatest gifte of the Holy ghost withoute whiche whatsoeuer holye thynges are in mann they a uayle not to saluation But I would to God we did kepe still the maner whiche I haue said to haue been in the old tyme before that this vntimely deliuered image of a Sacramēt was borne not that it should be such a confirmatiō as they faine which can not ones be named without iniurie to Baptisme but a catechizyng whereby children or they that were nere to the age of discretion didde declare an accompt of their faith before the Chirch But it should bee the beste manner of Catechizing if a forme were written to that vse conteinyng and familiarly setting oute a summe in a maner of al the articles of our religion in which the whole Chirch of the faithful ought without controuersie to agree that a chylde beyng ten yeres olde shoulde offer himselfe to the Chirch to declare a confession of his faithe should be examined of euery article and answer to euery one if he were ignorant of any thing or did not vnderstande it he might be taught So shoulde he before the Chirche witnessing and beholding it professe the onely true and pure faithe wherewith the people of the faithfull dothe with one minde worship the one God If this discipline were at this day in force truly the slouthfulnesse of some parentes would be whetted who do carelesly neglect instruction of their children as a thing nothing belonging to them whiche then withoute open shame they could not omitte there should be among christian people a greater consent of faith and not so great ignorance and rudenesse of many some should not bee so rashly carried away with new and strāge doctrines finally all should haue as it were a certayne orderly instruction of christian learning Of Penance In the next place they set Penance of which they entreate so confusely and disordredly that consciences can beare away no sure or sounde thing of their doctrine We haue alreadye in an other place declared at large what we had learned out of the Scriptures concerning repentance and then what they also teache of it Now we haue this onely to touch what reason they had that raised vp the opinion which hath heretofore reigned in Chirches and schooles that it is a Sacramente But first I will brefely saye somwhat of the vsage of the olde Chirche the pretense whereof they haue abused to stablishe their fayned inuention This order they kepte in publike penance that they whiche had fully done the satisfactions enioyned them were reconciled with solemne laying on of handes That was the Signe of absolution whereby both the sinner him selfe was raised vp before God with truste of pardon and the Chirch was admonished gently to receyue him into fauor putting awaye the remembrance of his offence This Cyprian oftentimes calleth to geue peace That this doing mighte bee of greater dignitie and haue more commendation among the people it was ordeined that the Bishops authoritie shold alway be vsed for the meane herein Frō hense came that decree of the secōd councel at Carthage Be it not lawful to a prest at the Masse publikely to recōcile a penitēt And an other decree of the coūcel at Arausiū Let those which in time of their penāce departout of this life be admitted to the Cōmuniō wtout the laieng on of hādes vsed in recōciling if they recouer of their sicknesse let them stand in the degree of penitētes whē the time is fully expired let them receiue of the Bishop the laiēg on of handes vsed in recōciling Againe the decree of the thirde councel at Carthage Let not the prest without the authoritie of the Bishop recōcile a penitent All these tēded to this end that the seueritie which they woulde haue to be vsed in the behalf should not with to much lenitie grow in decay Therfore they willed the Bishop to be iudge of it which was likely that he would be more circūspect in the examinatiō thereof Howbeit Cyprian in a certaine place sheweth that not only the Bishop but also the whole Clergie layed their handes on him For thus he sayth At the ful tyme they do penance then they come to the Communion and by the layeng on of handes of the Bishop and the clergie they receiue power to partake of the Communion Afterwarde by processe of tyme it came to this poynt that beside publike penance they vsed this ceremonie also in priuate absolutions Hereupon came that distinction
more louynge tendernesse Therfore where he mindeth to teache that he is not inmeasurable in takyng punishmentes he reprocheth to the hard hearted obstinate people that beyng striken yet they make not an ende of sinning In this meaning he complaineth that Ephraim was as a â—ake scorched on the one side and rawe on the other bycause the corrections did not pearce into their mindes that the people hauynge their vices boyled out might be made mete to receyue pardon Truely he that so speaketh sheweth that so sone as a man hath repented he wil by and by become appeasable and that by our stifnesse he is enforced to that rigour in chastisyng of faultes which should haue ben preuented with willyng amendement Yet forasmuch as we all are of suche hardnesse and rudenesse as vniuersally needeth chastisemeÌ„t it semed good to him beyng a most wise father to exercise al without exception with a coÌ„mon scourge al their life long But it is maruelous why thei so cast their eyes vpon the only example of Dauid and are noâ— moued with so many examples in which they might haue beholden free forgeuenesse of sinnes It is read that the Publicane weÌ„t out of the temple iustified Their folowed no peyne Peter obteyned pardon of his offence his teares we reade sayth Ambrose his satisâ—actioÌ„ we reade not And the man sicke of the Palsey heard it spoken to him Rise thy sinnes are forgeuen thee There was no peyne layed vpon him Al the absolutions that are rehearsed in the Scripture are set out as geuen freely Out of this great number oâ— examples a rule shoulde rather haue ben gathered than of that only example that conteyneth in it a certaine speciall matter Daniel in his exhortation wherin he counselleth Nebuchadnezer to redeme his sinnes with righteousnesse and his iniquities with pitieng of the poore his meanyng was not to saye that righteousnesse mercie are satisfactorie appeasementes of God redemption of peines for God forbidde that there were euer any redemption sauinge only the bloud of Christ but to referre this word Redeming rather to men than to God as if he had sayd O king thou hast vsed an vnrighteous and violent gouernement thou hast oppressed the humble thou haste spoyled the poore thou haste hardly and vniustly handled thy people for thy vniust exactions for thy violence and oppression nowe render to them mercie and righteousnesse Likewise Salomon sayth that with charitie the multitude of sinnes is couered not before God but among men theÌ„selues For thus is the whole verse Hatred raiseth vp contentions but charitie couereth all iniquities In whiche verse as his manner is he doth by waye of comparison of contraries compare the euels that growe of hatreds with the frutes of charitie in this meanyng they that haâ—e together do one byte barke at reproche and rayle at an other and turne all thinges to the worst but they that loue together doe dissemble many thynges amonge themselues doe wynke at many thinges and pardon many thinges one to the other not that the one alloweth the others faultes but beareth with them and helpeth them with admonishyng rather than galleth them with reprochyng them And it is not to bee doubted that Peter allegeth this place in the same sense vnlesse we will accuse him of deprauyng and wrongfully wrestynge the Scripture But whereas he teacheth that sinne is purged with mercifulnesse and liberalitie he doth not meane that recompense is therewith made for sinne before the face of the Lord so that God beyng appeased by suche satisfaction dothe release the peyne that otherwise he would haue layed vpon them but after the accustomed manner of the Scripture he declareth that they shall finde him merciefull vnto them that leauyng their former vices iniquities do turne to him by godlinesse and truthe as if he should say that the wrath of God doth cesse and his iudgement rest when we cesse from our euell doynges Neither doth he there describe the cause of pardon but rather the manner of true conuersion As many times the Prophetes doe declare that Hypocrites doe in vayne pester God with forged ceremonious vsages in stede of repentaÌ„ce whereas it is vprightnesse of life with the duties of charitie that deliteth him As also the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes coÌ„mending liberalitie gentlenesse teacheth that such sacrifices please God And when Christ tauÌ„ting the Pharisees that geuing hede only to cleansyng of dishes they neglected the cleannesse of the heart coÌ„maunded them to geue almes that all might be cleane he dyd not thereby exhorte them to make satisfaction but only teacheth what manner of cleannesse pleaseth God Of whiche kinde of speach we haue entreated in an other place As touching the place of Luke no maÌ„ that hath with sound iudgement read the parable that the Lord did there recite will make vs any controuersie therupon The Pharisee thought with himselfe that the lord did not know the woman which he had so easily receiued into his presence For he thought that Christ wold not haue receiued her if he had knowen her such a sinner as she was And thereby he gathered that Christ was not a Prophet that might in suche sorte be deceyued The lord to shewe that she was no sinner to whom her sinnes were alredy forgeuen dyd put out this parable There were two dettours to one creditour vpoÌ„ vsurie the one ought fifty the other ought fyue hundred bothe had theyr dettes forgeuen them Whether oweth more thanke the Pharisee answered he to whome moste is forgeuen The Lorde replyed learne hereby that this womaÌ„s sinnes are forgeuen her bycause she hath loued muche In whiche wordes as you see he maketh not her loue the cause but the profe of the forgeuenesse of her sinnes For they are deriued vpoÌ„ a similitude of that â—ettour to whome fyue hundred was forgeuen to whome he dyd not saye that therefore it was forgeuen bycause he had loued muche but therefore loued muche bycause it was forgeuen And hereunto muste that similitude bee applyed in this sorte Thou thynkest this woman to be a sinner but thou oughtest to knowe that she is none suche for asmuch as her sinnes be forgeuen her And that her sinnes be forgeuen her her loue ought to proue vnto thee whereby she rendreth thanke for his benefite It is an argument gathered of the folowyng effect whereby any thinge is proued by signes ensuyng By what meane she obteyned forgeuenesse of sinnes the Lord openly restifieth Thy fayth sayth he hath saued thee Therefore we obteyne forgeuenesse by fayth By charitie we geue thankes and testifie the bountiefulnesse of the Lord. As for those thinges that are commonly founde in the bookes of olde wryters concerning satisfactioÌ„ they litle moue me I see in deede that many of theÌ„ I wil speake plainely in a manner al whose bokes remayne haue eyther erred in this point or spoken to crabbedly and hardely but I will not graunt that
they were so rude and vnskilfull as to haue wrytten those thynges in that sense that the newe Satisfactionars do reade thē Chrysostome in one place writeth thus wher mercie is required examination cesseth where mercie is asked iudgement is not rigorous where mercie is craued there is no place for peine where is mercie there is no inquisition Where is mercie the answer is pardoned Whiche wordes howsoeuer they be wrested yet thei cā neuer be made to agree with the Scholemens doctrines In the boke of Ecclesiastical doctrines whiche is fathered vpō Augustine is red thus Satisfactiō of repentance is to cut of the causes of sinnes not to graunt an entrie to their suggestions Whereby appereth that the doctrine of satisfaction that was sayd to be geuen in recompense for sinnes committed was euen in those times laughed to scorne for asmuch as they referre all satisfactiō to a heedefulnesse in absteining from sinnes in time to come I will not allege that whiche the same Chrysostome sayth that he requireth of vs no more but that we shold confesse our sinnes vnto him with teares sithe suche sentences are many times founde in his wrytinges and others Augustine in deede in some places calleth the workes of mercie remedies to obteine forgeuenesse of sinnes but bicause no mā shuld stūble at that litle word he himself preuenteth it in an other place The flesh of Christ sayth he the true only sacrifice for sinnes not only these sinnes y◠are wholly put away in baptisme but also these that afterward crepe in by weaknesse for whiche the whole church crieth out at this day Forgeue vs our trespasses And they are forgeuen by that singular sacrifice They haue for the most part called satiffaction not a recompense to be rendred to God but an open declaratiō wherby they that had ben excōmunicate when they would be receiued agayne to the cōmunion did assertayne the church of their repentance For there weare enioyned vnto them when they did repēt certayne fastings other things whereby they might perswade men that they weare truely hartily wery of their former life or rather blot out the remembrance of their former doynges so they were sayd to make satiffaction not to God but to the Church Which is also expressed of Augustine in these words in his Enchirrdion to Laurēce Out of that auncient custome the cōfessions and satisfactions that are at this day vsed toke their beginning Truely very viperous birthes by whiche is brought to palle that there remayneth not so much as a shadowe of the better forme I know that the old writers doe sometime speake somewhat hardly and as I sayd euen now I do not denie that paraduenture they erred herein But those things that weare besprinkled with a few spots when thei are ones handled with these mens vnwashed handes are altogether defiled And if we must contend with authoritie of old wryters good God what olde writers do they thrust vnto vs A good part of those wherwith Peter Lombard their chāpion hath botched vp his patched Sentēces is gathered out of the vnsauorie dotages of certaine mōkes that are caried about vnder the name of Ambrose Hierome Augustine and Chrysostome As about this present questiō he taketh in a manner all out of Augustines boke of Repentāce which is foolishly botched of good and bad by some scraper together It beareth in deede the name of Augustine but such a boke as no man beyng but meanely learned would vouchesaue to acknowlege for his But wheras I do not so narrowly examine their follies let the readers pardon me whom I wold ease of that tediousnesse For to me it shuld not be very laboursome yet very plausible to bewray to their great shame those thinges that they haue heretofore bosted vpon as misteries but bycause my purpose is to teache frutefully therefore I passe them ouer The fifte Chapter ¶ Of the suppliynges whiche they adde to satisfactions as pardons and purgatory OUt of this doctrine of satisfactions do flowe indulgēces or pardons For they say that that which our power wāteth to make satisfaction is supplied by these pardōs And thei runne so far forth into madnesse that they define thē to be the distributiō of the merites of Christ of the martirs which Pope dealeth abrode by his bulles But although they haue more neede of Helleborus to purge their frētike braine thā argumētes to answer thē so that it is not much worthy that trauaile to stand vpō confuting such triflyng errors which are already shakē with many battelrammes and of them selues growe into decaied age and bende toward falling yet because a short confutation of them shal be profitable for some that be ignoraunt I will not altogether omitte it As for this that pardons haue so long stand safe and haue so long ben vnpunished hauing ben vsed with so outragious and furious licētiousnesse this may serue to teache vs in how darke a night of errors men in certaine ages past haue ben drowned They sawe them selues to be openly vncoloredly scorned of the Pope and his Bulbearers gainful markettes to be made of the saluation of their soules the price of saluatiō to be valued at a few pence and nothing set out to be frely geuen that by this colour they be wyped of offringes to be filthely spent vpon brothels bawdes and bankettinges that the greatest blowers abrode of pardons are the greatest despisers of them that this mōstre doth dayly more and more with greater licentiousnesse ouerrunne the worlde grow into outrage and that there is no ende newe lead dailye brought and new mony gotten Yet with hye reuerence they receiued they worshipped and bought pardons and suche as among the rest sawe somewhat farther yet though thē to be godly deceiptes wherby mē might be beguiled with some profit At the length sins the world suffred it selfe to be somwhat wiser pardons waxe colde and by litle and litle become frosen till they vtterly vanishe awaye But for as muche as many that se the filthy gaming 's the deceiptes theftes and robberies wherwith the pardoners haue heretofore mocked and begiled vs yet se not the very fountaine of ungodlynesse from whence they spring it is good to shewe not only of what sort pardons be but also what they be when they are wyped from all spottes They call the treasure of the churche the merites of Christe and of the holye Apostles and Martyrs The principal custody of this barne as I haue already touched thei fame to be deliuered to the byshop of Rome that he should haue the distribution of so great giftes that he might bothe geue them by him selfe and also graunte iurisdiction to other to geue them Hereupon procede frō the Pope somtime plenarie pardons some pardons for certain yeares from the Cardinalles pardons for a hundred dayes from Byshoppes pardons for forty daies But they be as I may naturally describe them the profaning of the bloude of Christe Sathans