God and ye shal be my people And yet in an other place we read that the offering of sacrifices that externall action of the people in worshipping god was acceptable and of a sweet smelling sauour in the nose of the lord Now wheruppon riseth this diuersitie I pray you but vppon the difference of the mindes of them that worship the Lord For sacrifices pleased him the honour that was done vnto him in simple obedience faith alone did please him too but that religion hée did vtterly mislike of wherin he was worshipped with outward shewes and not with the fayth and sincere obedience of the inwarde hart in which sort we read that Cain did sinne for God commaunded not to sacrifice in that maner that Cain did Againe he commaunded to sacrifice and to worship him with external ceremonies in faith that Christ shuld come to be the Sauiour of the world not that they should hope to be iustified by the externall action but by him that was prefigured in al their Ceremonies Christe Iesus the sacrifice once to be offered to saue them all who was the life and meaning wherunto all those Ceremonies did leade that are expressed in the lawe But it is not a misse here particularly to examine and looke into not al and euery one but the chiefest Ceremonies and those which are more significant than the rest Let this labour of mine not séeme to any man to bee more curious than needeth or lesse profitable than it sheweth for For it is vndoubtedly very auaileable to the sound vnderstanding of the abrogation of the lawe All thinges whatsoeuer God hath layd downe in the holy scriptures are altogether profitable to our edification and doe carrie with them a diuine authoritie wherby we may coÌ„firme our minds they therfore are very fooles and godlesse people or to vse a more gentle terme they are shuttle witted ignoraÌ„t of all good things whose stomachs doe rise at the Ceremonies that God hath taught and whose eares are offended to heare a sober godly treatise vpon the exposition of those diuine ceremonies Some there are that no smal number who thincke it very profitable and an excellent thing to construe Homer and Virgil allegoricallie in diuine Ceremonies only foolish heads are persuaded that no profite or wisedom lyeth secretly hidden when in déede in all the world againe ther is nothing more profitable more pleasant more fine more excellent or more full of wisedome in allegoricall types than the ceremonies are that God hath ordeyned For in them are the mysteries of Christe his Catholique Church very finely plainely and notably described Now in reckoning vp and touching these seueral ceremonies I wilchiefly follow the very natural order Ceremonies doe apperteyne to the Ecclesiastical worship of god Therfore it is necessarie that there should bee persons appointed in the Church to bee the maisters or rather publique ministers of those Ceremonies to exercise and put them in practise as the Lord ordeyned them It is necessarie also that there be a certaine place and time appointed wherein and when God should be especially worshipped rather than at an other place or season moreouer the holy rites that is the very ceremonies must be appointed and certainly numbered that the worshippers of god may know what and how great y honour is that they are bound to giue vnto him And first of al I meane to say somewhat of the persons that is the priests or Leuits referring stil the hearers to the reading of the holy Bible wherein the whole is fully conteyned and largely described The beginning of priesthood among the old people is deriued or brought from the creatioÌ„ almost For they say that in euery familie the first begotten were alwayes the priestes It is certaine that when the first borne of Aegypt were flaine the Lord did by a lawe consecrate to himselfe the first begotteÌ„ of the Israelits And the preeminence or dignitie of the first begotten hath alwayes béene very great by the Ciuil lawe The first begotten did alwayes rule and beare the sway in his fathers house and was as it were a king amonge his brethren to the first begotteÌ„ the inheritance was due to the other brethren were portions giuen the first begotten did excel the rest in the dignitie of the priesthood Therefore when Cain and Abel did striue about their birthright they coÌ„tended not about a trifle but about a matter of very great weight Whervpon when the mother virgin is said in Luke to haue borne her first begotten sonne let no man thinke that she was the mother of the second begotten or many sonnes more For in that Luke calleth Christ her first begotten sonne therein is noted his dignitie and excellencie For to Christ our Lord doth belong the kingdome priesthood and inheritance By whose bouÌ„tiful liberalitie wée are adopted to be his parteners both in the kingdome priesthood and inheritaunce of life euerlasting and all heauenly thinges But to returne to oure purpose againe the dignitie of priesthood amonge the people of Israel did of right belong to Ruben because hee was the first begotten But he by committing detestable inceste did loose his righte Next to him therfore was Leui who also loste that dignitie for the sinne which he coÌ„mitted in killing the men of Sichem trayterously and prophaning the sacrament of Circumcision But because the tribe of Leui did behaue it selfe manfully not onely in the bringing of the children of Israel out of Aegypt but also in punishing idolaters I meane the men that worshipped the golden calfe therefore did they receiue the office or dignitie of priesthood in reward of their vertue and at that time were the Leuits chosen into the place of the first begotten of all the séed of Israel For thus wée read And Moses said vnto the Leuites Consecrate your handes vnto the Lord this day euery man vppon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may a blessing bee giuen you this day And againe And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Behold I haue taken the Leuites from amonge the children of Israel for all that first openeth the matrice amonge the children of Israell and the Leuites shal be mine Because all the first borne are mine For the same daye that I smoate all the first borne in the land of Aegypt I hallowed to mee selfe all the first borne in Israel And so forth By this it appeareth that the tribe of Leui was appointed to the priesthood in the Church of Israel Moreouer this dignitie or ministerie was singularly confirmed to this Tribe immediately vppon the insurrection of Corah Dathan and Abiron by the wonderfull myracle that the Lord wrought vppon Aarons rodd which budded alone among the other eleuen twigs for a witnesse that god had appointed the tribe of Leui alone to the office and function of holy priest â—ood And for that cause was the same rodd put into the arcke and kept
pageants I do not alledge all this as Canonical Scriptures but as proofes to declare that Princes in the primatiue church had power officiall authoritie and a vsuall custome graunted by God as Esai did prophecie and deriued from the examples of auncient kinges to commaund bishops and to determine of Religion in the Church of Christ As for them which obiect the churches priuilege let them knowe that it is not permitted to any prince nor any mortal man to graunt priuileges contrarie to the expresse cōmaundemēts and verie truth of gods word S. Paul affirmed that he had power giuen him to edifie but not to destroy I am the briefer because I wil not stād to proue that they are vnworthie of indifferent priuileges which are not such as priestes and Christ his ministers should be but are souldiers rather and wicked knaues full of all kind of mischiefe Amonge other thinges in the Canon Lawe Distinct 40 wée finde this written See to your selues bretherne how ye sitte vppon the seate for the seat maketh not the priest but the priest the seate the place sanctifieth not the man but the man the place Euerie priest is not a holie man but euery holie man is a priest Hée that sitteth wel vpon the seate receiueth the honour of the seate but he that sitteth ill vppon the seate doth iniurie vnto the seate Therfore an euil priest getteth blame by his priest hoode and not any dignitie And thus much thus farre touching this matter Since now that I haue declared vnto you déerely beloued that the care of religion doth belong to the magistrate too and not to the bishopps alone that the magistrate may make lawes also in cases of religion it is requisite that I inquire what kinde of lawes those are that the magistrates may make in matters of religion There is no cause whie the king or magistrate should suppose that power is giuen to him to make newe lawes touching God the worship of God or his holie mysteries or to appoint a new kind of true iustice and goodnesse For as euery magistrate is ordeyned of God and is Gods minister so must hée be ruled by God and be obedient to Gods holie word and commaundement hauing euermore an eye vnto that and depending stil vppon that alone The scripture which is y word of God doth abundauntly enough set downe al that which is proper to true religion yea the Lord doth flatly forbidde to adde too or take any thing from his holy word The magistrate therefore maketh no newe lawes touching God and the honour to be giuen to God but doth religiously receiue and kéepe doth put in vre and publish those auncient lawes in that kingdome which God hath allotted him vnto For hereunto apperteineth the giuing of the booke of Gods law vnto the kinges of Israell that they might learn therby the way to do the things which they of duetie ought to sée done To Iosue the Lord doth say See that thou doest obserue doe according to all the law that Moses my seruaunt commaunded thee Thou shalt not tourne from it either to the righte hand or to the left Neither shall the booke of this lawe depart out of thy mouth but occupie thy minde therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt do wiselie Deuout and holie Princes therefore did doe their faithfull diligent indeuour to cause the word of God to be preached to the people to reteine and preserue among the people the lawes ceremonies and statutes of god yea they did their best to spread it to al men as farre as they could and as place and time required to applie it holilie to the states persons on the other side they were not slack to banish driue away false doctrine prophane worshipings of God blasphemies of his name but settled themselues vtterlie to ouerthrow and roote it out for euer In this sort I say godly magistrates did make and ordeine deuoute lawes for the maintenaunce of religion In this sort they bore a godlie and deuout care for matters of religion The cities which the Leuites had to possesse were of old their scholes of Israel Now Iosue did appoint those cities for studies sake and the cause of godlines King Ezechias was no lesse carefull for the sure paiment and reuenue of the ministers stipēds than hee was for the restoring and renuing of euerie office For honour and aduauncemēt maketh learning to flourish when néede and necessitie is driuen to séeke out sondrie shiftes beggarie setteth religion to sale much more the inuented lyes of mens owne mouthes Iosaphat sendeth Senatours and other officers with the priestes and teachers through al his kingdome For his desire was by all meanes possible to haue Gods word preached with authoritie and a certaine maiestie and being preached to haue it defended and put in vre to the bringing forth of good workes King Iosias doth together with idolatrie and prophane worshippinges of God destroy the false priestes that were to be found setting vppe in their stéeds the true teachers of Gods word and restoring againe sincere religion euen as also king Ioas hauing rebuked the Leuites did repaire the decayed buildings of the holie temple I am not able to runne through all the Scriptures and rehearce al the examples in them expressed let the Godly Prince or magistrate learne by these fewe what and how hée ought to determine touching lawes for religion On the other side Ahia the Silonite saith to Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord Thou shalt reigne according to all that thy soule desireth and shalt be king ouer Israel And if thou hearken vnto all that I commaunde thee and wilt walke in my wayes and doe that is right in my sight that thou keepe my statutes and my commaundements as Dauid my seruaunt did then will I be with thee build thee a sure house But the wretch despised those large promises and reiecting Gods word his temple at Ierusalem and his lawfull worship refusing also the Leuites hée made him priestes of the dregges and rascall sort of people hée built himself new temples which hée decked nay rather disgraced with images and idolls ordeyning and offering sacrifices not taught in Gods woord by that meanes inuenting a certain new kind of worshipping god and a new maner of religion And although his desire was to séeme to be willing to worshippe God yet is he by God condemned for a wicked man Hearken I pray the sentence of the Lord which hee denounceth against him Thou hast done euil saith Ahia as the Lord had taught him aboue all that were before thee For thou hast gone and made the other Gods and moultē images to prouoke mee and hast cast mee behinde thy backe Therefore I will bring euill vppon the house of Ieroboam and wil roote out from Ieroboam euen him that pisseth against the wall
167 5 Adam begat a sonne in his owne similitude c. 500 6 I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life c. 715 8 I will set my raine-bowe in the cloudes that when I sée it I may remember c. 957 9 The eating of beastes or anye thinge that liueth and moueth is graunted c. 385 9 The Lord rayned vpon Sodom and Gomor brimston and fire c. 633 9 Whatsoeuer maÌ„ it be of the house of Israel or of the strangers c. 385 12 Pharao the king of Aegypt coÌ„maunded Sara Abrahams wife to be taken and caried to his palace c 231 14 Giue mée the soules and take the substance or goods to thy self c. 755 16 And she called the name of the Lord which spake vnto her Thou God lookest on me c. 743 16. Hast thée to Zoar and saue thee selfe there for I can do nothing c. 640 17 I will make my couenaunt betwéene mée and thée and thy séed after thée in their generations c. 1051 17 The vncircumcised man child in whose flesh the foreskinne is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people c. 1041. 1046 18 Abraham sawe thrée but with them thrée he talked as with one worshipped one c. 633 18 Wilt thou destroy the iust with the wicked That be farre from thee c. 520 18 And shal I hide from Abraham what I minde to do c. 3 20 Loe thou shalt die because of the womaÌ„ which thou hast taken away c. 232 22 In thy séede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed c. 545 645. 687. 22 God tempted Abraham c. 485 30 Giue me children or else I die c. 658 30 Am I in Gods stéede whiche hath denied thée or withholden froÌ„ thée the fruite of the wombe c. 658 33 And hée going before them bowed himselfe seuen times to the ground c. 649 34 Sichem defiled Dina the daughter of Iacob c. 235 39 Ioseph beeing prouoked to adulterie by his maisters wife c. 232 44 Ye wil bring my gray haires with sorrow to hell or the graue c. 65 48 Leâ— my name be called vppon them c. 655 ¶ Out of Exodus 3 THus shalt thou saye to the childreÌ„ of Israel The Lord God of our fathers the God of Abraham c. 612 3 And Moses said to God Behold when I come vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel to whom thou doest nowe send me and shal say vnto them c. 608 4 Euery manchild whose foresain shall not be circumcised shal be cutt off c. 1029 4 And GOD hardened Pharaos heart c. 493 4 A bloudie husband art thou vnto mée c. 1044 6 I am Iehouah And I appeared to Abraham Isaac Iacob as God Schaddai but in my name Iehouah I was not knowen vnto them c. 611 9 I haue now sinned the Lord is iust but I and my people c. 493 12 When your children shall saye vnto you what meaneth this worship c. 160. 364 13 Sanctifie to mée al the first borne c. 160 17 Whosoeuer sacrificeth to any God c. 200 18 Looke ouer all the people consider them diligently and choose c. 175. 389. 894 19 Talke thou with vs wée will heare but let not God talke c. 870 19 Moses the holy seruant of God is commaunded to sanctifie the people c. 19 19 Sett boundes vnto the people round about the mounteine and say vnto them Take héed to your selues c. 606 20 Thou shalt not bow down nor worship them c. 650 21 Hee that curseth father or mother c. 153 21 The punishment of that kinde of thefte whiche the Lawyers call Plagium 272. 278 22 Thou shalt not haue to do with a false report c. 390 22 If any man shall giue to his neighbour a beast to kéepe c. 131 22 Restitution is flatly commanded of the Lord in the Law c. 280 22 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue c. 197 22 Thou shalt not afflicte the widowes nor fatherlesse children c. 158. 509. 23 Thou shalt not followe a multinide to do euill c. 194 23 Thrice in the yeare shall euery male appeare before the Lord c. 352 30 Whosoeuer shall make for him selfe a composicion or perfume of incense to smell therew c. 658 31 Ye shall kéepe my Sabbâ—â—hes because it is a signe c. 144 32 And Moses said vnto the Leuites Consecrate your handes c. 331. 33 Thou canst not sée my face For no man shall see mée and liue c. 607 616. 34. Behold I will send mine Angel before thee to kéepe thee in the way c. 741 ¶ Out of Leuiticus The chiefest Chapiters of Leuiticus are expounded in the Sermon of the Ceremoniall Lawes 6 CHarge giuen to the priests to kéepe the holy fire alwayes burning c. 368 7 Touching vowed sacrifices or sacrifices offered by couenaunt c. 379 10. Thou and thy sonnes that are with thee shall drincke neither wine nor c. 336 10 The sonnes of Aaron burnt scorâ—â—hâ— vpp with fire from heauen for offering straunge fire c 962 11 Of the cleane and vncleane creatures c. 382 12 13. 14 15. 16. Touching cleansing sacrifices for bodily deâ—ilinges 373. 13 The priestes did iudge betwixt cause and cause and betweene cleane and vncleane c. 338 17 Whosoeuer of the house of Israel shall kill an oâ—e or a sheepe c. 344. 3. 7. 17. 19. The eating of bloud and strangled is forbidden c. 385 18 The abhominable sinne of Sodomie medling with beastes also is plainely forbidden c. 236 19 Ye shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgement c. 194 19 Ye shall not steale ye shall not lye no man shall deale c. 273 19. Ye shall do no vnrighteousnes in iudgement true balances true weightes c. 270 20 Of the punishment of adulterie 236 20 Of the punishment of incest 236 20 A lawe against Sodomie 236 20 The soule that worketh with a spirite or that is a Southsayer shal die c. 755 22 Let no deformitie be in the thing that thou shalt offer c. 368 24 Of the punishment of such as blasphemed Gods name c. 129 26 I wil smite you for your sinns seuen times c. 936 27 Of vowes c. 380 ¶ Out of Numerie 3 ANd thou shalt giue the Leuites vnto Aaron to his sonnes c. 232 3 The Leuits shall kepe all the instruments of the tabernacle c. 338 6 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying speake vnto Aaron and his sonnes saying On this wise ye shal blesse the children c. 336 6 Touching the discipline of the Nazarites c. 380 10 The trumpets wherewith the congregation was called together were in the Leuites hands c. 338 11 Gather vnto me threescore and tenne men of the elders of Israel
saued Laste of all that that shal most assuredly light vpon the vngodly and the godly what so euer the holy Scriptures doe eyther threaten or promise Out of all these definitions there-fore being diligently considered we maye according to the Scriptures make this description of fayth Fayth is a gift of God poured into man froÌ„ heauen whereby he is taught with an vndoubted persuaâ—ioÌ„ wholy to leane to God and his word â–ª in which word God dothe freely promise life and all good things in Christe and wherein all trueth necessarie to be beleeued is plainly declared Whiche description of fayth I will by Gods helpe in this that followeth vnfolde into partes and by assertion of places out of the Scriptures will bothe confirme and make manifest vnto you Ye as hytherto ye haue done so still giue diligent care and in your heartes praye earnestly to God. First of all the cause or beginning of fayth commeth not of any man or any strength of man but of God him selfe who by his holy spirite inspireth fayth into our hearts For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth No man commeth to me vnlesse my father drawe him And againe fleshe and bloude sayth the Lorde to Peter confessing Christ in true faith hath not reuealed this to thee but my father which is in heauen Whervnto the Apostle Paul alludeth when he sayth We are not able of ourselues to thinke any thing as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And in another place To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake Fayth therefore is poured into our hearts by God who is the welspring and cause of all goodnesse And yet we haue to consider here that god in giuing and inspiring faith dothe not vse his absolute power or miracles in working but a certaine ordinarie meanes agréeable to mans capacitie although he can in déed giue fayth without those meanes to whom when and howe it pleaseth him But we reade that the Lord hath vsed this ordinarie meanes euen from the first creation of all things Whome he meaneth to bestowe knowledge and faith on to them he sendeth teachers by the worde of God to preache true fayth vnto them Not bycause it lyeth in mans power wil or ministerie to giue fayth nor bicause the outward worde spoken by mans mouth is able of it selfe to bring fayth but the voice of man and the preaching of Gods worde do teache vs what true fayth is or what God dothe will and commaunde vs to beléeue For God him selfe alone by sending his holy spirite into the hearts and myndes of men dothe open our hearts persuade oure myndes and cause vs with all oure heart to beléeue that which we by his worde and teaching haue learned to beleeue The Lorde could by miracle from heauen without any preaching at all haue bestowed fayth in Christe vpon Cornelius the Centurion at Cesaria but yet by an Aungell he dothe sende him to the preaching of Peter And while Peter preacheth God by his holy spirite worketh in the hearte of Cornelius causing him to beléeue his preaching Verily Sainte Paule sayth Howe shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard How shall they heare without a preacher And howe shall they preache if they be not sent So then fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God. In another place also Who is Paule sayth he or what is Apollos but ministers by whome ye haue beleeued according as God hath giuen to euery one I haue planted Apollos watred but God hath giuen increase So then he that planteth is nothing nor he that watreth but God that giueth increase With this doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul doth that agrée which Augustine writeth in the Preface of his booke of Christian doctrine where he sayth That whiche we haue to learne at mans hande let euery one learne at mans hande without disdaine And let vs not goe about to tempte him in whom we beleeue neyther being deceiued let vs thinke scorne to goe to Churche to heare or learne oute of bookes looking still when we shal be rapt vp into the thirde heauen Let vs take héede of such like temptations of pride and let vs rather haue this in oure myndes that euen the Apostle Paul him selfe although he were cast prostrate and instructed by the calling of God from heauen was neuerthelesse sent to a maÌ„ to be taught the will of God and that Cornelius although God had heard his praiers was committed to Peter to be instructed by whome he should not only receiue the Sacramentes but shoulde also heare what he ought to beleue what to hope for and what to loue all which things notwithstaÌ„ding might haue bene done by the Angell c. The same Augustine also in his Epistle to the Circenses saith Euen he worketh conuersion and bringeth it to passe who by his ministers doth warne vs outwardly with the signes of thinges but inwardly doth by himself teach vs with the very things themselues Also in his treatise vpon the 26. of Iohn What doe men saith he when they preach outwardly What doe I now while I speake I driue into your eares a noise of words but vnlesse he which is with in doe reueale it what say I or what speake I He that is without doth husband the tree but he within is the creator of it c. This said he But euen as the Lorde his desire is to haue vs beleue his worde for the Prophet crieth out and saith To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your harts So in like maner he doth require of vs al which heare his word that we be not slacke in praying For in hearing the worde of God we must pray for the gifte of faith that the lord may opeÌ„ our harts coÌ„uert our soules breake and beate downe the hardnes of our mindes and increase the measure of faith bestowed vpon vs Of this order of prayer there are many examples in the holy scriptures WheÌ„ the Lorde in the gospell sayde to one Canst thou beleue to him that beleueth all things are possible He made aunswere saying I beleue lord helpe thou mine vnbeliefe The Apostles also cry to the Lord and say O Lorde increase our faith Moreouer this praier wherin we desire to haue faith powred into vs is of the grace gifte of God and not of our owne righteousnesse which before God is none at all This therefore is lefte vnto vs for a thinge most certaine and vndoubtedly true that true faith is the mere gift of god which is by the holy ghost from Heauen bestowed vpon our mindes and is declared vnto vs in the worde of trueth by teachers sent of God and is obtained by earnest praiers which cannot be tyred Whereby we learne that we ought often and attentiuely to heare the word of God and neuer cease to praye to God for the obtayning of true faith But that
I may surely fasten in euery ones mynde and that all may vnderstand what fayth is I repeate it here againe and therwithall conclude this Sermon Fayth is a gifte of God powred into man from Heaue wherby he is taught with an vndouted persuasioÌ„ wholie to leane to God and his word in which word God in Christ doth freely promise life and euery good thing and wherin al truth necessary to be beleued is plainly declared Let vs all pray to God our father through his only begotteÌ„ Sonne our Lord Iesus Christe that hee will vouchsafe from Heauen to bestowe true fayth vppon vs all that wee by it knowinge him a righte may at the laste obtayne life euerlasting Amen That there is one onely true Fayth and what the vertue thereof is ¶ The fifth Sermon BEinge cutte of with the shortnesse of tyme and deteyned by the excellencie of the matter I could not in my last sermon make an end of al that I had determined to speake touching Fayth now therefore by the grace of the holy spirite I will adde the rest of the argument which seemeth yet to be behind Pray to the Lorde that that which by mans voyce is brought to your eares may by the finger of God be written in your hartes True Fayth is ignorant of all diuision for there is sayth the Apostle one Lorde one Fayth one Baptisme one God and Father of all For there remayneth from the beginning of the worlde euen vnto the ende therof one and the same fayth in all the electe of god God is one and the same for euer the onely Well of all goodnesse that can neuer be drawne drie The trueth of God from the beginning of the worlde is one and the same set forth to men in the word of god Therfore the obiect and foundatioÌ„ of faith that is God and the worde of God remaine for euer one and the selfe same In one and the selfe same fayth with vs haue al the elect euer since the first creation of the worlde beléeued that vnto vs through Christ all good things are fréely giuen and that all truth necessary to be beleued is declared in the word of the Lord wherfore the faithful of the olde world haue alwayes set led their faith on God and his worde so that now without all doubte there caÌ„not be any more theÌ„ one true faith I know very well that in the world there are soweb many and sundrye faythes that is to say religions For there is the Indian fayth the Iewish fayth the fayth of the Mahometists the fayth of the Georgians yet not withstaÌ„ding ther is but one true Christian fayth the abridgement whereof is conteyued in the articles of our beleefe and is taught at the full in the sacred Scriptures of both the Testaments I know also that there are sundry beliefes of men resting vpon sundry things and beleuing that which is contrary to true faith but yet neuerthelesse there remaineth but one true beliefe in God and his worde which is an vndoubted persuasion and confidence of things most true and assuredly certaine This confidence doth grow with increase in the mindes of the faithfull contrarily decreaseth againe and vtterly faileth And for that cause the Apostles besought the lord saying Lord increase our faith And Paul the Apostle doth in his writings euery where wish to the faithful the increase of the spirite and faith Dauid also before him prayed saying O God create a cleane harte within me and take not thy holy spirite from me For he had séene how that from Saule whom he succéeded in the kingdom the good spirite of God was departed and that in stéede therof the wicked spirit had entred into his minde which tormented him very pitifully Here vnto belongeth that saying in the gospel To euery one that hath shall be giuen and from him that hath not shal be taken away that which he hath not or that he maketh no accompt of and shal be giuen to him that hath Neither was it in vain that the Lord said to Peter I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth faile not For Paul speketh of some in his time that made shipwracke of their owne â—aith and ouerthrew the faith of other And to what ende I praye you doe we dayly heare the worde of God and make our humble petitions to the Lord but bycause we looke for increase of godlinesse and request his ayde to keepe vs that we fall not from true fayth verily Paul to the Thessalonians sayth We pray earnestly daye and night to see you personally and to supply that which is wanting in your fayth And a little before he sayde For this cause I sent Timotheus that I might be certiâ—â—ed of your fayth least by any meanes the tempter had tempted you and so our labour had ben of no effect The same Apostle also in his epistle to the Ephesians sayth Christe gaue some Apostles some Prophetes some Pastours and teachers to the restoring of the Saintes vnto the building of the body of Christ vntill we all meete together in the vnitie of fayth and the acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of age of the fulnesse of Christ so that now we be no longer children Therfore so long as we liue we learne that our fayth may be perfect and if so be at any time it shall be weakned by temptations that then it may be repayred and againe confirmed And in this diuersitie I meane in this increase and weaknesse of fayth there is no partition or diuision for the selfe same roote and substance of fayth doth alwayes remayne althoughe it be at sometime more and at somtime lesse In like manner fayth is not therefore changed nor cut in sunder â–ª bicause one is called generall fayth and another particular fayth For generall faith is no other then that whiche beleeueth that al the words of God are true and that God hath a good will to mankind Particular fayth beléeueth nothing contrarie to this onely that whiche is coÌ„mon to al the faythful applieth particularly to him selfe beleeuing that God is not well minded towarde others alone but euen vnto him also So then it bringeth the whole into parts and that which is generall into particularities For whereas by generall fayth he beléeueth that all the wordes of God are true in the same sorte by particular fayth he doth beléeue that the soule is immortall that our bodyes rise againe that the faythfull shall be saued the vnbeléeuers destroyed and whatsoeuer else is of this sort taught to be beléeued in the word of god Moreouer the disputation touching faith that is poured into vs and fayth that we our selues get touching formall fayth and fayth without fashion I beléeue to be beaten out of them whiche of them selues do bring these newe disputations into the Churche True faith is obtained by no strength or merite of man but is powred into him of
writings alledge out of the prophets The same Paul also saith The life which now I liue in fleshe I liue by faith in the son of god who loued me and gaue him self for me Faith ioyneth vs to the eternal chief goodnesse so maketh vs to inioy the chief goodnes that god may dwell in vs we in god For the Lorde Iesus him self in the Gospel saith He which eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me I in him As the louing father sēt me so also I liue by the father he that eteth me shal liue by me But to eate drink the Lord is to be léeue in the Lord the he hath giuē him self to death for vs Whervpon Iohn the Apostle saith We haue seene do witnesse that the father hath sent the son the sauiour of the world Whosoeuer shal confesse that Iesus is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and he in God. Wherfore also Paul saide I liue now not I but Christ liueth in me Moreouer faythe dothe iustifie But for bycause the treatise thereof can not be fitlye and fullye made an ende of this houre I meane to deferre it till the next Sermon that shall be At this present dearely beloued ye must remember that there is but one true fayth that is the Christian fayth For although there be said to be many fayths that is religions yet notwithstanding there is onely but one true and vndoubted fayth And that dothe increase and againe decrease in some men As for those in whom it is rightly and godly obserued in them it sheweth foorthe sundry vertues For it bringeth with it true wisedome finally it quickneth and maketh vs blessed and happy in déede To God the father the authour of all goodnesse and of our felicitie be all prayse and glory throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde for euer and euer Amen That the faithfull are iustified by fayth with out the lawe and workes ¶ The sixte Sermon BEing readye here dearely beloued to speake vnto you of fayth whiche without workes dothe iustifie them that beléeue I call vpon the Father whiche is in heauen through his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde beséeching him to open my mouth and lippes to the setting foorthe of his prayse and to illuminate your hearts that ye acknowledging the great benefite of God may become thankfull for it and holy in déede And first of all I will speake certaine things chiefly necessarie to this argument or treatise touching this terme of iustification The terme of iustifying very vsuall and common among the Hebrues and of a large signification is not at this day so wel vnderstoode of all men as it ought to be To iustifie is as muche to say as to quite from iudgement and from the denounced and vttered sentence of condemnation It signifieth to remit offences to cleanse to sanctifie ▪ and to giue vtterance of life euerlasting For it is a lawe terme belonging to courts where iudgement is exercised Imagine therefore that man is set before the iudgement seate of God and that there he is pleaded guiltie to wit that he is accused and conuinced of hainous offences and therefore sued to punishment or to the sentence of condēnation Imagine also that the sonne of God maketh intercession and commeth in as a meane desiring that vpon him may be layde the whole fault and punishment due vnto vs men that he by his death may cleanse them and take them away setting vs frée from death and giuing vs life euerlasting Imagine too that God the most highe and iust iudge receiueth the offer and trāslatet◠〈◊〉 punishment together with the fault from vs vnto the necke of his sonne making therwithall a statute that whosoeuer beléeueth that the son of God suffered for the sinnes of the world brake the power of death and deliuered vs from damnation shoulde be cleansed from his sinnes and made heire of life euerlasting Who therefore can be so dull of vnderstanding but maye perceiu◠that mankinde is iustified by fayth But that there may be no cause of doubt or darkenesse left in the mynde of any man that which I haue already spokē generally by the parable and similitude fetched from oure common lawe I will here particularly bring into certaine partes confirming and manifestly prouing euery one of them seuerally out of the holy Scriptures so that euen to the stoutest wittes the power of fayth and worke of iustification may be most euident And first I will shew vnto you that this terme of iustification is taken in this present treatise for the absolution and remission of sinnes for sanctification and adoption into the number of the sonnes of god In the .xiij. of the Actes the Apostle Paule sayth Be it knowne vnto you men and brethren that through this Lord Iesus Christ is preached vnto you the forgiunesse of sinnes and by him all that beleeue are iustified frō al things from which they could not be iustified by the law of Moses Sée in Christe is preached vnto vs the forgiuenesse of sinnes and he that beleueth that Christ preched forgiueth sinnes is also iustified It followeth therefore that iustification is the remission of sinnes In the fifth Chapter to the Romanes saythe the same Apostle Being iustified by the bloud of Christ we shall be saued from wrath through him But the bloud of Christ washeth away sinnes Iustification therefore is the washing away or forgiunesse of sinnes And againe in the same Chapter saythe he more plainly Iudgement entred by one offence vnto condemnation but the gifte of many sinnes vnto iustification He maketh iustification the contrarie to condemnation therfore iustification is the absolution and deliuerie from condemnation What say ye to this moreouer that he dothe plainely call iustification a gifte that is the forgiuenes of sinnes Herevnto also belong those words of his Euen as by the sinne of one condemnation came on all men so by the righteousnesse of one good came vpon all men to the iustification of life Here again is the iustification of life made the contrarie of condemnation vnto death set as a peine vpon our heads bycause of the transgression iustification of life therefore is an absolution from sinnes a deliuerie from death a quickning or translating from death to life For in the fourth to the Romanes the same Apostle expoundeth iustification by sanctification and sanctification by the remission of sinnes For intreating of fayth whereby we are iustified or whiche God imputeth to vs for righteousnesse without workes he sayth Euen as Dauid also dothe expounde the blessednesse of that man to whome the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuē and whose sinnes are couered What coulde be more plainely spoken then this For he doth euidently expounde iustification by sanctification and sanctification by the remission of sinnes Furthermore what else is sanctification but the adoption whereby we are receiued into the grace and number of the
S. Mathew instructinge Ioseph sayth Mary shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes So then this sonne of God Iesus is the sauiour of the worlde who forgiueth sinnes and setteth vs free from al the power of our aduersary the deuil Which verily he could not do vnlesse he were very god Hee is also called Christ which is all one as if you saye Annoynted The Iewes cal him Messias Which word is a title proper to a kingdome or priesthoode For they of olde were wonte to annointe their kinges priestes they were annoynted wyth external or figuratiue oyntment or Oyle But very Christ was annoynted with the very true oyntement that is wyth the fulnes of the holy ghoste as is to be seene in the firste third Chapters after S. Iohn Moste properly therfore is this name Christ attributed to our lord For first he is both kinge and prieste of the people of god Then the holy Ghost is powred fully by all meanes and abundantlye into Iesus from whom as it were by a liuely fountayne it floweth into all the members of Christ For this is that Aaron vppon whose heade the Oyle was powred which ranne downe to his bearde and the nethermost skirts of his garment For of his fulnes we haue all receyued The last thinge that is to be noted now in this secōd Article is the we cal the sonne of God our lord The sonne of God verily is for two causes properly called our lord First in respect of the mysterie of our redēption For Christ is the Lord of all the electe whom hee hath deliuered from the power and dominion of Satan sinne and death and hath made them a people of his owne getting for himselfe This similitude is taken of Lordes which wyth theyr monye buy slaues for theyr vse or els which in warres reserue captiues whō they myght haue slaine or which deliuer men condemned from present death So then by this Lords are as it were deliuerers redéemers or sauiours Hereunto verily alludeth Paul where he sayth Ye are bought with a price become not therefore the seruauntes of men And S. Peter saith Ye are redeemed not vvith golde and siluer but with the precious bloud of the vnspotted Lambe Moreouer Christe is called Lord in respect of his Diuine power and nature by which all things are in subiectiō to the sonne of god And for because this word Lord is of a very ample signification as that which conteyneth both the diuine nature and maiestly wee see that the Apostles in theyr writinges vse it very willingly Paule to the Corinthians sayth Although there be many Lords yet haue we but one Lord Iesus Christ by whom all thinges are wee by him Now the third Article of Christian fayth is this Which vvas conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie In the seconde article wee haue confessed that wee beleeue in Iesus Christe the sonne of God oure Lorde wherein wee haue as it were in a shadow confessed that wée beléeue assuredly that God the father hath for vs our Saluation giuen to the world his sonne to be a Sauiour and redéemer For hitherto belōg those names Iesus and Lord. Now therefore in this thirde Article I haue to declare the maner and order how he came into the world to wit by Incarnation This article contayneth two things The Conception of Christe and his Natiuity Of both which I will orderly speake after that I haue brieflye declared vnto you the causes of the Lord his Incarnation Men were in a miserable takinge and all mankinde should vtterly haue perished for sinne which wée haue all drawne from the first mā Adam For the reward of sinne is death And for that cause wée that were to be caste into hell could not enter into heauen vnlesse the sonne of God had descēded vnto vs and becomming God with vs had with himself drawne vs into heauen Therefore the chiefe cause of his incarnation is to be a mediatour betwixte God and men and by intercession to ioyne or bring into one thē that were seuered For where a mediatour is there also must needes bée discord and parties The parties are God and men The cause of this discord is sinne Nowe the office of the Mediatour is to bring to agréemente the parties disagréeing which verilye cannot be done vnlesse that sinne the cause of this variaunce be takē cleane away But sinne is neyther clensed nor taken away except that bloud be shed and death do follow This witnesseth Paule in his 9. Chapter to the Hebrewes The mediatour oughte therefore to take on him our flesh and bloud that hée might both dye shead his bloud Furthermore it is needefull that this Aduocate or mediatour be indifferently common to both the parties whom he hath to reconcile wherfore our Lord Christ ought to be very God and very man If hée had béene God alone then should hée haue béene terrible to men and haue stoode them in litle stéede If hée had béen méere man then could hée not haue had accesse to God which is a consuming fyre wherfore our Lord Iesus Christ being both God and man was a fitte mediatour for both the parties Which thing the Apostle witnessing sayth One God and one mediatour of God and men the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe the price of redemption for all The same Apostle in the 2 and 9. Cap. to the Hebrewes speaketh many things belonging to this place And in the seconde Chapter rehearsinge an other cause of Christ his incarnatiō he saith It became him in althings to be made likevnto his bretheren that he might be merciful and a faithful high priest in thinges concerninge God for to purge the peoples sinnes For in that he himselfe was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted An other cause wherfore our Lord was incarnate was that hée mighte instruct vs men in all Godlinesse and righteousnes finally that hée mighte be the light of the world and an ensample of holy lyfe For Paule sayth The grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto vs teaching vs to renounce vngodlines and to liue holilie To conclude hée therfore became one wyth vs by the participation of nature that is to say it pleased him to be incarnate for this cause that hée might ioyne vs againe to God who for sinne were seperated from God receiue vs into the fellowship of himselfe and all other his goodnes beside The nexte is for vs to declare the manner of his incarnation This article of fayth standeth on two mēbers The first is He was conceiued by the holy ghoste Al wée men Christe excepted ace conceyued by the seede of man which of it selfe is vncleane and therefore wée are borne sinners and as Paule sayth Wee are borne the sonns of wrath But the body of Christ I saye our Lord was not conceiued in
the Virgin Marie by Iosephe or by any seede of man but by the holie ghoste not that the holy ghoste was in place of the seede For nothinge is begotten of the spirite but what is spirituall Neyther hath our Lorde a phantasticall but a very true body and of the same substance with vs So then our Lord was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin by the holie ghost For the holie ghost by his eternall power did bring to passe that the virginitie of the Virgine mother beinge vncorrupted shee I say being made with child cōceiued of her owne bloud and gaue a pure and verye humane bodie to the sonne of god As is declared at large by the Angell Gabriel in the first cap. after S. Luk. Of which place because I meane to speake else where more largely I do now passe it ouer vntouched God himselfe streight wayes after the verie beginninge of the worlde did foretel that such should be the manner of that cōception For he said not the seede of the man shal tread downe the Serpents heade but the seede of the woman Moreouer the Lord by the Prophets sayth I will rayse vp seede to Dauid But Moses law for the raysinge vp of seede to the brother departed is wel knowne For if the brother died without issue of Children his brother remayning aliue was compelled to marrie the deceassed brothers wife and of her to beget childrē which were called and counted not by the name of him that was liuinge but of the deade brother Wherefore when there was not to be found amā of Dauids lyne that was sufficientlie meete to begett on the Virgin the sonne of God the fauiour of the world God himself raiseth vp seede to Dauid and by his holy spirite maketh the Virgin with childe who although she were not with child by a man of Dauids lyne yet because shée was a daughter of Dauids stock and because God so workinge shée of her owne substaunce gaue substaunce to the sonne of God this her childe Christe both is and is called the sonne of Dauid What doth that argue moreouer that Dauid in the 110. Psalme sayth In the mightie power of holines the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wombe of the morning Or the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wōbe of the morninge in the mightie power of holines That is to say By a certaine mightie power of holines meruaylous meanes shalte thou bee borne For thy birth shal be like vnto the ingendring of the deaw which cōmeth of the pure morning as it were a child borne of the wombe For as in the day time the Sūne draweth out of the earth a vapour which by reason of the smallnes of the heat which draweth it vpwarde is by the coldnesse of the tēperat night or euenings drawn downe againe and resolued into water So God the is the Sunne of righteousnes tooke blood of the earth that is of the bodie of the vntouched Virgine Marie and by a wonderfull meanes did holilie and purely bring to passe that of her vnipotted wombe shoulde be borne and conceiued the most holie sonne of God. The causes whie this conception of the sonne of God in the wombe of the holie Virgine is most pure are these Hée that is conceiued in the wombe of a Virgin is God but God is a consuming fire which cannot take or suffer any vncleannesse in it self An other cause is this God came to cleanse our vncleannesse that is the vncleannesse of vs men hée himselfe verilie oughte to be exempte from all originall spots in all pointes most holie to the ende that being the onely vnspotted Sacrifice offered vp for the sinnes of all the world he might cleane take away all the sinnes of the world For that which is it selfe defiled cannot cleanse the thing that is defiled but rather the spot or filthines doth double his vncleannesse by the comminge too of that other vncleane thing The seconde member of this thirde Article is Hée was borne of the Virgin Marie The Lord was borne of Marie his mother and yet shée a Virgine still Hec is therefore very man which is borne of Woman Moreouer his byrth is pure For hee was borne of the Virgine so that together shée was a mother and yet a Virgine too For Esaias sayth Beholde a Virgine shall conceiue and bringe forth a sonne A Virgine sayth hee shall do both Conceiue and bringe foorth so that neuerthelesse shée may remaine a Virgine still The birthe therefore of the sonne of God is moste pure Also his birthe is a true birth verilie and in deede For hee taketh fleshe of the substaunce wombe of the Virgin. In which signification also our Lorde Iesus Christe is called the sonne of Dauid Hee coulde not bee called Dauids sonne vnlesse hée had taken verie humane substaunce of Marie a mayde or daughter of the stocke of Dauid Which that the Apostle Iohn mighte most properly signifie and expresse he sayth The Woord was made fleshe And the Apostle Paul sayth He doth no where take on him the Angells but the seede of Abraham And in the same place againe he affirmeth That the Lorde was made like to his bretheren in al things sinne excepted To the Philippians hee saith When hee was equall with God hee made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunte and made in the likenesse of men and founde in figure as a mā Againe the Apostle Iohn beareth witnesse sayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is of God and euerie spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is com in the flesh is not of God. Luke in his 2. Cap. hath at large set forth the manner of his Natiuitie And I do meane elsewhere to speake of it at the full Let vs therefore confesse that Iesus Christe was conceiued by the holie ghoste and borne of the Virgin Marie The fourth article of Christiā faith is this Hee suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead buried hee descended into hel In this fouth article is declared the end vse chiefeste comodity of the Lord his incarnation For he became man that he might suffer and dye and by dying suffering might redéeme vs from eternal death the torments of hell make vs beinge once clensed heyres of life euerlasting For this is the end of the Lorde his death as I will by by shew you and as Paule doth at large declare in the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes This article also is diuided into his partes First wée confesse that oure Lord suffered in very deede not phātastically to the appearaunce onelye that he suffered verily the calamities and myseries of this world and after that againe the tormēts of the slaughtermen and death it selfe in most bitter panges Hée suffered therfore both in soulde and bodye yea and that too in many facions For Esaias sayth He is a man of sorrowes
hath felte calamities Hee beareth our infirmities and hath carryed our sorrowes For the Lorde himselfe also in the Gospell said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death But verily hée suffred all this for vs For in him was neyther sinne nor any cause else whye hée shoulde suffer Secondarily in this article is noted the time Pontius Pilate the iudge vnder whom the Lorde dyed and redéemed the world from sinne death the deuil and hell Hée suffred therefore in the Monarchie of the Romanes vnder the Emperour Tiberius when as now according to the Prophecie of Iacob father of Israell the Iewishe people obeyed forreine kings because there were no more kinges or captaynes of the stocke of Iuda to haue the rule ouer them For hée foretold that then the Messias should come What may be thought of that moreouer that the Lord himselfe oftener then once in the Gospell did foreshew that hée should be deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles and by them be put to death In the thirde point of this article wée do expreslye declare the maner of his death For wée adde Hée was crucifyed and dyed on the Crosse But the death of the Crosse as it was most reprochfull so also was it most bitter or sharpe to be suffred yet tooke hée that kinde of death vppon him that hée might make satisfaction for the worlde and fulfill that which from the beginning was prefigured that he should be hāged on the tree Isaac was layde on the pile of woode to be offered vp in sacrifice Moses also stuck the Serpent on the stake of woode and lift it vp to be behelde And the Lord himself said I when I shal be lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto mee Finally hée dyed on the Crosse géeuinge vp his Ghoste to god For hée dyed verily and in déede as you shall streightway perceiue Where I haue briefly to declare vnto you what the fruite of Christe his death is First wée were accursed because of sinne hée therfore tooke our curse vppon himselfe beinge lyft vp vppon the Crosse to the end he might take our curse away and that wée might be blessed in him Then also the heritage bequeathed to vs by Will could not come vnto vs vnlesse hee which bequeathed it did dye But God bequeathed it who that hée might die became mā and dyed according to his humane nature to the ende that wée might receiue the heritage of life In an other place againe Paule sayth Him that knewe not sinne did God make sinne for vs that wee by him mighte bee made the righteousnes of God. Our Lorde therefore became man by the sacrifice of himself to make satisfaction for vs On whō as it were vppon a Goate for sinne offring when all the sinnes of the whoale worlde were gathered together and layd hée by his death tooke awaye and purged them all so that nowe the onely sacrifice of Christ hath satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world And this verily is the greatest comoditie of Christ his death taught euery where by the Apostles of Christe Next after that also the death of Christe doth teach vs patience and the mortification of our fleshe yea Christe by the participation of himselfe doth by his Spirite worke in vs that sinne may not reigne in vs Touching which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth many thinges in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes The Lord in the Gospell sayth If any man will follow mee let him denie himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow mee These and a few more are the fruites of the Lord his passion or the death of Christe Fourthly in this Article is added Hee was buried For our Lorde dyed verilie and in deede vppon the Crosse The very truth of his death was proued by the Souldiour which thruste him through the syde After that hée was taken downe from the Crosse and layde in a Sepulcher In the Gospell are expressed the names of them that buryed him Ioseph and Nicodemus There is also shewed the manner how they buried him The fruite of this his buriall the Sauiour himselfe hath taught in these woords Verilie verily I say vnto you vnlesse the seede of corne cast into the earthe doe dye it remayneth alone But if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Whervppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to be buried with Christe in his death that wée may rise againe in the newnesse of life yea that wée maye liue reigne with him for euermore If therefore our bodies also be buried at any time let vs not therefore be troubled in minde For the faithfull are buried that they maye ryse with Christe againe The fift part of this fourth article some do put seuerallie by it self for the fift article of our fayth I for my part do see no cause whie it should be plucked from that that goeth before nor whie it should make by it selfe a peculiar article of our fayth The woords are these Hee descended into hell Touchinge this there are sondrie opinions among the expositors of the holie Scriptures Augustine in his booke De fide symbolo doth neyther place these woordes in the rule of beliefe nor yet expound them Cyprian sayth thus It is to be knowne verilie that in the Creede of the latin Church this is not added Hee descended into hell nor yet is this clause receiued in the Churches of the Easte but yet the sense of that clause seemeth to be all one with that where it is sayd He was buried This sayth hée So then Cyprians opinion seemeth to be that To descende into hell is nothing else but to be layd in the graue accordinge to that sayinge of Iacob Yee will bring my gray heares with sorrow to hell or the graue But there are some that thincke this assertion to be without lawful proofe For it is not lykelie that they would wrappe a thinge once alreadie plainly spoken immediatlie after in a darker kinde of speach Nay rather so often as two sentences are ioyned together that signifie both one thing the latter is alwayes an exposition of the firste But in these two speaches Hee was buried and hee descended into hell the first is the plainer and the latter the more intricate Augustine in his 99. Epistle to Euodius turmoyleth himselfe pitifullie in this matter To Dardanus de Dei praesentia he writeth that the Lord went into hell but that hee felt no torment Wée shall more agreably to the truth seeme to vnderstande this article if wee shal thincke that the vertue of Christe his death did flow euen to them that were dead and profited them too that is to saye that all the Patriarches and holie mē that died before the coming of Christ were for the death of Christe preserued from death euerlastinge As S. Peter also maketh mention That the Lord went in the spirite preached vnto the Spirits that were in prison For verilie they by the death of Christ were made to knowe the sentence of
and comfort imprisoned captiues Herevnto Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 12. hath an eye where he sayth The chiefest vertue is to keepe hospitalitie and to feede the poore To redeeme captiues also is a greate and excellent worke of righteousnes And as great a work of iustice is it to saue and defend the fatherlesse widowes the desolate helplesse whiche the law of God doth euery where coÌ„maund It is also a part of the chiefest humanitie and a great good deed to take in hand to heale and chearish the sicke that haue no body to helpe them Finally that last and greatest duetie of pietie is the buriall of strangers and of the poore Thus muche hitherto touching the duetie of ciuil humanitie which true loue sheweth to his neighbour in necessitie But it is not inough my brethren to vnderstande how we ought to loue our neighbour though we ought often to repeate it but rather we must loue him excéedingly and aboue that that I am able to say Let vs heare the Apostle who with a wonderful goodly grace of spéech with a most excelleÌ„t exquisite holy example of Christe doth exhort vs all to the shewing of charitie to our neighbour and sayth If therefore there bee any consolation in Christe if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirite if any compassion mercie fulfill ye my ioye that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde and minde let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory but in meekenesse let euery man esteeme one the other better then him selfe looke ye not euery man on his owne thinges but euery man also on the thinges of others For let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the fourme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and found in figure as a man he humbled him selfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath lightly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue euery name that in the name of Iesus euery knee shoulde bow of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue shoulde confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christe is the glory of God the father To him alone be honor power for euer euer Amen The end of the first Decade of Sermons The Second Decade of Sermons writen by Henrie Bullinger Of lawes and first of the lawe of Nature then of the lawes of men ¶ The first Sermon THE summe of all lawes is the loue of GOD and our neighbour of which and euery parte whereof bycause I haue already spokeÌ„ in my last Sermon the next is that nowe also I make a particular discourse of lawes and euery part and kinde thereof Let vs therefore call to God who is the cause and beginning of lawes that he through our Lorde Iesus Christe will vouchsafe with his spirite alwayes to direct vs in the waye of trueth and righteousnesse A heathen writer no base authour ywis made this definition of lawe that it is an especiall reason placed in nature coÌ„mauÌ„ding what is to be done and fordidding the contrarie And verily the lawe is nothing but a declaration of Gods will appointing what thou hast to do and what thou oughtest to leaue vndone The beginning and cause of lawes is God him selfe who is the fountaine of all goodnesse equitie trueth and righteousnesse Therefore all good and iust lawes come from God him selfe althoughe they be for the most parte published and brought to light by men Touching the lawes of men we muste haue a peculiar consideratioÌ„ of theÌ„ by theÌ„ selues For of lawes some are of God some of Nature some of Men. As concerning Gods law I wil speak of it in my seconde Sermon at this present I will touch first the lawe of Nature and then the lawe of Men. The law of Nature is an instruction of the conscience and as it were a certaine direction placed by God him self in the mindes and hearts of men to teach them what they haue to doe and what to eschue And the conscience verily is the knowledge iudgement and reason of a man whereby euery man in him selfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euery thing that he eyther hath committed or not committed doth eyther condemne or else acquite him self And this reason procéedeth from God who both prompteth and writeth his iudgementes in the hearts and mindes of men Moreouer that which we call Nature is the proper disposition or inclination of euery thing But the disposition of mankind being flatly corrupted by sinne as it is blinde so also is it in all pointes euill and naughtie It knoweth not God it worshippeth not God neyther doth it loue the neighbour but rather is affected with selfe loue towarde it selfe and séeketh still for the owne aduauntage For whiche cause the Apostle sayde That we by nature are the children of wrath Wherefore the lawe of nature is not called the lawe of nature bicause in the nature disposition of maÌ„ there is of or by it selfe that reason of light exhorting to the best things and that holy working but for bycause God hath imprinted or ingrauen in our myndes some knowledge and certaine generall principles of religion iustice and goodnesse which bycause they be grafted in vs and borne together with vs do therefore séeme to be naturally in vs. Let vs heare the Apostle Paule who beareth witnesse to this saith When the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe do of nature the things conteined in the law they hauing not the law are a law vnto themselues which shew the workes of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience bearing theÌ„ witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing in that same day when the Lorde shall iudge the secrets of meÌ„ by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel By two arguments here doth the apostle very euidently proue that the gentiles are sinners For first of all least peraduenture they might make this excuse and say that they haue no law he sheweth that they haue a law and that bicause they transgresse this law they are become sinners For although they had not the written law of Moses yet notwithstanding they did by nature the things coÌ„teined in the law The office of the law is to disclose the wil of God and to teache thée what thou haste to do and what to leaue vndone This haue thei by nature that is this know they by the lawe of nature For that whiche followeth maketh this more plaine They when they haue no law are to them selues a law That is they haue in theÌ„ selues that which is written in the law But in what sort haue they it in them selues This againe is maâ—e manifest by that which followeth For they
feastes and holy dayes which we kéepe holy to Christe our Lord in memorie of his Natiuitie or Incarnation of his Circumcision of his Passion of the Resurrection and Ascension of Iesus Christe our Lorde into heauen and of his sending of the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples For Christian libertie is not a licentious power and dissoluing of godly Ecclesiasticall ordinances which aduaunce and set forward the glory of God and loue of our neighbor But for bicause the Lorde will haue holy dayes to be solemnized and kept to him self alone I do not therefore like of the festiuall dayes that are helde in honour of any creatures This glory and worship is due to God alone Paul sayth I wold not that any man should iudge you in part of an holie day or of the Sabbothes which are a shadow of things to come And againe Ye obserue dayes and monethes and yeares and times I feare least I haue laboured in you in vaine And therefore we at this day that are in the Churche of Christe haue nothing to doe with the Iewish obseruation we haue onely to wish indeuour to haue the Christian obseruation and exercise of Christian religion to be fréely kept obserued And yet as the hallowing of the Iewish sabboth so also the sanctifying or exercise of our Sunday must be spent occupyed about foure things which ought to be founde in the holy congregation of Christians if their Sunday be truely sanctified and kept holy as it should be Firste let all the godly Saintes assemble them selues together in the congregation Let there in that congregation so assembled be preached the worde of God let the Gospell there be read that the hearers maye learne thereby what they haue to thinke of God what the dutie and office is of them that worship God and how they ought to sanctifie the name of the lord Then let there in that congregation be made prayers and supplications for all the necessities of all people Let the Lord be praised for his goodnesse and thanked for his vnestimable benefits whiche he dayly bestoweth Then if time occasion and custome of the Church do so require let the sacramentes of the Church be religiously ministred For nothing is more required in this fourth commaundement than that we should holily obserue and deuoutly exercise the Sacramentes and holy lawfull profitable and necessarie rites and ceremonies of the Church Last of all let entyre humanitie and liberalitie haue a place in the Saints assembly let all learne to giue almes priuately and relieue the poore dayly and to do it frankly and openly so often as opporunitie of time and causes of néede shall so require And these are the dueties wherein the Lordes sabboth is kept holy euen in the churche of Christians and so much the rather if to these be added an earnest good wil to do no euil al the day long This discipline now must be brought in and established by euery householder in all our seuerall houses with as great diligence as it was with the Iewes Touching which thing I haue nothing to say here since I haue before so plainely handled this point as that ye perceiue that it agréeth euen to the Churche of vs that are Christians This one thing I adde more that it is the dutie of a Christian magistrate or at leastwise of a good housholder to compell to amendment the brekers and contemners of Gods sabboth and worship The péeres of Israell and all the people of God did stone to death as the Lord commaunded them the man that disobediently did gather stickes on the sabboth day Why then should it not be lawful for a Christian Magistrate to punishe by bodily imprisonment by losse of goods or by death the despisers of religion of the true and lawfull worship done to God and of the sabboth day verily though the foolishe and vndiscrete Magistrate in this corrupted age doe slackly looke to his office and duetie yet notwithstanding let euery householder do his indeuour to kéepe his seuerall familie from that vngodly naughtinesse let him punish them of his housholde by suche meanes as he lawfully may For if any one householder dwell among Idolaters which neyther haue nor yet desire to haue or frequente the Christian or lawful congregations theÌ„ may he in his own seuerall house gather a peculiar assemblie to prayse the Lorde as it is manifest that Lot did among the Sodomites Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the land of Chanaâ—n and in Egipt But it is a haynous sinne and a detestable schisme if the congregation be assembled either in cities or villages for thée then to séeke out bywayes to hide thy self not to come there but to contemn the church of God and asseÌ„blie of saints as the Anabaptistes haue takeÌ„ a vse to do Here therfore I haue to reckon vp the abuses of the sabboth day or that sinnes coÌ„mitted against this commaundement They transgresse this coÌ„maundement that cease not from euil works but abuse the sabboths rest to the prouoking of fleshly pleasures For they kéep the sabboth to God but work to the deuil in dicing in drinking in dauncing féeding their humors with the vanities of this world wherby we are not only drawn from the coÌ„panie of the holy congregation but do also defile our bodyes which we ought rather to sanctifie and kéepe holy They sinne against this precept which eyther exercise any handie occupation on the sabboth day or else lye wrapt in bed and fast a sléepe till the day be almost speÌ„t not once thinking to make one of Gods congregation They offend in this precept that awe their seruants to worke and by appointing them to other businesse do drawe them from the worship of God preferring other stinking thinges before the honour due to god And they aboue all other offende herein which do not only not kéepe holy the sabboth day them selues but doe also with their vngodly scoffes and euil examples cause other to despise and set light by religion when they do disdaine and mocke at the holy rites ceremonies at the ministerie ministers sacred Churches and godly exercises And herein too do both the goodmen and goodwiues offend if they be slacke in their owne houses to call vpon and to sée their families kéepe holy the sabboth day Who so euer do contemne the holynesse of the sabboth day they giue a flat and euident testimonie of their vngodlinesse and light regarde of Gods mightie power Furthermore the kéeping or despising of the sabboth doth always carry with it either ample rewards or terrible threates For the proofe whereof I will recite vnto you dearely beloued the wordes of Ieremie in his 17. cha Thus hath the Lord saide vnto me sayth he Goe and stand vnder the gate of the sonnes of the people through which the kings of Iuda goe in and out and vnder all the gates of Ierusalem and say vnto them Take heede for your liues that ye
doth spring vp a great number of men that acknowledge cal vpon worship god as they ought to do The third cause whie matrimonie was ordeyned that Apostle Paul expresseth in these words To auoide whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife euery woman her owne husband It were good and expedient for a man not to touch a woman and to liue single but because this is not giuen to al men as that Lord in the gospel testifieth and that cōcupiscence of the flesh doth for the most part burne the greatest sort of mē the Lord hath appointed mariage to be as it were a remedie against that heate as the Apostle in an other place witnesseth saying Let them marrie which cānot absteine for it is better to marrie than to burne By this we learne that the natural cōpany of a man with his owne wife is not reputed for a fault or vncleanesse in the sight of god Whoredom is vncleannesse in the eyes of the Lord because it is directly contrary to the lawe of god But God hath allowed wedlocke and blessed it therefore married folkes are sanctified by y blessing of God throughe faith and obedience Neither lacke we here any euident argumentes and testimonies of Paule to proue it by For to the Hebrewes he said Wedlock is honourable among al men and the bed vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers God wil iudge The Apostle here spake very reuerently and by the bed he vnderstode the natural company of a man with his wife which he saith plainely is vndefiled What God hath made cleane who shal call vncleane who cā denie that to the cleane al things are cleane Paphnutius therfore both bishop and confessour iudging rightly of this did in the Nicene counsel say opēly that the lying of a man with his owne wife is chastitie Neither was the most modest Apostle ashamed to make lawes betwixt a mā his wife For to the Corinthians hee saith Let the husband giue to the wife due beneuolēce likewise also the wife to the husbād The wife hath not the power of her owne body but the husband likewise also the husbād hath not the power of his own body but the wife Defraud ye not the one the other except it be with both your cōsents for a time that yemay giue your selues to fasting and to prayer and afterward come together again that sathan tēpt you not for your incōtinencie These words of the Apostle are so euident that they néede no exposition at all In the same Epistle againe he saith If thou mariest a wife thou sinnest not And againe If a virgin marie she hath not sinned Now what is more excellent pure and holy than virginitie is But a virgin sinneth not if she chaung virginitie for holy matrimony Very wel therefore doth Chrysostome in a certaine homilie say The first degree of chastitie is vnspotted virginitie the 2. is faithful wedlock S. Augustine also calleth mariage chastitie or cōtinēcie the place is to be seene in the 19. 20. cap. de bono coniugali in that 198. epist. This is the head frō whence doth spring y greatest part of publique honestie For god alloweth wedlock but disalloweth fornication and al kind of vncleannes It pleased him by his ordinance to exclude al vncleannesse frō his beléeuing seruants Let the saincts therefore but magistrates especially haue an especiall eye not to be slacke in promoating holy wedlocke but diligent to punish seuerely al filthie fornication and other vncleannesse This haue I hetherto rehersed somewhat largly out of the holy scripture to the intent I might proue to al men that wedlocke is holy that therfore no man cā be defiled with y moderate holy and lawfull vse therof and so cōsequently that marriage is permitted to al sorts of men For the Apostle saith Let a bishop be the husband of one wife let him rule his owne house wel and haue faithful children For it is manifest by the testimonies of scripture and ecclesiastical writers that the Apostles of Christ and other Apostolical teachers of the primitiue Church were married men and had wiues and children Neither is there any thing next after corrupte doctrine which doth more infect the Church of Christ and subuert al ecclesiastical discipline thā if the ministers of that Churches which should be lights of the whole congregation be fornicatours or adulterous persons That offence especially aboue all other is an hinderance and blot to al kind of honesty but touching this I purpose not at this time to discourse so largly fully as I might To this I ad that the band of wedlock is indissoluble euerlasting that is to say such a knot as neuer can be vndone For of two is made one flesh one body which if you seuer you do vtterly marre it What god hath ioyned together therfore let not man seperate They therfore do make a slaughter of this body that do comit adulterie For the lawes of God and men admit a diuorcement betwixt a man his adulterous wife And yet let not any lesse or lighter cause dissolue this knot betwixt man and wife than fornication is Otherwise God which in the Gospel hath permitted the lesse doth not forbidde the greater to be causes of diuorcement And in the primitiue church the Epistles constitutiōs of christiā princes do testifie that once cōmitting of fornication was no cause of diuorcement Of which I haue spoken in another place But that this holy knot may be the surer it is auayleable that marriages be made holilie lawfully with discretion in the feare of the lord Let them not be vnwillinglie agréed vnto and made vp by cōpulsion First let y good liking of their consenting mindes be ioyned in one whom the open profession of mutuall consent outwarde handfasting must afterward couple together Let them be matched together that are not seuered by alliaunce of bloud and nighnesse of affinitie Let them be coupled in one that may marrie together by the lawes of God and their countrie with the consent coūsel of their frends parents Let them which minde marriage haue a sincere hart purposely bēt to seeke their owne safegard continual felicitie that is to respect only the wil and pleasure of God and not admit any euil affectiōs as counsellers to make vp the mariage betwixt them Hierocles in his booke De nuptiis saith It is meere follie and lacke of wit which make those things that of thēselues are easie to be borne troublesome and make a wife a greeuous clog to her husband For marriage to many mē hath bin intollerable not because the wedded state is by default of it self or owne proper nature so troublesome and comberous but for our matching as wee should not it falleth oute as wee would not and causeth our marriages to be greeuous and noysome To this end verilie our daily marriages do commonly come For they marrie wiues vsually not for
being vtterly forsaken of the Lord he heareth Samuel say to his face Thou hast refused and cast off the word of the Lord therefore hath God also cast thee away that thou shalt not be king of Israell I will not here stand ouer largely to declare the miseries and calamities wherein he was wrapped from that time forward For as he himselfe was horriblie haunted and vexed with the euill spirite so did he not ceasse to vexe and torment his people and kingdome vntill hee had brought them all into extreeme daunger where hee and some of his were slaine put to the worste by the heathen their enimyes leauing nothing behind him but a perpetuall shame and endlesse ignominie Next after Saule doth Dauid succeede in the seate and kingdome who without all controuersie was the most happiest of all other kinges and Princes But what stoare he did set by the word of the Lord it is euident to bee seene by many notable actes of his and especially in that Alphabeticall Psalme which in order and number is the hundreth and nintenth For therin he setteth forth the praise of Gods word the whoalsom vertue wherof he doth at large wonderfully expound in teaching what great desire zeale we ought to haue thereto For he was scholed had learned before by priuate mishaps and shameful deeds lastly by the vnhappie seditioÌ„ of his graceles sonne Absalom what an euill it is to decline froÌ„ the word of the lord SolomoÌ„ the sonne of Dauid the wisest most coÌ„mended king of all the world did so long enioy prosperitie praise at the mouth of the Lord as he did not neglect with reuerence to obey his word But when once he had transgressed the Lords commaundement streight way the Lord did say vnto him For as much as this is done of thee and that thou hast not kept mine ordinaunces and my statutes which I commaunded thee I will rent thy kingdome from thee and will giue it to thy seruaunt And nowe marke that according to that saying immediately after Solomons death the kingdome was rent into two partes and that 10. Tribes followed Ieroboam the seruaunt of Solomon Two tribes claue still to Roboam Solomons sonne Hee for neglecting the word of the Lord following after straunge Gods is ouerwhelmed with an infinite number of wofull miseries For the Scripture testifieth that the Aegyptians came vpp against Hierusalem and did destroy the Citie Palace and temple of the lord Abia the sonne of Roboam ouercame the host of Israell and bare away a triumphant victorie when hee had wounded and slaine fiue hundred thousand men of the 10. Tribes of Israell And of this so great a victorie no other cause is mencioned but because hee beleeued the word of the lord Next after Abia did his sonne Asa a renowmed and most puissaunt king reigne in his steede of whom the holy Scripture testifieth that hee abolished all superstition and did restoare sincere religion according to the word of God whereby hee obteyned a most flourishing kingdome in peace and quietnesse by the space of fourtie yeares Againe of Iosaphat Asa his sonne wee read The Lord was with Iosaphat because he walked in the former wayes of his father Dauid sought not Baalim but sought the God of his father and walked in his commaundement And therefore for his princelike wealth and famous victories he was renowmed through all the world But to his sonne Ioram who forsooke the word of God Helias the Prophete said Because thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iosaphat thy father and in the wayes of king Asa but hast walked the wayes of the kings of Israell behold with a great plague wil the Lord smite thy folke thy children thy wiues and all thy goods And thou shalt suffer great paine euen a disease of the bowells vntill thy guttes fall out And whatsoeuer the Lord threatened to bring vppon him by the mouth of the Prophet that did the vnhappie king feele with vnspeakeable tormentes to his great reproche being made an example of wretchâ—dnesse miserie which doth light on all the pates of them that do forsake the word of god Neither was the happ of Ochosias sonne to king Ioram and Athalia in any point better For at the commaundement of Iehu hee was stabbed in and slaine wretchedly bâ—câ—usâ— hee chose rather to followe the lawes and rites of the kinges of Israell than the verie true lawes of the Lord his god Moreouer Ioas a child yet but seuen yeares old being by the labour fayth and diligence of the faithfull priest Ioiada restoared to and settled in the place of his father who was slaine before him reigned after the wicked Athalia was put to death most happilie and in a prosperous state so longe as Ioiada the priest did line But when the high priest was once departed out of this world vnto the Lord the king being immediately seduced by the malice and wilinesse of his wicked counsellours left off to follow the word of the lord And as hee ceassed to followe the lord so did felicitie and glorie forsake to followe him For the Syrians comming on with a verie small power of armed men doe destroy and put to flight an insinite hoast of Iewish people they put to the sword all Ioas his counsellours and make a spoile of all his kingdome And Ioas for reiecting the Lord deserued with excessiue griefe first to behold this miserie than to 〈◊〉 away with a long consuming sicknesse and lastly vppon his bedd to haue his throate cruellte cutt of his owne houshold scruaunts Amasias the sonne of Ioas is renoâ—med for a â—amous victorie which he obteyned vppon the Idumitâ—s for no other cause but for obeying the word of the lord But afterward when hee began to rebell against God and his Prophets he is in battaile vanquished by Ioas king of Israell by whom when be was spoyled and compelled to see the ouerthrowe of a great part of the walles of Hierusalem he was himselfe at the last by conspiratours entrâ—pped and miserablie murdered Next after him succeeded his sonne Osias who also as well as his father enioyed a singular felicitie and most happie life so longe as he gainsayed not the mouth of God but when hee would vsurpe and take vppon him that office which God had properly appointed to the Leuits alone directly opposing himselfe against the word of the Lord he was striken with a leprosie and for his vncleannesse was compelled seuerallie to dwell â—loofe in banishmeÌ„t from the companie of men euen vntil his last and dying day Iothan also the sonne of Osias is reported to haue beene wealthie and victorious in his warres the cause of this felicitie the Scripture dâ—th briefly add and say Iothan became mightie because he directed his wayes before the Lord his God. But contrarily Achaz the some of Iothan as hee was of all the Iewishe kinges almost the wickeddest so was hee in his life
consist in hearing and following the word of God and that contrarily calamities and miseries doe rise by the coÌ„tempt and neglecting of the same For Ieroboam the first king of the seperated Israelites letting passe the word of God did ordeyne new rites to worship the Lord by and erected new temples but by so doing hee ouerthrew himselfe his house and all his kingdome After him doth Baasa succeede both in the kingdome idolatrous religion which was the cause why he his were vtterly destroyed Then followeth Amri the father of Achab who for augmenting idolatrous impietie is horriblie slaine with all his family so that not one of his escaped the reuenging sword of Gods anger ielousie And for because Iehu was faithfull valliant in killing those tyraunts in dispatching Baals priestes rooting out of idolatrous superstition the Lord doth promise say vnto him Because thou hast zealously done that which thou hast done according to all that is right in my sight therefore shall thy children vnto the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel And wee read verily that his sonnes and nephues were notable Princes which succeded in the kingdome euen Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam the second of that name and Zacharias The other kinges as Sellum Manahe Pekaiah Peka and Osee had their kingdome altogether like to the kingdome of the sonne of Iosâ—as to wit in a seditious troublesome a most miserable taking For they despised the mouth of the lord Therfore were they vtterly cutt off and for the most part either slaine or carried away captiue by their enimies the Assyrians From the diuision of tbe people into two seuerall kingdomes after the death of Solomon there were in number 19 kinges of Israell and 18. of Iuda The kings of Israell altogether reigned about 272. yeares and they of Iuda about 393. Now by the space of so many yeares in the most renowmed peculiar people of God which was as it were a glasse set before the eyes of all nations to view and behold themselues in there might the truest causes of felicitie calamities of all kings kingdoms in the whoale world be so liuely represented and perfectly paynted that there should bee no neede to fetch from else where a more plaine and euident demonstration of the same And yet for al that wee are not without other forreigne examples wherby to proue it For the Pharaoes of Aegypt were the destruction both to themselues and also to their kingdome by their stubborne rebellion against Gods word Againe Darius Priscus and the great Nabuchodonosor enioyed no small felicitie because they despised not the counsells of Daniel Balthazar king of Babylon a despightfull contemner of God and his word is in one night destroyed with all his power Babylon the most auncient and famous citie of the world is taken set on fyre sacked and ouerthrowne and the kingdom translated to the Medes and Persians Neither were the kinges of Persia vnfortunate at all I meane Cyrus and Darius otherwise called Artaxerxes because they fauoured the word of God and did promoate his people and true religion But on the other side wee read that Antiochus syrnamed Epiphanes was most vnfortunate who as it were making warre with God himselfe did most wickedly burne and make away the bookes of holy Scripture Furthermore wee haue as great stoare of examples also euen out of those Histories which followed immediately the time of Christ his ascension For so many Romane Emperours kinges and Princes as persecuted the preaching of the Gospell and Church of our Lord Iesus Christ aduaunced idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie so many I say did die a foule and shamefull death Of this are Eusebius and Orosius renowmed Historiographers assured witnesses Againe S. Augustine lib. 5. de Ciuit. Dei affirmeth that incredible victories verie great glorie and most absolute felicitie hath beene giuen by God vnto those kinges which haue in faith sincerely embraced Christe their Lord and vtterly subuerted idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie It is euident therefore that felicitie commeth by good will and obedience to the word of God that all kings and kingdoms shal be vnhappie which forsake the word of God and turne themselues to mens inuentions And this I haue I trust declared hetherto so plainly that the hearers may seeme not onely to vnderstand but also to see before their eyes and as it were to feele with their hands the pith and materiall substaunce of this whole treatise But wherunto doth all this tend That your Royall maiestie forsooth may vndoubttingly know be assuredly persuaded that true felicitie is gotten and reteyned by faithfull studie in the word of God to witt if you submit your selfe altogether and your whoale kingdome to Christe the chiefe and highest Prince if throughout your whoale realme you dispose and order religion and all matters of iustice according to the rule of Gods holy word if you decline not one haires breadth from that rule but studie to aduaunce the kingdome of Christ and goe on as hetherto you haue happily begon to subuert tread vnder foote the vsurped power of that tyrannicall Antichrist Not that your maiestie needeth any whit at all mine admonitions or instructions For you haue vndoubtedly that heauenly teachâ—r in your minde I meane the holie Ghoste which inspireth you with the verie true doctrine of sincere and pure religion Your Maiestie hath the sacred Bible the holiest booke of all bookes wherein as in a perfect rule the whoale matter of pâ—etie our true saluation is absolutely conteyned and plainly set downe Your Maiestie hath noble men and many Counsellours belonging to your kingdome faithfull valliaunt and skilfull heads both in the lawe of God and men who for their wisedome loue that they beare to the sincere truâ—th are greatly commended amonge forreigne nations And for that cause all the faithfull doe thinke and call your maiestie most happie But that happie king Ezechias although hee did especially vse the helpe of those excellent men Esâ—â— and Micheas did not yet despise faithfull admonishers euen amonge the 〈◊〉 sort of Leuites neither thought they that in admonishing the king theâ— lâ—st and 〈…〉 labour in vaine I therefore hauing good affiaunce in your 〈◊〉 good aâ—d godlâ—disposition do verily hope that this short discourse of mine touching the true causes of the felicitie and calamities of kinges and kingdoms shall haue a proâ—iting place with you Euen I which 12. yeares since did dedicate vnto your father of famous memorie Henrie viij a booke touching the authoritie of the holie Scripture and the institution and function of Bishopps against the Pontificall chuffes of the Romishe superstition and tyrannie and now by experience know that that labour of mine brought forth no small fruite within the realme of England am now so bold againe as to dedicate these my Sermons vnto your Royall maiestie In these Sermons I handle not the least and lowest points or places of Christian religion the
significaÌ„tly in the Psalme where he sayth My feete were almost gone my treadings had wel nigh slipped for I was greeued at the wicked when I did see the vngodly in such prosperitie for they are in no peril of deth they are I say troubled with no diseases whereby they are drawne as it were to death but are lustie and strong They come into no misfortune like other meÌ„ but are free froÌ„ the euils wherwith other folk are plagued and this is the cause that they are so holden with pride wrapped in violence as in a garment Their eyes swel with fatnes and they do euen what they lust They stretch forth their mouth vnto heauen and their tongue goeth thoroughe the world Yea they dare to say Tush how shuld God perceiue it Lo these are the vngodly these prosper in the world these haue riches in possession TheÌ„ said I haue I cleÌ„sed my hart in vaine â—ashed mine hands in innocencie â–ª and I beare punisheÌ„t euery day And while I thought thus to my self I had almost departed from the generation of Gods children Now since this is so it followeth consequently to beate out the causes of these calamities For in so doinge wée shal be the better able to iudge rightly of the miseries both of that godly and wicked sort of people The causes of calamities are many of many sortes but the generall and especiall cause is knowen to be sinne For by disobedieÌ„ce sinne entred into that world and death by sinne and so coÌ„sequently diseases and al euills in the world They are very lightheaded and vaine fellowes that referre these causes to I cannot tell what blind constellations and mouinges of Planets For wee by our euill lustes and corrupte affections do heape vp day by day one euill on an others necke And at our elbowes standeth the deuill who roundeth vs in the eares eggeth vs forwards and as helps to spurre vs on there are a crewe of naughtie packes that neuer ceasse to traine vs in and daily there doe rise vp diuers instruments of tribulation wherewith the most wise and iust God doth suffer vs men to be excercised and tormented But the same causes of affliction are not alwayes founde to bee in the holy worshippers of God as are in the wicked despisers of his name The Saintes are often afflicted that by their trouble the glorie of GOD may be knowen to the world For when the disciples of Christ did sée y blind man in the Gospell which was blind from his mothers wombe they said to that Lord Maister who sinned this man or his parents that he was borne blinde Iesus aunswered Neither did this man sinne nor his parentes but that the woorkes of God might be made manifest in him Likewise when the Lord heard say that Lazarus was sicke This disease said hee is not to death but to the glorie of God that by it the sonne of God may be glorified And yet if wee touch this matter to the quicke there can none in the woorld be found without sinne so that if the Lorde will marke oure iniquities hee shall alwayes finde somewhat to be punished in vs As it is at large declared in the booke of Iob. Furthermore the Lord doth suffer his spouse the Church which hée loueth full dearely to bee troubled and afflicted to this end and purpose that hee may openly declare that the electe are defended preserued and deliuered by the power ayde of God and not by the policie or help of man For Paule saith We haue this treasure in earthen vessells that the excellencie of the power may be Gods and not of vs while we are troubled on euerie side but not made sorrowfull Wee are in pouertie but not in extreeme pouertie wee suffer persecution but are not forsaken therein wee are cast downe but wee perish not wee alwayes beare about in the bodie the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also be made manifest in our body For wee which liue are alwayes deliuered vnto death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our mortall fleshe Also the same Apostle saith Vertue is made perfect in infirmitie Againe as the afflictions of the holy martyrs and faithfull Saintes of Christ are testimonies of the doctrine of faith as our Sauiour in the Gospell saith They shall deliuer you vp to counsells in their Synagogues they shall scourge you yea ye shal bee brought before kinges and rulers for my sake that this might bee for a wittnesse to them and the people Euen so in like manner are the Saintes ouerladen wyth miseries made examples for vs to learne by how to ouercome and despise the world and to aspire to heauenly thinges Finally the Lord doeth trie these that bée his by laying the crosse vppon their neckes and purgeth them like gold in the fire hée cutteth from vs many occasions of euill that hee may bring vs to the bearing of greater and more plentifull fruite The wisedome of the Lord doeth therein followe the manner of Goldsmythes who put their gold into the fire to purge and not to marre it And hée imitateth also good husbandmen who when their corne is somewhat too ranke do mowe it downe and prune their trées not to destroy but make them beare more abundant fruite And this flesh of ours verilie in peace and quietnesse is luskish lazie drowsie and slowe to good and honest exercises it is content and séeketh no further than earthly thinges it is whoalie giuen to pleasures it doth vtterly forget God and godly thinges nowe therefore it is not expedient onely but also very necessarie to haue this dull and sluggishe lumpe stirred vpp and excercised with troubles afflicions and sharpe persecutions The Saints herein are like toyron which by vse is somewhat woarne and diminished but by lying stil vnoccupied is eaten more with ruste and canker Most truely therefore said S. Peter Dearely beloued thincke it not straunge that yee are tried wyth fire which thing is to trie you as though some straunge thing happened vnto you But reioyce rather in that yee are partakers of the afflictions of Christ that when his glorie is reucaled yee may be merie and glad For Paule to Timothie saith Remember that Iesus Christe of the seede of Dauid was raised from the dead according to my gospel for which I am afflicted as an euill doer euen vnto bondes and yet I suffer al things for the electes sakes that they might also obteine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glorie It is a faithfull saying For if wee bee dead with him we shal also liue with him if we be patient we shal reigne with him if we denie him hee shall also denie vs. For in his epistle to the Romans he saith Those which hee knew before he did also predestinate that they should be like facioned vnto the shape of his sonne that
hee might be the first begotten amonge many brethren Moreouer whom he did predestinate them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also shal he glorifie Againe in the same epistle he saith We reioyce also in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience patience proofe proofe hope and hope maketh not ashamed c. This do that priuate examples of the saints and publique examples of the whole Church very plainly declare Abraham Isaac Iacob had neuer knowne that Gods helping hand had bene so faithful and alwayes present with them they had neuer bene grounded in so sure hope nor shewed such especial fruit of their excellent patience if they had not bin exercised with many perils and as it were oppressed with infinite calamities Wherupon it cōmeth that Dauid cried It is good for me Lord that thou hast troubled mee The Church of Israel was oppressed in Aegypt but to the end that it might with the more glorie be deliuered and passe into the land of promise The Iewishe Church was afflicted by them of Babylon and the Assyrians so that their temple was ouerthrowne and the Saintes caried captiue with the worst of the people But the godly sort in their verie captiuitie doe feele y wonderful helpe of God and by that meanes are made the better by their afflictions so that the name of the Lord was knowne amonge the Assyrians the Chaldées the Medes and Persians to his great glorie and renowne as it is at large declared in the histories of Daniel Hester and Esoras Here also is to bee noted that certaine punishmentes are appointed of y Lord as plagues for certeine sinnes so that most commonly a man is plagued by the verie same things wherin he sinned against the lord Dauid offended God with murder and adulterie therefore is he punished with the shame of his owne house with whoredome incest detestable murder of his owne children lastly driuen out and banished his kingdome It was pride and arrogancie wherin Nabuchodonosor sinned and therfore being distract of his witts and turned into a beastly madnesse he led his life for a certaine time with beasts of the field But as Nabuchodonosor was when God thought good restoared to his kingdome So Dauid did in time conuenient féele the merrie of the Lord in settling him in his seat againe For this saying of the Lord is firmely ratified for euer not only to Dauid but to euerie one that beléeueth which is in these words set downe in that Scriptures If his children forsake my law and kepe not my commaundements I wil visit their sinnes with rodds their iniquities with scourges yet will I not vtterly take my goodnes from him I wil not breake my couenaunt neither wil I change the thing that is once gone out of my mouth Therfore it is to our profite that the Lord afflicteth vs as he himselfe testifieth in the Reuelation of Christ vttered by Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist saying Them which I loue I rebuke and chasten And Solomon long before that did say My sonne refuse not the chastening of the Lord neither faint whē thou art corrected of him For whome the Lord loueth him he chasteneth yet delighteth in him as a father in his sonne Now touching the persecutions terrible plagues layd vpon that neck of the whole Church of God or seuerall martyrs of that same as they were for the most part breathed out of worldly tyrants against the S. for their open cōfession and testimonies of their faith truth of the Gospell so most cōmonly the causes of those broyles were the sinns offēces of the S. which the iustice of God did visit in his holy ones no doubt to the good saluation of the faithful For of that bloudie persecution vnder the Emperors Diocletian and Maximiniā which caused many thou sands yea many millians of Martyrs to com to their endings we read this following in that historie of Eusebius of Cesaria who learned it not by heare-say but was himself an eyewitnes of the same When as by to much libertie and wantones the maners of the Church were vtterly marred and the discipline therof corrupted while among our selues wee enuie one an other diminish one anothers estimatiō while amōg our selues we snatch at accuse our selues mouing dedly warre among our selues while dissimulation sitteth in the face deceipt lurketh in the harte and falshod is vttered in woordes so that one euill is heaped still on anothers necke the Lorde beginneth by little and little and with the bridle to checke the mouth of his tripping church and reseruing the congregations vntouched he begineth first to suffer them to feele persecution which serued as souldiours in the camps of the Gentiles But when as by that meanes the people could not be made to remember them selues in so muche that they ceassed not to persist in their wickednesse that the verie guides of the people and chief of the church vnmindful of Gods commaundemēt were sett on fire among them selues with strife enuie hatred and pride so that they might think they rather exercised tyrannie than the office of ministers because they had forgottē Christian sinceritie and purenesse of liuing then at length the houses of prayer and churches of the liuing God were throwen to the grounde and the holie scriptures set on fire in the broade and open streetes Thus muche worde for worde out of the 8. booke of his Ecclesiastical historie And yet here I make difference betwixt sinne and sinne For the Sainctes sinne but yet they abstaine commonly from heynous crimes although nowe and then too they fall into them as it is euident by the example of Dauid But yet for the most parte they flye from theft murder whooredome and other grieuous sinnes like vnto these And while the Sainctes are afflicted by tyraunts it is not for their neglecting of iustice true religion but for that contemninge of superstition and stedfast sticking to Christ and his Gospell The Lorde therefore doeth forgiue and in the bloud of Christ washe away that sinnes of the holye Martyrs reputing them to suffer deathe not for the sinnes whiche they haue committed but for the zeale and loue of true religion He also punisheth the tyrants for the death of his Martyrs because in putting them to death they follow their owne tyrannous affection and not the iust iudgement of the liuing god The Lordes mynd verily was by tyrauntes to chasten his people Israel But the tyraunts as Esaie in his 10. Chapter witnesseth did not take it to bee so but rather following their owne affections they passed all measure in afflicting them and neuer sought after iustice and equitie they therefore are punished of the Lorde for killing his innocent and guiltlesse seruauntes For the thing which the Lorde did persecute in his people their sinnes I meane and offences that do the tyraunts neyther punishe nor persecute but
that thing that pleaseth God the loue I meane of true religion and the vtter detesting of idolatrie that they are madde vpon and persecute it with swoorde fire and vnspeakable torments To this therefore doeth that saying of Sainct Peter belong See that none of you be punished as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mennes matters but if any man suffer as a Christian man let him not be ashamed but rather glorifie God on this behalfe Yet for all this I would not that heynous offendours should any whit despaire They haue the example of the théefe that was crucified with Christ that let them follow let them I saye confesse their faultes beléeue in Christ commit themselues wholie to his grace mercie and lastly suffer patiently the paine of their punishment and in so doing there is no doubt but they shal be receyued of Christe into Paradise and liue there for euer as the théefe doth with Christ And although the godly be slame amonge transgressours yet is â—ée no more defiled by suffeâ—ing with them than Christ ouâ— Lord was being hanged amonge theeues For though the godly and vngodly be wrapped and coupled together in one kinde of punishment yet are they seuered by their vnlike ending while the wicked after this bodily death is carried to hell there to burne without intermission and the godly taken immediately into heauen to liue with Christe his Lord to whom he committed and commended himselfe Touching this matter and the causes of the afflictions of the holy men of God I wil not be agreeued to recite vnto you dearely beloued a notable place of S. Augustine out of his first booke de ciuitate Dei. Wheresoeuer sayth hée good men doe suffer the same and like punishment that the euil sort do it is to be marked that there is not therefore no difference betwixt them because there is no diuersitie in the thing that they suffer For as in one and that same fire gold doth shine and chaffe doeth smoke and vnder one flayle the huske is broken and the corne purged and as the scummy froath is not mixed with the oyle althoughe one weight of the same presse doth crush both out at once euen so one and the selfe same miserie falling vppon the good and the badd doth trie fine and melt the good and on that otherside condemne wast consume the euill sort Whereupon it commeth to passe that in one and the same affliction the euill doe detest and blaspheme the Lord when contrarily the good doe praye vnto and praise his name for all that he layeth vpon them So much matter maketh it in afflictions to mark not what but with what minde euery man doeth suffer For stirre vp durt and sweete oyntments alike you shall haue the one stincke filthily and the other cast forth a swéete smelling sauour Therfore in that hurlie burlie and irruption made by the barbarous people what did the Christians suffer which was not rather to their profite while they did faithfully coÌ„sider those troubles especially because they humbly considering the sinnes for which God being wroth did fil the world with so many and great calamities although they be farre from committing heynous gréeuous and outragious offences doe yet neuerthelesse not repute themselues so cleare of all faultes as that they iudge not themselues worthie to suffer temporal calamities for the crimes they commit euery houre and moment For ouer and besides that euery man which liueth peraduenture laudably enoughe doeth in some pointes yéeld a little to carnall concupiscence although not to y outragiousnes of horrible sinnes to the goulfe of heynous offences and abhominable iniquities yet notwithstanding he yéeldeth to some sinnes which eyther he haunteth verie séeldomely or else committeth so much the oftener as they are the lesser Ouer and besides this therefore I say what man is there which when hée séeth and knoweth very well the men for whose pride lasciuious liues couetousnes and damnable iniquitie God as he hath threatened doeth plague the earth doeth so estéeme them as they are to be thought of and liue so with them as he ought to liue wyth such kinde of people For often times many thinges are wickedly dissembled while wicked doers are not taught corrected chidden and admonished of their euil behauiours either because we thinke the paine to much to tell them their faults or while we are afrayd to haue the heauie lookes of them with whom we liue or else auoyde their displeasure least peraduenture they should hinder or hurte vs in temporall matters when as either our gréedinesse desireth to haue somewhat more or oure infirmitie feareth to lose y things which it hath alreadie in hold and possession so that althoughe the life of the wicked displease the good for which cause they fall not into the same damnation which is after this life prepared for the euill yet since they doe therefore beare with and forbeare their damnable sinnes because they feare them in lighter and smaller trisâ—es they are iustly scourged wyth them in this temporall life albeit they be not punished with them eternallie While they bee punished by God with the wicked they doe iustly féele the bitternesse of this life for the loue of whose swéetenesse they would not be bitter in telling the wicked of their offences This therfore séemeth to me to be no smal cause why the good are whipped wyth the euill when it pleaseth God to punish the naughtie manners of men with the affliction of temporal paynes For they are scourged together not forbecause they lead an euil life together but because they loue this temporall life together I doe not say alike but together when the better sort ought to despise it that the euill being rebuked and corrected might obteyne the eternall life to the getting wherof if they would not be oure fellowes and parteners they should be caried louingly drawne euen while they be oure enimies because so longe as they liue it is alwayes vncertaine whether their minds shal be changed to bee better or no. Wherfore they haue not the like but a farre greater cause to admonishe men of their faultes to whome the Lord sayth by the mouth of the Prophete He verilie shall die in his sinne but his bloud will I require at the hand of the watchman For to this ende are the watchmen that is the guides of the people ordeyned in the Churches that they should not forbeare to rebuke sinne and wickednesse And yet for all this that man is not altogether excusable of this fault which although hée be no guide or ouerseeâ— of the people deeth notwithstanding knowe many thinges worthie controllment yet winck at them in those with whome he lyueth and is coÌ„uersant because he will giue them none offence for feare least hée loose those thinges which in this world hée vseth as hée ought not or is delighted in so as hee should not And so forth For
all this haue I hether to rehearsed out of Sainct Augustine The last and hindermost cause of the calamities which oppresse that holy Sainctes of God is because the Lord in afflicting his friends deeth thereby giue a most euident testimonie of his iuste iudgement which shall fall vppon his enimies for their contemning of his name and Maiestie For Saint Peter sayth The time is that iudgment must beginne at the house of God if it first beginne at vs what shal the ende bee of those which beleeue not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarsely bee saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare And like to this is that notable sentence of the Lords which hée spake when hée went to the place of execution saying If they doe this in a moyst tree what shall bee done in the drie If the Saincts by whom are meante the fruitefull trées bringing foorth most pretious fruites of good woorkes are by the suâ—â—eraunce of God in this world so miserably tormented and wofully vexed what shall wée say I pray you of the wicked which are so farre from vertue and good woorks They shal vndoubtedly bee plagued with vnspeakable paynes and punishments For touching the causes of those calamities wherewith the wicked are tormented they can bée none other than the heynous crimes which they commit from day to day and are therefore punished by Gods iuste iudgement to the end that all men may perceiue that God hateth wicked men and wickednesse alike So wée reade that Pharao was afflicted Saul fell vppon his owne sword and was slaine in the mounte Gelboe wyth many thousand Israelites because he had sinned against the Lord which purposed to destroy him for an example of his iudgement and a terrour to them that should followe after Antiochus Epiphanes Herode the great Herod Agrippa and Galerius Maximianus the Emperour were taken horriblie wyth gréeuous diseases and died of the same The reason was because they sinned against GOD and his seruaunts on whome hee determined to take a vengeaunce and to make them proofes of his iuste iudgemente so to bee examples for tyrauntes to perceiue what plagues remayne for those which séeke the bloud of the godly and faithfull And although oure good God doth ordeyne all thinges for the beste to his creatures and sendeth in a manner all calamities and miseries to drawe vs from wickednesse yet beecause hypocrites and wicked people despise the counselles and admonitions of GOD and neither will acknowledge God when hee striketh nor turne to him when hee calleth them all thinges doe turne to their destruction euen as to them which loue the Lord all thinges woorke to the beste and therefore doe they perishe in their calamities for in this world they féele the wrath of the Almightie God in most horible punishmentes and in the world to come when once they are parted oute of this life do for euer beare farre greater and bitterer paynes than any tongue can tell But if it happen that the wicked and vngodly sorte doe not in this life féele anye plague or greeuous affliction then shall they bée punished so much the soarer in the woorld to come There is no man that knoweth not the Euangelicall parable of the riche vnmerciful glutton who when as in this life hee liued as hée iusted in passinge delightes was notwythstanding in hell tormented wyth vnquencheable thyrste and parched wyth fire which neuer ceassed burning The felicitie therefore of the wicked in this life is nothing else but ertreeme miserie For Saint Iames the Apostle sayth Yee haue liued in pleasure vpon earth and beene wanton ye haue nourished your harts as in a day of slaughter which I say wil turne to you as to well fedd beastes that are fatted vp to be slaine to make meate of For Ieremie goeth a litle more plainly to woorke and sayth O Lord thou art more righteous than that I should dispute with thee yet notwithstanding I will talke with thee Howe happeneth it that the waye of the vngodly doeth prosper so well and that it goeth so wel with them which without shame offend in wickednesse Thou haste planted them they take roote they growe and bring forth fruite And immediatly after But drawe thou them out O Lord like a sheepe to be slaine and ordeine or appoint them against the day of slaughter Wyth this also doeth that agrée which the Prophete Asaph after hée had roundly and largely reckoned vp the felicitie of the wicked addeth saying Thou verilie hast set them in slipperie places thou shalt cast them downe head long and vtterly destroy them O wyth howe soudaine calamities are they oppressed they are perished swallowed vp of terrours Euen as a dreame that vanisheth so sone as one awaketh thou Lord shalt make their image contemptible in the citie For Dauid also before him did cry saying Yet a little and the vngodly shal bee no where and when thou lookest in his place he shall not appeare I haue seene the vngodly in great power slourishing like a greene Bay tree and I went by and loe he was gone I soughte him but hee could not bee found In like maner also doth Malachie the Prophet witnesse that there is great difference in the day of iudgement betwiâ—te the worshipper and despiser of God and betwixt the iuste and vniust dealer For the day of the Lord shall come in which the proude and those that woorke wickednesse shal be burnt as stubble with fire froÌ„ heauen so that there shall remaine vnto them neither roote nor braunch They that are wise therefore wil neuer hereafter be offended at the felicitie of the wicked they will neuer desire and long to be made partakers of their vnhappie prosperitie they wil not grudge at all to beare the miserie of the Crosse which they do daily heare to be layd by God vppon his Saintes to the end they may be tried and fined from the drosse of the fleshe and this vncleane world Thus farre haue I sufficiently reasoned of the causes of calamities Let vs now sée my reuerend brethren howe and in what order the godly and sincere worshipper of God doth behaue himselfe in all calamities and worldly afflictions His courage quayleth not but kicketh rather all desperation aside because hee vnderstandeth that hee must manfully in faith beare al sorts of euils Therfore doth he arme himselfe with hope patience and prayer There are verily among men some which so soone as they féele any affliction do presently crie as the common voyce is That it had béen best if they neuer had béen borne or else destroyed assone as they were borne A verie wicked saying is this and not worthie to be heard in a Christian mans mouth But farre more wicked are they which sticke not to destroy them selues rather than by liuing they would be compelled to suffer any longer some smal calamitie or abide the tauntes of the open world And yet on the other
Wherevppon wée doe fréely confesse that the lawe doeth properly make manifeste our infirmitie but that the Gospel giueth a medicine a remedie to that which was almost past hope And now here we must thinke that our holy ancestors had not the lawe alone to conuince them of sinne nor Moses to doe nothing else but kill and slay nor that Moses was giuen to wound them but to heale them that not by his owne power or vertue but by the guiding of them to him that chéerisheth the contrite in heart and healeth all their sorrowes that is Christ Iesus who also wrought by the ministerie of Moses For we must not thincke from the beginning of the world nor from Moses his time till the comming of Christe that the bare letter was preached onely and that the grace and spirite of God was idle wrought not in the mindes of the faithfull For in that the law doth shewe vs and inuincibly proue to vs that in vs I meane in our flesh y perfection is not which the most holy and perfecte God doth in his lawe require of vs it doeth therein reuoke and pull backe mankinde not by the vertue of it selfe but by the power of the quickening spirite of Christ from confidence of the fleshe as that wherin there is no health nor iote of perfection and so coÌ„sequently doeth giue vs occasion to turne our selues to Christ our mediatour who is alone our sanctification perfection And so for this occasion the law is a path and readie way and as it were a scholemaster giuen by God to vs men to drawe vs from all confidence in our owne strengths from all hope of our owne merites and from y trust in any kinde of creatures and to lead vs directly by faith to Christ who was made by God as I said eueÌ„ now our righteousnesse sanctification and redemptioÌ„ without whom there is no saluation vnder the sunne Therefore Moses did not onely vrge the lawe but did also preach Christ life in Christ For the Lord in the Gospel saith to the Iewes Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye trust For if ye had beleued Moses ye would vndoubtedly haue beleued mee For he wrote of mee And Paule to the Galathians saith If there had beene a law giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe but the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen vnto them that beleeue But before faith came wee were kept vnder the lawe and were shut vp into the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith Loe what could bée said more plainly then that the lawe hath concluded all vnder sinne But to what end That the promise by the faith of Christ Iesus should bée giuen vnto them that do beléeue And againe Before faith came that is before he came to whom our faith is directed and vppon whoÌ„ it is grounded we were kept vnder the lawe How forsooth being shut vp vnto the faith that was to bee reuealed Therefore our fathers were shut vpin the law that they should not breake out at any time séeke for life and saluation any where else but in Christ alone Wherefore the lawe did lead vs by faith directly vnto Christe And yet more plainly hée saith The lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christ Loe here againe the law doth bring vs to Christ And againe he addeth That we should bee iustified by faith Therefore the lawe setteth forward the true doctrine of iustification teaching plainly that we are iustified by faith in Christ and not by the merits of our owne workes In whiche point it is opeÌ„ly like vnto the Gospel and taketh to it selfe the office of the Gospell and no meruaile since to many men through their owne fault the Gospell doth become and is made the letter Furthermore the same Apostle doth in an other place say that in sacrifices they called their sinnes to remeÌ„brance we knowe that in them was prefigured the purging of sinns Therfore eueÌ„ the ceremonial lawes also led them to Christ testifying teaching them that he alone doth clense vs from all our sinnes Whervpon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the lawe both was is to opeÌ„ to vs our sinne iudgment yet not to condemne vs only but also by occasion to lead vs to Christ By which we learne also that the law doth not only teach vs the first principles and rudimentes of righteousnesse but the very true absolute righteousnesse For Moses doth expresly say that he taught a most perfecte absolute kind of doctrine as that wher in both life and death doth wholie consist And the Apostle saith that the law leadeth vs by the hand to Christ that we should be iustified by faith Now the righteousnesse of faith is the most perfect righteousnesse Therfore wher as the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudimeÌ„ts of the world that is for two especiall causes The first wherof is because the lawe is as it were the first instructioÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts which when the doctrine of the Gospel commeth is finished and giueth place to it as to more absolute principles The latter cause is because ceremonies are taught vnder outward thinges or signes when as in those outward things they do prefigure and set forth to be séen y inward things euen Christ himselfe his holy mysteries And out of that which I haue hetherto said we may also learne that the ancient saints which liued vnder the old testament did not séeke for righteousnesse saluation in the workes of the lawe but in him which is the perfectnesse end of the law euen Christ Iesus therfore that they vsed the law the ceremonies as a guide and scholemistresse to lead them by the hande to Christe their sauiour For so often as they heard that the lawe required perfect righteousnesse at their hands they did by faith through grace vnderstand y in the lawe Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousnesse to whom all men ought to flie for â—he obtâ—ining of righteousnesse So often as they mette together in the holy congregation to behold the holy Ceremonies which God had ordeined they did not looke vppon the bare figures only nor thincke that they did please God and were purged from their sinnes by that externall kinde of worshipp but they did cast the eyes of their minds of faith vppon the Messiah to come who was prefigured in al the Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the lawe They therefore did abuse the lawe who thoughte that they were acceptable to God and that they serued him as they should because they were busie in those Ceremoniall workes For those thoughtes and persuasions the Prophets
wonderfully confirme this argument Againe in the thirde to the Romanes the same Apostle saith If our vnrighteousnesse setteth foorth the righteousnesse of God what shal wee saye Is God vnrighteous which taketh vengeance I speake after the maner of men that is I vse the wordes of wicked people God forbidde For howe then shall GOD iudge the worlde for if the trueth of God hath more abounded through my lye vnto his glorie why am I as yet iudged as a sinner c. Verily if God were the author of sinne and all euil and that he would haue the wicked to be such as in verie déede they are then why I praye you shoulde hee iudge or punishe them as transgressours since they by sinning fulfilled his will To this place also doth belong that testimonie of the blessed Euangeliste and Apostle Iohn in his canonicall Epistle where he saith If any man loue the worlde the loue of the father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but of the worlde And the world passeth away the lust thereof But he that fulfilleth the will of the father abideth for euer Lo here God is vtterly frée from all euil euil saith he is not of the father but of the world And he which doth the will of the father doeth not what the world will but what God will. Therefore these two good and euil sinne and the will of God are directly opposed repugnant the one againste the other These testimonies thoughe fewe in number are notwithstanding in my iudgement sufficiently significant and able to persuade a godly disposed hearer Nowe vppon this wee doe first inferre a conclusion and boldly warrant that poynt of catholique doctrine which hath euer since the Apostles time alwayes béene defended with much diligence againste the vnpure Philosophie of some although yet I do not vtterly condemne all the partes of Philosophie knowing verie well that some poyntes thereof are verie necessarie and profitable to the zealous louers of God and godlynesse that God is not the author of euil or cause of sinne Then out of the same testimonies wee gather that the originall cause of sinne or euil is deriued of man him selfe and his suggester and prouoker the diuel so yet that wee saye that the diuel beeing firste him selfe corrupted did corrupt man beeing neuerthelesse not able of him selfe to haue done any thing had not man of his owne accorde consented vnto euil And here wee must sett before our eyes the fall of our first father Adam that by the consideration thereof wee maye bee the better able to iudge of the originall cause of sinne and iniquitie God created Adam the firste father of vs all according to his own similitude and likenesse that is to saye he made him good moste pure most holie moste iuste and immortall and adorned him with euery excellent gifte and facultie so that there was nothing wanting to him in God which was auailable to perfect felicitie Touching this similitude or likenesse to God I shall take occasion vppon the woordes of Paule to speake hereafter So then hee was indued with a verie diuine a pure sharpe vnderstanding His will was free without constraint and absolutelye holie Hee had power to doe either good or euill Moreouer God gaue him a lawe which might instruct him what to doe and what to leaue vndone For God in saying Thou shalt not eate of the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and euil did simply require at his handes faith and obedience and that hee shoulde wholie depende vppon God all which hee had to doe not by compulsion or necessitie but of his owne accorde and free good will. For verie truely and holily writ the wise man in the fiftéenth of Ecclesiasticus saying God made man in the beginninge and lâ—ft him in the hande of his counsell He gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes if thou wilt thou shalt kepe my commaundementes and they shall preserue thee Therefore when the Serpent teÌ„pted the minde of man and did persuade him to tast of the forbidden trée man knewe wel enough what perill was laide before him and howe the serpents counsell was flatly repugnant to the Lordes commaundement In the meane time neither did God compell him nor Satan in the serpent inforce him to sinne while he resisted and did withstande him For God had saide Ye shall not eate of that tree nor touche it if ye doe ye shal die for it Therefore hee was at his owne frée choice and in the hande of his owne counsell either to eate or not to eate Yea God declared his minde vnto him in giuing precise coÌ„maundement that he should not eate and to the commandement he annexed the daunger of the breache thereof withdrawing him thereby from the eating of the fruite and saying Least perhaps thou dye And as Satan could not so also he did not shew any violence but vsed suche probable wordes to counsell him as he coulde and did in déede at length persuade him For when the womans will gaue eare to the woorde of the diuell her minde departed from the woord of God whereby shée reiected the good lawe of God did of her owne peruerse will committ that sinne and drewe her husbande that yelded of his owne accorde into the fellowshippe of the same offence as the Scripture doeth moste significantly expresse in these wordes And the woman seeing that the tree was good to eate of and plesant to the eyes and a tree to bee desired to make one wise tooke of the fruite thereof and did eate and gaue to her husband with her and he did eate also Lo heere thou hast the beginning of euill the diuel thou hast heard what it was that moued the minde or will of man vnto that euill â—o wite the false persuasion of the diâ—el or his subtile praise of the fruite of the trée so consequently a méere lye and the pleasant shewe of the delicate tree But that which our first parents did they did of their owne accorde frée good will beeing ledd by hope to obteine a more excellent life profounder wisedome which the seducer had falsely promised them Wee doe therefore conclude y sinne doth spring not of God which hateth and doth prohibite all euill but of the diuel the frée election of our graundparents their corrupted will which was depraued by the diuels lye and the false shewe of fayned good So then the diuel and the yeldinge or corrupted minde of man are the verie causes of sinne and naughtinesse To procéede nowe this euil doth by descent flowe from our firste parentes into all their posteritie so that at this daye sinne doth not spring from else where but of our selues that is to saye of our corrupt iudgement depraued will and the suggestion of the diuell For the roote of euill is yet remaining in our flesh by
euil for warre and maketh it the contrarie to peace Againe Sainct Augustine De natura boni contra Manichaeos Chap. 28. saith When we heare that all things are of him and by him and in him we must vnderstande it to be spoken of all the natures that are naturally For sinnes are not of him beecause they do not keepe but defile nature which sinnes the holie Scriptures doe diuersly testifie to bee of the will of them which committ them Thus much Augustine Neither is it a matter of any great difficultie to answere to that sentence of Solomons where hee saith God created all thinges for his owne sake yea the vngodly against the euill daye Prouerb 16. For wee beleeue that the moste iust God hath appointed a day of affliction iudgement or punishement which shal come vppon them in due time and season But whereas the Apostle saith Hee hath mercie on whome he wil and whom he wil he â—ardeneth wee must not so wrâ—st it to say that God doeth of necessitie driue any man to sinne and that therefore he is the cause of sinne For the will of God is good and iuste and willeth nothing but what is expedient and not repugnant to nature and the word of god And therefore it is that the Prophet cryeth The Lorde is iuste in all his wayes and holie in all his woorks Psalme 145. Thus haue I out of much that may be saide picked out a little and layed it before your eyes dearely beloued for you to consider of the cause of sinne Wee are nowe come to demonstrate the first partes which were set downe in the description of sinne immediately vppon the beginning of this sermon They are in number two the first is Sinne is the natural corruption of mankinde The latter is and the action that riseth of it contrarie to the lawe of God. Some verily in setting downe the kindes or differences of sinnes doe verie well aduisedly saye Of sinnes one is originall and another actuall I meane in order to speake of both so farre as God shal giue mée grace and firste of the same naturall corruption in mankinde that is of originall sinne Nowe therefore it is called originall sinne because it commeth from the firste beginning being deriued from our firste parents into vs all by lineall descent and continual course from one to another For wee bring it wiâ—h vs in oure nature from our mothâ—rs wombe into this life Of this sinne there are many definitions made which as they doe not disagrée among them selues so yet is one of them more full and euident than another of them is Some say Originall sinne is the corruption of nature from the first perfectnesse Other some saye it is the corruption of mannes nature which maketh that wee doe not truely obey the lawe of God and are not without sinne Againe some call it a want or defect other call it concupiscence whiche might better séeme to be the fruite of originall sinne that is of oure corruption Other call it an inordinatenesse of appetites which is leaft in nature Anshelmus a late writer saith Originall sinne is the want of originall righteousnesse But this is thought to haue beene spoken somewhat too briefely For the force of sinne seemeth to bee not sufficiently expressed For our nature is not onely voyde and baren of goodnesse but also most aboundant and fruitefull of all euils and naughtinesse Therefore the definition of Hugo is taken for the better who saith Originall sinne is ignoraunce in the mynde and concupiscence in the fleashe But yet this séemeth to bée a farr fuller and better definition Originall sinne is the vice or deprauation of the whole man whereby hee cannot vnderstande GOD and his will but of a peruerse iudgement of thinges doeth ouerthwartly and peruerteth all thinges And nowe among all these definitions I wishe you dearely beloued to consider of this also Originall sinne is the inheritablie descending naughtinesse or corruption of oure nature whiche doeth firste make vs indaungered to the wrath of God and then bringeth foorth in vs those woorkes which the Scripture calleth the woorkes of the fleashe Therefore this originall sinne is neither a déede nor a woorde nor a thought but a disease a vice a deprauation I saye of iudgement and concupiscence or a corruption of the whole man that is of the vnderstanding will and all the power of man out of which at last doe flowe all euil thoughtes naughtie wordes and wicked déedes This sinne taketh beginning at and of Adam and for that cause it is called the inheritablie descendinge naughtinesse and corruption of oure nature Concerning the corruption and sinne of Adam out of whome we are all borne sinners I haue allreadie sufficientlye spoken where I treated of the cause of sinne and by and by hereafter shall followe somewhat more of the same argument so that I haue no néede to repeate any thing here I will therfore now passe forth to the rest The Pelagians denyed that this euill of Originall sinne was hereditarie For these are the verie woordes of Pelagius him selfe As without vertue so are we also borne without vice And before the action of our own wil that alone is in man which God created These woordes of his are somewhat obscure but Caelestius the partener of Pelagius did more openly spue out this poyson and saye Wee did not therefore saye that infants are to bee baptised into the remission of sinnes to the ende that we should seeme thereby to affirme that sinne is Ex traduce or hereditarie which is vtterly contrary to the Catholique sense Because sinne is not borne with man but is afterwarde put in vre by man because it is declared to bee not the fault of the nature but of the will. Againe Pelagius saide that that first sinne did not hurte the first man onely but all mankinde also his issue and ofspring but he doth immediately adde not by propagation but by example that is to saye not that they which came of him drewe any vice of him but because they that sinned afterwarde did in sinning imitate him that sinned first and before them This is to be seene in Aurelius Augustinus De peccato originali contra Pelagium Caelestium Lib. 2. Cap. 6. 13. et 15. Wee therefore must proue by the testimonies of holie Scripture that the euil is hereditarie in man and that originall is borne together with vs that is that all men are borne sinners into the worlde The Prophet therefore doth plainly crye Psalme 51. Beholde I was borne in wickednesse and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Or as another translation out of the Hebrue saith Beeholde I was shapen in iniquitie and in sinne my mother cherished or warmed mee That is to saye sinne did then immediately cleaue vnto mée when I was once conceiued and nourished in my mothers wombe Nowe that happened vndoubtedly not by any vice of matrimonie for the wedlock bedde is holie and vndefiled
intricate places of the holie scripturs which it is hard to coÌ„prehend or define in any certeine order both that many things are vnknowen without the perill of Christian faith and also that in some points men do erre with out any crime of hereticall doctrine But concerning the two men by the one of whoÌ„ wee are sold vnder sinne by the other redeemed from sinne by one we are cast headlong into death by the other wee are made free vnto life because that man did in himselfâ— destroye vs by doing his owne will and not the will of him that madâ— him but this man hath in himselfe saued vs by doing not his owne wil but the will of him that sent him Therfore in the coÌ„sideration of these two men Christian faith doeth properly consist For there is one God and one mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Because there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in which they must be saued in him hath God appointed all men to trust raysing him vp from death to life Therefore Christian veritie doubteth not but that without this faith that is without the faith of the only mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus without the beliefe I say of his resurrection whiche God hath prescribed to men whiche cannot be truly beleeued without the beleefe of his incarnation and death without the faith therefore of the incarnation death and resurrection of Christ none of the auncient iust men could be clâ—nsed and iustified of God from their sinnes whether they were in the number of those iuste men whome the holy Scripture mentioneth or in the number of those iuste men whom the Scripture nameth yet are to bee beleeued to haue beene either before the deluge or betwixte the deluge and the lawe or in the verie time of the lawe not onely among the children of Israel as the Prophets were but also without that people as Iob was For euen their harts were cleÌ„sed by the same faith of the mediatour and charitie was powred into them by the same holy spirite which breatheth where he listeth not following after merits but euen working the verie merits themselues For Gods grace will not bee by any meanes vnlesse it be free by al meanes Although therefore death reigned from Adam vnto Moses because the law giuen by Moses could not ouercome it For there was no such law giuen as could quicken but such a lawe as whose office was to shewe that the dead to the quickening of whome grace was necessarie were not only ouerthrowen by the propagation and dominion of sinne but were also condemned by the hidden transgression of the verie law it selfe not that euery one should perish that did then vnderstand it in the mercie of God but that euery one being through the dominioÌ„ of death appointed vnto punishment and detected to himselfe by the transgression of the lawe should seeke for the helpe of God that where sinne abouÌ„ded grace might more abound which alone doth deliuer from the body of this death Although therefore the lawe giuen by Moses could not ridd any maÌ„ from the kingdome of death yet in the very time of the lawe were the men of God not vnder the terrifying conuinceing punishing law but vnder the delectable sauing and deliuering grace There were among them some which said In iniquitie was I conceiued and in sinne hath my mother fedd mee in her wombe And so forth For hetherto I haue cited the very words of S. Augustine I haue thus farre spoken of originall sinne of the natiue and hereditarie corruption of our nature which is the first part in the definition of sinne here followeth nowe the latter part to witt the very Action which ariseth of that corruption the actual sinne I say which is so called Ab actu that is an acte or a déede doing For in so much as that corruption whiche is borne together with and is hereditarie in vs doeth not alwayes lye hidd but woorketh outwardly and sheweth forth it selfe doth at last bring forth an imp of her owne kinde and nature which impe is actuall sinne therefore we define actuall sinne to bee an action or woorke or fruite of oure corrupte and naughtie nature expressing it selfe in thoughts words and workes against the lawe of God and therby deseruing the wrath of God. So then by this the cause of actuall sinne is knowen to be the very corruption of mankind which sheweth forth it selfe through concupiscence and euil affections affections intice the will wil being helped with the other faculties in man that worke together with it doth finish actual sinne And that ye may more clearely perceiue that whiche I saye I wish you to note that our minde hath two partes The vnderstanding or reason or iudgement and the will or appetite In the reason are the lawes of nature whereunto must be added the preaching or reading or knowledge of Gods word And nowe as of good woorkes in man there are two especiall causes to witt sound iudgement well framed by the woord of God and a will consenting and obeying therevnto and yet notwithstanding there is principallie to be required the comming to of the holye Ghoste from heauen to illuminate the minde and moue forward the will euen so we may most properly say that actuall sinne is finished when any thinge is of set purpose with aduised iudgement and the consent of our wil committed against the lawe of god And yet to these there doe many times happen other outward causes both visible and inuisible For euill spirites moue men and euill men moue men and other infinite examples of corruption that are in the world Hope seare and weakenesse doe also moue men Augustine Quaest in Exodum 29. sayeth The beginning of vice is in the will of man but the heartes of men are moued by sundrie accidental causes now this now that sometimes the causes are all one the difference is in the manner and order according to euery ones proper qualities which doe arise of euerie seuerall will. Againe in the 79. Psalme he sayeth Two things there are that woorke all sinnes in mortall men desire and feare Consider examine aske your heartes search your consciences and see if any sinnes can be but by desiring or else by fearing Thou aâ—t promised if thou wilt sinne to haue such a reward giueÌ„ thee as thou doest delight in and for desire of the gifte thou crackest thy conscience doest commit sinne And againe on the other side though peraduenture thou wilt not be seduced with giftes yet being terrified with threatnings thou doest for dread of that whiche thou fearest coÌ„mit the iniquitie that other wise thou wouldest not As for example Some one man or other would with giftes corrupte thee to beare false witnesse Thou presently hast turned thee selfe to God and hast said in thy heart what doth it aduantage a man if hee gaine the whole world suffer the losse
the blasphemie against the holie Ghoste shal not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come The same sentence of our Sauiour is thus expressed in the thirde Chapter of sainct Markes Gospell All sinnes shal be forgiuen vnto the children of men blasphemies wherewith soeuer they shal blaspheme but he that speaketh blasphemie against the holie Ghoste hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation In the twelfth Chap. after Sainct Luke these woordes in a manner are vttered thus Who soeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but vnto him that blasphemeth the holie Ghoste it shal not be forgiuen In these woordes of the Lorde we haue here mention made of blasphemie against the sonne of man and of blasphemie against the holie Ghoste of which that against the holie Ghoste is vtterly vnpardonable but that against the sone of man is altogether veniall Blasphemie against the sonne of man is committed of the ignoraunt which are not yet inlightened doeth tend against Christ whome the blasphemer doth thinke to bee a seducer because he knoweth him not Suche blasphemers the woorde of the Lorde doth manifestly testifie that Paul him selfe before his conuersion a greate parte of the Iewes were For vppon the crosse the Lorde prayed crying Father for giue them for they wott not what they doe And the Apostle Paule sayth If they had knowen the Lorde of glorie they would not haue crucified him Wherevpon Saincte Peter in the Actes speakinge to the Iewes saith I knowe that ye did it through ignorance nowe therefore turne you and repent that your sinnes may be wiped out Act. 3. But the blasphemie against the holie Ghost is saide to be a continual faultfinding or reproche against the holie spirite of God that is against the inspiration illumination and woorkes of the spirite For when he doth so euidently worke in the minds of men that they can neither gainesaye it nor yet pretend ignorance and that for all this they do resist mocke despise and continually snapp at the trueth whiche they in their consciences do knowe to be moste hoalsome and true in so doing they do blaspheme the holie Spirite and power of god As for example the Phariseis being by moste euident reasons and vnreproueable miracles coÌ„uinced in their owne minds could not denie but that the doctrine woorkes of our Lorde Iesus Christe were the trueth and miracles of the verie God and yet against the testimonie of their owne consciences they did of méere enuie rebellious doggednesse and false apostacie continually cauil that Christ did al by the means inspiration of Beelsebub the diuel And little or nothing better than the Phariseis are those which when they haue in these dayes once vnderstoode that the verie trueth and assured saluation are moste simplie and purely set forth in Christe doe notwithstanding forsake it and allowe of the contrarie doctrine condemning and with mockes rayling vppon the sounde and manifest trueth yea and that more is they ceasse not to clappe their handes and hisse at it as a damnable heresie As this sinne is of all other the filthiest so is it not veniall but vtterly vnpardonable For in the Gospell the Lorde hath expresly saide it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the worlde to come Whiche sentence in Saint Marke is thus pronounced He hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation The cause is manifest For it is vnpossible without faith to please god Without faith there is no remission of sinnes Without faith there is no entraunce into the kingdome of god But the sinne against the holie Ghoste is méere apostacie flatt rebellion against the true faith which the holie Ghoste by his illumination doth powre into our heartes Whiche illumination these vntoward Apost ataes doe incessantly call darkenesse they name it a meere seduction and do with tauntes blaspheme it openly Therfore the sinne is neuer forgiuen them For they tread vnder foote the Grace of God and do despise make a mocke of the waye which leadeth to saluation Wherefore Sainct Paule in the tenth to the Hebrues saith If wee sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour the aduersaries Nowe I pray you what is it to sinne wilingly Forsooth to sinne willingly is not to sinne through infirmitie or ofteÌ„ times to fall into one the same sinne but to sinne willingly is with a moste stubborn coÌ„teÌ„pt to sinne as they are wont to do which wittingly and willingly do reiecte and spurne at the Grace of God not ceassing to make a mocke of the crosse death of Christ as thoughe it were foolishe and not sufficiently effectuall to the purginge of all oure sinnes For to such there is prepared none other sacrifice for sinnes And suche the Apostle calleth the aduersaries that is the contemners and enimies of god And therefore the same Apostle in the sixte Chapter of the same Epistle saith It cannot be that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gifte were become partakers of the holie ghost and haue tasted of the good woorde of God and the powers of the world to come and they fall away should be renued againe into repentaunce crucifying to them selues the sonne of God afreshe and making a mock of him He speaketh not here of euery fall of the faithfull but of wilfull stubborne apostacie For Peter fell and was restored againe throughe repentance which happeneth to more than Peter alone For all sinners are through repentaunce daily restored But vnrepentant Iudas is not restored because he was a wilfull apostatae Mockers and blasphemâ—rs are not restored through repentance because they do obstinately stande against the knowen veritie and ceasse not to blaspheme the waye by whiche alone they are to be ledd vnto eternall life Therefore those places of S. Paule do make neuer a whit for the Nouatians but do expound to vs the nature and enuenomed force of the sinne against the holie Ghost Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist disputing of this sinne in his Canonicall Epistle saith If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death he shal aske he shal giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldest praye for it All vnrighteousnesse is sinne and there is a sinne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him selfe and that euil toucheth him not Sainct Iohn here maketh mentioÌ„ of two sortes of sinnes The one vnto death that is mortall
thinges particularly I will vse this course and order First of all I wil out of the lawe and the Prophets recite vnto you some euident promises of Christ made by God vnto the church which shal be those especiallie y the Apostles themselues haue alreadie touched expouÌ„ded SecoÌ„dlie I wil proue vnto you that God hath nowe performed that which hee promised so longe agoe to wit that he hath alreadie exhibited to vs his onely begotten sonne and that hee is that true so long-looked-for Lord and Messiah whiche should come to saue the world Lastly I wil shew you how y in this Sonne the father is pleased and reconciled to the world againe in whome also hee hath fullie giuen vs all thinges requisite to eternall life and absolute felicitie For he for vs and for our saluation was incarnate dead raised to life againe taken vp into heauen there to be our mediatour for euer and aduocate vnto his father And in these points doe lye the liuely veynes of the Gospel which flowe with hoalesome waters vnto eternal life For in them doeth consist the sound consolation of the faithfull and the enduring tranquillitie of a quiet conscience Without them there is no life or quiet rest The promises made by God concerning Christ whiche are vttered in the holy Scriptures are thréefold or of thrée sortes I therefore to make them the playner vnto you doe diuide the promises of one and the same sort according to the times The first promises were made to the patriarchs or auncient fathers before the giuing of the lawe these againe consist of two sortes For one sort of them are plaine vttered euidently in simple woords without all types and â—â—â—uratiue shadowes The other sort â—re figuratiue and couched vnder types The first and most euident promise of all was made by the verie mouth of God vnto our first parentes Adam Euah being oppressed with death calamities the horrible feare of Gods reuenging hand for their transgression which promise is as it were the piller and base of all Christian religion wherevpon the preaching of the Gospell is altogether founded and out of which al the other promises in a maner are deriued That promise is coÌ„teined in these words of the Lord I wil put enimitie betwixt thee meaning the serpent the diuel I say in the serpent and the woman betwixt thy seede and her seede and it shall tread downe thy head and thou shalt tread vppon his heele God in these wordes promiseth séed the séed I say not of man but of woman and that too of the most excellent woman to wit that most holie Virgin Marie the woman that was blessed among all other women For she conceiued not by any man but by the holie Ghost beeing a Virgin still was deliuered of Christ our Lord who by dying and rising againe did not onely vexe or wound but also crush tread downe the head that is the kingdome of Sathan to witt sinne death and damnation taking away and making vtterly void all the power and tyrannie of that our enimie and deceiuer In the meane while sathan troade on Christ his héele that is to say hee by his meÌ„bers Caiaphas Pontius Pilate the Iewes and Gentiles did with exquisite tormentes and death vexe and kill the fleshe which was in Christ the lowest part euen as the héele is to the bodie For the Lord in the Psalmes sayeth I am a worme no man They haue brought my life into the duste But he roase again from the dead For had he not risen againe he had not troden downe the serpentes head But nowe by his rising hée is become the Sauiour of all that doe beléeue in him Out of this promise is deriued that singular and notorious one which the Angel of the Lord reciteth vnto our father Abraham in these words following In thy seed shall all the nations of the world be blessed But Paule in his Epistle to the Galathians doeth in expresse words declare that that blessed séed is ours whiche was promised to Abraham Nowe our Lord is called by the name of Séed because of the first promise made to Adam and Euah because hee was for vs incarnate and made verie man Neither is this promise repugnant to the first For although Christ our Lord be héere called the séed or sonne of Abraham yet is he no other way referred vnto Abraham than by the Virgin whiche was the daughter of Abraham and mother of Christ Now what good doth the sonne of Abraham to vs by his incarnation Forsoth he blesseth vs But a blessing is the contrarie vnto a curse Therefore what cause soeuer wée drue from the sinne of Adam that doeth Christe heale in vs and blesse vs with all spirituall blessing Neither doeth he bestow this benefite vppon a few alone but vppon all the nations of the world that doe beléeue in him The Patriarch Iacob being inspired with the holie Ghost foretold the chaunces that should betide his children and at length when hee came to Iuda amonge the rest he sayeth The Scepter shal not depart from Iuda a lawegiuer from betweene his feete till Schilo come and vnto him shall the gathering of the people be Loe here in these words the Messiah is not onely promised but the verie time also is prescribed when he should be incarnate with a declaration both what howe farre forth he should bée The kingdome sayeth he shall remaine vnder Iuda vntill the comminge of the Sauiour And albeit that the tribe of Iuda shall not alwayes haue kinges to gouerne them yet shall it not lacke nobles capitaines lawegiuers learned men and sages to rule the people And therefore the Euangelicall historie doth faithfully witnesse that Christ came at that time when al power authoritie and rule was translated to the Romanes vnto whose Emperour Octa. Augustus the Iewes were inforced to pay taxes and tribute Now Schilo signifieth felicitie or the author of felicitie it signifieth plentie stoare and abundance of al excellent things For Christ is the treasurie of all good thinges And the Chaldee interpreter where he findeth Schilo translateth it CHRIST Finallie to him as to their Sauiour shall all people bee gathered as the Prophets did afterward most plainely declare Esaie in the second and Micheas in the fourth chapiters of their bookes or prophecies Furthermore the types and figures of Christe are Noah preserued in the arcke For in Christ are the faithfull saued as S. Peter testifieth 1. Pet. 3. Abraham offereth vpp Isaac his onely begotten sonne vppon the topp of the same mountaine where many yeares after the onely begotten sonne of God was offered vppon the Crosse Ioseph is by his brethren sold to the heathen he is cast in prison but being deliuered he doeth become their Sauiour is of all the people called the preseruer of the Aegyptian kingdome In all these thinges was Christ oure Lord prefigured The latter promises also are of two sortes either openly
our owne For this is the glorie of the sonne of God that vnder Heauen there is none other name giuen vnto men in whiche they must bee saued Herevppon it is that Paule saide Christe is made of none effecte to you who soeuer are iustified by the Lawe ye are fallen from Grace And againe I doe not despise the grace of god For if righteousenesse bee of the Lawe then did Christe dye in vaine If hee dyed in vaine then is the glorie of Christe his Crosse perished The thirde cause is the certeine and assured reason of oure saluation Our saluation should bee vtterly vncerteine if it did depende vppon our woorkes and merites who because of oure naturall corruption vnlesse wee bee beside our selues doe saye or ought to saye with Iob If I haue any righteousenesse I will not aunswere but humbly beeseeche my Iudge Therefore did Paule verie rightly saye If the inheritaunce bee of the Lawe then is faith voide and the promise made of none effecte Therefore is it of faith as according to Grace that the promise may bee firme to all the seede The fourth cause is because by this doctrine especially there is repayred in vs the image of GOD to the likenesse whereof wee were at the firste created For by faithe Christe dwelleth and liueth in vs who is also delighted in our humilitie But then is the image of the diuell stirred vpp in vs when wee beginne once to bee proude in our selues and to vsurpe the glorie of God whiche is done vndoubtedly so often as wee doe attribute our righteousenesse and saluation vnto oure selues as though by oure owne woorkes or merites wee had deserued the kingdome of god The diuell swelleth with pride and doth his indeuour to robbe God of his glorie The Saintes do knowe and acknowledge that they are saued by the true grace and mercie of God and doe therefore attribute to him all honour and glorie and to them selues confusion and ignominie Wherevnto vndoubtedly belongeth the parable in the gospell of the Phariseie boastinge in his good workes and of the Publicane praying and saying God be mercifull to me a sinner of whiche twayne the Publicane is read to haue gone heauie to his house rather iustified than the other The fifte cause is the value or estimation of the sinne For that semeth to be no greate faulte which may by mennes workes be blotted out before god But the holy scripture teacheth that sinns could be by none other meanes cleansed but by the death and innocent bloude of the sonne of god Nowe by that euery man that hath anye vnderstandinge may easily gather that sinne in the sight of GOD is a moste abhominable and detestable thinge Wherevpon there doeth arise in the faithfull Sainctes a carefull and diligent watchinge against sinne and a continuall bewaylinge of oure miserable condition with a passinge humilitie and exquisite modestie I coulde yet add to these some causes more why al men ought to stâ—iue endeuour to kéepe this doctrine that the Catholique church iâ— iustified by the grace of God in his only beâ—otteÌ„ sonne through faith not through workes sincere and vncorrupt in the church of Christe but these I hope are sufficient for them that are not of purpose set to quarell against vs And yet notwithstanding there is no perill why by this doctrine good woorkes should be neglected of which I haue spoken in place conuenient But if there be any that ceasse not of purpose to cauil against the manifest truth of the Gospell I obiect against them that saying of Paule that neither wee nor the churches of God do stand to wrangle in so manifest a light To conclude the summe of all that which hitherto I haue saide touching the Gospell is this that al men that be in the world are of their owne nature the seruauntes of sinne the diuell and eternall death and cannot be loosed or set at libertie by anye other meanes but by the frée grace of God and the redemption which is in the onely begotten sonne of God our Lorde Christe Iesus Of which redemption they onely are made partakers that doe beléeue and trust in him For whosoeuer doe by true faith receiue Christ Iesus through the preaching of the Gospell they are therewithal iustified that is acquited from their sinnes sanctified and made heires of eternall life But they that by their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of harte do not receiue Christe are giuen ouer to the eternall paines and bondes of hell For the wrath of God abydeth vppon them Let vs therefore giue hartie thankes to God our redéemer and humbly beséech him to kéepe and increase vs in the true faith and lastely to bring vs to life euerlasting Amen ¶ Of Repentaunce and the causes thereof of Confession and remission of sinnes of satisfaction and indulgences of the olde and newe man of the power or strength of men and the other thinges perteining to Repentaunce The Seconde Sermon I Promised in my last Sermon that I made of the Gospell of IESUS Christe to adde a discourse of RepeÌ„taunce which by the helpe of GOD and your good prayers I purpose in this Sermon for to perfourme They amonge the Latines are sayde to repent which are agreeued at or ashamed of the thing that they haue done Thou hast done a good turne and thinckest him vnworthie of it for whome thou hast done it and for that cause arte sorie to thy selfe that sorrowe of thine is repentaunce Wee Germans call it Denriiwen The Gréekes doe name it Metanoeam Nowe they which are skilful of y toung saye that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to bethinke afterwarde so that Metanoea is there properly vsed where a man hauing once slipped by dooynge some thing foolishelye doth notwithstanding at length come to himselfe againe and verily purpose to correcte his owne errour It is theÌ„rfore referred not to the thought of the minde onely but also to the deed done For he that perceiueth that he hath offended doth deuise with himselfe how to amend it So now the thing beginneth to displease thée which before did please thée so nowe thou eschuest the thing that before thou ensuedst Moreouer the Hebrues call Repentaunce Theschuah that is a conuersion or returning to the right way or minde againe The Metaphore séemeth to bée taken of them whiche once did straye from the right path but doe againe at lengthe returne into the way Which word is translated to the minde to the maners and déedes of men But nowe this word is diuersly vsed For Repentaunce signifieth the chaunging of the purpose once conceiued or of any other thing For by Ieremie the Lord sayeth If they turne from euill I will also repente mee of the euill whiche I ment to lay vppon them Therefore God doth then repent when he chaungeth his purpose he repenteth not when he doth not alter it Paule sayeth The giftes and calling of God are without repentaunce And Dauid said The Lord hath sworne and will not
Indulgenciaries and the Pope him selfe whose Hierlings they be We must confesse verily that they are the fellowes of Simon not Peter but Magus For Peter did by the iust sentence of God curse such kinde of merchantes Your money saith he perish together with you This is a heauie and terrible but yet a moste iust iudgement of the moste iust god The same Apostle Peter foreséeing that in the church there would be many such merchants doeth in his last Epistle say There were false Prophets among the people euen as there shal be false teachers among you which priuily bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themseâ—ues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of And with couetousnesse through seigned words shall they make merchaÌ„dize of you For what is it with fained words through couetousenesse to make merchandize of the miserable idiotes if this is not when they say that they doe giue full remission of sinnes vnto all them that are contrite and doe confesse their sinnes For if any man doo acknowledge his sinnes and with a true faith conuert him selfe to God through Christe euen without theire Indulgences he doth obtaine plenarye remission of all his sinnes Those foxes therefore make mony of smoke deceiuing simple soules and selling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had neither possibly can be purchased with money And thus much hetherto of bought and solde Indulgences Of which other writers haue made very long discourses I suppose that by this little any man maye easily vnderstand how to iudge of them a-right We are now at length come past those rocks and shelfes to whiche we did of purpose saile that when we had viewed the moste perilous places we might admonishe the vnskilfull passagers to take héede howe they strike vpon them for making shippwrack of their soules by thincking that in these Indulgences doeth lye she true force of sufficiente Repentaunce wherein there is nothing but the vtter displeasing of Godes moste holye maiestie Therefore letting that alone as it is we doe now returne to declare she last member of repentance whereby we said that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued spiritutually First of all therfore it séemeth good to tell what the olde man is what the newe or regenerated manne is and what the power or strength of man is For by the demonstration thereof we shall the better vnderstand what it is to mortifie the olde man to be renued in the spirit We say that the olde man is all that which we haue of nature or of our first parents to wit not the body only or the flesh I mean the grosser and substantiall parte of the bodye but euen the verye soule with the strength the power and faculties of the same Therefore wheras in some places of the holye Scriptures the fleshe is put for man we must not onely vnderstand the massie substance and grosser parte of the bodye but the very fleshe together with the soule and all the faculties thereof that is the whole man not yet regenerate For the Lord in the Gospell saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And this he speaketh concerning regeneratioÌ„ which is not according to the fleshe as Nicodemus did falsely imagine but according to the spirit The woord Flesh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne euen all that I meane which we haue or take of our first grandsyre Adam The new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the spirite of God in Christe or is rerenued according to the image of Christe with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoste And as the flesh is vsually put for the olde man so is the spirit by an Antithesis commonly vsed and taken for the newe man. Now héere the very place requireth to discourse somewhat of the power or vertues of man Of whiche although I haue else-where disputed all redye as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage and of sinne yet héere againe I wil touch suche points as I thinck to suffice for this present Argument There are two partes or faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Will. Vnderstandinge doeth discerne in things obiect what to receiue or what to refuse and is as it were the light and guide of the soule Will chooseth for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties Nowe the vnderstanding is of two sortes For we vnderstand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges I call those Earthly things which do apperteine not to the life to come but to the life present whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts the gouerning of publique weales and the ruling of priuate houses By heauenly things I vnderstand God himselfe eternall felicitie and life euerlastinge the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues faith hope charitie righteousnes holynes and innocencie of life Now let vs sée what this vnderstanding of man is able to doo and what power it hath The Iudgement and vnderstanding of man in Earthly things is not altogither none at all but yet it is weake and verye smal God wot The vnderstanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God but in that it is small and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men those giftes of his whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to passe For which cause we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes wittes of men are in the handes of god But in the knowledge or vnderstanding of heauenly matters there is not one small sparke of light in man his witt of it selfe is nothing but darckenesse which at the beginninge was created by God moste sharpe lightsome but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe For therefore it is that Christe in the Gospell sayed No man commeth to mee vnlesse my father drawe him And in the prophets it is written All shal be taught by GOD. And Paule saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him Neither can knowe because they are spiritually discerned The naturall man that is that olde man which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghost is not a blocke altogether without all sense or féeling For if he were vtterly without all the discourses of reason then how should the preaching of the Gospell séeme foolishnesse vnto him He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderstande the wordes and sense of the holie scripture but by reason of his naturall corruption he is not touched with them he doth not rightly iudge of theÌ„ they seeme méere follie vnto him neither doth he perceiue that they must be discerned spiritually because
excommunication the secular power hath nowe by the space of 30. yeares and more beene called on and persecution hath beene euery where raysed vpp against guiltlesse Christians not for committing heynous crimes and defending naughtinesse but for inueighing against mischiefes and mischiefous men and for requiring the reformation of the Church and yet euen at this day most cruell edicts are out and crueltie is exercised euery day more more against them that confesse the name of Christ yea such is their impudencie brasen-faced boldnesse they dissemble not that the counsell if any must be celebrated shall be called for the rooting out of heresies yea they doe openly professe that the counsell once held at Trent was to this end assembled Nowe since these things more clearely than the sunne are perceiued to be most true thou shalt most holy kinge doe wisely and religiously if without looking for the determination of a generall counsell thou shalt proceed to reforme the Churches in thy kingdome according to the rule of the bookes of both testaments which we do rightly beleeue being written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost to be the very word of God. But nowe that it is lawfull for euery Christian Church much more for euery notable Christian kingdome without the aduise of the Church of Rome and the members therof in matters of religion depraued by them wholie to make are formation according to the rule of Gods most holy word it is therby manifest because Christians are the congregation the Church or subiects of their king Christ to whome they owe by all meanes most absolute and perfect obedience Now the Lord gaue his Church a charge of reformation he commended vnto it the sound doctrine of the Gospell together with the lawfull vse of his holy Sacraments he also condemned all false doctrine that I meane that is contrarie to the Gospell he damned the abuse and prophanation of the Sacraments and deliuered to vs the true worship of God proscribed the false therefore Christians obeying the Lawes commaundements of their Prince do vtterly remoue or take away all superstition and do restore establish and preserue the true religion according to the manner that Christ their Prince appointed them He verilie is a foole or a mad man which sayeth that the Church of Christ hath none authoritie to correcte such errours vicces and abuses as do daily creepe into it And yet the Romish tyrannie hath so bewitched the eyes of many men that they thincke that they cannot lawfully doe any thinge but what it pleaseth Rome to giue them leaue to doe The Ecclesiasticall histories make mention of prouinciall Synods held in sondrie prouinces wherein there were handled matters of faith and the reformation of the Churches and yet no mention once made of the bishop of Rome What may be thought of that moreouer that in certeine Synodes not heretical but orthodoxasticall and Catholique thou mayest finde some that were excommunicated for appealing from their owne Churches vnto the Church of Rome Sainct Cyprian writing to Cornelius the bishop of Rome doth say Since that it is ordeined by vs all that it is iust and right that euery mans cause should be heard there where the crime is committed that to euery seueral pastour is appointed a portion of the flocke which euery one must gouerne make accompt of his doings before the Lord it is expedient verilie that those ouer whome we haue the charge should not gad to and fro by that meanes with their subtile and deceiptfull petulancie to make the concord of bishops to be at iarre but to pleade their causes there where they maye haue their accusers present and witnesses of their crime committed But letting passe the testimonies of men we do now come to the testimonies in the booke of god The most holy king Iosias most godly Prince may alone in this case teach you what to do and how to do with the warrant authoritie of God himselfe He by the diligent reading of the holy booke of God and by the contemplation of things present and the manner of worshipping God that then was vsed did vnderstand that his auncestours did greatly very farre erre from the plaine and simple truth for which cause he calleth together the princes and other estates of his kingdome together with all the priestes to hold and celebrate a counsell with them In that counsell he standeth not long disputing whether the examples of the elders ought rather to be followed or Gods commuandement simplie receiued whether he ought rather to beleeue the Church or the Scripture and whether all the iudgement of religion ought to be referred to the high priest For laying abroade the booke of the Lawe he submitteth both himselfe and all his vnto the Sacred Scripture Out of the booke of the Lawe both he him selfe doth learne biddeth all his to learne what thinge it is that pleaseth God namely that which was commuanded and learned in the reading of the Lawe of god And presently hee gaue charge that all men should doe and execute that not hauing any regard to the auncient custome or to the Church that was at that time he made all subiecte to the word of god Which deede of his is so commended that next after Dauid hee is preferred before all the kinges of Iuda and Israel Nowe your royall Maiestie cannot followe any better or safer counsell than this cōsidering that it proceedeth from God and that it is most fit for the cause which is euen nowe in hand The disputation is of the Reformation of Religion and the true fayth of Christ You know that that doth spring from heauen namely that it is taught by the word of God and powred into our hartes by the holy Ghost For Paul sayth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ Therefore as true fayth is not grounded vppon the word of man so is it not taught or planted by the same For in an other place the same Apostle sayth My preaching was not in the enticing words of mans wisedome but in the shewing of the spirite and of power that your faith might not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Not without good cause therefore doe we refuse the traditions of men and turne onely to the doctrine of the word of the Lord without which it is assuredly certeine that there is no doctrine nor any foundation of true fayth Neither are they worthie to be heard who thincke that the Canonicall Scriptures are not plaine enough full enoughe or sufficient enough to minister a perfect platforme of reformation They blaspheme the spirite of God imputing vnto it obscurenesse imperfection which faultes no prophane writer can well abide to heare off Sainct Paule in defence of the trueth sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that
Not that the Patriarches had not hearde or knowen the name Iehouah For that name beganne to be called vpon in the time of Seth immediatelye after the beginning of the worlde Therefore it seemeth that the Lorde meant thus in effect I opened my self vnto the Patriarches as God Schaddai who am able in all things sufficiently to fill them with all goodnesse and therefore I promised them a land that floweth with milke and honie But in my name Iehouah I was not yet knowen vnto them that is I did not performe vnto them that which I promised For we haue heard all ready that he is called Iehouah of that which he maketh to be and therefore he bringeth his promise to perfourmaunce Now therefore sayeth he I will in déede fulfill my promise and shewe my selfe to be not onely Deum Schaddai an all-sufficient or Almightie GOD but also to be Iehouah an essence or béeing eternall immutable true and in all things like my selfe or standing to my promise Last of all we reade in the thirde of Exodus that God saide to Moses Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israell The Lord GOD of our fathers the GOD of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you This is my name for euer and this is my memoriall from one generation vnto an other So then héere now we haue an other name of god For he will be called the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob This saith he shall be my memoriall from one generation vnto an other to wit wherein I will kéepe in memorie my benefites bestowed vpon those Patriarches that by them the posteritie may know me and remember me For when we heare the names of those Patriarches they doe put vs in minde of all the excellent and innumerable benefites which God bestowed on our forefathers which are not in vaine with so great diligence peculiarely reckoned vp of Moses in his first Booke called Genesis For he will be our GOD euen as he was theirs if so be we doe beleeue in him as they did beléeue For to vs that beléeue he will be bothe Schaddai and Iehouah eternall and immutable trueth Béeing life and heaped-vp store of all maner good thinges And now by the way it is not without a mysterie that when he is the God also of other Patriarches as of Adam Seth Enos and especiallie of Enoch and Noah yet out of all the number of them he picked those thrée Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to euerye one of theire names prefired seuerally his owne name saying I am the GOD of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob For so he did euidently teache the mysterie of the Trinitie in the vnitie of the diuine substance and that euery one of the persons is of the same diuinitie maiestie and glorye that is that the father is very God the Sonne verye God and the holie Ghoste verye God and that these thrée are one god For he saith I am God c. Of which I will speake in place conuenient Thus muche hetherto concerning the names of God out of which an indifferent knowledge of God may easily be gathered I knowe that one Dionysius hath made a busie commentarie vpon the names of God but I knowe too that the godly sorte and those that are studious of the Apostles doctrine doe vnderstand that the disciples of the Apostles did farre more simplye handle matters belonging vnto Religion I knowe that other doe make accounte of 72. names of God out of the Scriptures and books of the Cabalists whiche as I haue in an other place rehearsed so will I hereafter out of Exodus repeate to you the chiefest of them Secondarilie God is in the word of God exhibited to be séene to be beheld and to be known by visions diuine mirrors as it were in a certaine parable while by Prosopographie Prosopopeie or mortall shapes he is set before our eyes And yet we are warned not to stick vpon those visible things but to lift vp our mindes from visible things to things inuisible and spirituall For neither is God bodilie in his owne substaunce because he is in visions exhibited to vs in a bodilye shape like to a manne Neither did any of the olde saincts before the birth of Christe expresse God in the shape and picture of a mortall man because God had in that shape exhibited him selfe to be séene of the Patriarches and Prophets It is the doating errour of the Anthropomorphites to say that God is bodilie and that he hath members like to a mortall manne And that no man doe in this case deceiue him selfe by attributing falsely to GOD the thing that is against his honour I will here in sted of a remedie against that poyson recite vnto you dearely beloued the words of S. Augustine which he out of the pure vnderstanding of the holie Scriptures and assured testimonies of Catholique true Doctours writte to Fortunatius De Videndo Deo againste the Anthropomorphites Concerning the members of God saith he whiche the Scripture doeth in euery place make mention of knowe this that least any man should beléeue that according to the facion and figure of this fleshe we are like to God the same scripture did also say that God hath wings whiche it is manifest that we men haue not Therefore euen as when we heare wings named we vnderstand Gods protection and defence so when we heare of hands we must vnderstand his operation when we heare mention made of féete we must vnderstand his present redinesse when we heare the name of eyes we muste vnderstand his sight whereby he séeth and knoweth all things And when we heare of his face we must vnderstand his iustice whereby he is knowen to all the world and what soeuer else like vnto this the same scripture doth make mention of I beléeue verilie that it must be vnderstood spiritually Neither doe I alone or am I the first that think thus but euen all they also which euen with a meane vnderstanding of the scriptures doe withstand the opinion of them that are for that cause called Anthropomorphites Out of whose writing because I will not cite ouer muche to cause to long a stay I doe héere meane to alledge one testimonie out of S. Hierome For when that man moste excellently learned in the holie scriptures expounded the Psalme where it is said Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise He that planted the care shal he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see did among other things say This place doeth most of all make against the Anthropomorphites which say that God hath members euen as we haue As for example he is said to haue eyes The eyes of the Lord beholde all things the hand of the Lord maketh all things And Adam heard saith he the sound of the féet of the Lord
busie them selues Let vs also first of all note that which expressely he doth adde That come vnto God by him by him I say that is our Mediatour Prieste and Intercessour Christe For by him onely and alone the way lyeth open for vs to goe to the father Vnto which also is annexed that hee liueth and for this end he liueth to make intercession for vs. The heauēly Saintes also doe line in the kingdome of God with Christe but they liue for them selues or for their owne benefite not for vs or our aduauntage Christe liueth for vs and maketh intercession for vs therefore he alone maketh intercession Saintes do not make intercession These reasons do proue vnto vs most manifestly I thinke that the Apostle speaketh of the mediation of intercession not of redemption Laste of all hee requireth in an intercessour such manner of marks or properties as a mā can not finde in any saue in Christe the Lorde onely and alone For although the Angels be innocent and harmelesse yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the heauens The heauenly Saintes although they be nowe purged and made cleane from sinnes yet for all that by nature they are not separated from sinners neyther are they made higher than the heauens as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer euery creature Onely the sonne is suche a one and for him this glory is reserued and kept he alone therefore is the intercessour of the faithfull with the father Vnto these testimonies of Paule we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter and an other of the moste blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Saint Peter doth teache that the Saintes that is we whiche are faithfull in this worlde are layde as liuely stones by faith vpon Christ the liuely stone and that we are made a spirituall building or house and an holy priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe Loe we are layde not vpon Saints but vpon Christ the liuely stone by whom we are both quickened and preserued in the building We are made a spirituall house and an holy prtesthood for this ende that we should offer not sacrifices of beastes but spiritual sacrifices to wit our owne selues and our prayers vnto God by Iesus Christe not by Saintes For they also are the spirituall house with vs the liuely stones layde vpon Christ and liuing through Christ Furthermore Iohn writeth My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the iust or the righteous And he is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world I doe not think that any thing could be deuised or spokē more agréeable to our purpose more euident more strong or better than this We heare that Christe is appointed and made vnto vs of God not onely a mediatour of redemption once to redéeme but to be an euerlasting mediatour yea of intercession who so often standeth an aduocate before God the father howe often sinfull man offendeth and hath néede of his helpe and defence vnto whō also the guiltie may boldly haue accesse cōmit vnto him their cause to be pleaded before god If any man sinne sayth Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Loe Iohn calleth him an aduocate whome the defenders or mainteiners of the partroneship of Saintes doe call a mediatour of intercession For Aduocatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aduocate signifieth a Tutour a defender a fauourer a comforter a patrone or a proctour whiche pleadeth or hath our cause in handling But marke whome he defineth and setteth foorth to be our aduocate not the holy virgine not Peter or Paule not him selfe or Stephan but Iesus Christe If he had thought or beléeued that the patroneship of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and besides necessarie and wholsome for men then woulde he haue ioyned thē with Christ the lord now he setteth forth vnto vs Christ alone He addeth The iust or the righteous As if he had sayde There is no cause why any shuld distrust or stand in doubt of his patroneship or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor loue He is the sonne He is Christe He is the iustor righteous therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour and most acceptable who in the presence of the most iust God may appeare for vs that are vniust Such righteousnesse is not found in any one of Adams children But it is required in an intercessour Indéed he doth communicate his righteousnesse to the Saintes by fayth but that righteousnesse is imputed to the Saintes and it is imputatiue In Christe righteousnesse is natural and as it were borne in him yea it is properly his owne For Christe Iesus he is the onely righteous in heauen and in earth who néedeth not first for his owne sinnes and then for the offences of the people eyther to pray or to offer sacrifice For he onely hath no sinne and he is the righteousnesse of all He therfore maketh intercession with the father bycause none naturally and properly is righteous but Christ alone And it is not amisse in this place first of al to marke that Christ is called a propitiation or satisfaction not for sinners or people of one or two ages but for all sinners and all faithfull people throughout the whole worlde One Christe therefore is sufficient for all one intercessour with the Father is set foorth vnto all For how often thou sinnest so often thou haste ready a righteous intercessour with the father Not that we should imagine in Heauen as in a courte the Father vpon his throne to sit as a iudge and the sonne our patrone so often to fall downe on his knées and to pleade or intreate for vs as we sinne and offende but we vnderstande with the Apostle that Christe is the aduocate and the vniuersall prieste of the churche and that he only appeareth in the presence of the father bycause as the power force of his deth albeit he die not daily so the vertue of his intercession is alwayes effectuall Let vs therefore drawe neare and come to God by Christe the onely mediatour of our redemption and intercession our onely intercessour and aduocate We can not but be acceptable vnto God the father if we be commended vnto him by his only begotten sonne Furthermore weake are the argumentes wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones goe about to establish their patroneshippe or intercession The spirite saye they maketh intercession for vs according to the doctrine of the Apostle therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession I answere that Paule speaketh not of an other intercessour in heauen but of the spirite of man praying in this worlde which being inlightened and kindled with the spirite of God groneth and maketh intercession for the Saints The words of the Apostle are playne These men do yet adde We reade in scripture
Christe And Paule the Apostle sayeth Seeing then wee haue the same spirite as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore speake Vppon which testimonie Tertullian inferreth and no doubt soundlie It is one and the selfe same spispirite therefore whiche was in the Prophetes and the Apostles He promiseth that the selfe same spirite shal be alwayes in the Church They erred therefore yea foulye they erred who so euer among them of old feigned one God and spirite of the olde Testament and an other of the newe Testament Didymus Alexandrinus the bright light in his age of all the Grecian Churches in his first booke intituled De Spiritu sancto saith Neyther ought we to thinke that the holy Ghost is diuided according to substaunces bicause he is called the multitude of good graces For he can not suffer he can not be diuided neyther yet be chaunged but according to his diuers maners of workings vnderstādings he is called by mny names of good graces bycause he doth not indue his partakers with his cōmunion after one and the selfe same power c. Furthermore the holy ghost hath increasing or fulnesse and diminishing and want in man not that in God who as it is commonly and truely sayde neyther receiueth more or lesse there is any chaunge to be founde but bycause man according to his capacitie receiueth the spirite plentifully and liberally or measurably sparingly euen as it pleaseth the holy ghoste The portion of the spirite of Helias was giuen double from heauen to Heliseus And it is sayde of our Sauiour that the father gaue him the spirite not by measure For the Lord himselfe elswhere saith Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and hee shall haue more aboundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken away euen that he hath Saule had receiued excellent graces but bicause he did not vse exercise them the good spirite of God departed from him and the euill spirite succéeded and tormented him And the spirite of God departeth euen as it commeth also at one instant For when we are forsaken of the Lorde the spirite of God departeth from vs Wherevppon we reade that Dauid prayed Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And againe Stablishe me with thy principall spirite Next after these things it séemeth y we must diligently search out what the effect what the power of the holy Ghost is The power of the Almightie and euerlasting God is vnspeakable therefore no man can fully declare what the power of the holie ghost is Yet somewhat I will say making those things manifest which he worketh chiefly in men For otherwise the father by the spirit worketh all things by him he createth susteyneth moueth giueth life strengtheneth and prescrueth al things by the selfe same he regenerateth his faythfull people sanctifieth and indueth them with diuers kyndes of graces Whervpon in the description aboue mentioned of him cōprising in foure members his principall powers and effectes which shewe them selues by their working in men I sayde that he doth illuminate regenerate sanctifie and fulfill the faithfull with all good graces Which things that they may the better be vnderstoode it shal be good first of all to declare as well as we can the appellatiōs or names of the holy ghost which the holy scripture giueth him and then to recite one or two places of the old and new Testament to set foorth declare the power of the holy Ghost First he is called the holy spirite of God bicause all creatures as many as are sanctified are sanctified by him The heauenly father sanctifieth with his grace but throughe the bloud of his beloued sonne and sanctification is deriued into vs and sealed by the spirite Therefore the holie trinitie being one God doth sanctiūe vs It is a wicked thing therefore to attribute sanctification to straunge and forreine things It is a wicked thing to translate purification and iustification from the Creator vnto the Creature Moreouer he is called holy to make a difference of him from other spirites For we reade in the Scriptures that there was and is a spirite of the worlde a spirite of infirmitie a spirite of fornication and vncleannesse and a spirit of pride From all these the holy ghost is separated which inspireth into vs the contempt of this worlde whiche openeth vnto vs the Scriptures and confirmeth vs in trueth whiche purifieth our heartes and maketh oure mynds chast and so preserueth them finally whiche maketh vs lowly and gentle and driueth away from vs all maliciousnesse The same holy Ghost is called the spirite of God and of the sonne Of God to make a difference betwéene it and the spirite of sathan And it is called the spirite of the sonne bicause it is the proper and naturall spirite of the sonne which he also communicateth vnto vs that we also might be the sonnes of god For Paule sayth Ye are the temple of God and the spirite of God dwelleth in you Againe If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And againe Bicause ye are sonns God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Moreouer our Lorde him selfe in the historie of the Gospell calleth the holy Ghost a comforter saying I will pray the father and he shal giue you an other cōforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue bycause the worlde seeth him not neyther knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in you For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a comforter a stirrer vp or a prouoker an exhorter an aduocate or patrone which pleadeth the cause of his client For the holy Ghoste is the mouth the eye the heart the counsel the hande and the foote of all the faythfull Didymus in his worke intituled De spiritu sancto sayth Christe Giuing the holy ghost a name answerable to his working calleth him the comforter Bycause he doth not onely comforte those whō he findeth worthy of him and setteth them frée from all heauinesse and trouble of mynde but giueth vnto them a certeine incredible ioy and gladnesse in so muche that a man giuing God thankes bycause he is counted worthy of suche a guest may say Thou hast giuen me gladnesse in my heart For euerlasting ioy and gladnesse is in the hearte of them in whome the holy Ghost dwelleth The holy ghost verily alone maketh the consciences of men voyde of care quiet and at peace before God in the matter of iustification and in all temptations of the worlde Paule sayth This only I desire to learne of you whether ye haue receiued the spirite by the workes of the lawe or by the preaching of faith The Apostles being beaten with roddes when they were indued with the
slept neither could sléepe so being deliuered from the burden of the bodie they are muche lesse to bee thought to sléepe To the bodie therefore is sléepe to bee referred For whosoeuer dieth in a true faith hee sléepeth in the lord And as they that sléepe when their 〈…〉 the body is not altogether eâ—tinguished by deathe that it should not liue againe any more but nowe verily 〈…〉 into rest and at the day of iudgemeÌ„t it riseth againe liueth and for this cause holy meÌ„ are sayd in the scriptures to sléepe not to die that therby the mysterie of the resurrection of our flesh may be signified Which thing these grosse headed men vnderstand not wherevpon they attribute that to the soule which is proper to the body Other arguments which they bring to confirme their madnesse are vnworthy to be rehearsed For eyther they violently wrest the scripture from the natural sense or else by their corrupt reasoning they gather falshoode out of those things that are false But they doe erre and are no lesse deâ—eiued than these sléeping doctours which thinke that soules departing from their bodies go not by by the right ready way into heauen but are â—aâ—ght in the middest of their iourney and carried into that purgatorie firâ— wherin they maye be purged from the filthy spots of sinnes whiche they haue gotten in the flesh and that after they be purged they are carried by Angels into the presence of the most holy god For eyther the souls are purged with that purgatorie fire from the filthe of their sinnes or else they are washed and cleansed through the paine and griefe of torments whiche there they do suffer If sinnes be purged by vertue of that fire then it followeth that sinners are not sanctified by the only bloude of the sonne of god But by what scriptures haue they proued vn to vs that this power of purging is giuen to the fire Hath God altered 〈…〉 and purpose and sâ—t 〈◊〉 fire instead of Christe to workâ— our sanctifiâ—ation 〈◊〉 for shame But if for oure sufferings and tormentes sake sinnes are forgiuen then it followeth that we are not purged by the crosse and passion of Christ only Let them teache vs out of the scripture that suche worthinesse is attributed by God to our sufferings But by the onely bloud and passion of Christ all those are sanctified that be sanctified whosoeuer they be therefore purgatoriâ— is a wicked deuise of the diuell whiche darkeneth yea and maketh voyd the crosse and merites of Christ For what other thing do they account purgatorie but a satisfaction for sinnes made by the soules separated froÌ„ their bodies In the Gospell of Iohn there is a question moued by the disciples of Iohn the Baptist touching the purifying of soules And Iohn Baptist declareth that the faythfull are through Christe purified by fayth which thing he is beléeued to haue testified also by holy baptisme Moreouer the most excellent apostles do expresly witnosse that all the faithfull are cleansed by the onely bloude of Christe and by his onely passion and most sufficient merites For Peter who sayeth in the Actes Neyther is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued He I say hath written in his firste canonicall Epistle Ye knowe that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as with siluer and golde but with the precious bloude of the immaculate lambe Iohn the Apostle also sayeth The bloude of Christ Iesus the sonne of God cleanseth vs from all sinne And he againe Christ loued vs and washed vs from our â—innes by his owne bloud And Paule â—ath to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 to Titus sheweth that we are purified by the only bloud of the sonne of god Vnto the He brues he sayth By him selfe hath hee purged our sinnes and sâ—ttâ—â—h on the right hande of God in the highest places It was not without signification that he said By him self that he might thereby exclude all other meanes For elswhere he sayth thus If righteousnesse come by the lawe then Christe dyed in vaine For after the same manner we also doe reason If we be cleansed by purgatorie fire then in vaine did Christe shed his bloude to purgâ— vs For what néeded he to haue suffered most grieuous punishment if we could haue ben cleansed by Purgatorie fire Moreouer the whole scripture teacheth vs that Christe is our onely satisfaction and propitiation Which thing we haue at large shewed in other places And therefore soules make no satisfaction in purgatorie vnlesse we wil confesse that men haue no néede of Christe These men doe further feine that the power to purge is giuen to the fire of purgatorie by grace or by the bloude and merites of Christe that this fire purgeth not by his own vertue but by the power of the sonne of god But they haue also forged this most wickedly For the scripture in euerie place as we also said euen nowe sendeth vs back to the sonne of God and the price of his bloude and cleansing wherof it teacheth that we are made partakers while we liue in this world by faith and the holy ghost but of Purgatorie it speaketh not a word in any place neyther saith it in any place that we by the grace of god are purged in an other worlde Therefore they steale away the glorie 〈…〉 proper vnto the 〈…〉 God and giue it to a fire which is altogether forged and 〈…〉 Furthermore then appoint an other time of grace out of this world which is altogether straunge vnto the scriptures For our Lorde cryeth in the Gospel I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke And Saint Paule sayth Let vs doe good that is to â—ay let vs â—e bountifull and liberall towarde the poore while we haue time Whiche saying he séemeth to haue taken out of Solomons booke of the Preacher saying When the cloudes are full they poure out raine vpon the earth and when the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or North in what place so euer it fall there it remaineth He vseth two Allegories or darke speaches by the which he teacheth the rich to be liberal The first is taken from the cloudes The cloudes from the earth do gather vp vapours which being thickned are immediatly as out of a sponge pressed out and pâ—â—â—ed vppon the earth to water it Let rich men do the like distributing againe among men suche riches as they haue gotten among men The seconde is taken of trées which being feld lye in the same places in the whithey fall The wise man therefore warneth vs to doe that in due season whiche we oughte to doe for when we are departed from hence there is no place of repentaunce And in the Gospell a trée is oftentimes put for a man where also the right hand is put
faithfull dispersed on the seas condemned to the galleys for the confession of the true faith we may find many that be holden in captiuitie vnder Antichrist of the whiche we will speake in the next Sermon folowing we may finde also a wonderful many in Graecia Natolia Persia Arabia or in Africa being the seruants of Iesus Christe and worthy members of the catholique church of Christ being shut out and debarred from the holy mysteries of the christians through impiety crueltie of Machomet neuertheles we shall finde them almoste nearely ioyned together in one spirit and one faith with all the true members of the Church and marked also with visible signes Therefore the word and the Sacraments by common decrée are the markes of the Church not putting apart or disseuering the faythful from the communion and societie of other faithfull being by some necessitie shut out from the visible companie of those that are faithfull But to the perfect vnderstanding of the markes of the Churche this belongeth also and that most principally that it is not enough to brag of the worde of God or of the scripture vnlesse also we imbrace reteine and defende the true sense and that which is agréeing with the articles of faith For if ye corrupt the sense of the scripture and vrge the same in the churche then dost thou not bring foorth the sincere scripture it selfe but thyne owne opinion and thy fansies which thou hast deuised of thine owne mind The Churche of the Arrians did not refuse the word of the Lord but rather laboured both to beautifie and defend their owne blasphemous errours by the testimonies of holy scripture That Church denyed our Lord Iesus Christe to be of one substaunce with God the father which thing sith that the sense of the scriptures and of the auncient faith amonge the chiefest pointes of our faith doth both affirme and vrge truely it alleadged not the sincere and pure word of God how so euer it boasted of it but an adulterate word yea and thrust in and defended her heretical opinion for the true and perfect meaning of the holy scripture and therfore it had not the true mark of the Church neyther was it the true Church of god By this one vnhappie example we may iudge of al other Churches of heretiques who thoughe they séeme not to be voyde of the testimonie of Gods worde yet for all that in very déede they haue no puritie of Gods word in them That whiche we haue sayde concerning the worde of God is also necessarily to be vnderstoode of the vse of the Sacraments for except they be orderly and lawfully vsed I say in that order in the which the Lorde him selfe instituted them they are no markes or signes of the Churche of God. Ieroboam truely sacrificed yea he sacrificed vnto God but bycause he sacrificed not lawfully he was accounted a straunger and a faller off from the true Church of god Yea Dauid him selfe brought with greate deuotion and much ioy and melodie the Arke of the Lorde of hostes but bicause he carryed it not lawfully vppon the shoulders of the priestes by and by in steade of greate ioy the excéeding sorrowe which folowed declared that it is not enoughe to vse the Sacraments and ordinances of God vnlesse ye vse them lawfully whiche if you doe God will acknowledge you for his Moreouer those which of old were baptised of heretiques were not for that cause rebaptised againe by the auncient catholikes bycause the heretiques baptised not into the name of any man or into the societie of their errours or heresies but baptised In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoste neyther did they inuocate their owne name or the name of Archheretiques but of Iesus Christe Wherefore not the baptisme of heretiques but the baptisme of the Churche yet ministred by heretiques they not refusing they allowed not the Churches of heretiques as knowne to be true by true signes but they acknowledged that heretiques vse thinges properly belonging vnto the true Church neyther that it doth any thing at all derogate or take from a good thing if any wicked or euill man doe administer it We doe not acknowledge at this day the vpstart Romishe Churche of the Pope we speake not nowe of that olde Apostolique Churche to be the true Churche of Christe yet we doe not rebaptise those which were baptised of the priestes embrued with Popish corruption For we knowe that they are baptised with the baptisme of Christes church and not of the Pope in the name of the holy Trinitie to the articles of the Catholique faith not to errors not to superstitions and papisticall impieties Finally we confesse that not at this day the vnworthinesse of the minister can derogate any thinge from the seruice of god In like sorte also we refuse not the Lordes prayer or the Apostles Créede or finally the canonicall Scriptures themselues béecause the Romishe churche doeth also vse them for she hath them not of her selfe but receiued them from the true church of god Wherfore we vse them in common with her not for the Romish churches sake but because they came from the true church of Christe doe we vse them Beside those outwarde markes of the church which the true beleuers haue common with hypocrites there are certaine inwarde markes specially belonging onely to the godly or els if you will rather call them bondes or proper giftes These doe make the outwarde markes to be fruitfull and without the outwarde markes being by some necessitie absent doe make men worthie or acceptable in the sight of god For without these no man can please God in these therefore is the true marke of Gods children And those be the fellowship of Gods spirite a sincere faith and double charitie For by these the faithfull béeing the true and liuely members of Christe are vnited and knit together first vnto their head Christe then to all the members of the ecclesiasticall bodye And the consideration héereof doeth chiefely belong to the knowledge of the true Churche of GOD whiche though she should suffer rotten members yet is she not defiled of them thorough their outwarde coniunctiō For with continuall studie she laboureth by all meanes to kéepe her selfe vndefield to god And first of all the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine doth teach vs that Christe is ioyned to vs by his spirit that we are tyed to him in minde or spirite by faithe that he may liue in vs and we in him For the Lord cryeth out in the Gospel saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke He that beleeueth in me as the Scripture saith shall haue streames of liueing water flowing out of his bellie To which saying by and by the Euangelist addeth this But this he spake concerning the spirite which they should receiue that beleeued in him Againe he promising in his Gospell his spirite vnto his Disciples yea euen vnto
of doctrine maners Neither charge they them with light coÌ„mon faults but heynous Esaie crieth That from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot there is no whole place and yet he departed not froÌ„ the churche nor planted him selfe a newe albeit froÌ„ al vngodlinesse corruptioÌ„ he kept him self very diligeÌ„tly How many faults nay howe many errours I pray you were there amongest the Apostles of Christ them selues what did our lord depart from them The church of Corynth was corrupted not only in maners but also in doctrine There was in it conteÌ„tions factioÌ„s brawlings Whordome breaking of wedlocke vndoutedly was coÌ„mon among them What thinke you of that the many of them were present at prophane sacrifices Surely it was no small error that they estéemed baptisme according to the worthinesse of the minister They had defiled the Lords Supper with their priuate prodigal banquets yea of the resurrection of the dead they thought not aright But did the apostle for the cause either depart from them him selfe or commaund others to depart yea rather he calleth theÌ„ a holy church greatly rebuking their coÌ„tentions he exhorteth al meÌ„ to obserue the vnitie of the church in the sinceritie of truth It is not to be douted therfore the they greatly sinne which abstein from the fellowship of our or rather the catholique churche in which albeit there be great corruption of life yet the doctrine is sincere the sacrameÌ„ts are purely ministred But these men obiect ye admit al men without exception to the receiuing of the Lordes supper wicked men drunkards couetous men souldiers such like kindes of men with whome the holy apostle forbids vs to eate coÌ„mon breade so far off is it that he graunteth vs to be partakers at thâ— lords table with such Except therfore we like to be defiled with the fellowship of the wicked it is néedful either not to ioyne with this societie or else altogether to flee from it But of the Lords supper the receiuing therof if I liue I wil speak in an other place apt for it At this time this onely we bring against them that Paule the most faithfull seruant of Iesu Christe was not sharper than his maister But it is manifest that he admitted Iudas to the holy table whoÌ„ he knew as it is wont to be saide Intus in cute that is to say throughly within without yet he did not put him by But he wold haue reiected him if he had knowne the rest of his disciples wold haue ben polluted with his coÌ„panie Iudas him selfe was polluted for his minde conscience were corrupt but the rest of the apostls whose minds were pure through perfect faith could not be defiled by another mans trecherie Therfore saith Paule the apostle Let a maÌ„ proue him selfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. He biddeth euery man to proue him self not to iudge an other mans seruant who standeth to his Lorde or falleth If thou béest indued with faith dost lawfully participate at the Lords table thou art not defiled with an other mans wickednesse Therefore to auoyd pollution there is no cause why thou shouldest be separated from the church in which thou séest the bad mingled with the good to be partakers of the Lords supper But if so be thou béest separated thou plainly declarest thy selfe being hardned with arrogancie to be partaker with those whome S. Aug. in his 3. booke against Parmenian the first chapter painteth forth with these proper liuely colours They are â—uil childreÌ„ who not for the hatred of other mens iniquities but throughe the studie of their owne contentions go about eyther wholy to alure or at lest to diuide the simple people prouoked with the bragging titles of their names puft vp with pride folish with frowardnes subtile with slaunders troublesome with seditions who least they shuld be detected to want the lighte of trueth pretend the shadowe of sharpe seueritie and those things which in the holy scriptures the sinceritie of loue beeing saued and the vnitie of peace beeing kept are commaunded for the correction of the faults of their brethren wherein moderation also should be vsed they vsurpe to the sacriledge of scisme and occasion of cutting off The same authour amongst other things godlily and wisely disputed in the two chapters following giues this counsel to modest wits That quietly they should correct what they may and what they can not mende they should patiently suffer and louingly mourne till God him selfe either amend it or in the day of iudgement fan away the chaffe Furthermore concluding this place I wil recite vnto you the words of the blessed martir CypriaÌ„ He in his 3. booke 3. epistle hath thus left it written If cockle appeare to be in the churche yet ought neither our faith nor our charitie be letted that bicause wee see cockle in the church we our selues depart froÌ„ the church we must rather labour to bee good corne that when the corne shal be laid vp in the lords barne we may receiue the fruite of our labour and trauell The Apostle saith in his Epistle but in a great house are not only vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and of earth some vessels of honor some of dishonor Let vs indeuour and labor what we may that we may be a vessel either of gold or of siluer But the Lorde only hath libertie to break in peeces the eartheÌ„ vessels to whoÌ„ also is giuen an yron rod. The seruaÌ„t can not be greater thaÌ„ his lord Neither let any man think it lawful for him to challenge that to him selfe which the father hath giueÌ„ only to his sonne that he might now be able to purge the â—â—owre or fanne the chaffe or by al the wit man hath to separate al the chaff froÌ„ the corne This is a proud obstinacie and wicked presumption which lewde furie taketh to him selfe And whiles some men alwayes take to theÌ„ selues a further dominion thaÌ„ peaceable iustice requireth they perish froÌ„ the church and whiles they proudly lift vp theÌ„ selues blinded with their owne presumption they are bereft of the light of truth The Lord Iesus reduce the wandering shepe into the vnitie of the catholique churche liuing in vnitie kéepe vphold them Amen These aduersaries of ours being ouercome there arise vp new cruel enimes that is to say the defenders of the Romane Monarchie of the apostolique sea as they cal it the most auncient church for they cry eueÌ„ while they be whorse that we are guiltie of the same cryme whereof we condemned the Anabaptistes certeine other fantastical fellowes For they say that we with a wicked scisme forced by no necessitie haue forsaken the olde Romishe church and haue set vp for our selues newâ— hereticall Synagogues And they alledge that the holy scripture hath as yet her authoritie in the
was there any other cause why y the people being kept in bondage by the space of lxx yeres in the captiuitie of Babylō offered no sacrifices yet most certaine it is notwithstanding y both the prophets of God the holy true worshippers of God separated themselues both frō the worship and sacrifices which were vsed being contrarie to the word of god Surely we read in all the sermons of the prophets that both those sacrifices and also that Churche are condemned For whiche cause they thēselues also were condemned of the highe priest and other priestes of Baal as most abhominable heretiques and scismatiques euen as now a dayes also we are thrust through with the dartes of your curses for that we will not communicate with the Popishe church and her holy seruice and doe reiecte their holy seruice itselfe To this may be added that the sacrifices of the lawe beeing nowe fulfilled and abrogated by the lord the Apostles with manifest defection departed not only from the high priests and church of Hierusalem but moreouer gathered vnto Christe a newe church by the preaching of the Gospel and badge of the sacraments whiche church in the Actes of the Apostles we haue described according to whose patterne all churches ought of righte to bee refourmed euen as many as would be called Apostolique churches What haue wee therefore offended now adayes refourming churches after the likenesse of the Apostolique church whiche churches were of old prophaned by that sea of Rome and the members therof We read that the church of God before the comming of Christin the flesh was oftentimes defiled with filthie pollutions of corrupt men and that the same was purged againe and renued after the likenesse of the old church according to the word of god And why should not we take the same course in our age in the very same cause There remaine moreouer prophecies of our sauiour Christe and of the holye Apostles and Prophets liuely painting out this greuous oppression of the church of Christ vnder the furie of Antichristes tyrannie in this oure last age there remaine most weighty commaundements commaunding to flie from Antichriste from idolatrie false prophets For the Lord sayeth in S. Matthewes Gospel There shal arise false Christes false Prophets and shal shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie electe Beehold I haue told you before Wherefore if they shal say vnto you Behold he is in the desart Go not forth Behold he is in the secret places beleeue it not And againe Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues Also Can the blind lead the blind shal they not both fall into the ditch S. Peter also sayeth very grauely Saue your selues from this froward generation And also in his second and third chapiters of his second epistle he entreates very largly of this matter And also S. Paule agréeing in all thinges with the holy Gospel and with S. Peter and painting forth Antichrist and those last times of Antichrist corrupt men not lightes but firebrandes of the church commaundeth the sainctes to departe from them and togather themselues together vnto Christe and his sincere trueth If any man aske for the places he shal find them 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 3. and 4. The same Apostle in another place euen the Apostle Iohn doth also say Flie from idolatrie And in the 6. cap. of the 2. epist. to the Cor. by expresse words and most manifest opposition he sheweth That there can be no agreement betweene Christe Belial light and darckenesse and betweene idols and the temple of God. And therefore he addeth by and by after Wherfore come out from among them and separate your selues sayeth the Lord and touche none vncleane thinge and I will receiue you To this apperteyneth that whiche the blessed Apostle Iohn in his reuelation shewed him by the lord Christ séeing the workes of Babylon heareth also therew t a voice cōming frō heauen cōmanding after this manner Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinns that ye receiue not of her plagues The same Apostle very often threateneth euerlasting destructiō to those y worship the beast but life glory to those that forsake and flée from the beast so as they cleaue only to the only sauiour of the world Iesus Christ Therefore that departure of oures from the sea or church of Rome is not onely lawfull but also necessarie as that which is commaunded vs of the Lord himselfe and by his holy Apostles vnto whome vnlesse we◠obey wee cannot be saued Otherwise we are not ignoraunt that fallings away are altogether abhominable and to be blamed amongst the which notwithstanding except we distinguishe it will not plainly appeare what wee either allowe or disproue either else what wee followe or flée from There is a defection of apostacie in the which thorough hatred of faith or religion Atheistes or godlesse men of méere vngodlines contempt of God with their wicked ringleaders Lucian and Iulian the Apostata fall away from the scunde and catholique faith and finally from the fellowshipp of the faithfull and moreouer do blaspheme rayle vpon the Christian veritie and either laugh to scorne or persecute the very Church of god There is also an heretical defection that is to saye wherein with Valentine Marcion Arrius Manicheus Artemones other such monsters certeine proude arrogant malapert wicked persons either refusing the verie Scripture or wresting the same despise and treade it vnder their féete or else do denie ouerthrowe and resist certeine articles of faith and the sound and auncient opinions of the churche of God and affirme the contrarie and so frame to themselues heretical churches and depart from the true auncient and catholique church There is moreouer a scismaticall defection such as was the Donatists who separated themselues from the true church of God vnder the pretēce of obteyning a more absolute kind of holinesse Wherof I haue spokē verie largly but a little before And the aboue remembred two kinds of defection are altogether abhominable wicked euen as also the third kind can by no meanes be defended But none of all these kinds can be imputed vnto vs nowe a dayes departing from the churche of Rome For y departure is voyd of all crime whiche is made not from the true but from the false church not from the people of God but from the persecuters of gods people not from the articles of faith and sounde opinions of the churche but from errours which obscure the articles of faith and from the wicked traditions and corruptions of men whiche moreouer is made not throughe any lightnesse but of necessitie not for inuocation but for true religions sake that leauinge the fellowshipp of darckenesse we maye bée gathered together againe with Christ the true light
their goods and as it were a certeine knitting together into one body not to be dissolued Therefore when Christ tooke vpon him our flesh both he became oures in all thinges and we also are members of the same body of his fleshe and of his bones In vs there is infirmitie sinne and death the same thinges hath our husband also taken vnto himselfe that he might make them hurtlesse vnto vs In Christe our husbande is iustification sanctification and life the same thinges dothe he communicate vnto vs his spouse that in him we might be iust and holy and might liue through him Of that lawfull ioyning together of the Lord and the Church are borne lawfull children vnto god Wherevpon the Churche is called a mother and a frée womā that is to say a matrone and a mistresse For the Apostle Paule sayth Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all For euen as through the ioyning of man and woman together by propagation of séede are borne children so Christe hath coupled the Churche vnto him selfe wherein he hath left the séede of his worde By the word our mother the Churche begetteth children whereof before I admonished you when I spake of the originall of the Churche that is to say whiles she reteyning the séede of the worde by the preaching of the worde doth fashion and nourishe vs in her wombe and after bringeth vs foorth into lighte whome afterwardes she nourisheth with mylke and bringeth vp with stronger meate vntill wée growe vp into a perfect man But euen as without a husbande without true fayth plighted and without séede there is no other euen so the Church without Christ without true faith and the séede of Gods worde is not that our mother that is a frée woman and our mistresse We haue by these things by the way learned why the Church of God is called a mother The same notwithstanding is also called a virgine For of this holie mother the Church the Lorde before all things requireth faith and integritie For the Apostle Paule saith I haue coupled you to one man to present you a chaste virgine vnto Christe Therefore it is the part of the spouse to bring vnto her husband for her dowrie her virginitie and to kéepe the same vndefiled But what manner of virginitie is that sincere faith in Christe whiche wholy or with all her mynde cleaueth for euer vnto one whiche commeth to passe when we giue eare only to our spouse and loue none but him alone to be short when we perseuere in the simplicitie of the Gospell For it followeth in the wordes of the Apostle But I feare lest it come to passe that euen as the serpent deceiued Eue with his subtiltie so your mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christe That simplicitie acknowledgeth Christe to be the meanes of saluation the recouerie of life and all heauenly treasures without whom there is no saluation nor no good thing But who wil call her a chaste matrone who gyueth eare to bawdes and setteth her hearte also vppon the loue of othērs neyther contenteth her selfe with her husbande onely will not all men cry out that she is a naughtipack and an adultresse lying with others and bringing foorth children of straunge séede And in the holy Scriptures spiritual adulterie and fornication is muche spoken of All the sermons of the Prophetes are ful of suche Allegories They call those men or Churches adulterers whoremongers and fornicatours which receiue straunge seede that is to say doctrine differing from the word of god For suche as they going a whoreing from God cleaue not vnto God only they loue not alone him with all their hart they do not worship serue call vpon him only yea rather they choose vnto them selues others whome they may worship and call vpon eyther instead of God or together with god Herevnto perteyneth a good parte of the fift chapter of Ieremie and all the second chapter of Osée Amongest other thinges the Lorde sayth I will not haue compassion vpon her children bycause they are children of fornications for their mother hath played the harlot for she hath sayde I will go after my louers c. Since these thinges are thus brethren there is no cause why any man shuld reuerence the Churche of Rome decking her selfe with the title and beautie of the holie mother the church For she is not the holie mother churche she is not an vncorrupted matrone and virgine For where is the husband who is the onely husbande of this chaste matrone where is the faith and integritie kept with her husband hath she not defiled her selfe with straunge séede hath not she receiued taught a newe and straunge doctrine from the word of God and by that means begetteth many childrē not to Christ but to antichrist Saint Iohn beautifying this churche with her apt title calleth her Great Babylō the mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth and a woman drunken with the bloude of the Saintes and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesu Christe Our holie mother the church is an vndefiled virgine hearing only the voyce or doctrine of her only welbeloued husband placing all the meanes of life and saluatiō in him alone and depending onely vpon him in all things With many other Allegories doth the Scripture paint out the mysterie of Christe and the Church but thereof it sufficeth to haue spokē thus muche The Lord Iesu the true and onely shepheard of his Church bring hoame againe louingly the wandering shéepe into his fould and being gathered together in his Churche preserue thē for euer Amen Of the ministerie and the ministers of Gods worde wherefore and for what ende they are instituted of god That the orders giuen by Christ vnto the church in times past were equall Whence and howe the prerogatiue of ministers sprang and of the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome ¶ The third Sermon THE expositiō touching the Churche of God shal be trulyer vnderstoode brethrē by those things whiche remayne to be spokē out of the worde of the Lorde concerning the ministerie and ministers of the Church For I sayde the Church of God is builded and preserued by the worde of God and that through ministers appointed for that purpose by the Lorde so that nowe it followeth to speake of the ministers of the Churche and of their ministerie that is of that order wherwith God gouerneth his church And truely the Ecclesiasticall ministerie is extended both to stirre vp and also to mainteine publique prayers and the administration of the sacraments and especially it is occupied in preaching of the worde of god Of the two former I will speake in place and time conuenient Of the ministerie of the worde I will entreate at this present In consideration whereof first it is expedient to viewe wherefore God in instructing men vseth the ayde or ministerie of men and what men perfect or worke
Antonianus calleth such scismatiques who vsurpe vnto them the office of a bishop no man giuing it them And this kinde of calling is vnproperlie called a calling Wherefore it is euident that in the churche there must néedes bee a calling and that publique and lawfull aswell for many other causes as especially for these that the ordinaunce of God bée not neglected and that the discipline of the church be reteyned and that all men in the churche maye knowe who are preferred to the ecclesiasticall ministerie Albeit therefore Paule the Apostle and doctour of the Gentiles in the beginning were not sent of mē neither by men but of God onely yet the same Paule at the commaundement of the holy Ghoste is separated by the church of Antioch together with Barnabas to the ministerie of the Gentiles After the same manner many other were sent or called of god whom neuerthelesse it behoued to be ordeyned also by men For Paul in another place sayeth And no man taketh this honour vnto himselfe but hee that is called of God as was Aaron And againe How shal they heare without a preacher And how shall they preache except they be sent c. As cōcerning that second kinde of calling whiche is common and at this day receiued in the church and yet appointed by the Lord there are thrée thinges to be considered First who they be that cal that is who haue right and authoritie to call or to ordeine ministers Secondly who or what maner of men are to be ordeined Lastlie after what manner they that be called are to bee ordeyned And first of all that the Lord hath giuen to his church power and authoritie to elect and ordeine fit ministers wee haue declared before in the secōd sermon of this Decade by the example of the auncient churches in the world Hierusalem and Antioch of whiche two the church of Hierusalem did not only ordeine 7. deacons but also Matthias the Apostle the church of Antioche separated into the ministerie the famous Apostles of Christ Paule and Barnabas Whervnto apperteineth that the churches of the Gentiles béeing instructed of Paule Barnabas ordeined them elders or gouernours of their churches by election had by voyces The chiefest in this election were the pastours thēselues For Peter gouerning the action Matthias was created Apostle by the Church This forme or order the auncient churche diligently obserued many yeres For Cyprian epist. lib. 1. epist. 4. The common people sayeth he hath especially power either to choose worthie priestes or to refuse them that be vnworthie Which thing also we see to descend from the authoritie of God that the priest bee chosen in the presence of the common people before all mens eyes and bee allowed worthie and meete by publique iudgement and wittnesse As in Num. the Lord commaunded Moses and said Take Aaron thy brother and Eleazar his sonne and bring them vp into the mount before all the congregation God commaundeth the priest to bee ordeined before the whole congregation That is hee teacheth sheweth that the ordeinīg of priests ought not to bee done without the knowledge of the people being present that in their presence either the vices of the euill might bee discouered or the deserts of the good commended and that that is a iust and lawefull ordeyning whiche shal be examined by the election and iudgement of all Thus farre hée This custome and māner indured to the time of S. Augustine For it is to be séen in his 110. epist. which witnesseth that the people giuing a shoute Augustine ordeyned Eradius for his successour In these latter times because the people made often tumults in the elections of pastours the ordination was committed to chosen men of the pastours magistrats and people These thrée kinds of men propounded or named notable mē out of whom he whiche was thought the best was chosen There is somewhat of this In Iustiniani Imperat. Nouel Constitut 123. They which thinke that all power of ordeyning ministers is in the bishops diocesans or archbishops hands doe vse these places of the scripture For this cause I left thee in Creta sayeth Paul to Titus that thou shuldest ordeine elders in euery citie And againe Lay hands soudeinly on no man. But we saye that the Apostles did not exercise tyrannie in the churches and that they themselues alone did not execute all things about election or ordination other men in the church being excluded For the Apostles of Christ ordeined bishops or elders in the churche but not without communicating their counsel with the churches yea and not without hauing the consent and approbation of the people Which may appeare by the election or ordination of Matthias whiche wee haue nowe once or twice recited Truely the Lord in the Law said to Moses Thou shalt appoint thee Iudges But in another place he saith Thou shalt seeke out among all the people whom thou mayest make rulers And againe Moses vnto the same people Bring you men of wisedome vnderstanding I will make thē rulers ouer you c. Therefore as Moses doth nothing of his own will in the election of the magistrate though it were said to him Thou shalt appoint thee Iudges but doth althinges communicating his counsel with the people So vndoubtedly Titus though it were said vnto him Ordeine elders in euerie citie yet he vnderstood that hereby nothing was permitted to him which he might do priuately as he thought good not hauing the aduise and consent of the churches Wherefore they sinne not at all that shaking off the yoke tyrānie of the bishops of Rome for good and reasonable causes doe recouer that auncient right graunted by Christ to the churches Neither makes it any great matter whether discrete men chosen of the church or the whole church it selfe do ordeine fit ministers that either by voices either by lotts or after some certeine necessarie and holy māner For in these things godly men will not moue contention so that all things be done holily and in order But I wil not here rip vp the craftes deceipts practises and greuous warrs taken in hand for this right of ordeining with sheading of much bloud spoylings lamētable burnings of countries The histories of the Acts of Hērie the 4. and 5. and also of the affaires of the Frederiches doe most euidently witnes how impudētly abhominably the Popes of Rome with their sworne friendes the bishops haue behaued themselues Peraduenture I shall haue occasion to speake of this matter elsewhere more at large Now we will declare what maner of mē it behoueth to ordeine ministers truely not whose luste but the most choicest men of sound religion furnished with all kinde of sciences exercised in the scriptures cunning in the mysterie of faith and religion strong and constant earnest painefull diligent faithfull watchfull modest of a holy and approued conuersation least thorough their corruption of life
is it read that amonge the old fathers there was any other consecrating of pastours As also all other thinges were simple and not sumptuous in the primitiue and Apostolique church In the ages following ceremonies increased but yet so that at the beginning to some they séemed not altogether to haue excéeded measure But to me the séemeth to be ouer much whiche at mans pleasure is added to Gods institution And I pray you what néede is there to patche mennes fancies and customes vnto the institutions of the Apostles Why doeth not the laying on of handes suffice thée since it sufficed the blessed Apostles who were farre holier than thou and more skilfull in heauenly matters There was afterward added oyle there was also added the booke of the Gospels For after this maner the 4. counsell of Carthage decreeth When a bishop is ordeined let two bishops place and hold ouer his head and shoulders the booke of the Gospels and one powring vpon him the blessing let all the other bishops that are present touche his head with their hands They of later time haue added heere vnto a pall But at this daye there is no ende of ceremonies nay rather of follies If any man doe diligently compare their ceremonies with the attyre of Aaron and the Iewishe priestes hee will sweare the whole Aaronisme is brought againe by them into the church yea that this is more sumptuous and burdensome yea and that contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell That at this time I affirme not their cōsecration to be both infamous and fully stuffed with excesse pride and offence and by the meanes to bée intollerable There is another thing to be noted whiche is that albeit amonge the old fathers consecration increased by the multiplying of ceremonies yet was it fréely bestowed neither was there any thinge either in it or in the whole Churche of Christ set to sale But at this day how déere palls are sould by that Romish Chanaanite and with how great costs consecrations are made it is a shame euen to speake Gregorie in the counsell at Rome celebrated in the time of Mauricius and Theodosius amonge other things thus decréeth Following sayeth hee the auncient rule of the fathers I ordeine that there bee nothing at any time taken of ordinations neither for the giuing of the pall nor for the deliuerie of the Bulls For seeing that in ordeyning of a bishop the high bishop layeth his hād vpon him and the minister readeth the lesson of the Gospel the Notarie writeth the epistle of his confirmation As it becōmeth not the bishop to sell the hand he layeth on so neither the minister nor the notarie ought in the ordination either the one to sell his voice or the other his penne But if any man shall presume to take any gaine thereby hee shal be sure before the iudgement seate of Almightie God to vndergo the sharpe sentence due to so horrible an offence Yet forthw t he addeth But if he that is ordeined not required but of his owne freewill only for fauours sake wil offer any thing we graunt he may I haue hetherto declared what manner of men and after whatsort bishops or pastours muste be ordeined in the church of god And albeit out of those things it may easily be gathered why at this day we suffer not oure selues to be ordeined of those who are called and séeme to them selues to be the only lawfull ordinaries that is to saye such as in the Romish church by continuall succession descend from the Apostles I will yet if I can declare the cause somewhat more plainely Of the continuall succession of Byshops or pastours and of the churche I haue spoken elsewhere so that it were superfluous here to repeate and rip vp the same againe I haue also proued that oure churches are the true churches of God though they agrée not with the late vpstart churche of Rome And it is euident that true churches haue power to ordeine pastours whether it be done by the voices of the whole church or by the law full iudgement of suche as are chosen by the church Wherevpon it consequently followeth that they are lawfully ordeined whiche our or rather which the churches of Christe doe ordeine And there are weightie causes why the holy churches of God doe refuse to haue their ministers ordeyned of Popishe ordinaries For S. Paule sayth Though we or an angel from heauen shall preach any other Gospell vnto you than that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed But these men preache an other Gospell beside that which Paule preached whiche thing we will haue to be vnderstood as touching the sense wherin there is more daunger and not as touching the wordes And therefore from heauen these mē are stricken with this cursse or excommunication But who can abide to be ordeined of them that be stricken with a cursse or excommunicate Moreouer the chiefe thing in the ordination is the doctrine of the Gospel Séeing that to this end especially ministers of the church are ordeined that they preach the pure gospell of Christe vnfeignedly vnto the people and without mingling of mans traditions But this very thing they doe not only most streightly forbid them that are ordeined but also they compell them to abiure by a certeine kinde of othe whiche they offer vnto them For they are bounde by that wicked othe not vnto Christ but to the Pope against Christe For among other things thus they whiche are elected bishops take their othe I. N. elected bishop of N. from this time foorth will be faithful and obedient to blessed Peter and to the holy Apostolique church of Rome and to our Lord N. the Pope and to his successours entring canonically The counsel which they shal commit vnto me by them selues or messingers or by their letters to their hinderance I will not willingly disclose to any man I will be a helper vnto thē to reteine and defend against al men the Popedome of Rome and the royalties of S. Peter I will doe my indeuour to keepe defend increase and inlarge the rightes honours priuileges and authoritie of the churche of Rome of our Lorde the Pope and of his foresaide successours Neither wil I be in counsel practise or treatie wherein shall be imagined againste our Lorde the Pope him selfe or the same church of Rome any sinister or preiudiciall matter to their persons right honour state or power And if I shall vnderstand such thinges to be imagined or procured by any I will hinder the same as muche as lyeth in me and with as much speede as conueniently I maye I will signifie the same to oure sayde Lorde or to some other by whom it may come to his knowledge The rules of the holy fathers the decrees ordinaunces sentēces dispositions reseruations prouisions and commaundements Apostolical I wil obserue with my whole might and cause them to bee obserued of other Heretiques Scismatiques and rebels against our
of God the father Here true Christiās are separated from Iewes from Turkes yea and Papistes also For they despising the sonne of God call vpon the father only without the mediation of Christ Iesus But the voice of God by the Gospel and his Apostles pronounceth against them In the Gospel we read the Lord said The father hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne beecause that all men shuld honour the sonne euen as they honor the father He that honoureth not the sonne the same honoreth not the father which hath sent him And againe I am the way the trueth the life No man cōmeth to the father but by me And Iohn the Apostle and Euāgelist saith Who soeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father But these men doe not acknowledge Christ to be the only intercessour but teach the saincts in his stéed or with him ought to bee called vppon as patrones before god But the same Iohn shewing an aduocate vnto Christiās did not appoint him selfe did not lay before vs sainctes in stéed of Christ or them with Christ But saieth he wee haue an aduocate with GOD the father Iesus Christ the righteous Neither doeth Paule shewe vs any other in 1. Tim. 2. cap. and Heb. 7. cap. To the Ephesi By Christ sayth he wee haue bouldnesse entraunce with confidēce by faith in him Christ is sufficient for them that beléeue as in whom alone the father hath stoared vpp all good things commaunding vs to aske those thinges in him and by him thorough prayer These thinges are sufficient for minds not desirous of contention They that wil let them serch further in the third Sermon of the fourth Decade I haue told you who is to be prayed vnto or called vppon of the godly worshipers of God and by whome to witt God alone by the onely sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs now sée what should stirre vp man to call vppon God surely the spirite of our God principally For prayer is rightly counted amonge the giftes of grace For neither could we earnestly nor hartily call vpon our God vnlesse we be stirred vpp and prouoked thervnto by the spirite of god For albeit the commaundement of God will vs to pray present necessitie and daunger driue vs and the example of other allure vs to pray yet all these thinges would doe nothing vnlesse the spirite inforce our minds vnto his will and guide and kéepe vs in prayer Therefore though there be many causes concurring whiche moue men to prayer yet the chiefe original of prayer is the holy Ghost to whose motion and gouernement in the entraunce of all prayers whosoeuer pray with any fruite do begge with an holy preface To this perteine these words of the holy Apostle The spirite also saith hée helpeth our infirmities For we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed But he which searcheth the harts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirite for he maketh requests for the saincts according to the will of God. In déede the spirite of God is said to make intercession not that he in very déed prayeth groaneth but because he stirreth vp our mindes to pray and to sighe and bringeth to passe that according to the pleasure of GOD wée should make intercession or pray for the Sainctes that is to saye for oure selues But let vs consider with what abilities hée must be furnished which cōmeth of purpose to pray vnto god First it is necessarie that hée lay aside all opinion of his owne worthinesse and righteousnesse that hee acknowledge himselfe to bee a sinner and to stand in néed of all good thinges and so let him yéeld himselfe vnto the méere mercie of God desiring of the same to be filled with all things that are good For that great prophete of God Daniel saieth Wee doe not present our prayers before thee in our own righteousnes but in thy manifold mercies Also you read the like prayers offered vnto God Psal. 79. For the people of the Lord crie Helpe vs O Lord of our saluation for the glorie of thy name deliuer vs and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thy names sake Remember not our sinnes of old make hast and let thy mercie deliuer vs. In the new Testament the Phariseie in Luke trusting in his owne righteousnesse is put by and cast off from the Lord but the Publican fréely confessing his sinnes and crauing mercie of God is heard and iustified For vnlesse we acknowledge our nakednes weakenes and pouertie who I pray you wil pray vnto God For not they that bestrong but they that bee sicke haue neede of the Physician And the Lorde in the Gospell sayth Aske and ye shal receiue knocke and it shal be opened vnto you seeke and ye shall finde Hee therfore that is commaunded to aske that he may receiue hath not as yet that he asketh he that knocketh by knocking signifieth that he standeth without doores and he whiche séeketh hathe lost that which yet he séeketh for We therefore being shut out from the ioyes of Paradise by prayer do séeke and aske for that whiche we haue lost and haue not Therefore where as Dauid and Ezechias and other saintes of God in prayer do alledge their owne righteousnes for which they séeme worthily to require to be heard truely they regarde not their owne worthinesse but rather the trueth of god He hath promised that he will heare them that worship him therfore the Godly say Beholde wee are thy worshippers therefore it is méete thou shouldest not neglect vs but deliuer vs In the meane while in other places they speake in suche sort of their righteousnesse that we cannot doubt that in their prayers they made mention of their righteousnesse with a certeine measure and limitation Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant sayth Dauid for in thy sight shal no man liuing be iustified c. Furthermore and that whiche is the chiefe of all it is needefull that they which pray must haue a true feruent faith Let the doctrine of faith therefore in the matter of prayer shewe vs lighte as the morning starr and with an assured hope to obtein of God the thing which is asked let him that prayeth make his petition Let him aske in faith sayth saint Iames nothing wauering for he that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tost of the winde and carried with violence Neither let that man think that he shal receiue any thing of the Lord. And Paule also sayth Howe shall they call vppon him on whome they haue not beleeued I haue spoken of faith in the fourth sermon of the firste Decade But to the ende that faith may increase in iust measure flourish and continue stable we must labour in the promises and examples from euery place gathered together We will recite a fewe In the booke of Psalmes
mighty workes of god are of such sort that any maÌ„ may vnderstande and manifestly see that they are such as they are saide to be The Lorde saide Let there be light and there was light Suche a kinde of light I meane whiche was both called light and according to the nature of light gaue light it was not called or made light whiche was light in déede and yet gaue not lighte as the Breade is called the bodie of Christe whiâ—he yet hathe not so muche as one iotte of the bodie of Christe Furthermore this word blessing in no place in the scriptures is so vsed as they woldmake vs beleue To blesse in the Scriptures is to thank to praise to salute to bid farewel to speake wel of any to wish wel to reioyce highly to extoll to giue thanks for a good turne to increase to enriche to multiplie or to make frutefull I could if néede were bring examples to proue eche of them But a man shall no where reade that to blesse is as much as to turne the natures of things by the words of God or otherwise by good wordes and prayers after a set manner pronouÌ„ced We read say they in the gospell that the Lord tooke bread and blessed Yea and Paule also calleth the Bread and cupp by that name to wit The bread and Cupp of blessing the bread and cup vndoutedly of consecration by whiche consecration the substance of the signes is miraculously chaunged I aunswere That the words bothe of the Gospel and of the Apostle are wrongfully wrested to that sense which neuer came into the mind of the Lord or his apostles For to declare the meaning of that place in the Gospel To blesse is not with the gesture of the hande to make the signe of the crosse or to lay ones mouth vnto the bread and cup and in a lowe voice to whisper out the set syllables of the words of consecration but to singe praises to God or to giue him thankes for his benefites bestowed on vs. That whiche I haue saide I will confirme by the authoritie of the Euangelistes and Apostles For the Apostles and Euangelistes vse the worde of blessing or thankesgiuing indifferently For where Marke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Blessing Mathew Luke and Paule haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Giuing thankes which worde Marke also vsing a little after writeth And when he had tooke the cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is When he had giuen thankes he gaue to them To blesse therefore is as the Apostles them selues doe interprete it to giue thankes since that they put the one for the other The diligent Reader may see the same also in that place of Paule which is 1. Cor. 10 chap. which place we will fullie and wholie entreate of in that whiche followeth Our aduersaries therefore haue not as yet proued out of the Scriptures that to blesse is as muche as to chaunge the things or that by words pronuÌ„tiation or reciting of words the thinges them selues signified are brought to or made present The aunciente writers truely made mention of a mysticall blessing but in a farr other sense than these consecrators Of true consecration wee will speake anon and will confute also in another place whatsoeuer thinges they haue brought concerning blessing or consecrating of Baptisme now wee will make an end of that whiche we began Words of theÌ„ selues were instituted of god to this end to signifie and by signifying to beare witnesse and to admonishe neither haue they beside any hiden force to chaunge the natures of things or to cause the thinges them selues to be corporally present neither doe we reade that holie men euer vsed them after this manner therefore they sinne and deceiue men which otherwise vse them than they were instituted Aurel. August acknowledged the very same thinge who in his Encheiridion ad Laurent Capit. 22. saith And verily words to this purpose are instituted not that men should deceiue one another by them but by the whiche one might make another to know his meaning therefore to vse wordes vnto deceipt and not to that end wherunto they were ordeyned is sinne The same Aurelius Augustinus gathering a summe of his whole booke intituled De Magistro asketh this question But nowe I woulde haue thée tel me what thy opinion is of al this that I haue spokeÌ„ vnto thée whiche by and by he answereth I haue learned beeing admonished by thy wordes that a man is taught no other thing by words than to learn and that it is a verie small matter that by speeche or talke we knowe partly what he thinketh that speaketh but whether the wordes whiche he spake were true that teacheth he only who admonished that hée dwelt in the harte when the other spake with the toung Thus much he in the last Chapter of his booke De Magistro To this purpose perteine the words of Solomon the wise in the Booke of the Preacher saying The wordes of the wise are like prickes and nayles that go through of the authors of gatheringes whiche are giuen of one sheepherd Where we willingly acknowledge that there is great force in eloquence and prayers of the iust as the Graecians signified by that Hercules of Gallia also Cicero verie plentifully hathe declared the same Lib. 1. De Oratore But that whiche they doe forge and imagine of Pitho or Suada or Suadela the Ladie and mistresse of eloquence that verily do we attribute to the holy ghost which doth bothe giue grace to the speaker and prepareth and styrreth vppe the mindes of the hearers By these thinges it is manifest vnto all men I thinke that it is a newe forgerie of man and not a doctrine of Oracle to say that in the celebration of the sacraments there is such force graffed in the wordes recited that they turne and chaunge the thinges or make the thinges signified to bée present and either put on or ioyne them with the signes But wee will shewe hereafter that the signes are not chaunged or mingled with the thinges signified but that bothe of them do remaine still in their own nature and propertie It shal be sufficient if wee attribute that to the wordes whiche the scripture doth attribute to wit the office of signifying admonishing of mouing and styrring vp whiche they haue from god For they do defile and blemishe the wordes of God whiche decke them with straunge and falsified titles We acknowledge in déed that all the power of almightie God is attributed to the word of God but who séeth not that that is spoken ment of the euer lasting sonne of God wherin that scripture is called the word of God Who is such a dorhead that cannot rightly distinguish betwéene the euerlasting word of God which is y sonn of God the second person in the reuerend Trinitie the word rehearsed spoken or pronounced by man The euerlasting word of god remaineth in his
worthinesse or vnworthinesse so that they are not perfect I answere That among the wicked and vnbeléeuers sacraments verily of them selues are sufficiently ratified and confirmed by the institution of God neither dependeth their perfectnesse vpon the condition and state of the partakers that they are eyther better among the good or worsse among the bad For that remaineth perfect and sound which the Lord hath instituted and reteyneth his institution alwayes good howsoeuer men varie and are faithles For the Apostle sayth Shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid Yea let GOD be true and euerie man a lyar But I haue touched this matter also somewhat before Yet bycause it is one thing to offer and an other thing to receiue GOD verily offereth of his goodnesse his bountifull giftes vnto mē to this end to profite to saue thē and to make them whole as the physician doth by ministring physicke to his patient but bicause that foolish madd man doth not acknowledge the benefite as the sick patient which refuseth physicke being ministred the benefite which is offred doth no more profite the one than physicke not receiued doth good to the other not through the default of him the offereth the benefite or of him which ministreth physicke but through y follie of him which refuseth wil none of it After this maner disputed s Aug. also of this matter For Li. 3. de Baptismo cont Donat ca. 14. he sayth It skilleth not when the perfectnesse holinesse of the sacramente is in handling what he beléeueth what maner of faith he hath y receiueth the sacrament Verily it auaileth very much to y way of saluation but for the question of the sacrament it maketh no matter Also contra literas Petiliani lib. 2. cap. 47. he saith Remember that the lewd life corrupt maners of euill men do nothing hinder the sacraments of God to make them not holy at all or lesse holy but that to the vngodly they are a testimonie of their damnatiō not a furtheraunce of their saluation He also Tract in Ioan. 26. saith If thou receiue the sacramēt carnally it ceaseth not to be spirituall but to thée it is not so As easily is that obiection confuted that baptisme profiteth not infants if we still say that sacramēts without faith profite not for infantes haue no faith thus they babble We answere first that the baptisme of infants is grounded vpon the frée mercy and grace of God who saith I will be thy God and the God of thy seed And againe Suffer children to come vnto me for of such is the kingdome of God c. Infantes therefore are nūbered and counted of the Lord him selfe among the faythfull so that baptisme is due vnto them as farre forth as it is due vnto the faithfull For by the imputation of God infantes are faythfull wherevnto perteyneth this saying of our Sauiour He that shall offende one of these little ones that beleeue in me c. For he manifestly calleth Little ones beleeuing for imputations sake doubtlesse not for confession whiche by no meanes as yet is in little ones To this also may be added that the father of the infant doth therfore desire to haue his childe signed with the marke of the people of God to witte baptisme bycause he beléeueth the promises of God that is that his infante is of the housholde of God therefore there is faith in the baptisme of infantes But the father doth not beléeue Be it so Yet that is no hinderaunce to the infante For in the fayth of the Churche he is brought to be baptised The Churche verilye beléeueth that infantes oughte to be brought to the Lorde the Churche beléeueth that they are of the housholde and people of God therefore she commaundeth them to be partakers of the mysteries so that againe in the baptisme of infantes a man may finde fayth Herevnto doth S. Aug. adde this saying Lib. 1. de peccatorū meritis remissione cap. 19. Wherfore infants are rightly called faythfull bycause they after a sorte doe confesse their faythe by the woordes of them that beare them Hee reasoneth more touching this matter in his Epistle to Boniface which is in order the thrée and twentith where he that desireth may finde more But all these thinges say they proue not that infantes haue fayth of their owne For the fayth of their parentes of their bearers or the faythe of the Churche is an others fayth and not theirs Be it so Yet most certeine is that saying that the Lorde counteth infantes among his that is among the faythfull so that nowe they are not onely baptised in an others fayth but in their owne that is to say whiche it pleaseth the Lorde to impute vnto them Furthermore that is not an others which is common to the selfe same body But infantes are in the verie same bodye of the Churche whereby that whiche is the Churches is their owne and not an others Neyther can any man easily tell what motions of the holy spirite infants haue beside c. For in so much as they are of God they haue the spirite of God And who so haue not they are not of God. Rom. 8. As they decline too muche to the left hande whiche are persuaded that Sacramentes yea without fayth doe profite the receyuers so they goe too farre wyde on the right hande who thinke that the Sacramentes are superfluous to them that haue faythe Faith say they doth fully acquite vs so that after we haue faythe Sacramentes can increase nothing in vs therefore it must néedes be that they are vnprofitable Suche in times past are the Heretiques Messaliani read to haue bene who were bothe called Euchitae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Diuine men forsooth and inspired of god For they did contende that the faythfull after they hadde receyued the holie Ghoste had néede of no Sacraments But these mē are very iniurious euē to God him selfe who instituted not his sacraments for the faythful without great cause neither vnprofitably And Verily Abraham beleued God and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was counted the friende of God iust and holie not being voyde doubtlesse of the holie Ghost but he also Receiued circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which was before he was circumcised It is sayde to the same Abraham Euery manchild whose foreskinne shall not be circumcised shall bee cut off from my people bycause he hath broken my couenaunt Truly the angel of the Lord is ready to kill Moses bicause he delaid circumcision in his childrē longer thā was lawful eyther by his own negligēce or through the fault of his Madianitish wife What shall there be found any more righteous and holie than the sonne of God as he which hauing receiued the fulnesse of the spirite poureth plentifully of the same into his members he him selfe being the heade yet he came to
the in respect therof wee were acceptable vnto God and when wée departe out of this life wée should flye straight wayes vpp into Heauen but without receiuing the Sacramente bée throwen directly downe to hell There muste also néedes arise sundrye other errours Neither is there any necessitie to constraine vs to minister the sacrament to the sick For as prisoners are absent from receiuing the Lords supper without danger of saluation so likewise are the sick those that are ready to dye For béeing neuertheles by perfect faith gathered to the body of Christe although they be absent in body yet being in minde present with the congregatiō they are also made partakers of all spirituall good things And it is sufficient for thē that as lōg as they haue bene in helth they haue bene alwayes presēt at the holy mysteries The feast of Passeouer was not celebrated euery where but at Hierusalem onely in one place But howe many were there thincke wée the by reason of their bodily health impaired with sicknes for old-age could not trauell to Hierusalem from so large and wide a kingdome And although no man brought them home a péece of the Paschal lambe in their pockets notwithstanding they did cōmunicate with the whole church of Israel And who doubteth but that by the comming of Christ the condition of the Christians is made better Our Lord Christ did not institute his mysticall supper for the dead but for the liuing onely wherefore it is not to be celebrated for the dead and to bee applied to their redēption They that die without faith immediatly fall vnder the iudgment of damnation But they that are dead in Christ are alreadie ioyned vnto the companie of the elders and stand before the Lambe singing Halleluiah for euermore For I haue declared in my sermon of the Soule that the saluation of the faithful soules which are departed by corporal death is most vndoubted And where some obiect that the auncient sathers haue made mētion of offering for the dead we suppose that it apperteineth not vnto vs We beléeue the Canonicall scriptures without contradiction we beléeue not the fathers further than they can proue their owne sayings by the Canonicall scriptures Neither would they haue thē-selues otherwise beléeued And therfore if the fathers thincke that the supper is a sacrifice that it is to be offred to procure rest to the souls departed we do not receiue that opinion as not agréeing with the Canonicall scriptures whiche teache that the Lord instituted not his supper for that purpose and therefore by such abuse of the supper God is rather displeased than pleased yea that there is no work of man be it neuer so good much lesse if it be against Gods word that can sanctifie since that prerogatiue belongeth onely to the merite of the sonne of God and moreouer that the souls departed are not in any such state in the other world that they can or ought to be holpen by any woorkes in this world But if the auncient fathers by oblation or offering doe vnderstand the sacrifice of praise or thanckesgiuing we will not striue against them but that there may be made oblations for the dead that is to say that thanks be giuen to God his goodnes praised who hath called out of this miserable world such as were indued with true faith and hath ioyned them vnto the companies of angels and all the blessed sainctes in the euerlasting kingdome of all ioye and felicitie But surely there is no truth nor godlines that willeth vs to celebrate the supper for the dead And we make a distinction in sacrifice or oblatiō For there is a sacrifice of expiation and there is a sacrifice of confession or praise The sacrifice of expiation is offered to cleanse or purge sinns and also for satisfaction for sinnes This cānot be accomplished without death and bloud as S. Paule the Apostle sheweth plainely in the 9. Cap. to the Hebrues The sacrifice of Christ was such a one the figures of whiche were all the sacrifices of all the holy fathers of the old testament who beeing both priest and sacrifice offered vp himself once to God the father while he suffered vpon the crosse and shedding his most innocent bloud there gaue vpp the Ghost The supper at this day is no such sacrifice but a commemoration of the death or of the sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse For nether ought or can Christe bee sacrificed againe who being once offered is sufficient to cleanse all the sinnes of all ages Why then should hee be sacrificed againe Neither can the sonne of God be sacrificed by any man since that for the same cause he offered vp himselfe once to God as being a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Therefore the minister of the Churche doeth not in the Churche sacrifice the body and bloud of Christe in the supper for the liuing but together with the whole Church doeth celebrate the remembraunce of the sacrifice which was once offered vpon the Crosse Of which as I haue said elsewhere the supper may also be called a sacrifice because it is a sacrament or signe of the sacrifice whiche was once offered by Christe as Augustine also hath lefte written The sacrifice of cōfession is of praise thankesgiuing which wée offer to God for the redemption and benefits of god fréely bestowed vpon his Church And since we offer the same alwayes vnto GOD in prayer but chiefly when wée are ioyned in the sacramēt of the Eucharist or celebrating the supper therefore the auncient fathers called it a sacrifice because in the same we giue thanckes vnto God for oure deliuerance from death and for the inheritaunce of euerlasting life which is giuen vnto vs And that this sacrifice is generally offered by the vniuersall Churche in celebrating the supper not by the minister of the church alone for those the liue in the Church we tould you before Now forasmuch as wee haue hetherto discussed certaine circūstances or questions whiche are wont to be moued about the Lords supper so farr forth as the necessitie of the matter séemed to require as muche as our smal abilitie was able to performe it remayneth that we descend further to declare for what cause the Lords supper was by the Lord instituted which place truely is not rashly reckoned among the chiefest For we made mention of the same immediatly vpon the beginning of this sermon For the lord by setting bread wine before vs in the holy banquet would haue his promise and communion testified vnto vs and his gifts represented vnto vs made manifest to our senses would also gather vs visibly into one bodie and reteine the memorie of his death in the hearts of the faithfull and finally put vs in minde of our duetie chiefly of praise thankesgiuing All these thinges haue we seuerally expounded hauing discoursed vpon them at large in the generall cōsideration
the first to the Corinthians the sixtéenth Chapiter in the second to the Corinthians the eight and ninthe Chapiters And to the Galathians While wee haue time sayth he let vs do good towardes all men especially towardes the household of faith In the first epistle to Timothie hee warneth that there be consideration had who should be holpen and who not be holpen In the same epistle he giueth charge to Timothie and to all the bishopps howe to deale with the richer sort in the Church saying CoÌ„maund them that are riche in this world that they be not high minded neither put their trust in vncerteine riches but in the liuing GOD who giueth vs all things abundantly to enioy that they may do good that they may bee riche in good workes that they may be readie to giue bestowe willingly laying vp vnto themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they maye take hold of life euerlasting Also vnto the Hebrues To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased Wherfore riches were gathered eueÌ„ in the time of the Apostles to succour the necessitie of the poore withall Deacons were appointed by the church as prouiders and stewards amonge whom those first Deacons were most famous of whome the Actes of the Apostles make mention and also the noble martyre of Christ Laurence And the writinges of the auncient fathers doe testifie that with those ecclesiasticall goodes prisoners were redéemed out of captiuitie poore maydeÌ„s of lawfull yeares married finally hospitals almeries spittels harbours hostles and nourceries were builded namely to interteine poore trauellers for the maintenaunce of the poore that were borne in that countrie for the reliefe of the sick and diseased for the necessitie of old men and for the honest bringing vp of pupils orphans Concerning these matters there are yet extant certaine imperiall lawes Wherefore in refourming of Churches very diligent héed must be taken that there be no offence committed in this behalfe thoroughe ouersight or of purpose that the poore be not defrauded and that in taking away one abuse we bring not in many If there be plentie of goodes let them be kept if there be none let them be gathered of the rich Then let the state of the poore be searched and what euery maÌ„ néedeth most or howe prouision maye best be made for euery one Whiche being knowen let that which is méete and necessarie for euerie one be done spéedily gently and diligently If then any of the coÌ„mon goods remaine let them be kept against such calamities as may ensue Let nothing be coÌ„sumed vnprofitably or vngodlily Againe let not the treasure of the poore vnhappily be deteined from them by fraude and to the increasing of their pouertie For there maye be like offence committed on both sides For on eche side the poore are defrauded of their goods Touching liberalitie wée haue entreated in another place in these our Decades and of prouiding for the poore in other of our woorkes And Lewis Vines hath written very well of relieuing the poore The fourth last part o◠〈…〉 of the Church 〈…〉 holy buildinges as Churches scholes and houses â—â—longing to Churches and scholes 〈◊〉 which because of the companies gathered together in them are also called congregations are the houses of the Lord oure god Not that God whome the wide compasse of the heauens cannot comprehend doeth dwell in such manner of houses but béecause the congregation and people of GOD méete together in those houses to worshipp and performe due honour vnto God to heare the word of God to receiue the Lords sacramentes and to praye for the assistance presence of god Churches therefore are very necessarie for the Church and people of god Touching holy assemblies I haue said somwhat in the disputation of prayer And althoughe that at the commaundement of God Moses builded a moueable Church and afterward the most wise king Solomon founded a standing Churche not without great cost notwithstanding wee must not thincke therfore that God liketh of such great charges after that hée had sent Christ and fulfilled the figures For as before the lawe was made it is not to bee found that the Patriarches did euer build any Ministers or great churches euen so after the disanulling of the law in the Church of Christe a meane and sparing clenlinesse pleaseth God best For God misliketh that foolish madd kinde of buildinges not much vnlike to that vnwise building of Babylon enterprising to sett vp the topp of the tower aboue the cloudes For God liketh not the riotousnes of Churches who without all riot doeth gather his Church together from out all the parts of the 〈◊〉 whiche Churche also be hâ—th taught both sparingnes and thâ— contempt of all riot A church is large and bigge enough if it be sufficient to receiue al that belong vnto it For the place is prouided for men and not for god But aboue all thinges let that place be cleane and holy A Churche is hallowed or consecrated not as some doe superstiously thincke with the rehearsing of certeine woordes or making signes and Characters or with oyle or purging fire but with the will of GOD and his commaundement bidding vs to assemble and come together promising his presence amongst vs and also it is hallowed by the holy vse of it For in the temple y holy Church of God is gathered together the true and most blessed word of God is also declared in the temple the holy sacraments of God are receiued in the temple and also in the temple prayers are powred forth to God whiche are most acceptable vnto him Verily the place of it selfe is nothing holy but because these holy thinges are done in that place in respecte that they are done there the place it selfe is called holy Therefore not without great cause ought all prophanation filthines be farre from the holy temple of the lord The Senatours court or seate of iudgement is accounted so holy a thing that whosoeuer either in woord or déede vsed himselfe vnreuerently towardes it should be accused of treason And yet in this Courte the Senatours only are gathered and assembled together to heare the matters of suiters in thinges transitorie that shall passe away and perish By howe much the more then ought reuerence to bee giuen vnto temples into the which the children of God do come to worshipp him to heare the true word of God and to receiue his holy sacraments And therefore as we hate and abandon all superstition in temples so wee loue not the prophanation of them yea rather I say wée cannot abide it Neither haue we leysure at this time about the consideration of temples to rehearse and searche out open and plaine superstitions Of whiche matter wee haue spoken in an other place I finde it a matter of controuersie amonge the fathers of old time to what part of the world wee ought to
diligently teacheth all men to haue a speciall care that they contracte matrimonie deuoutely holily soberly wisely lawfully and in the feare of God and that no euil disposition of couetousnesse desire of promotion or fleshly lust may lead and prouoke theÌ„ and that wedlock be not entred into otherwise than either the lawes of man or of God will permit And in this place we must consider of the degrées of consanguinitie and affinitie of publique honestie of the reuerence of bloud of offence towardes other and that no man take vnto wife a heathen woman or one that is of a contrarne religion For we are expressely forbidden to yoke oureselues with the vnbeléeuers Againe we are taught to enter into the knot of wedlock lawfully godlily and holily with prayer the receipte of Godly blessing in the temple of the Lorde bothe in the sight and with the prayer of the whole congregation and to beware that in any case we bee not stained in this pointe with all prophanation of the filthie world Neither be we ignorant in this case also that men of this worlde are commonly wonte to celebrate their weddinges more fitte for the diuell than God with riotting pride surfetting drunkennesse and all kinde of wantonnesse Moreouer we are taught to dwell with our wyues according to knowledge moderation patience faith and loue and also to bring vppe our children vertuously and honestly and them also to place and bestowe when time requireth in holy wedlocke But if for adulterie or some other matter more heynous than that necessitie forceth to breake wedlocke yet in this case the Church will do nothing vnaduiâ—edly For she hathe her Iudges who will iudge in matters and causes of matrimonie according to right and equitie or rather according to Gods lawes and the rule of honestie The holy Apostle woulde not haue the faithfull to contend and stande in lawe in the court of the vnfaithfull wherefore he exhorted them to take vmpiers to make agréements friendly betwixte them that were in contention But in causes and matters of matrimonie there are farre greater matters that forbidde the parties that sue or be sued to come before vnbeléeuing iudges Therefore the Churche of God hath very wel appointed a court to trie matters of matrimonie But bicause we spake of wedlocke in the tenth sermon of the second Decade also haue set forth somtime a booke specially concerning the same I haue knit vppe this matter in these fewe woords touching christian wedlocke The Church of God hath widowes in it but such as the Apostle of Christ doth describe in this sort saying Shee that is a widowe and a lone woman in deede trusteth in God and continueth in prayer and supplication night and day But she that liueth in pleasures and delightes is dead thoughe she be aliue The same Paule doeth will the yonger sort to marrie to gett children and to gouerne the house neither to giue any occasion at all for the enimie to speake euill of them the place is euident in the first Epistle of S. Paule to Timothie the fift chapter The Church also hathe virgins These be careful only for those things that long vnto the Lord are true virgins without all deceit or hypocrisie Paule saith A virgin careth for that that belongeth to God that she may be holy both in bodie spirit There are many that rule and gouern their bodies but not their mindes God requireth bothe and especially of the minde It is an easie matter to deceiue men but we cannot by any meanes deceiue god S. Paul in the first epistle to the Corinths the seuenth chapter setteth forth the praise of virginitie and by comparing a virgin to a married wife he sheweth how great the goodnesse of virginitie is Notwithstanding it is lawfull for virgines to marrie if they will whiche thing the same Apostle plainly sheweth in the selfe same place of Scripture Vnto this testimonie of God the testimonie of man also is agréeable For Cyprian with his fellowe Bishoppes and Elders making answere to a question demaunded by Pomponius saith Doest thou desire that we shoulde write vnto thee what we thinke of those virgins who after that they once determined to continue their state continently and stedfastly are found to haue lien and continued in the same bedde with men concerning which thing because thou dost desire to knowe our iudgement thou shalt vnderstand that we do not departe from the traditions and ordinaunces of the Gospell and the Apostles whereby we should so much the lesse strongly and stoutly prouide for our brethren and sisters and that Ecclesiasticall discipline should be kept by all meanes for their profite and safetie And it followeth But if thoroughe faith they haue vowed vnto Christ and continue chastly shamfastly without leasing let them stedfastly and stoutely looke for the rewarde of virginitie But if they will not or can not continue it is better that they marrie than to fall into the fire of their delights pleasures And so forth S. Augustine disputing of the wordes of the Apostle Hauing the greater damnation because they brake their first promise and faithe ascribeth not this damnation to the marriage following but to the inconstancie going before Suche are damned sayth he not because they entred into the bonde and promise of wedlock but because they brake the firste promise made of continencie and chastitie And a litle after that hee addeth these wordes They therefore that say suche marriages are no marriages in deede but rather adulteries it seemeth to mee that they speake foolishly and without consideratioÌ„ And thus much he I vnderstande that by this worde Condemnation or Iudgment is men by the Apostle Reprehension whiche wee Switzers terme Ein anszricteâ— oder nachred For they be euil spoken of by many for that they haue broken their firste faith that is to say they haue broken the promise of continencie Wherefore the Apostle thinketh it much better for young women to matche themselues in marriage then to set downe to themselues suche an order of life from the which although necessitie forceth them thervnto they cannot depart without reprehension of men But in that place he speaketh not of virgins but of widowes Saint Cyprian speaketh simplie of virgins Monkes and Nonnes were altegether vnknowne in the primitiue churche of Christe and the Apostles the latter ages had monkes but not such as are nowe a dayes whiche are their owne rule and lawe whose monasteries abound in all filthinesse and vncleannes Which though we should holde our peace yet to be true trueth it selfe and experience wil sufficiently declare And those that séeme to bee gouerned by more seuere discipline are defiled with hypocrisie I wil say none other thing Touching the firste monkes they dwelt not in cities neyther intermedled them selues with worldly affaires We haue declared in another place howe that a writer of the middle age being made an Abbat required that
of Gods law He putteth 3. in the first table and 7. in the last whicâ— added to gether dâ— make vp tenne What the two tables â—â— the laâ— doe conâ—eine The first commaundement The 〈◊〉 is this I am a 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of all things â—hat this commaundemâ—nt requireth ofvs The true God is our God. The mysterie of our redâ—tion by Christ conteined in the first commauâ—dement Straunge Gods are forbidden Straunge gods whaâ— they are Coniuâ—â—rs and witches The second commaundement of God. The ende of the coÌ„maundement is to drawe vs froÌ„ strauÌ„g and forreigne worshippinges God forbiddeth a grauen Image That is the Sunne Moone starres The cause why God wil not be likened to any thing They were hâ—â—tiques â—â—firming that Goâ— hath mâ—â—bers 〈◊〉 to moâ—â— men â–ª All otheâ— images 〈◊〉 for biddâ—â— to be woâ—shipped No imagâ— must be made for Christ How farre 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 law 〈◊〉 to â—â—ke Images To Bow â—â—wne what it is To serue what it 〈◊〉 Ideles teach noâ— Wee haue no cause to choose haunge Gods. God sufâ—â—reth not mate How 〈◊〉 the fathers sinnes 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 A moste large promise is made to the godly worshippers of the Lord. The third commaundement of God. 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 How the name of God is abused The punishment of them that abuse Gods â—ame A pain 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 Of an oath Whether it be lawfull to sweare For what causes we ought to sweare What an â—â—the is Circâ—â—stances ceremonies is swearâ—â—â— How 〈◊〉 ought 〈◊〉 sweare An oath is â—he special â—onour â—one to God. The conditions of an holy oathe Whether wicked oâ—thes must be perfouâ—med It is beâ—t to 〈◊〉 an ill 〈◊〉 Monastial vowes â—ow reliâ—iously we â—ught to â—epe our â—athes A large rewarde promised to such as keepe ther Othes The 4. precept The order of the Lord his commaundements The Sabboth The Sabboth is spirituall The Sabâ—oth is the â—utward â—â—stitutiâ—n of reâ—â—gion â—â—ere is 〈…〉 to abouâ— in â—he maisâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 must teach 〈◊〉 his faâ—â—lie the 〈…〉 the Sabâ—â—th day Ease or rest The Loâ—â— did keâ—p the Sabboth day The Lord blessed the Sabboth day 〈…〉 The Sunâ—â—y Christâ—â—â— day New-yeares 〈◊〉 Good Friday Eastâ—â— day Asâ—â—â—sion day 〈◊〉 day The sancâ—â—fication of the christian Sabboth 〈◊〉 office of euery housholder Nume 15. the abuâ—â—s â—f the â—â—â—â—â—th day Promises and threâ—â—nings added to the Sabboth day The Emperourâ—â—aw for â—he keeâ—ing of â—he Sabâ—oth â—â—e Sabâ—â—â—â— made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 â—he â—â—â—both To plow land on the Sabâ—oth day â–ª â—â—d doth â—â—â—ctifie â—r make â—oly The fifth â—â—ecept â—hat is 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 name parents Our natiue Countrie Magisrates or Rulers Gardians or ouerseers of fatherlesse children Ministers pastourâ—â—â— the Câ—urch Cousins 〈◊〉 Aged perâ—â—ns or olde folks To honor what it is The honour of God 〈…〉 before The honour due to parents Math. 15. The Stork he ensign of natural loue The Genâ—iles senâ—ences touching hoâ—â—ur due â—o parents The pains 〈◊〉 trauails â—f Moâ—hers in â—hildbirth For the honoring of our Countrie Fighting in defence of our Countrie Heb. 11 â— Cor. 4 1. Iohn â— Louers of their CouÌ„trie We must pray for our Countrie For the honour due to Magistrates Against seditious rebels The hoâ—our due 〈◊〉 Gardiâ—â—ans and maisters â—f occupations â—â—e office 〈◊〉 duetie â—asters 〈◊〉 scholâ—â—â— The hoâ—our due â—o Ministers of the Churches 1. Cor. 5. Math. â—â— Act. 23. â—â— 25. The 〈◊〉 tempâ—â— the 〈…〉 God 's 〈◊〉 The honour due to our kinsfolkes For the honour due to old men Churche goods The pâ—â—mis 〈◊〉 to those that worship 〈◊〉 parents 〈◊〉 threatninges 〈…〉 their parents Exod. 22 â—phes 5 The dâ—tie of pâ—rents to the◠〈◊〉 ChildreÌ„ to be iâ—structed religâ—â—â— Counsel aduise giuen to housholders in captiuitie Precepts on the inâ—tructiâ—â— of 〈…〉 〈◊〉 The chiâ—â— must be taught manners Childrâ—â— must 〈◊〉 an occupation Of correction Cockering of children The dutie of childreÌ„ The sixt â—â—â—cept What is â—â—â—bidden 〈◊〉 this coÌ„â—aundeâ—â—nt Of Anger Of 〈◊〉 Al hurting is forbidden The Lawe of like for like The manâ—â—rs of killing The â—aâ—ses of mâ—â—der Sancâ—â—â—ries Howe great an offence murder is The magistrate may kill â—hat the 〈◊〉 is â—â—gistraâ—â—â— what 〈◊〉 Three kindes of Magistracies Monarchie Tyrannie Aristocracie Oligarchie Democracie A prouerb 〈…〉 it is 〈◊〉 â—or a subâ—â—cte to speake aâ—â—â—nst his 〈…〉 In 〈…〉 it 〈…〉 witâ— Saints The 〈…〉 must 〈…〉 Titus The 〈…〉 thâ— begâ—â—ning The Magistrate ordeined by God for the good of of men A good Magistrate and a badde Whethâ—â— an 〈…〉 be of 〈…〉 How the oppâ—essed must behaue themselues vnder tyrannical princes â— Cor. 10. â— Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 of â—â—antes The elecâ—ion of 〈◊〉 Who â—â—ght to chuse theÌ„ What â—inde of 〈◊〉 â—â—ght to â—â— chosen â—â— be Maâ—â—strates â—â— the deâ—â—iption 〈◊〉 a good 〈◊〉 The Magistrate must be sound in religion Deut. â— Num. 27. The manner of consecrating Magistrates The Magistrates 〈◊〉 Whether â—e care of religiâ—n belong â—o the Magistrate Leuiâ—â—â— Deut. 2â— An answer to an obiection 1. Iohn 2 Esai 4â— Constâ—â—tine the great Gratian Valentinian Theodose Osias the Leper The seuerall offices of the Magistrates of the ministers must not be coÌ„founded Princes haue done and dealt in religion 2. Parali 8. Priâ—ces haue 〈…〉 religâ—â—â— Ecclesiasticall priuileges What lawes the magistrate ought to appoint concerning religion 〈◊〉 â—â—â—isers of new fan 〈◊〉 worâ—â—ippes are â—â—arsed of God. 〈…〉 The Magistrate 〈◊〉 a lawe iâ—dued witâ— life To put too and take from â—awes Whâ—â— mannâ—â— lawes mag 〈…〉 ought vse Written â—â—wes are â—eedfull The lawe of Moses is not to be in forced vpon kingdom countries A prouerb vsed when one will make them blinde that were before him disanull that which wise men haue allowed Ciuill lawes what manner of lawes they bee Lawes of honestie 〈…〉 â—awes of 〈◊〉 and â—â—nimitie What â—â—â—gement IudgemeÌ„t punishment pertaine to the Magistrate as depending vpon his office The 〈◊〉 Iudgeâ—â—â—fice is â—â—scribe◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Iudge 〈◊〉 iudg◠〈◊〉 The faultes of Iudges Respect of Persons Vehement affection The good iudg oght to haue God beâ—ore him for a patâ—rne to â—olowe 2. Pâ—â—al 9. Exodâ—â— Leuiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Iudgeâ—ents are â—ot abroâ—ated aâ—oÌ„g chriâ—tians Esai 1. Zach. 7. Of reuengemeâ—t tâ—ken by the Magistrate The sworde whetâ—â—◠〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 to kil◠〈◊〉 puniâ—â—â—â—fendeâ— Foolishe pitie Seueritie is not crueltie For what â—auses God commaunded to kill offenders Lukeâ— â–ª Whâ—â—â— magâ—â—â— ougâ—◠〈◊〉 puâ—â—â—â—â— endâ—â— â–ª The â—indes of â—unishâ—ente Diminâ—tio â—â—pitis â— kinde of â—â—dgemeÌ„t â—hereby â—â—e is put â—â—t of the â—â—ings proâ—â—ction or â—ondemâ—ed to â—ondage â—â—cretion 〈◊〉 cleâ—â—ncie of â—â—e iudge What is to be punished in offenders Whether â—â—e Magiâ—â—rate may 〈◊〉 for â—he breach 〈◊〉 religioÌ„ What moderation must be had in punishing Admonition before punishmâ—â—â— Obiections answeâ—ed Faith is the gift of God. Whether it be lawful to compel one to faith The Apostles required no â—ide of the magistrat for the maintenance of religion against the
in the tabernacle to the end that none other tribes should affecte the priesthood at any time thereafter Al which is largely declared in the 16. and 17. Cap of the booke of Numbers Now there was amonge the Leuits a certaine order there were degrées and as it were appointmentes vnto sundrie offices For the Leuites were diuided into three families that is into Cahatites Gersonites and Merarites and they againe were parted into foure orders For first of all out of the familie of Cahat were chosen princes to beare the sway and rule the rest to them the remnaunt of the Cahatites and the other two orders the Gersonites and Merarites were subiecte and did obey the first sorte of Cahatites that were their gouernors For Aaron the chiefe priest with Ithamar and Eleazar his sonnes had the preeminence among the rest For thus we read in the 3. of Numb And thou shalt giue the Leuites vnto Aaron and to his sonnes For they are giuen vnto him of the children of Israel And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sonns to waite on their priestes office and the straunger that commeth nigh shal be slaine Therein did Aaron the chiefe priest beare the type or figure of Christe the true the best and greatest king and bishop to whome all Christians are subiecte as to their chiefe bishop and head whose dwelling is in heauen And here obserue that all the Leuites did not serue in the tabernacle nor that they al did euery where thorough the land of Israel instruct and teach There were certaine ordinances touching the choice and refusall of those amonge the Leuits that were to be called to the ministerie or priest hood Time will not serue mée to reckon all the lawes appointed for that purpose The chiefe whereof are to be seene in the 21. and 22. Cap. of Exodus In the 8. Chapiter of the booke of NuÌ„bers the age is appointed of them that should be thought fitt for the ministerie that is from the 25. to the 50. yeare of their age The priestes that were called and chosen to the ministerie were also consecrated The maner of consecrating them is farre more large and busie than that I can in fewe wordes declare it By their consecration was meant that they ought to bee adourned with sundrie giftes and indued with holy conuersation that serue the Church in the office of priesthoode For to this doth â—specially belong the annoynting of the priestes which is a type of the holy ghoste where withall vnlesse an Ecclesiasticall minister bee indued hée exerciseth the office to his owne destruction This Ceremoniall annoynting of priestes is set downe by Moses in the 19. of Exod. the 8. of Leuit and the 8. Chapiter of the booke of Numbers To this wée must add also the habite or apparel that the priests did vse The priestes ware when they did not minister in their charge or office such kinde of garmentes as Lay men did as wée may gather out of Ezechiel but when they did serue in the ministerie then did they wear ceremonial raymeÌ„t according to gods coÌ„maundement A very large description wherof Moses doth very wel set downe in the 28. and 39. cap. of Exod. There are in number 9. sortes of Ceremoniall garments yet some doe reckon vpp but eight Iosephus maketh 10. First of all the priestes before they went about their offices did washe themselues in water and then put on their holy garments Amonge those garments some there were indifferently vsed both of the inferiour and chiefe priests And first their priuities are hidden with linnen bréeches comming downe to their knées and hamms the vpper part whereof was tyed aboue their hippes with a gathering band like to the vpper part of our common slopps to the end that if they should chaunce to fall while they were busie in killing their sacrifices or in bearing burdens to fro the parts should not appeare which shame doth bidd to couer Vppon their linnen bréeches they had a close coate made of double linnen which as Iosephus sayth was made of silke That was plaine or cloase to the body without plaight or gathering and came downe iust to the calfe of the legge Such were souldiours wont to weare and called them cassocks so fitt for their limms and close to their bodies that they were light and without let either to runne or fight And therefore the priestes making themselues readie to the ministerie of God put on such a cassocke that being comely cladd they mighte notwithstanding with much expedition discharge their office and exercise their ministerie The third kinde of rayment that was a belt or girdle did gird that cassock about the priest This girdle was woauen of purple scarlet and blew silke like to an Adders skinne hanging downe beneath the knée but in the holy ministerie tucked vp againe vpon the left shoulder The fourth kinde of 〈◊〉 was a Mitre or a rounde litle Capp which couered his head almost to the eares in facion like as if a maÌ„ should cut a boowle euen in the middest and sett the vpper parte vppon his head Then was the Ephod whereof mention is made not in Exodus where the Ceremoniall garmentes are reckoned vppe as it were of purpose but in other places of holy scripture which garment was indifferently common to all the priestes This Ephod is thought to haue béene a linnen cloake such an one as Dauid ware when hee daunced before the arcke Of the priestes which Saule slue by the handes of Doeg the Edomite thus wee read And he killed that same day 85. men that ware linnen Ephods His meaning is not that they were slaine while the Ephodes were on their backes but that they were killed when they were of that age and order that they might weare an Ephod that is that they mighte minister in the priesthood of the lord Therefore in Osee wée read Thou shalt bee without Ephod and Teraphim That is without priesthood religion For the Ephod began to be vsed for the very priesthood the garment or the signe for the thing signified But if any man will take these words of Osee to be spoken of the more notable Ephod of which I shal haue cause to speake anon I will not greatly gainsay him Nowe this linnen Ephod séemeth not to differ much from that which the Papistes do call a Surplice These fiue garments the chiefe priest and vnder priests did vse alike The other foure doe properly belong to the high priestes alone The first of the soure was called Megil and was a coate downe to the ancles a garment all of blew silke from the necke downe to the soale of the foote being cloase on euery side vnlesse it were the places to put his head and armes out at at the hemms beneath did hange 72. bells and as many Pomegranates so placed that still betwixte two bells there hounge one Pomegranate and betwixt two Pomegranates one bell the cause
thereof is made to be this that when the highe priest went into the holy of holies the sound might be heard because he should by and by die the death vnlesse he did so Nowe solloweth the Ephod of the high priest which differeth much frō that whereof I spake before For it was not of lynnen but woauen with weauers worke of diuers colours of gold purple and silke being vnlike to the other in shape and making For it belonged to the highe priestes alone and was a brestlap comming ouer the bulke from the necke to the hippes for like a curet it couered the breste it came ouer the hinder parte of the shoulders and about both the sides vnder the armehooles bearing the same facion that at this day womens stomachers doe which wée Switeers call Libli This Ephod hée ware vppon the topp of his Megil that came downe to his ancles Vppon eche shoulder hée bare on Onyx stone called Schoham wherein were grauen the names of the children of Israell against the breast there was nothing woauen in it but a place was lefte voyd for the breastlap of Iudgment For the breastlap of Iudgemēt whiche is called Hosen was the eighth ornament of their attyre and it was a woauen cloath made of gold purple and silke about an handbreadth quare and double and hemmed about on euery side because it should not rauell out In that there was woauen precious stoanes of a wonderfull greatnesse for the kinde and of a meruaylous price which were placed so in foure sundry rowes that euery rancke conteyned thrée stones in which as in the Onyx stones were grauen the names of the children of Israel They glistered wyth a wonderfull brightnesse for no stones were set in the brestlap but such as shoane excéedingly Whereby it seemeth that Vrim and Thummim was nothing else but these rowes of precious stones For Vrim Thummim signifie lighte and perfectnesse For as these stones did giue great light so were they pure without all manner of spotts And they thought that the highe priest did neuer saye right in a matter of weight nor when hée was asked did vtter truely the aunswears and Oracles of God but when the breastlapp of Iudgemente did hange on his breast Nowe this breastlap of Iudgement was tyed to the Ephod or the other breastlap by golden rings beneath and aboue it hounge downe the shoulders by golden chaynes that were fastened vnder the Onyx stones This was the most precious and excellent parte of the high priestes apparel For it was the coffer of wisedome and treasure of all lawe and knowledge of equitie and iustice from whence the Israelites did fetch as it were the determinate aunsweares to such doubtes as at any time they stucke vppon which is the cause as it séemeth that some haue translated Vrim and Thummim into the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is say they doctrine truth is in the priestes breast The last of all is the golden Plate For vpon the high priests head there was a blew silke lace where vppon this plate was put which was broad beneath and sharpe aboue in facion somewhat like to the labell of a bishops Miter wherein was written Holie to the Lord or The holines of the Lord. For Christ our Lord alone is holiest of all and he that sanctifieth vs all Hée is an Antichrist that doth vsurpe the name or title Some thinke that in that plate was written that name of GOD that was not lawfull for any man to vtter This plate was tyed to the capp full vppon the forehead with a blew silke lace and was as it were a crowne vppon his head Thus I say were the high priest and vnderpriests arayed at the first These sundrie Ceremonies haue sundrie and goodly significations The vse and end of these ordinaunces the Lord declared by Moses to be for glorie and comelinesse sake for they were inuented partly for the winning of credite and authoritie to the ministers of religion and partly for the commendation or aduancement of religion it selfe because the things are most regarded that are set forthe with so great solemnitie Moreouer it was profitable and especiallie necessarie with these busie Ceremonies to set a woorke the people which if they had béene without such Ceremonies of their owne was very proane and ready to haue embraced the idolatrous rites of heathen nations Furthermore those Ceremoniall clothes vsed by the Priestes Aarons successors do offer to vs the beholding of Christ the true and highest priest He was apparelled with the garment of righteousnes temperance vertue which garmēt is cōmon vnto vs also For al Christians must put on and be cladd with Christe And yet Christe hath the preeminence as the high and chiefest priest among vs all not onely because he doth sanctifie vs and indue vs with vertue but also because hée hath certaine properties peculiar to himselfe as hée that is both very God and the Sauiour of the world Hée beareth vs vppon his breast and shoulders as Aaron did the precious stones for wée are not vile but very déere in the sight of god Out of the breast of oure high priest Christ doth glister and shine the light of eternall wisedome For in him as it were in the treasurie of gods eternal wisedome are all the riches of knowledge and wisedome layed vpp and locked Hée is the light of the world hée is both trueth and perfectnesse so that all the world should of right require and séeke at Christe alone for lawes ordinances aunsweares and whatsoeuer else is néedeful to perfectnesse and true happinesse Hée is the holy of holies the verie maiestie holines of God vpon his head is the crowne of glorie very rightly placed as hée that sanctifieth onely reigneth in glorie and liueth for euermore Besides al this the priestes were by these Ceremonies taught to vnderstand by their very apparell what was required at their hands and what kinde of men they ought to be Let the priests be alwayes readie to the executing of their office let them walke honestly before God and men let them be temperate and farre from luste and sensualitie let their loynes bée girded with the belt of iustice and veritie let their breast their sides and backe bée furnished with the woord of God let their head bée couered with the helmett of Saluation vppon that let Christe Iesus the Sauiour bee placed and let him be the chiefe of the ministers and of the ministerie but chiefly let the priest bee heard in the Church For if he be dumb he shal die the death but if hee ring out the name of the Lord and preach his law then doth hee stirr vp in the Church a sauour farre passing the smell of swéet Pomgranates in the nose of god Therfore vnder these cloathes is hidden the signification of the priestes manners of their vertues and vices Next after a mans talke there is nothing that doth commend him sooner than his
and exhortations If so be that euerie church had such a pastour which wold not easily forsake the flocke howe great fruite I pray you shoulde we hope for Wherefore not without cause are we commanded incessantly and earnestly to praye vnto God that he woulde giue faythfull wise godly and diligent Pastours vnto his Churche Thus haue I hitherto spoken of the doctrine of byshops in the church of god And vnlesse a byshop teach after this manner and do those thinges which are ioyned to teaching he is vnworthy eyther of the name of a Byshop Pastour or Doctour howe so euer he pretend an Apostolique title For certeine thinges are ioyned to the doctrine of the Churche which also are required of a preacher of the Gospell and belong to his office as are these to gather together an holie assembly wherein he may preache conceiue prayer and minister the sacraments But of these things shall be spoken in their place Nowe there resteth to be considered howe byshops may gouerne the Churche of Christe with holy example of their life The Lorde in the Gospell sayth to his Apostles Ye are the light of the world A citie that is set on an highe hill can not be hid neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light vnto all that are in the house Let your light so shine before men that they maye â—ee your good woorkes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Wherefore Pastours not onely in doctrine but in holie life do giue light vnto the Churche whiche beholding their life agréeable to their doctrine is her selfe also moued to practise innocencie of life For the exaÌ„ple of a good man much preuaileth to the furthering of the loue of vertues And coÌ„trariwise the Scripture witnesseth that the corrupt example of the sonnes of Helie the chiefe rulers in religion was verie analyeable to corrupt the people For the Scripture sayth And the sinne of the children of Helie was to abhominable before the face of the Lorde so that the people beganne to abhorre the sacrifices of the Lorde For men séeing the corrupt life of the ministers of the church begin somwhat to dout of the whole doctrine crying If the pastor thought those things true whiche he teacheth vnto vs he him selfe would not liue so dissolutely Therefore such teachers are sayde to ouerthrowe that with their naughtie life whiche they haue builded with wholesome doctrine Wherefore Paul requireth a byshop or pastor of the people which shuld be blamelesse that is to say whiche can not rightly and worthily be reprehended of the â—aythfull For otherwise by howe muche euerie Bishop shall be more sincere and vpright by so much more shall he be subiect to slaunders and reproches of the wicked the Lord him selfe foretelling the same in the Gospell If they haue called saythe he the Lorde of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his housholde And If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you And againe Blessed are ye when men shall reuile you and persecute you and lying shall say all manner of euill saying againste you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Therfore a pastor ought verie carefully and as muche as in him is to take héede that both at home and abroad he liue a life worthy of him selfe and his calling Let him liue chastely as well being single as married Let temperaunce sobernesse thriftinesse or good husbandry hospitalitie and other vertues which I haue before rehersed out of the Apostle flourish in a bishop Let him gouerne his owne houshold wisely and godlily instruct theÌ„ and so bridle them that he giue not occasion of offence to the Church through riotousnesse or other misdéedes For so also the Apostle Paule hath commaunded who frameing againe the exercises of a byshop sayeth Till I come giue attendaunce to reading to exhortation and doctrine He requireth of Timothie a diligent reading that is to say a continuall studie whereby he may more perfectly exhort and teach But Paule requireth of him that hath bene brought vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures from a childe as elswhere he writeth a continuall studie of the Scriptures Howe great diligence then doth the Apostle require of them who as they haue not obtained so plentifull gifts of the spirit as Timothie had so they are not exercised in the Scriptures from their infancie Let a sorte of them therefore be ashamed of their vnskilfulnesse let them be ashamed of leasure not bestowed in studie and of their trauelsome idlenesse For as manye reade not any thing at all but continually liue idlely and as it were rot away in idlenesse so a number of innumerable others are busied in those thinges which nothing become Byshoppes Therefore the Apostle saythe No man which goeth a warrefare intangleth him selfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please him which hath chosen him to be a souldier Here were a fitte place to speake of stipendes due vnto Pastours but we will deferre it to an other place But if Byshoppes come abroade among the people at any time for businesse sake and be present in assemblies of honest men with no lesse care ought they to indeuoure leaste eyther by déede or worde or by apparell or companie kéeping or finally in the whole course of their life they giue any iust occasion of offence to the Churche Let there appeare in Pastoures in all places and at all times holy vprightnesse méete ripenesse of iudgement honest behauiour wisedome modestie humanitie humilitie and authoritie worthy of Gods ministers But let the contrarie vices and wicked misdéedes be farre from them In these fewe wordes I thinke are conteyned those thinges whiche other haue handled at large intreating of the discipline and behauiour of the Clergie For all ages vnderstoode that a dissolute and loose life was euill in all degrées and kyndes of men but in the ministers of the Churche worsse and moste intollerable For what can a minister of the Churche doe in the Churche whose authoritie is altogether lost Authoritie therfore is requisite in Pastors Of the want hereof manye doe complayne and séeing it vnder foote goe about to reare it vppe agayne with I can not tell what kynde of proppes of titles and ceremonies But authoritie is not gotten with suche light and vayne thinges It is rather obteyned by the Grace of God through the loue of trueth and vprightnesse of life if happily God touche mens heartes so as they vnderstande that GOD worketh his worke in the Churche by his ministers as by his instruments if they perceiue that ministers do the worke of the Lorde with feruentnesse of spirite and not coldly not fearing any thing in a good cause no not the wicked and mightie men of this world but doe resist them and yet that they doe nothing of hatred or malice but doe all
thinges of a fatherly affection with a good courage constancie and wisedome Wherevnto if there be ioyned not an hypocriticall but a holy and vpright life in déede together with honest modest and comely behauiour all wise men shall perceyue that there is sufficient authoritie thereby proued to a godly minister I woulde not yet the Donatistes or Anabaptistes shoulde hereby clayme any kynde of defence or protection were it neuer so small They contende that the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes executed by a minister whose lyfe is vncleane becommeth thereby of no value But albeit a holie life be requisit in a minister yet their ministerie becōmeth not of no value through the ministers vnhonest life so his doctrine be sounde and perfect For the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to heare them that teache in Moses chaire but he forbiddeth to follow their doinges for they teache good thinges but doe them not Of this matter I haue spoken in the seconde Sermon of this Decade Nazianzen very properly sayth The printe of a seale is all one whether it be grauen in yron or in golde And it is one and the same Gospell it is one and the selfe same heauenly treasure sent of the father whether it be brought by a good messinger or a bad But in the meane space the vnhonest lyfe of the ministers of the church ought not to be winked at but to be chastened and suche as are past cure ought to be put out of the ministerie least through their continuall offence they make the holie ministerie infamous But many will say Why handle you these thinges in publique preaching These thinges were to be tolde the ministers priuately I answere that the verie lawes whiche properly perteyned to the Priestes were in times past communicated to the magistrates and gouernours of the people and read before the people them selues Moreouer it is manifest that Christe our Lorde handled those thinges in publique Sermons whiche properly perteyned to the Doctours and Pastours of the people Herevnto may be added that Saint Paule speaking of Elders or Ministers saythe Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare The holie Scripture with greate diligence describing good and faythfull shepeheardes and teachers with no lesse faythfulnesse and diligence doth painte out the false teachers and false shepheards or wolues to the end all men may knowe them and take héede of them These thinges are euery where to be séene in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles Yet singular places if any man wold knowe are to be séene Deut. 13. and and 18. Isaic 56. Iere. 23. Ezech. 34 Dan. 11. Math. 7. and 23. The Epistles of Paule in describing and confuting of them are very plentifull And Sainte Peter in ouerthrowing of suche men spendeth a greate part of his latter Epistle The testimonies and examples of the same Prophetes and Apostles do shew that godly ministers faithfull Pastours shal be vexed with al kynds of afflictions persecutions Yet the very same neuerthelesse doe witnesse euidently that the ministerie shal neuer be vtterly oppressed but that the ministers shall continually haue the victorie yea euen when they are slayne For the Lorde alwayes giueth ministers vnto his Church who though they be tried as golde is in the fire yet they ouercome throughe him which hath ouercome the world and the Prince of the worlde The last times shall be verie wicked as we reade the times of Noe and Loth were but as then also in that vttermost corruption those two most excellent men with a fewe other singular men in all godlinesse and true worshippers of God are read to haue florished and done their duetie euen so vnto the verie ende of the worlde the ministerie of the worde shall also indure and worthy doctours and pastours shall flourish striuing against and persecuting all vngodlinesse and loosenesse of life Let the enimies of the truth ceasse to hope for the ouerthrowe of the ministerie and ministers of the worde of god I will sayth the Lord in the Gospell be with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He can not lye who hath spoken this He shall consume Antichriste sayth the Apostle with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe him with the brightnesse of his comming vnto iudgement There shall be therefore ministers in the Churche and preachers yea in despite of the gates of hell rage they neuer so horribly euen vnto the ende of the world These thinges hetherto haue I comprehended as briefly as I coulde touching the ministerie of the worde and the ministers of the Churches of Christe But it is not in our power to frame or giue suche Pastours By the grace and goodnesse of God good Pastours are giuen and the wicked are taken away Let vs all therefore call vppon God praying him to giue vs faythfull and godly ministers whereby his name may be alwayes sanctified and the Church of God may be happily gouerned to the saluation of all those the beléeue Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thanksgiuing and the force of prayer is entreated The fift Sermon AFter the ministerie of the woord of God in the churche of Christ handled mee thincketh I haue conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull wherevnto godly ministers neuer leaue to stirre vp the church The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers and in daily vse At this present we vse it after the same maner y Dauid the Prophete vsed it saying Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thee For prayer is an humble and earnest laying forth of a faithfull mind wherby we either aske good things at gods handes or els giue him thanckes for those things which we haue receiued And of prayer chieflye there are two parts inuocation or asking thanks giuing By petition we lay open vnto God the requestes and desires of dure heart beséeching him to giue vs good thinges and that he will turne from vs euill thinges as may be to his glorie and good pleasure and according to our necessitie In inuocation or petition we comprehend obsecration whiche is a more vehement prayer also intercession wherby we cōmend other mens matters to the lord For we offer prayers to the Lord our God not onely for our selues but also for our brethren and for their manifold necessities for them that are distressed with perils for those that ve sicke for them whiche suffer persecution or are in a manner oppressed with other calamities and afflictions Neither do we exclude beséechinges whereby we earnestly desire euils to be turned away from our selues or frō others There are also complaints whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expostulate with God. Thanckesgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praises and also celebrateth with a ioyfull spirite God his noble power